INTERVIEW: Bressie's Blizzards took to the stage in Leixlip last night

The Blizzards were a band formed in the mid-noughties, and instantly took off on the Irish music scene.

Drummer Dec Murphy took a trip down memory lane to the band’s Punchestown Oxegen days.

“I’m that old I don’t even remember!” laughed Dec.

The Blizzard boys, from Mullingar, played at the annual Oxegen festival held in the well-known Kildare venue for eight years in a row.

Dec laughs as he reminisces on a young small town Mullingar lad acting casually ‘cool’ around the hugely famous American band the Foo Fighters. 

“The first one especially was our biggest gig at the time. One of the highlights to date.

“It was great mixing with global stars. There’s nothing like it now”, said Dec.

The band were formed by Niall Breslin (better known as Bressie) and Killian Egan in late 2004, with Dec Murphy on drums, Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran on bass and Aidan Lynch on keyboards.

The five piece recently played a ‘Back to Basics’ gig in Newbridge, which Dec said went really well. “It was our first time in Newbridge, it’s a lovely town so it was great”.

The band will support popular English rock band The 1975 in Malahide castle in June, while Athy’s Picture This will support them in Belfast.

“We look forward to that, it’s a privilege getting those gigs”.

The boys have played at huge gigs and festivals including Electric Picnic and Indipendence in Cork, but Dec says smaller gigs can be great too.

“There’s completely different vibes, Whelan’s in Dublin always has a good buzz”.

The Blizzards are no strangers to playing in Kildare.

“We headlined Rock the Yard a few years ago. We played Naas a few times too.

“Leixlip is a great space to play”.

SEE ALSO: Leixlip is ready to rock this Bank Holiday weekend

The five Mullingar friends took a six year music break, and Dec says things are completely different this time around.

“Ah I missed it a bit yeah, we’re back now but we’ve kids and wives so it’s a different perspective.

“We’re enjoying it more, taking it all in. We’re far more relaxed”.

Since making their comeback in early 2016, their first hit in seven years, ’Drop Down the Anchor’, was the most played Irish independent single of the year.

Their new single ’Show Me The Science’ had it’s first Irish airplay last week, and Dec said the band are excited about it.

“We’re confident, it’s a great tune.

“But there’s no financial pressure this time because we all work full-time and we don’t have a record label”.

Dec says the band have a couple of new songs to showcase at the Leixlip Festival.

“We have four or five new songs for the set. We’ve had a few weeks off so this will be our first gig back.

“The great thing about it is that we’ll have followers that will already be there, but we’ll get new followers that are just there for the day out.

“It’s a credit to the organisers. We’ll give as much as we can”.

The band will perform and headline this Saturday evening (June 3) at ’Rock the Yard’ at the Leixlip Festival. Dublin band 'The Riptide Movement' headline on Sunday evening (June 4). Tickets and more information from www.courtyard.ie.

SEE ALSO: Irish band The Riptide Movement have strong links with Kildare