Ireland's celebrated blues and jazz singer, Mary Coughlan returns to Australia in March/April 2023

Joining Mary on stage will be Matt McMahon on piano, Brett Hirst on double bass and James Nash on guitar.

Ireland music royalty, Mary Coughlan is set to grace our east coast when she brings her ‘Life Stories’ tour to Australia, bringing her acclaimed 2020 album to the stage throughout March and April, 2023.
Arguably one of Ireland’s greatest female jazz and blues singers, Mary has often been dubbed as ‘Ireland’s Billie Holiday’, not only for her glorious husky voice, but as another legendary artist who has battled and overcome childhood trauma and near-death from alcoholism and drug addiction. After hitting rock-bottom and extensive periods in psychiatric hospitals and rehab centres, she literally pulled herself out of the dregs of a vodka bottle to confront the foundations of her problems head- on and sort out her life, and has been sober since 1993. 
Mary has carved out a timeless and highly regarded career, with a legion of devoted fans worldwide. Her ability to connect so emotionally & empathically with both the song and her audience is testament to her inner strength, and to the power of transformation and redemption. 
The stage is her home. To hear Mary sing is truly to be at the core of the human heart. Whether into folk, blues or jazz, no one can fail to be moved by the emotional depth, expression & power in her voice, forged from an extraordinary life.
Mary rocketed to fame in 1985 with her seminal debut album, Tired and Emotional. Seventeen years later, with as many albums under her belt, she is known as one of Ireland’s greatest soulful jazz and blues singers of all time, a true artist who has crafter a timeless and highly regarded versatile career with devoted fans worldwide.
She has lived through childhood trauma, alcoholism and drug addition to become a musical force like no other; redeemed and transformed through the creative power of music. 
She embraces each song with empathy, courage interspersed with humour, emotions that reach way beyond the stage connecting with each and everyone in the audience.
Mary Coughlan’s ‘Life Stories’ tour will take her venues throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria, Sydney and regional New South Wales, Brisbane and regional Queensland, Canberra, Adelaide and Wellington, New Zealand. In addition to her headline shows, she will perform at Port Fairy Folk Festival (Vic) and Blue Mountains Folk Festival (NSW).

Joining Mary on stage will be Matt McMahon on piano, Brett Hirst on double bass and James Nash on guitar.

“While the comparisons have run the gamut from Holiday to Mathilde Santing to Janis Joplin, one thing is certain that Mary’s voice is her own.” - The Observer (UK)

Joining Mary on stage will be Matt McMahon on piano, Brett Hirst on double bass and James Nash on guitar.

“Mary Coughlan is still casting her earthy, Irish spells, as she has been doing for 35 years. The chief ingredient in her incantations is hardly unique: emotional truth should be a basic building-block of all singing and all art. Setting Coughlan’s espousal of this candour apart are the other spells with which she adulterates it and intensifies it.” – Sydney Morning Herald

MEDIA CONTACT:

Erin Jameson – erin(at)jamesonandco(dot)com | +61 419 323 663

CONNECT WITH MARY COUGHLAN ONLINE:

Official website: marycoughlan.ie 
Facebook: /marycoughlandband
Twitter: @mary_coughlan4
Instagram: @coughlan804
Spotify: Mary Coughlan

LISTINGS INFO:

Friday, March 10

Golden Vine Hotel, 135 King St, Bendigo, VIC (18+)

T: 03 5443 6063

Doors open: 7.00pm

Show starts: 7.30pm

Tickets: $45+bf (GA)

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/mary-coughlan-ireland-life-stories-tour 

March 11, 12, 13

Port Fairy Folk Festival, VIC
https://portfairyfolkfestival.com/tickets/ 

Thursday, March 16

The Street Theatre (All ages)

15 Childers Street, Canberra, ACT

T: 02 6926 9688

Doors open: 7.30pm

Show starts: 8.00pm

Tickets: $49 (Reserved seating)

Bookings: https://au.patronbase.com/_StreetTheatre/Productions/MCLS/Performances

March 17 & 18

Blue Mountains Folk Festival, NSW
https://www.bmff.org.au/tickets 

Sunday, March 19

Lizotte’s (18+)

31 Moore Street, Lambton, NSW

T: 02 4946 2066

Doors open: 8.00pm

Show starts: 9.00pm

Tickets: $55

Bookings: https://lizottes.com.au/live/shows/booking/3465 

Thursday, March 30

Star Hotel (18+)

30 High Street, Yackandandah, NSW

T: 02 6027 1493

Doors open: 7.30pm

Show starts: 8.00pm

Tickets: $40.50

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=994593&

Friday, March 31

Burrinja Cultural Centre (All ages)

Wurundjeri Country, 351 Glenfern Rd, Upwey VIC

T: 03 9754 8723

Doors open:

Show starts: 

Tickets:

Bookings:

Saturday, April 1

Caravan Club @ Archies Creek Hotel (18+)

89-91 Archies Creek Rd, Archies Creek, VIC

T: 03 5678 7344

Doors open: 8.00pm

Show starts: 8.30pm

Tickets: $50 (GA); $60 (Reserved seating)

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?embed&eid=995105 

Sunday, April 2

The Jazzlab (18+)

27 Leslie St, Brunswick, VIC

T: 03 9080 4398

Doors open: 7.00pm

Show starts: 7.30pm

Tickets: $50+bf

Bookings: https://thejazzlab.com.au/event/mary-coughlan-ire/ 

Thursday, April 6

Foundry 616 (18+)
616-620 Harris St, Ultimo, NSW
T: 02 9211 9442

Doors open:

Show starts: 

Tickets:

Bookings: https://foundry616.com.au/

Friday, April 7 

Foundry 616 (18+)
616-620 Harris St, Ultimo, NSW
T: 02 9211 9442

Doors open:

Show starts: 

Tickets:

Bookings: https://foundry616.com.au/

Saturday, April 8

The Music Lounge (18+)

Cnr Crown & Kembla Sts, Wollongong, NSW

T: 02 4224 5999

Doors open: 7.30pm

Show starts: 8.00pm

Tickets: $40.00

Bookings: https://aumtco.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/92103 

Sunday, April 9

Avoca Beach Theatre (All ages???)

69 Avoca Beach Drive, Avoca Beach, NSW

T: 02 4382 1777

Doors open: 7.00pm

Show starts: 7.30pm

Tickets: $50.00

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/mary-coughlan-live-in-concert 

Wednesday April 12

The Gov (18+)

59 Port Road, Hindmarsh, SA

T: 08 98340 0744

Doors open: 7.30pm

Show starts: 8.00pm

Tickets: $50+bf

Bookings: https://thegov.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/9d471355-249a-4d8f-aecf-c71dd802faba 

Thursday, April 13

Hope Island Jazz & Cabaret (18+)

10 Santa Barbara Rd, Hope Island, Qld

T: 0415 312 533

Doors open: 6.00pm

Show starts: 7.00pm

Tickets: $40/$45/$50/$55

Bookings: https://hopeislandjazz.com.au/tickets/mary-coughlan-251074#buy

Friday, April 14

Byron Theatre (All ages)

69 Jonson Street, Byron Bay

T: 02 6685 6807

Doors open: TBA

Show starts: TBA

Tickets:

Bookings: https://byroncentre.com.au/whats-on/

Saturday, April 15

Brisbane Jazz Club (18+)

1 Annie St, Kangaroo Point, QLD

T: 07 3391 2006

Doors open: 6.30pm

Show starts: 7.30pm

Tickets: $40/$65

Bookings: https://brisbanejazzclub.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/92185