Groove Tube with Cian O’Connell

Caoi de Barra is best known as one third of alt-pop outfit Wyvern Lingo, but over the last year – with the band taking an extended hiatus – she has been exploring her songwriting as a solo artist, releasing a four-track EP last August and more recently Treehouse, a dreamy, rhythmic single informed by the disillusionment of the housing crisis.

And as an artist with a huge appreciation for Irish culture, there is a dichotomy between her desire to return home and her acknowledgement of how difficult it is to afford life here.

Fortunately for Caoi, she has spent much of the summer connecting with dotted communities around Ireland on her national tour, which is set to arrive in Galway’s Monroe’s on Friday week, August 11.

It has been a unique tour in its journey, because Caoi has travelled from venue to venue on her 125cc scooter, performing on stages ranging from wine bars to garden centres. In many ways, it has come at the perfect time.

“There are so many things about it that make it the perfect quest for me,” she explains.

“You get to see gorgeous backgrounds and parts of Ireland that you wouldn’t get to see on a normal tour with a band. The nature of playing smaller venues means I get to meet a lot of the people putting on shows in their areas for their communities. They’re done with so much love and you get to see these places through people’s eyes.

Pictured: Caoi de Barra…on her bike for Monroe’s appearance.