DUG, the Irish-American folk duo comprised of Californian Jonny Pickett and acclaimed songwriter Lorkin O’Reilly (26M+ Spotify streams), makes their long-awaited album debut with Have At It! available now via Claddagh Records. In support of the new release, the band will be touring around the world, including a 9-show run in the US that kicks off November 6 in Knoxville, TN supporting The Wood Brothers.
To celebrate the release, DUG is sharing their take on the traditional Appalachian tune “Cumberland Gap.” [Listen HERE].
The inspiration for their version of “Cumberland Gap” came from Old Time sessions the band participated in. It was recorded in Belfast with Joshua Burnside, and the choice of song was influenced by Jonny Pickett’s time as an intern at Smithsonian Folkways, where he was exposed to different versions of the tune, including Woody Guthrie’s.
Jonny shares:
“It was recorded when we had been a band for only five weeks so it's very fresh. You can tell we're still figuring it out but we think that adds a good energy. We began having a lot of fun with Cumberland Gap live when we started incorporating some simple circle dancing to get people moving—we’ve now done this opening for metal bands like The Scratch and it’s awesome to see metalheads circle dancing. Everyone's down to dance. You just have to be willing to look a little silly yourself and that usually gets people's guard down.”
DUG have firmly established themselves as one of the most unique and relatable forces in the folk music revival, thanks in part to singles like “The Big Sundown,” “Jubilee” (shortlisted for two Grammy nominations), “Livelong Day,” and the title track “Have At It!”
On the album, the band explains:
“Our debut album, Have At It!, is finally out in the world!
Recording began last year at Black Mountain Studios in Dundalk. Joshua Burnside joined us behind the board, and together we kicked off a week-long session. Everything was done live and in full takes—between coffee and biscuit breaks.
Afterwards, we made a few amendments at Josh’s home studio in Belfast, and later with Mike Halls in Liverpool. The final result is a tapestry, stitched together by the brilliant mixing and mastering engineer, Ben Rawlins.
All records are exactly that—records. Snapshots of a moment in time, captured and preserved. We set out to catch the energy of our busking set in the studio—the very thing that started all of this—and listening back now, we think and hope we came pretty close. There are no click tracks here; the music moves and shifts and there are imperfections. This is music made by humans, which would have been strange to say only a year or two ago.”
For those familiar, DUG are unapologetically modern, yet their music stems from deep roots in both the great American folk troubadours and the elder statesmen of Irish folk. Their lyrics often catch you off guard with moments of humor, while also weaving in themes of yearning and melancholy. At their best, as on their debut, there’s warmth and playfulness throughout, an honest invitation into their storytelling.
Tracks like “Wheel of Fortune” feel like catching up with an old friend—mischief and smiles mixed with life’s harder lessons. Taking the heavy with the light and translating it into a foot-tapping, contemporary folk sound is what DUG do best.
Have At It! lands in the midst of international touring. The band has just returned from Nashville before embarking on their debut tour of Australia in October. They’ll bring the album to the UK and Ireland starting October 29 at The Academy in Dublin, before finishing in Waterford on December 18. A full list of tour dates is below.
The band reflects:
“It’s been some journey getting here. Since we first started this band in October 2023, busking on the streets of Dublin for passersby and folks on their lunch breaks, the horizon has moved in ways we never could have predicted. Still, the goal remains the same: cover the rent, feed ourselves, and keep playing tunes.
We’re incredibly excited to take these songs on the road this fall—across Australia, America, Ireland, the UK and Europe. We couldn't be more grateful for your support and for engaging with this little band we’ve built. We’re buzzing to finally say that our debut album is out!”
Live Dates:
Australia
10/04 – Meeniyan Town Hall • Meeniyan, VIC
10/05 – Wanderer Festival • Pambula Beach, AUS
10/08 – Factory Floor • Sydney, AUS
10/09 – George Lane • Melbourne, AUS
10/10 – Wesley Anne • Northcote, AUS
10/11 – Out On The Weekend • Melbourne, AUS
10/12 – The Northern • Byron Bay, AUS
10/14 – Lefty’s Music Hall • Brisbane, AUS
Europe
10/24 – Left of the Dial • Rotterdam, NL
10/25 – Left of the Dial • Rotterdam, NL
10/29 – The Academy • Dublin, IE
United States
11/06 – Bijou Theatre • Knoxville, TN *
11/07 – The Bluestone • Columbus, OH *
11/08 – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall • Louisville, KY *
11/09 – The Castle Theatre • Bloomington, IL *
11/11 – Gillioz Theatre • Springfield, MO *
11/12 – The Englert Theatre • Iowa City, IA *
11/13 – Pantages Theatre • Minneapolis, MN *
11/14 – Wisconsin Union Theater • Madison, WI *
11/15 – Riviera Theatre • Chicago, IL *
United Kingdom
11/20 – The Doublet • Glasgow, UK
11/21 – Oporto • Leeds, UK
11/22 – Gullivers • Manchester, UK
11/23 – The Louisiana • Bristol, UK
11/24 – The Lexington • London, UK
Ireland / Northern Ireland
12/06 – Cleere’s • Kilkenny, IE
12/07 – Spirit Store • Dundalk, Co. Louth, IE
12/10 – The Court House • Bangor, UK
12/11 – Roisin Dubh • Galway, IE
12/13 – Dolan’s • Limerick, IE
12/14 – De Barra’s • Clonakilty, IE
12/17 – Cyprus Avenue • Cork, IE
12/18 – Bank Lane • Waterford, IE
*Supporting The Wood Brothers
