Joe Campbell-McArdle (guitar and vocals) and Myles McCormack (mandolin, guitar and vocals) are the songwriting duo behind Lonesome George; two friends who started learning traditional music together in their teens and have been playing together ever since. Their contemporary songwriting in both English and Irish deals with love, life and revolution. These ideas are brought to life through winding riff-led grooves; ethereal and ambient pieces with a touch of melancholy; rip-roaring reels, and bilingual harmonies. The music and lyrics weave together to form their unique sound while remaining rooted in the Irish tradition.

Known for promoting activism through their music, they have self-produced two albums and toured internationally (Ireland, England, Germany, Turkey, The Netherlands, US). In 2023, BBC NI ran a televised feature on their music in relation to activism in the arts. They also performed their first US shows, in The Dead Rabbit (NYC) as well as headlining the The Belfast Empire. 

Both renowned artists in their own right, Lonesome George is a culmination of their individual creativity. Myles’ second solo LP To Better All Things, doubled down on the promise of something special with songs such as “Comfort Zone” and “One Day,” pairing sublime harmonies and fingerpicking finesse to wonderful effect. A jam-packed few months of shows and collaborations with the likes of Réalta and Cathy Jordan further exemplify his versatility. 

This year, Joe has launched his solo project Seosamh Mac, focusing on singing and songwriting in the Irish language. In this project he is drawing more heavily from afrobeat influences, including dance rhythms and percussion-led grooves, while still maintaining an Irish traditional flavour and his signature socially-conscious songwriting.