Local man's band releases debut album

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Local drummer Keelan Bliss is celebrating a major milestone as his band, Citrus Drive, releases their self-titled debut album today, Friday March 6.

The son of Ericsson engineer John Bliss and Slimming World Athlone director Pauline Bliss, Keelan attended secondary school in Athlone Community College, and taught himself to play drums through YouTube tutorials and quickly found his place in Galway’s music scene.

The 23-year-old, who first discovered his love of drumming at a school concert in Athlone, has spent years honing his craft while balancing his undergraduate degree in Galway, and his Master’s in Education at University College Cork.

He performs alongside lead singer Nick Kos, bassist Darragh Fahey, and guitarist Daniel Scully.

Recorded in 2024, the album follows the band’s debut single, Desert Heat, which quickly gained a growing fanbase.

Their 10-track release showcases a distinctive rock sound influenced by legends such as The Beatles and Metallica.

“I remember seeing our song on Spotify for the first time, it was surreal,” Keelan said.

“The positive feedback showed us we were capturing the sound we were aiming for.”

The band thanked Jamie van den Oosten for mixing, Billy Sinnott for mastering, Fiona Galeas for cello contributions on ‘Vampire’ and ‘Endless Night’, and Liam Mounsey for the album artwork.

The band is set to host their 'final gig' tonight in Galway's Roisin Dubh.

The album is now available on all streaming platforms, and fans can follow Citrus Drive on Instagram and YouTube @CitrusDriveBand.