Thunderclap Murphy plays live ambient music, looping everything from flute and guitar to saxophone and synth into slowly evolving soundscapes, every layer played live in the room as the audience watches. This page gives a programmer or press desk everything needed to announce the performance. Copy a biography, download the photographs, and check the technical picture below.
Biographies
Both biographies are written to paste straight into a programme, listing or press release. Use them whole or trim from the end.
Short biography
Thunderclap Murphy is the performance name of Aidan Murphy, a composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Dublin, Ireland. He performs live ambient music, looping everything from flute and guitar to synth into slowly evolving soundscapes, every layer played live in the room. The work sits in the ambient lineage of Brian Eno and Hiroshi Yoshimura.
Long biography
Aidan Murphy is a composer and multi-instrumentalist from Dublin, Ireland. As Thunderclap Murphy he performs live ambient music, looping everything from flute and guitar to saxophone and synth into slowly evolving soundscapes, each layer played in the room as the audience watches. The work follows the kankyō ongaku and ambient lineage of Brian Eno and Hiroshi Yoshimura, and it pairs naturally with quiet rooms and quiet activity, in libraries, exhibitions and retreats.
Behind the performance sit two decades of Irish music work. Murphy arranged and directed The Bamboo Sessions, a songwriter series with live string quartet that concluded at the National Concert Hall in 2009. He spent years engineering live sound in theatres across Dublin, and taught with Music Generation, bringing assistive music technology to students in special education. Recent performances include Fumbally Stables in Dublin. On 30 July 2026 he performs at the So Say So festival at Wexford Arts Centre; current dates are on the Events page.
Press photographs
Select any photograph to open it, or use the download links beneath the gallery for the full-resolution files. All photographs are from live performances and are free to use for event and press promotion.
- Saxophone, Camelot, January 2026 (1709 × 2560)
- Guitar, Camelot, January 2026 (1710 × 2560)
- Full stage, Camelot, January 2026 (2560 × 1707)
- Portrait, Fumbally Stables, Dublin, 2024 (2048 × 2560)
Performance video
Technical and stage
The performance is completely self-contained. Aidan brings the instruments, the looping rig and the PA, and the whole setup runs from a standard wall socket. Setup takes 45 to 60 minutes with his crew working in parallel, and the stage picture is part of the show, with a spread of acoustic instruments building up around the rig. The sound holds a gentle level in the room, so venues that need quiet keep it. It scales from a focused evening performance to an all-day ambient installation, indoors or outdoors.
Fast facts
- Performance name: Thunderclap Murphy
- Performer: Aidan Murphy
- Based in Dublin, Ireland
- Format: solo live ambient music, built with live looping
- Company: Kolo Sound Design Ltd
- Current dates: the Events page
For anything this page does not cover, from stage plots to interview requests, get in touch and it will come back the same week.