Not every musician gets an email asking if he would support Ed Sheeran at the SSE Arena.
Like a prank phone call, David C Clements had to read it few times before he was convinced.
Thankfully for the Bangor musician it was no joke and he didn’t hit the delete button – and he found himself backing up the great man and playing to packed houses at the SSE and Dublin’s 3Arena.
“It was quite the email,” he told the Sunday World this week.
“It took a few minutes for me to realise it was the real thing – there’s only one answer to a question like that, isn’t there?”
The 39-year-old has just released his long-awaited studio album The Garden, continuing a long-standing relationship with Gary Lightbody.
The Snow Patrol frontman has been instrumental in David’s career for more than a decade, signing him to his Third Bar record label and suggesting him to Sheeran for his Irish shows.
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“Gary was talking to him, Ed was looking for a support act for his Ireland shows, Gary suggested me, and the rest is history,” he said.
Lightbody first encountered David at a Bushmills Live event in 2012.
“He’s been an incredible support, always ready with advice with song writing. I run everything past him. He’s not slow to tell me if he thinks I’m doing something wrong!”
With his distinctive voice, he doesn’t like to be pigeon-holed, drawing his inspiration from all genres from electronic, folk, indie and pop.
“We’re too quick to pigeon-hole artists. Music is so broad and it can be hard to define what you do.”
The Garden has been an eight-year project, songs have been written, rewritten, discarded and retrieved.
Ed Sheeran performing on stage at Boucher Road Playing Fields in Belfast. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Mixing parental responsibilities and holding down a day job can put the brakes on something like writing and recording an album.
His daughter was in pre-school when he started the album – by the time of its release she’s moving on to secondary school.
“It’s been a long process, but I’m very proud of it. I’m glad I took my time. With Gary’s encouragement I tried co-writing, which I’ve never done before,” David said.
The album feature songs written in conjunction with Snow Patrol’s Iain Archer and the legendary Jackknife Lee.
“It’s been insane to work with guys like that. It really forced me out of my comfort zone but it was such a huge learning curve.”
Fans get to hear at first hand the fruits of his labour at a pre-Christmas gig at the iconic Ulster Hall.
“It’s a privilege to play there. What a venue – it has perfect acoustics and to think of all the great acts that have stood on that stage. I’m in good company,” said David.
“It’s on December 20. It’s become a bit of a tradition and it’s a great time to play. It’s the last Friday before Christmas so for a lot of people there last chance to get out and relax.”
David is no overnight sensation. He has been a mainstay of the local music scene for years.
At 14 he formed a band with a group of friends which endured for 10 years gigging across Ireland and the UK.
“We did a lot of shows over a number of years, and it was great fun, but there came a time…”
Music always seemed the most likely path for a young David. His dad played a bit of guitar, he learned piano, dabbled with the saxophone before picking up a guitar himself.
Following the release of his debut album, The Longest Day in History, in 2016, his reputation as one of the best on the local scene was set.
In 2022, he stood in as lead singer of Two Door Cinema Club on their South American festival run. He was invited to Washington DC in 2023 to perform at the capital’s St Patrick’s Day Gala Concert alongside James Vincent McMorrow, SOAK and Tolü Makay.
“Washington DC was crazy. I got the call at very short notice and there I was performing in the US capital. Nuts! It goes to show you, read all your emails!”
The plan is for more live shows in 2025 and, like any artist, he admits he loves the connection with the audience.
“I’ve been so lucky, I’ve experienced the big big venues, but I love the more intimate shows. We did a show at the Lost and Found in Portstewart recently – just me and a guitar and a small audience,” he said. “I was having conversations with the audience, it was great, you can’t do that at the SSE!”
The Garden by David C Clements is available on vinyl. He plays the UIster Hall on December 20 with tickets available from the venue.