The Cranberries at Thanks Jimi Festival: the Irish band at Wrocław’s guitar celebration

The Cranberries’ story began in 1989 in the small Irish town of Limerick, when Noel and Mike Hogan formed The Cranberry Saw Us with Fergal Lawler and Niall Quinn. Singer Dolores O’Riordan replaced Quinn overnight, recording their first demo. The tape interested British media and record labels. Renamed The Cranberries, they signed with Island Records and recorded their unsuccessful first single, “Uncertain”.

Their debut, “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?”, initially met a cool reception. They persevered, winning American audiences through fantastic concerts and attracting MTV’s attention. “Linger” reached the American Top Ten, and the album sold over a million US copies. They returned triumphantly to Britain with a reissue debuting at number one.

Released in 1994, “No Need To Argue” proved a real breakthrough for The Cranberries. Its stunning success and countless platinum certifications propelled the group into the international first division. “Zombie” became one of the 1990s’ musical symbols. The band followed up a year later with “To The Faithful Departed”, combining their earlier releases’ catchiness with a raw rock edge. They also became renowned for excellent videos, including “Salvation”, which made the charismatic Dolores O’Riordan one of the world’s most recognisable singers.

After “To The Faithful Departed”, the band slowed down, waiting until 1999 to release their next album, “Bury the Hatchet”. They then embarked on a major tour, playing 110 concerts across 6 continents. The Cranberries were also due to perform in Poland in 2000, but the eagerly awaited concert was cancelled because Dolores was pregnant.

After releasing “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee”, the band informally went on hiatus, returning only in 2009. Following an extensive run of European and American concerts, The Cranberries entered the studio and surprised audiences in 2012 with “Roses”, subtly recalling their early work. Their next release is due in April 2017, just before their Wrocław concert!

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