Adam O’Regan

Soda Blonde live with the National Symphony Orchestra · 2025

Straight Into The Arms Of Something

Watch on YouTube ↗

Overview

A live performance reimagined as a cinematic system.

“Straight Into The Arms Of Something” documents Soda Blonde performing with the National Symphony Orchestra — not as a concert, but as a fully directed visual and sonic work.

The project moves between two states: intimacy and scale. Close, human performances held against the architecture of a full orchestra.

Every element — lighting, camera movement, arrangement, and mix — was designed as part of a single unified language.

Performer on stage at the National Concert Hall
Stage lighting during the performance
Conductor leading the National Symphony Orchestra
Scale
Overhead view of the full stage and orchestra

Built for scale without losing intimacy.

Sound

A hybrid mix built to hold two worlds at once.

The precision and scale of a full orchestra, balanced against the immediacy of a live band.

Rather than treating the orchestra as background, it was positioned as an equal voice — occupying physical space across the stereo field.

The mix preserves movement and air, allowing dynamics to breathe while maintaining clarity at scale.

Visual Language
Stage lighting study, red
Stage lighting study, teal
Stage lighting study, warm white

Light used as structure.

Artwork
Album artwork mock-up
CD packaging mock-up
Credits

Recorded live at the National Concert Hall, Dublin — 27 July 2024

Performed by Soda Blonde with the National Symphony Orchestra

Adam O’Regan

Creative Direction · Production · Mixing · Artwork & Design · Guitar, Vocals, Piano

Soda Blonde

Faye O’Rourke
Vocals, Guitar, Lyrics
Adam O’Regan
Guitar, Vocals, Piano, Production, Mixing
Donagh Seaver O’Leary
Bass
Dylan Lynch
Drums

Arrangements & Conducting

Gavin Murphy
Orchestral Arrangements
David Brophy
Conductor

Film Production — Tiny Ark

Alex Delap
Director
Leon Forristal
Director of Photography
Colm Moore
Head of Post Production
Conor Donoghue
Offline Editor
Cam Sander
Colourist

Sound

Damien Chennells
Recording Engineer
Jonathan Forde
Front of House Engineer
Ian Dowdall
Monitors
David Crean
Audio Consultant
Adam O’Regan
Mixing Engineer
Stefan Brown
Mastering Engineer, Abbey Road Studios

Production & Crew

Conor Biddle
Lighting Design & Engineering
Paul Hunt
Stage Manager
Brian Mooney
Transportation

National Symphony Orchestra

Conducted by David Brophy

1st Violin
Elaine Clark (Leader), Jens Lynen, Sebastian Liebig (Principal), Orla Ní Bhroin (String Sub-Principal), Catherine McCarthy, Ting Zhong Deng, David Clark, Bróna Fitzgerald, Claudie Driesen, Molly O’Shea
2nd Violin
Elizabeth McLaren (Associate Principal), Joanne Fleming Campbell (String Sub-Principal), Clíodhna Ryan, Rosalind Brown, Dara O’Connell, Melanie Cull, Magda Kowalska, Matthew Wylie
Viola
Felix Tanner, John Murphy, Cliona O’Riordan, Nathan Sherman, Anthony Mulholland, Alison Comerford
Cello
Martin Johnson (Section Leader), Polly Ballard (Associate Principal), Violetta-Valerie Muth (String Sub-Principal), Úna Ní Chanainn, Filip Szopek, Maria Kolby-Sonstad
Double Bass
Billy Cole, Mark Jenkins (Associate Principal), Lisa Featherstone, Helen Morgan
Flute / Alto Flute / Piccolo
Ríona Ó Duinnín (Associate Principal), Sinéad Farrell (Principal)
Cor Anglais
Deborah Clifford (Principal)
Clarinet
Matthew Billing (Principal), Fintan Sutton (Principal)
Bassoon
Greg Crowley (Section Leader), Hilary Sheil (Principal)
Horn
Alexei Watkins, Peter Ryan, Bethan Watkeys (Principal), David Atcheler (Sub-Principal I)
Trumpet
Ben Jarvis, Stephen Murphy, Pamela Stainer
Trombone
Gavin Roche (Associate Principal), Ross McDonnell
Bass Trombone
Josiah Walters (Principal)
Tuba
Francis Magee (Section Leader)
Timpani
Niels Verbeek
Percussion
Bernard Reilly (Sub-Principal I), Richard O’Donnell, Brian Dungan
Harp
Andreja Malir (Section Leader)

In Loving Memory

Conor Biddle (1987–2025)

Judith Mok (1954–2024)

Listen on Spotify ↗