In 2005, singer/songwriters Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova co-wrote and recorded an album titled The Swell Season. While in development, it was enlisted as the soundtrack for the romantic independent film Once, with Hansard and Irglova playing the lead roles. The film went on to win the World Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and the album’s Falling Slowly won the 2008 Academy Award for “Best Original Song.”

The duo is now touring as The Swell Season, and selling out venues nationwide. Of the 23 current tour dates from May through September, 11 venues have sold out, including Radio City Music Hall in New York City and three nights at the 3,600-seat Chicago Theatre. They are also booked for several prominent concert events, including the Coachella Festival, Bonnaroo Music Festival, and Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

One of their stops includes Columbus, Monday, Sept. 22 at the Palace Theatre at 8 p.m. The concert is being presented by CAPA. Tickets are $37.50; $35; and $25, and are available at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office, 39 E. State St., all Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com.

Since August 2007, The Swell Season has also performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Good Morning America.

Irish-born Glen Hansard is the vocalist and guitarist for Irish rock band The Frames. Born to a working-class family, Hansard quit school at age 13 and began busking on local Dublin streets. By his late teens, Hansard had recorded his first demo which landed him a record contract. He quickly gathered a group of fellow buskers and formed The Frames.

Hansard first came into the public eye as guitar player “Outspan Foster” in the Alan Parker Oscar-nominated film The Commitments. Although it produced many opportunities for Hansard, he turned down most of them to focus solely on The Frames. However, the group was dropped from their label after the debut grunge-influenced release, Another Love Song. 

Later, old friend and former Frames bandmate John Carney asked Hansard and Irglova to star in his low-budget indie film Once. In this modern musical, Hansard plays a Dublin busker, and Irglova shines as an immigrant street vendor who strikes up a friendship with him and helps him fully unleash his musical passion. Hansard and Irglova’s album, The Swell Season, was adopted as the film’s soundtrack.

Once made its American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and received the World Cinema Audience Award at the closing ceremony. To round off this success story, Hansard and Irglova were awarded the 2008 Academy Award in the Best Original Song category for Falling Slowly. The pair is now touring extensively as The Swell Season, appearing on a number of high profile TV shows and festivals.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/theswellseason.