The 123

Paahto and The Bull is the guitar duo of Patrick "Paahto" Cummins and John Francis Flynn. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the pair began exploring music for two guitars, shaped by Paahto’s love of bluegrass flat-picking and John’s distinctive approach to accompaniment.

What started on Instagram gradually grew into a full recording project, with help from Brendan Jenkinson and Ben Rawlins. The result is a clear reflection of the sound Cummins and Flynn have built together over the past fifteen years.

Rather than the banjo-and-guitar setup some might expect, they chose a guitar duet, a move that feels completely true to their quietly progressive instincts. Their debut 10-track album, The 123, takes its name from the old Dublin bus route linking the two musicians’ areas.