'''The Walls''' are an Irish rock band. They were formed in 1998 by two ex-members of [[The Stunning]] – brothers Steve and Joe Wall.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/windmill-lane/artists/the-walls-30751233.html | publisher = Independent News & Media | website = independent.ie | title = The Walls | date = 17 November 2014 | accessdate = 4 September 2022 }}</ref> Their debut album ''Hi-Lo'' was released in 2000 and included the singles "Bone Deep", "Something's Wrong" and "Some Kind of a Girl". The Walls supported [[U2]] at their second show in Slane Castle in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2001/0810/394401-thewalls/ | publisher = RTÉ | website = rte.ie | title = Walls to support U2 at Slane | date = 10 August 2001 | accessdate = 4 September 2022 }}</ref> A number of songs from ''Hi-Lo'' featured in movies: ''[[Goldfish Memory]]'', ''[[On the Edge (2001 film)|On the Edge]]'', and ''[[Dead Bodies]]''. In 2002 they released the single "To the Bright and Shining Sun", which was used on an Irish TV commercial<ref>{{factcite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/music/the-sun-also-rises-1767561 | publisher = [[Hot Press]] | website = hotpress.com | title = "...The Sun" also rises | date = 18 June 2002 | accessdate = 4 September 2022 }}</ref> and reached number 11 in the [[Irish Singles Chart]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=the%20walls | publisher = Irish Music Rights Association | website = irishcharts.ie | title = Chart Placement - The Walls | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20220904203953/http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=the%20walls | archivedate = 4 September 2022 }}</ref> The subsequent album ''New Dawn Breaking'' (2005) included "To the Bright and Shining Sun" and three other singles: "Drowning Pool", "Passing Through" and "Black and Blue". The 2013 movie [[Begin Again (film)|Begin Again]] starring [[Keira Knightley]] and [[Mark Ruffalo]] features "Drowning Pool" over the opening credits. The first track on the album "Open Road" proved a favourite with [[Nic Harcourt]] on his [[KCRW]] show ''[[Morning Becomes Eclectic]]'' and he invited the band to play a session on the show in 2006. They played [[SXSW]] in Austin, Texas, a few days beforehand. The following year the band travelled to Australia and played their first shows there, opening up for [[Crowded House]] on the latter's first reunion gigs. The Walls opened the shows in Sydney and Melbourne and also performed their own gigs in both of those cities. The band's third album ''Stop the Lights'' was released in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://connachttribune.ie/stop-the-lights-as-walls-play-gig-to-launch-new-album/| publisher = Connacht Tribune | website = connachttribune.ie | title = 'Stop The Lights' as Walls play gig to launch new album | accessdate = 4 September 2022 }}</ref> The first single "Bird in a Cage" became a firm favourite with Irish radio, in particular with Irish DJ [[Tony Fenton]] who championed them. The second single was the title track "Stop the Lights", an autobiographical story of a motorbike crash. A video was shot for the song in the brother's hometown, [[Ennistymon]], and in the Dublin mountains. In March 2013 the band played their first shows in Russia and performed live on the [[Evening Urgant]] show. They returned the following year.
In 2014 the band decided to take a break to concentrate on other projects, but they have not broken up. Drummer Rory Doyle recorded and toured with Irish band [[Bell X1 (band)|Bell X1]] and also [[Hozier (musician)|Hozier]] with whom he appeared on the 2015 [[Grammy Awards]]. Steve developed a new career as an actor, appearing in the [[History (Canadian TV network)|History channel]] series ''[[Vikings (2013 TV series)|Vikings]]'' and in [[Chris O'Dowd]]'s ''[[Moone Boy]]'', amongst others, including ''[[Silent Witness]]'' and ''[[Crossing Lines]]''.
