• Gig of the week: Tweed Fest 2013

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    Our gig of the week this week was a bit of a no-brainer. Headlined by North Coast three-piece Axis Of (above) Ballymoney riff shingdig par excellence Tweed Fest returns for its fourth outing this weekend. Set to feature twelve performances from the likes of fast-rising hardcore band Lantern For A Gale, Belfast-based three-piece PigsAsPeople and sludge/doom five-piece 7.5 Tonnes Of Beard, co-organiser and freelance photographer Ciara McMullan said of the event: “It’s basically just a party. Back in 2010, Matthew Tweed and all his mates in one week managed to organise a gig in his barn while his folks where on holidays. His parents weren’t angry. In fact, his dad…

  • Watch: Gacys Threads – Salvation

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    Belfast progressive hardcore/metal quartet Gacys Threads have unveiled the video to their new single, ‘Salvation’. The track is taken from the band’s split 7″ with Swiss band Colossus Fall, available on clear yellow vinyl via Belfast imprint Savour Your Scene Records (founded by Gacy’s drummer Stephen Currie), French label Left Hand Records, Germany’s Incredible Noise Records and Black Lake Records, based in Scotland. Gacys Threads will launch the 7″ at Belfast’s Limelight 2 on September 7. Support on the night comes from Five Will Die, Lantern For A Gale and Tusks. Watch the video – featuring footage from the band performing…

  • The Emerald Armada announce mini-tour

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    One of Northern Ireland’s finest up-and-coming alternative folk band’s The Emerald Armada have announced details of a forthcoming mini-tour. Having been a hit at several of the country’s festivals this summer, the five-piece will kick off their tour on October 10 at Inverness venue Mad Hatters and will conclude at Voodoo, Belfast on October 26 with the launch of their new EP. Check out the full dates on the poster below and watch the video to the band’s recent single ‘I Don’t Mind’ below.

  • Watch: Savages – I Am Here

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    Having delivered an expectedly blistering performance at the tenth Electric Picnic at the weekend, London all-female post-punk quartet Savages have unveiled their video for ‘I Am Here’. Directed by Joshua Zucker-Pluda, the video employs a technique initiated by composer Alcin Lucier: recording the band’s performance, playing the performance back and recording it again, over and over and over again. “There’s a real emotional intensity to Savages’ live presence,” said Zucker-Pluda about the video. “I was interested in the idea that the band’s performance could be so powerful that it would leave a kind of psychic scar or echo within the…

  • Biffy Clyro amongst new acts announced for Arthur’s Day

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    Having headlined Reading and Leeds just last week, Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro are amongst a handful of new acts announced to play this year’s Arthur’s Day. Taking place on September 26 as always, fast-rising Dublin band Kodaline and Meath indie rock five-piece Ham Sandwich have also been added to the bill that already features legendary U.S. singer-songwriter Bobby Womack, The Script, James Vincent McMorrow, Manic Street Preachers, Emeli Sandé and Janelle Monáe. Set to take place at ticketed and surprise pub gigs right across the country, tickets go for Arthur’s Day 2013 go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday, September 4) at 9.00 via Ticketmaster…

  • Pixies release surprise EP

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    Despite losing a founding member in Kim Deal a couple of months, Pixies have released a surprise EP titled EP-1 – their first multi-track release of original material in twenty-two years. Set to be the first in a series of EPs by the Frank Black-fronted (above) band over the next year or so, the four-track release is available to purchase digitally and on vinyl here. To accompany the release, the band have also unveiled the video to its lead single, the (actually pretty good) ‘Indie Cindy’. Check out the video and the tracklisting for the release below! 1. ‘Andro Queen’ 2.…

  • Live and Let Live: The Bonnevilles

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    From the timeless (Thin Lizzy’s Alive and Dangerous) to the downright ill-advised (Lou Reed’s Take No Prisoners), live albums can be tricky territory for even the most self-assured and adept performers. Throwing caution to the wind with the aim to capture their electrifying live show, garages-blues duo Andy McGibbon Jr and Chris McMullan AKA The Bonnevilles enter that territory at Belfast’s Limelight 2 tomorrow night. We talk to frontman Andy ahead of the big night about what’s in store. Hi Andy. Firstly: why a live album and why now? “We’ve wanted to do a live album for a while now,…