• Stream: Crayonsmith – House Call

    Albeit in demo form, ‘House Call’ by Dublin’s Crayonsmith is a lovely little slice of yearning indie-pop, hinting at some great things to come from the band. Culminating in an earworming closing refrain of “When you throw it all away” the track is propelled by its simple three-chord turn, lead guitar nuances and Ciaran Smith’s melancholic vocal delivery. Crayonsmith play Dublin’s Bello Bar this Saturday. Check out our Gigs of the Week here for more info.

  • Watch: Steve Strong – Contort/Retreat (Live)

    Arriving in Ireland last night for a tour from the 12th to the 23rd, Plymouth-based one-man post-rock show Steve Strong heads for Cork this weekend, with Galway, Portrush and Dublin following next week, as part of his Agila November ’14 tour. The man is quite a sight to behold live, dextrously manipulating tones and textures with one hand while keeping a tight and tense percussion underneath with the other. From the tour blurb: Steve Strong is a one-man arsenal of beats, tapped guitar and lush, textural melodies. His music is as withheld as it is grandiose, as skeletal as it…

  • Playlist: Northern Ireland Music Prize 2014

    A year on from Foy Vance walking away with the inaugural album award, this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize will take place at Belfast’s Mandela Hall on Saturday night. Culminating in Northern Ireland alt-rock legends Therapy? (above) performing their landmark 1994 album Troublegum in full, the ceremony will see twelve of the North’s finest acts – from the quaintest to the downright behemothic – compete for the prize. Go here to buy tickets to the ceremony – also featuring performances by Robyn G Shiels, Sullivan & Gold and More Than Conquerors – and stream our Northern Ireland Music Prize playlist via Spotify…

  • Smart Casual Vol. 1: Come Down With Me

    The Pavilion hosts a unique, new – to Belfast – night, tentatively titled Smart Casual – almost certainly a reference to this – in its middle bar on November 23. The night takes its cues from other clubs, with the likes of Body & Soul, Optimo, and the aim is to create something of a chillfest, with an eclectic but dubby/spacey atmosphere, which will progress to a conclusion of straight-up house and techno. The laid-back night is open deck, meaning anyone with the skills and the means is encouraged to bring their own wax and spin to their heart’s content. Admission is completely free and the event kicks…