London heavy metal quartet Angel Witch live at the Limelight in Belfast with support from Darkest Era and Stereo Nasty. Photos by Liam Kielt.
-
-
“I never break any strings in rehearsal… but when we’re live, I break every string in the book.” I’ve never been in rehearsal with No Monster Club yet I found myself pleasantly unsurprised when frontman Bobby Aherne made this observation Saturday night at the launch party for his new album, People Are Weird. Staged in the basement of Dublin’s Bello Bar, the choice in venue captured an absurdity that could only be matched by the dry humour of Aherne’s lyrics. This stale 70’s smoking parlour boasts wooden panels, low ceilings, and a revival art-deco aesthetic that’s dying to be in some…
-
“It is often said that before one dies your life flashes before your eyes. This is in fact true. It is called living.” – Sir Terry Pratchett Terry Pratchett’s last book, a paperback copy, sits on my shelf, pristine and unread since receiving it for Christmas and I find myself both cherishing and dreading the opportunity for one final visit to the most significant of the worlds he created, The Discworld. I can honestly say that I had no idea how important the writer of these books was to me until I read he’d died. Sitting in my workplace looking…
-
Dublin indie-rock quartet Cascades – with support from Bagels and Kojaque – live at the Twisted Pepper in Dublin. Photos by Colm Moore.
-
In one of the more curious, unlikely – and, let’s face, envy-inducing – collaborations headed by a Irish singer-songwriter in quite some time, Belfast-based folk songsmith Mark McCambridge AKA Arborist has unveiled his latest effort, featuring backing vocals from none other than Kim Deal. Speaking about the collaboration, McCambridge said: “The harmony part was always there, from the moment the song was written and recorded here in Belfast. But it needed a unique voice. Fancifully, we drew-up a shortlist of desirable candidates with Kim far and away top of the list. So, we contacted her – as you do – and after a…
-
Despite the fact that they’ve been playing music together since they were both twelve years old, and have performed under the Two Gallants name since 2002, not too long ago it seemed like we might never hear another album from folk rock duo Adam Stephens and Tyson Vogel. Following their 2004 debut and an incredibly productive period between 2006 and 2007 where they released two fine follow up albums an EP in between, it took a whole five years for them to return with The Bloom & The Blight in 2012. While they may not have regained their earlier rate…
-
With their forthcoming second album, Bolts, set for release next month, Belfast-based trio Not Squares are steadily re-affirming their reputation as one of the country’s very best live acts. Ahead of launching the album at Galway’s Róisín Dubh on April 9, Ricki O’Rawe (pictured in the bold white-rimmed shades, above) from the band shares his favourite songs as of late – including Tyondai Braxton, Luke Abbott, Arca and Polmo Polpo – in a playlist aptly-titled Pissed and Passed Out. Take it away, Ricki. “This mix is made up of sounds that I have been digging recently. The music spans time and space but coheres…
-
In our first online installment of Primer we attend Bia Beatha, a monthly supper club focusing on showcasing Irish cuisine and the art of food and dining. Photos and interview by Mark Earley. Hello Rachel! You’re the brains behind Bia Beatha. Tell us about how it all started. It’s kind of a funny one as I came up with the idea for the event in Berlin when I was there with my Mum for her birthday early last year. We were looking for somewhere to have decent German food without a tacky tourist vibe and no-one was able to recommend somewhere to…