• Belfast Film Festival Presents: Spaced

    Plan 9 Film Club, as part of the Belfast Film Festival, host a night at the Black Box on April 22 dedicated to cult UK sitcom Spaced. Running for two seasons from 1999-2001 on Channel 4, it was the big breakthrough for creative minds Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson & Edgar Wright, who, as we all know, have went on to write, direct and star in some of the finest comedies in recent years. It also gave early exposure to the likes of sitcom favourites Mark Heap, Nick Frost, Julia Deakin and NI comedian & actor Michael Smiley. Tickets are available from the Film Festival for £5. Doors open at 7pm, with…

  • Dott’s USA Tour Diary: Part 1

    In the first of a three part diary entry, our favourite Galway garage pop quartet Dott are currently on tour in America, after taking in SXSW and all of what Texas has to offer. Join them as they spin you a tale of four plucky musicians and their loyal friend/merch monkey as they traverse the American Plains and play some gigs on the way. The Crown and Harp, Dallas TX. March 17 Our first show of the tour happened on St. Patrick’s Day in, you guessed it, an Irish Bar. Actually no, it was an Irish AND English bar under…

  • Roving Eye: The Young Folk in Birmingham

    In second installment of Roving Eye, Tara Thomas sets out for Birmingham with Dublin alt-folk quartet The Young Folk as they do a tour of coffee shops. Last Monday morning found me catching the red eye to Birmingham to meet with The Young Folk. I had the pleasure of sharing the flight with a still merry stag party who used the forty airborne minutes to relive every moment of their weekend, much to the bemusement of the other passengers. Birmingham is the most densely inhabited city in the UK outside London. A city steeped in innovation and revolution has produced a…

  • Boiler Room set for Belfast’s AVA Festival

    Set to take place as part of the inaugural AVA Festival, legendary underground music showcase Boiler Room will make its Belfast debut in the very capable company of Bicep, Space Dimension Controller, John Daly (who performs live), Timmy Stewart and Schmutz. A fine line-up of homegrown electronic talent for a highly-anticipated event, we’re sure you’ll agree. Go here for more information about AVA Festival, including where to buy tickets and all the usual.

  • Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly

    Precursor: the hype was justified. The long awaited “good kid, m.A.A.d city 2.0” is here, and well, it’s not that. It’s something else. It’s somehow bigger, darker, catchier and more socially significant all at once. Kendrick Lamar’s third studio release To Pimp a Butterfly is all of those things, and nothing like what we expected. Opener ‘Wesley’s Theory’ – featuring George Clinton, produced by Flying Lotus, sampling Boris Gardiner and a voice clip of Dr Dre – is an eye-opening funk monster to end all preconceptions. Aside from the immediately clear difference in instrumentals – good kid’s slick trap beats…

  • Track Record: David A. Tapley (Tandem Felix)

    In this installment of Track Record we hang out with David A. Tapley from Tandem Felix who after a slight line-up shuffle are on the cusp of releasing their new EP Comma and currently listed as The Guardian’s new band of the week . From the sprawling sounds of Yo La Tengo to his own idol Beck, David’s choices are a huge reflection and  influence on the music he puts out. Photos by Aidan Kelly Murphy. Talk Talk – Laughing Stock My friend Felipe introduced me to Talk Talk at a party many moons ago. I immediately picked up their two final albums,…