• Down With Jazz

    May 24, 2016 - By 

    Returning for their 5th edition, Down With Jazz will once again take over and transform Dublin’s Meeting House Square in Temple Bar this June bank holiday weekend (June 4/5). With a stellar line-up including ambient folk from Dublin-born, London-based improvising vocalist Lauren Kinsella AKA Snowpoet (pictured), “two-horns-no-chords” quartet ReDiviDeR, the masterful, guitar-based Weird Glitches and Dublin guitarist, rapper and composer Zaska, organisers said “we’re following in the centenary theme of 2016, on the basis it is roughly 100 years since the birth of jazz (the early jazz period considered to be 1916-1922) which we feel juxtaposes nicely with the struggle for Irish freedom and…

  • Open Ear Festival

    May 16, 2016 - By 

    With the perfectly gallant promise of hosting “the best experimental music Ireland has to offer (and the occasional dance floor banger)” the inaugural Open Ear Festival takes place at the  scenic Sherkin Island off the coast of Cork this June Bank Holiday from June 3-5. Inspired in equal parts by the wealth of diverse electronic music talent in Ireland by other alternative festivals including Unsound in Krakow to Rathin off the coast of Antrim, the organisers hope Open Ear will “carve out a unique space in what is a crowded Irish festival landscape.” Making the mark from the off, this…

  • Battle of the Bay 2016

    May 16, 2016 - By 

    Doubling up as their 10th birthday outing, Dublin’s Dollymount Strand will play host to this year’s Battle of the Bay Watersport Festival on Saturday May 28 and Sunday, May 29. Having steadily grown as one of the best free family weekends in the Irish summer calendar, the festival will play host to sun, sand, kites and surfboards as both Ireland the world’s best kitesurfers descent on the beach to showcase their skills. With over 10k visitors expected over the weekend, this year’s festival will also include DJ sets all days, live music from Rachel McCormack, The Ukelele Band, Anti-One, Evil Empire, Silent Interlude,…

  • The Thin Air Tuesday Throwdown: A Northern Light @ Lavery’s, Belfast

    May 11, 2016 - By 

    Having released their stellar latest single ‘Paranoia’ back in February – and with a two-part album, Kingdoms, on the horizon – Belfast-based alt-rock trio A Northern Light will play a live Thin Air Tuesday Throwdown in Lavery’s Belfast Back Bar on Tuesday, May 17. Admission is totally free. The Thin Air DJs before and after. For fans of Tool, Angels and Airwaves and Pendulum.  

  • Deep Focus: Women In Film Festival @ Triskel Christchurch Cinema, Cork

    April 25, 2016 - By 

    A stellar ten-title, three-day film festival boasting a robust line-up of films by female directors accompanied by a selection of shorts, the inaugural Deep Focus: Women In Festival will take place at Cork’s Triskel Christchurch Cinema from May 6-8. Set to open with The Violators, the new film by UK writer and director Helen Walsh, the programme for the festival strike at the heart of diversity. From looking at complex friendships in Life Partners and the myth and mastery of rock legend Janis Joplin (pictured) in Janis: Little Girl Blue to confronting the precarious nature of “normal” life in the…

  • Irish Youth Music Awards 2016

    April 12, 2016 - By 

    On Saturday, April 16, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium will play host to the ninth annual Irish Youth Music Awards, the country’s only all-island youth focused music festival, with over sixteen different regions from across Ireland participating in the project. Featuring young musicians aged 12 – 19 from across the country representing their community and gaining business experience in the music industry, those attending the Aviva Stadium on the day will have the opportunity to attend an Educational Hub featuring music industry panels and workshops. Open for all attending to participate in will be an industry panel with BIMM tutors Alan Cullivan, Founding Chairman…

  • Sonic Whispers @ Whelan’s, Dublin

    April 12, 2016 - By 

    Returning to Dublin’s Whelan’s on April 17 as part of MusicTown 2016, Sonic Whispers will host three acts with the aim of “ripping apart the history, ethos, and the sonic boom energy of three wildly diverse genres of music.” With Ships‘ member Sorca McGrath AKA Wounded Healer, trad band Bunoscionn and rock three-piece Bitch Falcon taking part, the following is the self-proclaimed “playful, insightful and utterly unique” event’s manifesto: “One band first. They play a tune. The next band is brought on stage. They’ve heard nothing so far. Then each band will try to reinterpret the song played by the previous band…

  • Reverberation Psych Fest 2016

    April 6, 2016 - By 

    With the psych scene in Ireland growing stronger by the day, the likes of Letterkenney’s Distorted Perspectives, Belfast’s Strange Victory and Sunglasses After Dark and Dublin’s Retro Revival Club play a sizeable role in putting up-and-coming homegrown talent and established acts from further afield a platform in every corner of the country. Presented by the latter, this year’s Reverberation Psych Fest will return to Dublin’s Grand Social across the weekend of April 8-10 with its strongest line-up to date. Featuring The Cosmic Dead, Twinkranes, The Cult of Dom Keller, The Black Tambourines, Woven Skull, Wild Rocket, Beach, I Heart Monster Hero, Sun Mashene and Fabric full details including…

  • Distorted Perspectives 2016

    April 3, 2016 - By 

    Nothing pleases us more than seeing homegrown, independent festivals get it just right. With their altogether (inter)stellar celebration of modern experimental psych music, art and film slotting very comfortably under that bracket, Distorted Perspectives will return to Letterkenny’s Regional Culture Centre from Friday, April 29 to Monday, May 1. Following on from the likes of Ulrich Schnauss and Moon Duo at last year’s festival, this year’s outing will feature psych pop king BC Camplight, Jeffrey Lewis & LOS BOLTS and Captain A & The Commercial Monsters on Friday night, Leeds maestros Hookworms and Dublin’s Twinkranes, who will pair up on the Saturday night, as well as live experimental film scores…

  • Belfast Photo Festival Youth Edition

    April 5, 2016 - By 

    Proudly calling itself Europe’s only photography festival for young people, Belfast Photo Festival’s Youth Edition will take place across the city from April 3 to May 30. With exhibitions focusing on the likes of skate and BMX culture, boxing and the physical and emotional experiences of elite gymnasts, tours and screenings looking at the likes of the Titanic and workshops focusing on gig photography, freestyle and how sports can promote social cohesion and acceptance, this year’s programme bounds with diversity from start to finish. Go here to check out the full programme and to buy tickets.