• Oliver Jeffers: Words & Pictures @ Liberty Hall, Dublin

    April 24, 2015 - By 

    Raised in Northern Ireland, New York-based Australian artist, illustrator and writer Oliver Jeffers is a jack of all trades, master of many. His picture books – including Lost & Found, Stuck, The Hueys and more – have been translated into over 30 languages, his distinctive paintings have been exhibited throughout the world and he won an Emmy in 2010 for his collobarative work with Mac Premo. Taking place as part of International Literary Festival Dublin 2015, Oliver Jeffers – Words & Pictures will take place at Liberty Hall on Tuesday, May 19 at 6.30pm. Tickets are priced at €8/€5 and are…

  • BARE in the Woods

    April 17, 2015 - By 

    June is traditionally a stacked month in terms of live excursions around the country, but following its acclaimed debut last year, one-day festival B.A.R.E. in the Woods looks set to stake its place in the Irish festival calendar with an-already impressive line-out of music, and a brand-new comedy stage in the woods of Garrynahinch, Co. Laois. The music line-up is an exciting one to say the least, headlined by returning UK hip-hop legend Roots Manuva. The brutally-honest South Londoner is renowned for his multi-layered lyrics and rich vein of cultural references throughout his music, delivered in his inimitable style, a…

  • 12 Points festival

    April 16, 2015 - By 

    Running from April 15-18 at Dublin’s Project Arts Centre, 12 Points Festival will showcase 12 young European jazz ensembles, creating a unique networking opportunity for its participants. The schedule for this year’s outing – featuring the likes of Black Dough, Virta, Auditive Connection and Moskus –  is both impressively varied and extremely inviting for first-time attendees. Hit up the 12 Points Festival page here to check out the full line-up and to buy tickets.

  • Festival Preview: Belfast Film Festival 2015

    April 12, 2015 - By 

    Time to dig out your best sitting-down trousers, as the Belfast Film Festival returns for its fifteenth year. With over one hundred films in ten days, it’s part celebration, part endurance test. Opening night duties fall to local legend Mark Cousins (pictured), premiering his I Am Belfast, a dream-like exploration of the city’s identity and history that promises to go beyond across-the-barricade clichés (Cousins’ meditation on D. H. Lawrence, 6 Desires, is also being screened). At the tail-end of the programme is Stephen Fingleton’s post-collapse drama The Survivalist, with Martin McCann as a loner living off the land amongst the…

  • Festival Preview: Folkfest

    April 9, 2015 - By 

    Last month saw the announcement of Folkfest, a brand-new festival out of Killarney boasting a varied line-up of contemporary, traditional and alternative folk, happening in the INEC from July 24th to 26th. Hitting a cross-section between modern, “destination” festival and folk weekender, the INEC plays host to four stages over the course of three days, and Folkfest boasts a hugely diverse line-up to satisfy the most eclectic of folk connoisseurs. On top of a Main Stage and a Ballroom stage that will house the headliners and old faves, the Acoustic Club stage plays host to intimate, contemporary performances from, among…

  • Irish Youth Music Awards @ Aviva Stadium, Dublin

    April 9, 2015 - By 

    On Saturday, April 18, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium will play host to the seventh 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. Events have been running since last December across the whole island with the national event – organised by Youth Work Ireland  – taking place on the day. According to the Youth Work Ireland, the aim of the IYMA is “to provide every young person with the opportunities to get tools for life and change communities. Each year the programme is launched and…

  • Vantastival @ Bellurgan Park, Co. Louth

    April 3, 2015 - By 

    When they say Vantastival is one of the Irish festival circuit’s best-kept secrets, it’s not some line they’re feeding you. A family-run event, over the past six years, Bellurgan Park, Co.Louth-based fest has been built up completely from scratch, “a totally unique, brazenly independent event and the only one of its kind in Ireland”, and its sixth annual instalment, running from May 1st to 3rd, is looking like a cracker. Headlined this year by reunited Welsh rap-rockers Goldie Lookin’ Chain, and Irish indie-pop veterans Delorentos, the multiple-award nominated fest also places the spotlight on a diverse range of Irish bands…

  • The Thin Air/Head presents Record Store Day @ The Bar With No Name, Belfast

    March 31, 2015 - By 

    We’re teaming up with Belfast’s Head Records to host a special Record Store Day show at The Bar With No Name on Saturday, April 18. Headlined by Belfast electro-rock Skymas, the genre-spanning showcase will also feature funk/soul band Freedom 35’s, indie-rock trio Hot Cops and DJ sets from Belfast drone pop band Documenta and Belfast Music Club. Profits on the night will go to Shelter Northern Ireland. Our very own Stevie Lennox, Sarge at Dr.Crippen’s Waiting Room, Keith McCormick at Rewind, David Neely at Don’t Look Back In Anger and Chris Caul at Dusty Fingers will also be DJing at…

  • Distorted Perspectives Festival

    March 25, 2015 - By 

    An altogether stellar celebration of modern experimental psych music, art and film, Distorted Perspectives will return to Letterkenny’s Regional Culture Centre this Spring with a thoroughly impressive line-up. Set to take place across Thursday April 30-Sunday May 3, the festival will boast established acts including Ulrich Schanuss and Moon Duo (above), as well as some of the country’s finest psych, electronic, noise-pop and acoustic acts including Autumns, Clanns, Documenta, Nyt Bloomer and Robyn G Shiels. Check out the poster below for full line-up and where to buy tickets.

  • Forbidden Fruit 2015

    March 25, 2015 - By 

    Probably the finest hip-hop and electronic-oriented festival bill we’ll see on the island this year, Forbidden Fruit returns to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on the weekend from Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31. Some of the highlights announced thus far are: Friday – The hugely successful Fatboy Slim, the immensely talented The Wire & Luther actor Idris Elba, who’s been carving out a credible name for himself as an electronic & hip-hop artist between and during jobs, incredibly talented American-Chilean musician Nicolas Jaar & Disciples Saturday – seminal NYC hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, Jamie XX, Earl Sweatshirt, a three-hour set from Mr Scruff, Mount Kimbie, a DJ set from Groove Armada, Joey Bada$$, Tensnake, Ejeca, Damian Lazarus and the Booka Brass Band. Sunday…