• Kosmische Kristmas 6

    December 20, 2019 - By 

    That most seasonal of Irish underground krautrock supergroups celebrate that special time of the year with a night of “music that never happens again not happening again” for the sixth year running at Plugd this Sunday, 22nd December. The band features Cruiser’s Chris Quigley & The Sunshine Factory’s Jack Horgan on guitar, The Altered Hours’ Cathal MacGabhann on keys, Gilbert & Trá Pháidín’s Micheál Fitzgerald on Bass, Fixity/The Bonk man Dan Walsh on Drums & Flute. For just five euros, you can join them as they seek freedom through repetition until 1am. Walsh and MacGabhan will spin appropriate tunes before and after. Doors open…

  • The 343 Festive Knees Up

    December 20, 2019 - By 

    Hands down the country’s finest artist-focused, feminist-led art space, the 343 in East Belfast will throw their Festive Knees Up with a typically first-rate assemblage of performances on Saturday, December 21st. Featuring Wake House, Alumna, Hive Choir, (the country’s premiere Velvet Underground and Mud tribute configuration) The Kathleen Turner Underground, the 343 DJs and more, doors for the night – which will raise funds for the Newtownards Road space – open at 8pm. Tickets are £12 and it’s BYO (no glass, you hear?)

  • the arts column: November 27th

    November 27, 2019 - By 

    This week we’ve details on some new exhibitions opening around the country, some special one-off events including an auction as well as information on funding for 2020 and a kids’ workshops running this weekend. As always, if you have an event, talk, exhibition, or would like to recommend one please get in touch via aidan[at]thethinair.net Opening | Winter Papers @ Engage Art Studios, Galway This coming Friday, November 29th, sees the opening on a new exhibition in Galway’s Engage Art Studios. The show takes its cue from the recently published anthology on Irish art: Winter Papers Vol. 5 – with…

  • Split EP Premiere: Mob Wife / Cruiser

    November 27, 2019 - By 

    It’s easy for bands to serve up those oft. espoused platitudes about the value of “co-operation in the music scene”, but to be pro-active in that is another matter entirely. Gladly, we’re seeing that attitude start to spread, with the latest in the trend being two of the most exciting DIY, guitar-driven bands on the island coming together for a split EP release. Mob Wife/Cruiser features, unsurprisingly, two tracks each from Belfast trio Mob Wife and Limerick quartet Cruiser, conceived of in early 2019. Both with their own singular imprint, Mob Wife and Cruiser share the emotionally-charged influence of 90s post-hardcore and fist-clenched modern indie rock & punk sensibility, as well…

  • Open Ear Christmas Party @ The Sound House

    November 22, 2019 - By 

    Having just announced its return to Sherkin Island in 2021, Ireland’s very best festival Open Ear is throwing a Christmas party at the Soundhouse in Dublin on December 30th. And it’s almost certain to be the best line-up in the city that night. Bringing together Rising Damp (pictured), Rian Ryan, DJ Egg, Robert Curgenven & Kat McDowall (presenting AGENESIS), Natalia Beylis, Ngoni Egan, DJ Capricorn, Glenn O’Brien, tickets for the event are just €12. Want to risk it? It’s €15 on the door. 10pm-3am. Tell your friends.

  • Spilt Milk Festival 2019

    November 21, 2019 - By 

    The brainchild of one of the country’s finest imprints, Art For Blind, Split Milk is a brand new audio-visual festival in Sligo. Bringing together national and international artists to perform and exhibit in intimate venues across Sligo Town alongside emerging local artists, the three-day festival will take place across November 22-24. And the festival’s inaugural line-up is quite something. Including several TTA favourites, Percolator, Landless (pictured), Aoife Nessa Frances, Katie Geraldine O’Neill, Problem Patterns, Ensemble Economique, Jusme ft. Farid Williams, Gulpt, BB84, Dult, Spekulativ Fiktion, Rachael Lavelle, Diarmuid McDiarmada and Marge Bouvier will perform across the weekend. Better yet, there will be film…

  • Album Stream: Careerist – Weird Hill

    November 15, 2019 - By 

    It’s been a long, weird (sorry) trip up to this point, but the debut album for Belfast’s slickest indie rock trio Careerist (fka Hot Cops) is upon us. Weird Hill‘s nine tracks manage to slink through any number of influences and curveballs without losing coherence, clocking in at just under a half-hour. The wry smirk of Pavement can be glanced through buoyant, Deerhunter-sized melodies and slaloming Spaghetti Western guitar work, while the trio’s distinct, jerking sense of otherness remains consistent throughout. The LP was recorded & produced by Robocobra Quartet’s Chris Ryan, who does justice to the band’s reputation as one of Ireland’s tightest, most…

  • Young Hearts Run Free present Yule! (11)

    November 13, 2019 - By 

    Commemorating the tenth annual outing for Young Hearts Run Free’s annual Xmas fundraising drive for the Simon Community, Yule! (11) will unite some of the country’s finest acts this year on Saturday, December 7th. Running from 7pm to 2am at Dallymount Park in Phibsborough, the event will feature sets from Dónal Lunny, Aoife Nessa Frances, a Scott Walker tribute supergroup, Badhands, Rachael Lavelle, Mother Tongues, Cian Ó’Cíobháin, Natalya O’Flaherty, Tandem Felix, and Paddy Hanna, with more to be confirmed, as well as special surprise guests. Tickets range from Follow €20.07 – €27.55 and can be bought here. Endlessly recommended.

  • the arts column: November 13th

    November 13, 2019 - By 

    This week is all about openings and closings as a number of exhibitions and projects either kick-off or wind-down around the country. We’ve details on them, and their associated events including talks and after parties, with links to further informaiton and tickets if required. As always, if you have an event, talk, exhibition, or would like to recommend one please get in touch via aidan[at]thethinair.net Exhibition | Mariele Neudecker’s Sediment@ Limerick City Gallery This week is you last chance to see Mariele Neudecker’s Sediment in Limerick City Gallery, with the exhibition slated to close on Sunday, November 17th. Sediment is Neudecker’s first solo exhibition in an Irish…

  • the arts column: November 20th

    November 20, 2019 - By 

    This week is all about the printed material with a new zine themed project launching, not one but two book fairs in Dublin, as well as details on five exhibition openings and links to funding applications for 2020. As always, if you have an event, talk, exhibition, or would like to recommend one please get in touch via aidan[at]thethinair.net Opening | small night zine—ARRANGEMENTS @ Pallas Projects + Studios, Dublin This coming Thursday sees the launch of a new project from James Merrigan in Pallas Projects + Studios. Titled small night zine, the project sees 35 artists come together through the mediums of screen…