• Jeffrey Lewis and Peter Stampfel w/ Shrug Life @ The Hub, Dublin

    September 20, 2015 - By 

    U:Mack absolutely spoil Dublin. The breadth and magnitude of underground artists they’ve brought into the city is unparalleled and the undeniably consistent quality of musicians they bring is frankly jaw dropping. U:Mack are one of the city’s unquestioned saving graces and this show, Jeffrey Lewis and Peter Stampfel is a testament to the group’s quality and mentality. It was a wise decision moving this show from it’s original venue, The Hangar, to the small, more intimate location of The Hub. With it’s amusements lighting and couches, it feels like a much more appropriate, friendly and homely setting for this kind…

  • Holly Herndon @ Spiegeltent, Dublin

    September 19, 2015 - By 

    It’s hard to think of an appropriate introduction for Holly Herndon. Her latest album, Platform on 4AD/RVNG, blends vocal explorations, teasing ASMR and the occasional burst of full-on techno. She’s also got an academic bent to her work, studying for her doctorate in composition at Stanford. In recent months she has been involved in Infiltrate with Love, a fundraiser in support of imprisoned whistle-blower Chelsea Manning. All this might lead one to believe that her performances could carry an air of dry or overly cerebral seriousness, but instead, her appearance at Dublin’s Fringe Festival was at turns playful, dream-like and, put…

  • Action Bronson w/ Meyhem Lauren @ The Academy, Dublin

    September 12, 2015 - By 

    Though there is a sea of snapbacks, tonight The Academy is marked by a mixed crowd. It could be indicative of the widening appeal of serious hip hop in the last half decade or it could simply be the pure, well-rounded appeal, of one man. Because Action Bronson seems to have that kind of reach. By summoning up the ghosts of hip hop’s past and pressing them into intelligent and accessible hits the New York rapper has amassed quite a following. Hence the sold out show and the tight huddle reaching from the stage to the bar. But first it’s…

  • Parquet Courts w/ Cian Nugent & The Cosmos @ Limelight, Belfast

    September 6, 2015 - By 

    It would be a surprise if Parquet Courts play a gig of this size in Belfast again. The Brooklyn-via-Texas quartet are squeezing in this trip up north after gigs in Galway and Limerick, and before an appearance down at Electric Picnic the next night. Not very practical perhaps, but for a band in thrall to the pre-internet era of following your own muse free from promotional “practicalities,” it makes perfect sense. This is an early show at the Limelight. Good news for Parquet Courts fans who want an early night, bad news for any staff with the difficult task of…

  • Parquet Courts w/ Oh Boland, Cian Nugent & The Cosmos @ Roisin Dubh, Galway

    September 4, 2015 - By 

    From the offset of tonight’s festivities it is made plainly clear that no one will be leaving this room with ears as healthy as they were when they came in. Getting things going, local institution and ever-progressing garage maestros Oh Boland (below) break into their brand of screechy, uplifting and loud jams. Guitarist and vocalist Niall Murphy flaps about the stage like a moustachioed Crash Bandicoot while the rhythm section of Eanna MacDonnacha (bass) and Simon McDonagh (drums, backing vocals) provide equal measures of sweaty energy. The songs sound like taking a trip to the beach on a sunny day, except…

  • Fuzz w/ Exploding Eyes @ Whelan’s, Dublin

    September 4, 2015 - By 

    With garage and psych rock undergoing a serious resurgence over the last couple of years, most fans would agree that artists such as Thee Oh Sees, The Fresh & Only’s and Ty Segall have spearheaded its modern day rebirth. The latter name on that list – Ty Segall – in particular, would be viewed as being rather prolific due to the multitude of releases that he has put out since his self-titled 2008 debut. Since then he has collaborated on full length albums with White Fence, Mikal Cronin and most recently with tonight’s headliners Fuzz. As a result of it…

  • The Jimmy Cake @ Hangar, Dublin

    September 1, 2015 - By 

    It was a long time in coming, but when it was announced that Dublin’s The Jimmy Cake were returning to the recording studio, the news was met with a huge sigh of relief amongst their fans. With their last record Spectre & Crown, having garnered a lot of critical acclaim on its release back in 2008, the forefathers of Ireland’s instrumental scene, must’ve surely felt more than just a smidgen of pressure when going into record what would end up becoming their fourth full-length, Master. With Saturday night’s gig acting as Master’s official launch celebration, it was in no way…

  • Sufjan Stevens @ The Helix, Dublin

    August 31, 2015 - By 

    Once impressively prolific, new music by Sufjan Stevens comes along at a much slower pace these days, so the anticipation for tonight’s show, the first of two sold out shows at The Helix and the opening date his European tour, has been building for a while. After an support set from bluesy mother and son duo Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, Sufjan and his unassuming looking band take to the stage, and it’s immediately clear that we’re in for a very different show from when he last visited these shores four years ago. For a start, we’re all seated,…

  • The Stray Birds @ Black Box, Belfast

    August 25, 2015 - By 

    Perhaps it’s the current trend for all banjo, fiddle and beard-wielding Americana bands, or maybe its promotor Moving On Music’s reputation as a purveyor of musical excellence that’s pulled them in, but whatever the reason it’s a full house in the Black Box for Pennsylvanian bluegrass trio The Stray Birds. Maya de Virtry, Oliver Craven and Charlie Muench played this same room just over a year ago though tonight, judging by the paltry show of hands in response to Craven’s “who was here last time?” survey,  it seems like a new audience is here to catch one of the hottest…

  • Reverberation Psych Weekender @ The Grand Social, Dublin

    August 20, 2015 - By 

    With psych music these days now affording its current crop of disciples, a broader platform of sound experimentation to play with, it was in no way surprising to have looked at the diverse line up for last weekend’s Reverberation festival, and licked ones lips with fervent glee. Advertised as Dublin’s inaugural celebration of psych and drone music, The Grand Social played host to all things psychedelic with a dozen bands, various DJ’s and mind playing visuals, as well as cult films, all adding to the vibe of this 13th Floor Elevators’ inspired experience. Cork five piece Elastic Sleep, were tasked…