• Knockanstockan Announce Second Wave of Acts

    Knockanstockan have announced their second wave of acts for this year’s festival. Joining the likes of Just Mustard, Bicurious, Punk Podge & The Technohippies, Hot Cops, Cherym and Kitt Philippa, who were among the first names announced last month, include Robocobra Quartet, Slouch, Dowry, BATS, Jyellowl, Myles Manley, Rachael Boyd, No Spill Blood, Tebi Rex, Happyalone, The Wood Burning Savages and more. Returning to Blessington Lake in Co. Wicklow across July 19-21, tickets for the festival can be bought here. Watch the second line-up announcement video below.

  • The National to Headline All Together Now

    Having had an extremely strong first outing this year, All Together Now has announced that the National will headline the festival next year. When it returns to Curraghmore House in Co. Waterford across the August Bank Holiday (2nd-4th) weekend, the festival will now boast 16 stages, featuring natural amphitheatres, the iconic Spiegeltent, secret woodland stages and the All Together Now Bandstand, across a 3000 acre setting. General and family tickets for next year are on sale now, priced at just €199.50 until December 31. Installment plan options are also available. Revisit our top 10 sets for All Together Now 2018…

  • The Top 10 Sets At All Together Now 2018

    Starting for it’s first year ever All Together Now has brought together the best in Irish and international talent to a picturesque Waterford setting. For its first year, All Together Now is mostly superbly organised; it has one of the most stacked line-ups of the summer, excellent communication between the festival and its goers and a generally beautiful design. The organisers should be incredibly proud for establishing a new festival that should last for many years to come. Here’s the top 10 sets that we caught at this year’s inaugural outing. Words by Kelly Doherty. Photos by Patrizio Mancuso. Mura Masa…

  • Groove Festival 2018

    Including HamsandwicH, Kíla, the Wood Burning Savages and – wait for it – the one, the only, Heather Small of M People, Moira Reilly captures some of the acts at this year’s Groove Festival in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

  • Forbidden Fruit 2018: Sunday

    The atmosphere of Sunday was considerably busier – and a little bit rowdier – than the previous day with a lot of teenagers flocking for dance favourites like DJ Seinfeld, Bicep, DJ Deece, Dennis Sulta. The day started on a slightly messy note, with both Ross from Friends and Earl Sweatshirt announcing last-minute cancellations. Anyone who decided to wander over to the Undergrowth stage for Bicep’s 9.30 set would have been equally as disappointed – the tent was sweaty and overspilling from Dennis Sulta’s set, with no chance of entry or exit; heat emitting from the tent was like someone…

  • Women’s Work 2018 Programme Launched

    The programme for this year’s Women’s Work festival in Belfast has been announced. Officially launched this afternoon at the Black Box, Women’s Work is a unique event for Belfast that highlights the important contribution that women make to music. Inspired by a growing global movement across the music industry towards a more even playing field, the programme has become an annual celebration and promotion of not only new and existing female talent, but also for diversity and change. Taking place across six days and nights, this year’s festival will take in a range of activities and events that open to all…

  • Bringing It All Back Home: An Interview with Our Back Yard Festival

    This time last year, we spoke to organisers of Our Back Yard, one of the country’s most inspired small, homegrown festivals. Ahead of returning to Gilford on June 30 with acts including Hunkpapa, Petty Youth and Beauty Sleep, we catch up with organisers to discuss the past, present and bright future of the festival. Hi guys. Featuring the likes of Bonnevilles and Emerald Armada, reports from last year’s Our Back Yard were very positive. How was it compared to previous years? Our Back Yard 2017 was a watershed event for us. Whereas previous years had a distinctly lo-fi, amateurish vibe,…

  • Plain Living & High Thinking: An Interview With Belfast’s Latest Promotion

    If you’ve been keeping track of the Belfast live music scene lately, you might have noticed – despite well-intentioned pockets and open-minded promoters – that it’s somewhat fractured and currently lacking the infrastructure to cultivate a strong grassroots music community beyond those looked after by management and the likes. Two bands who have organically harnessed their substantial following in a very short space of time are the groove-strewn, endlessly soulful jam trio Electric Octopus – having toured the UK, look to extensively traipse across Europe in Spring following the release of their latest album – and stoner-doom outfit Elder Druid, who released…

  • Indiependence 2017

    Indiependence 2017 in Cork featuring live performances from Manic Street Preachers, Wild Beasts, Super Silly, Talos, All Tvvins, Barq, Rocstrong, Le Boom, Lyra, Orchid Collective and many more. Photos by Dave Lyons

  • Help Musicians NI Partner with Stendhal Festival for Henry McCullough Stage, Announce New Acts

    To honour the life and career of outstanding guitarist Henry McCullough, who sadly passed away last year, Limavady’s Stendhal Festival – August 11th & 12th – have announced a Henry McCullough Stage, and new partnership charity Help Musicians Northern Ireland. HMNI curate the stage on Friday night, as well as the Oh Yeah Centre stage, and have announced the first wave of acts for their bill. As well as a distinguished solo career, McCullough was best-known for his time with Wings, and was famously the only Irishman to play Woodstock, where he played with Joe Cocker in one of the all-time great live performances.…