• The Smuggest Album Ever Made: Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell

    July 15, 2014 - By 

    Apparently, Pink Floyd are set to release new music. Well, ‘new’ music. It says so on Polly Samson’s Twitter. And frankly, she should know. After all, she wrote most of The Division Bell, and now lists herself as the writer of something called The Endless River, a record made by her husband David Gilmour, featuring various other people, and credited to Pink Floyd. And if all this turns out to be the case (which it does) then there’s every chance that music fans are in for a pretty grim Autumn, as another catastrophically over-content monstrosity will be dumped upon us,…

  • Manic Street Preachers – Futurology

    July 16, 2014 - By 

    Twenty-five years is a long time to be doing anything, especially making music. One of the biggest problems facing a group lasting this long is that of progression. Where do you go? It comes down to a simple choice: keep pushing forward or stagnate and reiterate. There are pros and cons for both. If you keep advancing you could discover new styles and sounds and be a modern 1970s Bowie but you could also look ridiculous and fail spectacularly like 1990s Bowie. With repetition you end up tying your hands behind your back and locking yourself into a single inescapable…

  • In Photos: Body & Soul – Sunday

    July 11, 2014 - By 

    Of Montreal, Caribou, Max Romeo and East India Youth were amongst the acts that closed this year’s Body & Soul Festival at the enchanting Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath. Isabel Thomas delivers her third and final photo set featuring some great performances and moments from throughout the final day and night.

  • Monty Python: still relevant, influential and, yes, funny

    July 10, 2014 - By 

    I write in reference to an article published yesterday on the Belfast Telegraph’s online Opinion section, by editor Mike Gilson. Today’s topic was that of Monty Python Live (Mostly), the group’s first major reunion since 1983’s Meaning Of Life, their string of performances at the O2 in London, and, specifically, the simultaneous broadcasting of the closing night across 450 of the UK’s cinemas (July 20) – a theatrical teaser trailer of which Gilson had the misfortune of witnessing with his own naked eyes. Before I continue, I’d like to clarify that my intentions, as crass and insulting as they may appear, are…

  • The Sisters of Mercy @ Mandela Hall, Belfast

    July 10, 2014 - By 

    Legendary gothic rockers The Sisters of Mercy descended upon Belfast on Tuesday, July 8, bringing their impressively large collection of hits with them.The band, who haven’t released any new music since 1992, are perennial live favourites, and their Belfast date didn’t disappoint, drawing a large crowd of the children of the night to shake their slightly unfunky stuff.Our resident goths Peter McCaughan and Steven Rainey were there, and in a change from usual programming, they bring us this bite-sized audio review, capturing the sights, sounds, and occasionally smells, of what went down. Photos by Dee McAvoy Audio Review: Sisters of Mercy…

  • “We Are…” by Diarmuid Kennedy

    July 9, 2014 - By 

    One of the leading lights in Irish freelance photography, Belfast-based photographer Diarmuid Kennedy will host “We Are…”, an exhibition featuring a selection of his superb black-and-white local gig photography at Belfast’s Linen Mill Library from Monday, August 4 to Thursday, August 28. Having snapped countless bands and artists in numerous venues across the last couple of years, Kennedy has captured some extraordinary and unforgettable performances. The exhibition – part of the Local Art by Local Artists exhibitions featuring Northern Irish artists – is sure to be a wonderful testatment to Kennedy’s skill and passion for capturing up-and-coming musicians in the live…

  • Becks Rhythm Weekender

    July 9, 2014 - By 

    New Belfast venue Aether & Echo will play host to two nigh on unmissable shows as part of the forthcoming Becks Rhythm Weekender on Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24. Legendary Godfather of neo-soul, co-founder of jazz funk and one of the most sampled artists in history, Roy Ayers will grace the stage on the Saturday night. Renown for his stunning live jazz shows, his tracks such as ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’, ‘Searchin” and ‘Running Away’ has seen him become one of the most iconic and respected musicians of his genre. His influence and reach over six decades cannot be overstated; to…