• DIFF19: Rafiki

    March 5, 2019 - By 

    When you think of films set in the African continent, what subject matter comes to mind? Poverty? AIDS? Child soldiers? That isn’t to be disingenuous. Of course African countries face dire problems that need more attention. But how often do we see films that reflect the stunning culture and spirit that they have to offer? After all, that’s what made last year’s Black Panther so revelatory. To that end, the last few years have seen the emergence of an African art collective called AFROBUBBLEGUM (the capitalization is mandatory). Comprised of filmmakers, clothes designers, graphic designers, its mission is to create…

  • DIFF19: Ray & Liz

    March 5, 2019 - By 

    Writer/director Richard Billingham has said that Ray & Liz reflects his memories of his childhood, rather than the reality. After watching this blisteringly bleak film, I can’t tell if that’s cause for relief or great concern. The film serves as an adaptation of ‘Ray’s a Laugh’, a collection of portraits featuring Billingham’s alcoholic father. In the present day, Ray lies in his high-rise tenement flat in Birmingham, drinking homebrew made by his friend Sid. Ray’s welfare does just enough to cover his addiction and since Sid picks up his dole, he scarcely needs to move – except to pour booze…

  • Stiff Little Fingers Set For Belfast and Dublin Shows

    March 4, 2019 - By 

    Belfast punk legends Stiff Little Fingers will play two Irish shows in August. The Jake Burns-fronted quartet will play Dublin’s Academy on Friday, August 23 and Belfast’s Custom House Square – alongside New Model Army, Therapy?, The Toy Dolls and a DJ set from Terri Hooley – on Saturday, August 24. Ticket go on sale this Friday at 10am, priced €25 and £27 respectively.

  • This Month in Irish Music: February

    March 3, 2019 - By 

    In the latest of a new regular series, Colin Gannon rounds up the very best Irish tracks released of the month just gone, featuring ELLLL, Mob Wife, Fehdah, Larry, Sunken Foal, Soulé, Postcard Versions and more. ELLLL — Pepsi Ellen King’s work as ELLLL is fast becoming one of the most searingly vital things in Irish music. As well as being super busy (she’s released two equally erudite EPs in the space of two months), King has managed to keep the quality to an almost peerless quality. The latest batch of tracks, Confectionary, all named after a sweet shop delicacy,…

  • the arts column: March 6th

    March 5, 2019 - By 

    In this week’s edition of the arts column we’ve details of exciting new exhibitions opening, a charity event, a pair of residencies and studio memberships. 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 | Jane Fogarty @ MART, Dublin This Thursday Jane Fogarty’s new exhibition opens in MART’s Rathmines space. The exhibition, titled slow motion, sees Fogarty explore themes of time, form, colour and composition through a new body of work. This new work from one of Ireland’s most exciting emerging artists is a combination of painting and sculpture.…

  • Beirut – Gallipoli

    March 2, 2019 - By 

    For a project born out of the narrow confines of a bedroom in landlocked Santa Fe, Beirut’s influences have always been remarkably far flung. Right from the off, the band’s globetrotting song titles and grand orchestrations betrayed Zach Condon’s wanderlust and romantic tendencies and allowed him to project himself out from the desert plains of New Mexico and into the imagined eastern gulags and louche European locales so central to his sound and aesthetic. At a time when indie music was more firmly rooted in a traditional band format, Condon quickly marked himself out as a purveyor of strange and…

  • Pond – Tasmania

    March 2, 2019 - By 

    Perth- based psych-rock wild men Pond return with Tasmania, produced by Tame Impala frontman (and frequent Pond collaborator) Kevin Parker. While their overlapping membership and frequent collaborations with Parker’s giants might frame them as a sort of ‘little brother’ band to Tame Impala, they’re perhaps closer in spirit to fellow Aussies King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard: prolific and seemingly existing in their own self-contained universe, they continue to grow from their garage beginnings to sounding fuller, more eclectic and more out there on each release. Tasmania, Pond’s first LP since 2017’s well received The Weather, kicks off with the…

  • Premiere: Slyrydes – Mental Health

    March 1, 2019 - By 

    We’re pleased to present a first look at the video for the debut single from Galway band Slyrydes. A self-proclaimed “frank take on the shambolic Irish Health Service”, ‘Mental Health’ is a potent and necessary first offering from the quartet. It’s something the video, which you can view below, taps into to and then some. This is vital music from a band we’re sure are destined for big things in 2019 and beyond. Slyrydes play Galway’s Roisin Dubh on March 23 and Dublin’s Grand Social on March 29.

  • Preview: Izumi Kimura @ The Black Box Green Room, Sunday March 3

    March 1, 2019 - By 

    Brilliant Corners, as we’ve said before, is “the finest patchwork of jazz & sonic digression that Belfast has to offer”, and, in its seventh year, has pulled out all the stops to make this another memorable piece of scheduling. It officially kicks off tomorrow with Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra & The Comet Is Coming – the latter of which is sold out – and we’ll be highlighting some of the events on offer throughout its run from March 2-9. Firstly, we have contemporary pianist Izumi Kimura, who plays an afternoon show this Sunday in the intimate Black Box Green Room. Her liminal craft is one of nuance, subtlety and precipitous…

  • “A Bit of A Weird Piece To Do”: Q&A With Brendan Gleeson

    March 1, 2019 - By 

    Brendan Gleeson is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed actors, having starred in films as varied as In Bruges, 28 Days Later, and Paddington 2. Now he’s trying his hand at directing with a short film called Psychic. The film follows the titular psychic, played by Gleeson, whose conniving sons bring him out of retirement to make a quick buck. It’s a family affair, co-starring his sons Domhnall and Brian, and written by their brother Rory. Following Psychic’s premiere in the Dublin International Film Festival, Jack O’Higgins spoke to Gleeson about his directorial debut, his recent collaboration with the Coen Brothers,…