• Monday Mixtape: M Stevens & The Ghasts

    November 21, 2022 - By 

    Popical Island founder and M Stevens & The Ghasts main man Mike Stevens reveals some of his all-time favourite songs, from Silver Jews and Weyes Blood, to Wilco and Lankum Birds by M Stevens & The Ghasts Brigid Mae Power – ‘Mother in the Sky’ At the end of a recent gig of hers in the Bello Bar, I said to an embarrassed Brigid Mae Power that it was maybe the best gig I had ever seen. In the cold light of the next morning, I cringed not a bit, realising it wasn’t just the drink talking, that it was…

  • Blur Set For Dublin Return

    November 21, 2022 - By 

    Blur are coming back to Dublin. A few days after announcing a second show at Wembley in London next summer, the Britpop legends will play Malahide Castle on Saturday, June 24th 2023. Coming two weeks before their London shows, it marks the Damon Albarn-fronted band’s first Irish headliner show since 2015. Support comes from slowthai, Self Esteen and Jockstrap. Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 25th.

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 18th November

    November 18, 2022 - By 

    Here’s the very best Irish tracks of the week, featuring Joshua Burnside, Nine Raths, Lisa O’Neill, Mount Palomar, Anna Mieke and more Joshua Burnside – Late Afternoon In The Meadow (1887) Nine Raths – EP002 EP2 by Nine Raths Lisa O’Neill – Old Note Mount Palomar – Brace for Impact EP Lauren Ann – Adelaide Anna Mieke – Theatre Theatre by Anna Mieke M Stevens & The Ghasts – Birds Def Nettle – Architecture The Barbiturates – Pollitricks Pollitricks (Single) by The Barbiturates

  • Watch: Lisa O’Neill – Old Note

    November 15, 2022 - By 

    If there’s an active Irish songwriter more singular and naturally gifted than Lisa O’Neill we legitimately have not heard them. An artist we’ve covered many times in the past, she has carved out a remarkably distinctive path via masterfully considered folk song. Today, the County Cavan artist announces a whole new chapter. On February 10th 2023, she will release her fifth studio album, All Of This Is Chance, via none other than Rough Trade Records. It marks her debut on the iconic label, following the release of the sublime Heard a Long Gone Song via their River Lea imprint in 2018. Accompanying…

  • Preview: Spilt Milk Festival 2022

    November 15, 2022 - By 

    On these shores, few creative initiatives pair careful curation with an independent spirit as focused and informed as Spilt Milk. A year on from hosting the likes of School Tour, Syn and the sadly-missed Shammen Delly, the annual festival of music, art and film returns to Sligo town across 18th-20th November for its fourth outing, and arguably its strongest line-up to date. The programme from this year’s festival comprises four events, taking place at one of the island’s finest art centres, The Model – and it’s primed to be another wonderfully palette-spanning affair featuring several TTA favourites. From 7pm on Friday, the venue will…