• SCANRA: coolgirl and Clara Tracey – In Conversation

    October 16, 2023 - By 

    In less than three weeks, the inaugural SCANRA: Samhain at the Cellar takes over the Workman’s Club cellar on Saturday, 4th November. Presented in collaboration with Workmná, who are dedicated to showcasing female and non-binary artists, it’s set to be a wonderfully immersive night of music, myth and storytelling celebrating the Irish origins of Samhain through the voices and mediums of modern creators. Among the several must-see acts on the bill are two of the island’s most singular artists, Lizzie Fitzpatrick aka coolgirl and Clara Tracey. In the spirit of all things Samhain, the pair sat down to delve deep…

  • Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer Set For Dublin Show

    October 16, 2023 - By 

    The Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer have announced a massive Irish co-headliner for next year. The U.S. alt-rock heroes will team up for a UK and Irish tour next June, including a date at 3Arena in Dublin on Monday, 10th June. Tickets for the show cost €69.50 and go on sale this Friday, 20th October at 10am. Check out the full dates below: Friday 7 – Birmingham Utilita Arena Saturday 8 – London The O2 Monday 10 – Dublin 3Arena Wednesday 12 – Glasgow OVO Hydro Thursday 13 – Manchester Co-op Live Friday 14 – Cardiff Castle

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 13th October

    October 13, 2023 - By 

    Including not one, not two but several Irish albums of the year, delve into the very best Irish music of the week, from the Mary Wallopers and CMAT to George Houston, Jordan Adetunji and beyond The Mary Wallopers – Irish Rock n Roll CMAT – Crazymad, For Me George Houston – Vehicular Suicide Vernon Jane – Chestpains And Sidepieces Chestpains And Sidepieces by Vernon Jane Jordan Adetunji – Rock’n’Rave The Fae – bloodrush Zaska – Live In Dublin Stray Planets – Down a Hole up a Hill

  • Autre Monde – Sensitive Assignments

    October 11, 2023 - By 

    It feels fitting for Dublin label/collective Popical Island to re-emerge from hibernation with the release of this second album by Autre Monde – something of a supergroup of Popical Island alumni, fronted by Paddy Hanna along with members of Ginnels, No Monster Club and Land Lovers. Produced once again by Gilla Band’s Daniel Fox, on Sensitive Assignments the quartet stray further still from the more conventional indie pop of their early singles, taking the more synth-heavy direction of 2020 LP The Imaginary Museum into deeper oddball territory than ever before. While the excellently titled ‘Road to Domestos’ – an ode…

  • Fonoon Festival 2023

    October 5, 2023 - By 

    The second edition of Arab Cultural Festival Fonoon returns to Belfast this weekend. Taking over 2 Royal Avenue from the 6-8th festival, the series is described by organisers as the gate to Arabia where everyone will have a chance to celebrate the rich tapestry of Arab culture, history, arts and music through a variety of entertaining and cheerful artistic workshops and activities suitable for all.” With the supreme aim of bringing people together and spreading positivity to encourage unity among communities, this year’s programme goes above and beyond to celebrate the beauty, diversity and vibrancy of Arab culture via art,…

  • ferna Announces Irish Tour

    October 5, 2023 - By 

    ferna has announced details of her first-ever Irish tour. Having also recently been announced to play this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize ceremony on 15th November, the acclaimed North Coast singer-songwriter – real name Hannah McPhillimy – will play a string of shows throughout the island in November and December. Check out the full dates and details for the tour, which stops off in Cork, Dublin, Belfast – as part of this year’s Sound of Belfast -and Portstewart, below. The news comes six months after ferna released her sublime debut album, understudy, which you really should revisit: understudy (debut album)…

  • Haunted Dancehall to Return to Dublin

    October 5, 2023 - By 

    After an incredible first outing last year, Haunted Dancehall will return to Dublin in early November. Presented by Foggy Notions, the series has swiftly established itself as one of the island’s most essential programmes and a must-attend for fans of artists straddling the lines of experimental, electronic and contemporary classic worlds. And this year’s line-up – which runs from November 3-5th – doubles down – and then some – on that theory. Among the many highlights from this year are debut Irish shows from acclaimed Colorado musician Kali Malone, Lucrecia Dalt, Manchester duo Space Afrika, cosmic improviser and visual artist…

  • Spiral Night Market

    October 4, 2023 - By 

    Much like the likes of, say, Letterkenny or neighbouring Dundalk, Drogheda is a textbook case of an Irish town that more than holds its own as a thriving creative community beyond the confines of our native cities. Along with the likes of independent record store Bigmoon Records and any number of forward-pushing artists (Spit, A92 and hotgirl, to name just three) McHughs functions as a vital hub in the heart of the Louth town which you will, of course, find slap-bang between unlivable late capitalist hellscapes* Belfast and Dublin. * poetic licence applied In recent years, the Cord Street institution’s…

  • Full Line-Up Announced for SCANRA

    October 5, 2023 - By 

    The full line-up has been announced for the inaugural SCANRA. Taking over The Workman’s Cellar on Saturday, 4th November, 2023 at 7pm, it’s a new immersive night of music, myth and storytelling celebrating the Irish origins of Samhain through the voices and mediums of modern creators. Presented in collaboration with Workmná and The Thin Air, SCANRA was launched back in August with the announcement of live performances from acclaimed Belfast-based songwriter and pianist Clara Tracey, industrial-electronic artist Coolgirl (Lizzie Fitzpatrick, formerly of Bitch Falcon) and haunting acapella soundscapes from the Dulciana Vocal Ensemble—each set specially curated to evoke elements of the supernatural and the…