Janelle Monáe will play the Summer Series in Dublin on July 3, 2019. Monáe – who released one of the albums of 2018, Dirty Computer, back in April – is the latest act to be announced for the annual Trinty College gig series. New Order and Paul Weller have also recently been announced to play. Tickets for the show cost €54.65 and go on sale on Friday, December 14.
“What the fuck is up Dublin?” screams Luka Palm, as he takes to the stage of The Academy an hour later than expected. The young Dublin rapper carries himself with a boyish swagger, as he marches up and down the stage, with cartoonish intro music blaring in the background. There is certainly a buzz in the air as the show begins, but with that comes an air of uncertainty. Palm has been doing the round on the Irish and UK circuit with his SoftBoy label-mates over the last year, but has not released much music. The audience are unfamiliar with…
Back in January, we featured Kerry experimental folk artist Ronan Kealy AKA Junior Brother as one of our ones to watch in 2018. From making his mark at Electric Picnic, Metropolis, Other Voices and elsewhere, to being lined up for a spin on Cillian Murphy’s BBC 6Music show on December 23, he has made good on the promise and then some Sealing the deal on a very busy year – one that was spun into motion via last year’s ‘Hungover at Mass‘ – is the serene and singular ‘The Back of Her’. It’s a wistful and unravelling heart-stung paean that distils the essence of Kealy’s craft to…
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 country’s largest annual music conference, Output Belfast will return to the city for its fifth outing on Thursday, February 21st 2019. Organised by Belfast City Council, as ever, the conference will include various panel discussions, music sessions, workshops and speed networkinge events from various artists, managers and industry figures. In the evening, there will once more be various free, collaboratively-curated showcases in venues right across the heart of the city. The line-ups for each – including a bill co-promoted by yours truly – will be revealed in the coming weeks. Go here to sign up and be the first to hear about…
Having made their long-awaited return back in July, legendary Belfast DJ duo Tanya Mellotte and Mark Gordon AKA Skibunny have announced details of the forthcoming Skibunny Christmas Carol at Belfast’s Menagerie on Thursday, December 20th. Featuring a live set from the Skibunny house and friends, the following acts will perform: Robyn G Shiels, LARKS, Tom McShane, Mark Gordon, Tanya Mellotte, Bro Dougan, Joe Greene and Roisin Stewart from Documenta, Girls Rock School NI, Rocky O’Reilly, Richard Hill and many more to be announced. As ever, Skibunny DJs will close the night out. Few festive events have unmissable written all over them –…
Strange, desperate times call for great, defiant music. Fighting their corner, and sounding the best they have ever sounded, is the re-emergent Squarehead. Comprising Roy Duffy, Ruan Van Vliet and Ian McFarlane, the Dublin indie-rock heroes are back after a lengthy, self-proclaimed “mental-health break” (always a good shout, busy artists) with a brand new album in the can. Featuring sometime fourth member, Ruadhan O’Meara (No Spill Blood/Magic Pockets) on keyboards and synth duties, lead single, the sublime ‘Always On’ sees “the boys now men with crippling responsibilities and a feeling of bewilderment at the world around them.” It’s quintessential Squarehead and a latecomer for one of the Irish singles…
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Belfast’s A Bad Cavalier. The side-project of the Niall Kennedy – who has been busy once again this year zig-zagging across the world in And So I Watch You From Afar – went off the radar in mid 2016. Now, Kennedy is back with one beast of a new single – the irresistible, pop-leaning, Weezer-conjuring alt-indie anthem, ‘On My Side’. Have an exclusive first listen to the single, and keep up to speed with ABC’s second wind via a quick Q+A with Kennedy, below. Tell us more about the writing of ‘On…
Hands down of the country’s finest small summer festivals, the incomparably scenic and always wonderfully curated Another Love Story will return to Killon Manor in Co. Meath across August 16-18 2019. Doubling up as its sixth edition, organisers have said they will “continue our commitment to delivering a festival experience at a scale that allows a sense of freedom, personality and an unparalleled attention to detail to shine through, and we want you there with us to continue the dream.” A self-proclaimed summer celebration of music, art, discussion, food, fun & frolics”, the festival’s line-up will be announced over the coming…
Fast-rising Perth singer-songwriter Stella Donnelly will play next year. The Wales-born artist – who will release her debut full-length album on Secretly Canadian next year – will play the Grand Social on April 29th. Tickets for the show are €15.00 and go on sale this Friday at 9am.