• Vault Lines: Clara Tracey

    January 18, 2024 - By 

    Belfast-based artist Clara Tracey muses on a formative musical memory from her upbringing in Co. Fermanagh, ‘The Spanish Lady’ by Maighréad and Triona Ní Dhomhnaill Photo by Monika Ruman When asked to contemplate the vaults of my musical experience, I don’t really feel qualified, especially seeing as this is one of the few legitimately “cool” music magazines. As someone who came into an eclectic musical awareness really only in the last ten years, what went before feels like a fairly classic blur of A Woman’s Heart and whatever Gay Byrne and co were playing on nineties RTÉ (nothing against that…

  • RTÉ Choice Music Prize Shortlist Revealed

    January 8, 2024 - By 

    The shortlist for the 19th annual Irish Album of the Year in association with IMRO and IRMA has been revealed. Following arguably the strongest 12 months for Irish music in recent memory, the following ten albums have made the cut for the 2023 Choice shortlist: CMAT – Crazymad, for Me Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly John Francis Flynn – Look Over The Wall, See The Sky Kojaque – Phantom of the Afters Lankum – False Lankum The Murder Capital – Gigi’s Recovery Rachael Lavelle – Big Dreams Soda Blonde – Dream Big The Scratch – Mind Yourself Ezra…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 15th December

    December 15, 2023 - By 

    It’s our final weekly round-up of the year, featuring new music from Cathal Francis, ALYXIS feat. CMAT, Anderson Nightmare, Sinéad White and more Cathal Francis – Elle ALYXIS feat. CMAT – Grip Anderson Nightmare – Ready For You Sinéad White – Common Denominator Common Denominator by Sinéad White Erika Severyns – Ireland Erika Severyns · Ireland Rory Nellis – Forget You Love (Live) Owls – Bury Me Big Tears – I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend Conor Furlong – In My Arms

  • Sunn O))) To Play National Concert Hall

    December 15, 2023 - By 

    Sunn O))) have been announced to play the National Concert Hall next year. Comprising core members Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson, the drone metal titans play a fully-seated show at the Dublin venue on 25th March 2024. Featuring special guests Jesse Sykes with Phil Wandscher and Bill Herzog, it marks the duo’s first performance in the city since 2017. Presented by Foggy Notions and U:MACK, tickets for the show are on sale now, priced 36.50. Limited VIP ticket add-ons including a soundcheck viewing experience and photo with the Sunn O))) backline are also available. Revisit our review of the band’s…

  • The Bonk and Clara Tracey Launch New Dundalk Series COLLIDE

    December 14, 2023 - By 

    As home to the likes of Just Mustard, Jinx Lennon, Elephant and The Mary Wallopers, world-beating venues including The Spirit Store and forward-pushing movers like Pizza Pizza Records, it’s safe to say Dundalk more than holds its own when it comes to representing what is setting Irish music apart in 2023. It’s a wonderfully independent spirit that runs through COLLIDE, a new, late-night series from An Táin Arts Centre and the Spirit Store. Beginning in winter 2023 and ending in spring 2024, the venues will collaborate on four downright unmissable bills featuring some TTA favourites. And how better to shine…

  • Patti Smith To Play Two Dates at Vicar Street

    December 12, 2023 - By 

    Patti Smith has announced two dates in Dublin next year. The legendary American singer-songwriter and poet will play two (relatively) intimate shows at Vicar Street on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th June 2024. Presented by Foggy Notions, the performances will see Smith perform alongside her band the Patti Smith Quartet. Presale is available now via Foggy Notions and general sale is 10am this Friday, December 15th. Revisit a stone-cold Smith classic from 1975 below.

  • Ty Segall Announces Dublin Show

    December 12, 2023 - By 

    Ty Segall is coming back to Dublin. Five years on from a show at Tivoli Theatre, the genre-mangling psych rock master will make his highly-anticipated return to the city at the Button Factory on Tuesday, 25th June. The announcement comes ahead of the release of the Long Beach trailblazer’s upcoming fifteenth album, Three Bells, which is out via Drag City on 26th January 2024. Check out the video for lead single ‘My Room’ below. Tickets for Segall’s Button Factory show go on sale on Thursday, 14th December at 10am, priced €32.65.

  • Open Ear Festival to Return in 2024

    December 12, 2023 - By 

    Open Ear Festival is set to return next year. Almost certainly the island’s finest small music festival – and without a doubt our favourite – it will return to Sherkin Island off Cork for its sixth edition on the June bank holiday weekend, 31st May to 2nd June 2024. As with previous years, the festival is set to host a perfectly pitched celebration of the fringes of Ireland’s experimental and electronic music communities. Following a back-to-basics outing in 2022, the 2024 edition will see the festival return to exploring a range of wonderful spaces and environs across Sherkin Island. In…

  • L’esprit de l’escalier: An interview with Perlee

    December 12, 2023 - By 

    Ahead of playing Dublin and Belfast this weekend, Berlin-via-Navan duo Perlee discuss the magic of taking chances, putting their stamp on dream-pop and releasing one of the Irish LPs of the year, Speaking From Other Rooms Speaking From Other Rooms is one of the most accomplished Irish albums of the year. It spans soundworlds and explores some really strong themes like self-actualisation, destiny and long-distance love. It feels like you invested a lot of your soul into the release. Looking back, does it feel that way to you? Thanks for saying so. There were so many beautiful Irish releases this…

  • In A Different Space: An Interview With Alicia Raye

    December 6, 2023 - By 

    Ahead of the release of Love Letters, her collaborative EP with Becky McNeice, Belfast-via-Drogheda powerhouse Alicia Raye chats to Andrew Moore about representation and spearheading change for female empowerment through her own artistry and management Photos by Kate Lawlor The rise of the female powerhouse has been a breath of fresh air within what is, typically, a male-dominated music industry. Artists like Doja Cat, Cardi B, Tinashe and Summer Walker are picking up where the pre-gen started; reshaping the hip-hop, R&B and Afro landscape through a strong, independent female and gender minority gaze. While this is great news for those…