• Album Premiere: This Other Kingdom – Rêveur

    April 21, 2017 - By 

    Hands down one of the country’s most engaging neo-psychedelic propositions, Dublin threesome Del Kerton, Declan Dunne and Git Sweeney AKA This Other Kingdom have long struck a keen balance between hazed-out psych finesse and straight-up rock n’ roll glory. Having released their debut EP Sunlight back in 2013, and their well-received debut album Telescopic two years later, the trio are back with ‘Rêveur’, an eleven-track triumph filtering the band’s kaleidoscopic range of influences, past and present. From the lysergic strut of opener ‘Common Colours Common Sounds’ to closer ‘This is War’, the reverberations of everyone from Jefferson Airplane and Black Lips to The Doors…

  • Basecamp Launch Night

    April 24, 2017 - By 

    It’s always great to see a new regular live gig night crop up. Launching at Belfast’s McHughs on Saturday, May 22, BASECAMP is the a new venture from Four Acre, the brainchild of Neil Allen of all but revered NI alt-folk band The Emerald Armada. For its first outing, the night – which is calling itself “the home of emerging artists – will see sets from Brash Isaac, Jamie Neish and Benjamin Hamilton. Admission is £5, doors are at 8pm.

  • Stream: Silverbacks – Dirty Money

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    Insofar as first-rate lo-fi indie rock goes, the island of Ireland is surely right up there with the most fertile. Laying claim to their stake amongst the very best, Dublin’s Silverbacks will release a new EP, the five-track Sink The Fat Moon on May 19 – and if new single ‘Dirty Money’ is anything to by, we’re in for something well worth the wait. A terse, harmonic-laden effort that openly yet rather brilliantly filters the more more reclined efforts of the holy trifecta that is Sonic Youth, Pavement and Pixies, it’s a masterfully languid release betraying real purpose in its disaffected swagger.…

  • Whiskey and Words @ The Black Box

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    Ask virtually any resident of Belfast to list a few must-visit places in the city and No Alibis on Botanic Avenue will surely feature. A veritable institution that has acted as both an intimate venue for performers of every ilk and shade as well as one of the country’s leading independent bookstores for many years, it is owned and co-ran by one David Torrans (pictured), who will take part in Whiskey and Words, a one-off event in collaboration with Bushmills at the Black Box on Sunday, April 23. A highlight of the current #AnswerTheCall series, in which Bushmills have worked “with local creators, thinkers,…

  • Festival Mixtape: AVA Festival

    April 21, 2017 - By 

    Returning to Belfast’s T13 for its third incarnation across June 2-3, AVA is the country’s most exciting annual electronic showcase. Ahead of what’s set to be another stellar two days in the company of the likes of Jeff Mills & Guillaume Marmin, Marcel Dettman, Bicep, Fatima Yamaha, Ben UFO, Job Jobse, Rebekah, Denis Sulta, OR:LA and many more, we have compiled a 15 track playlist featuring some our must-see acts. Still to nab your ticket? Get on it here.

  • More Acts Announced for Body & Soul

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    A host of new acts have been added to the bill of this year’s Body & Soul ahead of its return to Ballinlough Castle in Co. Westmeath across June 23-25. As well as Australia’s RÜFÜS, Lyra and Patrick O’Laoghaire’s I Have a Tribe are amongst the latest acts added. Deep in the woodland, Ryan Vail (pictured), Auxiliary Phoenix Trio, Dowth, PrYmary Colours and Wastefellow will play the Pagoda Stage. Elsewhere, B&S’s favourite party arena Reckless In Love will feature Byron Yeates, Automatic Tasty, Breen, Cáit, Eoin Ryan, Homebeat DJs, Lumo, DIP DJs, Major Problems DJs, Neil Flynn (Lossless), Bantum, ELLLL and John Daly…

  • Album Stream: Guilty Optics – Colossal Velocity

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    Dublin-based riffy post-punk trio Guilty Optics have just released their long-awaited debut album, Colossal Velocity, on vinyl & digital download. Recorded at Dublin’s Hellfire Studios with vintage gear by San Diego producer Ben Moore, best known for his work with Hot Snakes, Rocket From The Crypt & Ravi Shankar, the album is a discordant, aggressive burst of noise-rock tinged post-punk by way of the early-to-mid ’90s, à la Drive Like Jehu. Formed in 2008 by Alan Finnerty and Peter Lee as a duo, they played under the name Bend This, Uri Geller, before expanding their lineup and shifting to the band they now are. The album is available through Bandcamp.…

  • Watch: BP Fallon & David Holmes – Henry McCullough

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    Look as far and wide as you so please but you’ll struggle to find a more positively unique, perfectly fitting and cosmically-inclined musical obituary than ‘Henry McCullough’ by BP Fallon and David Holmes. A peak on the latter’s exceptional Late Night Tales release from last year, the six-minute sonic eulogy is a sorcerous tribute of semi-mystical proportions, weaving Fallon’s beautiful offering to the late, great McCullough with keyboards and drum programming from Holmes, guitar work from Noel Gallagher, additional drums Emre Ramazanoglu and backing vocals from Nina Holmes and Lisa Di Lucia. Ahead of the release of ‘Henry McCullough’ – The Andrew Weatherall…

  • Watch Enemies Mini-Documentary Final Show, Final Song

    April 18, 2017 - By 

    Lest we forget, 2016 was a bit shite for a variety of reasons, not least in losing three of the country’s finest acts: Solar Bears, Fight Likes Apes and Kilcoole math-pop maestros Enemies. But ensuring the latter’s emotional swansong at Dublin’s Vicar Street in December was an occasion fit to re-live time and time again, Daragh and Oran Bambrick have created a rather wonderful, seven-minute mini-documentary titled ‘Final Show, Final Song’, which captures the Wicklow quartet bowing out in typically electrifying fashion. The band said, “It’s been four months since the night we laid Enemies to rest. Fortunately we enlisted the help…

  • Seen Your Video @ Whelan’s

    April 18, 2017 - By 

    Fans of Minneapolis punk rock heroes The Replacements, lend us your ears. On Thursday, April 19, some very familiar faces will get together to perform the songs of the legendary, Paul Westerberg-fronted band (pictured, above) upstairs in Whelan’s. With all proceeds in aid of Women’s Aid, Villagers’ Conor O’Brien, James Vincent McMorrow, SOAK’s James Byrne, Conor Lumsden of The No. 1s and The Immediate’s Peter Toomey will flanked with the Young Hearts Run Free DJs on the night. Admission is €10 and doors are at 8pm.