• Stream: Kid Karate – No Way

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    Describing themselves as “Mike Tyson serenading his wife with a heavy metal cover of Abba’s ‘Waterloo'” (hey, why not?) Dublin trio Kid Karate evolved many moons ago from a two-piece jam in a Crumlin shed. Ever since, the band – comprised of Kevin Breen, Steven Gannon and Ian McFarlane – have grown into a formidable beast with their earworming, slightly left-of-centre craft. Having had their heads down creating some new sounds, the trio have unveiled their single, ‘No Way’, a four-minute alt-pop anthem set for official release on February 20 that’ll be lingering in your inner ear for hours. Don’t believe…

  • AVA Festival 2017 Line-Up Announced

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    Returning for its third annual outing, grassroots Audio Visual Arts festival and conference AVA will return to Belfast’s iconic T13 for an expanded two-day line-up on June 2-3. Set to feature the UK and Irish debut of Jeff Mills and Guillaume Marmin’s collaboration, Marcel Dettman, Bicep, Ben UFO, Fatima Yamaha, Midland, Rebekah, Job Jobse, Denis Sulta, Or:La, Hammer, Saoirse, The Cyclist, Ryan Vail, Jordan, JMX and much more, tickets for the festival are available to buy here priced £50. The festival says, “Alongside a solid roster of incredible artists playing across the two days, there’s an emerging DJ and Producer…

  • Line-Up For Choice Music Prize Revealed

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    With the shortlist for this year’s prize announced earlier this month, it’s been revealed that nominees Rusangano Family, Overhead, The Albatross, Katie Kim, All Tvvins, Bantum, Wallis Bird and We Cut Corners will perform at this year’s RTE Choice Muic Prize at Dublin’s Vicar Street on Thursday, March 9. Presented in association with IMRO and IRMA, the follow ten albums will vie for the coveted annual prize on the night. All Tvvins – IIVV (Warner Music) Bantum – Move (Self Released) Wallis Bird – Home (Mount Silver / Caroline International) The Divine Comedy – Foreverland (Divine Comedy Records) Lisa Hannigan…

  • Stream: Jealous of the Birds and Ryan Vail – ‘Love is a Crow’

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    Having received airplay on Lauren Laverne’s BBC 6Music show yesterday, ‘Love is a Crow’ is a one-off collaboration from Derry’s Ryan Vail and Portadown’s Naomi Hamilton AKA Jealous of the Birds. Melding a trickle of sublime spoken word from the latter and a bobbing flurry of beats and spectral synth-work from the former, the single is accompanied by remixes from The Cyclist and Belfast’s Dee Lucille AKA DIE HEXEN. Dig below.

  • Chelsea Wolfe Set For Dublin Show

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    Two years on from an extraordinary show at The Button Factory, Californian singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe has announced that she will return to Dublin to play Whelan’s on April 15. Kicking off an 11 date European tour that concludes in Athens two weeks later, full ticket details for the show – including price – are yet to be announced. Check out the full European tour dates below and stream a highlight from her 2015 album Abyss below.

  • Ride Announce Irish Dates

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    30 years on from forming in Oxford, shoegaze pioneers Ride have announced they will play Belfast’s Limelight on March 21 and Dublin’s Olympia on March 22. Having been busy working on their first studio album in twenty years, Andy Bell and co. reunited in 2014 and performed a series of tour dates in Europe and Northern America in early 2015, as well as playing the likes of Coachella and Primavera. Tickets for both shows go on sale this Friday, January 27, priced £24 + booking fee for Belfast and 34.50 inc. booking fee for Dublin.

  • Watch: For Foresters – Towels

    January 23, 2017 - By 

    Having been playing together for the better part of six years, Donegal/Dublin trio For Foresters are a self-proclaimed theatrical, poetic and expressive act comprised of Gabriel Paschal Blake, Conal Doherty and Gary Hamilton. Presenting themselves as “not just musicians but storytellers who recite their pro’s through raw, rustic tunes” their debut single ‘Towels’ is a strong and summoning effort that – whilst certainly a long time coming – has been worth the wait. Accompanied a sublime – albeit rather bleak – video courtesy of Charlie Joe Doherty featuring Michael Kennedy, the single is a swelling cloud of first-rate experimental ambient…

  • Having The Last Laugh: An Interview with Susan Calman

    January 22, 2017 - By 

    If laughter is indeed the best medicine, then Scottish comedian, actress and writer Susan Calman should be designated GP. Having imbued her diverse and far-reaching career with promoting mental health awareness via her own personal experience, Calman talks to Brian Coney about process, profile and positivity ahead of appearing at Belfast’s the MAC on February 5 (tickets and full info here). Hi, Susan. You’re setting off on a string of tour dates in February. How are you feeling about the shows? And tell us more about this particular show, The Calman Before The Storm. I’m really looking forward to getting out on…