• Made To Measure: Lily Bailie

    December 5, 2016 - By 

    One of many shining lights being champions by our friends at BeKreativ, we chat to Belfast costume designer Lily Bailie about the overlap between music and visuals in her work. Hi Lily. Tell us about your earliest memories in taking an interest in costume design? As a child my mum always hand-made my fancy dress costumes. She used to be a fashion designer so could make me any costume I wanted, from a mermaid to a cat to a princess. I just loved getting creative and making everything by hand. You’re currently based in Edinburgh and Belfast. How do the cities…

  • Irish Tour: Super Furry Animals

    December 3, 2016 - By 

    Cathal McBride and photographers Aaron Corr and Dee McEvoy capture the return of Welsh psychedelic rock legends Super Furry Animals to Dublin and Belfast. Olympia Theatre, Dublin Photos by Aaron Corr Limelight, Belfast Photos by Dee McEvoy Despite not releasing a studio album since 2009’s Dark Days/Light Years, 2016 has been a busy year for Super Furry Animals. Having returned last year from a hiatus that saw frontman Gruff Rhys continue his solo career as well as establish side project Neon Neon, the band’s renewed activity has seen a new one-off single, ‘Bing Bong’, for Wales’ Euro 2016 team and a…

  • Album Premiere: Fixity – The Things In The Room

    December 1, 2016 - By 

    Back in August we rather giddily shared two new releases from Cork experimental musician Dan Walsh AKA Fixity. Now, fourth months later, we’re very pleased to present a first listen to Walsh’s new, rather special four-track album, The Things In The Room. Recorded in Malmo in February, the release features Walsh on drums alongside Swedish improvisers, tenor saxophonist Emil Nerstrand (Brigaden/Heavy Water/The Nod), guitarist Nils Andersson (Ljom/Ava) and bassist Fredrik Persson (Sista Bossen/The Good Morning Spider/Leo Kall/Cassus). Comprises four pieces composed by Walsh explored in collective improvisation with other individuals, each performance was captured in one take with everyone in the…

  • Album Premiere: Whim – 400 Days

    December 1, 2016 - By 

    Writing in the October issue of our physical magazine, David Boland said of Galway-based, U.S. singer-songwriter Sarah Di Muzio AKA Whim: “For a young songwriter to have such a sense of self, composition and trajectory is a rare thing. [She] combines these with emotional depth and charming, unaffected vocals.” A feature-length testament to David’s astute verdict, Di Muzio’s debut album, 400 Days, is a wonderfully woven patchwork of perfectly-wielded sentiment, lyricism and skilfully stripped-back musicianship. Ahead of its official release tomorrow (Friday, December 2), have an exclusive first listen to the album below.

  • Video Premiere: Bodies – Nightmoves

    November 30, 2016 - By 

    The solo project of Dublin’s David Anthony McGeown, Bodies started out when the musician “had the idea of writing something that documents that mid-twenties period in a persons life where you go through things that teach you how to interact with the world. Not the coming of age high school/ college period but the moments in your life where you – truly fall in love, understanding friendship, dealing with death/mental health for the first time as an adult etc.” The first manifestation of that decision is ‘Nightmoves’, an impressively earworming debut track from McGeown that marries dark lyricism with a…

  • Video Premiere: Cian Nugent – Lost Your Way

    November 30, 2016 - By 

    One of many gems to be found on his stellar third album, ‘Lost Your Way’ by Cian Nugent is a masterful tale that blends Loaded-era VU harmonic sensibilities with a breed of lyricism conjuring the personal introspection of Blood on the Tracks-era Dylan. Now, ahead of forthcoming European and UK dates (which are listed below) Nugent has unveiled Aoife Nessa Frances’ sublime, black-and-white video for the single. Here’s an exclusive first look. 25. Jan – Stockholm, SE / Obaren 27. Jan – Aalborg, DK / Northern Winter Beat 29. Jan – Copenhagen, DK / Huset w/ Promised Land Sound 30. Jan – Berlin, DE…

  • Death To Complacency: An Interview With Gross Net, Autumns and Fears

    November 30, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of a three-way release launch in a secret location in Belfast this Friday night, Philip Quinn of Gross Net, Autumns’ Christian Donaghey & Fears’ Constance Keane discuss growth, release, community & “timid Irishness disease”. Go here for the show’s event page. Hi guys. You play a secret location show together in Belfast this weekend. It’s titled ‘A Death To Complacency’. What’s the significance of the title? Philip Quinn (Gross Net): There’s an element present here in society I dub “timid Irishness disease”, whereby people just don’t knuckle down and get making something. I see the three of us as…

  • Running the Gamut: Introducing Orby Chase

    November 30, 2016 - By 

    One of many shining lights being championed by our friends at BeKreativ, Orby Chase are a recently-formed Belfast outfit on a mission. We catch up with the alt/indie quartet about the past, present and auspicious future of the band. Photo by Adam Martin Hi guys. First up: for the unacquainted, how and when did Orby Chase form? We formed in early January 2016. Josh had been doing the rounds as a singer/songwriter since the split of his previous outfit The Blindies and to reasonable acclaim. As his writing developed so did the textural palate he found himself reaching for and…

  • Bookmark: Dan Hegarty (2FM)

    November 29, 2016 - By 

    RTÉ 2FM legend and author Dan Hegarty handpicks and  a selection of his favourite books, featuring Charles Bukowski, Scroobius Pip, Jack Kerouac and Richie Taylor & Tony Clayton-Lea. Photos by Peter O’Hanlon. Dan Hegarty’s Buried Treasure and Buried Treasure 2 are available to buy now via Liberties Press.  Irish Rock: Where It’s Come From, Where It’s At, and Where It’s Going – Richie Taylor & Tony Clayton-Lea This book really made me aware of how many amazing artists this little island of Ireland has offered up over the years. Prior to this, I would have known the obvious ones; great acts…

  • Green Day Set For Irish Shows

    November 29, 2016 - By 

    Having released their twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio, in October, it’s been announced that Green Day will play outdoor shows in Belfast and Dublin next summer. Supported by Rancid, the Billy Joe Armstrong-fronted trio will play Belfast’s Ormeau Park on June 28 and Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham on June 29. Tickets – which go on sale this Friday at 9am – are priced £45.00 and €59.50 including booking fee respectively.