• Gem Fest 2

    August 3, 2016 - By 

    Having taken over the Bandstand in Dublin’s Phoenix Park last month for a free, all-ages event with Patrick Kelleher, Roslyn Steer and more, the ever-informed Little Gem Records have announced details of Gem Fest 2. Taking place over the weekend of August 19-21, the Dublin record store and hub will host the following free concerts and events: Friday, August 19 (7pm) Screen Gems Music and B Movie night Little Gem Records (18 Kildare Street) Saturday, August 20 (2pm) Pandelindio & Bird People; Argentinian experimental folk in the park with special guests Stephen’s Green Bandstand Sunday, August 21 (2pm) Freenix & The Bandstand Band Concert &…

  • Watch: Morrissey & Marshall – Stand Down

    August 3, 2016 - By 

    Set for release on August 26, ‘Stand Down’ by Dublin rock n’ roll duo Morrissey and Marshall is a track inspired “by those poor unfortunates (politicians) who tend to stop at nothing when striving for success… They will lie, mislead, instil fear and do whatever it takes to get the people on side, without any true regard for the people. This song sparks the idea that there will eventually come a time when we’ll come together, rise above the fear and use truth, honesty and love to start fixing all of the things that need to be fixed.” An admirable,…

  • EP Stream: Dott – Beverly Baldwin

    August 3, 2016 - By 

    Long-time TTA favourites, Dott first appeared on our radar back in January of 2012 via a demo of ‘Leave Tonight’. Four years a bit on, the Galway garage-pop quartet are back with a four-track EP distilling exactly what has kept us firmly interested in their trajectory to date. Set for release via NYC’s Mirror Universe Tapes on Friday, Beverly Baldwin was written and recorded by Anna and Evan of the band during a year spent in Toronto following their marriage in 2015. Titled after the part of Toronto where they recorded the EP in their tiny apartment, the release marries subtle…

  • Stream: Chris Hanna – And All Shall Be Well

    August 3, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of playing Sunflowerfest this weekend, Belfast producer Chris Hanna shared this track on SoundCloud. A bright and bouncy affair, it’s part of a live set he’ll be playing next month, made entirely of new material — having lost all his work he’s making everything again from scratch. Hanna describes it as “a wee Songs of Praise house tune”, and it’s not hard to see why. Hands in the air.

  • Electric Picnic Reveal Hazel Wood Area

    August 1, 2016 - By 

    The constant evolution and expansion of Electric Picnic has long been one of the annual Laois festival’s biggest draws. Set to return to Stradbally Estate from September 2-4, organisers have revealed its latest extension: a new area called Hazel Wood that offers “mesmerising storytelling through interactive theatre, immersive hauntings, shadow puppetry, visual displays, commedia dell’arte workshops, visual art and much, much more”. And to mark the new area’s debut outing, festival-goers will be given the opportunity to hear Cathy Davey’s forthcoming new album live and in full on the Friday night. Davey said, “Because this album was written in the forest I had fairly…

  • Open House Festival 2016

    August 1, 2016 - By 

    With a host of lovingly-compiled, brilliantly diverse outings behind them, Open House Festival will return to Bangor from August 1-30. With 125 events taking place in more than 40 venues in the Northern Irish seaside town, music, film, food & drink, theatre, literature, comedy, art, magic, mystery, dance and lectures is – as ever – the perfectly balanced order of the day for the annual Bangor festival. Amongst the highlights in this year’s programme are a 40th anniversary show by The Damned, Iron & Wine, a 70th birthday tribute to former AC/DC frontman Bon Scott, Ian Rankin, Tom Robinson and returning Bangor songstress…

  • Inbound: Franklyn

    July 30, 2016 - By 

    It seems like a case of twice bitten, thrice wise for Frankyln’s Owen Strathern. After initially finding some success with Magherafelt mods The Tides, Strathern’s growing indifference to the lad rock pedalled by his school friends lead to the bassist joining forces with his brother Enda and Tides newbie Stephen Leacock to explore poppier territories. General Fiasco, including Enda on guitar and Leacock on drums, seemed destined for big things: the band’s pop punk melodies, paired with Owen’s deceptively vulnerable lyrics, drew the attention of the British indie press, and the success of early singles ‘Sometime Sometime’ and ‘Ever So…

  • EP Stream: Remains of Youth – There is Hope Without Progress

    July 29, 2016 - By 

    Bringing together new material with complete re-workings of older songs, There is Hope With Progress is an EP that marks the return of rejuvenated Belfast post-hardcore/alternative quartet Remains of Youth. With key influences in the likes of Idlewild, At The Drive-In and Derry’s Jetplane Landing (acts always proudly worn on their sleeve without ever feeling overbearing) the Adam Shirlow fronted-band have forged a five-track release that, largely ruminating on the passing of time – often in relation to the band’s own extended hiatus – brims with carefully-considered musicianship, strong sense of urgency and deft vitality. Stream the EP – recorded by Rocky O’Reilly…

  • The Beatyard 2016

    July 29, 2016 - By 

    Featuring everyone from Parliament/Funkadelic legend George Clinton, Roy Ayers and Jape to Lee Scratch Perry, Rubberbandits and Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, The Beatyard will make a no doubt victorious return to Dublin’s Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Saturday July 30 and Sunday July 31. With tickets available to buy here, the August Bank Holiday weekender festival – presented by Beck’s – will also include The Eatyard (including Brewtonic Carinvale, Bread & Bones and The Big Blue Bus), Studioyard featuring The Bernard Shaw Flea, ADW Art, Tasty Threads and more, as well as Kidsyard, promising “imaginosity” (we like the sound of that…

  • Festival Mixtape: Stendhal 2016

    July 26, 2016 - By 

    Voted Ireland’s Best Small Festival for the last three years in a row, Stendhal Festival of Art returns to Ballymully Cottage Farm in Limavady on the weekend of August 12-13 with their strongest and most varied bill to date. Featuring the likes of alt-rock titans Therapy?, Lynched, Badly Drawn Boy, Derry’s Ryan Vail, Jealous of the Birds, PORTS and alt-folk five-piece Emerald Armada, the team have once more struck an impressive balance between weight and restraint over the line-up’s two days and nights. With tickets still available to buy for a mere £40 here, check out the full line-up and stream our fifteen-track track playlist, featuring our must-see…