• Irish Tracks of the Week – 28th October

    October 28, 2022 - By 

    It’s another hefty Tracks of the Week, with stellar releases from the Mary Wallopers, Aoife Nessa Frances, Jape, One Leg One Eye, Ciaran Lavery and more. Definitely something in the water. One Leg One Eye – … And Take The Black Worm With Me …. And Take The Black Worm With Me by One Leg One Eye The Mary Wallopers – The Mary Wallopers The Mary Wallopers by The Mary Wallopers Aoife Nessa Frances – Protector Protector by Aoife Nessa Frances Ciaran Lavery – My Body’s a Zombie For You Everything Shook – Three Crows Drew Makes Noise – Something To…

  • Howe Gelb & Mark McCaulsand at The Court House, Bangor

    October 26, 2022 - By 

    Though often true, the term “good things come to wait” doesn’t always account for the bigger picture. It neglects vision, hard work and perseverance. It disregards the hoop-jumping, private stumbles and many victories along the way. Good things come to wait, yes, but great – often very special – things come to those who take care of all of the above and more. On these shores, Open House Festival is a textbook case in point. Helmed by Kieran Gilmore and Alison Gordon, the not-for-profit charity has long been committed to not only dreaming big but fully investing in the radical…

  • Live Line-up For NI Music Prize Announced

    October 18, 2022 - By 

    The live line-up for this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize has been revealed. Celebrating the very best of Northern Irish music released over the last 12 months, the annual ceremony returns to Belfast’s Ulster Hall on Wednesday, November 16th. Various artists will compete to walk away with the prestigious Album of the Year prize, as well as Live Act, Video, Single and ATL Artist of the Year. Go here for the shortlists. Performing on the night will be nominated acts SOAK, Cherym, Leo Miyagee, Rory Nellis, and Robocobra Quartet. Also taking to the stage will be Dea Matrona – who won Best Single…

  • Premiere: The Model Home – Thinking Much

    October 13, 2022 - By 

    The Model Home is a musical project bringing together two respected figures of the Northern Irish music scene: Fionn Crossan of Kilgour and Caolán Austin, a Derry-based musician who also helms production duties at Smalltown America. Over the last few years, the duo have been creatively conspiring on the down-low, steadily piecing together material that they are now, blessedly, beginning to offer to the world. First up is debut single, ‘Thinking Much’. Penned in 2020, and bearing the imprint of artists like Elliott Smith and Fionn Regan, it’s a finely-woven indie folk gem marrying guitar, bass and vocals from the pair, as…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 7th October

    October 7, 2022 - By 

    This Bandcamp Friday, delve into the very best Irish releases of the week from Gilla Band, Farah Elle, Aonair, Talos, Seamus O’Muineachain, Uly, Moving Statues and more Gilla Band – Most Normal Farah Elle – Fatima FATIMA (Deluxe) by Farah Elle Aonair – Loveheart Birthmark Seamus O’Muineachain – Isthmus Isthmus by Seamus O’Muineachain Ciaran Lavery – Another Night at the Self-Indulgence Hotel Uly – keith, i want to be everything keith, i want to be everything by Uly Talos – Dear Chaos Moving Statues – Wonders Will Never Cease EP Wonders Will Never Cease EP by Moving Statues Cosmo –…

  • Depeche Mode Set For Dublin Next Summer

    October 4, 2022 - By 

    Depeche Mode are set to return to Dublin next year. The legendary English electronic band, who currently comprise Dave Gahan and Martin Gore, will stop off at Malahide Castle on 14th June. Doubling up as the band’s biggest ever Irish concert, it takes place as part of a world tour to mark the release of their upcoming 15th studio album, Memento Mori. Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday () at 9am, priced €79.65.

  • Shortlists For Northern Ireland Music Prize Announced

    October 4, 2022 - By 

    The shortlists for this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize have been announced. At this year’s awards ceremony at Belfast’s Ulster Hall, the following NI acts will vie for Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Video of the Year and Live Act of the Year. Album of the Year And So I Watch You From Afar – Jettison Dark Tropics – Ink Hannah Peel & Paraorchestra – The Unfolding  Invaderband – Peter Gabriel Leo Miyagee – Act III Mob Wife – Eat With Your Eyes  Phil Kieran – Nightride Robocobra Quartet – Living Isn’t Easy Rory Nellis – Written…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 23rd September

    September 23, 2022 - By 

    It’s been another stellar week for Irish music. Dig into the best new sounds of the past seven days below, featuring Elaine Howley, coldcall, Anna B Savage, ROE, Cormorant Tree Oh and more Elaine Howley – Autumn Speak Cormorant Tree Oh – Swoontide Swoontide by Cormorant Tree Oh coldcall – day_01 Anna B Savage – Ghosts ROE – That’s When The Panic Sets In Trick Mist – The Hedge Maze and the Spade The Hedge Maze and The Spade by Trick Mist Talos – Kites Dutch Schultz – Levil9 LØ – Green Out Patrick Kavanagh – Almost Everything… Anna Mieke –…

  • Video Premiere: John Blek feat. Cathy Davey – Lyric & Air

    September 14, 2022 - By 

    Over the last few years, North Cork singer-songwriter John Blek has consistently underscored his rep as one of the island’s most deeply engaging artists. On albums such as 2020’s The Embers and 2016’s Cut The Light, he has offered up carefully-crafted folk majesty of the highest order. It’s something Blek wonderfully doubled down on last year, with the release of ‘Ether & Air,’ the final part in the artist’s Catharsis Project – a four-album exploration into themes of the sea, the earth, the embers, and the air. A year on, Blek returns with arguably his strongest single effort to date, ‘Lyric &…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 9th September

    September 9, 2022 - By 

    Here’s the very best Irish releases of the week, featuring Narolane, Katie Kim, Ciaran Lavery, Aoife Nessa Frances, Grave Goods, Akrobat, Junior Brother and more Narolane – Rent Free Katie Kim – Hour of the Ox Ciaran Lavery – A Confident Woman Grave Goods – Die Akrobat – Basquiat’s Widow Zaska & Melina Malone – Just For One Day Aoife Nessa Frances – This Still Life Junior Brother – Good Friday Kyoto Love Hotel – When Do You Think It Begins EP When Do You Think It Begins (EP) by Kyoto Love Hotel Ben Flavelle-Cobain – electric//emotion electric//emotion by Ben…