• Gig of the week: Mojo Fury, Emerald Armada, Two Glass Eyes

    Our Gig of the Week sees a special tenth anniversary headline set from Northern Irish alt-rock trailblazers Mojo Fury at Belfast’s Limelight 2 on Thursday, March 6. Two stellar full-length albums in – the landmark Visiting Hours of a Travelling Circus and last year’s The Difference Between – the show will also double up as a homecoming show for the Mike Mormecha-fronted band, who have spent the last few weeks touring around Europe. Supporting Mojo Fury on the night are two hotly-tipped Northern Irish acts: alt-rock three-piece Two Glass Eyes and fast-rising folk band Emerald Armada. Go here to win tickets…

  • Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival announce line-up additions

    With the likes of The Selecter, Tinariwen and Shonen Knife already announced, several new acts have been confirmed for this year’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. Arguably topping the lot is American groundbreaking hip-hop trio De La Soul (above), who join Ginger Baker’s Jazz Confusion, DBC Pierre, Wilko Johnson, Rubberbandits, Fuck Buttons, Wild Beasts, Jimi Goodwin and The Third Policeman. Now in its fifteenth year, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2014 will run from May 1 to May 11. Go to the official CQAF website for ticket info.

  • Premiere: Autumns – Honey It’s Winter

    Having stepped in to headline our No Tomorrow launch at Belfast’s Voodoo tomorrow night (Saturday, March 1st), we have an exclusive first listen to ‘Honey It’s Winter’ by Derry lo-fi garage/noise act Autumns. Set for release via CF Records in the Spring, the track is a snappy burst of monochromatic jangle-doom from Christian Donaghey and co., veering between descending Duane Eddy-esque guitar lines, patches of feedback and cavernous vocal exorcisms. Stream the track below via Soundcloud and go here for the (updated) event page for the launch of No Tomorrow.

  • Villagers scoop Choice Music Prize

    Four years on from just missing out to the prize to Two Door Cinema Club, Dublin indie-folk act Villagers have walked away with the 2014 Choice Music Prize for their second studio album, {Awayland}. Thanking the judges for liking his “weird little songs”, the band’s frontman Conor O’Brien accepted the award and a cheque for €10,000 having performed earlier in the night alongside six of the nominated ten acts. Check out Shaun Neary’s photos from the ceremony – including all the performances – here.

  • Belfast Film Festival programme launched

    Featuring a nigh on kaleidoscopic plethora of cinematically-inclined happenings, the programme for this year’s Belfast’s Film Festival has been announced. Traversing categories including Altered States, TV Eye, Shorts and Opening & Closing, A Steve Zissou night, Ray Charles Live 1961, Documenta – The Happening, Here Be Dragons, Busby Furball and The Human Scale are amongst the many eclectic screenings and events taking place from from March 27 to April 5 across Belfast. Go here to check out the full schedule for this year’s festival, now in its fourteenth year. Tickets are available to purchase via here.

  • First acts announced for Body & Soul 2014

    Canadian musician Caribou, American singer-songwriter John Grant and London-based electronic producer Jon Hopkins (pictured) are amongst the first acts announced for this year’s Body & Soul Festival. Taking place at Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath during the summer solstice weekend of June 20-22, the first wave of acts to the play the festival also include Goldfrapp, Darkside, Mount Kimbie and Buraka Som Sistema. See below for the current poster for Body & Soul 2014. Varying in price and description, go here to buy tickets for the festival.

  • Stream: Solar Bears – Interzone

    Ahead of headlining our forthcoming night at Voodoo Belfast on Saturday March 22, Dublin electronic duo Solar Bears have a new track titled ‘Interzone’. Taken from the pair’s forthcoming third studio album – the follow-up to last year’s Supermigration – the track is an homage to American actor and director Dennis Hopper Go here for the event page for our Solar bears show next month. Stream ‘Interzone’ via Soundcloud below. Photo by Dorje De Burgh.

  • Watch: Oh Volcano – Oceans

    General Fiasco brothers Owen and Enda Strathern have unveiled their debut track as Oh Volcano, titled ‘Oceans’. Marking a decidedly more progressive and electronic direction, the track is accompanied by a video directed by local musician and filmmaker Edward Butler. General Fiasco announced a hiatus in early 2013 but have played a few gigs with Duke Special and a one-off small gig in Belfast. Check out the video for the ‘Oceans’ below.