• 100 Keybaords: An Interview With ASUNA

    September 30, 2019 - By 

    Asuna is a pioneering Japanese sound artist set for this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival to perform his latest mind-bending live creation, 100 Keyboards. The project involves playing the same key on 100 battery-operated keyboards at once, building a sonic moiré effect which must be heard to be believed. Ahead of the shows, we caught up with Asuna to discuss the birth and genesis of project. 100 Keyboards takes place at The MAC across October 17-19. Go here to buy tickets. __ Take us back to before you devised the idea of 100 Keyboards. What creative activity led you to the…

  • Sound of Belfast 2019 Launched

    September 27, 2019 - By 

    The programme for this year’s Sound of Belfast has been launched. Taking across November 1-10 in various Belfast venues, the ten-day celebration of local music was established by Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre to promote and celebrate the musicians, bands, venues, promoters and music communities of Belfast. This year’s programme is its most extensive to date, with over 70 performances set for 18 participating venues. As well as live music from atists including Jordan Adetunji, Kitt Philippa, The Darkling Air, Wynona Bleach (pictured) and more, there will also be various workshops and conferences from the likes of PPL, Musicians Union…

  • The Songs of Daniel Johnston @ The Black Gate

    September 26, 2019 - By 

    Daniel Johnston fans, rejoice. A tribute night to the late, great U.S. musician and cartoonist will take place at the Black Gate in Galway on October 26th. Kicking off from 10pm, the event will feature Blackbird & Crow, Dylan Murphy, A Lilac Decline, Brendan Dolan (A Band Called Wanda) and New Pope performing the music of Johnston, who passed on September 11th, aged 58. Tickets cost €10 and can be bought here. Things kick off from 9pm. Revisit Jack Rudden’s obituary to Johnston here.

  • Long Beyond Sundown @ The Menagerie

    September 26, 2019 - By 

    Take a look around you. It’s officially the time of the season, is it not? The evenings are growing darker, doomy vibrations linger unseen in the air and you’ve suddenly got an inexplicable desire to frequent your local graveyard after-hours. We hear you. We do. As does Ben Harris, main man with Belfast garage maestos The Dreads and all-round apostle and advocate of the aforementioned. Throughout the month of October, Harris will present Long Beyond Sundown, a collection of films exploring folklore, witchcraft and the occult at Belfast venue the Menagerie. And what a fine, handpicked selection it is, too. Delving into the likes of colonialism,…

  • A Winged Victory for the Sullen Set For Irish Dates

    September 25, 2019 - By 

    Ambient duo A Winged Victory for the Sullen are set for Irish dates next year. Dustin O’Halloran and Adam Wiltzie (also of Stars of the Lid) will play Dublin’s National Concert Hall on March 3rd and Belfast’s St. Rosemary Chuch on March 4th. Tickets are priced €27.50 and £22.50 (and booking fee) respectively. Accompanying the announcement of tour dates is the news of the pair’s forthcoming new album, The Undivided Five, which is out via Ninja Tune on November 1st. Check out its tracklist and stream ‘The Undivided Five’ from the release below. 1.Our Lord Debussy 2. Sullen Sonata 3.…

  • The Bernard Shaw Set to Close

    September 9, 2019 - By 

    The Bernard Shaw is set to close. The pub and venue, which has been a vital hub in Dublin over the last 13 years, will close its doors at the end of October. Back in May, the Bernard Shaw was refused permission permission by An Bord Pleanála to keep its beer garden and dining area open. In a statement, management said, “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the end of our Bernard Shaw adventure. At the end of October 2019 we will close the Shaw, Eatyard, all organisational, art, and performance spaces and everything else in the building and…

  • Jon Hopkins For Dublin Return

    September 9, 2019 - By 

    Jon Hopkins will play Dublin as part of his Polarity tour 2020. One of the highlights of this year’s Forbidden Fruit, the English musician and producer will play Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on Friday, March 6. Polarity will, Jon says, tether together “the two disparate elements of harsh and fragile in my music.” He explains, “by going between the two, we’ll hopefully create some profound moments of stillness.” Laying grand piano for parts of the show, he will be joined on stage by a small group of consummate musicians and long-time friends, consisting of acclaimed producer and guitarist Leo Abrahams, violinist and…

  • Supergrass Set For Dublin and Belfast on 2020 Reunion Tour

    September 9, 2019 - By 

    Supergrass are set to play two Irish dates as part of their forthcoming reunion tour. The Gaz Coombes-fronted Britpop legends will play Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on February 12th and Belfast’s Ulster Hall on February 17th. Tickets go on sale this Friday (September 13th) morning. Band member Danny Goffey said, “Everything aligned for us to make this happen for 2020. It was the first time that we collectively felt the buzz to get back in a room together and play the songs. “We’re extremely excited to get out there and bring a bit of Supergrass joy to all our fans… and…

  • Win Tickets to Future Sounds Now 2 @ Masonic Hall, Belfast

    September 5, 2019 - By 

    We have a pair of tickets to the second installment of Future Sounds Now at Belfast’s Masonic Hall on Saturday, September 7th. Hosted by Touch Sensitive Records as part of Belfast Music Summer 2019, the event will feature sets from The Lost Connection (aka Locky Morris of Rare and John O’Neill of The Undertones and That Petrol Emotion) and Ai Messiah. Tickets are £7 and doors open at 8pm. To enter our competition, simply send an e-mail to info@thethinair.net with the answer to the following question. Who was the vocalist of That Petrol Emotion?

  • Stealing Memories: An Interview With Joshua Burnside

    September 9, 2019 - By 

    From September 14th, Joshua Burnside will set off on his biggest tour to date. Including an unmissable show alongside Junior Brother at Empire Music Hall on November 1st as part of this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival, the Belfast folk maestro will play shows in cities including New York, Los Angeles, London and Berlin. Ahead of that, we talk to Burnside about travel, success, his forthcoming second album and more. Go here to buy tickets to Joshua Burnside at Empire Music Hall Hi Joshua. You’re about to head off on a world tour, which includes dates in New York, Los Angeles, London and…