• 18 for ’18: The Bonk

    January 23, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. Throughout January we’re going to be previewing each of those acts, accompanied by words from our writers and an original photograph from one of our photographers. Next up, The Bonk. Photo by Moira Reilly Formed by O Emperor virtuoso, Phil Christie; The Bonk are one of Ireland’s most interesting experimental outfits today. They take influence from 60’s garage, jazz and experimental pop as a means by Christie to express some of his more psychedelic ideas. Since their conception the group have been impressing throughout…

  • Royal Blood w/ At The Drive-In & Black Honey @ 3Arena, Dublin

    November 27, 2017 - By 

    The 3Arena plays host to a veritable smorgasbord of rock and roll tonight with a trio of acts. Riff rockers Royal Blood were joined by El Paso post-hardcore icons At the Drive-In and UK newcomers Black Honey. It caps off a busy weekend at Dublin’s arena venue, which saw Queens of the Stone Age and Queen take to the stage on the two nights previous, with many of tonight’s attendees adorned in tees from these shows. On a rainy Sinday night, this added to the feeling that tonight was somewhat of a hangover from what were undoubtedly better gigs. The…

  • Mac DeMarco w/ Montero @ Vicar Street, Dublin

    November 23, 2017 - By 

    As the doors to Dublin’s iconic Vicar Street open, a queue of eager teenagers file through in anticipation of seeing their idol take the stage. For many it would be their first gig and they embrace it with the uncontrollable excitement I remember having once upon a time; running to the barrier to get the best spot and buying as much merch as they can afford. Pints? Pfft, pints are for old people. Mac DeMarco’s allure has always enticed a younger crowd and even though his latest release, This Old Dog has seen him mellow out to a degree, he can’t…

  • Interview: Tandem Felix

    November 6, 2017 - By 

    Ahead of their first Dublin headline show in over two years tomorrow night Hugh O’Dwyer talks to Tandem Felix frontman David Tapley about their new music and returning to the stage. Tickets for their November 7th show upstairs in Whelans can be purchased here. A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, the sound of Tandem Felix has changed quite a bit since some of the band’s earlier work such as Ryan Hoguet and the Popcorn EP. What would you attribute this change in style to? A few things really; I’ve loved country and country-related music for so long. I…

  • Dublin Podcast Festival: S-Town @ Bord Gáis

    October 20, 2017 - By 

    On the penultimate night of the first Dublin Podcast Festival, the Bord Gais theatre played host to Brian Reed, creator of S-Town. The somewhat sparse crowd was treated to a sixty-minute conversation and a Q & A session which included previously unheard clips and stories from the podcast. Beginning with an excerpt from a conversation with John B. McLemore, the anti-hero of the podcast; the audience was thrust back into the world of Bibb county, Alabama, or Shit town as it’s affectionately known. The night was billed as ‘A new way to tell a story’ and this theme was explored…

  • Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life

    September 29, 2017 - By 

    It’s rarely a good sign when all of the singles on an album are placed at the start. It’s almost an admission to the listener that says ‘Look, this isn’t great but at least the first couple of tunes are alright and you can just switch it off after that’. The only issue here is that even the singles on offer aren’t particularly inspiring. Wolf Alice’s sophomore offering, Visions Of A Life seems to lose all of the effortlessness and vitality of its predecessor and is bland at its best; cringeworthy at its worst. If this isn’t the epitome of…

  • Stream: Other Creatures – Luxembourg

    September 27, 2017 - By 

    Ahead of this weekend’s Hard Working Class Heroes, Dublin three piece Other Creatures have released their first single, ‘Luxembourg’ from their aptly titled The First EP. The EP will be released by Trout Records where the band will be joining the likes of Saint Sister, Tandem Felix and Spies. ‘Luxembourg’ is the band’s first official release and is one loaded with jagged guitar chords and thunderous drums, giving it a post-punk flare that is brightened by the energised vocal melodies of Konrad Timon. This truly infectious track is an indie gem reminiscent of bands like Pavement, Interpol and Band of Horses. …

  • My Dad Wrote a Porno @ Vicar Street, Dublin

    September 25, 2017 - By 

    There’s a sense of giddy anticipation in the air as Vicar Street fills up to the brim with die-hard fans and casuals alike. On the third night of Dublin’s inaugural podcast festival one of the biggest hitters in the world of podcasts is in town to debut a brand new chapter in the erotic adventures of Belinda Blumenthal. I am, of course, talking about My Dad Wrote a Porno, the smash hit comedy which has been downloaded over 50 million times and has been given the seal of approval by celebrity guests such as Elijah Wood and Michael Sheen. Jaime…

  • Grizzly Bear – Painted Ruins

    August 23, 2017 - By 

    Grizzly Bear are a band of individuals and this has never been as true as it is on their latest record Painted Ruins. In the five years since Shields, the once Brooklyn-based band have scattered across the east and west coasts slowly reconvening to create new music. These years have perhaps been the most formative in the band’s tenure as vocalist Ed Droste describes, “life happened”. Marriage, kids, divorce and everything in between has transformed the four indie rockers into adults, each unique in their experience of the world. And it’s with this experience that the band approach Painted Ruins.…

  • Cornelius – Mellow Waves

    July 24, 2017 - By 

    Keigo Oyamada (AKA Cornelius) could easily be described as a jack of all trades but certainly not as a master of none. In the 11 years since the release of his last studio album Sensuous, he has been involved in a wide range of projects from working with Yoko Ono and The Yellow Magic Orchestra to scoring music for 2010s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the anime series Ghost in the Shell Arise. After a long departure from writing his own music, he was inspired to create something more personal, drawing on the loss of many of his childhood…