• American Football @ Button Factory, Dublin

    September 7, 2017 - By 

    It’s unlikely that you’re ever going to find a crowd as earnest as the gentle gang of 20-something year olds that bundle into The Button Factory for emo heroes, American Football. It’s been a long time coming but the Illinois band are finally making their Irish debut 20 years after their humble beginnings and emotions are running high among the expectant audience. The first thing to notice about American Football is that, despite how few shows they’ve actually played over the last two decades, you’d be hard pushed to find a band more technically accurate. Each song sounds identical to…

  • Playing The Long Game: An Interview With American Football

    August 31, 2017 - By 

    Few bands will ever have the underground cult status of American Football. The Illinois quartet are credited with the creation of one of emo’s most romanticised albums and have been part of the most anticipated return in the emo revival. Ahead of playing The Button Factory in Dublin on Monday, Kelly Doherty chats to Steve Lamos about their return. Where did the decision for American Football to get back together come from? A couple people came to us in light of the first album being reissued and asked us to play. I don’t think we had really considered it before…

  • Brand New – Science Fiction

    August 18, 2017 - By 

    What is it about Brand New that has allowed them to be one of rock music’s most enigmatic bands for 15 years now? Despite being raised from the same scene that birthed acts who’ve experienced fairly minimal critical fanfare over the years, Brand New have managed to eschew traditional press courting and yet maintain their role as a media darlings. And now in a sudden, startling drop, they release their fifth album, Science Fiction, after eight years in relative obscurity. For fans who were worried by their most recent single, ‘Mene’, Science Fiction is a return to the form that has…

  • Holy Fuck @ Cyprus Avenue, Cork

    August 17, 2017 - By 

    The hipster set of Cork descend on Cyprus Avenue for a midweek dalliance with Canadian indie electronica outsiders Holy Fuck. After an opening slot from Limerick locals Van Panther who speed through a promising set of Smashing Pumpkins-esque rockers, the visually unassuming Holy Fuck take to the stage. It’s clear from the hesitance of the crowd that much of this audience aren’t quite sure what to expect from this live performance but that doesn’t stop Holy Fuck from blasting the half-filled room with the energy of an act performing a venue much larger. Holy Fuck’s set gives us an insight…

  • Longitude 2017

    July 18, 2017 - By 

    With an increasingly younger and more hectic audience, Longitude takes to Marley Park for its fifth year. Originally established as an indie pop festival drawing headliners such as Vampire Weekend and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, line ups have taken a sharp left turn over the last couple years turning Longitude into Ireland’s primary two-day hip-hop party with a Sunday addition of a folk day. The increased crowds and popularity of the festival cause serious issues on the Friday with entrance queues lasting hours and constant mini human landslides being led by the post-Leaving Cert demographic filing through the gates. Dua Lipa’s…

  • Paramore @ Olympia Theatre, Dublin

    June 16, 2017 - By 

    It’s been a long time since Tennessee natives, Paramore, last brought their show to Irish shores and by the look of the massive queue outside the Olympia two hours before open doors, Ireland has certainly missed them. Opening act, California’s Bleached, set the pace with a raucous set of female-led punk rock. Bringing to mind 90s riot grrrl with a touch of surf rock, they play an uncompromising set of punk rock anthems. Whilst the music is a small bit lost on a large majority of the crowd, they’re a promising act and, as an opening act, send out a…

  • Stormzy w/ A2 @ The Olympia, Dublin

    March 31, 2017 - By 

    Every single owner of a pair of Adidas Superstars has started to form a queue outside the Olympia on this particular Wednesday evening on Dublin. As the crowd eyes up each other’s shades of Adidas, it’s clear there’s only one name on everyone’s lips – Stormzy. Stormzy, or Michael Omari to his mum, has been setting grime and pop audiences alight with his palatable take on Britain’s hottest genre of 2017. His critically lauded number one album, Gang Signs And Prayer has already been slated as one of the biggest successes of the year and the excitement is palpable amongst…

  • Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer

    February 27, 2017 - By 

    Almost fifteen years after bursting out of East London, grime has officially taken over the mainstream. The genre, originally popularised by the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Wiley and Kano, has had a sudden second wave and has been creeping up AOTY lists and making loud impressions at the Brit Awards. Out of this second wave has emerged Michael Omari AKA Stormzy. The Thornton Heath based 23 year old racked up a ‘One To Watch’ nod at BBC’s Sound of 2015, has won Best Grime Act twice at the MOBO Awards and has scored a summer of appearances at some of the UK’s…

  • Singing The Blues: An Interview With Jimmy Eat World

    December 30, 2016 - By 

    It’s hard to think of many bands as consistent and dependable as Arizona natives Jimmy Eat World. Legends and primary breakthrough act of the emo scene, they have failed to put a step wrong in their long career and yet again have delivered with their most recent album, Integrity Blues. Despite 23 years of being worshipped by thousands of sentimental teenagers and beyond, there’s no airs and graces from the band – just a few regular guys who happen to have sold millions of records. Ahead of their sold-out date at the Olympia Theatre last month, Kelly Doherty met with the…

  • Longitude 2016: Saturday

    July 19, 2016 - By 

    The sun ushers in a sold out audience to the second day of Longitude 2016. After a Friday that was on the verge of ruin due to an over aggressive, extremely young audience, Saturday seems to have drawn a much softer crowd and it’s well needed. First off, Rejjie Snow (below) continues the hip-hop focus of the weekend with a blend of recognised tracks and new cuts. With the energy and stage presence of a performer far beyond his experience, Snow captivates his early afternoon audience. His new material has a vibrant toughness unseen before and it looks like his upcoming…