• The Irish Government are Officially Taking the Piss

    November 16, 2021 - By 

    After 19 months of uncertainty, wilful obstruction, and – finally – some brief reprieve over the last four weeks, the Irish government has once again U-turned on its decision to throw the hospitality sector a lifetime. From midnight on Thursday, all pubs, nightclubs and restaurants in the Republic of Ireland will have to close at midnight. For the music industry that means one very obvious thing: those weeks of frantic planning, scheduling, booking, organising and liaising by bookers, venue owners, artists and DJs? It was more or less all for nothing. There’s no two ways about it: the Irish government…

  • The Art of Slowing Down: An Interview with FRMR

    November 16, 2021 - By 

    Last month, Northern Irish folk songwriter and poet Andrew Farmer aka FRMR unveiled one of the year’s finest LPs from these shores, Amelanchier. As well as offering a short piece on the making of the album, Farmer talks to us about songwriting, self-belief and the art of slowing down. Making The Record ‘Amelanchier’ by FRMR Amelanchier was recently launched into the world. But before we touch on the album, can you tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are as a songwriter today? In 2009 I took a year out to take part in a creative programme based…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – November 12th

    November 12, 2021 - By 

    It’s been another great week for Irish music. Dig into our round-up below, featuring new releases from Windings, Odd Ned, ANDI, Neil Dexter and more Windings – Focus On The Past 5 Focus On The Past 5 by windings Odd Ned – Arpo Realm Long Mile Works by Odd Ned Caoilian Sherlock – Big Child EP Big Child by Caoilian Sherlock Laurie Shaw – Bargain Hunt Lisa Hannigan – Live at The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 2020 ANDI – CEDARWARD EP Neil Dexter – I’ll Be With You Jealous of the Birds – Belfast Song KhakiKid – Cozy Girl…

  • Spilt Milk Announce Fringe Programme

    November 9, 2021 - By 

    With under two weeks to go to this year’s festival, Sligo’s Spilt Milk have announced details of its fringe programme. As well as shows by Silverbacks, Rising Damp, Alannah Thornburgh and many more throughout the town across the weekend of 19-21 November, this year’s programme features a host of wonderfully eclectic indoor and outdoor events, installations, screenings and workshops. Thursday, 18th November sees the launch of Idir, an audio trail and zine in which musicians, writers, and artists will guide attendees on a walk to the outskirts of Sligo, taking in sights and sounds not often noticed by tourists or…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – November 5th

    November 5, 2021 - By 

    It’s Bandcamp Friday once again, and it’s been yet another stacked week for Irish releases. Dig into best of them below, featuring Elaine Malone, Sinead O’Brien, Autumns, Son Zept, Natalia Beylis, Eimear Reidy and more Elaine Malone – Mantua MANTUA by MANTUA Autumns – DSS Dubplate DSS Dubplate by Autumns MF Doom – Great Day (Son Zept Remix) SON ZEPT · MF Doom – Great Day (Son Zept Remix) Big Daisy – Without Dreams Without Dreams by Big Daisy Neil Brogan – Evening Primrose EP Evening Primrose EP by Neil Brogan CMAT – No More Virgos Sinead O’Brien – Girlkind…

  • Premiere: Boyfrens – Almost Live in Tengu

    October 21, 2021 - By 

    Dublin electro-pop artist Jack Hevey ventured out as Boyfrens just before the world began to shut down early last year. As a result – and no thanks to a whole heap of governmental incompetence as of late – he has yet had a chance to air his material to a real-world audience. With that reality firmly in mind, Hevey teamed up with Owen Costello of Substance Media to produce a 20-minute live performance at Dublin venue Tengu in early summer this year. Performing to an incredibly intimate audience of 10, the set was brought to life via director of photography Sean…

  • NI Music Prize Set For Ulster Hall

    October 19, 2021 - By 

    This year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize will return to Belfast’s Ulster Hall next month. Due to COVID-19, last year’s event was broadcast online. Now, due to an easing of restrictions, the annual prize will return to the iconic venue on Wednesday, November 17. “It has been a long and challenging twelve months for musicians,” said Charlotte Dryden of the Oh Yeah Music Centre, organisers of the annual award. “That is why this year is such an important coming together, not just to celebrate the great wealth of talent that has produced world-class records throughout the pandemic, but also to thank and let…

  • Full Capacity Indoor Seated Events Set For NI Venues

    September 27, 2021 - By 

    The Northern Irish executive has tonight announced a relaxation of social distancing, while will allow NI’s music venues, theatres and conference venues to host full capacity indoor seated events from 6pm on Thursday, September 30. With 100% capacity live events to be allowed both indoors and outdoors in the Republic from October 22, the news has come as a relief to venue owners and gig-goers in the north. “We welcome the NI Executive’s decision to remove Social Distancing for indoor seated venues,” said Joe Dougan of the Limelight. “This is a progressive step which will enable many businesses to get back…

  • Premiere: Peter Sumadh – Parting Wounds

    September 16, 2021 - By 

    Over the last few years, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Peter Sumadh has set out his stall under the moniker The Mad Dalton. Releases such as ‘Timebomb’, ‘Skeleton Waltz’ and 2018 LP Open Season found him carve out a consistently rewarding niche in a saturated alt-folk scene in the North. Today, Sumadh makes a break, and ventures out under his name to present his strongest single to date, ‘Parting Wounds’. Accompanying by a sublime video courtesy of Belfast videographer Richard Davis, it’s an entrancing, wonderfully woven effort that confronts disunion and the power of moving on. Recorded by Mojo Fury’s Michael Mormecha at Tree Song…

  • Monday Mixtape: Pretty Happy

    August 23, 2021 - By 

    Fast-rising Cork art-rock threesome Pretty Happy guide us through some of their all-time favourite songs, from Pixies and Ought, to Surburan Lawns and William S Burroughs. Five Go Down to The Sea? – There’s a Fish on Top of Shandon Swears He’s Elvis   This weird gem of a song shows how weird the five go down lads got with their arranging. A classic track, one that’s loud enough to grab your attention and textured enough to play again and again. Five go Down’s experimentation with form really made us look at the way we arrange our own songs. Janitor…