• Culture Night Belfast 2015

    September 22, 2015 - By 

    How does one even begin to contemplate an itinerary for this most varied and enormous of occasions? Not being one to shy away from a well-rounded plan of attack and in desperate need of some form of structure, The John Hewitt beckons and who are we to abstain?  After all, it seems to be an ideal location for some planning and imbibing. Planbibing, we’ll call it. Considering too that the Guinness is good, the bar is stacked tall with the official guidebooks to this evening’s proceedings, and the mellow harp-plucks are soothing our party from the stage, we’re set up…

  • We’re Hiring!

    September 14, 2015 - By 

    We’re on the lookout for an enthusiastic salesperson to take care of our print and web advertising. The role will include maintaining existing relationships, fostering new ones and taking care of any administration involved. The job is a flexible, part-time position so you will able to work to your own schedule based on agreed deadlines. Payment is on a commission basis so the more you put in, the more you get out. Applicants must have excellent communication skills and a confident but friendly manner, previous experience in sales is not necessary but very welcome. You must also be prepared to…

  • Stream: Mons Olympus – Incognito

    September 10, 2015 - By 

    Let it be known: Mons Olympus don’t exactly shy away from the riffs. With an ever metamorphosing hybrid of space prog and funk, the latest phase of the Belfast-based three-piece’s evolution has taken form in the punchy, groove-laden ‘Incognito’, a track that sees the Rory Dee-fronted band trimming the proverbial fat and aiming straight – and most tenacious – for the jugular. Featuring some wonderfully subtle violin work by Aidan Kelly of Affleck, the track – the purest distillation of the band’s vision to date, including their previous incarnation as Chocolate Love Factory – was recorded, mixed and mastered by Stephen O’Hagan and…

  • MCM Comic Con Dublin 2015

    August 31, 2015 - By 

    MCM Comic Con recently returned for the second year running at the RDS in Dublin, bringing stalls catering for everything from Pokemon plushies to carded Star Wars collectible figures. Fans could get up close and personal with stars from Game of Thrones, Once Upon A Time, Arrow and various well known voice actors. There was even wrestling matches on the hour with appearances from WWE legends Scotty Too Hotty and Grandmaster Sexay. This year had a very strong turnout from cosplayers who went the extra mile with their anime and video game character creations. Amongst them we met Stormtroopers, scouts from Attack on Titan,…

  • Watch: The Winter Passing – Daisy

    August 19, 2015 - By 

    The Winter Passing have released a video for Daisy, a pop-punk anthem wrought with harmonies from sibling combo Rob and Kate, reminiscent of The Get Up Kids and Joanna Gruesome. Their debut album A Different Space of Mind will be released on both FITA Records in Europe and 6131 Records in North America on September 18. Chatting with Rob, he informed us that “We put a lot of time and effort into the record, we figured out the type of band we wanted to be, we’re excited to let people hear it.” The group play the Grand Social on September 26. Tickets can be purchased by…

  • Festival Preview: Indiependence

    April 23, 2015 - By 

    Cork’s major entry on the national festival calendar (and therefore the most important), Indiependence has established itself as one of the major festivals of the summer, typically by serving up diverse, quality line-ups in a relatively intimate setting, limiting admissions to 5,000, amid the fields of Deer Farm in Mitchelstown, the festival’s home since moving out from the town square way back (early iterations of the festival featured headline sets from Coolio and Dannii Minogue, among others, before it truly hit its stride as a camping weekender). This year’s announcements so far have been nothing short of quality, with Ash,…

  • BARE in the Woods

    April 17, 2015 - By 

    June is traditionally a stacked month in terms of live excursions around the country, but following its acclaimed debut last year, one-day festival B.A.R.E. in the Woods looks set to stake its place in the Irish festival calendar with an-already impressive line-out of music, and a brand-new comedy stage in the woods of Garrynahinch, Co. Laois. The music line-up is an exciting one to say the least, headlined by returning UK hip-hop legend Roots Manuva. The brutally-honest South Londoner is renowned for his multi-layered lyrics and rich vein of cultural references throughout his music, delivered in his inimitable style, a…

  • Exclusive: Fight Like Apes New Album Artwork

    April 15, 2015 - By 

    We’re pleased to exclusively reveal the artwork for their Fight Like Apes‘ forthcoming third self-titled album, created by our very own deputy editor/photo editor, Loreana Rushe. Released on May 15 through Alcopop records, we will have a full review of the album in our May issue and MayKay from the band will also be discussing the recording of the album in her column. Tracklisting 1. I am not a Merryman 2. Crouching Bees 3. Pop Itch 4. The Schillaci Sequence 5. Didya 6. Numbnuts 7. Pretty Keen On Centerfolds 8. The Hunk And The Funplace 9. I Don’t Want To Have…

  • Festival Preview: Belfast Film Festival 2015

    April 12, 2015 - By 

    Time to dig out your best sitting-down trousers, as the Belfast Film Festival returns for its fifteenth year. With over one hundred films in ten days, it’s part celebration, part endurance test. Opening night duties fall to local legend Mark Cousins (pictured), premiering his I Am Belfast, a dream-like exploration of the city’s identity and history that promises to go beyond across-the-barricade clichés (Cousins’ meditation on D. H. Lawrence, 6 Desires, is also being screened). At the tail-end of the programme is Stephen Fingleton’s post-collapse drama The Survivalist, with Martin McCann as a loner living off the land amongst the…

  • Festival Preview: Folkfest

    April 9, 2015 - By 

    Last month saw the announcement of Folkfest, a brand-new festival out of Killarney boasting a varied line-up of contemporary, traditional and alternative folk, happening in the INEC from July 24th to 26th. Hitting a cross-section between modern, “destination” festival and folk weekender, the INEC plays host to four stages over the course of three days, and Folkfest boasts a hugely diverse line-up to satisfy the most eclectic of folk connoisseurs. On top of a Main Stage and a Ballroom stage that will house the headliners and old faves, the Acoustic Club stage plays host to intimate, contemporary performances from, among…