• Patti Smith: Godmother of Punk – and my Hero

    June 11, 2024 - By 

    From fortuitous meetings to a deep love of her craft, much-loved Belfast music fan and tour guide Dolores Vischer reflects on a life-long affinity for the undisputed Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith, ahead of shows at Vicar Street in Dublin on 27th and 28th June Patti Smith has been an important figure in my life; she is my all-time favourite artist. I first heard her Horses album in 1975, as an impressionable young teenager of 14.  Her voice, attitude, mix of poetry and rock hooked me there and then – before I’d ever heard of punk. Punk music remains one…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 7th June

    June 7, 2024 - By 

    Dive into the very best Irish music of the week, including Landless’ sublime second album, EPs from Autumns, Thom Southern, and Limerick’s finest His Father’s Voice, as well as new PostLast, Cold Soviets and more Landless – Lúireach Lúireach by Landless His Father’s Voice – Forgot To Feed EP Autumns – Dyslexia Sound Source Dyslexia Sound Source by Autumns Thom Southern – there’s no easy way out Cold Soviets – Apocalypse Hour with June and Andy Love Command0 – Make it Right PostLast – Scavenge Cardinals – Twist and Turn EP

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 31st May

    May 31, 2024 - By 

    It’s another stacked week for stellar Irish sounds. Dig into new Oh Boland, The Personal Vanity Project, Niamh Regan, TRÚ, Danny Carroll and more Oh Boland – Western Leisure Western Leisure by Oh Boland The Personal Vanity Project – The Personal Vanity Project The Personal Vanity Project by The Personal Vanity Project Niamh Regan – Come As You Are Come As You Are by Niamh Regan TRÚ – Live in Belfast TRÚ – Live in Belfast by TRÚ David C Clements – Contrast/The Garden Danny Carroll – Pimlico Jake Wallace – Chimera/The Wanderer

  • Open Ear 2024: A Guide

    May 30, 2024 - By 

    Without a slither of a shadow of a doubt, Open Ear is out there, reigning supreme as the island’s finest summer festival. Since launching back in 2016, the festival has consistently re-affirmed its status as Ireland’s most essential haven for open minds and curious ears – a standing that it’s set to nail down for its sixth edition on the stunning North Shore of Sherkin Island, West Cork, this weekend. Whether you’re a seasoned attendee or an absolute newcomer, this year’s line-up is as vital as they come. From Thursday, May 30 until Monday, Sunday June 2, perfectly-pitched venues and…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 24th May

    May 24, 2024 - By 

    Delve into the very best Irish tracks and albums of the week from PANIKATAX, Natalia Beylis, Lankum, Oh Boland, John Blek and more PANIKATAX – A Sudden and Unpleasant Change PANIKATAX – “A Sudden And Unpleasant Change” by Forbidden Place Records Natalia Beylis – Lost – For Annie Lost – For Annie by Natalia Beylis Oh Boland – Grass Walls Lankum – Rocky Road to Dublin (Live) John Blek – Holy Shit Maria Kelly – Drive Sorcha Richardson and Morgana – Naked and Swimming

  • Monday Mixtape: Cosha

    May 13, 2024 - By 

    Following the release of her sublime new EP, MurMurs, Wicklow R&B queen Cosha waxes lyrical on her all-time favourite tracks, featuring Björk, Sade, Tirzah, D’Angelo and more Björk – It’s Not Up To You I feel like all stages of my life can be defined by a Björk album; right now Vespertine is resonating with glorious potency. She says all the things I am thinking and feeling in ways so eloquent it’s almost unfair, this is not even her first language! This song particularly stuck with me recently, it’s such an important message that everyone can relate to and that…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 10th May

    May 10, 2024 - By 

    Dive into the very best Irish releases of the week, from David Kitt, Sack, Yinyang, Thom Southern, Jellypelt and more Photo by Neil J Smyth David Kitt – Love Someone Else Sack – Wake Up People Yinyang – Bloodhound/Earthbound Thom Southern – Just Wanna Get To The Ocean EP Jellypelt – Qasm Qasm by Jellypelt Connor McCann – We March Anderson Nightmare – I Don’t Know Anything Lavengro – Stuck In My Head Moon Landing – The Last Two People on Earth

  • Monday Mixtape: Oisin Leech – My Obsession With The Rain

    May 7, 2024 - By 

    Irish songwriter Oisin Leech has just released his debut solo album entitled ‘Cold Sea’. It was produced by Brooklyn artist Steve Gunn in Donegal. It features luminaries Dónal Lunny, M Ward and Tony Garnier. The album has garnered global critical acclaim with Le Monde in France calling it “nine tracks of absolute beauty.” Uncut have called it a “stunning album of clear blue reflection” while Other Voices and MOJO have dubbed it one of the albums of 2024 so far. It’s out now on Tremone Records and Outside Music. Oisin plays his first solo headline Belfast gig at The Deer’s…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 3rd May

    May 3, 2024 - By 

    It’s Bandcamp Friday and we’re spoiled with an absolutely stacked week for Irish music. Delve into new Natalia Beylis, So Cow, Oh Boland, Blue Whale, Alpha Chrome Yayo, Autumns, Ciaran Lavery, Lucy Gaffney and more. Photo by Aislinn McGinn Natalia Beylis – The Roots of the Mountain Ash Embrace the Stone Blue Whale – Orunge So Cow – Affected Services Affected Services EP by So Cow Oh Boland – A Power of Wides Alpha Chrome Yayo – Constant Night Constant Night by Alpha Chrome Yayo Ciaran Lavery – The World Will Put Its Arms Around You Lucy Gaffney – Pitfalls…

  • Open Ear ’24 Preview: A Q+A with Elaine Howley, Andrew Morrison & Dion Doherty

    May 1, 2024 - By 

    It’s just over four weeks until Ireland’s finest festival, Open Ear, returns to Sherkin Island in West Cork From May 31 to June 2, the festival, now in its sixth edition, will be another world-beating celebration of experimental and electronic sounds, from these shores and beyond. As well as unmissable sets by the likes of Hilary Woods, GNOD R&D, da Googie, Lesko, Brian Not Brian and Caskré, this year’s outing doubles as a trove of specially commissioned collaborations between two artists that have not previously worked together. Right up there with the most essential of these is long-time TTA favourite…