• Festival Mixtape: Knockanstockan 2019

    June 11, 2019 - By 

    Easily one of the country’s very best summer festivals, Knockanstockan will return to the shores of Blessington Lake in Wicklow across July 19-21. Without question, this year’s line-up is their strongest and most eclectic to date. With just over one month to go, we’ve compiled a thirty-track Spotify playlist featuring some of our must-see acts, including Robocobra Quartet, Powpig, Just Mustard, Bats, Dowry, Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies, No Spill Blood, Kitt Philippa, Myles Manley, Silverbacks and many more (The Bonk aren’t on Spotify but miss them at your peril.) Go here to buy tickets to Knockanstockan 2019.

  • Preview: Docs Ireland 2019

    June 4, 2019 - By 

    DOCS IRELAND – a brand new documentary film festival – launches this summer, and will be showcasing some of the best new international and Irish music documentaries from 12-16 June in Belfast. At the festival’s launch Co-Chair of Docs Ireland, Brian Henry Martin, said: “It’s more important than ever that we celebrate those brave and creative voices who seek out the truth no matter what it is or where it takes them.” As for documentarians, also read songwriters, their counterparts in demystifying social truths and private worlds. The festival includes new films on PJ Harvey (pictured, top), Chilly Gonzales and…

  • Mixtape Preview: Bad Reputation @ Oh Yeah Music Centre

    May 31, 2019 - By 

    “A girl can do what she wants to do, and that’s what I’m gonna do.” Not least looking back, these words from Joan Jett’s debut solo single ‘Bad Reputation’ feels something of a mantra for the legendary L.A. musician. Jett — who was born Joan Marie Larkin in Philadelphia in 1958 — has spent the best part of five decades underscoring one indubitable fact: in a male-dominated, prejudice-heavy industry, she stands tall as a feminist rock pioneer whose influence, defiance and autonomy have coalesced to help pave the way for countless other musicians. As Joan Jett saw it, and saw…

  • Irish musicians to speak on mental health panel in Dublin this weekend

    May 23, 2019 - By 

    A number of Irish musicians will be speaking about career-related mental health issues at the Mind YourSelf: Mental Health & Music event in Dublin’s Tara Building this Saturday, 25th May. Westport native Maria Kelly and Dublin’s Paddy Hanna, will be among the musicians coming together to speak on the importance of looking after one’s mental health in music industry careers’. The Mind YourSelf panel, hosted by Selfmade, will look at the factors affecting the mental health of artists and how these manifest, as well as the importance of open discussions, self-care, access to support and the need for positive cultural and…

  • Breaking The Plane: An Interview with Oh Sees’ John Dwyer

    May 15, 2019 - By 

    Released last year, Smote Reverser delivered yet another curveballing and nuanced listen from San Francisco garage-psych trailblazers Oh Sees. From the face-searing ‘Overthrown’ to the protracted groove frenzy of ‘Anthemic Aggressor’, it underscored the John Dwyer-fronted band’s rep as arguably the most prolific and forward-pushing rock band around. On Monday (May 20) and Tuesday (May 21), the band makes their long-awaited return to play Belfast and Dublin. Ahead of that, Brian Coney caught up with Dwyer to talk sci-fi, motivation, keep it exciting twenty-one albums in, what “psych” means to him and more. Photo by Thomas Girard ___ Hi John.…

  • Monday Mixtape: Bullitt selects Soul Jazz Records

    May 13, 2019 - By 

    This Saturday, May 18, the Bullitt Courtyard will host a summer sound system from esteemed label Soul Jazz Records. The label was founded in London in 1992, with the idea to draw “cross cultural connections” between soul, jazz and reggae through compilation albums. Almost 3 decades on, Soul Jazz has expanded its style and breadth – still releasing landmark retrospectives, but also sending contemporary, underground vibrations into the world. Pete and Scott will be your musical guides at Bullitt, playing across funk, soul, jazz, ska, reggae, dancehall, Latin, disco, punk, hip-hop, house, electro, UK & worldwide beats. Here, Bullitt resident DJ Jonny Carberry selects 20 of his…

  • What’s the story with Galway’s busking bye-laws?

    May 13, 2019 - By 

    At a Galway City Council meeting this past January it was announced that the controversial Street Performance & Busking Bye-laws needed to be returned to the draft stage. This is despite being passed last May (albeit a 9-9 tie in which then-Mayor, Pearce Flannery, had the casting vote). The reason the process had to be restarted was due to an error with the commencement date on the draft. Councillor Mike Cubbard has been out-spoken against the introduction of these bye-laws since the outset and expressed his concern at this new development, saying “we’re getting fobbed off”. Compare this farcical scene…

  • This Month in Irish Music: April

    May 6, 2019 - By 

    Colin Gannon rounds up the very best Irish tracks released of the month just gone, featuring Eomac, Joni ft. The Cyclist, Bitflower Bb, Blusher, Fixity, Repeater, Fynch, Just Mustard, Anna Mieke, Leo Miyagee and more. Eomac — Drawn in Sand / Joni Ft. The Cyclist — Hapsi (DDR2) Last month, in a not-so-enlightened Irish Times article, an Irish music industry figure deduced from her experience that the advent of a new radio station dedicated entirely to playing Irish music is necessitated (in part) by the “fragmented and disjointed” state of independent music in Ireland. At best, this assertion is dumb…

  • CQAF’s Sean Kelly on Six Golden Moments From 20 Years of the Belfast Festival

    May 1, 2019 - By 

    Kicking off on Thursday, the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival will bring a dizzying array of talent to Belfast’s city centre for its 20th outing, including Rufus Wainwright, Echo and the Bunnymen, Anna Calvi, Teenage Fanclub, Spiritualized, Marian Keyes, Yola, UNLOVED (feat, David Holmes), Nina Conti, Horslips, Chris Difford, Roy Walker, Bill Drummond, Patty Griffin, Kevin McAleer, Lisa O’Neill, Lowkey, Bernard MacLaverty and Horslips. The 11-day festival will feature over 10 events in over 20 venues across the city centre, as it celebrates its 20th anniversary with a programme of live music, comedy, literature, theatre, film, visual art and more. Festival Director Sean Kelly said, “There are…

  • This Month In Irish Music: March

    April 1, 2019 - By 

    In the latest of a new regular series, Colin Gannon rounds up the very best Irish tracks released of the month just gone, featuring The Claque, Uwmammi, Invader Slim, James Joys, Cassavetes, Jafaris and more. The Claque — Hush Hush, the transfixing single from The Claque — the newly reinvented trio comprising of Alan Duggan (Girl Band), Kate Brady and Paddy Ormond — was this month’s most wiry, propulsing listen. Miasmic textures, beautiful, veiled melodies and bristling, febrile noise collide, ensuring the group avoid immediate categorisation. The eardrum-splitting tautness of Girl Band does come to mind, but the group are…