• Monday Mixtape: Christian Donaghey (Autumns)

    May 18, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Monday Mixtape, Derry musician Christian Donaghey – best known for his noise-pop project Autumns – selects and talks about some of his all-time favourite songs, featuring the likes of The Telescopes, Psychic Tv and Medicine. Autumns support Blue Whale at our BYOB, filmed show at Belfast’s The Loft this Saturday night (May 23). They will also support The KVB in Berlin on June 17. James Chance and The Blacks – Contort Yourself There’s two versions of this song, the other is by James Chance and The Contortions. I love this version a lot more because they made guitars…

  • Cork Heads: Una Feely

    May 19, 2015 - By 

    In this installment of Cork Heads, Brid O’Donovan chats to Una Feely, the Campaign Coordinator for Yes Equality Cork. She also co-founded IndieCork and is part of the Management Committee. IndieCork runs from October 4 -11 this year. Yes Equality Cork My official title here is Campaign Coordinator, so basically it’s all the logistics around the campaign. What we are trying to do is to activate people into coming out and voting yes in the campaign and also to reach people who might be soft yeses, who are thinking about voting yes but with a little bit more information and they will…

  • Festival Preview: AVA Festival

    May 17, 2015 - By 

    Billed as a “one day-&-night grass roots Audio Visual Arts festival”, AVA Festival aims to promote the wealth of talent in Northern Ireland’s electronic music and visual arts scene. Taking place in the Titanic Quarter’s formidable T13 Building on Saturday, May 30, the one day event will be split into two broad sections: a daytime conference from 11am-4pm with a series of keynote speakers and panels, and an evening showcase from 4pm with some of the stars of Northern Ireland’s impressively healthy electronic and club scene. The likes of Bicep, Space Dimension Controller and Optimo are all involved in what…

  • Rave New World (15/05)

    May 15, 2015 - By 

    Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty delve into very best new electronic tracks and mixes of the week, as well as unmissable upcoming nights and releases. GIGS Twitch Present Motor City Drum Ensemble b2b Antal at Mandela Hall, Belfast Saturday, May 16 Twitch are on a roll recently and this weekend they’re bringing back two of the best DJs they had last year. Motor City Drum Ensemble is one of the finest selectors of disco and house you’ll find and I still regularly bring up Antal’s set at Twitch last year as being one of the best I witnessed all year.…

  • Visual Arts Outlook (12/5)

    May 12, 2015 - By 

    This week’s main event in the Visual Artists Ireland “Get Together” which happens on Ireland’s National Day for Visual Artists. This year at IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art) the “Get Together” is the best way for emerging artists to network and see what’s out there for them. There will be established artists talking about their practice, speed curating for advice and discussion of your work, the announcement of the VAI members award and the launch of the 126 Gallery Footfall Report on Artist Led Spaces in Ireland. This all takes place among a whole host of other events and…

  • Belfast Forward: Ten Foundations

    May 12, 2015 - By 

    In the very first installment of Belfast Forward, a new regular feature looking at some of the city’s most intriguing small businesses, organisations and individuals,  Laura Carland spoke to Ten Foundations founder, Ian Campbell, about an inspiring organisation. Nestled on the busy Lisburn Road in Belfast, you can find one part coffee shop one part charity thrift store, Ten Foundations. Promoting a genuinely warm, welcoming and positive atmosphere, you relax with a hot drink, plug in and work or browse and shop safe in the knowledge that 100% of the proceeds will be used to help those living in poverty in Philippines. Photos…

  • The Record: Sissy

    May 11, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of its launch on at TenterHooks Gigspace on Sunday, June 28, we catch up with Dublin lo-fi three-piece band Sissy to discuss the writing and recording of their forthcoming 7″, as well as the reception to their music to date. Photos by Carlos Daly. Hi guys. What’s been the general reaction to the first EP, and ‘Sail & Rail’ particularly, given the subject matter and events over the past year? Leigh (Guitar/Vocals): ‘Sail and Rail’ has become our most popular song. The response to that has been tremendous. It feels like shouting about abortion, when there can be such…

  • Monday Mixtape: Ryan Vail

    May 11, 2015 - By 

    Having just released well-received mini album Sea Legs mini album with local alt-folk singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery, Derry electronic musician Ryan Vail is now moving on to writing a solo piano EP to be released on local label Quiet Arch in the Autumn. He took time out of the studio to pick his top ten tracks for us along with some thoughts on each. Peter Broderick – Colours of the Night Got to see Peter play this live at the CQAF. Always have been a fan of his work. This blew me away live.   Radiohead – Bloom Bit of a classic in our house. The King…

  • Festival Mixtape: Longitude 2015

    May 10, 2015 - By 

    One of Ireland’s biggest festivals, Longitude will return to Marlay Park from July 17-19 to showcase some of the best upcoming talent across the UK and further afield. With Alt-J, The Chemical Brothers and Hozier set to headline, there is a sense of real progression around the festival as more big acts and artists continue to be revealed. Alongside the headliners, Caribou, Metronomy and James Blake fit nicely in amongst the bill, which has something to offer in every genre. Hip-Hop fans won’t be left out: with 2014 Mercury Prize award winners Young Fathers in the mix on the Friday, and with Pusha…

  • Rave New World (8/5)

    May 8, 2015 - By 

    Having delivered a stonking set of his own at the Twisted Pepper for out second birthday last Saturday night, Aidan Hanratty delivers this week’s look at the very best electronic gigs, tracks, releases and mixes. GIGS MUD: Bodytonic present Joy Orbison at The Twisted Pepper Friday, May 8 Somehow I’ve only seen Joy O twice, both times in the Twisted Pepper basement. Both sets were superb, as intelligently crafted as they were passionate and exuberant. Tough, crunching house alongside 90s classics, retro pianos over clanking beats. He’s always one to keep exclusives close to his chest, so go along tonight…