• DIY Dublin: Nine Crows

    July 28, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of DIY Dublin, Benni Johnston catches up with Emma and Dean from Nine Crows, a boutique on Ormond Quay Lower specialising in hand-picked vintage clothing. Photos by Abi Denniston. Hi guys. Nine Crows is now well established as a go to place for great vintage finds and progressive fashion both the store and online but I’ve been aware of it in it’s many guises for some time. Fill us in on the background of the shop to present day. Emma: My grandmother left me tonnes and tonnes of vintage pieces that she had collected throughout the years,…

  • Monday Mixtape: Bobby Aherne (No Monster Club)

    July 27, 2015 - By 

    “What kind of music are you into?” The dreaded question that, for many years, sent shivers down my spine, stopped me in my tracks and put a blank Fr. Dougal McGuire stare into my eyes. You might think that somebody who actually makes music has both the perfect response and riposte to this, assuming that one’s personal tuneage is both a distillation of their essence as well as a full-length mirror of their own tastes (incidentally reflecting back the sheer amount of plagiarism at work). Sadly, unless you decide to sit down the quizmaster and force them to endure one’s…

  • Rave New World (24/7)

    July 24, 2015 - By 

    The weekend, hurrah! But before that: Aidan Hanratty and Antoin Lindsay deliver their weekly look at all the very best electronic gigs, tracks, mixes and releases. GIGS White Noise 500 with Dave Clarke, Marcel Fengler & Sunil Sharpe at The Academy Friday, July 24  A hefty line-up this. In celebration of Dave Clarke’s 500th show, he’s broadcasting live from Dublin alongside Berghain resident Marcel Fengler and Dublin’s own Sunil Sharpe. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the up-and-coming Dublin talent is in abundance in Opium Rooms, with Daire Carolan playing all night alongside DJ Isleo’man (Morgan Buckley) and DJ Muscles…

  • Shot Glass: The Affectionate Punch

    July 22, 2015 - By 

    As Shot Glass Theatre enjoys its fifteen month anniversary co-founder Joseph Nawaz and I sit back and toast our success with supermarket own-brand prosecco. The acid reflux is fiery! Our sleeping partner, Infinite Jest’s Graeme Watson, cannot make it. Graeme is one of the soundest people I know and certainly the soundest sleeper. We chuckle indulgently to each other, Joe and I, marvelling at the long strange trip it’s been and what an odd thing it is to do: we invent people, make them say things and other people, pretending to be the people we’ve invented, say the things we’ve…

  • Rave New World (17/7)

    July 17, 2015 - By 

    Back together, like electronic music-worshipping brothers in arms, Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty deliver this week’s Rave New World, looking at some of the very best electronic gigs, tracks, releases and mixes of the week. GIGS Twitch Present: Bicep at Mandela Hall, Belfast Friday, July 17 The last time Belfast boys Bicep played Mandela Hall for Twitch it was a sell out, so expect this to be no different. The duo have cemented themselves as the city’s most prominent global dance music force for a very good reason. Considering how electric Belfast and Twitch atmospheres can be, a homecoming show…

  • Midweek Mixtape: Songs To Lament Life To When The Party’s Over But You’re Still Awake

    July 15, 2015 - By 

    It’s 3.30 am and you’re sitting alone at the kitchen table in the house of friend. It’s deadly silent apart from an occasional snore from the living room where most of your friends passed out a few minutes ago. You’re surrounded by empty bottles of cider and are still cradling your last paper cup of wine. You had been excited about going out but it was average and the exact same as every other night out. The silence and the sickly yellow filter on everything in the room caused by overly harsh lighting and the smell of cigarettes and stale…

  • EP Premiere + Interview: THVS – Everyday Hexes

    July 15, 2015 - By 

    Forming from the embers of Belfast riff-wielding institution Comply or Die, heavy rock three-piece THVS are on the precipice of completing the first stage of their instantly ear-grabbing metamorphosis. Officially released on Friday (July 17), we’re pleased to present a first listen of their expectedly visceral four-track EP, Everyday Hexes, also chatting to frontman Michael Smyth about the writing and recording of the EP, the formation of the band and their plans for the future. Hi Michael. First thing’s first, how did THVS come about? The band came about after a band practice got cancelled so Matt and I decided to go up and play anyway.…

  • Track Record: Michelle Considine (little xs for eyes)

    July 14, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Michelle Considine from little xs for eyes selects and talks about some of her all-time favourite records, including Björk, Future Islands, The Books and Patrick Kelleher and his Cold Dead Hands. Take it away, Michelle… Photos by Abi Dennison I was raised in a vinyl fanatic’s household.  My dad had a huge collection of classic albums from the 1960s/70s and my brother had a massive 80s/90s album collection (I don’t think he’s ever bought a tape or cd in his life if it was available on vinyl!) so I was lucky to have a…

  • Label Mixtape: Matador Records

    July 13, 2015 - By 

    Founded in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York apartment, before Gerard Cosloy came on board the following year, it’s remarkable how quickly Matador Records became one of the most influential record labels operating in the indie world. As well as signing US bands, the label also became a reliable source for British bands on small UK labels to expand their international reach. Now part of the Beggars Group, recently operating in London as well as New York, and still going strong with the same two managers at the helm, Matador inspires such devotion that Pavement and Guided By…

  • Monday Mixtape: Anton Newcombe

    July 13, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of his show with Tess Parks at Dublin’s Sugar Club on Wednesday night (July 15), Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe selects and talks about not five, not ten but twenty-three of his all-time favourite songs, featuring 13th Floor Elevators, Joni Mitchell, Dungen, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone and more. The Doors – The Crystal Ship There’s something about this beautiful love song that touched me when I was very young. Still love it. Dungen – Panda God, when this came out I was taken back – so powerful in any language. Love these guys, love Sweden. John’s Children – Smashed Blocked…