• Merch For Choice: An Interview With Repeal Project’s Anna Cosgrave

    October 3, 2016 - By 

    Fashion as political activism is a powerful medium to raise awareness and create a sense of solidarity. Vivienne Westwood was one of the first designers to utilise the immediacy of clothing to start conversations about universal issues. Recently in Ireland, men and women have been wearing jumpers with the word REPEAL across their chest. They represent a nation wanting their country to be progressive and respectful by giving women a fundamental human right that has been denied throughout the history of Catholic Ireland and inhumanity of the Eight Amendment in our Constitution. Anna Cosgrave, founder of the Repeal Project, has…

  • “I hate to stay still and pat myself on the back”: An Interview With Ciaran Lavery

    October 3, 2016 - By 

    Having spent the last few years steadily carving out his standing as one of the country’s most-loved and increasingly established solo artists, Aghagallon singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery commands sensitivity and candour like very few songsmiths, Irish or otherwise. Despite confirming his arrival with his sublime debut album Not Nearly Dark and Kosher EP in 2013 and 2014 respectively, it was Sea Legs, his collaborative mini-album with Derry producer Ryan Vail, that positively underscored Lavery’s knack and versatility as artist that has often said he has zero desire to be solely filed under “acoustic guitar-wielding singer-songwriter”. But it’s Lavery’s second full-length album…

  • Chemistry, Friendship and Respect: An Interview With Redneck Manifesto

    September 18, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of their only show of 2016 at Debarra’s as part of Clonakilty International Guitar Festival on Sunday, September 18, Cathal McBride talks to Matthew Bolger of Dublin instrumental heroes The Redneck Manifesto about new material, the importance of friendship to the band’s dynamic, failed attempts at writing over the internet and what the future holds in store. Hi guys. How’s the new material coming along? The new material is coming together very quickly at the moment. We’ve written 6 new songs in the last 4 months. It’s really amazing to get back in a room with everyone again. We really missed playing together and…

  • Hit The North: Dan Kitchener (DANK)

    September 16, 2016 - By 

    Just one of many artists coming together for Becks’ Hit The North as part of this year’s Culture Night Belfast today, Dan Kitchener AKA DANK is an English Street artist, illustrator, painter, animator and art director who lives by the mantra “create something new, no matter what, everyday”. We talk to him about the process, perception and politics of street art. You’re set for Hit The North on Friday. Have you created art in Northern Ireland before? What can we expect from your participation? I am very excited to be coming to Ireland for the first time! It’s somewhere I keep meaning to travel to but…

  • One Minute From Home: An Interview with Adam Wiltzie of Stars of the Lid

    September 11, 2016 - By 

    Few artists reign in their respective genre quite like Texan duo Stars of the Lid. Having released a string of stellar, deeply evocative albums via the likes of Kranky over the last 20 years, Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride have long established themselves as easily one of the most pioneering and influential drone/ambient outfits of all time. Ahead of highly-anticipated shows in Cork (Triskel Christchurch, October 8) and Dublin (National Concert Hall, October 9) as part of their first tour since 2008, Brian Coney talks to Wiltzie about new material, the legacy and future of Stars of the Lid, his work with Dustin O’Halloran as A Winged Victory For The Sullen and…

  • R51 – No Chill EP Premiere & Interview

    September 9, 2016 - By 

    R51 are amongst the hardest working bands on the island right now; they’re taking this seriously. Falling broadly into a nu-gaze sound without ever losing sight of their carefully crafted & thoughtful pop sensibility, they’re a five piece with all the right components. In the studio, they’re all about pop perfection and live, it’s a padded mallet of sound. They’re led by the power coupling of frontwoman Mel Shannon’s soaring vocals – also band photographer & craftsperson – and lyricist & guitar wizard Jonny Woods – who records & produces everything in their studio – with the punk edge coming from…

  • Stripping It Back: An Interview with Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor

    September 7, 2016 - By 

    Best known as Hot Chip’s typically cheeky, earnest-voiced frontman, Alexis Taylor embarked on an exploratory solo adventure back in 2008 trading the group’s funky and percolating electro-pop sound for something a little more introspective and intimate. His 2014 solo endeavour, Await Barbarians, saw him on almost every instrument which led him to create a record that was much more quiet and vulnerable this time round, honing in on his dreamy, effortless falsetto and the beautifully simplistic piano keys. Ahead of his at The Workman’s Club in Dublin on September 15, Paula Murphy talks to the London-born musician. What prompted you…

  • Shooting From The Hip: Meet Dublin’s Hipdrop Records

    September 1, 2016 - By 

    Hipdrop Records is a new Dublin label championing the often overlooked but always exciting sounds of Ireland’s funk, afrobeat and world music artists. With an obscenely talented opening camp of musicians and years hustling in event organisation we talked to co-founder Keith Fennell about changing the record, fun and family. Words by Eoghain Meakin. Photos by Lucy Foster. So what is Hipdrop records? How did it come about? Hipdrop Records is an independent label for Funk, Soul and World music setup by me and my long term business realist, Dan Whelan. The ethos of the label is in the name…

  • Interview: Lena Willikens

    August 5, 2016 - By 

    Out To Lunch has featured more often than most in the gigs section of our weekly Rave New World column. That may seem unbalanced, but the quality and variety of their bookings is simply undeniable. They’re taking a step into the unknown this month with a monster bash in their unofficial home Bar Tengu. A two-day affair (three if you count Friday’s opening party), it sees some of their previous guests (DJ Sprinkles, Call Super, Laurel Halo) and some new friends (Peggy Gou, Ben UFO, um, Steve Davis) coming together for a frankly ridiculous party. We’re talking three- and four-hour…

  • Waxing Lyrical with Cork’s Plugd Records

    July 21, 2016 - By 

    Situated in the beautiful Triskel Arts Centre, independent record shop Plugd is a central hub for music of all creeds and flavours in Cork City. Apart from selling records, founder Jimmy Horgan has been a pivotal figure in the shaping and cultivation of the vibrant Cork music scene. Words and photos by Blair Massie. First off, I wanted to ask you how your affinity for records began? What would you recall being the first records that you bought? Well… growing up in the pre-CD era, I had really cool aunts who collected a bit – mostly folk stuff like Dylan…