• Interview: The Magic Numbers

    December 2, 2014 - By 

    Currently on the road around Ireland, including tonight’s Cork show at the Half-Moon, indie/pop quartet The Magic Numbers are touring in support of this year’s album ‘Alias’. TTA sat down for a quick chat with bassist/vocalist Michele Stodart to get caught up. TTA: Fourth album ‘Alias’ released this past summer, how have you found the reception to it? Michele: I think the response has been great so far. The proof is at the gigs, where everyone’s singing along to songs from the new album. That’s such a rewarding feeling. Coming back from a long hiatus, and being between a lot…

  • Inbound: Little Hours

    November 26, 2014 - By 

    With their first headlining gig and EP launch to take place this Thursday (November 27) at Dublin’s Sugar Club, Joe Madsen chats with folk duo Ryan McCloskey and John Doherty AKA Little Hours about the rollercoaster ride of a year they’ve been having since their formation back in February. Photos by Isabel Thomas. How long have you guys known each other and how long have you been playing together? Ryan: “For about five or six years.  We’ve played with a lot of different cover bands over the past few years, but the original thing came into formation at the start of this…

  • Inbound: His New Atlas

    November 18, 2014 - By 

    In this latest installment of Inbound – which looks at some of the more promising acts from across the country – we talk to fast-rising Armagh singer-songwriter Eoghan O’Hagan AKA His New Atlas about the power of cathartic release, his very specific approach to songwriting and his big plans for the next few months. Firstly, can you shed a bit of light on how you came to be a singer-songwriter? I started off in a metal band, oddly enough. I left this as I never felt like it was moving at a pace that fast enough for me. So I got a…

  • Interview: Paul Smith

    November 16, 2014 - By 

    Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith talks to Shannon Delores O’Neill about his new, forward-thinking collaboration with Peter Brewis (Field Music) for their Frozen by Sight album, released today. Frozen by Sight has been described as a “playful departure from [both Peter’s and your] previous groups”. Do you agree? Peter and I have known each other for over a decade but we never got to formally work with each other; we’d watched each other’s bands, shared the same musical ideas and always just thought, “Will we ever get to do something?” We were then lucky enough to get commissioned work by the Festival…

  • Cork Heads: Colm McAuliffe and Máire Dineen (Cork Film Festival)

    November 7, 2014 - By 

    In the latest installment of Cork Heads – looking at some of the brightest creative sparks in the Rebel County – photographer Brid O’Donovan shoots and talks to Colm McAuliffe and Máire Dineen of Cork Film Festival, which opens on Friday, November 7 and runs until November 16. Colm is Head of Short Film for the festival. He also writers for the Quietus, Sight & Sound, Film4, Fade to Black and the Skinny. Maire is Head of Live Music and Special Events for the festival. She also works with Body and Soul Event Creations Ltd. How did you both first become…

  • Tim Wheeler: Solo Domain

    November 7, 2014 - By 

    Tim Wheeler took a break from his front-man duties for Ash to release his debut solo album, Lost Domain, for reasons very close to the singer’s heart and it’s a masterpiece. Deirdre O’Brien caught up with the Downpatrick native for The Thin Air on a very flying visit he took to Dublin just before the record’s release and his show at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Centre. Since the release of their debut EP Trailer in 1994 – which turned out to be an immediate success for Tim Wheeler, Mark Hamilton and Rick McMurray – Ash have gone from strength-to=strength worldwide for the…

  • Inbound: Jess Kav

    October 6, 2014 - By 

    In the latest installment of Inbound, Brian Coney talks to multi-talented Dublin singer Jessica Kavanagh AKA Jess Kav about everything from her early influences, studying jazz in college, performing as part of Hozier’s band and her hugely eclectic musical journey to date. Hi Jess. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in music? I’m Jess Kav and I am a professional singer in Dublin. I started off in a stage school when I was younger, then got into the live scene from about eighteen. Since then I have been working with an array of different bands. They…

  • Interview: The Hold Steady

    October 2, 2014 - By 

    Having released their stellar sixth studio album, Teeth Dreams, back in March, Brooklyn indie rock heroes The Hold Steady are experiencing something of a much-deserved resurgence as of late. Formed back in 2004, the Craig Finn-fronted band will stop off in Belfast and Dublin on October 17 and 18 respectively, as part of a forthcoming European tour to promote the aforementioned album. Ahead of those dates, Will Murphy has a chat with Finn about the band’s songwriting process, the recording and release of Teeth Dreams and his support for – wait for it – Queens Park Rangers. It was about…

  • RBMA Interview: Ryan Vail, Noel Watson & Boxcutter

    September 24, 2014 - By 

    Nothing short of a downright unmissable four-day mini-festival, Belfast will host its first ever Red Bull Music Academy Weekender at the weekend. Ahead of the showcase – set to take in a whole host of workshops, screenings, lectures, live shows and DJ sets – we talk to three of the acts set to perform from Thursday, September 25 to Sunday, September 28: Derry producer Ryan Vail, shapeshifting electronic maestro Barry Lynn AKA Boxcutter and House pioneer Noel Watson. Check out the full schedule for the Weekender, as well as our chat with the trio below. Go here to buy tickets. So, your set to play…

  • Wassailing Away: An Interview with James Yorkston

    September 18, 2014 - By 

    Just before James Yorkston began his tour around Ireland to celebrate the release of his latest album The Cellardyke Recording and Wassailing Society, Deirdre O’Brien caught up with the softly spoken Scotsman to discuss everything from his very content life of simple domesticity to working with KT Tunstall and the recording process that lead to such an intimate sounding record. The talent of James Yorkston really is something special to behold and the talent of the singer/songwriter/author/artist is so impressive; every album you listen to of his, every gig you attend feels like you’ve been made privy to a well…