• The Hefty Fog: Naked Aggression

    June 19, 2015 - By 

    If the sight of a fully-grown man’s bare arse bathed in blue LED light has you shuddering with disgust, then you simply aren’t acculturated to the ways of Metal. If you are willing to sit through songs detailing gruesome acts of murder and purchase merchandise emblazoned with decapitated infants, but you suddenly become grossed out as a lead singer’s testicle peeps at you momentarily from its loin cloth, you’ve got a long way to go, kid. Impetuous Ritual’s performance in Dublin earlier in the month raised a few questions about the visual effect that nudity has on the overall presentation…

  • Rave New World (19/6)

    June 19, 2015 - By 

    We have it on pretty good authority that it’s the weekend. Celebrate that very distinct possibility with Antoin Lindsay’s latest traipse into the world of all things electronic: Rave New World. GIGS Jika Jika! present Danny Tenalgia at The Bunker, Derry Saturday, June 20 After the unmitigated success of the last night at The Bunker with Marcel Dettmann, Jika Jika! return with Danny Tenalgia. He’s playing a 3 hour set so if you fancy catching a dance music legend in a massive car park this weekend, then Derry is the only place to be. Celtronic present Recondite and Fort Romeau…

  • Track Record: Swimmers

    June 19, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Niall Jackson and Barry MacNeill from Dublin band Swimmers reveal and talk about their all-time favourite records, including the likes of Neil Young, Pixies, The Redneck Manifesto and Michael Jackson. Swimmers play Dublin’s Odessa Club with Middle Ages tomorrow night (Saturday, June 20). Photos by Abi Denniston. Niall Michael Jackson – BAD This was a really important album to me as a kid. I remember my uncle Jim had it on vinyl in his house down the road from me (as well as a dog called Fletch, named after the Chevy Chase movie) As a 6…

  • Visual Arts Outlook (15/6)

    June 15, 2015 - By 

    June is always a nice month to see some exciting new arts projects due to the College shows and the lovely summer weather (hopefully!). If you haven’t been to your local end of year degree show, I would very much recommend you do! Aligned, the NCAD awards exhibition (undergraduate) is on this week 1pm-5pm Monday – Friday. There is also the continuation this weekend of the BASS Belfast Artists’ Sonic Showcase Event #4 with artists Bernadette Comac, Die Hexen and Aghori at FRAMEWERK. This will be happening on Saturday evening at 7pm so be sure to check it out. If…

  • Monday Mixtape: SlowPlaceLikeHome

    June 15, 2015 - By 

    Set to play the TreeHaus stage at Body&Soul this weekend (10pm on Saturday night, soundtracking the literal summer solstice, no less), Donegal musician Keith Mannion AKA SlowPlaceLikeHome is one our must-see acts at the Co. Westmeath festival. Ahead of his appearance, Mannion has very kindly selected some of his all-time favourite tracks for this week’s Monday Mixtape, featuring the likes of The Dirty Three, Cluster and Tindersticks. The Dirty Three – Some Summers They Drop Like Flys Beautiful serenity of Whatever You Love, You Are album never fails to compel. If ever you get the chance to see them live, do! And…

  • Festival Mixtape: Indiependence 2015

    June 15, 2015 - By 

    Featuring multiple stages across its tree-lined, 52 acre site, Indiependence Music & Arts Festival returns to Mitchelstown’s Deer Farm from July 31 to August 2. With a host of the country’s very best acts including Jape, Foy Vance, Ham Sandwich, Daithi and Ash set to play, international acts including Mark Lanegan Band, The Dandy Warhols and Basement Jaxx will also make an appearance. Go here to check out our comprehensive Indiependence Festival Preview and check out our twelve-track Indiependence Festival Mixtape below. Go here to buy tickets.

  • Classic Album: Television – Marquee Moon

    June 10, 2015 - By 

    I was 17, staring forlornly out of my bedroom window to a street clad in the dimming light of dusk. As the stars began to pierce through the veil of night, one by one, two haunting chords began their journey towards the infinite. As duelling guitars spiral towards their chaotic, yet inevitable conclusion, I found myself standing beneath the Marquee Moon. Just waiting. To my teenage ears, this was perplexing. The music I was listening to, the epic title track to Television’s debut album, had been, and continues to be described as a punk record. But where were the distorted…

  • Deep Down South: A Changing of the Guard

    June 10, 2015 - By 

    Cork metal and hardcore has been a scene that this column has attempted to shine a light on in recent times, owing to a complete lack of exposure elsewhere that completely overlooks a rich vein of talent and substance. It is this community your writer came from, and identifies strongly with. And last Sunday saw a changing of the guard, as two influential bands called it a day in a packed, heaving, sweating Fred Zeppelin’s. [r]evolution of a sun, active for most of their thirteen-year span in one form or another, brought a heft to their negative hardcore, aided by…

  • Cork Heads: Turncoat Press

    June 8, 2015 - By 

    Turncoat Press is an independent Irish comics publisher based in Cork. They are Emmet O Brien, Chris O Halloran and Colin O Mahoney. On June 13 they are launching their second comic book ‘Life Signs’ in the Franciscan Well, Cork from 2pm until 8pm. Photos and interview by Brid O’Donovan. Turncoat Press. Colin: Turncoat Press is the three of us. Emmet, Chris and myself. We are a small press comics publisher. We’re based in Cork and we are on to our second publication now. So Turncoat Press is still very young. Myself and Emmet write and Chris draws. We wanted…

  • Track Record: Eilis Dillion (Records & Relics)

    June 5, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Eilis Dillon, co-owner of Records and Relics – an antiques, vintage and record shop on Lancaster Quay in Cork city – reveals about her all-time favourite records. Photos by Brid O’Donovan. The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band This is the first album I ever became obsessed with. My parents had it at home when I was a kid. I really loved it because it had the lyrics on the back so I’d sit at home and pour over the lyrics and play it over and over again. That was my first…