• Preview: Across The Line at 30

    December 10, 2016 - By 

    Long a bastion of promoting the very best in Irish music, North and South, weekly BBC Radio Ulster programme Across The Line celebrated its 30th birthday in style with a special live show at Belfast’s Ulster Hall back in September. Featuring performances from The Divine Comedy, SOAK, Therapy?, Villagers, R51 and Saint Sister, the event was both broadcast live on the long-running BBC Radio Ulster show on the night. Now, three months later, a 70-minute celebration of ATL, Across The Line at 30, will air on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday, December 12 at 10.40pm. Presented by Colin Murray…

  • The Jesus and Mary Chain Set For Irish Shows

    December 9, 2016 - By 

    Having just confirmed their first album in 18 years, Damage and Joy, The Jesus and Mary Chain have announced they play Dublin’s The Academy on Friday, April 7 and Belfast’s Limelight on Saturday, April 8. The Scottish indie legends last Dublin back in July 2014 at Vicar Street as part of a warm-up tour ahead of shows celebrating their seminal 1985 debut album Psychocandy. Slightly further back in time, the band last stopped off in Belfast in September 1987 for a show at the Ulster Hall. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, December 13 at 10am. Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images

  • EP Stream: Gnarkats – Waves Collide

    December 8, 2016 - By 

    Belfast-based indie rockers Gnarkats have just released their debut EP proper, Waves Collide. With sonic touchstones including anthemic, yet stilted alt. rock in the vein classic Biffy Clyro or Foals, a touch of the sharp, hook-laden Bangor sound made famous by Two Door Cinema Club, through to the guitar-led tonal bliss of recent ASIWYFA, it’s a more carefully crafted follow-up to their garagey early tunes. Never short on atmosphere or tone, the EP was tellingly produced by Mojo Fury’s Michael Mormecha at Millbank Studios. With this behind them, the young foursome look to have an exciting year ahead. Stream Waves Collide below:

  • Stream: Overhead, The Albatross – Our Youth Our Younger

    December 8, 2016 - By 

    Dublin instrumental behemoths Overhead, The Albatross have premiered their first new track since the release of their debut LP in May of this year. The track, ‘Our Youth, Our Younger’ is a deftly assembled mix of glitchy electronics, ferocious post-rock guitars and percussion, longing strings and curious, philosophical audio cuts of children’s voices. It is the first track the band have recorded since the departure of their previous bassist Joe Panama, with Twiggy taking over duties on this particular track. The strings and vocals are performed by Lia Wright. This release comes a day before the band play their biggest…

  • Premiere: Cal Folger Day – Song From A Party

    December 8, 2016 - By 

    Born in Washington D.C. and an occasional resident of NYC, Cal Folger Day has steadily established as one of the more idiosyncratic and consistently nonpareil musicians in Ireland over the last few years. Taken from her brand new four-track compilation 2016 singles, ‘Song From A Party’ is a song Folger Day says she, “wrote this song many years ago, which should be evident from the strength of my emotions about boys at parties!” Featuring footage from a Brooklyn house show shot by Cameron Kelly and Nick Lerman, the track – which conjures Julia Holter via the South – features features Nick Boon on…

  • Stream: Gumshoe – Ninbasu

    December 7, 2016 - By 

    Wicklow ambient hip-hop duo Gumshoe have debuted another track. ‘Ninbasu’ is the third cut to be revealed from Shannakie and Yam Faddah (Real names: Conor Murphy and Keith Ferguson) following from October’s lush ‘Yom Kippur’. The track is another ethereal trip from the pair, all fluttering melodies and crisp percussion, drifting to-and-fro between its phases with the most gentle aplomb. ‘Nimbasu’ feels the way your bed does in the five minutes before you have to get up for work. Expect to hear more from Gumshoe in 2017. Find Gumshoe on Facebook

  • Car Seat Headrest Announce Dublin Show

    December 6, 2016 - By 

    Having released one of our favourite records of 2016 in May’s Teens of Denial, Virginia indie rock quartet Car Seat Headrest will play a show at Dublin’s Whelan’s on Monday, March 27. Originally formed as a solo project by Will Toledo back in 2010, the band has released twelve full-length albums via Bandcamp over the last six years. We’re a little exhausted just think about that, to be honest. Tickets for the band’s Dublin show go on sale this Friday (December 9) at 10am, priced €18.50.  

  • Thundercat Set For Vicar Street Return

    December 6, 2016 - By 

    As part of a forthcoming 2017 world tour, it has been announced that Thundercat will play a date at Dublin’s Vicar Street on March 27. Presented by the ever-tasteful guys at Choice Cuts, will mark the return of the Californian multi-genre bassist, producer and singer, who played the legendary Thomas Street venue back in April 2015. Doors for the show are 7.30-11pm and admission is €25.00 ex booking fees. Tickets go on sale on December 9 at 9am.

  • Guns N’ Roses Set For Slane 2017

    December 5, 2016 - By 

    Having reformed with original members Slash and Duff McKagan back in April via shows at the Troubadour, Las Vegas and Coachella, it’s been announced that Guns N’ Roses will play Slane Castle as part of their globetrotting Not In This Lifetime tour on Saturday, May 27, Announced via an MCD press conference at Bruxelles in Dublin this morning, the show comes 25 years after the band played the legendary Irish festival back in 1992. The show will take place as part of a string of European dates for the Los Angeles-formed hard rock legends, including London Stadium on Friday, June…

  • Album Premiere: Fixity – The Things In The Room

    December 1, 2016 - By 

    Back in August we rather giddily shared two new releases from Cork experimental musician Dan Walsh AKA Fixity. Now, fourth months later, we’re very pleased to present a first listen to Walsh’s new, rather special four-track album, The Things In The Room. Recorded in Malmo in February, the release features Walsh on drums alongside Swedish improvisers, tenor saxophonist Emil Nerstrand (Brigaden/Heavy Water/The Nod), guitarist Nils Andersson (Ljom/Ava) and bassist Fredrik Persson (Sista Bossen/The Good Morning Spider/Leo Kall/Cassus). Comprises four pieces composed by Walsh explored in collective improvisation with other individuals, each performance was captured in one take with everyone in the…