• Premiere: I Am The Main Character – GOLD (I Die at the End)

    April 19, 2022 - By 

    “Man is the microcosm: I am my world.” Wittgenstein knew the craic when he penned these words back in 1916. A few moons later, Dublin’s premier (only?) “solipsism-core” band I Am The Main Character have taken the essence of the inward-peering avowal in question to its natural conclusion on ‘GOLD (I Die At The End)’. Smudging the lines between thrash-hop, mutant pop, trap and post-punk (no, not that kind) it’s a masterfully mangled effort from the supergroup of sorts. Influenced by the likes of Gilla Band, Lightning Bolt, and The Knife, they’re made up of Dublin DJ/producer Ben McKenna (Ben Bix, Meltybrains?, Sim Simma), Jay McNamara (TTA…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – April 15th

    April 15, 2022 - By 

    Check out the tracks of the week – many from brand new LPs from the likes of Electric Octopus, M(h)aol, Just Mustard, Trick Mist, Seacht Líne, Melts and more. Just Mustard – Mirrors M(h)aol – Desperation Trick Mist – The Junction Electric Octopus – St. Patrick’s Cough St. Patrick’s Cough by Electric Octopus Rooms In Time – Unstramantles Unstramantles by Rooms in Time Various Artists – Faoi Thalamh Records x ACLAÍ Palestine Faoi Thalamh x ACLAÍ Palestine – Various Artists Compilation by Faoi Thalamh Records Onion Boys – Strung Out On Chicken Seacht Líne – Unfenced Country Unfenced Country by…

  • Video Premiere: Group Zero – We Need Water

    April 8, 2022 - By 

    Last October, Belfast-based musician Cathal Cully, AKA Group Zero, unveiled the sublime Everyone’s Already Come Apart. Released via Touch Sensitive, the five-track album melded muted psychedelia with loose, electronic experimentalism that brightened some brilliant corners. While each track rewarded, ‘We Need Water,’ proved an outright peak. Across six minutes, the subtle interactions between backwashed samples with piano, synth, and muted drum machine patterns burrow deep. Today, we’re pleased to present a first look at Belfast-based artist and filmmaker Benén Dillon’s video for the single. Shot on location in Mayo at the annual cliff-diving competition, it was filmed during the counties’ collective hangover from the All-Ireland…

  • Mitski Announces Belfast and Dublin Shows

    April 6, 2022 - By 

    Mitski has announced two Irish shows this summer. Taking place a couple of months after her sold-out show at Vicar Street later this month, she will play Belfast’s Ulster Hall and Dublin’s 3Olympia on June 12th and 13th respectively. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday, April 7th, priced £35.50 and €34.90.

  • The Bobby Lees Announce Irish Shows

    April 4, 2022 - By 

    New York garage punk trailblazers The Bobby Lees are set for three Irish shows. Formed in Woodstock in 2018, the quartet will play Whelan’s Upstairs in Dublin on July 1st, Limerick’s Kasbah on July 2nd and the Ulster Sports Club in Belfast (with support from Problem Patterns) on July 3rd. Ticket info for Dublin and Limerick is TBA. Tickets for the Belfast show, which is promoted by the ever-reliable Strange Victory, cost £10 and are on sale now. Check out The Bobby Lees’ new single ‘Hollywood Junkyard’ below.

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 1st April

    April 1, 2022 - By 

    With such an incredible bombardment of new albums, collaborations and singles from the likes of Pillow Queens, Oh Boland, Acid Granny, Roe, Tuath x Shammen Delly x Tara Baoth Mooney and many more this Bandcamp Friday, do the needful and pick up a few new tracks from a selection of our absolute best. Oh Boland – Cheap Things Cheap Things by Oh Boland Tuath x Shammen Delly x Tara Baoth Mooney – Sumer Is Icumin In Iarlais by Tuath Pillow Queens – Leave The Light On Leave The Light On by Pillow Queens Acid Granny – Songs For The Radio Songs For…

  • Body & Soul 2022 Announce First Wave of Acts

    March 31, 2022 - By 

    Returning across the weekend of Jun 17-19 at 17th century Ballinlough Castle Estate, Body & Soul festival has announced some of its early highlights, including some choice bookings from Ireland and beyond. Among the confirmed acts are Róisín Murphy, Mogwai, Yves Tumor, Sampa The Great, CMAT, Pillow Queens, Kelly Lee Owens, Lee Fields, Peter Broderick, Yard Act, Soda Blonde, Sofia Kourtesis, The Altered Hours, Fears, M(h)aol, Remi Wolf, Magdelena Bay, The Bug Club, Godfort and Sinead O’Brien. Jon Hopkins‘ Music For Psychedelic Therapy will be given an immersive audio playback in a specially designed geodesic dome, aimed to transport audiences into different temporal spaces at intervals over the weekend,…

  • Angel Olsen Set For Dublin Return

    March 29, 2022 - By 

    Angel Olsen is coming back to Dublin. As well as announcing her upcoming sixth album, Big Time, the Missouri artist will round up a forthcoming European tour at Dublin’s Vicar Street on October 24th. It marks Olsen’s first show in the city – and same venue – since 2017. Tickets go on sale at 10am on April 1st. Check out new single ‘All The Good Times’ below.

  • Gilla Band Announce Dublin and Belfast Shows

    March 28, 2022 - By 

    Gilla Band have announced new dates for Dublin and Belfast. Having changed their name from Girl Band in November last year, the Dara Kiely-fronted Dublin quartet will play their biggest Irish headline shows to date at Dublin’s National Stadium on 9th December and the Empire in Belfast on 15th December. Tickets for both shows go on sale this Friday, 1st April at 9am. It’s been seven years since Gilla Band headlined shows in Belfast, both of which were hosted by The Thin Air. Revisit those here and here.

  • Output Belfast Set For Return

    March 22, 2022 - By 

    Details of the return of Output Belfast have been announced. After a two-year break due to you-know-what, Ireland’s largest one-day music conference and showcasing event will return to various venues across Belfast on Thursday, April 21st. As ever, as well as various talks and panels in the MAC and Oh Yeah Centre throughout the morning and afternoon, this year’s outing will also feature a music trail-like evening of free gigs across the city’s Cathedral Quarter. Line-ups and schedules for those will be announced soon. This year’s Keynote speakers and topics are: ‘Catch 22 – What the music industry needs to do, do better…