• Album stream: SPIES – Constancy

    November 27, 2018 - By 

    Having re-emerged back in March after a three year hiatus, Dublin five-piece SPIES have released their long-awaited debut album, Constancy. From single and cascading alt-pop anthem-in-the-making ‘Ho Chi Minh’ to slow-burning closing lament ‘Love is a Dream’, via three other first-rate singles, ‘Young Dad’, ‘Broadstone’ and ‘Uriah’, it’s an assured return from a band who have well and truly hit their stride. According to singer Michael Broderick, the album primarily revolves around change and transformation: “Our attempts to remain constant in an environment that is inevitably transforming. I wanted the songs to journey through a process of coping (and not…

  • Slash and Tiësto Set For Belsonic

    November 27, 2018 - By 

    Two more big names have been announced to play next year’s Belsonic. With the likes of Hozier and Stormzy already revealed to play the annual series of concerts in Belfast’s Ormeau Park, Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, with support from Blackberry Smoke and Screaming Eagles, will play on Wednesday, June 12. The globetrotting Tiësto, meanwhile, will play the festival on Friday, June 28. Tickets for both events for on sale on Friday, November 30 at 10am, priced £30+ including booking fee. Go here for full info for Belsonic 2019.

  • Glen Hansard Set For Vicar Street Shows

    November 27, 2018 - By 

    As part of a European tour that takes him via a sold-out show Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and beyond, Glen Hansard will stop off at Dublin’s Vicar Street for a brace of shows in April. The Dublin songwriter, The Frames’ founder member, actor and activist – who released his third studio album, Between Two Shores, back in January – will play the Thomas House venue on April 9 and 10.  Hansard has previously played the venue in a solo guise fourteen times. Tickets for both shows are priced at €35.00 and go on sale this Friday at 9am.

  • Video Premiere: Post-Punk Podge & The Technohippies – NEU!wave!

    November 30, 2018 - By 

    The hottest independent revolutionary hip-hop team in Ireland, Post-Punk Podge & The Technohippies have just produced a video for instrumental tune ‘NEU!wave!’ in celebration of their first truly excellent year, and the anniversary of the Kick Against The Pricks EP. In the space of a year, with no management or label backing, the duo have had managed a great deal of upward mobility, playing Electric Picnic, Body & Soul, and selling out upstairs at Whelan’s, earning plaudits from satirical antecedents The Rubberbandits along the way – although, in their own words the real highlight was “Limerick pulling ahead of Cork in extra time during our set at Knockanstockan”. Very much concerned with art as…

  • Stream: Silverbacks – Just In The Band

    November 23, 2018 - By 

    Back in January, we featured Dublin five-piece Silverbacks as one of our ones to watch in 2018. Having underscored their ascent with the release of the blitzing indie-rock of ‘Dunkirk‘ shortly afterwards, the band have since been working alongside Girl Band’s Daniel Fox on their debut album, which is set for release next year. In the meantime, the band’s new single, ‘Just In The Band’, has us very excited. Over four minutes, it’s sharp and shapeshifting guitar music from a band whose knack for filtering the imprint of New York’s art-rock elite – without neglecting what makes their own sonic tact great – continues unabated. Artwork…

  • Bouts Announce Tour, Stream ‘Love’s Lost Landings (Part 2)’

    November 21, 2018 - By 

    Dublin indie rock quartet Bouts are about to hit the road for the first time in almost five years in support of their new album, Flow. The 9-track album – which is released on January 25th 2019 and available for pre-order from today on Wonky Karousel Records – will be available on a limited run of 100 vinyl records. Half of the run will sold exclusively on their UK and Irish tour which kicks off in London with two shows (Lion Coffee + Records and The Finsbury) on Saturday, January 26th. The tour then moves to Ireland for a series of five Irish shows:…

  • The Messthetics (feat. Ex-Fugazi) Announce Dublin and Belfast Shows

    November 20, 2018 - By 

    The Messthetics, the Washington DC three-piece comprising ex-Fugazi members Brendan Canty and Joe Lally, alongside guitarist Anthony Pirog, will play two Irish shows next year. As part of a string of UK dates, the band will play Belfast’s Voodoo (alongside Robocobra Quartet) on Saturday, February 2 and Dublin’s Grand Social on February 3. Tickets are on sale now. The band released their self-titled debut album via Dischord Records in March. Read an interview with Canty here.

  • Tickets For KnockanStockan 2019 On Sale This Friday

    November 20, 2018 - By 

    Irish independent festival par excellence, KnockanStockan have announced ticket info for next year’s festival. Returning to Blessington Lake in Co. Wicklow across July 19-21, a limited amount of early bird tickets priced at €99 will go on sale this Friday, November 23 at 9am. Standard tickets will be priced as the following: 3 Day Ticket – €155 2 Day Ticket (Sat & Sun) – €135 1 Day Ticket (Sun Only) – €65 Here was our top 8 sets at this year’s festival.

  • RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2019 Announced

    November 20, 2018 - By 

    Details about next year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize have been announced. With the Album of the Year shortlist being announced on January 9, and the Irish Song of the Year shortlist being revealed on January 30, the live event will take place at Dublin’s Vicar Street on Thursday, March 7. The latter will be broadcast live on RTÉ 2FM in a special four-hour extended programme from 7-11pm, with a highlights programme going out on RTÉ2 television the following week. This year’s prize was won by Ships for Precession, which beat off stiff competition from the likes of Lankum, Talos and Fionn Regan. Alan…

  • Watch: That Snaake – Scofflaw // Sisyphus

    November 20, 2018 - By 

    Remember that time we premiered the mighty ‘Scofflaw // Sisyphus’ by Dublin noise rock meddlers That Snaake? Two years on, the Paul O’Connor-fronted band are back with its suitably singular video. According to the band, the video is: a) About the budget-nightmare world of the Irish music scene b) Designed to be viewed on mobile devices as is the way of the future c) Taken from the release In The Court of the Baby Kyng out now on Little L records That’s the lowdown and you’re all the better for knowing it.