• Deerhunter w/ Atlas Sound @ Button Factory, Dublin

    November 3, 2015 - By 

    Situated amidst the roar of stag dos and Central European tourists lying drunken on the wet cobblestones of Temple Bar there is a quiet anticipation in the Button Factory. Inside, ambient electronic music fills the near empty hall as a line of people gather by the thick metal guardrails to ensure they get a good view. The room continues to fill until there is little space left for those weaving their way to and from the bar. The quiet anticipation grows as some drink and chat whilst others stare to the stage waiting for any sign of activity. Bradford Cox…

  • Best Coast w/ Talos @ The Academy, Dublin

    November 2, 2015 - By 

    If there’s anything eerie about this year’s Halloween it’s that conditions are strangely perfect. It’s a full blooded weekend night for one, and there’s barely a chill in the air; meaning that all the naughty princesses, sexy bunnies, near naked pandas and skimpy pirates can saunter to their respective engagements without the usual fear of hypothermia. Maybe that’s why The Academy is looking a bit neglected come eight o’clock when Talos take the stage. There’s a few scattered ambassadors for the night that’s in it; a convincing Juno, a noteworthy War Boy and a swaggering Dorian Gray but there’s a…

  • Irish Tour: Father John Misty

    October 27, 2015 - By 

    Father John Misty’s sold out show in Galway’s Roisín Dubh on Thursday the 22nd of October fell during the same week as the city’s Comedy Festival. This proved interesting for two reasons; the first of which being that none of the venue’s bigger, alternative buildings were available for the show, resulting in a perhaps uncharacteristically intimate gig for Josh Tillman’s self-defining moniker. Secondly, it made for a curious observation as to what people really get out of watching a performance of any kind. When watching a comedy show people obviously are out to laugh until their cheeks hurt, to be…

  • Yo La Tengo @ NCH, Dublin

    October 21, 2015 - By 

    The last time I saw New Jersey’s Yo La Tengo live was in Dublin’s Tripod nearly six year ago. It was a night when all those in attendance bore witness to a barrage of unadulterated noise accompanied by a raw and energetic performance. What occurs tonight from Hoboken’s favourite anti-heroes couldn’t have been further from that night if it tried. The quartet of Ira Kaplan, Dave Schramm, Georgia Hubley and James McNew casually enter the fray a few minutes after their scheduled start time, zigzag their way between various pieces of standing artwork and settle into position. Tonight’s set up…

  • Sharon Shannon @ Empire Music Hall, Belfast

    October 19, 2015 - By 

    It’s a full house in Belfast’s The Empire Music Hall for button accordionist Sharon Shannon – one of the standout concerts of this year’s Ulster Bank Belfast International Arts Festival. Only the week before in Chicago the Clare musician received the iBAM! (Irish Books Arts & Music) award for her outstanding contribution to music – a merited accolade for a musician who has carved out a highly successful international career on an instrument whose usual habitat is the pub session. Shannon follows a long line of notable Irish accordionists from Joe Burke and Joe Cooley to Tony MacMahon and Seamus…

  • Graham J (Wild Is Launch) @ Sugar Club, Dublin

    October 19, 2015 - By 

    Following more than a year as an emerging live cabaret act, local Dublin singer Graham J. Norton took the Sugar Club’s center stage Wednesday evening to launch his debut album Wild Is.  Known simply as Graham J. to avoid confusion with TV personalities, this countertenor’s act arranges an eclectic mix of operatic, jazz, musical theatre, and pop genres, with original and covered work scattered throughout to create a thorough medley. The swarthy showroom space of Leeson Street’s Sugar Club proved an ideal venue for this variety act.  Decked in velvet red curtains and fairy lights, the dimly lit stage hosted…

  • Sea Legs w/ Little Rivers @ LEAF Cafe, Liverpool

    October 19, 2015 - By 

    Near the top of Bold Street as you amble uphill toward the bombed out church; beyond the spot where less intrepid travellers pause, is a place of rest and recuperation; a place of beauty, chocolate wonderment, amazing brews and some of the finest music in the City.  A tea room in the 20’s, a cinema in the 60’s and home of the original Microzine clothes shop in the 00’s, LEAF stands proudly in this beautiful art deco building.  It is fortunate to have maintained above its main tea emporium a triple height acoustically beautiful performance space, filled with an impressive…

  • Editors w/ Victories at Sea @ Olympia Theatre, Dublin

    October 14, 2015 - By 

    Since 2002, Editors have gained two platinum selling albums, five consecutive Top 10 albums, have toured the world and headlined festivals year after year. Tonight’s show has the dichotomy of on the one hand showing exactly why and how they have gained this success, but also leaves a little bit to be desired when it comes to a live show. Technically, the show is close to flawless – personality however, is close to absent. Before Editors take to the stage, fellow Englishmen Victories At Sea open the night with their guitar driven rock. With only one EP under their belts…

  • Giveamanakick w/ Naive Ted @ Whelan’s, Dublin

    October 13, 2015 - By 

    When it was announced that Limerick noise-rock duo Giveamanakick were reforming to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their second album We Are The Way Forward, to say I was a tad ecstatic would’ve be an understatement. During their initial lifespan which lasted from 2001 to 2009, Giveamanakick – i.e. GAMAK – were one of the forerunners of the independent Irish underground scene. It was a time when bands such as themselves, The Redneck Manifesto, The Jimmy Cake, Estel and Waiting Room amongst others, helped breed new life into a scene that was succumbing to an overload of lifeless acoustic musical…

  • Hard Working Class Heroes 2015 – Friday

    October 6, 2015 - By 

    Fast forward through your own boring life and the cycle starts again. Another night of wall to wall quality music with the criminal schedule clashes an unfortunate reminder of the standard for the night. By 8pm the Mercantile is host to its first few shuffling visitors and Lie Ins fuzzy pop-rock. It’s comprehensive, bouncy stuff but maybe a little unexciting. However the room slowly fills and by the time Staring at Lakes overcome what seems to be a host of technical difficulties the place could almost be called busy. Despite the Mercantile venues shit wedding party charm, half a song…