• Pixies w/ Bleeding Heart Pigeons @ The Marquee, Cork

    July 14, 2016 - By 

    Hands up who loves the Pixies. That’s what I thought; who doesn’t? They’re one of those bands that does not require an introduction. Suffice it to say, they pioneered the loudQUIETloud technique, Kurt Cobain admitted to ripping them off, and their combination of cacophony and bubblegum pop continues to endure and influence thirty years after their formation and twenty nine years after the release of their debut EP Come On Pilgrim. They’ve also now been back together pretty much as long as they were broken up as odd as that may seem. Since their reunion, they have had a mixed…

  • Johnny Foreigner – Mono No Aware

    July 14, 2016 - By 

    After just shy of ten years performing together Johnny Foreigner have just released their fifth album. The indie four-piece, hailing from Birmingham, show both promise and consistency with their latest release, Mono No Aware. Consistency is blatantly obvious, with the album comprising of eleven solid, terrifically upbeat indie rock tracks with elements of pop punk regularly bursting through in the form of catchy riffs and tight, snappy drum pieces. Promise is a term that is perhaps to be used with more caution. For those familiar with JoFo, from the opening quarter they will immediately melt into the quirky and comfortable musical space that the band provides for its’ adoring…

  • The Julie Ruin – Hit Reset

    July 13, 2016 - By 

    Julie Ruin isn’t a new concept for Kathleen Hanna. The moniker has been around since the mid- nineties as the title of her post-Bikini Kill solo album, one that bridged the gap and foreshadowed what was to come with Le Tigre. That trio’s explorations with sampled music and drum machines expanded on Julie Ruin’s bedroom-recorded experiments, and the pseudonym was put to bed for over a decade, during which time Hanna’s productivity was curtailed by a long-term debilitating illness. Her struggle with Lyme disease, undiagnosed for years, is documented with stark candour in the 2013 film The Punk Singer, and it’s a topic that crops up…

  • Beyond the Wizards Sleeve – The Soft Bounce

    July 13, 2016 - By 

    Erol Alkan’s hugely influential club nights at London’s Trash seamlessly blended dance beats and guitar rock, bearing witness to “I was there” type early live performances from LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Bloc Party before it’s closure in 2007. Over the past decade Alkan has collaborated with acid-house pioneer Richard Norris (also half of 90s techno duo The Grid) as Beyond The Wizards Sleeve, combining their shared love of psychedelic pop to deliver critically acclaimed ‘re-animated’ edits of tracks by the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Interpol and The Chemical Brothers. Debut album The Soft Bounce sees the duo exploring their 1966-meets- 2016 sound over a…

  • Blood Orange – Freetown Sound

    July 13, 2016 - By 

    There are few contemporary artists who have gone through such pronounced changes as Mr. Devonte Hynes. From his musical start in the synth-disco- punk outfit Test Icicles through his part in the indie-folk revival with Light Speed Champion and now, probably his most celebrated incarnation, as the eighties revivalist Blood Orange. As if that CV isn’t impressive enough he’s also amassed a veritable pile of song writing credits with artists as diverse as Sky Ferreira, Carly Rae Jepsen (one of the many ladies making an impactful appearance here), Solange and Heems. His chameleon nature and expansive ability obviously calls to mind luminaries like Bowie and…

  • Launch: New Series ‘The Sunday Edition’

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    The first in a series of art talks called The Sunday Edition took place in the Dean Hotel in Dublin last Sunday. Brainchild of designer, curator and mural artist, James Earley, the aim of the talks is give “an insight into the work ethic and inspiration that drives some of Irelands best contemporary artists practicing in this country today”. Earley explained before the event that “the first talk in the series plans to educate and excite the public on established and emerging Irish artists”. Two artists, both part of the online gallery run by Earley called Iverna, were presented to…

  • Bell X1 w/ The Academic @ Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    Iveagh Gardens with its tall trees and high walls offering protection from the noise and movement of the city centre location, is as close to perfect as you could get for an outdoor venue in Dublin. The layout is impeccable and its sound has always felt close and layered. It has become synonymous with Irish acts stopping in during the summer; Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and The Frames themselves have all played here in recent years. This year it is Bell x1’s turn. Following an emphatic support from the fast-rising The Academic (below), an opening combination of ‘The Great Defector’…

  • John Grant w/ Ane Brun @ Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    It was a busy night of gigs ­­in Dublin this weekend with Beyoncé and The Stone Roses pulling big crowds. This might account for the fact that tonight’s gig at Iveagh Gardens isn’t sold out – a rarity for a John Grant gig in Dublin. However, those who do opt for the city centre garden setting are far from disappointed. Following a convincing set by Ane Brun (below) Grant starts off the set by easing the crowd into the evening via ‘Down Here’ and ‘Grey Tickles, Black Pressure’ mixed with ‘Marz’ from his debut album. Those newer tracks have really aged well and there’s a real…

  • So Cow w/ Hot Cops, Junk Drawer & Shrug Life @ Voodoo, Belfast

    July 11, 2016 - By 

    Irish independent music is going through something of a renaissance at the moment with a burgeoning collective of bands attempting to show that music from Ireland is more than trad and U2. This evening at Voodoo we are treated to a selection of bands from various parts of the island who all bring something different to the scene. Dublin’s Shrug Life open affairs although this evening frontman Danny Carroll (below) goes it alone. Everything takes on a slower pace without the urgency of the drums or bass but Carroll strums through the set with enough assuredness and control that the…