• Front of House: Bernard Flanagan

    In the latest installment of Front of House, we talk to Belfast-based freelance sound engineer Bernard Flanagan about starting out, his typical work day and working with the likes of Biffy Clyro and Therapy? Photos by Liam Kielt. Hi there. Can you tell us about yourself? My name is Bernard Flanagan and I’m originally from Maghera. I have lived in Belfast on and off for 10yrs. I have also lived in London and Glasgow. How did you become a sound engineer and how long have you been involved in it? I have been in the music industry since I was 14-15.…

  • Track Record: Shane Serrano (Fox Jaw)

    In this installment of Track Record we head to Limerick to hang out with Shane Serrano from Fox Jaw to have a rummage through his record collection from Boston to The Boss. Photos by Aaron Corr. Disclaimer: The music world is quite a serious place. Whether you’re a musician or just a music lover, it’s almost as serious as religion – you can be discriminated or laughed at for your beliefs, or in this case, your taste in music. But the truth is, pretty much every single style of music out there is good, it just appeals to some people’s tastes…

  • Watch: Swimmers – Lose Myself

    Dublin’s Niall Jackson is as chameleonic and active a musician that you’re ever liable to meet. A member of the likes of Bouts – not to mention the man behind recent homeless charity supergroup Christmas Hearts – Jackson also fronts three-piece Swimmers, who launch their new EP, The Burning Circus, upstairs in Whelan’s on Saturday, April 25. The lead single from that is ‘Lose Myself’, a drifting, nostalgia-laced ode to personal freedom and wanderlust of the soul, recorded by Justin Commins of Kill Krinkle Club. Go here for the EP launch’s Facebook event page and stream the single below.

  • Halestorm Irish Tour

    We followed Pennsylvanian rockers Halestorm on their Irish tour taking in The Academy in Dublin and Limelight in Belfast with support from Wilson. Check out the galleries below by Carlos Daly and Liam Kielt.   The Academy, Dublin by Carlos Daly The Limelight, Belfast by Liam Kielt

  • Track Record: Keith Wallace (Rusted Rail Records)

    Keith Wallace operates his bespoke micro-independent label Rusted Rail from his base in Galway. Here, he discusses his favourite albums with us from the comfort of his own home including Vashti Bunyan, Planxty and Black Sabbath. Photos by Sean McCormack.   Tindersticks – Tindersticks  I’ve had this album since it came out in 1993, but I just recently got it on vinyl, an original pressing which has one more extra song that didn’t fit on the CD at the time. There’s an entire life on this album. It’s rain-drenched and wine stained, that’s how I always think about it. It seems to…

  • Track Record: White Collar Boy

    In this installment of Track Record, we hang out with Gav White and Mark Cummins from Dublin based ‘Post-Nothing’ duo White Collar Boy. They select their five favourite records each from their respective collections featuring the likes of Fuck Buttons, The Beta Band and Scott Walker. Photos by Aidan Kelly-Murphy.   Gav White The Universal Togetherness Band – Self Titled This is the last record I got just last week. Recovered gem of an LP that I first heard on a Mister Saturday Night Podcast and then I couldn’t find it anywhere until the ever reliable Gilles Peterson played it on his show. It has…