• TTA Session 11: Hiva Oa (Part 2)

    April 21, 2017 - By 

    Ahead of the launch of their new EP, MkII (part 2), at Belfast’s Pavilion tomorrow night (Saturday, April 22) we’re pleased to present the second part of Colm Laverty’s TTA Live Session with Belfast’s Hiva Oa. Featuring the band performing tracks ‘So Many Lies’ and Badger’ the session features sound by Chris McCorry and Matthew Collings, camera by Brian O’Kane and Colm Laverty and editing by the latter. Go here to check out the first installment of the session, featuring the band performing ‘Seskinore’ and ‘Johnny Brazil’, highlights from their previous EP Mk. 2, Pt. 1.

  • TTA Session 11: Hiva Oa (Part 1)

    February 6, 2017 - By 

    Tipped by us as ones to watch in this Inbound feature back in December, Belfast’s Hiva Oa released one of our favourite Irish EPs of 2016 in the form of the Mk. 2, Pt. 1. Having recently relocated back to the city from Edinburgh, Stephen Houlihan and Christine Tubridy, along with live member Chris McCorry, are an act to keep an eye out on the live front over the next few months, not least their eagerly-anticipated appearance at this year’s Output at Voodoo in Belfast on Thursday, February 16 Ahead of that show, we’re pleased to present the first of a two-part live session…

  • TTA Session 10: Abandcalledboy (Part II)

    October 27, 2015 - By 

    In the second installment of a two-part session, Irish noise quartet Abandcalledboy perform ‘Playdough’, that malleable, positively inedible toy we all worshipped as kids. Go here to check out the first part featuring ABCB playing recent single ‘L.A. Dick’. Filmed and edited by Colm Laverty. Sound by The Chris’ AKA Chris Ryan and Chris Brazier.

  • TTA Session #010: Abandcalledboy (Part 1)

    October 12, 2015 - By 

    In the first of a two-part Thin Air Live Session, Colm Laverty captures ever-evolving positively idiosyncratic alt-noise quartet Abandcalledboy performing recent single ‘L.A. Dick’, a track we reckon(ed) calls to mind the likes of The Fall and Tera Melos. Sound by Chris Ryan and Chris Brazier.

  • TTA Session #009: Silences

    August 11, 2015 - By 

    Set to play the likes of Hard Working Class Heroes and Electric Picnic this Summer, Armagh’s Silences have had a steady yet extremely strong rise over the last couple of years. Having first caught our attention back in 2013 with ‘Ghosts’, the Conchúr White-fronted five-piece have evolved from being low-key contenders to one of the country’s most promising acts of their kind (they call themselves an alt-indie outfit, and we’re not inclined to disagree). Filmed in Belfast City Centre, our latest Live Session session features the band – stripped back as a two-piece – performing two tracks (‘The Sea’ and ‘Santa Cruz’) and in conversation.…

  • TTA Session #007: Ciaran Lavery

    March 22, 2015 - By 

    We’ve said it a few times before but some things just need repeating: Ciaran Lavery is easily one of the most naturally gifted Irish singer-songwriters of his or any other generation. With an extraordinary voice schooled in heartache and experience, Lavery’s restrained yet fevered acoustic tales harbour some truly wonderful turns of phrase and gently-strummed songwriting brilliance. Filmed/edited by Colm Laverty, and featuring sound by Chris Ryan, we recently captured Lavery performing two of his very best songs – ‘Shame’ and ‘Left For America’ – early in the morning outside Belfast’s iconic Duke of York on Corporation Street. As well delivering two superb renditions of both songs, Lavery…

  • TTA TV: Moving On Music

    March 4, 2015 - By 

    Currently based in the MAC, Belfast, Moving on Music have spent the last twenty years boldly showcasing some of the most exciting and curious jazz, blues, traditional, world and electronic artists. Celebrating that twentieth anniversary this year, the promoters – founded by Brian Carson – will also present the latest installment of their annual Belfast-based jazz festival, Brilliant Corners from March 25-28. In an illuminating and anecdote-riddled conversation with Brian Carson, the latest installment of TTA TV traces the history and development of one of Ireland’s most uncompromisingly exciting promoters, with two eyes firmly focused on the future and expanding further. Interview by James Magill; filmed and edited…

  • TTA Session #006: R51

    January 25, 2015 - By 

    Following on from our recent live session with Jape, our latest audio-visual snoop falls at Belfast-based alt/gaze-pop five-piece R51. Featuring the band in conversation, as well a performance of the pummelling ‘I Hate That Too’, the session was filmed and edited by Colm Laverty, with sound by Stevie Lennox and Michael Hanvey R51 release their forthcoming EP, Pillow Talk, on March 25. Make sure to check back for our premiere of the release and watch the live session below.

  • TTA Session #005: Jape

    December 22, 2014 - By 

    In the first of a short series of videos, our latest live session features Jape AKA Richie Egan performing his latest single, ‘The Heart’s Desire’, in Malmö, Sweden. ‘The Heart’s Desire’ is the first single to be taken from Egan’s forthcoming fifth album, The Chemical Sea. Make sure to check out Richie’s column on the recording of The Heart’s Desire in the January issue of our physical magazine. As well as Belfast’s Woodworkers on Saturday, March 7, Jape plays the following live dates in January, February and March. Watch the live session below. Follow Jape and Ian on Twitter.

  • TTA Session #004: Robocobra Quartet

    November 18, 2014 - By 

    Undoubtedly one of the more ambitious and inimitable acts to emerge from Belfast this year, jazz-rap-punk four-piece Robocobra Quartet are a guitarless, sax -and-bass led, cymbal-spattered, improv-leaning, off-kilter time and rhyme-melding, Zorn-summoning, Mingus-hinting, Isotope 217 and Soul Coughing-echoing, decidedly forward-thinking force to be reckoned with. In the fourth of many more live sessions in the making, our resident videographer Colm Laverty captures the band perform two of their best tracks, as well as in conversation about their approach to songwriting, their “place” within local music, what the future holds in store and more. Keep an eye out for these guys…