• 20th Anniversary: Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

    October 20, 2015 - By 

    There’s a moment on the song ‘1979’ when, after a subdued but ethereal sounding intro, the thumping drums of Jimmy Chamberlain burst in, augmenting the subtle electronic percussion that has hitherto anchored the track. On the one level, it’s just a simple trick of song arrangement, building up an expectation and then subverting it, but on another it’s pure magic, like when Dorothy wakes up in Oz and the world has gone from black & white to colour. There’s no reason why Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness should work. It’s a double album that came in an era when…

  • The End of an Era: Radar 2005-2015

    October 20, 2015 - By 

    “Institution” is a word that seems to be all too wantonly applied to every other gig night across the country nowadays. After ten years positively both capturing and shaping local live music in the North of the country, Radar at Belfast’s Queens Student Union is most definitely an exception to that rule. Ahead of its final (inevitably somewhat emotional) outing on Thursday night, Brian Coney chats with Radar founder and main man Damien McAdams about the decade-long highs and highlights of a soon to be much-missed Belfast institution. Hi Damien. It should go without saying but Radar is and was a…

  • Interview: David Kitt

    October 19, 2015 - By 

    David Kitt has been a quiet institution of the Irish music world for what is fast approaching two decades. In that time Kitt has released six studio albums under his own name has toured extensively, one of those tours being support of David Gray earlier in 2015. Recently, Kitt has achieved success in the realm outside of his ambient, electronic folk sphere under the moniker of New Jackson which has seen him bringing his boisterous, driving electronica to festivals throughout the UK and Europe, sharing stages with the likes of John Talabot and Mano Le Tough. Eoin Murray speaks to David…

  • Rave New World (16/10)

    October 16, 2015 - By 

    Aidan Hanratty and Antoin Lindsay preview all the very best electronic gigs, tracks and mixes of the week. GIGS Techno & Cans presents: Clouds [Live] at Hangar Friday 16 October 2015 Clouds started out making noisy techno for the likes of Tiga’s Turbo and Fake Blood’s Blood Music. They still do that, but they’ve recently dropped a cassette for the ever-fascinating Opal Tapes, signalling a shift of sorts. This gig is set to bang though, no matter who puts out their records. AH Squid Inc. Pres Paramida at Tengu Bar – Yamamori Sushi Saturday 17 October Tengu is a really sick…

  • Track Record: Gavin Glass

    October 15, 2015 - By 

    In this installment of Track Record, we head over to the lovely home of Gavin Glass to have a rummage around his eclectic record collection (and a nosey at his collection of guitars too!) Elvis Presley – Aloha, From Hawaii I have to put one in from The King of Rock N’Roll. I’ve been a huge Elvis fan since I was really young.  I used to constantly draw pictures of Elvis on primary school books. This album was recorded live as part of a satellite broadcast which was one of the first live concerts broadcast live worldwide. Elvis’ TCB band…

  • Call Me If You Kill Anyone

    October 15, 2015 - By 

    The second in his latest column series for us at the Thin Air, Omagh singer-songwriter Michael McCullagh AKA Son of the Hound continues a tale from his days playing in Colenso Parade. Go here to read the previous installment. We’d booked the rehearsal space on advice of other musicians. Standing on the street in Liverpool I looked around, expecting to see some commercial building among the residential houses but there was nothing. Then from a second story window came a shout. ‘Hey! It’s up here!’. It was Hanso, unruly hair and wild eyes laughing at us as he hung precariously out…

  • Interview: Neil Flynn

    October 15, 2015 - By 

    Neil Flynn is an artist who could stand as a true representation of what so many young people looking to dedicate their lives to music go through in recent years. Growing up in rural Ireland where dreams of making the music you love for a living and having it played in some of Europe’s most renowned nightclubs rarely become more than dreams, Flynn’s determination, work ethic and sincere belief in the art of electronic music has lead to him being signed to one of Berlin’s most promising labels, LOSSLESS. In the past year Flynn has released one EP, Louise and…

  • Visual Arts Outlook (13/10)

    October 13, 2015 - By 

    Whilst this week sets in to be one of the quieter weeks in October we are going to see a whole wealth of events taking place towards the end of the month to get your creative juices flowing. This Saturday afternoon at 2pm Catalyst Arts Belfast is holding an Artist’s talk with Jacqueline Holt as part of the ‘Composition of Here’ show. Well worth a visit on your stroll around town. Next weekend from the 23rd to the 24th is the hugely anticipated “Open Studios” in Belfast. Hosted by Visual Artists in Northern Ireland and sponsored by Suki Tea, this…

  • Interview: Jacco Gardner

    October 13, 2015 - By 

    Having played Dublin’s Workman’s Club last month, baroque pop prince and Dutch producer/multi-instrumentalist Jacco Gardner chats to Brian Coney about his new album, Hypnophobia, the imprint of cinema on his music and the luxury of recording completely on his own terms. Hi Jacco. You released the wonderful Hypnophobia (the “excessive fear of deep sleep” I’ve just learned) back in May. Before touching on the recording and songwriting, what’s the significance being the title of the release? When I saw the word for the first time I immediately felt some connection. For me it’s a way of describing the unknown territory…

  • Exclusive: The Strypes Secret Gig @ Sweeney’s, Dublin

    October 13, 2015 - By 

    We had exclusive access to The Strypes secret gig at Retro Revival Club’s birthday celebrations at Sweeney’s in Dublin. William Murphy and Tara Thomas braved the crowdsurfing and cake throwing for what was truly a memorable night.  For any kind of nostalgia heavy gig, there are few venues in the city as good as Sweeney’s. Any place adorned with LP covers, including Crosby, Stills and Nash, If You Want Blood, You Got It and a rather sizable version of the Electric Ladylandcontroversial inner sleeve; is the perfect location for this kind of show. So it’s no surprise that the venue…