• Monday Mixtape: Doug Martsch (Built to Spill)

    May 4, 2015 - By 

    This week’s Monday Mixtape is brought to you from none other than Doug Martsch, who is a big hero to us here at The Thin Air. Doug is the frontman of Built To Spill and they’ve just released their latest album Untethered Moon. Check out some of his favourite tunes below. Slam Dunk – Dying Breed These guys are from Canada. I think they’re on tour with The Arcades of Fire now.   The Warm Hair – Tell Me What I’m Living For, If I Don’t Want To Live Anymore Sometimes I think The Freebird is talking about me in…

  • Deep Down South: YESEquality, Moonstomps, & Math-Metal Mayhem

    May 4, 2015 - By 

    With May 22nd approaching, the marriage equality referendum is getting nearer, and YESEquality Cork is stepping up its campaign with a selection of events and rallies all over the city and county. Here are but a few of what’s been announced/confirmed so far, bearing in mind there’s a tonne of good stuff lined up for next week also. We’ll update this column during the week with more info as we have it. Tomorrow night kicks off proceedings with an open-mic night in a location to be announced (exciting!), while Wednesday night sees a public meeting in Youghal, at the Walter…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Bird

    May 2, 2015 - By 

    Just before a major move of show from South Africa to Dublin, playwright and performer Marnitz van Deventer chats to us about the impact of past relationships, story-telling as the heart of performance, and bringing a South African flavour to Dublin’s International Gay Theatre Festival. Hi Martniz. Can you tell me a little bit about Bird and the creative process behind the show? Sure.  Bird is actually a story of the self before, during, and after a relationship.  I guess the story started three years ago when I was in a relationship with somebody, and I fell head-over-heels in love…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Graham J. Norton

    May 2, 2015 - By 

    Preparing for a triumphant return to the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Graham J. Norton talks to us about his lifelong work as a classical singer, drastic changes in life and career, and the steps he took leading to the formation of the Orpheus Blues and Graham J Does Cabaret. Hi Graham. So how did you go about forming the act Graham J Does Cabaret?  How long have you been training as a singer? Well I’ve trained as a singer since I was four, and I have been, for many, many years, a classical singer, performing in operas.  But I’ve…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Going Up

    May 2, 2015 - By 

    Amid chaotic preparations in shipping out from NYC to Dublin, playwright Penny Jackson sits down with us to discuss her success as a writer both on and offstage, the lead-up to the debut of her brand new show Going Up at this year’s Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, and how she believes in the power of theatre to foster social change. Hi Penny. How’s everything going with preparations for Going Up? Fantastic.  The script was just published online—newyorktheatre.com—people are reading it, plenty of great responses.  I have a lot of fans here in New York, and I would love to have…

  • Blur Retrospective: Parklife (1994)

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    There is something to be said about a frankly worrying number of classic records which is that many of them aren’t up to scratch. There are countless albums which on release were showered with some of the most golden platitudes ever forged. They captured a zeitgeist so perfectly that they must be regarded as true classics. But when you remove them from their time frame, many of them struggle to stand out. Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches is a fun record, but it’s nothing more than that. Post Merriweather Pavilion is a collection of bleeps that we convinced ourselves was…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: The Equals

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    With just about a week left until showtime at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, playwright Sean Denyer of theatre troupe Acting Out talks to Joe Madsen about the history behind the community theatre group, its growth in the past decade, and the need for some musical comedy in examining gay issues. Tell me about The Equals and the creative process behind it. Well, I suppose I’ve had the idea for Equals for quite a while.  I tend to ponder things for quite a while before I actually write them, and then the writing happens rather quickly and I have a…

  • Rave New World: Bank Holiday Special

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    In a special Bank Holiday installment of Rave New World, Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty shed some light on the very best new electronic gigs, tracks, mixes and releases. GIGS Misfit present Henrik Schwarz, Misfit DJs at Thompsons, Belfast Friday, May 1 A pretty unmissable live set from Henrik Schwarz will be going off tonight in Thompsons. For very good reason, his live set has become one of the most revered in electronic music. Known for their unbounded energy, spirit and fun, you’d be a fool to pass up on this one. AL Beat BBQ 4th Birthday May Day Sunday…

  • Interview: Woody Woodmansey

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of the legendary English drummer’s appearance at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival’s Marquee on Friday, May 8, Mike McGrath Bryan chats to Mick “Woody” Woodmansey, best known for his work with David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars. Hi Woody. You played on four of Bowie’s most influential and important records. How did you come into his fold, so to speak? I had played with Mick Ronson in a band called The Rats in the city of Hull, East Yorkshire. We were a blues based progressive rock outfit playing on the University circuit, supporting major acts at that time, plus we…

  • Low Profile: Odd Waves @ The Woodworkers

    April 29, 2015 - By 

    Belfast DJ Jonny Carberry offers an aural (and descriptive) insight into Low Profile, his regular night at Belfast’s new-fangled Woodworkers. The night takes place every third Saturday of the month. Here’s an idea of what to expect from Low Profile at the Woodworkers (as you pretend to study their fancy beer board). Shout our to Lavery’s: from electronic oscillations to Balearic feelings, via shoegaze, post-punk, hip-hop and soul, it’s offering some really ace music. Durutti Column – Future Perfect The very first song played at Low Profile. Partly for the rather optimistic title but mainly because it’s gentle and now (despite…