• Screen/Play #2: Record Shop Retail in Empire Records and High Fidelity

    March 5, 2015 - By 

    For someone like me who has only ever had a passing interest in music-buying and hit puberty around Napster’s ascendance, the record shop as a location resided almost exclusively in the general cultural imagination as opposed to my regular routine. Inevitably my idea of what record shops and the people who work there were like came to align with the enthusiastic but elitist list-making devotion immortalised by Stephen Fears’ High Fidelity (2000), based on Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel, and brought to life by John Cusack’s world-weary shop owner Rob Gordon and his pair of ‘musical idiots’, played perfectly by Jack…

  • Front of House: PSI

    March 5, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Front of House, our photographer Sara Marsden popped along to Belfast’s Ulster Hall to capture Sean Pagel, Joe Byrne and Davy McCready from Ireland’s premier lighting company, PSI. Offering a wonderful insight into the industry, Pagel touches on the technical and creative sides of lighting, providing the lighting for the likes of Riverdance, Philip Glass and Live at the Marquee, as well as some personal insight into the peaks and (seemingly very rare) low points of the job. Hi Sean. First off, can you tell us how you first got into the lighting business? When I left school…

  • Roving Eye: The Minutes in Brussels

    March 4, 2015 - By 

    In the first of a new regular feature called Roving Eye, our photographer Tara Thomas sets off around Europe with some of the best and brightest bands our fair Isle has to offer. Documenting the trials and tribulations of touring life, Tara heads to Brussels with The Minutes. In her own words, she breaks down the entire proceedings from load-in to bed-down. ___ Brussels is a surprising city. My expectations of a drab grey place were unfounded, for it’s emblem is the Manneken Pis, a urinating little boy. He symbolises the rebellious nature of the city and its capacity for…

  • Deep Down South: Mag Launch, Busy Town, Streaming Sounds

    March 2, 2015 - By 

    After last week’s column promising more music and such didn’t materialise, this week’s is a wee bit of a catch-up. However – plug, plug, plug! – we’ll kick off by putting in a shout for our Cork launch on Saturday at the Crane Lane for the mag. Issue 5 of the mag (the cover pictured) features a full-length piece on the Altered Hours, from their beginnings and debut release ‘Downstream’, to their upcoming album and time in Berlin. We’ll also have an Inbound on Leeside multi-piece groove ensemble Shookrah, among so, so much more, and it’ll be available exclusively at…

  • Track Record: Spies

    March 3, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Conor Cusack from Dublin band Spies gives us an insight into his prized record collection, featuring favourites from the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and Kraftwerk, as well as our very own Girl Band and Paddy Hanna. Photos by Aidan Kelly Murphy. Girl Band – France 98 As you may, or may not be aware, Girl Band have recently signed a big dick record deal with Rough Trade. I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I was willing to put this behind me and congratulate them on their success. I recently met the…

  • Monday Mixtape: September Girls

    March 2, 2015 - By 

    Following on the heels of Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich, ASIWYFA’s Niall Kennedy, Quasi’s Sam Coomes, Ciaran Lavery and Girls Names’ Claire Miskimmin, Dublin noise-pop five-piece September Girls are the next act up for Monday Mixtape. A mix of old and new favourites currently inspiring the writing and recording of their second album, stream their handpicked ten-track playlist below. Photo by Joe Laverty. And one not on Spotify…

  • Festival Preview: Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2015

    February 27, 2015 - By 

    The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival is now in its 13th year and it’s heartening to see that it is still going strong. After last year’s devastating cuts to the arts industry the city has sadly kissed goodbye to many similar events. The festival will launch its full programme in April but for now they have released some tantalizing details to keep the culture vultures circling. Joining the likes of Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes and Dublin electro wizards Le Galaxie – amongst several acts announced this morning – Irish stage actor Phelim Drew is bringing his celebrated adaptation of Down and Out in…

  • “He’s Really Not Dead, As Long As We Remember Him.” Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)

    February 27, 2015 - By 

    Leonard Nimoy’s first autobiography, published in 1975, was titled I am Not Spock, the actor having been pigeonholed to some extent as the Vulcan scientist from Star Trek. His follow up, published 20 years later, was called I am Spock. In those intervening years, the man himself had come to realise what a potent cultural symbol he had become, and seemed to have reconciled himself to it. As we look back in the aftermath of his passing, it’s certainly apparent that being Spock was no bad thing.The Boston born actor had a long, if unspectacular career in television and film before his…

  • Rave New World (27/2)

    February 27, 2015 - By 

    In a particularly excellent installment of Rave New World, Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty team up once more to deliver your weekly fix of electronic gig previews, tracks and mixes/releases. Get stuck in, you bunch of rascals. GIGS Celtronic present: Prosumer at The Glassworks, Derry Friday, February 27 My hometown is bringing one of my personal favourite DJs to The Glassworks tonight. Prosumer (above) knows how to bring the party, so expect lots of amazing deep cuts old and new from the German. Check out his recent Fabric 79 mix for the perfect taster of exactly what the guy can do. AL…