• Line-up announced for inaugural Output showcase

    With just over a fortnight to wait, the line-up for the inaugural Output have been announced. Northern Ireland’s largest ever one-day conference and showcasing event, taking place throughout Belfast’s city centre and Cathedral Quarter on Thursday, October 16, it will see a series of free talks, workshops and pop-up gigs, attending by around 350 artists, businesses and creative students. We’re very happy to be involved, too. Teaming up with tastemaker par excellence Niall Byrne AKA Nialler9, we will host a most awesome showcase in the Black Box main room with Cork psych rock five-piece Altered Hours (pictured), Dublin electronic duo Contour, Derry…

  • Gigs of the Week: Electric Picnic, Twitch, Sargent House Label Show, Bonnie Prince Billy & Shizz The Fest

    With the now-sold-out largest music & arts festival in Ireland very much looming before us, it’s a relatively quiet week ahead in terms of gigs, but there are a few of doozies in the coming days scattered across the island. First and foremost: Electric Picnic – Stradbally Estate, Co. Laois; August 29-31 Unfortunately for most, it’s now too late to snap up tickets for Electric Picnic, but for those who wish to see out the Irish summer in style, there’s always one of the most eclectic bills on the circuit. For those who are heading, the Picnic contains some acts of…

  • Gig of the week: Wooden Shjips, The Altered Hours @ The Menagerie

    Our (sold out) gig of the week this week is the latest in a string of top-drawer shows by Strange Victory promotions. Supported by spectacular Cork psych-rock band The Altered Hours, U.S. space/psych rock four-piece Wooden Shjips will return to Belfast to play the Menagerie on Friday, December 13 following their show here at The Mac back in September. Go here for the show’s event page. Check out ‘Back To The Land’ by Wooden Shjips below and our interview with the Altered Hours here.

  • Stream: Grave Lanterns – Creepin’ Up On You

    New-fangled Cork-based band Grave Lanterns have released a stream of the decidedly unearthly new single, ‘Creepin’ Up On You’. Calling themselves “4-piece garage dust from an 8-track mind”, the four-piece – featuring Cork psych rock Altered Hours‘ frontman Cathal Mac Gabhann – have very aptly described the track as a “samhain swan song”. Organ-led, the spectral imprint of the likes of Bauhaus, Link Wray and Nick Cave are perfectly accounted for over the track’s four minutes. ‘Creepin’ Up On You’ is officially launched on Halloween night upstairs at The Pavilion, Cork. Stream or download the track for free below.