• Line-up announced for inaugural Output showcase

    September 30, 2014 - By 

    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…

  • Stendhal Festival of Art 2014

    August 10, 2014 - By 

    Make no bones about it: the Glasgowbury-shaped hole in the Northern Irish summer festival calendar is indeed a sizable one. But as is equally apparent to those of us in eager search of its successor, it’s all very much a case of one door closes, another door opens. Teetering right on the precipice of ascending to the enviable rank of Northern Ireland’s singular unmissable two-day music and arts festival, Stendhal Festival of Art, with its glorious rural expanse and wonderfully kaleidoscopic eclecticism, is set to do just that this weekend. Here’s how things went down. Held on the barley-bordered fields of Ballymully Farm…

  • Festival Mixtape: Stendhal Festival of Art

    August 4, 2014 - By 

    Headlined by Derry punk pioneers The Undertones and Scottish indie-rock quartet Frightened Rabbit (above), Stendhal Festival of Art returns to the wonderfully scenic Roe Valley this weekend for two days of music, art, theatre, comedy and poetry. With tickets still available to purchase via the official website here, we’ve compiled a ten-track playlist featuring some our must-see acts to catch at the festival – everyone from Malojian and Go Wolf to Making Monsters and Ciaran Lavery.

  • Festival Mixtape: Forfey Festival

    July 30, 2014 - By 

    Taking place across the weekend of August 1-3, the wonderfully intimate and unaffected Forfey Festival returns to Forfey Farm near Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh with easily one of its strongest line-ups to date. As is its custom, homegrown folk and acoustic acts make up the majority of this year’s line-up, but there is also a wide range of electronic and rock artists – everyone from Hornets to Affleck – performing across the festival’s three days. Go here to buy tickets for the festival and check out our ten-track Festival Mixtape – including the likes of More Than Conquerors, Ciaran Lavery and Go Wolf (pictured) – below.

  • Forfey Festival

    July 7, 2014 - By 

    Taking place across the weekend of August 1-3, the wonderfully intimate and unaffected Forfey Festival returns to Forfey Farm near Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh with one of its strongest line-ups to date. As ever, homegrown folk and acoustic acts make up the majority of this year’s line-up, but there is also a wide range of electronic and rock artists – everyone from Hornets to Affleck – performing across the festival’s three days. With more acts still to be announced, the current line-up is: Callum Stewart, Beulah Kim, Wonder Villains, Travis Is A Tourist, The Emerald Armada, Skeletons, Rupture Dogs, RAMS’ Pocket Radio, More Than…

  • Frame by Frame #10: Ciaran Lavery – Left For America

    May 29, 2014 - By 

    In the grand tenth installment of Frame by Frame, Belfast-based photographer and filmmaker Colm Laverty chats to singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery and filmographer Richard O’ Connor about the superb video for the former’s ‘Left For America’. Featuring actor Ro Graham as a spontaneously-liberated everyman, the video has charmed thousands since its release two weeks ago, wonderfully emphasising Lavery’s towering songwriting talents. Hi guys. First off, tell us a little bit about each of your roles on this music video. Ciaran Lavery: I provided the track ‘Left For America’, Richie provided the magic. Richard : I was the guy behind the camera shooting…

  • Watch: Ciaran Lavery – Left For America

    May 15, 2014 - By 

    Taken from his forthcoming EP, Kosher, Northern Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery has unveiled the video for his wonderful new single, ‘Left For America’. Having first caught a visual glimpse of the song in a BalconyTV session last year, we’re very impressed (and rather charmed) by the accompanying visuals for the single, filmed by ROC and stars Ro Graham. Lavery launches Kosher at the Belfast’s Black Box on Thursday, June 19 as part of this year’s Open House Festival. Go here to buy tickets.  

  • Forfey Festival announces first twelve acts

    May 14, 2014 - By 

    Now in its ninth year – the year “of the Rex”, no less – Forfey Festival have announced the first dozen acts to play the festival this Summer. With many acts yet to be announced, the first twelve acts confirm to play are The Emerald Armada, Skeletons, Rupture Dogs, RAMS’ Pocket Radio, More Than Conquerors, Joshua Burnside, Hornets, Go Wolf, Ciaran Lavery, Carriages, Bee Mick See and Affleck. Forfey 2014 takes place from Friday, August 1 to Sunday, August 3. Tickets will be available to purchase soon.  

  • Open House Festival 2014

    May 13, 2014 - By 

    We’re big fans of Open House Festival and how they do things here at the Thin Air. With an extraordinarily tasteful penchant for the very best in folk, roots and Americana, the team have brought us some unforgettable shows ranging from the likes of Bob Log III, Deer Tick, John Grant to Lower Dens, Cold Specs and Old Crowd Medicine Show. As well as one-off shows and happenings scattered across the years, Open House really flaunts its wares with its annual festival events. This summer they will present two festivals, a Belfast festival and a Bangor Festival. The former, taking place from June 18…

  • Ciaran Lavery Announces EP Details

    April 22, 2014 - By 

    Just over a year since the release of his exceptional debut album, Not Nearly Dark, Northern Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery has revealed details of his forthcoming new EP, Kosher. Set for release on June 19 at Belfast’s Black Box as part of this years’s Open House Festival, check out the EP’s tracklisting and wonderful artwork by DMC and Ben Connolly of Angel and Anchor below. 1. ‘Left For America‘ 2. ‘Sophomore Rising’ 3. ‘Boxer’ 4. ‘A Ragtime Song’ 5. ‘Orphan’ While you’re here, feel free to stream the jubilant ‘Orphan’ from Lavery’s forthcoming EP via Soundcloud below. Photo by Cathal Goodwin