• Mission of Burma @ Opium Rooms, Dublin

    April 21, 2016 - By 

    In this day and age, it’s more surprising when old bands don’t reform than when they do, but very few bands have returned as gracefully as post-punk legends Mission of Burma. Having broken up in 1983 with just one album, an EP and a couple of singles to their name, due to their notoriously loud live shows taking their toll on guitarist Roger Miller’s hearing, 2004’s long overdue second LP ONoffON actually seemed to pick up exactly where they left off, and follow up The Obliterati was bafflingly even better. It’s been four years since they released their fifth and…

  • Reverberation Psych Fest 2016 (Day Two) @ The Grand Social, Dublin

    April 18, 2016 - By 

    With my ears having gone through the mill during night one of Reverberation, it was only right to see if they could last for the duration of round two! First up to the mound was Derry duo Fabric, who really falls into the post-punk side of things as opposed to psych rock. Ruairi Coyle (Percussion/Drums & Backing Vocals) and Lorcan Hamilton (Bass & Lead Vocals) manage to put on quite the performance, which considering the low turnout for their slot, they can only be applauded for. There are hints of Joy Division, Young Marble Giants and Gang of Four dotted…

  • Battles w/ Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith @ The Button Factory, Dublin

    March 24, 2016 - By 

    The Button Factory plays host to the first night of Battles’ European Spring tour tonight, in support of their latest album La Di Da Di. Having sold out not too long after it was announced last year, the desire for the trio’s return to Dublin is immense. Tonight’s sole support, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith takes to the stage first with an impressive array of synths, sequencers, connective wires and blinking lights, evocative of a young Delia Derbyshire at the BBC radiophonic workshop. She begins with a series of robotic loops, which advances into Laurie Anderson territory as she distorts her vocals through…

  • Reverberation Psych Fest Launch @ Grand Social, Dublin

    March 18, 2016 - By 

    Following on from its well received debut last August, the announcement that a second Reverberation Festival is scheduled to take place next month, was music to the ears of the ever growing Irish Psych loving fraternity. In anticipation of the festival, the inaugural appearance of Holy Wave to Dublin, is billed as the event’s official launch party. First up is This Other Kingdom, a four piece who play a mix of bombinate-esque shoegaze fused with psychedelia that can draw you in their world so effortlessly, it’s hard not to be converted there and then. Just picture The Black Angels fronted…