• A Band Apart: An Interview With Gilla Band

    February 29, 2024 - By 

    Next year marks a mind-melting decade since we hosted two sold-out headliners by Gilla Band at Belfast’s Bar Sub. Coming off the back of a trouncing set in support of Slint at the Limelight – and their second EP The Early Years – the shows confirmed the arrival of a blitzing force in forward-pushing noise rock. Three genre-defining LPs, a two-year hiatus, one name change, and heaps of well-earned international recognition later, the Dara Kiely-fronted four-piece are on the cusp of a thrilling new era. Ahead of their long-awaited return to Belfast next week, we chat to guitarist Alan Duggan…

  • Watch: Gilla Band – Sports Day

    February 7, 2023 - By 

    Gilla Band have dropped a new single, ‘Sports Day’. The b-side to Eight Fivers – which was accompanied by the announcement of their third album Most Normal last July – it’s a slowly unfurling and suitably stifling effort from the Dublin quartet. Today, the band have also announced four more UK/EU dates in what’s shaping up to be a busy schedule in 2023.  Check those and Michael Speed’s visuals for ‘Sports Day’ below.

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 7th October

    October 7, 2022 - By 

    This Bandcamp Friday, delve into the very best Irish releases of the week from Gilla Band, Farah Elle, Aonair, Talos, Seamus O’Muineachain, Uly, Moving Statues and more Gilla Band – Most Normal Farah Elle – Fatima FATIMA (Deluxe) by Farah Elle Aonair – Loveheart Birthmark Seamus O’Muineachain – Isthmus Isthmus by Seamus O’Muineachain Ciaran Lavery – Another Night at the Self-Indulgence Hotel Uly – keith, i want to be everything keith, i want to be everything by Uly Talos – Dear Chaos Moving Statues – Wonders Will Never Cease EP Wonders Will Never Cease EP by Moving Statues Cosmo –…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 16th September

    September 16, 2022 - By 

    Dive into the best Irish music of this week from Gilla Band, Farah Elle, Joshua Burnside, Kynsy, Clara Tracey, Meljoann and more.  Photo by Mark McGuinness Gilla Band – Post Ryan Farah Elle – Laundry Elaine Mai & MuRli – Ready Calmea – I know now I didn’t know, what it meant to really go I know now I didn’t know, what it meant to really go by Calmea Thee U.F.O. – Ponderous Fug Ponderous Fug by Thee U.F.O Waldorf + Cannon – Cut Loose Krea – September Sun Joshua Burnside – Late Afternoon In The Meadow (1887) Kynsy – Simple Life…

  • Gilla Band Announce Third LP, Share New Single ‘Eight Fivers’

    July 13, 2022 - By 

    Gilla Band have announced details of their forthcoming third album. The Dublin quartet, fka Girl Band, will release the twelve-track Most Normal via Rough Trade Records on October 7th. Once again self-produced, produced and mixed by the band’s bassist Daniel Fox, at Sonic Studios and their rehearsal space, the album will be available on ltd edition blue vinyl and an exclusive alt cover white vinyl, limited to 1,000 copies. Pre-order here. Accompanying the news is lead single, ‘Eight Fivers,’ featuring the immortal opening refrain: “I spend all my money on shit clothes.” Speaking about the song, frontman Dara Kiely said:…

  • Gilla Band Announce Dublin and Belfast Shows

    March 28, 2022 - By 

    Gilla Band have announced new dates for Dublin and Belfast. Having changed their name from Girl Band in November last year, the Dara Kiely-fronted Dublin quartet will play their biggest Irish headline shows to date at Dublin’s National Stadium on 9th December and the Empire in Belfast on 15th December. Tickets for both shows go on sale this Friday, 1st April at 9am. It’s been seven years since Gilla Band headlined shows in Belfast, both of which were hosted by The Thin Air. Revisit those here and here.

  • Girl Band Change Name to Gilla Band, Announce Dublin Residency

    November 16, 2021 - By 

    Dublin quartet Girl Band have changed their name to Gilla Band with immediate effect. Off the back of their blistering set at Pitchfork London on Sunday night, the band released the following statement regarding the decision. “We are changing our band name,” they said. “We will no longer be performing or releasing records under the name Girl Band. We apologise for choosing a misgendered name in the first place and to anyone who has been hurt or affected by it. When we were starting off it was chosen without much thought, from a place of naivety and ignorance. We had…