• Gigs of the Week: Stars of The Lid, Twitch, David Holmes, HWCH & Cathy Davey

    October 6, 2016 - By 

    While this year’s Hard Working Class Heroes in Dublin is undoubtedly the biggest draw in the country this weekend, it seems we’ve chose a particularly to re-launch our Gigs of the Week feature, a weekly round-up looking at (would you believe?) some of the very best and downright unmissable shows taking place – North and South – over the next few days. Cathy Davey Spirit Store, Dundalk Friday, October 7 Having just released her beguiling fourth studio album, New Forest, Cathy Davey (pictured above) has quickly re-established herself as one of the country’s most intriguing solo propositions. Also playing host to…

  • Playlist: 15 Must-See Acts at Hard Working Class Heroes This Weekend

    October 3, 2016 - By 

    Right up there with the country’s leading celebrations and showcases of homegrown, independent music, Hard Working Class Heroes will take over several venues in Dublin from October 6-8. With 100 acts once again independently selected to perform, we have well and truly racked our brains to whittle that imposing list down to 10 must-see acts this weekend. Tickets for HWCH ’16 are still available to buy here. Oh Boland Where: The Hub When: Saturday, October 8 (7.30pm) Pale Rivers Where: The Workman’s Club When: Friday, October 7 (7.50pm) Maija Sofia Where: Wigwam When: Saturday, October 8 (10.30pm) Rusangano Family Where: The Chocolate…

  • Win Weekend Tickets to Hard Working Class Heroes

    September 19, 2016 - By 

    Hands down the country’s leading showcase of independent, unsigned talent, we have a pair of weekend tickets to give away to this year’s Hard Working Class Heroes in Dublin from October 6-8. With a little extra also thrown in for good measure (all will be revealed) simply Like our Facebook page here and send your answer to the following question to info@thethinair.net to be in with a chance of snapping the tickets up. Name the two acts beginning with the letter F playing HWCH 2016 Good luck!

  • Hard Working Class Heroes Announce Line-up

    August 17, 2016 - By 

    Right up there with the country’s leading celebrations of homegrown, independent music, Hard Working Class Heroes have announced the line-up for its 2016 outing, which takes place in several venues in Dublin from October 6-8. With close to 700 bands applying to perform this year, 100 acts were chosen independently by “top Irish and international music industry professionals.” HWCH’s Industry Convention will once more also bring international delegates and domestic music industry professionals together for a host of conferences, mentor sessions, workshops and more. Another addition to this year’s showcase is the inaugural Conor Walsh Memorial Bursary, set up in honour of…

  • Hard Working Class Heroes Call For Musician and Band Applications

    June 22, 2016 - By 

    Arguably the country’s leading celebration of homegrown, independent music, Hard Working Class Heroes will return to Dublin from October 6-8. With the likes of Hare Squead, Saint Sister and Rusangano Family standing out last year, the festival have made its annual call to the country’s musicians, bands and singer-songwriters to apply to play this year’s showcase.  You can apply via HWCH’s Breaking Tunes site; simply go here and click the ‘BANDS APPLY HERE’ button. The closing date for applications is July 22. Early bird tickets to Hard Working Class Heroes 2016 are priced at €35 via DICE until August 10, after which tickets will…

  • Hard Working Class Heroes 2015 – Saturday

    October 8, 2015 - By 

    ‘It’s better to burn out than to fade away,’ said the now sixty-nine year old Neil Young. So maybe it’s not such a bad thing that the HWCH schedule, on paper at least, looks like it wants to wind down rather than go out with a bang. But though it may not have the head whipping allure of the first two nights there’s still certainly enough to justify hitting those streets. Take Sinead White for example, surely a rising star, but even her to the point, uncluttered song writing cannot conjure a crowd out of thin air. It’s a problem…

  • Hard Working Class Heroes 2015 – Friday

    October 6, 2015 - By 

    Fast forward through your own boring life and the cycle starts again. Another night of wall to wall quality music with the criminal schedule clashes an unfortunate reminder of the standard for the night. By 8pm the Mercantile is host to its first few shuffling visitors and Lie Ins fuzzy pop-rock. It’s comprehensive, bouncy stuff but maybe a little unexciting. However the room slowly fills and by the time Staring at Lakes overcome what seems to be a host of technical difficulties the place could almost be called busy. Despite the Mercantile venues shit wedding party charm, half a song…

  • Hard Working Class Heroes 2015 – Thursday

    October 5, 2015 - By 

    This is no normal weekend in the city. Thanks to the hard work of those at First Music Contact and their team and associates Dublin has one to really be proud of. This is Hard Working Class Heroes 2015: when several venues across Town host a proliferation, a bevy, a frothing mass of musical talent. For some the draw of HWCH will be its robust dissemination of the industry; its talks with heavyweight performers, journalists and industry figures. Yet for many more it’s the music that does the talking. Luckily HWCH 2015 may just be the best line up yet.…

  • Playlist: 10 Must-See Acts at Hard Working Class Heroes 2015

    September 30, 2015 - By 

    On the eve of the return of the country’s leading celebration of homegrown, independent music, Hard Working Class Heroes, we have compiled a list of 10 comprehensively unmissable acts to catch across Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Go here for the full schedule. Everything Shook Argento Nights EP by Everything Shook Arborist Twisted Arrow ft. Kim Deal by arborist Inni-K The King has Two Horse’s Ears by Inni-K The Altered Hours Silences Participant Bit Slow by Participant Elastic Sleep Slip by Elastic Sleep I Have a Tribe SlowPlaceLikeHome Best Boy Grip Sharks by BestBoyGrip

  • HWCH 2015 Line-Up Announced

    August 11, 2015 - By 

    The country’s leading bastion and celebration of homegrown, independent music, Hard Working Class Heroes has announced the line-up for the October festival. Taking across several different venues in Dublin throughout the weekend of 1-3, it looks like one of the strongest, most diverse HWCH bills yet. Check out the full line-up below and buy tickets here. 13, Acrobat, AikJ, Ailbhe Reddy, Anderson, Arborist, Atlas Moon, Bad Sea, Bagels, Basciville, Benihana, Bitch Falcon, Buffalo Sun, Buffalo Woman, Callum Orr, Carriages, Cfit, Color//Sound, Comrade Hat, Corner Boy, Darling, Dear Desert, discopunks, DVO Marvell, Elastic Sleep, Electro Sensitive Behaviour Feat. Perry Blake, Elephant, Elm, Everything Shook (below), EXPLODING EYES, Fergal O’Connor, Florence Olivier, Frankenstein Bolts, Half Of Me, Hare Squead, HAWK, Heroes in Hiding, Hot Cops, I Have A Tribe, Inni-K, Jennifer Evans, Johnny Stewart, Joni, Katie Laffan, Kobina, Lie Ins, Lilla Vargen, LORIS, Maija Sofia, Maud in Cahoots, Me Auld Flower, Mere…