From right across the island, here’s the very best Irish tracks of the week, featuring Meljoann, Malaki, Bicurious, Mano Le Tough, John Francis Flynn, JJ Bloom, Delacy and more. Meljoann – I Quit I Quit (single) by Meljoann Malaki – Head Highs Bicurious – I Can Hear Them Too Mano Le Tough – Together CARSTEN2X – Beaucoup John Francis Flynn – ‘Bring Me Home, pt. ii: I Would Not Live Always JJ Bloom – Cool Kids Oscar Blue – Backyard Mafia Delacy – Rewind
Kate Tempest and Princess Nokia are among the first names announced to play this year’s Body & Soul. Returning to Ballinlough Castle in Co. Westmeath across June 21-23, the annual Irish summer festival will also play host to The Blaze, Talos, SOAK, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Dream Wife, Modeselektor, Coely and Kiddy Smile, Santi Gold, Baikal, Monolink, The Drifer, Oshun, Mano Le Tough, Wyvern Lingo, Laoise, Tulla Céilí Band, whenyoung, The Murder Capital, Meltybrains?, Thumper, Niamh Regan, Lil’ Dave and The Clockworks. The first announcement was made in the Big Romance in Dublin this evening. Many more acts are to be announced. Tickets…
Belfast’s AVA Festival and Conference has announced the huge line-up for its fourth edition between 1 – 2 June 2018. While talks, panels and workshops will make the bulk of the first day of the festival, Friday 1 June, the Saturday will feature a huge cast of DJs sets and live performances spread across four stages. The legendary Boiler Room stage will run for two days this year while Red Bull Music Academy and Smirnoff will host two others. The line-up consists of some massive international acts such as Floorplan, Helena Hauff, Midland, Jayda G, Dennis Sulta, Hunee and Job Jobse. Not only that, but the Irish are very well represented with sets coming…
Some great photos from the Maeve label all-dayer in association with Red Bull Music Academy featuring John Talabot, The Drifter, Baikal, David Kitt and more on the Tivoli and District 8 grounds in Dublin. Photos by Francisco Michel.
Rightly calling itself Ireland’s leading electronic festival, Derry’s Celtronic has built up an extremely strong reputation over the last couple of years, having put the likes of Jon Hopkins, Ulrich Schnauss, Erol Alkan, John Talabot and Nina Kraviz. Set to take place across in various venues across the city from Wednesday, June 24 to Sunday, June 28, this year’s outing will include shows from Fort Romeau, Mano Le Tough, Clark, Derrick May, local acts The Cyclist and Space Dimension Controller. Check out the full line-up as it stands here and go here to buy tickets.
Cultural arbiters and part time energy drink company Red Bull have seen fit to spend some of their considerable savings throwing a weekend-long event in Belfast, with a huge array of talks, workshops and film screenings every day, and big name producers and DJs like The Juan MacLean, Greg Wilson and Space Dimension Controller playing every night. Friday night was set to be the biggest event on the bill, with Dubstep-pioneer-turned-Disco-peddler Skream headlining, alongside Paul Woolford under his Special Request alias, house legend Chez Damier and Belfast stalwart Jordan. I was curious to hear for myself what a Skream DJ…
Now in its ninth year, perhaps the most pleasing thing about the Choice Music Prize – the undoubted impact of ten grand in a talented act’s bank account aside – is the chance to slow the pace and take a languid gander at just how much is good about the modern Irish music scene. The annual debate on those who lost out highlights encouraging depth (see Enemies, Nanu Nanu, Axis Of and God Is An Astronaut this year), and – as smaller past winners Julie Feeney, Super Extra Bonus Party, Jape and Adrian Crowley can attest – the award does…