Having recently been in the studio recording new material, Belfast five-piece R51 will release a blitzing new single, ‘Heavy Friends’ and a b-side titled ‘Vitamin C’ on May 23. A song “about the realisation that all your friends are depressed weirdos”, it’s another starry-eyed – almost celebratory – blast of gaze-drenched alt-pop from the band. Accompanied by a DIY video (which has become something of a forte for the band), check out our premiere of the single and its artwork below.
That steamrolling wall of sound which smashes through the mix and opens R51’s No Chill EP is a pretty undeniable statement of intent: the Belfast five-piece is bringing their already exceptionally high game to a new tier. Expanding on the palette set out on last year’s the group delve deeper into shoegaze territory, as the emphasis on this outing is focused on the swirls of textured guitars and soaring vocals. It’s noisy and chaotic, yet intricate and finely honed. ‘Elephant’, the EP’s first song, is a clear testament to this as the seismic opening contrasts with Melyssa Shannon’s delicate, yet…
R51 are amongst the hardest working bands on the island right now; they’re taking this seriously. Falling broadly into a nu-gaze sound without ever losing sight of their carefully crafted & thoughtful pop sensibility, they’re a five piece with all the right components. In the studio, they’re all about pop perfection and live, it’s a padded mallet of sound. They’re led by the power coupling of frontwoman Mel Shannon’s soaring vocals – also band photographer & craftsperson – and lyricist & guitar wizard Jonny Woods – who records & produces everything in their studio – with the punk edge coming from…
Growing stronger each year, there’s a pretence-dodging spirit about Stendhal Festival of Art that always puts creating experiences worth remembering firmly centre-stage. Tucked away in the beautiful, barley-bordered Ballymully Cottage Farm – a heart-skippingly scenic hideaway on the outskirts of Limavady – organisers have lovingly honed the many magical elements that collide to make it Northern Ireland’s most unmissable summer festival. Priding itself as much on its intimate rural setting as it does its family-friendly atmosphere – which is unparalleled – the many hidden corners of enchantment that hem the festival’s two large areas of stages, stalls and curious spaces ensures no creative stone feels left unturned. “We’re a punk band.…
Spectrum Festival kicked off in Mandela Hall over the weekend with live performances from R51, Hot Cops, Echo Raptors, Joshua Burnside, New Ancestors, Loris, In An Instant and The Emerald Armada. Photos by Sara Marsden.
Dutch Uncles live at the Limelight in Belfast with support from R51. Photos by Sara Marsden.
Belfast-based quintet R51 have come on leaps and bounds over the last couple of years. Having cultivated a perfectly pulverizing live show and an effects-laden, shoegaze-tinged noise-pop craft that continues to surprise and intrigue, the Melyssa Shannon-fronted quartet will launch their debut EP, Pillow Talk, at Belfast’s Bar Sub on Wednesday night (April 25). In his review of the EP for the Thin Air, Will Murphy said, “Each one of the songs has something to recommend, be it the Sigur Ros vibe permeating throughout the EP closer, ‘Seaweed’, the spaced out verses on ‘I Hate That Too’ or the monstrously huge chorus on ‘Pillow…
Belfast’s R51 latest EP, Pillow Talk, has got powerful weapons hidden in it’s arsenal. The release is awash with lush guitars, brutal riffs and a genuine excitement. The influence of the Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine is evident throughout. However, rather than parroting what those bands have done, the band seem intent on mixing these sources with their own voice to create something refreshing. Centrally though, the band seem intent on straddling that fine line between artistic and accessible and while they may not always be successful in that goal, they still knock it out of the park…
Following on from our recent live session with Jape, our latest audio-visual snoop falls at Belfast-based alt/gaze-pop five-piece R51. Featuring the band in conversation, as well a performance of the pummelling ‘I Hate That Too’, the session was filmed and edited by Colm Laverty, with sound by Stevie Lennox and Michael Hanvey R51 release their forthcoming EP, Pillow Talk, on March 25. Make sure to check back for our premiere of the release and watch the live session below.