• Gigs of the week: Robyn G Shiels, Croupier, The Dudley Corporation

    May 27, 2014 - By 

    For some reason or other, this time of year is always heavy on the album and EP launch front. In Belfast, Derry, Dublin and Cork and throughout Ireland there’s a whole list of highly-anticipated releases from every shade and style of act. With that in mind, we look forward to the next week with one particularly long-awaited release topping our list of must-see shows… Robyn G Shiels, Jonny Black – Black Box, Belfast (Saturday, May 31) Having been something of an incubatory state from the last six years, the second studio album by Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels (pictured) will be finally released…

  • In Photos: Record Store Day 2014

    April 23, 2014 - By 

    Almost certainly the busiest Record Store Day to date, Saturday past (April 19) saw queues of varying lengths form at the crack dawn outside record stores across the world, thus kickstarting a whole day of celebrating independent music, one-off releases and – perhaps most importantly – record stores themselves. Whilst Paul Weller has since said he won’t be participating again due to seeing his RSD release selling for extortionate prices online, other musicians such as Jack White got right on board, recording, cutting and selling a seven-inch single, ‘Lazaretto’, in just under four hours – something he claims is a world…

  • Robyn G Shiels Album Artwork Revealed

    January 27, 2014 - By 

    Set for a late Spring release via No Dancing, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels has given us an exclusive first-look at the artwork for his second studio album, The Blood of the Innocents. Created by Edinburgh-based designer Ciara Dunne, the artwork (above) echoes the dark and malevolent visual accompaniment to Shiels’ recent video for the exceptional ‘Underneath The Night of Stars’, the lead track from the EP of the same name, released in May last year. Watch the video to that here or stream the single below. Robyn G Shiels is amongst a whole list of Irish acts play the Derry music…

  • The Thin Air’s Top 100 Irish Tracks of 2013 (35-1)

    December 30, 2013 - By 

    Sixty-five increasingly exceptional songs in, we’re pleased to round up our first ever countdown of the Top 100 Irish Tracks of the year. Truth be told, this list could have been much, much longesear – such was the extent and quality of the output from our homegrown musical talent over the last twelve months. From unassuming bedroom artists treading the often very thin line between absolute anonymity and mass recognition to genre-defining, decades-spanning bands that fall comfortably under “legendary” status, we’ve been very happily bombarded with some truly extraordinary Irish music over the last year. Until next time… listen, enjoy…

  • Eleven Must-See Shows in Belfast This Christmas

    December 3, 2013 - By 

    Whilst we haven’t exactly been neglected of great shows of every conceivable kind all throughout 2013, there’s something about the Christmas period that somehow brings together some of the most downright irresistible line-ups of homegrown (and occasional international) musical talent. This year is no different, both across Belfast and much further afield. That said, keeping our eyes (and ears) firmly fixed upon the aforementioned hub of seismic musical happening, we present to you our eleven “must-see” shows in Belfast this festive period.  Radar: Feet for Wings – Speakeasy, Thursday, December 19 Radar at Belfast’s QUBSU Speakeasy has delivered for some…

  • Exclusive video: Robyn G Shiels – Underneath the Night of Stars

    November 8, 2013 - By 

    Huge fans of his work, we have an exclusive first look at the new video for the stellar ‘Underneath the Night of Stars’ by Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels. Directed by LUMO, the animated video, with its initially wistful but eventually rather dark culmination, serves as a perfect accompaniment to the song, the title track taken from Shiels’ most recent EP. Stream Underneath the Night of Stars here. Check out our review of the EP here. Watch the video for ‘Underneath the Night fo Stars’ below.

  • Watch: Robyn G Shiels – EP Launch

    June 13, 2013 - By 

    Filmed by none other than Therapy? bassist Michael “The Evil Priest” McKeegan and edited by Tristan Crowe, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels has unveiled videos documenting his recent EP launch. Performed in the totally unique live setting that is the Belfast Barge, Shiels launched his wonderful Underneath The Night of Stars EP following a set by fast-rising, Belfast-based band Arborist. Read our review of Shiels’ EP here. In the meantime, have a peek at the aforementioned videos below! ‘A Man To Your Wife’   ‘When We Were Brothers’   ‘If Now Is An Echo’

  • Robyn G Shiels – Underneath The Night of Stars EP

    May 21, 2013 - By 

    Almost locally renown for “taking his time” between releases, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels is equally – ever increasingly – justified in biding his time as a consummate, altogether important artist. As the very best wine cannot possibly stem from a rushed harvest, similarly Shiels possesses an instinctive knack for seeing the brilliant fruits of his labour (experience, regret and alleviation) arrive in their destined condition at the most appropriate time. Little over a quarter of an hour in length, his new EP, Underneath The Night of Stars, is Shiels’ present-day distillation of this fact. Emerging quietly via a slowly…

  • Robyn G Shiels releases new EP

    May 20, 2013 - By 

    Belfast-based, Kilrea-born singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels has released his new EP, Under The Night Of Stars. Recorded and produced by Ben McAuley at Start Together Studio, Belfast, the album features a full band including McAuley on “guitars, drums, etc.” and original Therapy? drummer Fyfe Ewing on track number three of five, ‘If Now Is An Echo’. Cover artwork for the EP was created by artist Hanita Dadswell and photographer Ronan O’Donell: Shiels will officially release the EP at Belfast’s Barge this Friday, May 24. Purchase the EP (and stream ‘If Now is an Echo’ via Bandcamp) below.