Irish compilation series A Litany of Failures’ inaugural weekender at the Button Factory, featuring sets by The Bonk, Oh Boland, Jamie Hyland aka Caskré, Search Results, Elaine Malone aka Mantua and Junk Drawer, and a production Q+A with Hyland, Chris Ryan, John “Spud” Murphy. Photos by Thom McDermott
As home to the likes of Just Mustard, Jinx Lennon, Elephant and The Mary Wallopers, world-beating venues including The Spirit Store and forward-pushing movers like Pizza Pizza Records, it’s safe to say Dundalk more than holds its own when it comes to representing what is setting Irish music apart in 2023. It’s a wonderfully independent spirit that runs through COLLIDE, a new, late-night series from An Táin Arts Centre and the Spirit Store. Beginning in winter 2023 and ending in spring 2024, the venues will collaborate on four downright unmissable bills featuring some TTA favourites. And how better to shine…
Off the back of the release of their second LP, Greater Than Or Equal To The Bonk, and a much-hyped Irish tour, The Bonk’s Phil Christie talks with Jack Rudden about the orbits of rhythm, language as music and what it means to improvise Photos by Sean McMahon From time to time, you will come across a band that makes you rediscover why you love music. They’ll unearth that little spark that makes you go, “Of course, this is why we listen. This feeling is why our species decided to organise sound in the first place”. Other times, a band…
It’s Bandcamp Friday once again, and it’s been yet another banner week for Irish releases. Dig into the best of them from The Bonk, Adjunct Ensemble, Chalk, Elaine Mai & MayKay, Pôt-Pôt and more The Bonk – The Blueshirt Shuffle The Blueshirt Shuffle by The Bonk Adjunct Ensemble – Sovereign Bodies/Ritual Taxonomy Chalk – Conditions Elaine Mai & MayKay – 3am Alpha Chrome Yayo – Hidden Earth Hidden Earth by Alpha Chrome Yayo Asi Nisi Masa – Cobweb Thread Daniel Luke – Shadow Dance Shadow Dance by Daniel Luke Raja Baal – I Will Never Be Cool (You Can’t Make Me)…
The Bonk have announced details of an upcoming Irish tour. Almost certainly the country’s finest genre-warping proposition, the Philip Christie-fronted project will embark on the aptly-named Tour In The Month of May, an 11-date traipse across the island, playing various venues alongside the Maija Sofia, Elaine Howley and – at Dubln’s Sugar Club on 27th May – a “mystery legend” to be revealed. Check out the full dates and info below. The tour coincides with the release of The Bonk’s highly-anticipated second album, Greater Than Or Equal To The Bonk. Set for release via boutique label thirty-three45 on 12th May,…
Danny Carroll, The Bonk and Aoife Wolf live at The American Bar in Belfast. Photos by Aislinn McGinn
Long one of our favourite acts in Ireland, The Bonk‘s modus operandi is endlessly fascinating, playful experimentation in song and improvisation, led by (former O Emperor) songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Phil Christie. Gathering influences from 60’s garage, jazz and experimental pop, the band bring recursive rhythms and improvised melodies together in minimalist song forms. Their first record, 2017’s The Bonk Seems To Be A Verb had a limited cassette run through label thirtythree-45, and was a collection of one-off live studio takes patched together from various sessions over an 18-month period. Today, we’re pleased to announce that for their second long player, the Bonk have again teamed up with the thirtythree-45 imprint…
On these shores, few creative initiatives pair careful curation with an independent spirit as focused and informed as Spilt Milk. A year on from hosting the likes of School Tour, Syn and the sadly-missed Shammen Delly, the annual festival of music, art and film returns to Sligo town across 18th-20th November for its fourth outing, and arguably its strongest line-up to date. The programme from this year’s festival comprises four events, taking place at one of the island’s finest art centres, The Model – and it’s primed to be another wonderfully palette-spanning affair featuring several TTA favourites. From 7pm on Friday, the venue will…
On this, the first Bandcamp Friday of 2022, delve into the very best Irish releases of the week, featuring Whozyerman?, The Bonk, Howlbux/Muireann Levis, Hannah Peel, Jane Deasy, No Monster Club, Wild Rocket, Laurie Shaw and more. Whozyerman? – Blink Blink by Whozyerman? The Bonk – Songs For The Mean Time Vol. 2 Songs For The Mean Time Vol. 2 by The Bonk Howlbux/Muireann Levis – Signs of Life: Part 1 Signs of Life: Part 1 by Howlbux/Muireann Levis Hannah Peel & Paraorchestra – The Unfolding Jane Deasy – Mouth of the Sound Mouth of the Sound by Jane Deasy No…
This week’s refreshingly eclectic releases include Loah’s incredible National Poetry Day release, Irish Refugee Council fundraising compilation European Endless – featuring Arvo Party, The Bonk, Fixity, Whozyerman? and more – Ghostking Is Dead, Soda Blonde, and many more. Loah – The Body to the Soul The Body to the Soul by Loah Ghostking is Dead – Biceps Biceps by Ghostking Is Dead Various Artists – European Endless European Endless: 12 by European Endless Bedrooms – Afterglow EP Afterglow by Bedrooms Ódú – Men Like Me Soda Blonde – In The Heat of the Night Small Talk by Soda Blonde Dani Larkin –…