• Lavery’s Set For Tall Ships Event

    June 23, 2015 - By 

    With Belfast set for the return of the Tall Ships at the Belfast Maritime Festival from July 2-5, Lavery’s have announced that they will host some of the North’s best live acts on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday at their Continental Market-style beer tent on the Odyssey Arena’s front lawn. With the full timetable to be announced, Runaway Go will play on Thursday, indie pop quartet Go Wolf (pictured )will play on Friday and Wonder Villains will play on Saturday. Elsewhere, Stevie Scullion & co. AKA Malojian, Stephen Macartney and Rachel Coulter, New Ancestors and Chris Wilson, The Salt Flats, Loris, Michael Mormecha and…

  • AAA: Ed Zealous Farewell Show @ Voodoo, Belfast

    February 10, 2015 - By 

    Featuring support from A Bad Cavalier and the Wonder Villains, Belfast-based quartet Ed Zealous bowed out in fine fashion at their sold-out farewell show at Belfast’s Voodoo on Saturday night. Our photographer Joe Laverty was there to capture the band’s (decidedly sweaty and cathartic) swansong.

  • Shortlist revealed for Northern Irish Music Prize 2014

    September 29, 2014 - By 

    With Bangor singer-songwriter Foy Vance having scooped the inaugural award last year, the twelve-act shortlist for this year’s Northern Irish Music Prize has been revealed. Recognising the very best albums released in the last twelve months by a Northern Irish act, this year’s ceremony will see Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels (above), alt-rock heroes Mojo Fury, the Smalltown America-signed More Than Conquerors, Derry indie-pop quartet Wonder Villains, transatlantic indie-rap duo Malibu Shark Attack, singer-songwriter Tony Wright AKA VerseChorusVerse, electro-pop band Ed Zealous, Nathan Connolly’s Little Matador, singer-songwriter duo Sullivan and Gold, Dungannon folk songstress Alana Henderson, Belfast doom masters Slomatics and multi-instrumentalist Peter McCauley AKA Rams Pocket Radio vie for prize. The shortlist was compiled…

  • Stendhal Festival of Art 2014

    August 10, 2014 - By 

    Make no bones about it: the Glasgowbury-shaped hole in the Northern Irish summer festival calendar is indeed a sizable one. But as is equally apparent to those of us in eager search of its successor, it’s all very much a case of one door closes, another door opens. Teetering right on the precipice of ascending to the enviable rank of Northern Ireland’s singular unmissable two-day music and arts festival, Stendhal Festival of Art, with its glorious rural expanse and wonderfully kaleidoscopic eclecticism, is set to do just that this weekend. Here’s how things went down. Held on the barley-bordered fields of Ballymully Farm…

  • Festival Mixtape: Stendhal Festival of Art

    August 4, 2014 - By 

    Headlined by Derry punk pioneers The Undertones and Scottish indie-rock quartet Frightened Rabbit (above), Stendhal Festival of Art returns to the wonderfully scenic Roe Valley this weekend for two days of music, art, theatre, comedy and poetry. With tickets still available to purchase via the official website here, we’ve compiled a ten-track playlist featuring some our must-see acts to catch at the festival – everyone from Malojian and Go Wolf to Making Monsters and Ciaran Lavery.

  • Festival Mixtape: Forfey Festival

    July 30, 2014 - By 

    Taking place across the weekend of August 1-3, the wonderfully intimate and unaffected Forfey Festival returns to Forfey Farm near Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh with easily one of its strongest line-ups to date. As is its custom, homegrown folk and acoustic acts make up the majority of this year’s line-up, but there is also a wide range of electronic and rock artists – everyone from Hornets to Affleck – performing across the festival’s three days. Go here to buy tickets for the festival and check out our ten-track Festival Mixtape – including the likes of More Than Conquerors, Ciaran Lavery and Go Wolf (pictured) – below.

  • Forfey Festival

    July 7, 2014 - By 

    Taking place across the weekend of August 1-3, the wonderfully intimate and unaffected Forfey Festival returns to Forfey Farm near Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh with one of its strongest line-ups to date. As ever, homegrown folk and acoustic acts make up the majority of this year’s line-up, but there is also a wide range of electronic and rock artists – everyone from Hornets to Affleck – performing across the festival’s three days. With more acts still to be announced, the current line-up is: Callum Stewart, Beulah Kim, Wonder Villains, Travis Is A Tourist, The Emerald Armada, Skeletons, Rupture Dogs, RAMS’ Pocket Radio, More Than…

  • Watch: The Wonder Villains – Zola

    June 23, 2014 - By 

    Featuring Italian footballing legend Gianfranco Zola himself (actually), Derry pop quartet the Wonder Villains have unveiled the video for the typically starry-eyed new single, ‘Zola’. Filmed in London, the video was produced by Bradley Quinn and directed by Robin Morgan of Little Giant Films. The track is taken from the band’s debut album, Rocky, released via No Dancing/Third Bar. Watch the video below.  

  • Watch: Wonder Villains – Marshall

    February 19, 2014 - By 

    Taken from their forthcoming debut album, Belfast-based pop four-piece the Wonder Villains have released the typically starry-eyed video for their new single, ‘Marshall’. Shot at legendary Portrush amusement complex, Barry’s, the video was directed by Little Giant Films‘ Robin Morgan and a small team of producers and assistant directors. Wonder Villain’s debut full-length offering, Rocky – named after one of the band’s managers, producer Rocky O’Reilly – will be released via No Dancing/Third Bar on March 24. Watch the video for ‘Marshall’ below.

  • Several Irish Acts Set For SXSW 2014

    January 10, 2014 - By 

    Several Irish acts have been confirmed to play this year’s South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The annual U.S. showcase – now in its 28th year – will feature performances from Unknwn (above), Wonder Villains, RAMS’ Pocket Radio, Foy Vance, and from the south, September Girls, Heathers, Hozier, DOTT, O Emperor, Wounds, The Strypes, The Young Folk and Nightbox. Inaugurated in 1987, South by Southwest 2014 will run from March 11-16 and feature thousands of acts from across the world.