We suspect that by the time you read this, Idlewild may be no more. Having announced an indefinite hiatus due to demand for their music being -far less than in the past, especially outside of Britain’ and their current 40-date tour being -more than enough shows for some time’, the cult Scottish stars Academy gig…

Tonight, The Olympia is the home of contrast. The ornate balustrades are dripping with the sweat of bouncing, spiky haired punks and incessant stage divers. The theatrical backdrop features faux stain glass windows and a silhouetted, almost symbolic bagpipe player, while front centre is dominated by marauding punk rockers leaping about like this is their…

Joan Armatrading’s one of those slow-building legends. Having grown up with a guitar in her hands in industrial Birmingham, the soulful blues-rock singer went on not only to make a series of popular albums, but also to play a prominent role in women’s rights and refugee activism along the way. At the age of 59,…

On the way up – when the duo were making their name through blogosphere hype, and living off the profits of secretly bootlegged recording sessions – Crystal Castles excelled through being different. Blending a body-swerving, fist-throwing brand of electronica with sporadic bouts of glow-stick flicking, nu-rave fuelled intensity. II… (yes, we know, cringe) is nothing

For Redneck Manifesto fans – who until recently have had to make do with Richie Egan (a.k.a Jape)’s not insubstantial solo efforts for sustenance – their return to the limelight with fourth album Friendship, their first since 2006′s local smash I Am Brazil…, is a long awaited breath of fresh air. Many thought

Mystery Jets found their musical niche around the same time as Arctic Monkeys fever struck, and half the world seemed to be singing about how good our old-school dance moves look. They flittered onto the scene with hits like staccato anthem -You Can’t Fool Me Dennis’, an act that charmed with their quirky indie rock…

Where do you even start with describing Nice Nice? The only coherent themes throughout Extra Wow… are an impressive pace (particularly for a record that’s liable to put you in a bit of a trance) and shouty, incoherent vocals. The beats are strikingly repetitive, bordering on head-melting, and at times go right through you –

Wow, Fun Lovin’ Criminals have some following. When the enigmatic three-piece step on stage, the atmosphere inside the Academy is not dissimilar to the rap battle scenes from Eminem’s 8 Mile… (though perhaps a tad older and more middle class), with those down the front slinging their arms at the stage and whooping as every

Wallis Bird is one of an increasingly rare breed of singers. The Wexford lass is the type who builds a name for herself through incessant touring, wins support though word of mouth more than online hype and slowly acquires a dedicated fan base who – in some cases at least – seem to trail along…

There can’t have been many albums as hyped as this one on the Irish music scene in a very, very long time. The Redneck Manifesto‘s preview tracks succeeded in crashing both Nialler9, Thumped.com and even the Irish Times music section in the build up to Friendship…‘s release, and – having had to wait six

Cork’s always been an individualistic corner of Ireland, and it’s that sense of isolation, blended with a touch of local genius and an ever-impressive music scene that’s the focus of this encyclopedic yet eminently readable scene summary from Mark McAvoy. Inevitably, there’s a hefty early focus on Rory Gallagher (who’s given an almost biographical going…

Much like the staff here at State, Seb Hunter loves music, and he loves to write. He also loves a challenge, and lives his life in a state of perpetual indie love-in, playing in two different bands and listening to the latest pretty little things. Or, for two years, listening to only classical music (almost),…

The beer taps have been draped in black covers and the spirits bottles replaced with overpriced candy, while the back end of The Academy is populated entirely by middle-aged folk sighing, giggling amongst themselves and yawning profusely. At the front, meanwhile, semi gender-segregated dancing is punctuated by random, ear-threatening screaming. Yes, State feels every bit…

Having formed from the remnants of a number of defunct local bands, Sleep Thieves first caught State’s attention supporting Midori Hirano in early 2009, a gig the band had the initiative to set up themselves by reaching out to Hirano’s management. It was a move typical of the Dubliners, who have been working their way…