Last night saw the airing of the first show in the second series of Community of Independents. Fronted by State’s own Danny Carroll, it featured a live acoustic performance in studio by Katie Kim, an interview and live performance captured at the Joyful Slog launch in the Button Factory by No Spill Blood, The Spook…

Today sees the release of Voices, the new EP from Cork’s Hush War Cry. Another example of why we made them one of our Faces of 2012, they celebrate with a home town show at Cyprus Avenue tomorrow night (Saturday). Listen to the whole thing below, plus check out the Feel Good Lost video for…

On first impressions, alt-J are a worryingly earnest prospect. Going by a symbol instead of a band name (∆ – the result of pressing alt and, yes, J on a Mac) and issuing enigmatic press photos is warning enough, while the fact that they came together at university another indication that we shouldn’t expect An …

“So you’re not rock ‘n’ roller and there’s nothing wrong with that”. A line, taken from the opening track of Gossip’s fifth album, that sums up their current position to a tee. When they first broke through after six years of trying they were a punk band fronted by a pop star, although the problem…

It’s hard not to be suspicious when an artist arrives on the scene with grand claims to have brought with them their own, unique genre. It all smacks a little too much of record company heads up meetings or the time when an NME journalist allegedly invented the New Wave Of New Wave for a…

Next month’s Titanic Lockdown festival in Belfast – due to feature Happy Mondays, New Order, Anna Calvi and more – has been cancelled. A statement from the promoters reads as follows:
Due to poor ticket sales in a challenging economic climate, it is with great regret and disappointment that we must announce the cancellation of…

For many of us, Norah Jones has been frozen in a moment in time since 2002. Come Away With Me… not only launched her career in spectacular fashion but cast her as a middle of the road, soft jazz singer – an American Katie Melua if you like. No matter that subsequent albums saw her

The stage times have just been released for June’s Forbidden Fruit festival, suggesting that the bill is largely in place. Highlighter pens at the ready.
Ticket details:
Day Tickets: €49:50 / Two Day Tickets: €89.50 / Weekend Tickets: €115
Ticket prices include booking fees, available from usual outlets nationwide.
Ticket Hotline; Ph 0818 719300 / …

Yesterday we brought you our run down of the 25 best acts for last weekend’s Meteor Camden Crawl Dublin, now here’s a handy video run through of some more of the festival’s high points – featuring the likes of Mystery Jets, Rubberbandits, Jape, Fionn Regan and a very happy Ghostpoet.…

Described by Rolling Stone as “about as badass as highbrow gets”, avant garde jazz trio The Bad Plus arrive in Ireland next week for a series of shows. This tour will see them presenting the multi-media show On Sacred Ground, based around Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring…, the famed ballet that caused a riot

Just over a week ago, Jimi’s Music Store in Walkinstown was robbed, with thieves making off with a large number of high end guitars and amps. The owners have issued a full list of stolen items, including serial numbers, so be on the look out for the following:
Gibson ES335 Black 2001
Gibson ES339 Light …

Friday sees the release of Highlife…, the debut album from State Face of 2012 This Club. It’s certainly an album with its sights set on the mainstream but is none the worse for it, confirming our opinion that the quartet are very much ones to watch. Get a taste of what to expect from

Due to start over the weekend, Death Grips have cancelled all future touring plans – including a show at Dublin’s Academy 2 on May 18th – to concentrate on their studio work. A brief statement from the band reads “we are dropping out to complete our next album NO LOVE. See you when it’s done.…

Shortly after winning the latest round of the Choice Music Prize, for the brilliant Ocean Of Frequency…, Richie Egan departed Ireland to start a new life in Scandinavia. He hasn’t forgotten us, though – the Jape front man, in fact, seems positively unable to stay away. With his abundant side projects still on the