Keeping their association with the Canadian music scene, the new video from Fred is the product of Toronto based animator Leo Kavanagh – who gives the track ‘Somewhere Else’ from their fine Leaving My Empire… album a festive visual feel. The band play Triskel Christchurch, Cork on 22nd December and Mixtape NYE, Vicar Street on

This Saturday night will see the mighty Popical Island host their Christmas party at Crawdaddy and, to add to the incentive of Land Lovers, Hello Moon and Grand Pocket Orchestra playing live, you’ll also be able to pick up a copy of Ding Dongs Merrily Get High…. Featuring seven of the label’s acts, plus

With little x’s for eyes, Come On Live Long and The Pacifics already on the bill, we’re delighted to announce that Bitches With Wolves and Kool Thing are also set to join us at The Mercantile on December 23rd. BWW you will already know, while Kool Thing are an Irish duo based in Berlin. They…

Portland band Lovers first met in 2002 after a near fatal van explosion brought the three members together. It took a few years for them to actually get round to forming a band but since then they’ve made up for lost time, especially with their debut album Dark Light…. The band play Upstairs at

Of all the Christmas shows coming up over the next few weeks, none perhaps whets the appetite as much as tonight’s Bitches With Wolves gig at the Sugar Club in Dublin. State spoke to James O’Neill about his career past, present and future….
We first featured you in our Faces of 2010 feature, have the …

Having featured the likes of We Cut Corners, The Ambience Affair and O Emperor over the past two years, Cork promoters’ A Certain Three Tour is fast becoming a mark of quality for new Irish music. This year’s bill is to feature Katie Kim, The Lost Brothers and Puzzle Muteson (pictured).
January / February dates…

New York trio School Of Seven Bells release their third album Ghostory in February next year, the follow up to the well received Disconnect From Desire…. The band have released a lead track ‘The Night’ for free download, with their trademark combination of vocal harmonies and swirling guitars still very much in evidence.
School

Delorentos return to electric action in the new year with the release of their third album and a set of full band live dates following their recent acoustic shows. Little Sparks…, released on January 27th, contains twelve tracks and was recorded with Mercury Music Prize Award Winner Rob Kirwan (PJ Harvey).
The band play

As Darryl Keating pointed out in his album review, the Rubberbandits have covered all the bases with their new album Serious About Men… – from comedy to prank calls and some pretty good tunes along the way. Now State readers can find out for themselves by winning one of five copies of the double album.

The most carefully regarded of all the new acts lists, the BBC Sound poll rather put a foot wrong this year when it nominated the godawful Jessie J as the artist to watch on 2011. The longlist for 2012 has just been announced and is already attracting a fair degree of attention:
A$AP Rocky
Azealia…

Set to be one of the most talked about artists in the annual scrabble to predict the next big thing (expect to see her near the top of the BBC Sound of 2012 poll), Lana Del Rey releases her debut album Born To Die… on January 28th, with the title track emerging as a single

Tonight sees the Irish debut from Bachelorette, the US based New Zealander who has just released her third album. Playing upstairs at Whelan’s with support from Trophy Boyfriend, her live show consists of a ‘band’ of 3 old CRT monitors, borrowed from acquaintances or picked up from recycling stations and thrift stores in each town.…

Christmas has come early for fans of the hugely influential Fugazi, with the launch of their Live Series. Taken from over 800 shows recorded around the world by the band’s sound engineers, the site launches today with the first 130. In keeping with their constant ethos, the suggested price for each download is a mere…

With the first show at the RDS selling out immediately, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will now also play at the outdoor venue on July 18th. Tickets priced €96 and €86 are on sale now.…