Kate McGarrigle, one half of the folk duo The McGarrigle sisters and mother to Rufus and Matha Wainwright has died at the age of 63. After three and a half years, McGarrigle lost her battle to the rare form of cancer Sarcoma, earlier today in Montreal. Despite being described as “gravely ill” in recent…

Wolfmother would have been forgiven for skipping this Dublin date. Sales of their latest release Cosmic Egg have been poor in Ireland (it lasted only one week in the top 100 after entering at a lowly 55th). But rather than fall victim to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ like many before them in similar situations, Stockdale and…

The Hot Rats have been several years in the making. After bassist Mick Quinn’s sudden, serious and frankly bizarre injury prior to the release of 2008’s Diamond Hoo Ha Man, Supergrass duo Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey quickly relabelled themselves The Diamond Hoo Ha Men and continued on their merry way. They toured in…

Arriving just as surprise guest Natalie Imbruglia wraps it up (Yes, she played ‘Torn’), State makes a beeline for the bar secures a pint just in time before raising it “TO ARTHUR” at 17:59. As we drink, we notice The Academy has been transformed for the night. Camera crews and their equipment have severely…

It’s difficult to cover a Beatles’ song well. Wet Wet Wet’s ‘Yesterday’, No Doubt’s ‘Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da’ and Aerosmith’s ‘Come Together’ are some of the worst aural experiences you are ever likely to encounter. Similarly, anyone who witnessed (endured) Julie Taymor’s Across the Universe musical can attest that it’s probably that Beatles songs are best…

“WE. WANT. DUH-FUNK,” a very near capacity crowd holler at George Clinton’s all-star band as the man himself receives a massage off the most beautiful woman in the room to the side of the stage. He smiles broadly and lifts his shades to examine the crowd. He is not present for the set starter,…

When Taking Back Sunday take to the stage the Academy erupts and the front row, composed entirely of young teenage girls, scream and quiver in unison. However it is only when singer Adam Lazzara appears that things get a little bit too hectic for comfort; he smiles broadly at that front row as he…

Despite their Vampire like appearance, the Misfits Irish audience are an orderly bunch, turning up bright and early to queue in an orderly fashion hours before the show. Beards, black leather, piercings and unusual hairstyles were the order of the day for the relatively young crowd (many of whom wouldn’t have been twinkles in…