Live Review
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Dublin
It’s the second gig in Dublin in less than six months for Noel Gallagher‘s High Flying Birds, this time in a sold-out O2 Arena after they made their live debut at the Olympia Theatre. Safely back in the big league again, the risk free approach he’s taking this time round seems to suggest that...READ »
Rodrigo Y Gabriela & Wallis Bird – Dublin
You rarely come across a character as charmingly happy-go-lucky as Wallis Bird. Having risen from de facto headliner of many an open mic session at The Mezz, the hippie purveyor of loveable pop ditties and wonderfully rock out moments is a larger-than-life character. With a third full-length in These Mistakes Are Intentional… just around...READ »
Ham Sandwich – Dublin
Middle Abbey Street isn’t always the natural home for the Dublin music scene (that location lies across town somewhere along Wexford Street), but tonight most gig goers seemed to have decamped to the northside. They’re joined by a number of touts who can sniff some potential business as the two Irish acts have sold...READ »
Nightbox – Dublin
For a young band who play dance-rock tunes that conjure up energy and summer love, what better audience than an excited underage crowd? Nightbox have all cards in their hands tonight, opening for Canadian emo-electro-pop artist Lights, in the warm and cosy basement of the Academy 2. They don’t beat around the bush: the...READ »
tUnE-yArDs – Dublin
Merrill Garbus, the woman who is for all intents and purposes tUnE-yArDs, stands alone centre stage, flanked by a floor tom and a snare with two microphones and a pedal board in front of her and begins to build a sound collage with her extraordinary voice, over a looped drum figure. Like a lost...READ »
Azealia Banks – Dublin
Up, down. In, out. A trial by Twitter can see a career soar, crash, then burn before a single is released or live show played; a rising star can burn white hot only to be quenched without becoming a household name. The ascent of Azealia Banks would appear to be on such a trajectory...READ »
Cathy Davey – Dublin
It’s been 18 months since Cathy Davey has graced a Dublin venue with her presence, and tonight marks the beginning of a three date residency at Whelan’s. One of the forthcoming shows is to be a reprise of Davey’s 2008 Fringe Festival show Songs That Scare Children…, the other a celebration of her...READ »
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Galway
The long gestation period between their last two albums sparked rumours that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, once a blogosphere phenomenon, were en route to splitting up. Hysterical was considered a return to form after the sometimes faltering Some Loud Thunder… and a barn-storming set a last year’s Electric Picnic seemed to cast away...READ »
The Cast Of Cheers – London
The young and beautiful of London town are gathered in to see a four band bill of the up and the coming. Recent blog exposure means the bulk of the crowd at the Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen are here for hotly tipped Theme Park but State is more interested in the return of...READ »
First Fortnight: Le Galaxie, Royseven, Cashier No.9 & dRea – Dublin
Now in its third year, First Fortnight doesn’t need us to tell you how well thought out it is. Of all the oft-forgotten yet important social taboos to target, mental health is clearly still more essential during an economic near-apocalypse. Setting up in early January, a time that’s notoriously gig deficient, was a stroke...READ »
Glen Campbell: The Goodbye Tour – New York
Director Bob Fosse gave his cinematic alter ego, the womanizing, amphetamine-popping Joe Gideon, a splashy showbiz send-off in the1979 semi-autobiographical film All That Jazz…, staging a musical finale that enabled Gideon to bid farewell to everyone in his life before meeting Death, in the comely form of Jessica Lange. There is a slight...READ »
Duran Duran – Dublin
Do you remember the eighties, asks Nick Rhodes. It’s pretty clear given the age profile of the crowd here, that everyone does. Duran Duran would have been important to many of us here, many years ago, as important as Top of the Pops was, and roller discos and emigration and all that stuff that...READ »
Michael Kiwanuka – New York
It’s been one hell of a month for Michael Kiwanuka. The full-throttle gallop of the North London songwriter’s ascent in just about nine months, from unknown session-guitarist-posting-songs-on-MySpace to one of the most praised, new British artists since Adele (who tapped Kiwanuka to tour with her this spring before he even released his first EP)...READ »
David Kitt plays The Big Romance – Dublin
Anniversary shows are always going to be a little strange. Dedicating a night to one particular album takes a bit of guts or naivety or blind self-confidence to pull off. You need an album that is somewhat forgotten but is fondly remembered, resonating still with those who loved it once. You need songs that...READ »
