CRADLE OF FILTH, The Limelight, Belfast, Monday; The Academy, Dublin, Tuesday.
A heavy metal focus group couldn’t have organised this gig – with Cradle of Filth sure to win all the Halloween costume awards.
The British veterans have been around since the early 90s, evolving from lo-fi black metal to OTT symphonic metal with lofty literary pretensions.
They’ve dabbled in anti-religion and Satanic imagery with an arched eyebrow just for shock value — but lead singer Dani Filth once appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, so they’ve got an unlikely crossover appeal. This could be a proper bloodthirsty Halloween alternative to crap parties with sexy vampires and banter lads in Trump masks.
ALISON MOYET, Cork Opera House, tonight; Olympia, Dublin, tomorrow; Ulster Hall, Belfast, Sunday
Of all the British 80s synthpop duos, Alison Moyet of Yazoo had the most stunning voice — sounding like she could’ve fronted a smoky blues band or big band jazz act rather than Vince Clarke tinkering behind her on analogue synths.
Her ninth solo album Other was co-written with producer and songwriter Guy Sigworth, who’s worked with Bjork, Madonna and Goldie. And while thankfully there’s no dodgy attempt at drum & bass, it’s another triumph of experimental electronic pop.
DAY OF THE DEAD, Glendalough House, Wicklow, Sunday
The folks running Day of the Dead know how to throw a bank holiday party outside of the regular festival season. They’re the same crew that have been evolving the annual BD Festival, that marked its 10th year last Easter.
Day of the Dead is a nod to the Mexican festival, and the stunning Glendalough will be overrun with installations, performance art, fine food and music, heavy on the electronic side with over 40 DJs, including Ejeca (pictured), Perc, Zombie Nation, Dax J, Klagkarussell, and weirdly, an Oasis tribute band. It’s BYOB too so double win.
Promoters say they want to attract “the madmen, the mystics, wizards, goths, gods, goddesses, and music lovers of all kinds under one collective consciousness”, so don’t just turn up with a Scream mask from Dealz.
CHALI 2NA & KRAFTY KUTS, Sugar Club, Dublin, Sunday
Jurassic 5 MC Chali 2na and DJ Krafty Kuts are taking the weekend off from their UK tour supporting UK rap kingpin Roots Manuva, for a rowdy headliner in the Sugar Club.
Chali 2na is one of hip-hop’s most distinctive MCs, with a deep bass booming delivery that sounds like it’s been fed through an effects board. His acclaimed dextrous flow will be tested by Krafty Kuts’ hyper mixing – with hip-hop, breaks and grime around any corner.
JOEY BADA$$, Olympia Theatre, Dublin Monday
At only 22, Brooklyn’s Joey Bada$$ is the youngest MC hanging onto the classic 90s East Coast boom-bap sound, while other new generation of stars are confounding the old school with autotune, ‘mumble-rap’ and ‘Migos flow’.
With his coarse delivery, clattering boom-bap beats and vinyl-crackle soul samples, he’s a direct line to Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, while his second album ALL-AMERIKKAN BADASS is an all-capitals middle finger to modern day political woes.
LONDON GRAMMAR, Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Wednesday; Waterfront Hall Auditorium, Belfast, Thursday
London Grammar’s tracks keep getting remixed by the likes of Tiga, Kolsch, Gui Boratto and Claude VonStroke, and their second album is on Ministry of Sound – but the real heart of their sound is more gentle sway than Ibiza terrace fist-pump.
The trio create minimal piano-led electronica that would seem a little bit too polite and earnest if it wasn’t for Hannah Reid’s magical voice, that sounds like it’s been captured from some parallel 60s pagan folk dimension.
Moo Kid 