From the Amazon rainforest to a thousand miles of tropical beaches; the metropolis of São Paulo; Pele, Socrates, Josimar; Rio-bloody-de-Janeiro — and to think I grew up never really being that bothered about Brazil. There […]
All Together Now elbows its way into festival season
It takes some nerve to start up a new festival in Ireland these days, but even with all the moans of over-saturation, there’s still room for one more if it’s done right. All Together Now […]
Beatyard is the easy way out this bank holiday weekend
When it comes to the August bank holiday weekend it really is a punter’s market, with almost too much choice, and Beatyard up against veteran festivals like Castlepalooza and Indiependence, and the new venture All […]
All the right noises: July 2018 in 21 tracks
Shitposting black metal to punch Nazis to, acid techno, ramshackle punk, space disco, bedroom pop, mechanised grime R&B, and some ambient drones to make it all better. The soundtrack of July 2018… 1. Khalab – […]
Novi Sad’s EXIT strategy
Most festivals in Ireland or the UK boast about their wonderful setting, usually in the grounds of some stately home that’s fenced off from the session ruffians. It probably makes sense – protecting against the elements, […]
Interview: Dave Clarke and the art of never selling out
Near the end of my half-hour chat with Dave Clarke, he says he’s most proud of not selling out at any point, even if he “didn’t have a personal life for 30 years”. He’s talking […]
Caribou lead the Irish gigs highlighter
Caribou, Festival Big Top, Galway, tomorrow There was a time a few years ago when Caribou were going down the Nile Rodgers over-saturation route, playing every festival on the circuit while still admittedly being pretty […]
Bryan Ferry beyond the white tuxedo
When I told a mate during the week I was going to see Bryan Ferry he responded with a simple: “Jesus lad,” and an emoji somewhere between sad and bewilderment. He followed it up with: […]
Can’t get No Sleep: Going the extra mile at Exit Festival in Serbia
It’s lunchtime in a sweltering Belgrade airport and Nina Kraviz glides past me and joins the queue, as if she hasn’t just banged out techno to thousands of diehards in the moat of a Serbian […]
Burning Inside: Al Jourgensen and the black heart of Ministry
Ministry is the band that just won’t die. For starters, ringleader Al Jourgensen has bounced back from being declared dead three times from drug overdoses, and he starts his sick fuck memoir The Lost Gospels […]
Ladies and gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones
“I smell something burning… are you on fire?!” Grace Jones’ intro at Exit Festival in Serbia last weekend was less stage banter, more a strict command from the fiercest woman in pop history. The short […]
Here’s your top 10 Longitude acts for this weekend
One of the funniest Twitter rage storms of the year was the huffing over the Longitude line-up — with the ‘real music’ brigade moaning that there were no proper bands on the bill. These lads […]
Paul Simon’s Homeward Bound for good
Paul Simon’s latest tour hammers the point home that this really is the last time. If he’d just called it the Homeward Bound tour we’d get it, but Homeward Bound: The Farewell Tour spells out […]
Kraftwerk still charging their batteries
The Live at the Marquee series has brought many acts to Cork over the years, but none as important as Kraftwerk. The German electric pioneers could well be the most influential act of all time […]
At the Drive-in lead the Irish gigs highlighter
At The Drive-In Vicar Street, Dublin, Tuesday, €47 At The Drive-In are now over two years into their reunion tour, and it never ruined their legacy after all. When the El Paso post-hardcore act split […]
Moo Kid 