Unless you’ve been clubbing in the UK or you’ve been to dance festivals in England, you probably haven’t crossed paths with house crew Eton Messy in the flesh — but there’s every chance you’ve been […]
Don’t be afraid, it’s only blood: Jenny Hval – Period Piece
“Don’t be afraid, it’s only blood,” says Norwegian artist Jenny Hval in an interlude on her new album Blood Bitch – surely the only concept album touching on menstruation and female vampires this year. The line […]
Irish gigs round-up: September 30 – August 6
Bishop Nehru, The Academy Green Room, Dublin, Tuesday A few years ago when Odd Future were gatecrashing the hip-hop scene with their snotty teen antics and splattercore fantasies, Bishop Nehru was quietly blazing his own trail. Originally dropping […]
One more festival for the road: Boxed Off’s second edition
If you’re just getting over the hangover of festival PR blitzes bombarding you with every minute detail of their weekenders, Boxed Off seems to have crept up out of nowhere. The all-day dance event at […]
Rainy day woman: Laura Ann Brady – Masterpiece
The first time I heard Laura Ann Brady she was at Dublin’s Sugar Club supporting Canadian country singer Lindi Ortega, and making the headliner seem like an afterthought. Playing solo with an autoharp, the Dublin […]
Art Groupie: For the love of Grace Jones
One of the most surreal festival moments in recent years was Grace Jones getting a horsey-back off a bouncer at Electric Picnic along the front row last year — slapping his arse for effect. And after […]
Irish gigs round-up: September 16-22
SURGEON & LADY STARLIGHT, District 8, Dublin. One of the most unlikely tag teams of recent years — this partnership was forged when Lady Gaga collaborator Lady Starlight gave a shout-out to techno pioneer Surgeon […]
Richie Egan interview: ‘People really invest in the Redneck Manifesto’
At one point in our chat, Richie Egan just says “fuck thinking”. Taken out of context it’d be some nihilistic outburst or end-of-your-tether cry for help, but it’s really a positive statement. Egan is chatting […]
Head cases: Brujeria go after Trump the only way they know how
I don’t need to go into all the reasons US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has pissed off Mexicans all through his maniacal campaign, but the rapists/drug dealers thing wasn’t a good start. So far the protests […]
Irish gigs round-up: September 9-15
PLAID, Whelan’s, Dublin, Tomorrow Electronic duo Plaid are the one act on revered label Warp Records who have never strayed off the melodic path, while keeping their experimental edge. Over 11 albums since 1991, Ed Handley […]
Geburt Einer Nation: How Laibach turned Queen’s One Vision into a totalitarian anthem (1987)
Laibach are probably Europe’s most grossly-misunderstood band, but they don’t make it easy for themselves. In an age of offence-ometers permanently in the red, there aren’t enough trigger warnings for the veteran industrialists. Laibach emerged […]
Irish gigs round-up: August 26-September 1
Pygmalion Weekender ft Prosumer + Legowelt & more, Dublin, Tonight & tomorrow. Pygmalion is going an extra few yards with bookings recently, gaining on more established techno haunts like District 8 and Opium Rooms. The […]
From the sublime to the grotesque: Scott Walker in 10 songs
Our music icons always get a few extra gravitas points for evolving with the times — but Scott Walker’s 50-year journey from romantic crooner to avant-garde pioneer is one of the most jarring story arcs […]
Gonjasufi – Callus: ‘America needs to hear this fucking record’
While 90 per cent of the internet lost their shit over the weekend to the new Frank Ocean things, another release was also howling from a different corner in black & white. Gonjasufi has just […]
Irish gigs of the week: August 19-25
LEVELZ, The Wiley Fox, Dublin, tomorrow, €16 Factmag once called Levelz Wu-Tang meets the Happy Mondays, and I’m nicking that right now. The Manchester-based crew are a loose collective of grime and hip-hop MCs, producers, musicians […]
Moo Kid 