THE dreaded ‘technical difficulties’ have struck and I’ve missed a deadline for calling Sven Väth. After some last minute juggling, his people find a new slot and the interview starts with my apologies. No worries […]
Gigs round-up: September 11-17
PERC, District 8, Dublin, tomorrow. It’s a bit grim waving goodbye to summer as we wash the grass stains off our festival jeans, but District 8’s autumn/winter line-up is really taking the edge of that comedown. Over […]
Bumper to Bumper: Electric Picnic 2015
IF you’re not going to Electric Picnic, your head must be wrecked with the biggest hype-machine ever for an Irish festival. And if you’re on your way to Stradbally today, there’s no harm in gloating as you […]
House is still a Feeling: Todd Terry interview
Todd Terry is one of only a handful of producers who could call a track Real House and get away with it. His 2014 release budges up next to all those classic records about house […]
Gigs round-up: August 28-September 3
SUFJAN STEVENS, The Helix, Dublin, tonight and tomorrow. Some indie bookies are already paying out on Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie and Lowell being album of the year, and he’s bringing the record to Dublin for two […]
Outside bet: Tennent’s Vital 2015
OF ALL the cities in Ireland, Belfast is really going all out for the last hurrah of the summer. Last week tens of thousands headed to the Laganside Custom House Square for the seven Belsonic gigs, […]
Gigs round-up: August 20-26
JUNGLE BROTHERS, Sugar Club, Dublin, tonight. The Jungle Brothers are in that long list of hip-hop contenders who helped plenty of others along the way. A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul got a leg […]
Dancin’ in the street: Belsonic 2015
THERE’S nothing like a street party to change the buzz in a city — especially if the party is in the city centre and goes on for over a week. OK, we’re not saying Belsonic […]
Gigs round-up: August 13-19
TWISTED PEPPER CLOSING PARTY, Twisted Pepper, Dublin, tonight-Tomorrow. If you’ve lived in Dublin any time over the last seven years, chances are you’ve stumbled upon the Twisted Pepper on a late-night caper. And if you’re […]
Gigs round-up: August 7-13
SUMMER HOOTENANNY WEEKENDER, Pacino’s, Dublin, tonight-Sunday. Pacino’s is the smallest venue claiming to be running a three-day festival, when it’s really just a glorified weekend session, one step up from a rollover in your mate’s […]
Oliver Cole: It’s a love album… like 80 per cent of albums
OLIVER Cole is telling me that his second solo album is part of his “late Beatles phase”. But before he’s accused of blasphemy on John Lennon’s ‘bigger than Jesus’ scale, he’s not pretending to walk in their […]
This turntable kills fascists: Buck 65 interview (2006)
“Anyone can talk shit and make it rhyme”, claims Buck 65 on the last line from his 1996 album, Language Arts / Part 1. You’ve heard this one before through dismissive indie-rock creationist dogma, or maybe your […]
Gigs round-up: July 31-August 6
VINCENT CROSS, Cobblestone, Dublin, Tonight Smithfield’s home of trad and folk is hosting New York-based singer-songwriter Vincent Cross, after a week or so gigging in Ireland as part of his European tour. A prodigal son of sorts, […]
Bank holiday festival round-up
BEATYARD, Dun Laoghaire, tomorrow & Sunday For years the Beatyard was an umbrella festival in Dublin city centre clubs and venues, showcasing left-field electronic and hip-hop acts and plenty of exclusives. It filled a hole left by […]
‘Go with your instinct… the brain often gets in the way’: Neneh Cherry interview
I‘ve been on the phone to Neneh Cherry for nearly an hour before realising that I haven’t brought up gold discs, Manchild or Buffalo Stance. Generally, when 80s pop stars go ‘underground’, they’re on the […]
Moo Kid 