Most of your plans evaporate at festivals. The so-called ‘early’ night on Thursday turns into a wake-up call on Friday morning with my face stuck to a plastic bag in the corner of a mate’s […]
Settling in: Bestival 2011, Thursday
Bestival arrives at a funny old time – a few days after the Electric Picnic we’re still finding bruises, chasing lost sleep and scraping muck off our boots, while packing for the last big hurrah […]
Kill ’em all: Odd Future live in Dublin
This midweek gig sure does feel like a school night – if you couldn’t find a ticket for the sold-out show on toutless.ie, you could’ve just haggled with all the under-age Odd Future fans who couldn’t […]
Vulgar display of power: Watch the Throne
Less than two minutes into Watch the Throne, Jay-Z has already name-dropped God, priests, kings, Plato and Socrates, and put himself and Kanye on a par with Jesus and the Holy Ghost. Stick the two […]
Eye of the Storm: Neurosis live in Dublin
You know that bullshit about Eskimos having 100 different words for snow? You’d need more than 100 ‘heavy’ synonyms to get to the black heart of a Neurosis gig. Thesaurus.com won’t cut it. ‘Filth’ needs a […]
Verbal gonorrhoea: The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales
“You’re about to be ear-fucked,” warns Chilly Gonzales on his latest project – an all-orchestral rap album. He reckons it’s the world’s first and a quick Google search suggests he’s probably right, so we’ll run […]
Forming like Voltron: Wu-Tang Clan live in Dublin
Strange things are happening in Tripod – it’s 9.30pm and it looks like the Wu-Tang Clan might arrive on time. OK, so it’s been billed as “9pm sharp”, but this is as close as you’ll […]
Primavera 2011: Battles, Odd Future
Battles (Ray Ban Stage, Friday) If you’re going to Forbidden Fruit this weekend, don’t expect Battles to play ‘the hits’. Since last weekend, Primavera punters have been raving about how “brave” Battles were on […]
Primavera round-up: Einstürzende Neubauten, Swans
Einstürzende Neubauten (Ray Ban Stage, Saturday) On paper, Einstürzende Neubauten really do have the least desirable slot of the whole weekend. A certain team in blue and maroon are doing a job on Manchester United […]
Primavera round-up: The National, Pulp
The National (Llevant Stage, Friday) We’re already on annoying namedrop terms with The National by the time Friday comes round, after sweet-talking ourselves into a party on Wednesday at the Hotel ME, where they were […]
Primavera round-up: PiL, Grinderman, Suicide, Salem
Public Image Limited (Llevant Stage, Thursday) John Lydon’s not impressed with the passive crowd: “Fuck sake this is PiL man, we are your only friends in the music industry.” This finally gets a cheer, he […]
One-man Clan: Raekwon live in Dublin
Raekwon couldn’t have picked a better time to bring the Wu-Tang Ruckus. It’s the night before Paddy’s Day, everyone’s on a booze blitz and scowly empty-handed touts are outside the Button Factory trying to score […]
Release the Pressure: Leftfield live in Dublin
The sweat’s dripping off the Tripod walls but MC Djum Djum is bringing Big Freeze chic indoors – bouncing around the stage in a puffy parka jacket. It’s a half an hour in and his […]
Look to the Sea: Melodica Deathship – Doom Your Cities, Doom Your Towns
“We have truly embraced the darkness and the chaos of the seas,” hails MC Exile Eye halfway through Melodica Deathship’s voyage into deepest, darkest hip-hop waters. It’s fair to say the Dublin-based crew are in […]
Key figure: Chilly Gonzales live in Dublin
Shuffling on stage in a manky checked dressing gown, fluffy slippers, straggly hair and three-day stubble, Chilly Gonzales has that spaced-out aura of a man who’s just rolled out of bed to watch Jeremy Kyle […]
Moo Kid 