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 […]
Trouble brewing: Therapy? live in Dublin
Back in 2000, Therapy? Released So Much For the Ten Year Plan – a retrospective that tried to make sense of their contrary career path up until then. Blasting the door off its hinges in […]
Night of the Headhunter: Herbie Hancock live in Dublin
It’s fair to say no one’s really here for the new stuff. Herbie’s just back from headlining the Cork Jazz Festival where he picked up the Guinness Jazz Legend award, and that’s what the people […]
Heavy metal: DOOM live in Dublin
Doom’s doing an Axl – he’s pushing two hours late, there’s a whiff of mutiny in the air and that metal mask might have to save him from flying bottles. The Supervillain has previous in […]
Glass animal: Crystal Castles live in Dublin
Alice Glass is some force of nature. She’s writhing around the stage, Exorcist-style, strangling herself with leads as first song Fainting Spells’ gabba beats and waspy synths slice through the strobe-lit Academy. She’ll spend most […]
Set lasers to stun: Jean Michel Jarre live in Dublin
Seriously, how does Jean Michel Jarre stay looking so young? He must be zapping his wrinkles with those lasers. Or maybe it’s the exercise – he’s bounding around the O2 stage like a pixie after […]
Shaolin smoke & mirrors: Wu-Tang Clan live in London
Wu-Tang Clan are an hour late and DJ Mathematics is playing the fucking Fugees. This is some shameless shit right here, to quote Method Man’s Cheese character in the Wire. Maybe the boos are too harsh, […]
Superbia! Exit Festival in Novi Sad
It’s 7am in a 17th century Serbian fortress and Darth Vader’s behind the decks, flanked by a couple of Stormtroopers punching the air to banging techno. It’s not your average Saturday morning, but Exit’s not […]
Moo Kid 