The Commitments – Reunion Tour Announcement

  The Commitments   Jimmy Rabbitte’s merry band of chancers, The Commitments, are getting back together for a handful of live shows next year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of the best-loved Irish films of all time. Today, the original cast/members (well, most of them at least) gathered in Dublin’s Liberty Hall to announce their grand reunion. The... Read More

Hard Working Class Heroes 2010 – Preview

Nouveaunoise It’s that time of year again. The Hard Working Class Heroes festival returns for another year with a whole host of new ideas and changes that should make this a great year. One of the big changes is that this year the 3-night jamboree kicks off on Thursday night rather than Friday, meaning that there’ll be no worrying about going into work hungover on Monday... Read More

Joanna Newsom – Grand Canal Theatre

Joanna Newsom - Grand Canal Theatre Possibly the most popular harpist of our generation, the incomparable Miss Joanna Newsom, returned to Dublin on Tuesday evening for the first time since she kindly played a few tunes at a little birthday party I had in the Olympia a few years ago. Continuing her upgrade through the city’s fully-seated, tiered theatres, she was welcomed by... Read More

The Middle East – Sugar Club – Guest Review

After rambling about how brilliant The Middle East are for over a year, I couldn’t let a little problem like being 4,467 miles away stand in the way of covering their debut Irish gig. There could be no better solution than asking my favourite music blogger – Shane from The Torture Garden – to go in my place and write a guest review. Surely combining the two for... Read More

The Tallest Man on Earth – Whelan’s – Photos

The Tallest Man on Earth - Whelan's If two loved-up Tallest Man on Earth fans had conceived a child on his last visit to Whelan’s, the little baby would be due today. As a sign of what a stand-up guy he is, Kristian Matsson returned to Dublin last night to check on the potential new-born and play a few songs. I don’t think that actually happened, but here’s... Read More

Sam Amidon – Whelan’s – Photos

Samamidon - Whelan's “Lovely stuff!” – that’s what I heard someone shout out at the end of one of Leif Vollebekk‘s songs. It was delivered with the kind of aggressively supportive tone of a football fan on the terraces. It seemed strange given Vollebekk’s gentle style of music and the calm, seated arrangement in the venue. We were just walking... Read More

The Joy Formidable – Academy 2 – Photos

The Joy Formidable - Academy 2 In all my years of gigs, I’ve never worn earplugs once. I didn’t even take the ones they gave out at My Bloody Valentine‘s set at the Picnic in ’08. That’s how hardcore my ears are and/or how stupid I am. I would, however, have gladly used ear plugs on Friday night while watching The Joy Formidable tear through their short,... Read More

The Antlers – Academy – Review

The Antlers When I was small I had a teddy bear called Yogi. He didn’t look anything like his famous namesake, but I wasn’t all that creative with naming things like that. My budgie was called Budgie. Anyway, I looked after Yogi and occasionally worried about his well-being too much. Peter Silberman reminds me of my Yogi bear for several reasons. I have the same protective... Read More

Wolf Parade – Vicar Street – Photos

Wolf Parade - Vicar Street Arriving into Vicar Street after being slightly delayed I caught the prolonged final tune from support band Joensuu 1685. Apparently their previous songs were quite normal but this last one was absolutely mentalcakes©. The band hung lifelessly still while banging out a never-ending thudding beat and droning synth while the scattered crowd looked on calmly,... Read More

Cathy Davey – Olympia Theatre – Photos

Cathy Davey - Olympia The last time I saw a frontman/frontwoman start their gig behind the drum-kit was when I saw Lenny Kravitz in 2004. I think it’d be best for everyone if I just stop right there and never mention that gig again. Cathy Davey also chose to take a seat behind the kit for the first song of her gig in the Olympia last Friday. The beat she was banging out belonged... Read More