125 Entries
Dandelion Tea return on their newest EP, remaining as elusive as ever. A band known for actively avoiding genre specifications like the plague, their newest releases can go from artsy pop to indie rock to gritty and dark in the…
Oddly, I was glad for the rain. ‘Chasing Cars’ wouldn’t have sounded right in the baking sunlight. Ward Park 3, the latest and possibly final instalment of the festival put on by the Bangor boys. And despite being noticeably absent…
I’ve always naturally drifted towards people with drive. The guys, girls and everything in between who “want it.” Whatever “it” is doesn’t particularly matter, but the “want” is paramount. The people who have a restless drive to get up and…
An explosion of colour in an underground scene otherwise dominated by indie quartets, the electro-alt soul of Flowers & Florentines is a statement track from Irish singer Alice LA. Having long been one of the scenes better-kept secrets, LA’s latest…
There are a couple of words you can’t use to describe yourself for fear of looking like a spanner. ‘Gorgeous’ is the most mainstream one. ‘Leader’ is also probably in the top three along with ‘stylish.’ Luckily for one third…
The good people of Ireland were out in force to welcome the return of Omagh native Phil Taggart to Belfast. The former Colenso Parade bassist and long time BBC Radio 1 DJ was in attendance for the launch of his…
Constance Keane, aka Fears, follows up her well received single ‘h_always’ with the dynamic electro-pop tapestry of ‘Fabric.’ An accomplished multi-instrumentalist and producer hailing from Dublin, she has been making waves with her fresh, ethereal approach to vocals and composition,…
When I watch documentaries about a band or read an article about their beginning, I always get a bit jealous. What an experience, to have been around as Blur started their ascent, or to have been in the crowd when…
Most nights, the old Belfast Met building sits alone and silent. Dominating Tower Street, many of its windows are boarded up, and its gates chained shut. Tonight, however, there is life behind the curtains. Red and blue neon blend into…
“Are you being serious.” “Mate, I actually swear we’ve no fivers.” Business as usual then for the McHughs basement. A common haunt for my person these days (I’ve seriously considered paying rent), the absences of the five-piece is all that…
This Saturday Sonja Sleator launches her latest EP, Violent Strawberry with a show in the Pavilion. Ahead of the show Benjamin Magee sat down with her to discuss her new release and the journey up to its release. How did you…
The word ‘dive’ doesn’t seem to do it justice. More ‘secretive’ or ‘where-Micheal-Corleone-would-hide-the-bodies” Tucked away at the bottom of University Avenue, the charm of Menagerie is its secrecy. Know for its support of underground artists, tonight the stage plays home…
According to the popular smartphone navigation application ‘Google Maps,’ it takes exactly 11 minutes to make your way from the top of Victoria Square’s dome to the doors of Limelight 2. In further proof that machines are not to be…
The chief strength of rock bands, since records were established, has always been their inclination towards the unrestrained. High flying guitar antics have long been the strategy of choice. So when hard rock three-piece Deerstalker opted to reign in their…
Folk music is one of the nations oldest traditions, and the fact that it retains much of its prestige is a testament to the artists who are producing it. The inclination towards DIY has long been a calling card for…