Author: Breffni Banks

Jack O’Rourke brings 2017 to a close with an intriguing electro pop interpretation of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s classic, ‘The Power Of Love’. 

Released as part of ‘A Co-Present Christmas Album’, featuring tracks from 15 Irish artists in aid of Pieta House, Jack’s version of ‘The Power Of Love’ was recorded with production maverick Graham White of freezerRoom.

2017 saw recognition for Jack O’Rourke’s live prowess scale new heights, following the release of his debut album Dreamcatcher. Jack performed the album in its entirety with a full orchestra at Cork Opera House, while appearances on the Other Voices Stage at Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Groove and Sea Sessions have cemented his place as one of Ireland’s rising songwriters and live performers.

Jack also collaborated with the likes of Wallis Bird, Tracy K and Joe O’Leary (Fred) with Christian Eigner (Depeche Mode ) on drums on Freezer Room’s Fire on the Ocean album, which was also performed live at Electric Picnic. ‘The Power of Love’ is a further collaboration with White, bringing a classic 80’s track to a new audience with a perceptive slant.

“’The Power of Love’ is such an amazing song, to attempt to copy it would have been futile,” says Jack, “so myself and Graham approached it from a different point of view, trying to do the melody, the message and Holly Johnson’s vocals some justice. We’re delighted to have it included on such a superb compilation of music like A Co-Present Christmas, among some very talented musicans and brilliant songs. We hope people will buy the album and support a very good cause.” Jack begins the new year with shows at the Dublin Trad Festival on 25th January and also in Paris with Roisin O, while writing and recording tracks for his second album due out later in 2018.

A Co-Present Christmas Album can be purchased here: https://thecopresent.bandcamp.com/album/a-co-present-christmas-3 

LIVE DATES:

15th December – Cork, Live at St. Lukes

20th January – Dublin Trad Fest – Saint Werburgh’s Church, Werburgh Street, Dublin

17th February – Limerick, Lime Tree Theatre

15th February – France, Paris, Le Centre Culture d’Irlandais – with Roisín O (Co-headliner)

Dublin-based The 202s announce details of their long awaited second album via the dystopian disco stomp of ‘Soul Don’t Boogie’. The band’s original is backed by a dance floor primed remix by Lights DC and a dark electronic reworking by Dublin duo Mount Alaska. The release precedes the album ‘From When The Future Was Yet To Hurt Us’, due on February 2nd, 2018 via Difference/Repetition.

The 202s were formed in 2008 by long-term musical collaborators Mike Glennon and Steve Melling. The band named themselves after the Roland MC202 synth, which was the focus of much of their early musical explorations. Initially functioning as a studio based duo, their early demos caught the attention of Parisian indie label Le Son Du Maquis and they signed with the imprint in late 2008, making them label mates with acts including A Certain Ratio, Faust and Alan Vega.

In March 2009 the band, now a trio with the addition of Barry Smullen on drums, released their debut single ‘Shoot You Down’, a synth heavy adrenaline burst of indie pop which grabbed the attention of the Irish music world. The self-titled debut album quickly followed. An eclectic affair touching on elements of pop, ambience, post-punk and krautrock, it was warmly received and invited comparisons with acts including CAN, Eno, Sterolab and The Flaming Lips. The band performed widely on the Irish festival and club circuit throughout 2009/2010 and also appeared on TV shows including Other Voices. A European album release followed in early 2010 with the title receiving an enthusiastic response from elements of the continental music press. France’s D-Side Magazine described the band’s sound as one which, “oscillates between long electronic ambient vibes, refined pop, electro dance and harmonica folk,” while Germany’s Musikexpress dubbed them, “hymnal Kraut-pop from Dublin.” A planned European tour to capitalise on this attention was however, pulled following the collapse of their label Le Son Du Maquis in Summer 2010.

The band entered an extended hibernation in 2011, eventually reconvening and retreating to their studio-based origins. They broke their silence in 2016 with the release of ‘Oh My My’, a track which further distilled their interests in krautrock, psychedelia and repetitive grooves, and which was described as, “a hypno-pop chunk of fuzzed vocal harmonies and slowly grooving drums.” The 4 track ‘Up In Thin Air’ EP followed in 2017, mixing, “lilting indie pop,” with, “muted, hymnal,” ambience. The, “sleaze and scuzz” of their following release, ‘Dash For The Exit (Real Love Doesn’t Lie)’, meanwhile was described by Hot Press magazine as, “their darkest and most seductive single thus far.”

https://202s.bandcamp.com/

Irish band Red Empire has teamed up with Dublin charity Inner City Helping Homeless to help promote their Christmas appeal via the band’s new single ‘A Dublin Christmas’.

‘A Dublin Christmas’ tackles the growing issue of homelessness in Ireland and the very real human toll the crisis is taking on Irish society. The single’s accompanying video features Johnny Ward (star of Love Hate, Fair City, This Must Be The Place) and actress and dancer Rachel Tracey. The band teamed up once again with long-time collaborator Daragh Murphy of November Seven Films, and shot the piece at various locations across Dublin City.

The video highlights many of the issues facing homeless people at this time of year, explains Craig Cahill, lead singer with Red Empire: “The song and video explores a difficult relationship between two people who are struggling through the Christmas period. It shows how both people comfort each other to help overcome these challenges.”

According to the latest homelessness figures released by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, there are now 8,374 people recorded as homeless in Ireland. This figure includes 5,250 adults and 3,124 children – 46% of people classified as homeless are aged 24 and under. At the same time, there are 183,312 unoccupied dwellings in the State.

It was these figures that inspired the band to team up with the charity Inner City Helping Homeless to use their single to help promote the charity’s Christmas appeal. “If anyone would like to make a donation they can do so by calling Inner City Helping Homeless on 01-8881804 or through www.iDonate.ie,” said a representative from the charity, “Or, if anyone would like to become a volunteer they can get in touch via the same number or through our website www.innercityhelpinghomeless.ie.”

‘A Dublin Christmas’ was written and produced by Red Empire and was recorded at Hellfire Studios in the Dublin mountains. It was engineered and mixed by Ivan Jackman and mastered by Aiden Foley. The song is available now on iTunes and Google Play.

www.redempireband.com  www.facebook.com/redempiremusic   www.twitter.com/redempireband

Wyvern Lingo’s long-awaited debut album, simply called Wyvern Lingo, will be released on Rubyworks early in 2018, on Friday 23rd February.

The album was recorded in Dublin with producer James Kelly, with additional work taking place in Donegal, London and Cologne.

The trio self-released their first EP – “The Widow Knows” in 2014, which brought them to the attention of Irish independent label Rubyworks. Extensive international touring followed with James Vincent McMorrow and fellow-Bray native Hozier, and a second EP – “Letter To Willow”, followed in 2016. They have released three singles in 2017 – radio smash “I Love You, Sadie”, the political “Out Of My Hands” and just out now “Snow II”.

“These songs are a collection of experiences both separate and shared. Experiences that shape how we view the world, and how we’ve come to terms with the way our lives have unfolded.” – Wyvern Lingo

To coincide with the release of the album, Wyvern Lingo will embark on their biggest headline tour to date, across Ireland, the UK, Germany and The Netherlands.

Album pre-order link is – http://radi.al/WyvernLingo

Track listing.

1. Out Of My Hands
2. I Love You, Sadie
3. Maybe It’s My Nature
4. Crawl
5. Dark Cloud
6. Used
7. Fountains
8. Snow II
9. Tell Him
10. Fear
11. Subside
12. When I Can (Rubbish)

Tour dates:

12th Jan, The Library @ULU, London

23rd Feb, The Button Factory, Dublin

24th Feb, Glor, Ennis

25th Feb, Connolly’s of Leap, Cork

1st March, McHugh’s, Belfast

2nd March, Dolan’s, Limerick

3rd March, St Luke’s Church, Cork

8th March, Mike The Pies, Listowel

9th March, Roisin Dubh, Galway

10th March, Source Arts Centre, Thurles

11th March, Spirit Store, Dundalk

14th March, Sound, Liverpool

15th March, The Mash House, Edinburgh

16th March, Stereo, Glasgow

17th March, Think Tank Underground, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

18th March, The Castle Hotel, Manchester

20th March, Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds

21st March, Louisiana, Bristol

24th March, Prinzenbar, Hamburg

26th March, Privatclub, Berlin

27th March, Studio 672, Cologne

28th March, Upstairs at The Paradiso, Amsterdam

‘Wyvern Lingo’ will be released on Rubyworks on vinyl, CD and download on Friday 23rd February 2018.

 http://www.wyvernlingo.com/

It has been an eventful 12 months for Rofi James following the success of their debut singles ‘Fool For Your Love’ and ‘Open Eyes’ (with Best Single nominations). The band have played several high profile support slots with Picture This, Hermitage Green and Ryan Sheridan, as well as two major headline shows following their debut appearance at Electric Picnic 2017.

‘Fool For Your Love’ was placed on High Rotation on iRadio and made Song of the Day on Joe.ie.  ‘Open Eyes’ was one of the iRadio’s Top 10 Most Requested Tracks in February 2017 while also being selected as a winning track in the RTÉ 2fm #PlayThePicnic competition 2017. Both singles also received significant airplay on RTÉ 2FM, Spin1038, GalwayBayFM and OceanFM

‘Reason’ is out now on iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon and all major streaming sites/services and digital platforms.

Upcoming Live Show:

DECEMBER 22ND 2017 // THE LOFT VENUE – GALWAY

Social Media Links:

www.facebook.com/rofijamesmusic 

www.twitter.com/rofi_james

www.rofijames.com

www.instagram.com/rofijames 

2017 was a dizzying year for the Sub Motion. “SOCCER MOM” was released in February, getting radio play in Ireland, the UK and the US along with being on the “Guys we F****ked” podcast reaching 1 million listeners. “DECOY” was released this April along with a packed out show in Whelan’s. Their latest single ‘HEADLIGHTS’ has been praised as “their best song yet” by RTE 2FM.

The bands live show has been described as “unfettered loudness and instant impact”.

SUB MOTION played MainStage Vantastival, Indiependence, Electric Picnic this year and just signed an international publishing deal with Tremolo Publishing this September. With an album in the works and interest from the industry abroad, 2018 is looking to be a very exciting year for the band.

The band are celebrating the year they’ve had with a show in Workman’s Club with special guests WOLFF + Scally.

Tickets €7 or €5 with student discount.
Online tickets €5 – https://goo.gl/XKQHrE

“Meet the band of unashamedly serious rockers defiantly pushing against the grain of indie and folk bands in Ireland” – Hot Press.

Following a string of big dance bangers during summer 2017 and the BBC 6 Music plays of “Massif Anthem” late last year – described by Hot Press as “sounds quite unlike anything else we’ve come across” – Drogheda-based indie dance artist Donal Quinn releases brand new single ‘Twah’.

‘Twah’, live favourite at gigs, was recorded in Hackney, London with top producer Tom McFall (Kasabian, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party). Available on iTunes, Spotify, Deezer and all other digital distribution outlets.

https://twitter.com/DonalQuinnMusic
https://www.facebook.com/DonalQuinnArtist
https://soundcloud.com/donalquinn

AVA (Audio Visual Arts) Festival and Conference has rapidly become an unmissable highlight in the UK & European festival calendar, taking pride of place as a cultural pioneer in its home country of Northern Ireland and now beyond. Following on from last year’s first full AVA Weekender, the festival gears up for it’s biggest outing yet. Marking it’s fourth edition, AVA 2018 starts on Friday June 1st 2018 with Ireland’s leading electronic music conference, followed by an unmissable two day festival in their new dystopian warehouse home.

True to form, cutting edge international heavyweights join grassroots talent in a former B&Q warehouse, now known at S13 Warehouse, in the heart of the city. For 2018, three stages become four, with a new addition making its debut. Plus, Boiler Room return to take their legendary AVA stage partnership to the next level, by upping the broadcast to a two-day live stream. AVA’s Boiler Room stage is a true festival highlight and legendary annual event in the dance music world, from Space Dimension Controller’s Ayla drop to monumental sets from each and every selector last year. Belfast’s inimitable crowd and fun loving spirit has long captivated global audiences, both at AVA Festival and those further afield, desperate to chime in on the action.

With weekend tickets available now from just £50, plus a deposit scheme starting at just £25, don’t sleep on your chance to join one of the brightest, forward-thinking underground festivals that the UK has to offer. For those who want to piece in on the action, it’s a no brainer.

AVA Festival and Conference 2018 Earlybird Tickets start from £50: http://www.avafestival.com/tickets

AVA Festival and Conference 2018 Deposit Scheme Tickets  – £25: http://www.avafestival.com/tickets

The independent S13 Warehouse is another pioneering regeneration project from the Square Pit team, the same guys behind AVA’s former home T13 Belfast. This transformed site is located at South Belfast’s former B&Q Warehouse and represents the latest exciting development of Square Pit’s ‘Hybrid Venue’ concept as well as a totally unique platform for the next phase of the AVA Festival experience.

As well as all of this, there’s much more in store for AVA 2018. Keep your eyes peeled for further details.

AVA FESTIVAL AND CONFERENCE 2018

1st to 2nd June 2018 || S13 Warehouse, Belfast

www.avafestival.com

WEEKEND TICKETS START FROM £50 || £25 DEPOSIT SCHEME

TICKETS : http://www.avafestival.com/tickets

The Eskies new album ‘And Don’t Spare The Horses’ was released Friday and shot straight to #1 on the iTunes alternative album chart and #6 on the official album chart.

The band start their Irish tour next week. Full list of dates on www.theeskies.com

Returning to the foot stomping gypsy folk that has already won them an army of fans, ’And Don’t Spare The Horses’ leaps from genres as vast and varied as folk, klezmar and yiddish to rock, swing and blues. And it’s content? As eclectic as their sound according to the band – “Melodramatic tales of woe, betrayal, conflict, upheaval, rebellion, love, loss, fear and anger,” says the band. “All wrapped in tongue-in-cheek irreverence and self-deprecation, occasionally giving way to a flurry of triumphalism or whisper of introspection.”

Recorded at the Orphan Studios in Dublin earlier this year, the band set about to document the last year and a half of their musical meanderings, under the watchful gaze of producer ‘Captain’ Gavin Glass (Lisa Hannigan, John Grant, Billy Bragg). Whereas 2015’s debut ‘After The Sherry Went Round’ garnered praise for having “enough inherent energy to charge a power plant” (The Irish Times); with the new album the band were keen to showcase new dimensions to their sound.

Highlights include the opening lead single, ‘All Good Men’ – a full on, big band, swing sounding romp, snarling and growling its way through three and a half minutes of roaring brass and crowd harmonies and ‘Building Up Walls’ which begins with a low drawl, before erupting into an anthemic refrain. ‘Hail, Hail’ is a Poe-esque lament for a long lost love set against the backdrop of a sea-soaked spaghetti western, whilst ‘Death To The Sentry’ is probably the purest folk song on the album, complete with haunting four part harmonies, channelling poets Seigfried Sassoon and Wilfried Owen in a tale of the horrors of war, dread and the longing for home.

Contrast all of this with the breakneck speed of ‘Napoleon’, the fist pumping chorus in ‘I’m Not Sorry’and the Mardi Gras feel of ‘Shame’ and you have a truly vast and varied record in The Eskies second offering.

Renowned for their raucous live shows and fiercely passionate support, the band spent the last few years touring the world. They’ve played mainstage slots at both Glastonbury (Field Of Avalon) and Cambridge Folk Festival, as well as an outing at Dutch centrepiece Eurosonic Noordeslaag and Glasgow’s CelticConnections. They’ve also appeared on RTE’s Saturday Night Show, BBC Radio 4’s ‘Loose Ends’ with Clive Anderson and BBC Radio 3’s ‘Essential Classics’.

Irish tour kicks off on 7^th December. For full dates and tickets please visit www.theeskies.com / @TheEskies 

7/12 – Limerick, Dolans
8/12 – Cork, Coughlans
9/12 – Kilkenny, Cleeres
14/12 – Galway, Roisin Dubh
15/12 – Belfast, The Barge
16/12 – Dublin, Button Factory

Following a SOLD OUT SSE Arena, Belfast show in October 2017, Belsonic in association with Magners are proud to announce the largest ever Belfast concert for Irish pop rock duo Picture This at Belsonic 2018. The bands first release “Take My Hand” went viral, generating 2 million-plus Spotify streams and over 1.9 million YouTube views since its release. As the group’s independent self-titled 2016 Picture This EP enchanted audiences, they impressively sold out two dates at 3Arena Dublin and one night at the SSE Arena, Belfast.

Tickets priced £30+ booking fee, go on sale this Saturday December 09th @ 9am from Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.ie

Picture This have had a phenomenal rise over the past few years with the release of their self-titled album storming into the charts at #1, the highest charting entry for a debut artist in 2016. Already certified platinum, the album has dominated the Top Five album charts since its release. The band have just come off the back of a sold-out UK and Ireland tour – playing music, breaking tunes and celebrating life.

www.picturethismusic.com

www.belsonic.com

www.magners.co.uk