Author: Zoé Piater

“A Pop-Punk trio from Drogheda, Rowdy Outsider could very well be Ireland’s answer to Blink-182”
– Hot Press

“The Irish outfit fuse pop, punk and new wave sounds to create music that is nostalgic yet contemporary.”
– Earmilk

Rowdy Outsider are a pop punk band from Drogheda, Ireland consisting of vocalist Matthew Doyle, bassist Conor Whearty and drummer Sean Murtagh.
‘Different Heart to Break‘ is the band’s debut EP. A 6 song, anthemic punk tale of navigating love, loss and confusion during the start of the 2020s – the strangest years of everyone’s lives. The band’s first release of 2024 ‘When You’re Gone’ garnered widespread acclaim with support from Nels Hylton’s` ‘Future Alternative’ on BBC Radio 1 and Hot Press Magazine’s ‘Track of the Day’.

The April follow up ‘VICTIMS’ also landed with support from Hot Press with airplay from the US, UK and Ireland’s iRadio, Beat 102 103, and Cork’s Red FM. 2023 saw the release of ‘2 DEAD CATS’ and ‘Causing My Insanity’ which landed on Spotify editorials New Music Friday UK and A Breath of Fresh Eire alongside radio play from the likes of RTE 2FM.

Rowdy Outsider are continuing to make a name for themselves with their eclectic brand of modern Irish pop punk. Known for their passionate, high energy live performances and accomplished recordings, it won’t be long before Rowdy Outsider are Ireland’s next great rock export.

“Different Heart to Break is a sobering and self-reflective song. It describes the behaviours of a person with a tendency to end both romantic and friendly connections with little regard for the feelings of the other person. The lyrics describe awareness and remorse while showing the disconnect between that awareness and their actions. For our first EP we wanted to close with a song that we’d play on repeat even if it wasn’t ours. Sonically, we drew from the likes of Angels & Airwaves and U2 with heavy spatial effects, synth layers and gang vocals.”

Irish born and Berlin based COMA_54, known for their unique blend of grunge, desert rock, and shoegaze with catchy pop melodies, is set to release their follow up single ‘Flow’; which quickly follows on from their first release of 2024 “Rapture,”. Again produced by esteemed Irish producer Ciaran O’Shea, whose portfolio includes work with renowned acts such as Cyclefly, “Flow” showcases a softer and darker side to the band, whilst still maintaining their edgy grunge sound.

“Flow” is the second release in partnership between the band and Berlin based ORIAN Musik label, as they continue to evolve their sound and expand their reach in Europe and beyond. The track incorporates gentle guitar leads, heavy bass and an unflinching rhythm section, underpinned by deceptively catchy and haunting vocal melodies.

COMA_54 have already made a splash on the live music scene in Germany, headlining festivals in Schwerin, Munich and Berlin. Recent performances in Berlin’s Cassiopeia club have seen them grow a reputation of being one of the best live bands on the scene. With several more dates in the book, they will look to further this reputation very soon.

“Flow” is scheduled for release on May 31st, 2024, across all major streaming platforms. With its alternative blend of grunge, desert rock, and shoegaze elements, coupled with infectious pop melodies, the single is poised to make waves in the alternative music scene.

Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork

Sunday July 21, 2024 – 12noon – 6pm

www.joyinthepark.com

Paddy Casey and his daughter Saoirse are the latest artists to be announced for this year’s Joy In The Park, joining an already stellar line-up with Dublin legends, ASLAN headlining this year’s festival.

Paddy Casey has been at the forefront of the Irish music scene since his multi platinum selling debut album ‘Amen (So Be It)’. His career has taken him all over the globe touring with acts like The Pretenders, R.E.M, Ian Brown, Blondie and Tracy Chapman to name a few. He will be joined on stage by his daughter Saoirse Casey, who has also been carving out a successful music career in her own right.

With even more acts to be announced in the coming weeks, Joy in the park is shaping up for another fantastic festival of jam-packed music, entertainment, well-being and Joy when it returns to Fitzgerald’s Park in Cork on Sunday July 21st.

This celebration of life is brought to you in partnership with the Cork Mental Health Foundation offering a whole host of activities from arts and crafts to wellness workshops. These workshops are provided by the HSE Cork & Kerry Community Health Action Zone and a number of organisations and community groups including SHINE, MyMind, GROW, Cork Counselling Services, Jigsaw and Comhairle na nÓg. They will be joined by PIETA, Samaritans, Shine A Light, AWARE, The National Learning Network and Mental Health Ireland, who will be at the event as part of the support hub, where attendees can meet in person and be introduced to the many support services out there.

Joy In The Park is a free event for everyone, made possible thanks to the generous support of a number of institutions and organisations. Confirmed funding to date includes HSE Cork Connecting For Life Programme, Cork City Council Arts Office, Cork City Council LCDC funding, Cork City Council PARKS and Ward funding, Minding Creative Minds, IMRO, Shine A Light and Cork Mental Health Foundation.

The Works Festival is proud to announce its partnership with the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) ahead of its second event on 24^th August 2024 at CIE Hall, Library Square, Inchicore.

On the partnership, Keith Johnson, Director of Marketing & Membership, IMRO said “The Works Festival is a fantastic celebration of community and creativity. IMRO is proud to sponsor an event that not only highlights the incredible talent within our local arts scene but also fosters a sense of unity and collaboration among artists from diverse backgrounds.”

Following last year’s success event, The Works Festival, also in association with Poetry Ireland, Rascals Brewing Company and Smithfield Creatives, will play host to a slew of artists, musicians, poets and comedians from the Dublin area and beyond.

Having tapped into the wealth of potential of the venue, organisers Adam Kelly and Danny Kilmartin have again drawn from their wide network of like-minded creatives across multiple disciplines. Adam, a promoter, has been running Smithfield Creatives since 2020 while Danny has been entrenched in the independent Irish music scene since 2013, contributing to the likes of GoldenPlec, The Thin Air and HeadStuff.

The unique and historical CIE Hall has long been a local community focal point for education, sports, social and cultural programmes, will play host to returning acts Chase Nova Band, Dubh Lee, Hot Mess, Luke Clerkin, Trope, Vagabond Queen and Annie and The Witness.

In addition, this year’s event will feature the debuts of bands Sweltr, Geological Postal Service, Left Iris, Sygh, poets Shivvy Hickey, Miranda Faul, and Leinster Poetry Slam and All-Ireland Poetry finalist Barry Currivan. Comedians Justine Mulligan and Ally Daly will feature in the event’s new Comedy Corner, with more to be announced. With the new look and line-up, the event promises something for everyone – it’s got the whole works!

The Works Festival 2024 was launched at Rascals HQ in Goldenbridge Industrial Estate, Inchicore, Dublin 8 on 17^th May 2024, boasting preview performances from comics Justine Halpin and Ian Lynam, poet Philip Anthony Kenny, and artists Chase Nova, Azerty and Graceless.

Early bird tickets for The Works Festival are available from ticketstop.ie from 3^rd May to 31^st May.

‘Daisy‘ is the latest offering from Dublin’s Big Sleep, an angular yet groove-driven track with garage-rock meets indie-soul soundscapes. This is the third release of 2024 from Big Sleep following ‘All My Friends‘ and ‘Two Cents‘ which reached number 4 in the Irish Breakers Radio Charts. ‘Daisy‘ was recorded and produced by Chris Ryan (NewDad, Just Mustard, Chalk) in Start Together Studios, Belfast. Mixed and mastered by Tone Def (Briston Maroney, Green Day).

Quote about the ‘Daisy’:

‘One of our favourite songs we’ve written to date. Named after Daisy, Naiara’s dog who was in the room at the time of inception, the song came about when we were jamming ideas one day. When we found this riff that we kept on coming back to that you can hear in the intro of the song. We knew we had something special so we wrote and rewrote till we ended up with the finished version that we’ve just dropped. We wrote ‘Daisy’ a few weeks after we supported this great band from New York called Geese for their Dublin so we reckon they were definitely an influence. We reckon there’s a bit of Talking Heads and The Strokes in there too.’

The Dublin-based group partly came together at school and other’s later joined through the city’s live music scene. Blending indie-alternative influences with pop and soul, the Irish-Italian outfit takes influence from acts such as The Cure, DOPE LEMON, and Big Thief. Since their debut EP release in June 2022, Big Sleep have toured around Europe, received regular international radio play and featured on heavyweight Spotify editorials like New Music Friday, The Other List, All New Rock to name a few. 2023 was a sell out year for the upcoming act who sold out headliners across Dublin, London and Berlin alongside festival appearances at All Together Now, Indiependence and Electric Picnic. The band were also awarded the accolade as one of RTÉ’s Rising Artists of 2024. With a thick catalogue of tracks ready for release and international headline dates lined up, 2024 is set to be a breakout year for Big Sleep.

UPCOMING LIVE PERFORMANCES
Forbidden Fruit -June 2nd
Bristol, Crofters Rights – June 4th
Manchester – June 5th
London, Camden Assembly –  June 6th
Sea Sessions, Bundoran – June 22nd
All Together Now – August 1st – 3rd
Electric Picnic – August 17th
Dublin, The Button Factory – October 11th

On today’s episode of the IMRO Podcast we’re bringing you the second installment of a mini-series of conversations from Zara Hedderman that explore the various practicalities, challenges and, of course, the joys of running a record label in Ireland. In the first episode, we heard from Leitrim-based Willie Stewart of Nyahh Records, who shared great insights into the label’s catalog and more, since that episode has come out there’s been announcements of exciting forthcoming releases to come from Nyahh so do keep an ear out for them!

Today, we make the journey (in our imaginations, at least)  from Leitrim to County Louth, parking up in Dundalk where we’ll hear from Joey Edwards – co-founder of Pizza Pizza Records, sound engineer extraordinaire and musician in his own right. Founded in 2018, Pizza Pizza Records, is an independent artist-led label, and it struck gold with its inaugural release Wednesday, the critically acclaimed and Choice Prize nominated debut from Just Mustard. That album not only announced Just Mustard as an act that audiences outside of Ireland were getting excited about, but it immediately asserted Pizza Pizza Record’s reputation of a label working with the best in Ireland’s independent acts up and down the country and certainly one worthy of being bookmarked to keep up with the buzzing  independent scene. Today, the label’s roster has expanded to include Clara Tracey, Elaine Malone, Trick Mist, The Altered Hours, and Larry and Elephant.

In this episode, Zara and Joey talk about Wednesday’s impact on Pizza Pizza Records and the initial period of operating as a label, how they maintained momentum and how things progressed from that first offering. Notably, Just Mustard have since signed to Partisan Records – with Fontaines DC and Aoife Nessa Frances as labelmates – and Joey, who co-manages the band, reflects on the ways that working with Partisan has inspired different ways to keep Pizza Pizza going sustainably while keeping audiences engaged. In this regard, community and connection – aside from providing a platform for excellent independent Irish artists – were two things Joey kept circling back on when discussing the label’s evolution and the general DIY climate both locally and abroad. We touched on the role of physical media given Pizza Pizza’s viny-forward MO and its importance within the foundation of DIY communities whether it’s finding like-minded people in local record shops or in the queue at the merch table after a gig. You never know where a conversation will take you!

Thanks so much for joining us again, and for all your wonderful feedback on the Nyahh Records conversation, it’s greatly appreciated. We hope you enjoy learning about Pizza Pizza Records in this episode and maybe afterwards are inspired to set up your own independent label. We’ll be back soon, but until then, here’s Joey Edwards of Pizza Pizza Records.

Featured songs:

Larry – Liar
https://larrymusic.bandcamp.com/album/larry
Just Mustard – Deaf
https://justmustard.bandcamp.com/album/wednesday
Elaine Malone – My Baby’s Dead (Redux)
https://elainemalone.bandcamp.com/album/pyrrhic

0:00 – Zara Hedderman intro link
3:20 – Pizza Pizza Origin and Joey’s background in music
11:00 – Label Model or inspiration
13:00 – First release, Just Mustard’s debut album Wednesday
19:30 – Co-managing Just Mustard, learning from other industry experts
25:30 – Changes since Pizza Pizza began in 2018
27:10 – Vinyl focus for the label
33:20 – Creating a sense of community via records
35:30 – Discussion on streaming and valuing music
38:10 – Elaine Malone
43:45 – Advice for other people considering starting a record label

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1670842/15142636

After a brief hiatus, Irish hip-hop artist B4bzy is back with a banger. ‘Easy’ seamlessly blends elements of hip-hop and afrobeats, and is a testament to B4bzy’s signature style – witty lyricism, infectious beats, and an undeniably positive vibe. ‘Easy’ is poised to become the anthem of the summer.

The track delivers a refreshing message about embracing life’s challenges with a carefree attitude. ‘Easy’ main theme revolves around the idea that choosing happiness over stress is the key to a fulfilling existence. Through playful banter and clever wordplay, B4bzy paints a vivid picture of the “sour brothers” – uptight individuals who “should get some rest and be less irate.”

From the first verse to the final chorus, ‘Easy’ exudes an irresistible charm that is sure to resonate with listeners of all backgrounds. B4bzy’s delivery is smooth; effortlessly riding the laid-back groove laid down by the track’s infectious beat produced by Certified Gold producer, JBJ.

“I wanted to create a song that would put a smile on people’s faces and remind them to take life a little less seriously. We all encounter challenges, but it’s how we choose to approach them that defines our experience. ‘Easy’ is my way of encouraging listeners to embrace positivity and let go of unnecessary stress.”

Follow B4bzy: 

Spotify | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok

Photo credit: Tom Beard

SNOW PATROL have announced their eagerly awaited return with a brand new album. Titled ‘The Forest Is The Path’, the album is the Northern Irish band’s first in six years, following 2018’s ‘Wildness’, and is set for release on September 13^th via Polydor Records and Universal Music Ireland. It is produced by Fraser T Smith (Adele/Dave/Stormzy) and the band. Now comprising the trio of Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid, Snow Patrol offer the first taste of their extraordinary new album with first single ‘The Beginning’, as well as announcing details of a UK and Ireland Arena tour in 2025.

‘The Forest Is The Path’ was written by Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid and features twelve tracks. Fraser T Smith, Will Reynolds, Roy Kerr and Troy Van Leeuwen (QOTSA) also contributed to the writing on some of the songs on the album. The album and single artwork features paintings by Gary Lightbody.

‘The Beginning’ is the cornerstone of the band’s eighth studio album, written on a trip to Somerset. Gary picks up the story, “The first day we wrote The Beginning, start to finish.” “And he did the vocal in one take,” says Johnny. “Straight after writing the lyrics. So, it has this mind-collapsing quality to it where you feel like you’re seeing into someone’s soul.”

‘The Forest is the Path’ is an album rooted in reflection, introspection, and interrogation. One of its key building blocks, says Gary, was the idea of love from the distance of time. “I haven’t been in a relationship for a very long time, 10 years or more, so love from a distance to me meant the way a relationship sits in your memory from a distance of, say, 10 years. That’s not something I’d previously thought about as a way to write about love. So, it’s like, when you’re in love, you’re standing in the lobby of the Empire State Building. When you’ve broken up with that person, you’re out in the street. You can still see the building, but you’re not in there anymore. And when it’s 10 years later, now you’re standing in Brooklyn looking at the Manhattan skyline.”

It’s a theme addressed unblinkingly and unflinchingly on the ‘The Beginning’. “That’s kind of a summing up of this album,” Gary continues. “It’s a way of looking at various mistakes, any pain I may have caused, from a place where nothing is hurting anymore, except the memory when you pull it back into your mind. The memory itself is full of hurt but everything around it isn’t. You’re holding in your hand this ball of fire, but now you’ve got gloves on.”

Pre-Order Album

The Band have also announced details of an 8 date UK & Ireland Arena tour in February 2025, including Dublin’s 3Arena on 25^th February. Fans who pre-order The Forest Is The Path from Snow Patrol’s store will get access to tour pre-sale. Tickets go on pre-sale on Wednesday 5^th June at 10am and general sale on Friday 7^th June at 10am.

Tour Dates
Feb 15^th London O2
Feb 16^th Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Feb 18^th Cardiff Utilita Arena
Feb 19^th Hull Connexin Live
Feb 21^st Glasgow OVO Hydro
Feb 22^nd Manchester Co-op Live Arena
Feb 25^th Dublin 3Arena
Feb 27^th Belfast SSE Arena

Facebook  Instagram  Twitter

In with a fresh breath of a new summer comes Niamh Murphy’s new single ‘All That Breaks’.  Wrapped up like a warm hug, the song explores those instances when all your troubles and sadness can melt away from a warm embrace, or just seeing the face of someone loved. Fleeting then, are your cares for a moment.

Hailing from Cork, Niamh has been gradually building up to an album release. In the summer of 2021 Niamh met Declan Sinnott. They began an exciting musical journey recording Niamh’s songs in the studio and more recently hitting their stride performing live.

Niamh Murphy’s voice is a wondrous thing.’  Jackie Hayden (Hot Press)

“Niamh is a wonderful lyricist and singer.”   Steve Lillywhite (World renowned Producer)

“Niamh’s voice and her songs paint very complete pictures. She takes you somewhere really true.” Declan Sinnott

Declan is internationally celebrated for his work over the years with Horslips, Moving Hearts, Mary Black, Christy Moore, Sinéad Lohan, his own solo work and more.