Author: Zoé Piater

The Kells band will perform a different classic album each night from their back catalog from start to finish followed by 10 ‘best of’ from other albums.

Dec 5th – “Carry The Meek” (2008) – The band’s first long-player that put them on the Irish indie scene map!

Dec 6th – “White Fox” (2010) – Featured in the esteemed Irish music journalist Tony Clayton-Lea’s book “101 Irish RecordsYou Must Hear Before You Die.

Dec 7th – “Stories From The Surface” (2015) – The first independently released album by an unsigned band to debut straight into the number 1 spot in Ireland’s official album chart.

Tickets Available from https://www.whelanslive.com/event/hamsandwich/

• Tickets €30 available online from Whelan’s – 50c per ticket service charge applies
• Bundle: All 3 shows for €78

·         Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required.

Niamh:

“We are BUZZING for these gigs! We will be playing each of the three albums from start to finish and revisiting a lot of songs we haven’t played in a long time!! It will be three very different nights and hopefully we will see some long-time fans and familiar faces alike at the shows!”

Podge:

“We’re very excited to play these one-off shows and couldn’t pick a better place than our beloved Whelans. This place carved us into the band we are today and has given us special nights and we’ve met a lot of really important people in our lives in this very place. A lot of our back catalogue was given its first test drive at Whelans and I can still remember the reaction we got when we first play ants live. Playing songs from carry the meek will be like going back in time. I’ve no doubt all 3 of these nights will be special!”

Darcy:

“We are super excited to be putting on this really special shows. It something we’ve been trying to put together for a while and we are delighted that Whelans can help us put on 3 big nights in Dublin this December! The band is in great shape and I’m excited to hear what we can do with the old album tracks!”

Blending their own mix of Ska-Punk-Dub-Rock since 2005, no apologies for hearing influences from The Clash and The Specials by way of The Ruts & The Jam, as 3-piece Dublin band The Dubtones wear their influences on their sleeves!

Busy on the gig circuit since their inception, they have clocked up over 350 shows, including many headliners. They have opened for a who’s-who of legendary ska and punk outfits; The Ruts, The Beat (x2) / Bad Manners (x3) / The Selecter / Neville Staple (x3) / The Toasters / The Slackers / Rancid / Citizen Fish / Devils’ Brigade / Inner Terrestrials / The Lurkers / The Vibrators / The Damned / The Members / The Outcasts / TV Smith / Discharge / Barb Wire Dolls / Red Alert / Drongos for Europe / Vic Godard & Subway Sect / Menace / TV Smith / The Casualties / 999 / The Vapors / The Restarts / Protex & CJ Ramone, to name but a few!

They have played the main stage at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool 2007 (the biggest Punk & Alternative festival in the world) and returned in 2012 after a 5-year gap and play sporadic gigs in the UK. Also active on the Irish festival circuit playing the Tramore Ska Festival / Booleigh Ska Festival / The Hardcore Jamboree / Keep the Faith Festival / This Is Dublin Ska Festival / Rockin’ Road Festival and Rebellion Dublin.

The Dubtones released their latest album, The Art of Social Distancing, in July 2022, and they plan to go and play more UK dates as well as remaining active on the home front. Not all agitators are subversive, but The Dubtones certainly are!

www.facebook.com/dubtonesireland

About the Alternative Sunday Social Club

The Alternative Sunday Social Club was created so that music fans can enjoy some top tunes on the last afternoon of the weekend. Since we launched at the beginning of 2015, we’ve hosted gigs by Rocky DeValera (front man of legendry Dublin bands The Gravediggers and The Rhythm Kings), The Dubtones, Blood or Whiskey, The Business, Brush Shield’s Skid Row, Trouble Pilgrims (formerly The Radiators from Space), The Lee Harveys, Eileen Gogan and the Instructions, The Winters, The Hacklers, TV Smith (The Adverts), Strand, The Unelectables and The Outcasts. We’ve had music from right across the spectrum with rock, guitar pop, punk, Americana, blues and ska and we’ve grown our crowd by word of mouth with all ages dropping by on Sunday afternoons. For the band they get the kick of their early live shows, and the audience gets to enjoy the music and the musician up-close and personal. It’s cheap, cheerful and above all fun for everybody who comes along. This isn’t 1000s of people in a converted warehouse; this is dozens of people enjoying music the way it was meant to be seen and heard.

www.facebook.com/Alternative-Social-Clubs

Cork native Mark Daly is an Irish rock singer/songwriter who has been releasing his best music yet. His recent single ‘Pieces’ featuring Emily Arnstrong is nearing 25k streams on Spotify with some other previous releases such as ‘Gotta Run’ hitting over 114k streams, making Mark a hot one to watch!

His sound is raw, energetic rock music that has influences from classic rock, post-grunge and modern-rock, creating a unique blend that is Mark’s signature sound.

One early highlight in Mark’s career was performing at the MTV EMA Awards with The Voodoos, after beating 10,000+ bands from Europe for the slot. From there, Mark and the band began to tour throughout Europe and the USA. While honing their skills along the way, Mark made the decision to go solo. His first venture as a solo artist hit number 1 on the Scottish New Music Charts with his autism awareness charity solo single Your World inspired by his son, Noah.

Mark’s fiery vocals and rock artistry have never been up for debate. After building an impressive following touring with Geoff Tate and Candlebox.
Mark recently finished recording at the famed Sonic Ranch Studios with Grammy-nominated producer Brian Virtue (Audioslave, 30 Seconds to Mars).
Working with Brian at Sonic Ranch has been the best recording experience I’ve had in my music career to date”. Mark states.
Mark’s evolution as an artist will be seen in his new work set to come out soon with his goal to load up the home support in Ireland. His brand new single ‘Better Off Alone’ releases June 21st ahead of his highly anticipated new album ‘Devil’s Arms’.

“My songwriting over the last few years has matured and I believe that I write more honestly and from the heart now while still maintaining that same raw songwriting style I started off with”.

Mark’s next song and video release is ‘Better Off Alone’ which will be available on June 21st on all streaming and video platforms.

“Out of all the songs on this album, I feel like Better Off Alone will have the broadest appeal. The song touches on insecurities, imposter syndrome, and feeling like you’re messed up but knowing you can find your way out of the dark. So many of us have been there. I want people to know they’re not alone in those feelings and that they can find their way forward” says Daly.

Mark wrote ‘Better Off Alone’ as a raw and honest rock anthem that captures the struggles and triumphs of chasing your dreams in the music industry. This song delves into the constant questioning of one’s worth and staying true to your artistic vision while navigating the pressures of the industry. If you’re in need of a powerful and relatable track to inspire you on your own journey, give ‘Better Off Alone’ a listen and feel the passion and authenticity behind the music.

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Aengus Devine is a Dublin based Singer/Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist and Producer.

His latest single “Goodbye & So Long” has just been released on all the usual download/streaming platforms including Bandcamp. It’s taken from the forthcoming album “Pilgrim Soul”.
His last album ADHD has featured on many radio show best of lists in Ireland, the US and beyond.
The singles “SUNFLOWER” and “DON’T HOLD OUT ON ME” have been playlisted on Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE RADIO 1 along with many other stations around the world.

The single “BIG HIT” has been championed by legendary Irish DJ DAVE FANNING who was hugely instrumental in U2’s early success.

His songs are typically self-written, performed and produced.

Live dates, festivals etc. tba.

For more check out Aengus Devine on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok & YouTube.

Sunrise Fire, initiated by Paul Blee and Tully Gunawardhana, embodies the transformative power of artistic collaboration. Their partnership brings Paul’s songs to life, showcasing the boundless potential of creative expression in the music industry.

Sunrise Fire, an emerging musical project, was ignited by the passion and dreams of Paul Blee, Co Wicklow, Ireland. The dream of giving life to his songs led him on a transformative journey that intersected with the remarkable talents of producer and vocalist Tully Gunawardhana. Tully’s collaborative spirit and creative input not only facilitated the production of the songs but also played an integral role in sculpting their musical essence and lyrical depth.

As Sunrise Fire forges ahead, shaping their path in the vast musical realm, their journey becomes a vibrant testament to the boundless potential of artistic collaboration and the relentless pursuit of creative expression.

“A tongue-and-cheek attitude that permeates a playful mood, although serious undertones often persist. As soft as a storm and as warm as Winter, the contrast that Letterbox Kid leaves in tow feels like a fight between the many sides of one’s self.”
–     Peter Doherty of Bligatory.

“Letterbox Kid’s upcoming music has us on the edge of our seats. His sound is fresh and ambitious.”
–     Hot Press.

“Singer-songwriter, rapper and producer Isaac O’Sullivan has some voice to be belting with, and a command of weird, vacillating accents that give off a slightly woozy feel.”
–     Mike McGrath-Bryan of The Echo

Letterbox Kid is the artistic project of 24-year-old Irish singer-songwriter, producer & rapper, Isaac O’Sullivan. The Letterbox Kid project elegantly blends a wide array of genres such as Hip-Hop, R&B & Soul to create an astoundingly unique and melodic sound. After press & playlist success on ‘Let The Forecast Be White Please’, ‘Rainbow Song’ ventured further still into this common-ground world of weather to extend this metaphor in classic yet experimental Hip-Hop fashion.

‘Stormy Daniels’, the third and final single from the Letterbox Kid’s upcoming project ‘Let’s Talk About The Weather’, releases on June  28th with an accompanying Paris-shot music video featuring Irish Pop-Star, Darian June. Starring both Darian June & the Letterbox Kid himself, this fly-on-the-wall type film will make sure to put a smile on your face. Self-made, self-directed, self-edited.

With that, and Isaac’s first release as the Letterbox Kid back in 2021, the Letterbox Kid project has never stopped growing and evolving, both sonically and thematically. From selling CDs from his school bag to supporting the likes of Paul Noonan and Daithi, Isaac has always made music for the right reasons; for personal growth and understanding, for sharing in expression, for fun.

The Letterbox Kid project, now with several successful singles behind it, being prolific in 2023 with six new releases under its belt, is ready to capitalise on 2024 this Summer with its first release of the year in Stormy Daniels, and the project’s debut full-length music video to go with it.

Isaac himself knows a thing or two about the weather as he was born in the countryside of Waterford in the south of Ireland, he grew up on the sounds of Joni Mitchell, Damien Dempsey, The Police & The Be Good Tanyas, with his father being a formative figure on his listening habits. He has spent the majority of his young adult life living in Cork City, studying under some of the brilliant minds at the Cork School of Music. Here was where the Letterbox Kid project was born. Influenced by peers and friends such as Hausu Records co-founders Automatic Blue and ActualAcid, as well as Irish Hip-Hop revelation Alex Gough, the Letterbox Kid sprung into life with the sounds of Jeff Buckley, Tyler The Creator, King Krule and Travis Scott. The harder Isaac worked and the more comfortable he became in his skin made for local as well as national success with shows in Cyprus Avenue, Workmans, Sea Church and Whelans, working with artists such as 1000 Beasts, Arthur Valentine and Houseplants along the way, finding Spotify editorial playlist success on ‘A Breath Of Fresh Eire’.

With Let The Forecast Be White Please & Rainbow Song behind him and Stormy Daniels in front (pardon the innuendo), Letterbox Kid is ready to move this musical project into the stratosphere with a Summer release date of June 28th. Using all of the cleverly crafted tools he has learned over the years, whether that be songwriting, production, performing or directing, Isaac aims to make 2024 a ground-breaking year for the Letterbox Kid project. Ireland’s cute yet obsessive use of the topic of weather to create a sense of unity and community through small talk with that of a stranger they meet on a street corner will now pave the way for music which takes the overly familiar weather conversations and translates that idea into a way of talking about something which in the past may have been off limits, our feelings and mental health struggles.

Through the comedic title of Stormy Daniels to the instructive project name of Let’s Talk About The Weather, the Letterbox Kid makes light of a once taboo and difficult topic. In all of its melodic and personal glory, the Letterbox Kid expresses so much within Stormy Daniels modest 3-minute run time. It’s his Summer pop song. It’s his introspective Rap piece. It’s Letterbox Kid personified.

Stormy Daniels as a single is an absurdly ambitious Pop-Rap song with a stomping kick & bass as well as a ridiculously lush accompanying instrumental, with sizzling synths and stunning vocals from Corks’ very own Charli XCX, Darian June. With Isaac taking the lead on production, Tyler The Creator’s IGOR can be heard twisting in & out of earshot while the song still takes the time to demonstrate the Letterbox Kids trademark vocal swag as well as his unique writing style & flair. Stormy Daniels is both nostalgic & sweet as well as unique & ear-catching, with beautiful melodies swinging recklessly then delicately from all angles.

“This song would happily sit upon a car radio on a warm Summer’s day when there was simply nothing better to do than go for a Sunday drive and play bops one after two until the sun escaped the sky and you found yourself back in the drive of your family home, too embarrassed to tell your Dad the name of said song.” Isaac O’Sullivan (Letterbox Kid)

Stormy Daniels all but goes ahead and captures the Letterbox Kid’s emotional and technical range as an artist thus far. From soaring vocal highs to nonchalant rap hooks, from beautifully composed strings to low rattling bass things, the Letterbox Kid flexes his musical and artistic prowess with his final instalment of singles before releasing the much anticipated ‘Let’s Talk About The Weather’ in late August.

This EP aims to usher listeners into a new era of openness and free speaking in Ireland, on topics such as emotions and mental health, in the hopes one might speak on things like these in the same manner one might throw small talk about the week’s weather forecast over an Irish shop counter first thing on a wet Monday morning.

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’20 Million Andrew Tates’ is the new single from the forthcoming debut album Scratch Card Empiresdue for release in October by Wasps vs Humans. 

In collaboration with F.O.W.L, ‘20 Million Andrew Tates‘ takes the distinctive punk folk WvHs’ sound, mixed with electronic overdubs to produce an up-tempo, yet dark indie track.

The new single calls out the widespread hate, misogyny, homophobia and objectification through online trolling and cyberbullying. With reference to an online controversial influential figure, ’20 Million Andrew Tates’ addresses issues of macho wealth, sex peddling and greed. Attracting young boys to aspire and idolise harmful role models, it is a disturbing reminder of a viral obsession, promoting toxic ideologies, isolation and devoid of any moral compass.

Gaining a reputation on the live circuit for their high octane performances, WvHs are an anarchic mix of drums, bodhrán, whistles, punk poetry, songs and beats, featuring punk poet, drummer and guitarist Carl Antony Plover and singer, bodhrán and whistle player Linda Plover.

In a previous incarnation, the husband and wife duo performed under the name Chunky Planet, releasing a number of tracks and receiving ‘Pick of the Fortnight’ in Hot Press magazine for their single ‘Pensioners Watch TV’ in 2004.

Initially a solo project, WvHs punk poet/drummer, Carl Antony Plover has shared the stage with some of Ireland’s and UK’s well-regarded performers and lyrical geniuses, including John Cooper Clarke, Christy Moore, Whipping boy, Jinx Lennon, Scroobius Pip and a daring opening set for The Fall. As a musician, he has released an album and single with 80’s Avant Garde band 4,000,000 Telephones, with critical acclaim in the UK national press and making the playlist on BBC radio’s John Peel show.

‘20 Million Andrew Tates’ by Wasps vs Humans ft F.O.W.L. will be available to download through the WvHs’ band camp page from Friday July 5, 2024, as well the usual online platforms.

Connect with Wasps vs Humans:

Twitter/ Instagram/ Facebook/ Bandcamp

The next workshop will be held on Tuesday 11th of June at 6.00pm.

Location
IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2

Co-Writing Session
The main focus of our workshop will be an opportunity for you to hone your songwriting skills, by co-writing with other members on the night. Please bring along your guitar or other musical instrument. If this is not possible, come along anyway.

Evening Topic
How to record your songs
Your host Rob Macleod, who has over three decades of experience in the music industry, including record production, will unlock the secrets of making simple home recordings and show you where you can go from there.

Whether you’re an absolute beginner or an experienced operator, Rob will have something of interest to say to you and he will also answer any questions you may have.

After The Workshop
After the workshop, at approximately 9.00 pm, we will adjourn to upstairs at The 51 Bar on Haddington Road, which is within walking distance from IMRO, to perform our co-writes and share other songs we have written in a warm, friendly and non-judgemental atmosphere..

TSC uses Meetup.com for communication purposes, so if you are interested please sign up at https://www.meetup.com/The-Songwriting-Collective/  or just drop in on the night

All are welcome.

“Having honed her musical chops busking, teen sensation Saibh Skelly has now dropped a hugely impressive debut EP, Undercover Heartbreak.”
– HOTPRESS

“She is just shining in her own right, this is so lush” – Maia Beth BBC Radio 1

 “If you’re looking for a new Taylor Swift you might enjoy this” – Arielle Free (in for Jack Saunders) BBC Radio 1 Future Artists

“Saibh Skelly has released something well worth hearing! I really, really like this” – Maia Beth BBC Radio 1 Future Pop

Accolades for Saibh Skelly in 2024 include being nominated for a Ticketmaster ‘Irish Rising Star for 2024’ and being chosen for as one of the 2FM Rising Artists 2024.
Saibh currently has an impressive 80K Instagram followers, over 60K YouTube followers, and 32.5K TikTok followers.

In 2019, Saibh Skelly embarked on her journey, sharing mesmerizing busking performances on YouTube. Rapidly amassing a dedicated following, she soared from 10,000 to an impressive 60,000 subscribers, capturing hearts with her charm and remarkable covers.

Fast forward to 2024, Saibh is conquering the music scene. With the release of ‘So What?’ and ‘Superficial,’ co-created with Toby Scott and Olivia Sebastianelli, and the highly anticipated EP ‘SAIBH X FIVE’, her career reached new heights with a Top 10 album chart position in Ireland

February saw Saibh Headline The Academy in Dublin and releases singles ‘You’ll Be The Last To Know’ & ‘Lost & Found’, which both made the Top 10 Irish Breakers Chart for 5 weeks. The tracks were playlisted on 2FM, recieving Track Of The Week across a number of radio stations, was widely supported nationaly and had BBC Radio 1 support, as well as generous DSP support.

Saibh’s graced stages supporting Hozier and Cian Ducrot, with Teddy Swims personally asking her to support his Irish tour.  She has sold out her own headline shows in Dublins Smock Alley Theatre and Workmans Club

This exciting artist boasts millions of radio plays, soaring YouTube and TikTok views, impressive streaming numbers, and has graced the stage of The Late Late Show among other TV appearances.

Behind the scenes, Saibh prepares for upcoming releases, a busy festival season and will co-host the New Music Show with Beta DeSilva, doing a 2FM Takeover on June 12th.
A proud contributor to the vibrant Irish music scene, Saibh expresses gratitude to her fans for unwavering support.

‘The Mirror’s Favourite’

“This is a song for everyone who’s had to deal with a pretty boy who thinks he’s better than everyone else. It’s very much what’s on the inside that matters, no one likes self centred people! This was a really fun song to write and what I hope is a very relatable one. It’s finally summer time so that means some new upbeat music. I think this is a catchy one so I’m hoping it could be your song of the summer! Catch me playing this new track at a couple Irish music festivals over the next few months.”

LIVE

• Forbidden Fruit – Dublin, June 2nd 15:30 2FM Rising Stage
• 2FM Takeover with Beta DeSilva June 12th LIVE
• Sea Sessions – Donegal, June 22nd
• Kaleidoscope Festival – Wicklow, June 28th – 30th
• Folly Festival – Laois, July 6th

Photo credit: Aleksandra Schmidt

Jessica Brett is a singer songwriter from Tipperary, Ireland. Drawn to music at a young age, Jessica started writing her own songs from the age of 12 and is no stranger to the stage having been performing in places like the National Concert Hall and the Helix. Growing up listening to an array of genres, Jessica loves experimenting with her music but predominantly turns to pop when creating her tracks, and has often been compared to other artists such as Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo.

Following on from previous singles ‘I’ll Come Back Better’,  ‘Sleep At Night’ , ‘Your Karma‘ & ‘It’s Always Been You‘ which all gathered support from 2FM, Today FM, SPIN, Beat 102 103, Amazing Radio and Dublin’s 98FM etc, new single ‘Grow Old With You’, produced by platinum artist Robert Grace, is a country-pop ode to love.

“Grow Old With You” is a very special song to me because it required me to embrace a certain vulnerability in my songwriting. Writing from this deeply personal perspective was challenging, but it’s also what makes me most proud of this piece. I wanted to create something that truly resonates with the emotions and experiences of being in love. Inspiration for this song came from artists I deeply admire, such as Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo. To bring my vision to life, I teamed up with the incredibly talented producer Robert Grace. He understood exactly the sound I was aiming for and helped me achieve that perfect blend of country and pop.”