BATS spelled backwards is STAB

One of the most anticipated Irish albums out this year is by Richter Collective members BATS – and from the pounding drums on album opener ‘Higgs Boson Particle’, it’s obvious they’re out to impress. The album title, ‘Red In Tooth & Claw’, is taken from a line in a Lord Tennyson poem, in a characteristically…

Check Out That Damn Funk!

I’m very VERY excited about these gigs. Faith No More – tomorrow night, whoop! (this video creeps the crap out of me) Dam Funk: Twisted Pepper, Dublin on October 23 and The Pavilion, Cork on 25th October . Hypnotic Brass Ensemble: (I still haven’t seen them in Ireland! For shame.) Electric Picnic, Roisin Dubh, Galway,…

Future Islands/Nico Muhly/The Wave Pictures

Some updates on new articles I have on State: *Nico Muhly– Absolut Fringe, Spiegeltent, Sunday 6th September *Future Islands – Foggy Notions gig, Whelan’s Upstairs, 9th September and my Wave Pictures album review should be up soon. Enjoy!

Back from the ‘Burgh

Well, what a week that was. You know that feeling when you really, really need a holiday, a goddamn break from your everyday routine? When you feel like your head’s going to explode if you have to do just one more week of the same ‘ol stuff every day? Well that was exactly how I…

Off to Edinburgh!

So, I’m off to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival tomorrow – on a 6.30am flight no less..zzzzzzzz I shall be back in about a week with: *All the info on how I got on in Edinburgh *A loooooooooooong overwaited post on new bands/new music – thanks to all the bands who’ve emailed me recently, I AM…

‘Under the Neon’ video

If you’ve been wondering where Waterford’s You’re Only Massive and Cork’s Queen Kong have got to, well here’s your answer: out foreign. QK’s Dave Murphy and YOM’s Maebh Cheasty have been uber (sorry, couldn’t resist…) busy putting the final touches to their H8R H8R studio and getting ready to unleash some new tunes on the…

Nico Muhly

Yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing Nico Muhly for State (in advance of his performance at the Absolut Fringe festival – see below), and I have to say it was one of the most interesting interviews I’ve done in a long time. I’ve been doing so many email interviews lately, which require little to…