Tag Archives: Dubland

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No Monster ClubDrinking at the Doldrums

What you may need to know…

1. Dublin lo-fi pop project and long-term ‘sheet favourite No Monster Club returns with a new single from last year’s I Feel Magic album.

2. The labour of love of Popical Island’s Bobby Aherne, NMC have been plying their bockety wares for a few years now, having toured with The Polyphonic Spree, Wavves, HEALTH, Jeffrey Lewis, Ariel Pink, and Jeff the Brotherhood, among others.

3. Streaming above is the video for Drinking at the Doldrums. In the band’s own words, it is: “The official No Monster Club videogame – the world’s first ‘choose your own adventure’ in which you are given no options whatsoever”.  Action, action, action.

4. Appearing next on the festival rounds, the band will be at Castlepalooza, Knockstockan and Galway Arts fests. More info here.

Verdict: A grin-inducer for fans of pop and/or dementedly sunshiny melodies of various stripes.

No Monster Club

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The Mighty Stefplaying farewell gigs in May

Here’s what you may need to know…

1. The Mighty Stef are a band, led by namesake Stefan Murphy. But after four albums, two EPs and a decade of gigging, they’re about to call it a day, announcing their final live dates earlier this year before assuming other projects.

2. Most recent album Year of the Horse, released in September 2014, picked up critical plaudits, and distribution via London tastemakers Rough Trade. The entire Mighty Stef discography is streaming here, a patchwork of punk, alternative, and assorted influences that maps the changes the band has undergone over the years.

3. Onward and upward for the band, however: the titular Stef is working on the debut album of new project COUNT VASELINE, Gary Lonergan is developing a live set for his solo electronic compositions, while Daniel Fitzpatrick is recording solo material with Tom Cosgrave (The Minutes) and running O’Donoghue’s Open Mic, one of Dublin’s oldest open-mic nights.

4.
The band wind it up at the Empire Music Hall in Belfast on May 12, and say their goodbyes to the city that inspired the band’s existence on May 13 at Dublin’s Button Factory.

Verdict: Come out and show support for one of Irish music’s most enduring fixtures before they head for pastures new.

The Mighty Stef

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Wild Rocket – touring Ireland in April

Here’s what you may need to know…

1. Here’s that unfathomably heavy dose of psychey, synthy, doomy, spacey noise you ordered, courtesy of Dublin four-piece Wild Rocket, an amalgam of all manner of weighty musical matters and celestial themes.

2. 2014 saw the release of debut LP Geomagnetic Hallucinations, back in very limited stock again on 12″ at their Bandcamp page (track Interplanetary Vibrations streaming above). While you’re there, get your lugholes on a free live album from 2015’s Siege of Limerick: Earrach, for a dose of the band in their natural environment.

3. The lads have a busy April ahead of them, playing Dublin’s Reverberation Weekend at the Grand Social on April 8th, alongside bands like Scots The Cosmic Dead and Dublin krautrock duo Twinkranes

4. …before going on an excursion around the country, co-headlining with fellow Dubliners Venus Sleeps, on the grandiosely titled ‘Infinite Crossroads Tour’. April 28th, they’ll be playing On the Rox in Dublin, the 29th sees them playing Cork Community Print Shop, and on the 30th, they’ll be at Feasant Fest, in Emmett’s of Ballina, Co. Mayo. Finally, on the 1st of May, they’ll be at Galway’s Loft, as part of the venue’s Walpurgis Night.

Verdict: Ample riff worship for doom devotees, enough synths and oddness to intrigue prog and psych heads. Catch ’em live for best effect.

Wild Rocket

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Forbidden Fruit – Saturday day passes on sale now
Saturday June 4th, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham

01. Day passes are now on sale for the Saturday of Forbidden Fruit, happening June 4 at Kilmainham’s Royal Hospital.

02. As covered in our round-up last week, the day is being headlined by psych-rock iconoclasts Tame Impala, off the back of 2015’s breakthrough Currents LP, math-rock elder statesmen Battles, soul collective Jungle, house duo Tale of Us, and a live performance from minimalist experimental techno duo Kiasmos.

03. Added to the line-up are grime pioneer Skepta, US rapper Freddie Gibbs, and a live audiovisual show from Dublin house/turntablism/etc. man Kormac and collaborators.

04. More to be announced, of course. We’ll keep you updated with more line-up announcements as and when we get them. €59.50 at the usual outlets, while stocks last, etc.

Verdict: Skepta is an influential name to add to any festival bill, and should help pique interest in day tickets. Kormac’s various live excursions have also been fest favourites, while Freddie Gibbs adds weight to proceedings. Bodes well for further announcements.

Forbidden Fruit