Tag Archives: The Bonk

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The Bonk – psych-rock sideproject comes to the fore

What you may need to know…

01. Beginning life as an outlet for Waterford/O Emperor man Phil Christie’s more eclectic ideas, The Bonk has since become something a bit more fully-fledged.

02. Since its emergence, The Bonk has gigged intermittently yet memorably, including a set at last year’s Sudden Club Weekender fest in Cork.

03. Streaming above (in a Broadsheet premiere!) is the video for the Bonk’s new instrumental single Monologue.

04. It releases ahead of a string of dates around Ireland this month and next, including a Leeside return date at Coughlan’s on April 20th (insert word-that-sounds-like-“bonk”-pun here), with support from Patrick Freeman. Full info on their social media in the coming weeks.

Thoughts: A wee creeper of a tune, led by unfettered synth noodling, but underpinned by steadfastly psychey experimentation.

The Bonk

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The Bonk – Ancestor

What you may need to know…

1. Emerging from jam sessions in Cork’s Big Skin studios, The Bonk derive their moniker from a colloquialism for complete mental and physical collapse.

2. The band is headed up by Waterford man and O Emperor guitarist Phil Christie, and features several of that band’s members. They made their debut appearance under the name earlier this year, at the Quarter Block Party festival.

3. Last week saw the release of debut single Ancestor as a free download from the band’s Bandcamp page, streaming above.

4. The band’s next live excursion is April 16 as part of Cork record shop/community centre/institution PLUGD Records‘ celebration of five years at their current home at the Triskel Arts Centre’s TDC venue.

5. Also appearing are the impossibly promising Barchester Chronicles, prolific troubadour Laurie Shaw, singer-songwriter Roslyn Steer, with Cork hip-hop icon Stevie G spinning discs in the shop (upstairs, 12-6) beforehand and in GULPD Cafe (downstairs) all night.

Verdict: A bit early at this stage for hyperbole, but what’s here reminds your writer of Captain Beefheart’s more focused moments – swaggering, confident grooving that doesn’t necessarily skimp on the psychedelia.

The Bonk