Author Archives: Nick Kelly

This afternoon.

Slane Castle, County Meath

Hippy squire Lord Henry Mountcharles (centre) surveys his estate ahead of the Metallica concert with MCD event co-ordinator Eamon Fox (left) and Chief Superintendent Fergus Healy.

Up to 75,000 ‘headbanging revellers’ are expected on Saturday, June 8.

Even some ladypersons.

Probably with the band but still.

Slane Castle ready to rock with Metallica (Meath Chronicle)

Photocall Ireland

Meanwhile…

The Riptide Movement – I’ll Be There

The new single by the Dublin four-piece is an old-fashioned rousing guitar anthem that if there is any justice in the world should have men linking arms and bellowing out the chorus on dancefloors all across the country.

This is big music with an ever bigger heart.

Mal Tuohy’s soaring vocals here put one in mind of The Mighty Wah or The Killers, while the video should deter anyone from even thinking of applying for a corporate office job.

You can catch The Riptide Movement live at Bandon Music Festival, Cork, on June 1 and The Courtyard Hotel in Leixlip, County Kildare, on June 2.

Nick says: Let it Rip!

The Riptide Movement

Attention REM fans – Peter Buck is among us.

The REM guitar hero (top centre) has formed a veteran indie supergroup of sorts with Sleater Kinney singer Corin Tucker (top right), drummer Linda Pitmon (top left) as well as Scott McCaughey (second right) and Bill Rieflin, who were in REM’s touring band for many years. The line-up is completed by guitarist Kurt Bloch (top second right) of The Fastbacks.

The name of the group is Filthy Friends and they play Dublin’s Button Factory tonight.

The band have just released their second album ‘Emerald Valley’, having debuted with ‘Invitation’ in 2017. You can hear Buck’s trademark Rickenbacker jangle all over their new single ‘Break Me’ (above), the video for which was shot in the band’s home state of Oregon.

Nick says: Any chance of ‘Gardening At Night’, Peter?

Filthy Friend at the Button Factory

This morning/afternoon.

Skerries, County Dublin.

Via Skerries:

More coming down today. This is on Strand Street at Mullholland’s Surgery by the monument. First the Christmas lights come off then the branches are chopped….

Skerries (Facebook)

Yesterday: Someone Shout Stop

Mumageddon.

Last night.

Olympia Theatre, Dublin

Dear Slim, I wrote you but still ain’t callin’.

Fight!

This morning.

Skerries, County Dublin.

Via Skerries:

Tree cutting in process at the moment on Church Street –  One has just gone outside Nealons, one is about to go beside the Coast and three or four more will go later today. The problem is they are breaking up the pavement. Local sculptor Shane Holland has been trying to stop them. He is asking for the Council to fix the pavements instead. He has chained his van to the one outside his house…

Skerries (Facebook)

Last night: Ask A Broadsheet Reader

eur(elle) – Borrowed Blood

Neil Eurelle (top), from Dublin indie rockers Empire Circus, has a solo album ‘The Dark Chromatic’ due on July 1.

‘Borrowed Blood’ is the second single from the LP, and mixes a traditional singer/songwriter approach with contemporary r’n’b and electronica to create something that defies easy categorisation.

Eurelle describes the song as “honest cinematic soundscapes, tinted with a touch of melancholy”.

Nick says: There will be blood on the tracks

eur(elle)

Just Mustard – Frank

Something strange this way comes. Hailing from Dundalk, County Louth, Just Mustard offer an almost sinister take on early ’90s shoegaze (who remembers The Cranes?) that will shake the listener out of their comfort zone.

Nominated for last year’s Choice Music Prize for their album ‘Wednesday’, Just Mustard have produced an unforgettable video (above) that is David Lynch levels of dark, dystopian, dreamlike, disturbing and other words not necessarily beginning with D.

The band, led by Katie Ball’s haunting vocals, have since dropped another single ‘October’, but the video is the Metal Machine Music of pop promos – an impressively non-commercial anti-video. Respect.

Nick says: Move over Ham Sandwich, Just Mustard are here!

Just Mustard