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Hello all and welcome to the blogged down version of That New Band Smell. This week on our fine barometer of emerging talent we have three salacious acts for your approval.
Blissfully macabre rock from Co.Derry.
Crash Cassanova taken alt rock to the mean streets of Antrim. Debut EP coming soon.
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Katie and The Carnival have announced they will host aÌýnight of free music calledÌýthe 'Crash Bang Christmas Club' at The Black Box (cafe)Ìýon Saturday 10th December. They will use the occasion toÌýlaunch theirÌýyultide EP 'The First Christmas Since You Broke My Heart' and will be joined live by other actsÌýon the night.
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New York alt-metal groupÌý continue their trend of taking Northern Irish bands on the road with the addition of to their European tour. Last year they brought as a warm-up act on the same jaunt and have clearly grown attached to Northern Irish rock bands.
Fighting With Wire will support at their Christmas show in the SpringÌý& Airbrake on December 17th. They will also announce an IrishÌýtour and album details next week.Ìý
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A predictable GOTW, but it's always difficult to see past Rams Pocket Radio. Peter McAuley, a legend in the making, is celebrating another well recieved EP and a spate of London gigs (including shows with Snow Patrol) with a trio of gigs in Northern Ireland. If namedropping acts before they're massive is your thing but you're yet to see Rams live....well, you're running out of time.
Chatting about his all ages show in Derry on Friday evening (and the support for same), Peter told us:
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The Limelight and Spring and Airbrake complex is to be bought over in a joint venture from Shine Productions and MCD. CDC Leisure,Ìýprevious ownersÌýofÌýthe complex, went into administration in June this year with a winding up petition served againstÌýthem earlier in 2011.
The venues are regarded as some of the most prestigous in Northern Ireland, hosting established touring acts as well as upcoming local bands. For more details on the takeover check out the Ö÷²¥´óÐã NIÌýNews website.
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Charles Hurts kick off the with 'The Wave', the bass driven and mysterious duo of Philip Quinn and Steven Henry echoing the style and demeanour of acts like Joy Division in this pressure building effort, which eventually climaxes in some lustful guitar strumming.
Throughout their set the soaring, smooth yet temperate vocals of Quinn have a profound effect on the crowd; a very reserved band on stage they almost seem afraid at times to say thank you, but this doesn't detract from the performance, if anything adding to the enigmatic aura that surrounds them.
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The Speakeasy is slowly beginning to fill up on a bitterly cold Sunday night and it seems as if they are playing the best of Creation Records as the backing music. But the first disc, natch. Teenage Fanclub, My Bloody Valentine, bit of Ride. all warn us exactly what we’re going to be in for over the next hour or so. Effects pedals. Floppy fringes. A circle pit. No, only kidding. We’re all too busy staring at our shoes.
First up we have a strangely un-engaging set from the normally irrepressible Yes Cadets. Opening with a slowed down version of Canada, the band seem out of sorts. There’s not much in the way of banter and the lack of crowd reaction doesn’t seem to be helping. We’ve seen them better than this, here’s hoping it’s just an off night.
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Belfast based three piece Window Seats have announced tour details. The band will be taking to the road throughout Ireland in the next two months in promotionsn of their brand new EP Frozen Bones.
The play:
Friday 2nd December: Belfast - Animal Disco - Auntie Annies
Saturday 3rd December: Draperstown - G-Sessions - The Cellar Bar
Friday 16th December: Omagh - Fuel Nightclub
Thursday 22nd December: Dublin - The Pint Bar
Friday 23rd December: Warrenpoint - TBC
Friday 20th January: Lurgan - The Premiere Bar
For more information on the tour check for up to date details.ÌýCheck out the video for the guys latest single Local Superhero below.
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Don't get us wrong, the EMA's coming to Belfast was more than a little special. But it also left team ATL a little disappointed. Problem was, we'd heard a couple of relatively solid rumours that Foo Fighters were going to be secret guests of sorts, not only playing a song at the ceremony, but a very low key full gig at a medium sized venue in the city afterwards. It made sense - they've a new album out and Dave Grohl is the type of guy who'd buzz off playing to a couple of hundred people in a place like Belfast. But it never happened and Foo Fighters remain in a handful of amazing bands who've never played this country.
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Theatrical metallers Gwar have announced they will make their Northern Irish debut next year when they play the Spring and Airbrake in Belfast on January 16th. Elsewhere in gig news, Open House Concerts have announced details of their Christmas event. The Felice Brothers along with support from AA Bondy will take to the Spring and Airbrake on December 10th.
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Salutations to you, thirsty people of the new band sphere. This week on our ‘That New Band Smell’, we have a side project fromÌýthe bassist from Furlo. The drummer from former ATL Ìýfavourites Skruff branches out on his own and we get in tune with one of Dublin’s hotlyÌýtipped bands.
Furlo’s bassist swaps four string down strokes for six stringed acoustic sweetness.
Lady Gaga's new album 'Born this Way: The Remix' includes a remix from Bangor's finest Two Door Cinema Club. Two Door have reworked the track 'Electric Chapel' which you can hear below.
Two Door join the indie gliteratti of The Horrors, Metromony, Hurts, Foster the People and Wild Beasts on Gaga's remix album.
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runawayGO are set to release their second single on November 25th. The Belfast based five piece will undertake an eight date Irish tour in support of the launch. They will be playing:
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The nominations have been announced for this yearsÌýIrish Music Television Awards 2011. Amongst the nominations are three Northern Irish acts. Allie Bradley's track directed by Darren Lee,Ìýgets a nod in the Best Female section.
Now defunct four piece Key of Atlas receive recognition in the Best Group category for their video , directed by Darren Lee, while The Lowly Knights are nominated for , directed by Phil Harrison,Ìýin the Most Orignal Concept category.
Window Seats ambitious video for , directed by Marty Stalker,Ìýhas also been nominatedÌýfor Best Production Effects.
A comprehensive list of the nominees can be found on the
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Another night, another gig, and another empty venue, at least to begin with. When Before Machines take the stage, there are more people on-stage than in the audience, a sorry state of affairs in a city supposedly buzzing on live (and local) music after the glitz and glamour recently.
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Dreary winter is in full swing and tonight, we are all in need of a little merriment to shed those winter blues. We’re not getting it straight away though - support tonight comes from the openly cynical Tim Kasher, a man who is clearly the company misery loves.
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Tonight's gig comes in the wake of the news that Animal Disco is soon to be no more. Finishing up on New Years Eve, the club night has given us acts such as And So I Watch You From Afar, Kowalski, and Rams Pocket Radio, to name but a few. There was a large outcry of sadness and disbelief when the announcement was made last week, so it's not surprising to see that a large chunk of Belfast has turned up to the first of it's seven remaining nights.
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This weeks GOTW is a joyous prospect - three of the finest bands in the country in one small room.
We already know and love Seven Summits and Master & Dog, staples of the ATL playlist, so they'd be enough to do anyone, frankly. But then you've Best Boy Grip - possibly our favourite new act of the entire year, coming seemingly out of nowhere (via Philly's 'That New Band Smell', actually) with songs so familiar it's like we've known them all our collective lives.
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It can be tough for a singer songwriter opening any gig. Vying for attention and fighting for volume can be intimidating and confidence sapping, but Jamie Neish puts paid to any such problems as he quickly gets the crowd on his side. Neish’s guitar style is understated and melodically effective, and his voice is strong enough so that his lyrics come through loud and clear, showing a young man with a strong sense of self assurance and a delicate touch, with couplets like, ‘Only 21 / all my hope is gone’. With the crowd watching keenly, this set is far too short for our liking. A class act.
Next up are quartet Napoleon. Describing themselves as ‘dirty country’, they’re more on the pop-rock end of the genre spectrum, and a fine job they make of it as well. They have a massive sound, and from the drum-led opener the energy levels are high, staying there until the end. The lads switch guitars and vocal duties smoothly, this multi-instrumentalism adding to the gig, rather than being an act of mere tokenism. All three front men are as good as each other., and with good melodies, good arrangements, good musicians and a big sound – Napoleon conquered this crowd.
Headliners, John Edgar Voe soon stride on to the stage, greeting us with “Vibrations in the minds of godâ€, and open with a two and half minute tequila slammer rockabilly number called ‘Thelma’. It’s a great opener that gets toes tapping and the last few begrudging sitters-down onto their feet. If anyone came expecting to see the ‘supergroup’ John Edgar Voe with a stageful of NI Music Award winners, they’d have been disappointed. The band look a little different than they do in the posters adorning the venue, but by this stage it hardly matters.
Frontman Martin Corrigan is an interesting character, not short of confidence, and with a unique vocal delivery. It’s this delivery that helps take songs that are from a different time and place and allows them to sit comfortably in Belfast in 2011, avoiding accusations of twee corniness. There’s always a danger of this style of music being denounced as derivative and trite, but John Edgar Voe manage to avoid such accusations.
Onwards they bound with recurring strands popping up throughout the set - death, murder, love and hate amongst them. The highlight of the set is ‘Highwayman’, a tale of stealing the heart of a woman, possessing an idiosyncratic guitar style – a clanging chord which pops up in the chorus and is gone almost as soon as it arrives is very affecting.Ìý
Each song is a short sharp story. ‘Jericho’ tells of a man banished to the hills who learns some ‘murdering skills’ that he’s going to bring back to town to avenge his tormentors, and gig closer ‘The Conscript’ is a tale of a man who has aspirations higher than his incarcerated station; “The world won’t ‘a seen the likes ‘a me before†sang Corrigan. And with that the gig was over.
Some fine ‘Fermanicana’ on display tonight from John Edgar Voe - a band worth seeing again.
Owen McNulty
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The Answer have announced that they will be going out on a co-headline UK tourÌýwith fellow rockers in March next year.
and The Union will play the following places throughout March:
02 – Dublin – Whelan’s
03 – Belfast – Mandela Hall
04 – Cork - Cyprus Avenue
06 – Leeds – Cockpit
07 - Glasgow – Garage
08 – Aberdeen - Lemon Tree
10 – Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Hall
11 – Nottingham - Rock City
12 – Newcastle – Academy
13 – Manchester - Academy II
15 – London - Electric Ballroom
16 – Bristol – Academy
17 - Brighton - Concorde II
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Courtney Love, the slightly unpredictable and occasionally unreasonable (I'm being polite) lead singer of has been all over the music press again this week following an in Brazil. Provoked by a member of the crowd bringing a poster of Kurt Cobain to the gig, Courtney went off on quite the rant, threatening the audience and having a go at Dave Grohl before eventually storming off.
An unpleasant incident to read about but one that's inspired this, Northern Ireland music's top 5 onstage controversies….
5. Roysta, various, 2002-present
A one man Rubber Bandits, 's first gig involved 'offensive' costumes and a lot of nudity, setting the benchmark for shows of unparalleled obscenity. Totally uncompromising, anyone and anything is a target. What makes it even more bizarres is the fact offstage and out of character he's an utter gent.
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Strait Lace's have whipped out the directors chair and made a shortÌýfilm with the aid of Two Track Productions about two songs from their debut album. The screening will take place in Katy Daly's in Belfast on Saturday the 1st of December with a live set from and after.
Click Ìýto see teaserÌýof the film.
Greetings and salutations crusaders of new music, this week we bounce our new band smellometer off special satellites positioned on the earths precipice designed specifically to scope out the most talented and undiscovered bands in Ireland. Here are the three acts we have ripped from the data sent back for your consideration.
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Northern Irish rock band have been selected toÌýplay a show at The O2 in London as part of a 20 date live music festival . The four piece will headline the event on Sunday 11th of December.ÌýFor more details click
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Well renowned weekly club night Animal Disco is to shut it's doors on New Years Eve after 4 years of faithful service to the Northern Irish music scene.
The club began life in The Limelight complex before moving to it's regular slot on Friday nights in Auntie Annies 18 months ago. Over the course of it's existence it played host to the likes of And So I Watch You From Afar, Duke Special, Cashier No.9 and Rams Pocket Radio.
Animal Disco will bid farewell and withdraw into hibernation with aÌýlive setÌýfrom Not Squares as well as a DJ set from Two Door Cinema Club on New Years Eve.
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From the days of 13th Floor Elevators and The Grateful Dead’s legendary experimentation (lucidly documented in Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test) to more recent torchbearers in Hash Jar Tempo and Bardo Pond, psychedelic rock is a widely diverse genre that tends to divide your average group of rock enthusiasts. Spearheaded by virtuoso guitarist Kawabata Makoto, Japan’s Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O are easily the finest psych-rock band currently in existence. Tonight, thanks once again to the ever-informed endeavours of Strange Victory, they bring their head-expanding sounds to Belfast.
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This week's GOTW is all about the riffage. are a staple of the local scene, with a proper following and a big, varied back catalogue, while and are boxfresh wildcards. We've decided to home in on though, who are beginning to book end what's been an impressively hectic 2011. Here's what they had to say about Thursday:
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The will take place on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of November at The Centre on Little Victoria Street in Belfast (formerly Giro's). The event will launch the opening of the new cafe, screen printing and practice space with two days of all out aural assault including some of Ireland's most provocative punk bands.
Line-Up (Not Running Order)
FridayÌý25th November: , ,
Saturday 26th November: , ,
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It’s getting on for 12.15am on Friday night in Auntie Annie’s. The eighteen people upstairs are evenly spaced in multiples of two or three and pressed tightly along the walls, whilst the colours, lights and sounds of Animal Disco fill the spaces where dancing bodies should ideally be.
Maybe it’s the post MTV/Belfast Music Week blues. Perhaps the city’s music lovers have (understandable) gig fatigue, broken bank balances and eardrums to mend. But it doesn’t quite explain why the turnout is so disappointingly low for the perky post-punk romantics Funeral Suits.
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Entitled So Long John Fante, the album follows their delightful debut, Tales of the Lonely (PartsÌýI & III), and is available from all the usual outlets on cd, download, and limited edition vinyl.
Not only this, but the band are also having a launch gig in the Workman's Club in Dublin on the 30th of November.
FOr more information go to
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A week previous, the music world invaded Belfast. But all year round, Belfast invades the world. On Saturday night/Sunday morning, at around 1.45am, Belfast took over Ìý- a mammoth, uncompromising series of raves in Manchester. For a couple of hours, we ruled that place.
It started with poor quality cocktails. Myself and a handful of equally excited punters are over to see , the undisputed kings of good time disco. This bar is pretty rubbish and the DJ is playing Seal. But we've just worked out who those five men at the next table are. Granted one has a 'Chic Crew' hat on -Ìýbut the mixture of mullets, piano scarves and world weary faces had already given the game away. We introduce ourselves and, hugely impressed we've journeyed from another country (which they seem to think is a lot further away than it is), they deal out plectrums and set lists, buzzing off our enthusiasm. They have words with Lisa, a disco obsessive who's mere moments away from her birthday. Three hours later andÌýNile Rodgers is dedicating 'Le Freak' to 'everyone over from Belfast', wishingÌýLisa a happy birthdayÌýasÌýshe and her friend are invited up to dance (alongside ).
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Lisburn singer-songwriter Aaron Shanley andÌýLurganÌýtroubadour Ciaran Lavery (Captain kennedy), have teamed up for a six dateÌýjoint acoustic tour.
Lavery recently released his debut solo EP, 'Will be a Stranger Now', while Shanley brought us his second installement of 'Tears on Elizabeth Street'.
TOUR DATES
25th November - Cafe Del Mondo, Derry
27th November - Love & Death Inc, Belfast
28th November - Spirit Store, Dundalk
29th November - Rua Unplugged, Dublin
1st December - The Woodville, Lurgan
2nd December - Listening Post, Coleraine
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Shapes, Eatenbybears, &U&I
The Limelight, Belfast
Thursday 10th November, 2011
A very sparsely populated venue greets openers &U&I.Ìý Indeed, it’s likely that there are more members of bands here than punters when they take to the stage, a situation which unfortunately doesn’t improve much over the course of the rest of the evening.
Not that you can really tell from the performance before us.Ìý If they’re merely running through the motions, then it’s a very convincing acting job.Ìý Their demented aggression marries itself to spit-flecked rock under-pinned by a rhythm section that threatens to head off to metal when no-one is watching.Ìý Settling down, they exploit the old ‘quiet-loud’ dynamic, making the loud more unsettling, taking dark turns in the night.Ìý
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Belfast Music Week may be over, but you can now watch highlights from two of the nights at the Ulster Hall.
To watch clips from Halloween night's Volume Control all ages gig with General Fiasco, A Plastic Rose, Axis Of, Rainy Boy Sleep, Silhouette and Colly String visit here.
While you can also watch highlights of the live stream from last Thursday's benefit gig with Ash, The Undertones and Divine Comedy.
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Also catch up on Phily Taggart's reports from loads of gigs during the week including The Hoedown with Foy Vance and Friends, Northern Irish Music AwardsÌýand Belfast Rocks! gig with The Answer, Therapy? and Lafaro.
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Belfast's One have revealed the first details of their festive plans with the announcement of a very special New Years Day party featuring Detroit legend and head-honcho on M-Plant Records, Robert Hood.
Hood has been described as the 'forefather of minimal techno' with his 1994 album 'Minimal Nation' setting the blueprint for an entire sub-genre of electronic music.
Support comes from One residents Samaan and Graeme, as well as Extended Play who host room 2.
Friday night's dance show see's Irish DJ and producer Mano Le Tough make his ATL guest mix debut.
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Originally from Co. Wicklow but now based in Berlin, over the past two years Mano has dropped some amazing productions on the like of Prins Thomas Internasjonal, Permanent Vacation and most recently Buzzin' Fly imprints.
Catch him in the mix and on the phone for a quick chat with Paul Hamill this Friday night on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Ulster from midnight.
Intermission, Furlo, Best Boy Grip, Future Chaser
Derry Showcase, Oh Yeah! Centre,
Tuesday 1st November, 2011
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As we stroll in Future Chaser are already in full swing at the Oh Yeah Centre and getting the place going with some high energy alternative rock. They have something about their music that stirs something inside of you. 'Chances' gives off a melancholic and thoughtful vibe associated with acts like Angels and Airwaves, the heavy drum beat acting like a call to arms, whilst on the other hand 'Japan' gives you a more pop rock experience with zealous vocals, something that easily gets your foot tapping.
They're a tight and switched on band with no airs or graces and they've set us up for a great night.
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Hey there new music fans. We have three quality new upstarts for your consideration this week. It’s like a musical MENSA of young prodigies, we have a thirteen year old electro producer, a pop punk band in their mid-teens and some quirky electro pop from a brand new band.
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Irritatingly young electro prodigy. When this track breaks it’s akin to pulling a jet engine to your face.
Another exceptional batch of teenage upstarts for this weeks 'New Band Smell'. 'Try Harder' is a well crafted pop punkÌýsong much in theÌýouvre of Alkaline trio and Blink 182. Ìý
Desert Hearts, Wonder Villains, Elspeth
Stiff Kitten, Belfast
Friday, 4th November, 2011
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The Volume Control all ages gig at the Ulster Hall, Belfast took place on Halloween night as part of Belfast Music Week. Across The Line were thereÌýstreaming the whole eventÌýlive online and on Radio Ulster, but you can now watch highlights from the gig on the links below.
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You can also check out Phily Taggarts 'Trick or Treat' features with the bands:
Colly String (Trick or Treat)
Rainy Boy Sleep (Trick or Treat)
Axis Of (Trick or Treat)
General Fiasco (Trick or Treat)
A Plastic Rose (Trick or Treat)
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This week's stand out show sees the return of an act who've been out of the loop so long we may have forgotten about them, if they weren't just so darn good.
(formerly John Shelly & the Creatures - can we stop saying that now?) join for a show in sunny Portrush this Saturday.
'This is our return to playing live shows after locking ourselves away in the studio for the last 6 months.' explains Walter D'Goon from the band.
'We'll also be playing shows in Coleraine, Belfast, Dublin, Draperstown and Derry around this gig. There'll be quite a lot of new tunes added to the repertoire and we've added two extra members to our line-up! Expect new tunes, more instruments, the ever excellent Sons of Caliber and some sort of mystical aural fireworks display! That's just how we roll.'
The band will also be in a celebratory mood, having recently announced that multi Grammy winning producer will mix tracks from the forthcoming new album, having previously done so for the likes of Coldplay and Snow Patrol. Nice!
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Mojo Fury, abandcalledboy, Jackalfeud w/ guests The Answer
Pigstock Unplugged, Love & Death, Belfast
Friday 4th November, 2011
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Spirits are riding high as Friday night of Belfast Music Week arrives and with the buzz of the imminent EMAs electric, Pigstock promoter Jonny Tate has instead opted to unplug.Ìý
So while A Plastic Rose take on the Menagerie and Kowalski entertain Auntie Annies to name just two of countless citywide goings-ons, a formidable selection from this year's Pigstock festival is lined up to bring the real spark of vintage MTV to Love & Death.
Aiming to capture the often primal vibe of the channel's celebrated Unplugged series, which hosted classic acoustic sets from the likes of Nirvana and Alice In Chains in the mid-90s, the performance area is adorned only with candles and progressively nagging disco ball lighting - sure it's a little tacky, but also a warming homage that casts a real edge of intimacy into proceedings.
LaFaro, Fighting With Wire
Cellar Bar, Draperstown
5th November, 2011
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The Answer, Therapy? and LaFaro
Belfast Rocks, The Ulster Hall
Friday 4th November, 2011
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Belfast Music Week has been cramming so much in we're not getting used to the super punctual gig starts. Doors open at the Ulster Hall at 7pm on the dot and LaFaro are pretty much thrown onstage at half past, exactly the time they're supposed to start - prompting those still loitering at the bar on their way in to run towards the noise. And what a glorious noise it is.
Jonny Black snarls at the crowd like he's just found out it's stolen his beloved VW golf! The stage looks like it's set for an eighties metal video with amps stacked high and guitars a plenty and they really have turned it up to 11 tonight.
Mark Lanegan is to play Belfast’s Mandela Hall on Thursday 8th March 2012.
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The gig will be part of his Blues Funeral tour, his first album in seven years.Ìý
The American singer has previously performed with the Screaming Trees, Queens Of the Stone Age and Isobel Campbell.
Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 9th November.
Van Morrison is to play the Odyssey Arena in Belfast next February.Ìý It will be first time in over a decade that the Belfast singer has performed in hisÌýhome town.
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Tonight's Pigeon Detectives show in Mandela Hall, Belfast, has been postponed until further notice.
The promoters of the concert have said that refunds willÌýbe available from point of purchase.
The first Northern Ireland Music Awards took place at the Ulster Hall in Belfast last night.Ìý
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Cashier No9, Jape and We Cut Corners are the latest local bands announced to perform at next years Eurosonic festival in the Netherlands.
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Belfast four-piece By Any Means are to release their new album, ‘Built on Respect’, at the Limelight on the 26th November.
The gig is part of the launch of a new local hardcore label, Saviour Your Scene, and will also feature Gacy Threads, who will be releasing their new EP, ‘The Ignorance of Purity’, Bricktop and Skypilot.
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Volume Control, the young group of promoters based at the Oh Yeah Centre in Belfast,Ìýorganised an all ages gig in the Ulster Hall, BelfastÌýon Halloween night as part of the Belfast Music Week.
Across The Line were there broadcasting live on radio and you can listen again to sets from , , andÌý.
and headlinersÌý also played on the night. Video footage of all the acts will be on bbc.co.uk/atl soon!
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