dance.
New release “Archfiend” by Eksi Ekso sees a departure from the heavily orchestrated sound crafted on their sophomore album “Brown Shark Red Lion”. The band has done away with using a constantly revolving cast of musicians, to focus on creating a raw, cohesive core to the group. The album looks at the contrasting characters of... (Read more)
Let the trumpets sound, Ape Tape Volume 3 is here. Come back in from the wilderness, I’m here to give you 10 tracks you must hear.
As per normal, you can stream Ape Tape in the Soundcloud player below. 7 of this weeks track are available for free download, simply click download beside the track.... (Read more)
It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Ape Tape Volume 2 is here. Here for all your essential music needs, Ape Tape brings you 10 must hear tracks, some of which are available for free download.
Let’s get cracking.
1. Casey (acoustic) by The Menzingers.
Considered by many... (Read more)
30 Seconds to Mars recently released the video for their first single off their upcoming Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams album, Up in The Air. I know what you’re thinking. This video can’t be good for Livy’s heart. Right? Well, yes. You’re right.
I will admit, it did take a couple of listen’s to get used... (Read more)
Dexys Midnight Runners or Dexys as they are now known, are hitting the stage at the Festival Marquee as part of Belfast’s fantastic Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival tonight. The band led by the legendary Kevin Rowland will be performing their latest album ‘One Day I’m Going To Be A Star’ in it’s entirety. BUT... (Read more)
T IN THE PARK TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM WWW.TINTHEPARK.COM
Mark this day in your calendars. People will ask, in years to come, where were you when the first Ape Tape collection was released. Here you are witnessing the birth of something new, something epic, something that will dictate how you live your life.
Enough... (Read more)
Nashville, TN quartet The Features have released the music video for “This Disorder”, the lead single from their forthcoming full-length self-titled album, out May 14th on Serpents and Snakes / BMG. The throbbing beat, jagged guitar swipes, staccato synth lines, and dystopian lyrics found on “This Disorder” are the perfect backdrop to the video.... (Read more)
Dave Clarke, Kissy Sell Out and Elite Force to headline Bass Camp
‘Baron of Techno’ Dave Clarke, eccentric electro DJ Kissy Sell Out, break beat icon Elite Force and the internationally acclaimed Justin Robertson top the bill at the Wickerman Festival’s Bass Camp dance village this year. Featuring the renowned Em-It and Skiddle tents and... (Read more)
Oxegen returns to Punchestown from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th August Bank Holiday weekend. Headlining this years festival is superstar DJ David Guetta who has sold over six million albums, 15 million singles worldwide and has consistently topped the charts with dancefloor hits such as Play Hard, Titanium, Sweat, and When Love Takes Over featuring... (Read more)
Fresh from storming the UK charts with their latest single ‘White Noise feat AlunaGeorge’, DISCLOSURE are extremely excited to announce the title, artwork and release date for their eagerly awaited details of their debut album.
... (Read more)With a strong reputation for their passionate and high octane live shows Arcane Roots release Blood & Chemistry on the 6th May. With any band worth their salt you’ll find they create a sound which is unique and you may struggle to pigeon... (Read more)
When it comes to tour pairings I would never have coupled moody indie band Echo And The Bunnymen with popsters James and strange combination that resulted in an even stranger audience mix!! A winning combination or a marriage made in hell…time would tell…
Echo And The Bunnymen’s previous visit to Glasgow at The Royal Concert... (Read more)
Birmingham-based four piece Peace have announced live dates across Ireland this July. The band have careered from the classroom to Columbia Records in a short period of time and lead singer Harry Koisser reflects that it’s probably the lack of a precise plan that has allowed them to travel so far so fast. “I’ve been... (Read more)
Ishi was born as an experiment between friends. In 2006, JT Mudd & Brad Dale set out to create a sound that would help redefine the pop sensibility of modern day music. Their vision was to blend the classic, soulful story-telling and organic instrumentation of traditional folk music, with the infinite sonic possibilities offered through... (Read more)
Formed in Glasgow in 1977 from the ashes of Johnny and the Self Abusers, Simple Minds were about to set off on an incredible journey that would spawn 15 studio albums (to date), reaching the height of their popularity in the mid 80’s with Sparkle In The Rain and Once Upon A Time.
Sandwiched between... (Read more)
Arguably Scotland’s top Ska band Bombskare brought musical mayhem to a delighted sold out King Tuts in Glasgow to unveil their superb new album The Day The Earth Stood Stupid. The Edinburgh based masters of ska play a form of the music that is fun, very tongue in cheek and absolutely impossible to stand still... (Read more)
It may seem to have taken a lifetime, but London rock band Scholars are due to release their stunning debut album Always Lead, Never Follow on the 8th April. In the time that it’s taken to write, record and release this album Scholars have managed to hone their live shows and become an incredibly well... (Read more)
In a world where rock n roll seems to lack a certain positive nerve, Diamond Dawn stand for a vision of conveying energy and excitement through their pompous and melodic, yet hard rocking songs. With a clear vision of how melodic rock is supposed to be delivered, the band are ready to bring the excitement... (Read more)
Sleazy gritty bluesy rock-n-rollers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club thundered into Glasgow’s famous Barras (Barrowland Ballroom) to play a sold out show, tickets were like hen’s teeth and I got a front row seat…excited? …you bet been waiting ages on this coming around!!
The band was formed in 1998, originally called The Elements. After discovering that... (Read more)
The Midlands is synonymous with being a hot-bed of musical talent and melting pool of some of the most talented musicians and performers known within the world of music and across the globe. But even the mighty Sabbath would’ve only achieved so much without an equally talented mind behind the mixing desk capable of capturing... (Read more)
Has there ever been another record label that had such a great track record as Motown did? If you look at their output from their beginnings through to the 70′s I struggle to find anything that isn’t good, and much of it is outright classic. It really is an amazing achievement that one company out... (Read more)
You’d think I was a kid at Christmas on St Patrick’s Day this year. This wasn’t because I was excited and out celebrating the holiday – I had something even better to look forward to the following day.
The new 30 Seconds to Mars single, Up In The Air, was finally released on Monday 18... (Read more)
John Grant’s 11-track ‘Pale Green Ghosts’ album is a wonderfully varied album encompassing electronic dance music and a simple lyrical outburst accompanied by an acoustic guitar. It’s hard to really pin down the exact genre for this album, nonetheless this is good because it means you’re nearly always going to find something you like.
Ok,... (Read more)
Want something different? Something other than a pretentious prick mumbling about pizza and chips and rude waiters, or a woman complaining yet again of another forewarned cock-up? Then I will whole-heartedly recommend you listen to Galapagos.
It may have taken them... (Read more)
Although Bastille began as the brainchild of singer-songwriter Dan Smith, his solo project eventually grew into a quartet. After releasing some well-received EPs, ranging from original songs to covers, their debut album, ‘Bad Blood’, has been highly anticipated by their ever-growingfan base and critics alike.
When a lot of people first meet me, they never imagine I’d be a fan of the X Factor – yet here I am, quite possibly one of the most guilty of fans.
This year, I was delighted by an array of various, and let’s be honest, the most camp contestants yet, so as you... (Read more)
Ever fancied having handy one stop guide to upcoming single releases? Well your prayers have been answered! Here’s four of the best coming out in the next month.
Streams to all tracks are below.
Dinosaur Pile Up... (Read more)
Kent based emo quartet Coastline release their début mini-album Taken Under on the 4th of March.
It’d be all too easy to pigeon hole... (Read more)
Two cousins, united in music, form Javelin, an electronic production duo originally from Providence, Rhode Island, now based in New York. They have been making music together since 2004 and are poised to release their second full length album, Hi Beams.
The album’s opener, Lights Out, features a lovely blend of electronic and organic instrumentation... (Read more)
T. Rex were a British band put together in the late 60′s – just in time to digest the Beatles’ outstanding Blue Album! Oooooh yeah! My favourite member of the band typically stands as Marc Bolan; who happens to be the primary founder and the baroque vocalist and guitarist.
I was genuinely torn between Pink... (Read more)
| BUMPER LINE-UP FOR T IN THE PARK’S 20th YEAR Over 12th – 14th July, 85,000 music fans per day will descend on the fields of Kinross to experience the 20th year of T in the Park. With an incredible line-up of seminal artists and the hottest chart topping and stadium filling... (Read more)
Well this band is sure to catch your eye, not only are the main singers’ brother and sister (that’s a lot of talent in one family!) their drummer tap dances! So despite their name relating to the Kolar siblings this band is actually made up of 5 individual talents. They are about to release their... (Read more) There is a lot can be said about Doldrums aka Airick Woodhead. The 22 year old producer from Toronto is certainly possessed of energy, enthusiasm and ingenuity as his first LP, Lesser Evil shows. The album’s Intro, comprised of synth textures and some eerie, pitch-shifted vocal samples, seems to be preparing the listener for something... (Read more) Geekcore act Fights & Fires release their second album We Could All Be Dead Tomorrow on the 4th March through Swedish label Blackstar Foundation. It’s a raucous and passionate affair, mixing a blend... (Read more) With a snake-hipped charm of beguiling intent the Dead Sons album The Hollers & The Hymns is a glorious return to when bands had charisma as well as tunes; when the performance wasn’t simply the playing of the songs and an occasional shout out to the crowd; where they teased and led an audience willing... (Read more) This is the third album from the Icelandic singer Sindri Már Sigfússon known as the solar artist Sin Fang and who is also the lead singer in the band Seabear. From the outset this album sounds ‘Icelandic’ and you can hear the influence of the producer Alex Somers who has worked with both Sigur Ros... (Read more) On the 25th of January, dance-rock three piece MNEMOTECHNIC released their debut album ‘Awards’ on Smalltown America. The three guys: Arnaud Kermarrec-Tortorici (Bass guitar), Anthony-Medhi Affari (Vocals) and Xavier Guillaumin (Drums) from Brest, France have currently had great reviews from websites and magazines, it looks like 2013 has kicked off to a flying start for... (Read more) Glasgow’s Celtic Connections to some may be viewed as a festival comprising mainly of fiddles and Scottish twee and maybe unfairly so as they always try to include something completely uncharacteristic to the mainstream theme of the festival, this year that odd offering was Scottish hip-hop outfit Stanley Odd and to mix it up even... (Read more) Belfast alt-punk quartet Empty Lungs release their new 6 track EP Stand Up in February. Packed with big hooks and defiant punk vocals it’s a stunning EP. The EP kicks of with the frantic guitar driven ‘Running In Circles’. It’s fast... (Read more) Oxfordshire mathcore act This Town Needs Guns have released their sophomore album 13.0.0.0.0. It’s a wonderful manual on how to produce beautiful laid back math-rock. On April 9, indie label Paracadute will release PYYRAMIDS’ full-length debut, Brightest Darkest Day. The band – helmed by Tim Nordwind from indie rock band OK Go and Drea Smith of the electro-pop outfit He Say/She Say... (Read more) JUNIP – Elias Araya, José González, Tobias Winterkorn – release the first single off their self-titled second album, set for release on April 22nd through City Slang.‘Line... (Read more)
American audiences will get another chance to check out the energetic and always entertaining Young Empires when they embark on a string of U.S. dates next month. The band released the hugely successful Wake All My Youth EP in 2012 in Canada, performing on late night... (Read more) Sally Shapiro is a Swedish synthpop artist, comprised of an unnamed female vocalist and producer Johan Agebjörn. Their third album Something Else, presents twelve tracks of electronic music, heavily influenced by the Italo disco sound of the mid-1980s, but also featuring other elements of dance music. The album opens with Prescript, a short ambient... (Read more) New York duo Clementine and the Galaxy recently revealed their brand new track, Robot, amidst a series of internet releases, including pop-synth versions of Nirvana’s Heart Shaped Box and original tracks Crying My Whole Heart Out and Complication. Critics such as The Huffington Post, Deli Magazine and Time Out New York have already been taking... (Read more) LA Quintet He’s My Brother She’s My Sister recently offered a sneak peak of their debut album, Nobody Dances In This Town, set for release on January 22 via Park The Van Records. Nobody Dances In This Town perfectly embodies good old fashioned rock and roll, with the band coming together to create a sound... (Read more) IS TROPICAL are set to release their brand new FLAGS EP on Kitsuné/Cooperative Music on January 21 2013 with a little help from such friends, such as Get People, DrugzNDreamz and Visions. Speaking about the recording of their upcoming release, IS TROPICAL said: “In the weeks... (Read more) If you’re into Indie/Pop, you will love this new LP, ‘Waiting For Something to Happen’ by Veronica Falls, the London based quartet band. The first tracks are enough to wet your appetite. If you like a young version of Kings of Leon, you will definitely love Veronica Falls!! The first song ‘Tell Me’ is a... (Read more) Wicker Fans to ‘Get their Rocks Off’ as Indie Legends Take Centre Stage Primal Scream Announced for 2013………. The Wickerman , one of Scotland’s best-loved independent music festivals, has revealed that the Friday night headliner for this year’s summer festival will be seminal Scottish rock band Primal Scream. Also joining the Festival’s red hot line-up will... (Read more) Colored Emotions is an interesting and eclectic mix of styles and genres, some of which gel surprisingly well. The opening track, Headlights plunges us straight into a heady, layered cocktail. Homogenous drums and bass are layered over a wistful, brassy guitar which chimes in and out, delivering hooks with breathless ease. Over this soundscape, John... (Read more) Crystal Castles engineer and remixer, Alex Zelenka, has remixed My Gold Mask’s ‘Violet Eyes’. Chicago born My Gold Mask is the collaboration between long-time musical partners, Jack Armondo (guitar) and Gretta Rochelle. A deep wellspring of personal and musical experiences is what influenced the duo to journey down this creative musical path, to create music... (Read more) Scottish noise mongers Alarm Bells have released their début album Part One. Clocking in at 28 minutes, yet only containing 4 tracks its a chaotic and raucous journey.
(Read more) Little Comets & Special Guests Academy 2, Dublin – Saturday April 20th 2013 Doors 8pm
... (Read more) Swedish trio Swedish House Mafia are diligently preparing for their most attractive tour of all times! On November 17, they opened their One Last Tour with an epic show in Dubai, and tomorrow will mark Swedish House Mafia’s very first, and also last show in the Czech Republic! The triangle of the party... (Read more) Los Angeles band, He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, have announced new West Coast tour dates in support of their Nobody Dances in this Town EP, set for release on January 22 via Park the Van Records. The tour will start in San Diego on January 17, and will finish in Santa Ana. Earlier this autumn,... (Read more) Rush Midnight, the solo project of Ross Manning, former Twin Shadow bassist, has released the video for his second single, Crush.Premiered on The Rolling Stone, Crush is taken from Rush Midnight’s debut +1 EP, and is available now via Cascine. Rush Midnight will play at Glasslands in Brooklyn on December 15. Directed by Julia Pasternak, the... (Read more) On December 3 Portland-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Francesconi and his partner Mirabai Peart will release their debut album Road To Palios, on Bella Union. This seven track instrumental album features acoustic duets of Francesconi on guitar and Peart on violin. Francesconi doesn’t limit himself to one sound, he spans Baroque, Americana and jazz improvisation, but admits his and Peart’s main obsession... (Read more) Yoko Ono, one of the worlds most forward-thinking musicians, artists and peace activists. Influenced by arguably one of the worlds biggest, greatest musical talents. ”Hello, this is Yoko ” Brooklyn duo Beacon recently released their second EP, For Now. It’s a gentle and frail affair consisting of subtle and bass heavy R&B beats complemented by a distinctive and tender vocal. It’s haunting and hypnotising conjuring a smooth and relaxing sound. While the vocals sound tender on the outside the lyrics are dark and uncompromising,... (Read more) Duologue, an exciting five-piece from London, approved by MTV, The New York Times and Q Magazine, are proud to announce the release of their debut album, Song & Dance, set for release on February 18. This group of musicians-turned-intellectuals bring you a fantastic album that’s a fusion of the best in electronica and guitar based... (Read more) Diamond Version are to release EP 2 on download and 12″ on November 26. Featuring tracks such as Science for a Better Life, Forever New Frontiers and Shift The Future, this is the second installment in a sequence of five 12″/download EP’s released throughout 2012 and early 2013, culminating in a full album in 2013. ... (Read more)Lavender Diamond has released the video for her new single “Light the Way” off her September release “Incorruptible Heart.” The video features singer Becky Stark, as she dances silhouetted against the backdrop of an oil rig in Long Beach, CA. The track is up tempo with beautifully flowing lyrics, working with the video perfectly. “Incorruptible... (Read more) Like some of the other shows I’ve been to recently I hadn’t really been exposed to this artist’s music in a big way. I had heard of his name, and that he had a strong connection with ‘Leonard Cohen’, I had also heard the cover Rufus did of ‘Chelsea Hotel no. 2’ and it pretty... (Read more) Let’s just say, November 12 was a very exciting day for me, as it marked the release of the second album, Dos, in Green Day’s trilogy of fantastic new albums. Upon listening to it, I was relieved that they had stuck to the idea of going back to their roots, and producing full frontal punk... (Read more) Death Cab For Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard recently released his debut solo album in the UK, Former Lives, on November 12, via City Slang. After fifteen years in Death Cab For Cutie, Gibbard didn’t make his solo album in search of a new beginning, but instead, it closes a door. He said: “These song span eight... (Read more) 27-year-old New York based artist Eddi Front this week releases her self-titled EP on Best Fit Recordings, which has received much praise from both fans and music critics. Dazed and confused aptly described the EP from the rising Brooklyn songwriter as an “immaculately-constructed chanteuserie with stories that suggest a lifetime of speakeasy-hopping, and piano hooks... (Read more) Californian alt-metalers Deftones have released their seventh album Koi No Yokan. It marks a slight change in direction from, predecessor, 2010′s Diamond Eyes. Make no mistake about it Koi No Yokan is an incredibly powerful and brilliant album.
What marks this above any previous Deftones albums is the... (Read more) Rush Midnight, the solo project of Twin Shadow’s former bass player, Russ Manning, has released his second single, Crush, from his Debut EP +1, which was released on October 30. Crush, produced by Twin Shadow, is available on The Rolling Stone website for free download now. Rush Midnight will support the EP launch, with a... (Read more) Following on from their recent debut hit ”Skirts”, – the album that plucks you from life and leaves you dancing the night away in a world where pacman would be in his element. Be prepared for the onslaught of drops that left us dancing all summer. Bristol’s The Other Tribe are now preparing to cause musical mayhem across some very intimate venues with their addictive dance... (Read more) Wooden Indian Burial are a four-piece electro-garage outfit from Portland, Oregan. Since forming in 2008, the band has shifted their musical style from drunken-funeral-folk tunes to psychedelic garage. This self-titled album is a fresh sound, mirroring genres and artists that mesh unexpectedly. ‘Helicopter!’ is a great opening track, full of surprises. Wooden Indian Burial Ground... (Read more) Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware were the founder members of pioneering British electro-pop group The Human League; Glenn Gregory had been their original choice when seeking a vocalist for the band but he was unavailable at the time, so they chose Philip Oakey instead. When personal and creative tensions within the group reached breaking... (Read more) In typical punk style it’s pack full of shouty short and instantaneous songs. There’s a simmering energy behind each track giving the album a fantastic bursting feel. At times We Are The Physics air towards the math rock style with a start stop discordance, it’s gloriously catchy and hypnotic.
Blackbird Blackbird is the alias of San Francisco based genius of Mikey Maramag. His alternative, dreamy folktronica pulls influences from all ends of the musical spectrum; with deeply hypnotic songs paying homage to psychedelic pop. Blackbird Blackbird’s anthemic and dream driven works combines electronic texture, ghostly vocals and and organic sounds to create dynamic, elongated... (Read more) Yoko Ono has been long credited with igniting the punk-rock fire with her work, years before the genres official explosion, with her music continuing to be relevant and inspirational decades later. For the past 10 years, Ono has been reinventing select songs from her back catalogue for 21st century dancefloors, giving pop culture a brand... (Read more) Letting Up Despite Great Faults has premiered ‘Bulletproof Girl’ with RCRD LBL, the second single off their Untogether album, out next week. ‘Bulletproof Girl’ follows ‘Visions,’ the album’s first single released this summer with Paste. Untogether is an album that radiates infectious melodies, heartbreaking sentiments, and danceable dreampop. The quartet will return to NYC this month to debut the... (Read more) Nina Kraviz is currently the name on everyone’s lips in the House and Techno community. Very rarely does a DJ/Producer shoot to stardom so quickly – and when they do, they seldom have the talent to back it up. Nina is the exception to the rule. Her... (Read more) BOYS NOIZE is the stage name of Berlin-based superstar DJ and producer Alex Ridha. Earlier ths month, Ridha released his third album, Out of the Black, via his own highly successful Boysnoize Records imprint. Over the past decade he has grown to become one of Dance music’s most respected... (Read more) “I owe you this” is the follow up single to Chad Valley’s aka Hugh Manuel of Jonquil, previous release “Fathering/Mothering” recently released by Rolling Stone. The track is a joyful, uplifting electro pop dream, the vocals and music blend together as smooth as butter, melting in to ones ears and appealing to all the senses. ... (Read more)The Future Music Festival 2013 piñata has officially popped! It’s the ‘Day Of The Dead-Set Awesome’ and this year Future Music Festival is set to rock your skulls off! We’ve been brewing something special, and full of more mind-blowing music than you can poke a cactus at… Future Music Festival 2013 is going to... (Read more) Lucy Michelle & The Velvet Lapelles are excited to announce the VEVO world-premiere of their music video for “Undone”. The video was directed by Chiara Clemente, a New York City filmmaker whose experience includes directing the documentaries Beginnings and Our City Dreams, and her films have been screened at more than 30 theaters worldwide and broadcast on the... (Read more) In demand singer/songwriter and musician, Sylvia Gordon, (aka Sylvia Black of Kudu/Art World Killer) has gained international acclaim for her collaborations with the likes of The Black Eyed Peas, Benny Benassi, Kelis and The Noisettes. With Betty Black, Gordon holds her own, conjuring up a bewitching “southern gothic chanteuse”, whose barbed-wire tales about love, loss and... (Read more) The 5th Annual Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival (BEMF) comes to the heart of Williamsburg for a multi-night, multi-venue takeover on November 9 and 10, 2012. Taking place across Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn Bowl, Public Assembly, Glasslands, Cameo and The Villain Loft; BEMF will premiere the most talked about and about-to-break talents in electronic music... (Read more)
Belfast Music Week 2012 Announce – ‘25’ Orbital Live At The Ulster Hall Saturday 10 November
‘25’: Electronic Music in Belfast 1987-2012 The Ulster Hall
Including a live event: Orbital live with DJs Phil Kieran and Space Dimension Controller (main hall) Well, let’s just say, it’s definitely not all doom and gloom by the sounds of this single. Yes that’s right, The Rolling Stones are back, with an addictive and catchy single Doom and Gloom from their forthcoming album GRRR! It’s refreshing to see that this iconic band haven’t adapted their sound to fit in with... (Read more) The Alex Metric remix of St. Lucia’s “September” is out now on Neon Gold/ Colombia The track is a funky blend of electronic dance and disco pop. Taking the other worldly dimensions of the original track and making it altogether more danceable, Alex Metric version of this track... (Read more) Recently signed to Xtra Mile Recordings, Sonic Boom Six released new single “Virus” on Monday 17 September, ahead of the release of their upcomingself-entitled album due for release on 15 October. “Virus” combines many genres together, including rock, electronica and dubstep, with some reggae thrown in there too, to create what I can only describe as an... (Read more) The idea of “breaking America” is something that plagues almost all European acts at one point or another. The trick (that I’ve noticed at least) is to simply play as many gigs as possible, an ethos that Northern Irish lads Two Door Cinema Club have implemented onto their path. By doing so the band has... (Read more) CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Brantley Gilbert laid a solid foundation for his HELL ON WHEELS TOUR over the weekend, playing to over 14,000 screaming fans and hard-core BG Nation followers in Lafayette, IN (9/27); Poplar Bluff, MO (9/28) and Oklahoma City, OK (9/29) setting the attendance record for Poplar Bluff’s Black River Coliseum on Friday night. From... (Read more) The first 12 events have now been confirmed for Belfast Music Week 2012, which runs November 4-11. Northern Ireland’s finest artists will be performing in some of Belfast’s most loved venues including The Black Box, The Empire and the multi million pound refurbished Limelight Complex. There will also be a very special performance in the Palm House at... (Read more)
Storming onto the stage following her supporting band in what can only be described as a flamenco dress on crack, it wasn’t long before Kimbra’s uncontainable energy burst forth through song and dance (and my oh my, did she dance, levitating her way all over the stage) and enunciating... (Read more) After only really discovering Leonard Cohen’s music in the last 6-8 months, I’m filled with a sense of anguish. Where has he been all my life? Why didn’t somebody tell me sooner? All the whys!?
The Hebrew word, messiah translates as someone possessing a higher spiritual knowledge, considering Cohen’s 12 studio albums, 6 live... (Read more) Dear reader, before you read this review ther is something you should know about me: I don’t like reggae. It’s not that I never got to love it or never heard enough of it. I gave it plenty of chances but it just never got to me. I get why people like it though, it has... (Read more) Out November 05 on Rhymesayers Entertainment, We Don’t Even Live Here is the fourth solo album from Doomtree co-founder, punk philosopher and lyrical bomb-thrower Stefon Alexander, aka P.O.S. It’s a tight, bombastic record that builds on the Minneapolis-bred rapper and producer’s penchant for grinding beats and radical lyrics. But at the same time, WDELH... (Read more) Featuring sibling vocalists and a tap dancing drummer, the eclectic troupe of He’s My Brother She’s My Sister exudes the earnestness of folk, the colorfulness of glam rock, the rawness of blues, the theatrics of cabaret, and the hip shake of rock-a-billy. Brother and sister Robert Kolar and Rachel Kolar split vocal duties, with Robert... (Read more) The Brecon Beacons are a really rather beautiful and, above all else, green part of the world. Unfortunately, the price that must be paid for this lush countryside is good, solid British rain. It was under a pretty torrential downpour that I arrived at Glanusk Park, home to the festival since 2006. The mud was... (Read more) The second day of Lollapalooza was not what I expected it to be. First of all, I thought I would get to see a lot more music, but what can you do? All things considered, it still was fun, though I feel bad for the bands who did not get to play or got... (Read more) Hot off the Homebake Press… Welcome to Homebake 2012: “It’s the end of the world and we know it and I feel fine” – REM. It’s a famous line from a (in)famous song and yet if only the Mayans could have chosen it as a theme for their much hyped Doomsday prophecies. And so Ladies and... (Read more) After entering Grant Park for another year at Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival, I decided to start my morning off with Brooklyn’s Ambassadors. Though it was an early set, quite a big crowd was packed in to the forested BMI stage to hear songs from their debut LP “Litost.”
The Pogues, Frank Turner and Seasick Steve are some of the friends and fans of Joe Strummer playing at Strummer of Love festival this summer. Joining the line-up will be dance music pioneers Basement Jaxx, Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, The Justice Tonight Band (feat. Mick Jones, Pete Wylie & The Farm), UK urban music stalwart... (Read more) SUBSOURCE are back on the attack with a new EP ‘Generation Doom’ set for release on their own Doombox Recordings on 6th August, 2012. Rising against the mainstream hype-machines, crowds of the nameless and faceless writhe and twist to undeniable unique sound of SUBSOURCE as it rages out of soundsystems in sweat drenched rooms across continents.... (Read more) After a 3 year hiatus Bloc Party return with fourth album “Four”. What a return it is too. There was a lot of talk that Four would be more akin to debut album Silent Alarm – going back to an indie-rock sound leaving out the dance element of previous album Intimacy, while there is an... (Read more) Nashville rockers SHIROCK are making quite a name for themselves in the US. Fronted by married couple Chuck and Pap Shirock, the guys have had great critical success over the water with their debut album Everything Burns. Regular plays on MTV, as well as tracks featured on TV shows, such as The Hills, have seen... (Read more) Battleships, a cool band from Sydney, have released a new video for ‘Your Words’ the follow up to their debut single ‘In Retrospect’ from earlier this year. ‘Your Words’ is an extension of their “intelligent Indie” brand a huge, rousing, anthemic number, with evocative melodies and captivating instrumental arrangements. In Australia the band was picked... (Read more) Bear In Heaven’s pulsating “Kiss Me Crazy” is the latest single to be released from the critically acclaimed record, I Love You, It’s Cool, out now you can get two bonus versions of the song from rising artist Beacon and London producer BNJMN, via the band’s Facebook page. It’s odd when a band goes away for a long time and it’s certainly something that stirs emotions. Anticipation and passion are some of the most prominent feelings that a hiatus bring about and there was a massive abundance of both of those feelings last night at Terminal 5. Three thousand fans lined up to... (Read more) Since 1999, Taking Back Sunday, also known as John Nolan, Mark O’Connell, Eddie Reyes, Adam Lazzara and Sean Cooper have unleashed five albums brimming with Rock anthems and after completing their summer 2012 run on Vans Warped Tour and... (Read more) In a bid to back the only entry from Sierra Leone in the 2012 London Olympics, singer Janka Nabay has teamed up with fellow countryman the Brooklyn-based rapper Pupa Bajah to release a national anthem. Hoping to will the Sierra Leonean track and field athlete Ola Sesay to victory, Nar London stands to inspire. Based... (Read more) The fantastic Tanglewood is on this Saturday! With all the overpriced festivals that are on during the summer, it’s great to see an independent festival showing the others how it should be done. So if you’re looking for a great music filled day out, look no further than the beautiful surroundings of Narrow Water Castle... (Read more) The founders of ‘Two Zebras and a Giraffe’ welcomed me in with open arms today getting to visit to their humble abode in the city of Edinburgh. What I walked into was nothing but brilliant banter from the start. Greeted in with William Murray-Uren (the promoter of the company) casually wearing snow goggles while... (Read more) Lucky festival goers at Leeds kick things off early with local label Dance To The Radio starting the live music early on Thursday 23rd August. The arena will open at around 5pm and the following bands will be appearing:Emergent in 2009, LITTLE COMETS have nurtured an upward trajectory with a debut album ‘In Search Of…’,... (Read more) Limbo is the new LP from experimental musician Eric Copeland (also of Black Dice and Terrestrial Tones). As part of Black Dice, New Yorker Eric Copeland, has garnered the reputation for re-inventing the DIY loft and warehouse scene. What exactly that means is beyond me but with a quick excursion into the discography of Black Dice... (Read more) Well, less than week to go until 2012’s edition of Lollapalooza is here, so we thought we could leave you guys with a little preview of some of the great acts playing this year’s fest. Got a major schedule conflict and can’t decide who to go see? Maybe we can help you out.
The ever eclectic Reading Festival returns August bank holiday with a bill set to dazzle revellers. Cult classic band, The Cure will provide music Just Like Heaven Friday night, whilst Kasabian and Foo Fighters pinch the mainstage headline spot on Saturday and Sunday. Electronic powerhouse Justice, legends At The Drive in and arguably Britians best... (Read more) Its six years since my first Wickerman festival experience and approaching the Wickerman 2012 site it’s almost unrecognizable. This festival has grown up from its small beginnings 11 years ago when the organisers gave out hot soup to keep the punters warm to one of Scotland’s most popular family friendly festivals that prides itself on... (Read more) Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols is being released as a limited edition super deluxe box on September 24th through Universal Music UK. The box set includes 3 CD’s and a live DVD of remastered songs and rarities. The original master tapes from the ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ recording... (Read more) In all honesty, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve seen Good Old War play live. However, every time I see them play, I fall even more in love with their music and stage performance. On Friday 13 July 2012, Indie-folk trio, Good Old War from Philadelphia came to Amityville, New York to play... (Read more) Lawerence Arabia’s, A.K.A James Milne’s, latest release, “The Sparrow,” can be seen as a charming, personal collection of songs. It’s certainly not what I was expecting. It does take a few listens to truly appreciate the melodies and some of the instruments on the album It’s use of melodic harmonies and blissful instrumentation is one... (Read more) This year featured one of the biggest line-up’s for the Van’s Warped Tour. Almost every act was a hotly tipped band that has amassed a massive following throughout the past two years. This was also the first year I got to experience the festival at PNC’s Bank Arts Center and I have to say it... (Read more) The follow up to 2010s Chariot album by Irish Indie-dance-rockers The Cast Of Cheers is instantly satisfying. Catchy choruses coupled with detailed and angular dance rock are here in abundance. One full listen to “Family” gives you a feeling of a band that recorded with the freedom to do what they wanted. The enjoyment of... (Read more) What an amazing night June 25, 2012 was. I personally had been looking forward to this show for over a month, and The Scene Aesthetic didn’t let me down. The show took place in Manhattan at The Highline Ballroom. The venue was quaint and seemed to be very laid back, so was the crowd. The... (Read more) What an amazing night June 25, 2012 was! I personally had been looking forward to this show for over a month, and The Scene Aesthetic didn’t let me down! The show took place in Manhattan at The Highline Ballroom. The venue was quaint and seemed to be very laid back, so was the... (Read more) New to Sunflowerfest this year is The Electric Disco Shed .. an area for dancing and futuristic grooves .. Over the course of their two previous singles “Animals” and “Family”, The Cast of Cheers have emerged as one of the most vital and potent new bands around – welding a knack for the instantly infectious chorus to a rousing musical backdrop which calls to mind post-punk heroes like Gang of Four and Richard Hell.... (Read more) Danish rebel-pop duo Reptile Youth has premiered a new video for ‘Black Swan Born White’ (S.C.U.M Remix). ‘Black Swan Born White’ accompanies the new single the band recently released on hfn music (Kasper Bjørke, Trentemøller) and follows their first ever single ‘Speeddance.’ The track sees the duo expand its sound towards a grandiose post-punk pop.... (Read more) Australian-based producer/DJ Duo, Mikah Freeman and Vance Musgrove, otherwise known as The Aston Shuffle, have just released their latest “Won’t Get Lost” Mixtape with NYC-based dance label, Plant Music. This mixtape features popular house hits, steady electro pop beats, and indie dance favorites. Earlier this year, The Aston Shuffle released their “Won’t Get Lost” EP via... (Read more) Belfast based DIY label The Quarantine Collective put on their second night in The Stiff Kitten featuring Manes, Hornets and The Continuous Battle of Order on Friday 29th June. A step up in venue from their first night Auntie Annie’s signalled serious intentions, which was reflected in great sound from the venue and a sizeable... (Read more) Seeing growth stem from something you’re passionate about will certainly stir many emotions within you. The Governors Ball Music Festival is one of the events I was looking forward to last year. Mostly for its inaugural year and also because of the people putting the festival on, but most importantly I knew it would end... (Read more) Beach Break is an unusual music festival, pitched amongst Pembrey Country Park, en route to the main arena you’ll pass a dry ski slope, woodland and a beach. This is a festival that is as much about activities as music, previous years have boasted high rope courses, parkour and beach wakeboarding. For Beach Break to... (Read more) A red hot line up, for a red hot day. The tears had just about dried up on the Croke Park turf from the Westlife concerts as the Chili Peppers came rolling into town. The stage was set, the atmosphere around the stadium was one of agreement that this would be a rocking gig, and it... (Read more) If the rain would just stop the Summer would be pretty much here, Ibiza’s open for business and we’re on the cusp of Swedish House Mafia’s biggest season to date, albeit their last. As this goes to press SHM have just announced via their official website that this will be their last tour. After... (Read more) There is a common misconception between what is classed in the animal kingdom as wild compared to what is classed as feral. A true wild animal is untouched by human impact, but feral animals are those which have lost their domestication,become untamed,escaped captive status. A feral dog instinctually finds and sides with its contemporaries, it... (Read more) Download 2012, 10th Anniversary! Well the great rock weekend is over and it really was THE great rock weekend, with Sonisphere Festival being cancelled because of the awesome line up that Download had, all of us that went can safely say it was EPIC! Everything about it was epic, the people and their amounts, bands, the... (Read more) Against a background of increasingly corporate-driven festivals, Green Man Festival stands out as a fiercely independent alternative with a distinct ethically-minded twist. This August, it returns to Glanusk Park in Wales, its home for the last few years. Top of the bill is Van Morrison a true legend with a career... (Read more) Disco legends CHIC (Feat. NILE RODGERS) make their long awaited Belfast debut on August 1st in the intimate surroundings of QUB Mandela Hall. The full live band are set to perform all their classic tracks – including L…e Freak, Good Times, I Want Your Love, Everybody Dance, as well as Nile Rodgers productions “Like A... (Read more) Texan punk rockers the Riverboat Gamblers are joining the Xtra Mile Recordings family to release their stunning new album The Wolf You Feed in the UK and Europe on 9th July 2012 This is the sixth studio album from the prolific quintet of frontman Mike Wiebe, guitarists Fadi el-Assad and Ian MacDougall, bassist Rob Marchant and drummer Sam Keir and the... (Read more) Day three started in the afternoon for me which allowed me to relax at the campsite for a bit. It was my first time waking up to the true Tennessean sun and holy fucking shit balls! How do people deal with that every day? As I ran to the water pod to give myself a... (Read more) Several days later and I’m still recovering from Bonnaroo, one of the best music festivals I’ve ever been to. I’ve never been to Tennessee before my adventures there last weekend but it was a trip I will certainly never forget. Me and my friend made our way to the camp grounds (Camp Dutch to be... (Read more) Last weekend saw Rockness festival return to the beautiful surroundings of Loch Ness in Scotland. You definitely can’t fault these surroundings, even if the sun decided not to make much of an appearance. Where else can you see the mist rolling in off the hills and Loch, while listening to some of the biggest names in UK music.... (Read more)
Kelli Scarr. Got to admit, it’s the name of a star anyway. The singer/songwriter is back with her second record “Dangling Teeth.” Most bands or artists seem to struggle with their second record. Pouring all their best material and their hardest thoughts into the first album. It’s a trap in which so many people have... (Read more) With the sad news that one of Ireland’s leading independent record labels, The Richter Collective is coming to a close in December, the island loses a label which provided a platform for many acts when there wasn’t a lot of other choices. In the four years since The Richter Collective started the independent music scene... (Read more) The first thought I had after listening to YAWN’s EP, Happy Tears, was that each track was magnificently unique. The band themselves describe it as; “The collection of jams – some moody and dark, some bright and upbeat, represents our perspective on the violent ups and downs of touring life. Languid, aimless day-dreaming, uncontrolled outbursts... (Read more) It rained….HEAVILY! Two days later and I can still feel the wet in my pockets and my neck is still stiff. Yes, it’s that time of year again. The Irish summer is upon us which means only one thing for us music lovers. Festival season! With the omission of Oxegen from this year’s list of festivals, others... (Read more) Summer has offically begun and the local music festival season in Northern Ireland has arrived. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Pigstock until the... (Read more) Enter Shikari are one of those bands, though not selling out Wembley Stadium, have a very concentrated loyal fan base. Their new album, a Flash Flood of Colour shows the Shikari boys maturity in its prime and serves as a brilliant album for sound, lyrics and political/social commentary. As a huge fan of Enter Shikari, I have... (Read more) Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang have released “Feba,” the first single from their debut En Yay Sah LP, scheduled for an August 7 release with Luaka Bop (Tom Zé, Javelin, Delicate Steve). The band performed at SXSW ’12 and will play summer dates in support of the album, including their live debut at Bonnaroo... (Read more) After the success of last year’s event, Tanglewood Music Festival returns for the second year to the beautiful surroundings of Narrow Water Castle in County Down. The festival showcases the best of both established music acts and up and coming bands from the North and South of Ireland as well as international acts and a... (Read more) Everyone comes to New York City for a different reason. Whether it’d be to achieve a dream of seeing skyscrapers or party like it’s the last night on earth, the fact that you’re in the mecca of culture (in the United States at least) is a truly beautiful thing to behold. Musicians especially always come... (Read more) Currently on their debut tour with We Are Augustines, My Goodness have certainly rocked up any audience that have had the pleasure to experience them. The band formed after a drunken session in their hometown Seattle, have a gritty, dirty rocking sound that is currently missing from the soulless charts of today The debut single,... (Read more) Nearly that time of year where all wickermen should be running for cover as The Wickerman Festival fast approaches, the festival now affectionately dubbed “Scotland’s alternative music and arts festival” makes its return to the beautiful Solway Coast in the South of Scotland on the 20th and 21st of July 2012 From its humble beginnings... (Read more) SW4 announce the truly legendary Public Enemy. Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Terminator X, DJ Lord, Professor Griff, The Security of the First World, The Banned and The Bomb Squad blast into Clapham on Sunday 26th August, in a UK Festival Exclusive. Reviewing their list of accolades, it’s easy to see why they are such an... (Read more) Norwegian born Monica Birkenes produces pop that is equal parts organic magic and buzzing electricity, under the moniker of Mr Little Jeans. Many people’s introduction to Monica came with her haunting, beat-damaged cover of Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’, but Mr Little Jeans has since come into her own. With five studio albums already in the bag, The Walkmen are about to release their 6th and latest, album, “Heaven.” Dabbling with a lighter commercial sound in their previous record, “Lisbon” it gave the band their highest chart entry and critical praise. Can this album carry on where they left off? The album kicks off... (Read more) Juan Jose Dominguez was a Spanish soldier, and had been something of a pioneer in the early European exploration of California. In 1784, at the age of fifty-two, he was awarded 75,000 of the newly-discovered acres in recognition of his years of devoted service. This land came to be known as Rancho San Pedro. The... (Read more) Noah And The MegaFauna’s Anthem For A Stateless Nation is a raucous, whiskey-drenched, horn-laden soundtrack to the apocalypse with gypsy jazz for a right hook and big band swing. It’s a modern day allegory of Noah’s Arc exploring the displacement, wandering, panic, and ultimate redemption of the end times – that you can dance to. ... (Read more)The first of Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre’s summer events has been announced. The great Jack L will perform an exclusive show at the stunning outdoor venue, situated a short distance from Kilkenny city in July (28). Jack recently released a new single “Dance me to the end of love” with Virtuoso violinist, Vladimir. It is taken from... (Read more) Dances With White Girls new video for Its About The House plus track appears on Plant Music compilation – Plant Muisc: Love Me is the first compilation (CD and digital) in a brand new series from the New York-based label, Plant Music, featuring a collection of some of the sexier of its recently released cuts.... (Read more) Larry Mullen: “I thought this was the end. We had been through tough situations and found our way out but this time, the cracks were coming from within”. All was not well with U2. After the success of the “Joshua Tree” and critical slamming of the “Rattle and Hum” project, the band had come to... (Read more) How many bands can you name off the top of your head that produce an album with complete fan involvement and interaction? None? Wrong.LA based alternative rock movement, 30 Seconds to Mars, called to fans to be part of the making of their most recent album, This Is War, released in 2009, something no band... (Read more) Beach Break is a promising festival, in its sixth year it is still one of the cheapest festivals to attend at only £109! Set amongst a beautiful beach and unspoilt county park, the line-up has come on leaps and bounds from when I first attended in 2010. With recent additions such as The Maccabees, Ghostpoet,... (Read more) Ghostly voices heard in darkened rooms as the Poets of long ago narrate their verses. This was the image painted as I watched “The Man Whom” play the Odessa Club in Dublin on Thursday night last. As I stepped inside this intimate Venue I imagined the greats of long ago, such as Keats and Yeats... (Read more) The Vans Warped Tour will be hitting the shores of the UK for the first time in 13 years this November 10th at London’s Alexandra Palace and the line-up has just been revealed. The line-up includes: The Lostprophets, Bring me the Horizon, New Found Glory, Man Overboard, The Story So Far, 3OH!3, AWOLNATION, A Loss... (Read more) Berlin-based songwriter, Masha Qrella, has revealed the release date of her long awaited album, “Analogies”, to be June 5th. Her first original material since 2005, Qrella has offered her first single as “Crooked Dreams”, available for free Mp3 download. A founding member of Berlin-based bands Mina and Contriva, Qrella started her solo career by releasing... (Read more) The third annual Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival returns this August and September for more than 30 shows throughout North America. The main stage features multiplatinum rock bands Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind and Papa Roach, along with breaking band Adelitas Way. In addition, the Ernie Ball Stage and Jägermeister Stage in the festival area will include... (Read more) Ambassadors are a 4-piece indie pop-rock act from New York consisting brothers Sam (Lead Vocals/Bass) and Casey (Keys/Vocals) Harris, Noah Feldshuh (Lead Guitar/Vocals/Synth) and Adam Levin (Drums) and appear to be the latest addition to the indie movement stemming from New York in recent times, involving other bands such as The Pains Of Being Pure... (Read more) For those who aren’t familiar with M.Ward, he is by no means the new guy in town, but perhaps this is the first you’ve heard of him. I for one was not aware that Matt Ward makes up 50% of indie duo She (Zoeey Deschanel) and Him. Ward’s collaborated with some of the best, Bright... (Read more) Lo-Fi Disgrace is the debut album by the noise-pop collective, Laurence and the Slab Boys. The album was written and recorded in Berlin by multi-instrumentalist, Larry Reid, and is set for release on the 18th June 2012 Unlike the countless acts that have gone to Berlin in the last 30 years to exploit the city’s... (Read more) Before writing this review, I didn’t know Bear in Heaven. First thought, while I wasn’t that far from the proto-digital intro of the first track, was that we probably have to do with some “synthpop resuscitators”. Few bars later, being still on the first track, I noticed their tendency to play with our tolerance towards... (Read more) The San Francisco’s Dirty Ghosts is the rookie vehicle of singer and guitarist Allyson Baker and Metal Moon is the last release: “Ghosty” enough actually, in a way that the album activates musical memories from the urban, dance-oriented music of the 80s (freestyle especially), and also enough dirty, at least production wise. Not well-polished, the... (Read more) Alcoholic Faith Mission has debuted the video for the title track off of their forthcoming Ask Me This LP, out on May 1st with Old Flame Records (MillionYoung, Letting Up Despite Great Faults). Danish sextet have been produced by Guy Manly, “Ask Me This” follows their first two videos ‘ Running with Insanity,’ and ‘... (Read more) Reading & Leed Festival 2012 is getting closer and the line-up is hotting up. Joining previously announced headliners, THE MACCABEES, AT THE DRIVE-IN and JUSTICE, is Blur guitarist GRAHAM COXON hot on the release of his hugely acclaimed solo album ‘A+E’. From Atlanta, Georgia MASTODON bring their unique and brutal metal sound, PASSION PIT play... (Read more) With just over one month to go until Play Fest 2012 kicks off, more additions have been added to the already jam packed bill. New additions include, UK Garage legend and Kiss FM stalwart DJ EZ on Saturday, and drum’n’bass supremeo Sub Focus on Sunday. The latest announcements join acts that include Ash, The Pigeon... (Read more) On the eve of the release of their eagerly awaited new album, World Kid, Cobey, Jacob, Corey and Matthew from The Hudson Branch speak to GigApe about life on the road, the recording process and the new release. GA: How did the band get together? Corey: Since the band consists of two... (Read more) I and partner in crime and punishment were etching to get to Brixton academy for Queens of the Stone Age. We anticipated getting our desert rock hats on and peer into the asylum of furious riffdom and sleaze (the sleaze appealing mostly to Conrad ). Conrad gets to my flat at 5:00 we indulge in... (Read more) Sunflowerfest 2012 in Northern Ireland has already announced a fantastic line-up that includes Scroobius Pip, Lanterns On The Lake and a host of Ireland’s leading music acts. As if that wasn’t enough they have now announced a string of activities and events for children, making Sunflowerfest 2012 one of the most family centred festivals in... (Read more) YAMANTAKA (In Sanscrit means “the terminator of death“-Yama, the name of the god of death) //SONIC TITAN is a seven piece band from Montreal, Canada who define themselves as “pan-Asia cultural collective” and their music as “psychedelic non-wave opera, fusing noise, metal, pop and folk.” Two female singers; Ruby Kato Attwood and... (Read more) Warning this rant may contain: Unorthodox political incorrectness, dismissively acting my age without apologies, lack of researched quantities due to laziness but mostly restlessness, cynicism with no surrender but a view to kill and be reborn. The August Bank Holiday sees the finest names in music congregate on the biggest twin site festival in Europe at the READING & LEEDS FESTIVAL, and the line-up has just got bigger and better. With FOO FIGHTERS, THE CURE, KASABIAN, THE BLACK KEYS, PARAMORE, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, THE MACCABEES, JUSTICE, AT THE DRIVE... (Read more) Danish pop duo Reptile Youth has debuted the accompanying video for single “Speeddance,’ a mix of live footage and the dance frenzies that ensue. Reptile Youth was founded in 2009 by vocalist Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen and bassist Esben Valløe. In 2010 Reptile Youth toured China and in 2011 the duo performed at festivals including Iceland Airwaves,... (Read more) 5-time Grammy Award winner Lady Gga is set to make her return to the stage this Spring with The Born This Way Ball. In this brand new tour, Gaga will perform her latest album Born This Way as well as music from both The Fame and The Fame Monster on a 21 city european tour. ... (Read more)The Zoo Project Festival, a boutique dance festival from the team behind Ibiza’s Zoo Project, have announced yet another batch of acts for the inaugural festival taking place at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park from 14th-16th September 2012. For the first time ever in the UK, global superstar DJ and producer Sasha will bring his critically-acclaimed... (Read more) Icelandic composer, Ólafur Arnalds was in relative obscurity and his 2009 EP Found Songs went largely unnoticed by the masses, particularly the teenage market. That was until his single Allt varð hljótt from the same EP was featured in the smash hit movie The Hunger Games. Arnalds’ also recently released his first Hollywood film soundtrack... (Read more) Kendal Calling was launched as a two day music festival back in 2006, in Abbot Hall Park in the center of Kendal, Cumbria. It grew in popularity and following record numbers turning up in 2008, the festival was forced to move to a bigger location to Lowther Deer Park near the Lake District. Bigger venues... (Read more) The enigmatic dance party-inducing, psych-pop producing band out of Brooklyn, Suckers, is back with a new album and a stop right here in Brooklyn! Suckers will be at Glasslands on 5.1 to electrify the room with songs off their upcoming album, Candy Salad, out April 24th on Frenchkiss Records. The band has refined its sound... (Read more) Standon Calling 2012 demonstrates just why it’s one of the UK’s best-loved independent festivals, adding yet more to its exciting lineup, and firmly establishing itself as a – ‘don’t miss event’. Standon Calling is bursting at the seams with things to do and see. Standon Calling 2012 adds to its exciting lineup… ... (Read more)22-year-old Swedish star Avicci is one of biggest DJ on the planet, helped by having recently headlined the world famous Ultra Festival with Madonna. On the 3rd June, Avicii will descend upon Dublin for his debut Irish performance to headline at The O2. It had been a fantastic couple of years for Avicci, recent highlights... (Read more) With a penchant for raw talent and an aim to unite all dance music enthusiasts, the SW4 2012 lineup has now started to take shape. ‘Phase 1’ recently came to a close with Chase & Status [Live], Carl Cox [UK Festival Exclusive], Erick Morillo [UK Festival Exclusive], John Digweed, Knife Party and Zane Lowe confirmed... (Read more) Opener ‘Must You Make Eyes At Me Now’ powers like a locomotive, providing a bedazzling mix of styles and acting as an index of what awaits. Next up is ‘Can You Let Her Know’, an electric, exciting and gripping track that paves the way for the strongest track yet in ‘The Lights’. It’s both a... (Read more) The Wombats are the latest act confirmed to join Red Hot Chili Peppers at Knebworth Park (Saturday 23rd June) and Sunderland Stadium of Light (Sunday 24 June). From their days at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts to bagging themselves an NME award for ‘Best Dancefloor Filler’, The Wombats have gained worldwide attention. Hits including ‘Moving to... (Read more) The announcement of the reunion of 90’s pop band Aqua and subsequent tour of Australia evoked excitement in the hearts of all of those who grew up in the 90’s singing “Barbie Girl” into our hairbrushes and dancing in front of the mirror. For my best girlfriends from high school and I, it started a... (Read more) Inspiral Carpets are probably most famous these days for once having Noel Gallagher as a roadie but back in the heady days of late 80’s early 90’s indie music these guys were kings with top 20 hit songs like Saturn 5 and This is How it Feels …. The band spilt in 1995 after releasing... (Read more) More acts have been announced for Play Fest 2012. Just confirmed include Scroobius Pip,Natty, Roots Manuva and headlining the POW! Dance arena are; Toddla T, Shy FX, Jaymo & Andy George and the legendary Zinc. With more acts still to be announced, Play Fest is looking like a great weekend. Acts revealed for the main... (Read more) Denmark-based post pop/punk duo Reptile Youth has released its debut single ‘Speeddance,’ The duo will release their debut album later this year, produced by Dave M. Allen (The Cure, Sisters of Mercy) and Marc Ralph (Hot Chip). Reptile Youth was founded in 2009 by vocalist Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen and bassist Esben Valløe. In 2010 the... (Read more) Well here it is – the lineup we all wanted – well except Kurt Cobain! Foo Fighters and The Stone Roses will headline this year’s Tennents Vital festival, at Boucher Road Playing Fields, Belfast on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd August. Joining our two mammoth headliners on the most exciting bill ever seen at a... (Read more)
British dance titans ORBITAL today announce their return to Australia where they will be bringing their legendary live show for four shows in early May. Having been making groundbreaking new electronic music since their inception almost 25 years ago, Orbital’s status as one of the most globally influential acts of all time was recognised when... (Read more) Melburnians have been blessed that Amanda ‘Fucking’ Palmer has chosen to call our city home over the summer. Palmer has relocated here for a few months, spending the summer touring with her main band, The Dresden Dolls as well as doing some magical events with her husband, Neil Gaiman, as well as finding the time... (Read more) Foo Fighters, The Cure, Florence, Kasabian, The Black Keys and The Vaccines have been named amoung this years line-up at the Reading/Leeds Festival. The lineup also includes a vast amount of talent over a diverse range of musical styles including Angels and Airwaves, Paramore, The Vaccines, The Shins and Odd Future to name a few! ... (Read more)Disclaimer: Welcome Gigape’s band of the month. Each month I’ll be featuring one band whose either coming through New York City and/or releasing an album that just has to be heard. What set’s this apart from other band exclusives is that these pieces will be combined with live reviews as well as indepth interviews with the... (Read more) Future Music Festiva is a bit of a strange one for me – every year I think I’m way too old for the beefed up, denim shorts clad younger crowd and every year they get me with a mix of old and new acts that is hard to resist. This years (Read more) What do you get if you mix acid country, reggae, gospel and a smearing of hip hop? Shoplifting for Jesus by the Alabama 3 thats what you get. Theres a tripped out distorted feel to the album which is infused and distilled through main vocalists Larry Love and D. Wayne Love. The newest offering captures... (Read more) On Saturday July 7th the Phoenix Park hosts one of the biggest line ups of the summer with Swedish House Mafia, Tinie Tempah, Snoop Dogg and Calvin Harris. Swedish House Mafia – AKA Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso and Axwell – are the house collective responsible for some of the world’s biggest anthems including Save The... (Read more) Play Fest have been tucked away in their play pen over the winter months plotting and planning a killer line up to ensure the second installment of the genre sweeping festival gets a big thumbs up from the ‘Play Mates’! We can now reveal the first trickle of acts for the Main Stage on Saturday... (Read more)
Mitchell, the band’s lead singer with the leonine hair, was crouched on the... (Read more) Great remix by R3HAB for Cassie and King of Hearts. Some Electro House magic from rising Dutch DJ and producer. R3hab has established his name in the international dance scene in a short period of time. His producing skills and love for electronic music have made him one of the highest requested remixers in the dance... (Read more) Before I was aware that Gardens & Villa were scheduled to play a (postponed) concert at UCLA this month, I had already bought my tickets to see this fantastic band in Santa Barbara on Friday, February 24th. I had only seen the band play once before at their CD release party last July, where I... (Read more) You’ve got to have balls to open your new album with a track that has a one minute thirty seven second intro. The Jane Bradfords have balls but balls need to be backed up with talent and thank the music Gods they have that in bucketful’s. The modern day Joy Division intro of Last Stop... (Read more) Gearing up to the most anticipated Kendal Calling to date, the team behind the Lake District’s wild weekender are dizzy with excitement and can’t wait to dance with you as they reveal the first headliners who are both acclaimed for the high-octane live shows! Without further ado, Friday night’s bill will be headed up by... (Read more) Straight away I can’t help but make comparisons to The Thrills. ‘Kiss Cam’ is pub rock that’s overrun with melody, with many lines throughout the duration of the track that’ll jump out at you afterwards, as you continue singing it in your head for the rest of the day. That’s not to say that Arkells... (Read more) ‘Heartbeats’ by Vigo Thieves is the triumphant new single from their album, Heart & Soul – a gorgeous, uplifting tune with equal parts rock and equal parts dance floor. There’s eighties reverb in places, broad soundscapes and great scope in the arrangement. Somehow, in everything that screams progressive, it never goes epic and otherworldly. It... (Read more) In my humble opinion Idlewild were a band way ahead of their time!! Obviously the current crop of Scottish bands singing in soft Scots accents took a leaf out of Idlewild’s book…but for me the signature sound of Idlewild was the melodic driving guitar riffs… and the man behind said riffs was at Tuts tonight... (Read more) Heres a great new playlist from Charles Watson. Charles is the vocalist and guitarist and one half of Slow Club – the other part of band comes in the form of the beautiful and enigmatic Rebecca Taylor (vocals, guitar, percussion). The playlist is based on the concept ‘People I love who I have never seen... (Read more) Its back again! The second dose of Stendhal Syndrome sets in this summer Stendhal Festival of Art is excited to announce that the dates have been set for the second installment of the Northwest’s newest music and arts festival. Friday and Saturday, August 17 and 18, 2012, are the dates for your diary if you want... (Read more) Founders Entertainment is excited to announce the lineup for the 2012 edition of the Governors Ball Music Festival. Expanding to two days in its second year, the festival will take place on June 23rd and 24th, providing attendees with a full weekend’s worth of good times and great music spread across two stages with no... (Read more) Rick Ross is coming to the UK for an exclusive gig at the O2 in London. Rick Ross’s initial rise in the rap game came from his colourful glamorisation of Miami’s reputation for drug trafficking. The distinctive 300-pound, six foot rapper tattooed with pictures of AK-47s embraced his city’s reputation on his debut single “Hustlin’”... (Read more) Following on from their exciting announcement at the end of 2011, Nova festival are pleased to reveal their first round of acts and partnerships for this year’s festival taking place on 5th – 8th July 2012. Nova is a new festival created by the ladies behind The Big Chill, set deep in the valley and gardens... (Read more) Play Fest is back! After a show-stopping first festival in 2011, the team have been beavering away during the winter months planning the next show with gusto. They can now reveal the brand new website , dates for 2012 and a bargain-beating Early Bird ticket offer that expires in March!Play Fest is one of the... (Read more) Chase & Status to headline SW4. South West Four returns to London’s scenic Clapham Common this August, firmly established as one of the UK’s most important and influential electronic music festivals. After recently being awarded DJ Magazine’s coveted ‘Best British Festival’ at the Best of British Awards, this year’s offering will close what will be a... (Read more) Carolina Rebellion returns Saturday, May 5 – bigger and better than ever and boasting a solid rock lineup for the multi-stage festival, including Shinedown , Korn, Evanescence, Staind, Five Finger Death Punch and Slash (see below for full lineup). 2012 marks the debut of Carolina Rebellion at its new home at the legendary Rockingham Speedway in... (Read more) Alabama 3 performed at Belfast’s Mandela Hall 10.02.12.Support by Oddsocks Revival.”We’re the Alabama 3. We make Sweet Pretty Muthafuckin Country Acid House Music. All night long. We’re not from Alabama, and there’s not three of us. We’re from Brixton, London. We’re the fellas that did that Soprano’s theme tune. That tune bought someone a swimming... (Read more) Hi everyone out there in the land of Gigape, I’m going to treat you all to my top 10 favourite tracks. It will consist of a different variety and different styles of music types and my reasons why they are my favourite. So I hope you will enjoy the mini playlist. The first track... (Read more) Needing/Getting is the new video from the GRAMMY-winning rock band OK Go. The video is the result of yet another innovative partnership that OK Go has forged to push the creative boundaries of music and video, venturing into such disparate realms as science, photography, dance and now – in a collaboration with Chevrolet – automotive... (Read more) Vigo Thieves make a welcome return in 2012 with their ambitious two-part EP Heart & Soul. The first part, Heart & Soul (Part 1) is due for release on March 5th 2012. On Heart & Soul (Part 1), the band use classic influences from the 80s such as New Order, U2 and Simple Minds to produce a fresh, anthemic sound akin to bands like M83. This brilliant release... (Read more) Dizzee Rascal, the leading man of the UK urban scene, will make a spectacular return in 2012 supporting Red Hot Chili Peppers at Knebworth Park, Stevenage on Saturday 23rd June. The US rockers return to the UK following last year’s sold out arena tour to perform two massive open air shows – their only UK... (Read more) Scottish band Simple Minds are to undertake a European tour later this month. The 16 date tour which kicks off in Portugal on Feb 14th and includes four dates in the UK and one date in Ireland. This is going to be a treat for fans of their older material as the band will exclusively... (Read more) After giving this playlist a lot of thought, here’s a few random, varied but brilliant tunes……..I think so anyway!!! Firstly let’s start with “Float On” by Modest Mouse, an american indie rock band formed in 1993 in Washington. This song has to be in my top five favourites of all time-from a fantastically inventive, inovative... (Read more) One of the new kings of Oslo electronica scene, producer and DJ diskJokke – a.k.a. Joachim Dyrdahl – has released a brand new single ‘Now Dance,’ a quirky, spaced-out blend of house, italo and disco. This single, accompanied by a remix from UK artist Bright Light Bright Light, contrasts Dyrdahl’s more recent ambient work, which... (Read more) Check out the live shots from the Reel Big Fish gig in Newcastle University. Reel Big Fish were supported by Orange!
Playing a mixture of their own tracks, and their brand of up-tempo ska covers, they created a real party atmosphere. They are a veteran band and it really shows when they are on stage. They... (Read more) It’s currently summer in Australia, which means we are in the midst of music festivals, BBQs, out door gigs, camping down at the beach and lots of sweet summery music. One thing I am very proud of is our local talent. We are home to some very gifted artists who capture the soul and... (Read more) Cinematic-indie-folk-pop maestros Milo Greene have just recently signed to Chop Shop/Atlantic Records and are about to bring their shimmering folk pop harmonies on a West Coast headlining tour – starting at The Roost in Bellingham WA on 7th February 2012. Band member Andrew Heringer took some time to speak to GigApe about touring, Sierra Nevada... (Read more) I think it’s pretty safe to say that this year in Sydney we are in the midst of a very British summer, and for those of you who are not from Isles, that’s code for wet and rainy. With that in mind I think it’s pretty safe to say that this years Big Day Out ... (Read more) Young Hines and Readymade announce the April 10th release of Give Me My Change , the label debut for Nashville based and Georgia born and raised musician. Discovered by Brendan Benson by chance as painters working on his house listened to one of Young’s demos, Young is the first artist signed to Benson’s newly launched... (Read more) Following the success of last year’s inaugural sold-out Honeyfest and the airing of a prime-time BBC documentary on the making of the festival; the Honeyfest bees have been busy gathering the goods for 2012. The intimate Honeyfest will also be adding the all-new BBC introducing stage this year with more info coming soon; for now... (Read more) Icelandic duo Human Woman have teamed up with hfn music (Trentemøller, Kasper Bjørke) to release the single ‘Delusional’ in advance of their forthcoming LP due out later this year. Comprised of Gisli Galdur (aka Galdur) of Icelandic band Trabant and producer Jón Atli Helgason (aka Sexy Lazer), Human Woman have forged a fusion of modern electronic... (Read more) Coming straight out of Springfield, MO, Ha Ha Tonka specialize in disarming and effortless anthems that owe as much to high and lonesome Ozarks mountain music as chugging college rock. The group’s relentless touring has seen them become one of the most talked-about young bands in America, appearing at Lollapalooza, Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, CMJ... (Read more) Multi-platinum selling group Far East Movement (aka FM) have released their video for “Jello”. The hypnotic high-energy hard-hitting “Jello” (co-produced by The Stereotypes and FM and featuring Rye Rye) serves as the first song off of Dirty Bass, FM’s hot sophomore album out this spring. The “Jello” music video, directed by Matt Alonzo, shows FM... (Read more) Honour Before Glory is the new solo project from Whiskas (¡Forward, Russia! / Dance To The Radio). While initially little material emerged at first it was immediately picked up by the likes of Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens, and warranted comparisons as varied as M83, Wolf Parade and My Bloody Valentine by a host of... (Read more) 2011 has seen a diverse and complex collection of music cross the audio pathways of the Gig Ape team and after a lot of debate and deliberation we have finally settled on (in no particular order) fifty of the best albums that 2011 had to offer. This is by no means a definitive top 50... (Read more) Avant-garde pop provocateurs XIU XIU will return with a remarkable new album, ”ALWAYS “, to be released on Monday 27th February on Bella Union. This will be followed by a UK tour planned for March, those dates below: Tuesday 13 March – MANCHESTER – The Ruby... (Read more) Who would have thought that New Years would come beating on our door so quickly? But there we were loading the car up with camping gear and heading down to Vic to sit and dance on a hill in the middle of the forest, to bring in yet another year… ahhhh pure bliss…. The line... (Read more) A few of my favorite bands in the Southeastern US that I think could make it big in 2012: Heyrocco: This young power trio turned me into a fan in 2011. Singer/lead guitar Nate Merli, bass Chris Cool, and drums Tanner Cooper are poised to release their first official set of tracks on Giant Kid Records... (Read more) If there’s one thing that can put you in the spirit for Christmas, it’s seeing a cheery Lisa Hannigan wrapped up in fairy lights emerge onto the stage. To make things even more special, the bundle of lights is followed out by John Smith and the two perform a gorgeous rendition of ‘Tonight You Belong... (Read more) Music News: The Isle of Wight Festival 2012 just got even BIGGER with the host of new additions to the line up, including Tinie Tempah, Labrinth, alternative rock band Band of Skulls and award winning singer and guitarist Joan Armatrading. For the first time, on Friday 22nd June the Isle of Wight Festival 2012... (Read more) The follow-up to their Beatport #1 smash “Rebound”, Mat Zo & Arty’s “Mozart” is the latest collaboration from two producers that are rewriting the rulebook in trance and big room house music. Mashing up elements of all their beloved sounds into their unique blends, the precocious pair have created another dancefloor bomb in their aptly titled... (Read more) Fujiya & Miyagi return to the United States this winter with a new single, “Ecstatic Dancer,” and a tour that kicks off Jan. 19 in Brooklyn and winds up Feb. 1 in Los Angeles. The band’s fourth album, Ventriloquizzing, found Fujiya & Miyagi returning with a renewed –if not darker—sense of purpose. The four piece... (Read more) The SnowBall Music Festival will return to Nottingham Park in Avon, CO, March 2–4, 2012, for a second year of music and mountain sports. TV on the Radio, Rusko, Head and the Heart, Bassnectar, Deer Tick, Major Lazer, Wolf + Lamb, Soul Clap, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Cassian, Gauntlet Hair, Small Black, Los Amigos Invisibles, Dillon Francis,... (Read more) Tickets for electro-rock sensation Lights are now on sale. Lights first hit the music scene in 2008, she was just a songwriter with a synth and a dream. Her name may have been pluralized but Lights Poxleitner was a one-woman show who played and programmed her own instruments and sang her own lyrics.This admirable self-reliance... (Read more)
Standing on a stage with framed photos from classic Rolling Stone covers... (Read more) Transmission presents a very special Winter party at the iconic Ulster Hall, featuring the long awaited return of LAIDBACK LUKE to Belfast – a 2011 Northern Irish exclusive! The dutch electro-house behemoth has had his biggest year to date, with his first UK top 40 single (a collaboration with Example), his first placing in the... (Read more) Gigs with friends make slogging throughout the week seem worth it. You go to work and school and finally have a chance to forget the world outside of a venue and just enjoy great music. What makes this even better is when your friends are also the musicians on stage. This is what I experienced... (Read more) I’ve seen Webster Hall fill with people before but on Thursday night the fans of French electronic/dance artist Yelle came out in droves to see the artist perform at Webster Hall. Anticipation was also shared for support act, Housse De Racket who many came to see perform at 8PM. Pierre Leroux (guitars/vocals) and Victor le... (Read more) Another wet and windy night in the capital as usual,but inside the confines of the legendary Whelans, Finnish rockers Reckless Love are about to bring a little bit of Hollywood’s sunset boulevard like Glam Metal into our merry little souls. Kicking off the night are South Wales band The Dirty Youth and it’s mouth’s agog... (Read more) Pete Tong and Alesso are the latest acts to be added to the ever growing line up for the Swedish House Mafia’s ‘One Night Stand’ show at Milton Keynes Bowl on 14th July 2012.These two new additions follow last week’s announcement of Calvin Harris and pop/house producer Madeon who also joined the bill for the... (Read more) Since the release of their second artist album, Group Therapy, Above & Beyond have toured the stadium’s and concert halls of the world – creating an electric vibe wherever they go. For 2012, the globe-trotting Above & Beyond will embark on their biggest UK tour to date kicking off at London’s most prestigious concert venue... (Read more) Deadmau5 has just confirmed a Belfast date and tickets will go on sale next Friday. Deadmau5 will play the Kings Hall, Belfast on 07 June, 2012. deadmau5 is firmly established as one of the most innovative and popular electronic live acts globally. His driving foresight is constantly pushing the technological boundaries of his stage show. In... (Read more) Alabama 3 are back with renewed vigour and a new album, ‘Shoplifting 4 Jesus’, released on February 27th 2012 through Hostage Music as well as a UK tour. The album was inspired by the London Riots, with frontman Larry Love stating “It was perfect for the record…a symphony of sirens.” As has happened so often in this peculiar band’s long and winding story,... (Read more) Exactly 2 years have passed since Kasabian brought the West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Tour (and Noel Fielding) to Dublin’s O2 Arena. This time around, the lads from Leicestershire returned with tracks from their latest offering, Velociraptor! Although Noel sat this one out, as unfortunate as that was, the band most certainly did not disappoint. They charged full force through... (Read more) The Mindhammers EP is Hawk Eyes’ latest offering. This is the band’s last release on Brew before they move on to their new home of Fierce Panda. Previously the band released ‘Modern Bodies’ in November 2010, mixed by Kevin Vanbergen (80′s Matchbox B Line Disaster, The Pixies, Gallows) and mastered by Dick Beetham at 360 Mastering (Black Sabbath, Jeff Beck) Through the... (Read more) This New Years Eve Vagabondz takes over the mighty Clapham Grand for the biggest winter carnival this side of Rio. A superb lineup will embark on this stunning Victorian theatre. First up is the legendary Congo Natty aka Rebel MC. The Londoner first announced himself to the world as part of 80s hip hop act Double... (Read more) Goth-Trad will release New Epoch next year on Deep Medi Musik. This will be the first release in six years and follows up Mad Ravers Dance Floor. ‘The whole reason I got into making Dubstep is because it’s free,” he says. “You can do anything with it. I’m putting a lot of variety into the... (Read more)
Gangsta, rap, gospel, rock, cowboy, dance, punk, pop…. You’ll get all this when you go to an Alabama 3 gig and looking round the Glasgow O2 ABC the people match the diversity of the music, there’s also a few real gangsters in the audience…. maybe its cool to like a band who have one of... (Read more) London based five-piece Duologue are about to make their U.S. debut with a new collection of songs entitled A-B. Set for a January 24th release, this stimulating four-song EP is proof of the band’s ability to fuse audio technology with good, old-fashioned, heartfelt songs. Written, performed, produced and mixed by Duologue, A-B is full of... (Read more) Music aficionados will already be aware that, in 2011, the Belfast based indie pop band runaway GO have emerged as a force to be reckoned with. And now, they are set to become a household name as they trail-blaze their way through the Irish music scene, with heaving high energy performances and an arsenal of dynamic music. Fronted... (Read more) Mandala, the moniker of the musical project started by London’s Cameron McLain, has released a new music video for his song “I’m No Echo,” which you can watch at the link below. The video was filmed in a cavernous warehouse in Brooklyn, NY, and is a single, uninterrupted shot. The camera roams through a crowd of masked... (Read more) Releasing their self-titled debut album earlier this year Yuck have carved a name for themselves as early 90’s lo-fi revivalists, full of influences from The Jesus and Mary Chain to Sonic Youth. Formerly members of the excellent Cajun Dance Party, Max Bloom and Daniel Blumberg show us that their early success wasn’t just a fluke.... (Read more) The anticipation was in the air so intensely at Terminal 5 that it was close to being visible. The anticipation bleed into the veins of the opening acts for Fitz and the Tantrums sold out show. There was something for everybody that night and the acts that played their hearts out on the stage proved... (Read more)
Romweber, who first gained fame as one half of the... (Read more) Following this year’s sell out tour later this month, we are pleased to announce that Skrillex returns to the UK in February to embark on the Grey Daze Tour, his biggest headline UK tour to date which will see him performing in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford, Bristol, London, Birmingham and Norwich. Mr Van Morrison announces Dublin and Belfast concerts. Van Morrison is without a doubt one of the most original recording artists in musical history. His live shows are always inspired and transcendental while some of his albums such as Astral Weeks, Moondance and It’s Too Late To Stop Now are widely viewed as among the... (Read more) Four Year Strong, have confirmed that they will release their new album “In Some Way, Shape, or Form.” in the UK on Island Records on November7th. The first single to be taken from the album will be “Stuck In The Middle”. The new material reflects a slight change of musical direction for the band and... (Read more) Singer/songwriter/musician Sylvia Gordon returns with the latest installment of her Betty Black project, the12-track remix collection Too Much To Resist: The Slow Dance EP Remixes.Five months following the release of Slow Dance, Gordon’s returns with a collection of sparkling spanning everything from dubstep, house, electronic and indie-dance. The likes of Starkey, Nate Mars, Richard Morel, Deantoni Parks (Kudu/Mars... (Read more) As part of Belfast Music Week, Armstrong Learning present two Access to Music industry panel workshops in conjunction with Atom Live, bundled together into an unmissable afternoon session on Tuesday 1st November from 2pm until 5pm at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast. Places are limited so book fast! Do It Right – The... (Read more) There is nothing to compare with the excitement of experiencing Bellowhead live. From the wild, rousing dance tunes to the theatricality of their ballads & sea songs this is a band that are also funny, subtle and always engaging. Admire the sophisticated strings and elegant whirlwind of woodwind. Let yourself be uplifted by the powerful... (Read more) Red Hot Chili Peppers will return to Ireland in June 2012 to perform a massive open-air show – their only Irish date of 2012. Red Hot Chili Peppers will take to the stage at Croke Park, Dublin on 26 June 2012. Tickets go on sale at 8.00am, next Friday 4th November 2011. When Red Hot... (Read more) Bowling For Soup at The O2 ABC Glasgow 25/10/11. Bowling For Soup formed in 1994 in Wichita Falls, Texas are one of the original American breed of Punk/Pop groups and are the band that the likes of Busted and McFly tried and failed miserably to emulate. Although the guys have had little major chart success their... (Read more) Nicole Scherzinger has confirmed two intimate Irish dates for February 2012.The ex-Pussycat Dolls frontwoman turned solo superstar and American X Factor judge, will play The Waterfront Hall, Belfast on 15th February and The Olympia Theatre, Dublin on 16th February. Belfast – The Waterfront HallTickets are priced 31.00 & 35.00 stg – on sale Friday 28th... (Read more) CMJ 2011:Day 5 – Emmy The Great, Purity Ring, We Are Scientists, GuienaFowl, and Bearstronaut. Saturday was the last day of CMJ. I experienced a lot of amazing performances during the course of the festival yet I think I can say that Saturday will always remain a special day for me as it turned to a... (Read more) We last heard from Kele Okereke late 2010 with the release of ‘On The Lam’, taken from his highly acclaimed debut solo album ‘The Boxer’ (June 2010).This hugely successful foray into a world without his Bloc Party band mates delved someway into Kele’s own love of electronic music and his clear talent for producing it. ... (Read more)This definitive version of 13 Most Beautiful, the new album by Dean & Britta, include avant-garde electro-rock remixes by Scott Hardkiss. Check them out below! When Dean & Britta, the electro-pop duo formerly of Luna, opened their vaults of their music for the Andy Warhol screen tests to DJ/ producer Scott Hardkiss a kinetic force drew... (Read more) Foster The People are at the tail end of their hugely successful US tour, selling out many of the venues after their enourmous rise to popularity over the past few months. They just performed on Saturday Night Live, and headed back to their home to play two sold-out gigs at The Wiltern in Los Angeles.... (Read more) After their success at SXSW 2011, Chapter 24 are set to launch their 1st US tour, including Homegrown and CMJ appearances. Check out the dates below.’Channeling the best of The Slits and The Clash from the punk fraternity and nodding towards Vampire Weekend with their spikey Afro-punk guitar riffs, their music is infectious, fresh and... (Read more)
The Wombats – Supported by Faker and Owl Eyes, Festival Hall Melbourne, Saturday 15th October 2011. As far as gigs go, this one started fairly early for a Saturday night. By 7.30pm the first support act for the night was on stage. Her name was Owl Eyes, a local girl who has supported the likes... (Read more) The Lanskies are a indie band from France who make it impossible not to dance while listening to them. They’re here for CMJ and are also enjoying their first time ever in the states. With the release of their EP Romeo just around the corner we got to chat with front-man Lewis Evans on how... (Read more) To say Little Dragon is having a good year would be an understatement. They’ve sold out venues in New York City so many times that their latest show had to take place at Terminal 5, a venue with a capacity of 3,000 people! The show sold out and you could tell the place was brewing... (Read more) On Saturday 5th November CRAWDADDY will host the debut Irish performance from Canadian act AZARI & III. The raw dance-music quartet released their debut album earlier this year, and have become one of the most hotly tipped acts in the genre. They play live at Crawdaddy’s Saturday club night, with support from Nightflight DJs. They’re hungry,... (Read more) Cymbals Eat Guitars bring the critically acclaimed sophomore album Lenses Alien (Memphis Industries), to our shores in January for a long awaited UK tour. Evolving in sound and line-up from their 2009 debut, Cymbals Eat Guitars are a relentlessly complex listen on record and a compellingly visceral live band. Rising Brooklyn band Milagres will be tagging... (Read more) “After a great summer of Ibiza Full On Ferry shows, I’m excited to announce I’ll be bringing Full On Ferry – to one of my favourite cities in the world, for the very first time…London! This will be my biggest ever UK show to date. See you there.” Ferry Corsten. The musical landscape in Northern Ireland is currently enjoying the most fertile and rich period it has ever experienced, with acts from a wide range of genres are enjoying huge success right across the globe. Two Door Cinema Club are selling out shows as far away as Australia, And So I Watch You From Afar are continually rolling their... (Read more) Genre-defining, boundary-pushing electronic outfit Swedish House Mafia will complete a historic first next Summer when they headline a gargantuan 9 hour ‘One Night Stand’ show in front of 65,000 people at the Milton Keynes National Bowl on Saturday July 14th 2012. Highlights of this incredible event will be recorded by BBC Radio 1 for a... (Read more)
Decked out in a floral jacket, tights and heels, Michaela Anne started out the evening with a set that... (Read more) CMJ 2011 is coming to New York and the excitment can already be felt amongst music fans. For those of you who are unfamiliar with CMJ than allow me to explain, CMJ is short for College Music Journal and is a week (roughly) long festival which takes place in New York City, kind of a similar... (Read more) Toronto-based quintet Low Level Flight (LLF) will be releasing new album ‘Through These Walls’ in the UK on 31st October following a pair of UK dates in London and Cambridge. This is a band that aren’t about to pander to anyone. With eyes solidly set on reaching their destiny through sincerity and fortitude, they’ve seen what’s... (Read more) Following on from the release of his debut single Throw Your Stones, multi-instrumentalist Boxes returns with his 4 track Silent Alarm EP out 26th September on Bow Music, a precursor to his debut album out early next year.The Silent Alarm EP is a marriage of opposites. It’s head and heart, full-blooded yet disembodied, synthesized but... (Read more) The first appearance of the second day at the AHA stage, by AGRIKULTURE, nuanced Electronic / Pop. The first appearance of the second day, on stage LA.LIGHTS main stage by an acoustic guitar duo that is DEPAPEPE originating from Japan, their appearance is also much awaited by the audience. At the same time a newcomer... (Read more) The Postelles will support The Kooks on the first leg of the U.K. band’s upcoming North American tour, beginning with a show at the Trocadero in Philadelphia on November 15th and including two sold-out nights at Webster Hall in New York City (11/16, 17). Prior to The Kooks dates, The Postelles will be the main... (Read more)
The inflatable pink unicorns When Reptar told the crowd that... (Read more) Liverpool Masque, 22nd September 2011.It’s been a hell of a ride for Colorado electro/screamo duo Breathe Carolina. Starting off writing and recording in a bedroom on Mac music software Garage Band, Kyle Even (throat/vocals) and David Schmitt (vocals/guitars), just 4 years later, are embarking on their first ever European headline tour, supporting 3rd full length... (Read more) Seeing a large venue become quiet is a phenomenon that happens across the globe yet when it happens in America, especially in New York, it is always something to be marveled at. British band Elbow have been playing loads of festivals and arenas throughout the year in support of their fifth album, Build A Rocket... (Read more) “In the grace of your love” is the welcome return to form by now three piece, The Rapture, after the departure of bassist Matthew Safer. The dance/punk outfit, proclaimed for big things in the early 2000′s with hit “House of Jealous Lovers”, didn’t quite hit the heights exepected of them on previous two albums. Hopefully... (Read more) The Dø conjure up an unlikely blend of indie rock, folk, dance, and mid-20th century pop. Taste-making website Pitchfork proclaimed their debut album A Mouthful “as ambitious and fun as any coming out party in recent memory.” Their second album, Both Ways Open Jaws will be released via Six Degrees Records on November 15, 2011. ... (Read more)
On Thursday evening Two Door Cinema Club played their second headlining show at New York City’s Terminal 5. The band have been touring in support of their debut album, Tourist History since it’s release last February (of 2010 to be exact) and after seeing them four times I can honestly say that Two Door Cinema... (Read more) London shoegaze rockers YUCK have announced a Dublin show at THE BUTTON FACTORY this November. Saturday 26th November will see the electrifying foursome play their first Dublin headliner- an event eagerly anticipated since the release of the band’s self-titled debut albumearlier this year. **Tickets at €15 including booking fee go on sale this Thursday 15th September... (Read more) Country superstar Taylor Swift recently decided to take a 3 day mini-vacation in Charleston. Swift’s blog says, “I found a three day window in August and invited all the girls you see onstage (one fiddle player, one backup singer, two dancers, three aerialists) to go with me to one of the places on my list... (Read more) Seeing a band that makes you forget things is quite intriguing. A band that can lay down chords with such fierce precision that you almost forget where you are and what you’re doing, their music simply stops everything and takes precedent over anything else. Edelweiss is a band that achieves this and their debut EP... (Read more) Fueled By Ramen is a Record Label that has grown to receive a lot of respect over the years. I can still call back to the Bamboozle Festival when representatives from the label were handing out stickers to those of us waiting on line, I can remember seeing people in unsigned bands chatting with the... (Read more) Born Gold (formerly known as Gobble Gobble), frontman Cecil Frena’s latest project, debuts their first full length album “Bodysongs”. A fine debut it is too, a collection of 10 songs bursting full of verve, invention and pulsating electro beats. Things get off to a cracking start with “Lawn Knives” then closely followed by “End of... (Read more) Any concert goer in New York City will tell you about the crowds. On average you’ll hear stories about crowd surfers and venues where even the walls began to sweat! But on average you’ll usually hear about the two to five girls dancing and a sold out venue filled with people simply standing. I am... (Read more) Before heading up to San Francisco for Outside Lands Festival, I was lucky enough to catch the amazing STRFKR out in Santa Barbara at SOhO on August 10th. The band, who normally abbreviates their name in self-censorship, played a set full of songs from their second album, Reptilians, like the popular “Julius”, as well as... (Read more) It’s been 20 years since the release of Primal Scream’s seminal album ‘Screamadelica’, and tonight it’s Belfast’s turn to indulge in a little nostalgia trip. Charles Bradley and the Menahan Street Band: Known as the “Screaming Eagle of Soul”, Mr. Bradley kick started day 3 of Outside Lands at the Lands Ends Stage. Even as old as he is, the man had energy and character, with a black jumpsuit and some dance moves to compliment his jaw-dropping soul music. Bradley... (Read more) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: Hailing from Seattle, this underground hip hop artist was a surprise hit on the Lands End Stage early Saturday morning, if only for Macklemore’s crazy antics. At one point he donned a jacket with David Bowie painted on the back and rapped about the film The Labyrinth. Later in the set,... (Read more)
The stage is set with the audience knowing that,... (Read more) The biggest Asian dance music festival in Los Angeles — SPLASH 2011— arrives the last SPLASH is annual dance music festival by a group of six leading Asian event promoters in Los Angeles, namely, afro99, Core Entertainment, Entitled Entertainment, Nameless Group, Stompinground Production, and Wa Entertainment. A remarkable line up of the top oriental tour... (Read more) After spending the previous day camped out in one place, Saturday was my day to wander the festival, take in the sites, and try out Chow Town. I started out the day with Grouplove, a fun indie group who’s energy reminds me of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. They have the same hipster-hippie vibe... (Read more) Kendal Calling’s setting is pretty damn nice (it’s nestled inbetween some of the Lake District’s more accessible hills, with resident deer coralled away from the need for ear defenders across a tree-lined lake). The decorations in the arena are pretty damn nice (huge tulips instead of flags, water-spewing-dragon-fountains, and stuff you can... (Read more) Kendal Calling’s setting is pretty damn nice (it’s nestled inbetween some of the Lake District’s more accessible hills, with resident deer coralled away from the need for ear defenders across a tree-lined lake). The decorations in the arena are pretty damn nice (huge tulips instead of flags, water-spewing-dragon-fountains, and stuff you can climb... (Read more) Kendal Calling’s setting is pretty damn nice (it’s nestled inbetween some of the Lake District’s more accessible hills, with resident deer coralled away from the need for ear defenders across a tree-lined lake). The decorations in the arena are pretty damn nice (huge tulips instead of flags, water-spewing-dragon-fountains, and stuff you can climb on)... (Read more) Kendal Calling’s setting is pretty damn nice (it’s nestled inbetween some of the Lake District’s more accessible hills, with resident deer coralled away from the need for ear defenders across a tree-lined lake). The decorations in the arena are pretty damn nice (huge tulips instead of flags, water-spewing-dragon-fountains, and stuff you can climb on) .... (Read more) New Moods are New York duo Sean Mafucci and Billy Jones. In a short but sweet 7″, these guys have came up with a couple of dancy, catchy tunes that deserve a spin on your i-pod or MP3 player! “Playtime” has an electro dance vibe with plenty of synths and echoing vocals. “Dying Trying”, is... (Read more) Yes it’s that time again for us to head off to the amazing setting of Lowther Deer Park to join in the festivities for the 6th year of Kendal Calling. Think of a mini Glastonbury and you have the general gist of the atmosphere created by this award winning festival. Arriving with the... (Read more)
Seeing a venue getting converted into something else is quite incredible. Last Friday evening I and 3,000 other people got to witness this at Terminal 5 as the venue was changed from a music venue into a dance club. The show was SOLD OUT and Bag Raider’s were on support sampling tracks at the helm... (Read more) Its time for a burning!!! The Wickerman celebrates its 10th birthday in style with an impressive varied line up of acts old and new established and emerging.Started in 2001 by artistic director Sid Ambrose with an attendance of about 1800 hardy punters with headlining acts Spear of Destiny and punk legends Stiff Little Fingers the... (Read more) Warped Tour is a veteran festival here in the United States. Festivals such as Lollapalooza and Coachella are large on an incredible scale but Warped Tour has an interesting quality which has evolved throughout the years; it is a collection of bands around the world spanning from different genres that literally tour in a festival... (Read more) The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie is the first single from the Red Hot Chili Peppers in four years, “Tick-tock, I want to rock you like the ‘80s/cock-blocking isn’t allowed” is a pretty good line to come back with!! This is first single from ‘I’m With You’ – the band’s new studio album out on... (Read more) Ibiza Rocks 6th Birthday party, possibly THE gig to go to in Ibiza this summer, had a great line up for everyone to enjoy and who better to headline the evening than Scottish trio, Biffy
Clyro. Supporting band, Morning Parade, warmed the crowd up nicely with their 90′s dance influenced rock... (Read more) It’s the kind of trippy music to make you want to wear a white t-shirt and aviator shades then take off said t-shirt and dance. There’s more than a nod and wink to early 90s Manchester but Born Blonde’s slightly folksy undertones and psychedelic bravados breathe a lot of life into the alternative music... (Read more) I don’t think I ever felt the sense of emotions I did that night at Irving Plaza. RX Bandits, a band I grew to love and listen to for hours upon hour’s nearly every day were embarking on their farewell tour. As I stood in-front of front-man Matt Embree and company with my camera in... (Read more) This weekend saw us doing something I never thought we’d ever do…………camping in Victoria Park in Southport. The reason why, for Southport Rocks formely known as the Jedi Festival. This festival first began to raise awareness for SADS, (Sudden Adult Death Syndrome) and initially started off as a one day in door event to the... (Read more) With just a month to go, Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco has released there day-by-day lineup, including Phish headlining Friday the 12th of August, Muse on Saturday, and Arcade Fire bringing in the grand finale on Sunday. Along with this announcement, single day tickets will be on sale Wednesday at 10am. Friday’s highlights include... (Read more) Day 2 and time for rock legends and dance legends to grace the main stage along with a legend in his own right, Mr Shaun William Ryder. It was also a day of a lot of walking for us at musicmafiauk due to the sheer amount of talent available on both the main stage and... (Read more) “Compassion and Community! Those are the two most important things in this world!” can still be heard in my head as I go about my rainy Sunday afternoon. Where did I hear it and by whom you might ask? From The English Beat’s front-man Dave Wakeling as he casually played his guitar with incredible skill... (Read more) Looking for an unforgettable summer rock show? Look no more, Georgian indie punk band Black Lips have not only released a new album this year but they are also embarking on a North American tour to support it. On June 7th the band released their sixth release Arabia Mountain, an immersive record filled with guitar... (Read more) The first Chester Rocks is finally here. Held at Chester’s racecourse, this two day event has catered for a lot of musical tastes, and hasn’t just gone with mainstream pop acts, but also some big named rock and dance acts. Also thanks to Dawson’s, some of the best unsigned acts out there, many... (Read more)
Breathe Carolina have their eyes on superstardom with the release of new album Hell Is What You Make It this summer. Returning to work with Matt Squire, and bringing on new blood in the form of producer Ian Kirkpatrick (Plain White T’s, Neon Trees) and Matt Squire, their third full-length sees the band at their best –... (Read more) Hailing from the greater Athens-Atlanta-Asheville area, Reptar has been playing music ever since recorded history, but playing shows as Reptar since December 2008. Since then, the fast rising fabulous four has created quite a sensation around the Southeast. It all started with their debut 7″ recorded with producer Ben Allen (Sean P. Diddy Combs, Gnarls... (Read more) Drawing on a combined reverence for reverb, heavy tremolo, distortion, delay and repetition.Disappears play minimal rock music inspired by everything from Kraut to American gospel to punk. Started as a recording project in 2008, Disappears inevitably left the studio – supporting Wire, Deerhunter, Tortoise, German legends Cluster and beyond.Initially designed to explore the simplicity of... (Read more) Hip hop supergroup Wu Tang Clan are confirmed to include a Dublin show in their short run of European tour dates this summer. The rap legends will play Dublin’s TRIPOD on Friday 1st July as part of their Rebirth Tour, featuring the 8 surviving Clan members, together on stage for the first time since 2007. The original... (Read more) Cymbals Eat Guitars released their debut album Why There Are Mountains in 2009, receiving a response that far exceeded the band’s expectations. Two years have gone by since that early hype cycle began, and a lot has changed. Half of the musicians that played on Why There Are Mountains came and went before major touring... (Read more) Mega Rama is the debut album by the Brooklyn based 3 piece band formed in 2008. The band comprises of singer/guitarist Lindsay Baker with guitarist Chris Diken and drummer/singer Robbie Guertin (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah).For those of you out there who love your 90s indie pop rock, chances are this album will be right... (Read more) Last Saturday Governors Island played host to a massive swarm of New Yorkers as the island hosted the first ever Governors Ball. After the failure of All Points West becoming a annual event nearly every promoter has been trying to figure out how to create a festival that would be easily accessible to New Yorkers,... (Read more) Ahhhh…..long lie…Sunday in my lovely hotel bed, unfortunately didn’t realize we had to out by 11o’clock …shit it was 10:15 and after a mad rush we made our way down to the Rockness site. Maybe the next time I’ll try the canvas option…. Day three was a mixed bag, all the dance acts were back... (Read more) Now that the schedule is officially out and everyone has had a bit of time to process all the conflicts (and there are some big ones), we at Gigape have picked a few must-sees on each day of the festival. Friday, August 5 The Vaccines – Personally, I’ll be starting my weekend with The Vaccines. These... (Read more) Following the release of their debut EP Castles Incomplete, the Scots five-piece IndianRedLopez have gained a steady following amongst the Scottish music fraternity who have been impressed by their polished, yet diverse sound. Debut album, Empty Your Lungs and Breathe, easily draws comparisons to the fine work of contemporaries like Minus The Bear and The... (Read more) Day two at the festival was the turn of the dance acts on the main stage with the bands now confined mainly to the Goldenvoice Stage/Tent and unsigned acts on the Circus Stage/tent. After pulling myself out of my warm king sized bed in my luxury room I made my way down to the festival... (Read more) The Friday line up for me seem to be the best out of all the days with the mighty Kasabian headlining and Two Door Cinema Club plus the hotly tipped future headliners Brother also on on the bill. Getting to Inverness I thought shouldn’t be too bad ….175 miles on a trunk road shouldn’t take... (Read more) Stendhal Festival of Art will launch the first run of tickets to the inaugural event which takes place on August 20 at Ballymully Cottage Farm, Limavady on June 17, 2011. The first batch of tickets will be exclusively available through the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, with an online launch to follow. Tickets to... (Read more) Stendhal Festival of Art will launch the first run of tickets to the inaugural event which takes place on August 20 at Ballymully Cottage Farm, Limavady on June 15, 2011.The first batch of tickets will be exclusively available through the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, with an online launch to follow. Tickets to the... (Read more) Pepper Rabbit Announce New LP – Red Velvet Snow Ball Out August 9th On Kanine Records.Since Pepper Rabbit’s debut album Beauregard was released last fall, the band has been touring nonstop, with the likes of Passion Pit, Freelance Whales, Miniature Tigers, and Ra Ra Riot. The duo made up of Xander Singh and Luc Laurent,... (Read more) 12th June – Parklife Weekender festival, Platt Fields Park, Manchester.The festival, headlined on the Saturday by Two Door Cinema Club attracted some 40,000 hardy souls over the weekend and Gigape joined the party for the more dance oriented Sunday. Sunday featured DJ sets from the likes of Annie Mac and Mark Ronson through the... (Read more) Last Wednesday, June 8th, The Parlotones played Stubb’s Jr. here in Austin, TX with support from The Daylights. The Parlotones consist of Kahn Morbee (guitars/vocals), Glenn Hodgson (bass/keyboards/backing vocals), Paul Hodgson (guitars/keyboards), and Neil Pauw (drums). It was a real treat to get to see The Parlotones play such a small venue here in Texas, knowing how... (Read more) Malibu, CA – June 8, 2011 – Shwayze and Cisco Adler are previewing a new track today on the next installment of “Island Wednesdays.” Get a sneak peak of “Drunk Off Your Love” from their forthcoming LP Island In The Sun (out August 16th) at www.shwayzeandcisco.com. The clip features the song and video footage... (Read more) Hi i’m new on Gigape and on thing i’ve notice is that there are Rock Pop Country and Dance genres how about Folk and/or another genres? Stendhal Syndrome is a psychosomatic disorder that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, confusion and sometimes hallucinations, when an individual is exposed to art, usually when the art is particularly profound and a large amount of art is in the same place. Ever spent a day ambling around fields listening to poetry, watching a play, some afternoon... (Read more) Clapham Grand, London, 27th May 2011 – As a South African ex-pat who doesn’t get home much, tonight’s show was an exciting prospect. Fokofpolisiekar are one of South Africa’s most well-known and revolutionary rock bands, their haunting, driving Afrikaans punk rock characterised by cynical yet intelligent lyrics, a sincerely passionate delivery and a wild, compelling... (Read more) A record-breaking crowd of over 35,000 fans were on hand May 27-29 to celebrate at ROCKLAHOMA 2011, the Memorial Day Weekend camp and rock festival that features a mix of the best classic bands and today’s top rock artists. ROCKLAHOMA guests enjoyed ideal mild sunny weather throughout the festival at “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds... (Read more) Things are heating up at Standon Calling HQ as 50 critically acclaimed acts are added to this years festival, which features the biggest dance line-up yet! After a long hiatus and armed with a “THIS IS NO BRIDGET JONES!” could certainly be heard from the pedestrians of Delancy street on Tuesday May 31st. I would assume that to an unexpected person hearing that being shouted in a unison of over three hundred people that a dire sense of caution would begin to crawl over their consciousness but to a... (Read more) If you didn’t attend the B.O.M.B. Festival in Hartford, Connecticut this past weekend then you missed out on an incredible and unforgettable experience.For two days bands spanning from international acclaimed acts and local based Connecticut musicians performed on three stages which occupied the Comcast Theatre, a massive Pavilion type venue. I have never travelled to... (Read more) Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Letting Up Despite Great Faults are excited to announce the release of their forthcoming EP Paper Crush, on Old Flame Records out on August 2. Letting Up Despite Great Faults is the electro-based sonic diary of founding member, Mike Lee. The band’s first release was the Movement EP, which included... (Read more) Brendan Perry’s second solo album Ark is now available in North American on The End Records. It is Perry’s first studio album in eleven years. As one half of Dead Can Dance for nearly three decades, Brendan’s music remains highly regarded and influential on a global scale helping to redefine new musical genres. Brendan... (Read more) Polar opposite to the delicate poise of the influential jazz bassist Scott LaFaro from which this Belfast quartet takes their name, LaFaro are a wrecking ball of a band. Their rhythmic post-hardcore is designed to pulverize dance floors and leave no bottle of beer undrunk – this is music distilled to its fundamental elements –... (Read more) The Blood Arm return with their second album. Turn And Face Me, is an amalgamation of everything that made the late 70s pub rock and punk scene such an exciting period, with more than a heady dash of first wave Brit pop. The explosive opener “She’s A Guillotine” is a blend of tribal drums, classic... (Read more) Musical chameleons like SYLVIA GORDON do not come along every day. The multi-talented singer, songwriter, musician and artist (who has worked with BLACK EYED PEAS, MOBY and SPANK ROCK) boldly dons multiple personas as an outlet for her restless, adventurous spirit. She embraces and explores several muses by way of her various musical projects including... (Read more) Ke$ha, LMFAO, Cut Copy and more join Wireless line up! Wireless with Barclaycard have announced that Ke$ha, LMFAO, Cut Copy, Parade and Blind Pilot are confirmed for the stupendous weekend line-up. Terri Hooley’s Summer Soundsplash with Cashier No 9 takes place on May 27 at the Botanic Inn, 23-27 Malone Road, Belfast. In association with the Oh Yeah Music Centre Live music from Cashier No 9. DJ sets from Terri Hooley, Joe Lindsay, Stuart Bailie, Charlotte Dryden, Davy Matchett. Plus special guests, TBA. 8pm, £5 at door. It the ultimate... (Read more) As a live concert blogger the Sweetlife Festival was one of the worst experiences ever. But as a music fan it was…pretty sweet. For all members of the press who are planning on covering the event make sure to have contacts with line up labels, publicists, etc. What I experienced was an overbooked photo pit... (Read more) Just when you thought festival season was well and truly behind you and were left with only fuzzy memories of all the bands you witnessed over the blistering long summer, along comes Groovin the Moo Festival. It’s regional country theme gives it a unique twist and also offers festival goers who don’t live so close... (Read more) With just 5 weeks to go until deadmau5 returns to the UK to take over London, we are pleased to announce more acts to the line-up including Retro/Grade, Kim Fai, Sound Of London and VIP Arena hosts LUXX. London’s most exclusive nightclub LUXX will be hosting and transforming the VIP Arena into an opulent, luxurious haven... (Read more) YVETTE set to plays 2 New York Shows, May 15th At Death By Audio With Soft Circle & May 25th At Death By Audio.Yvette 7″ Out Now! YVETTE represents a unique brand of loud music, imposing structure upon noise and yielding songs that can only be described as frenzied, explosive, and pummeling. Founders Entertainment is thrilled to announce the addition of Brooklyn based hip hop trio Das Racist to the lineup for the June 18th Governors Ball Music Festival. Taking place on Governors Island in NYC, the Governors Ball is also upping the ante for summer music festival fun by incorporating an exciting list of activities into... (Read more) Belsonic 2011 in association with ABSOLUT Vodka tickets now on sale.30 Seconds To Mars & Beady Eye to headline Belsonic 2011 in association with ABSOLUT. Example with Dizzee Rascal, The Vaccines with Beady Eye will also headline what looks like the best Belsonic yet! Building on the overwhelming success of the 2010 run of shows,... (Read more) Following the cancellation due to illness of their Paddy’s Day show in Dublin, HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR have announced a rescheduled date for early June.The New York disco royalty are set to play a full live show at THE BUTTON FACTORY on Friday 10th June, following the release of their long awaited second album “Blue... (Read more) Grimes Plays New York At Webster Hall On 5/17 And 5/18 With Lykke Li-Release “Vanessa” Video-Halfaxa LP Out Now On Arbutus Records-Sophomore LP Coming Soon. Grimes is weird pop influenced by styles such as R&B, Industrial, goth, hip hop and Western medieval organum. She is noted for simple but strong percussion, vocal virtuosity, and addictive... (Read more) My Chemical Romance, The Strokes, Pulp, Muse, Janes Addiction, 2 MANY DJS, The Streets, UNKLE Sounds and SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO are just some of the bands already announced for this year’s Reading & Leeds Festival. We are now thrilled to unveil the line-up for one of the most popular stages at the event,... (Read more) Moda’s first London date of 2011 with A-Trak was the fastest show to sell out XOYO since the venue opened. After that road-block Jaymo & Andy George return with an even more exciting and gargantuan line-up. The two headliners, Mylo and Aeroplane represent two Kings of electro and disco; their paths crossing at... (Read more) Having announced our main stage lineups, SW4 2011 has already established itself as the first port of call for all festival goers looking to spend their summer with electronic music’s elite artists. The legendary Underworld headline day one, with support from John Digweed, Laidback Luke, Pete Tong, James Zabiela, Hernan Cattaneo and SOS.... (Read more) On Saturday 11th June 2011, the Southern Sounds festival comes to Clapham Common. A one off chance to hook up with friends and party with new ones. This will be the biggest Australian, New Zealand and South African gathering in Europe. An opportunity to celebrate your nationality alongside thousands of others with a... (Read more) Thirty years after the release of their chart topping debut album Days of Innocence, Moving Pictures have reformed to mark the occasion with two very special shows at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre and Sydney’s State Theatre this July. Forming in Sydney in 1980, it didn’t take long for Moving Pictures to make... (Read more) 30 Seconds To Mars & Beady Eye to headline Belsonic 2011 in association with ABSOLUT. Also confirmed -Example with Dizzee Rascal, The Vaccines with Beady Eye. Building on the overwhelming success of the 2010 run of shows, BELSONIC in association with ABSOLUT returns to Belfast’s Custom House Square this August. One of the largest and... (Read more) The seeds of New Moods sprouted a couple years ago in small house on the outskirts of Bushwick. After hours of overhearing his housemate artist/vocalist Billy Jones (Other Passengers) feverishly writing and recording rough demos for a solo project, producer/engineer Sean Maffucci (Icewater Scandal) was quickly inspired to get involved. Having spent the better part... (Read more) Broadcasting legend Annie Nightingale will join The Big Chill in 2011 for a DJ set that will epitomize her stance as one of the most dedicated champions of underground and independent music. Annie Nightingale MBE is the first lady of broadcasting with an impressive career spanning four decades at BBC Radio 1. Paving the way... (Read more) Minneapolis trio Now, Now have announced the May 3rd release of their Neighbors Remix EP on No Sleep Records. The EP features remixes of all the original songs found on the December 2010 release, re-arranged and re-imagined by the band’s drummer/instrumentalist Brad Hale. Following the release, this May the band head into the studio to... (Read more) My Chemical Romance Contaminate New York City…With Awesomeness.Never count out a Killjoy to make a night interesting. This must have been on the minds of the members of My Chemical Romance while observing the massive line amassing across the street from Terminal 5. Fans of all sizes and genders dressed in elaborate face make up... (Read more) Having earned the reputation in recent years as possessing one of the UK’s most unique and cutting-edge festival line-ups, Standon Calling’s 2011 bill is shaping up to reaffirm this accolade. Just added to the monstrous list of must-see artists are Hercules and Love Affair, Howard Marks, John Grant, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Dan le Sac, Broken... (Read more) Tania Vulcano, Dan Ghenacia and Cassy among the acts announced for Circo Loco line-up.World-renowned Ibiza party jumps across the Med for inaugural Hideout Festival.Hideout Festival, Zrce beach, Croatia, 1st – 3rd July 2011 Tickets on sale NOW! Circo Loco, the world-renowned Ibiza party, will be bringing its trademark red wig, not to mention a killer... (Read more) The Parklife Weekender 2011 announces Chase & Status as first headliner.More time, more stages and more talent for year two Sat 11th & Sun 12th June 2011 Platt Fields, Manchester!The Parklife Weekender 2011 confirms a dazzling line up across an increased seven arenas hosted by different friends and partners each day. Expect drum... (Read more) With Kendal Calling 2011 shaping up to be the biggest one yet, the Northern event on everyone’s lips have revealed more world class acts for the line up; House of Pain, Frank Turner (will full band) and Easy Star All Stars are all headed for the mainstage! Without further ado the Glow Dance Tent can... (Read more) Following the storming success of last year’s inaugural comedy line up at RockNess, organisers have today confirmed a host of top names set to bring heaps of hilarity to the festival this summer.Saluting today’s announcement, the heroic GARY: TANK COMMANDER took time out from his overseas deployment to record a very special one-off viral at... (Read more) Set to take the White Isle by storm, ‘Tonight’ is the hottest new night to come to Ibiza this summer. Hosted every Tuesday at the legendary Amnesia from 21st June to 6th September, ‘Tonight’ is brought to you by the team behind London clubbing institution Together. In 2010 Together hosted a series of... (Read more) House Rules returns with legendary Darren Emerson for its Christmas special on Saturday 4th December! After the massive sell out November show that saw Swedish House Mafia protégé AN21 tear Plan B apart the final House Rules show of 2010 is set to be colossal! Notoriously renowned as one of the most influential figures in dance... (Read more) Having already revealed some of the biggest bands on the planet for this year’s Reading & Leeds Festivals, more acts have been confirmed to play at Europe’s biggest dual site, Little John’s Farm in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds. Held Friday 26th August – Sunday 28th August 2011, this is the most exciting... (Read more) Oxegen have release the latest lineup news for the 2011 festival.”Our phenomenal line-up already includes Foo Fighters, Coldplay, The Black Eyed Peas, The Script, The Strokes and The Arctic Monkeys. But, today we’re giving fans a fresh wave of incredible music talent. The word legend is overused but Slash is the real deal. He’s one of the greatest guitarists of all time and... (Read more) Dropkick Murphys, the critically acclaimed rock band known for their complex distillation of classic punk rock, Celtic folk and American rock ‘n roll, will headline the USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) at PPL Park in Chester, PA in a post-event concert on Saturday, June 4. The performance will be free-of-charge to all attendees of the... (Read more) Having followed the band’s output over the past few years, FatCat is very excited to announce the release of Laced, Psychedelic Horseshit’s first album for the label. Boundary-pushing, thrilling, unique: Psychedelic Horseshit blaze with a vitality reminiscent of FatCat alumni Animal Collective and Black Dice in those bands’ early, wildly creative incipience. Laced marks a... (Read more) 06/02/2011.The lads from Belfast had the odds stacked against them from the beginning, a promoter who had obviously never looked up the meaning of PROMOTE, a S!!t hole of a venue which was lit by two red lights in each corner and could be doing with a good clean, a crowd (I use that term... (Read more) 07/03/2011.Standing at the side of the pit it looked like I was at the wrong event! I felt a bit like a headmaster at a school disco making sure the kids were behaving, yes it was an over 14’s gig but surely not an under 16’s… well it looked that to me and the rest... (Read more) Pendulum, Underworld and Magnetic Man all provide South West Four 2011 with three massive London festival exclusives. A mouth-watering prospect I hear you cry. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as our main stage antics are concerned. Things are shaping up rather nicely as we can now announce the explosive acts... (Read more) The Wombats play the Spring & Airbrake in Belfast 20/03/2011and were supported by Colly Strings. British Sea Power played Spring & Airbrake in Belfast on 18/02/11.They were support by Girls Names.The idea of British Sea Power playing a small gig in the Spring & Airbrake is an intriguing but bewildering one. Austra is the brainchild of Canadian born Katie Stelmanis who upon discovering the creative possibilities afforded to her by computer software, and utilizing inspirations as diverse as Puccini, riot-girl, and Nine Inch Nails has crafted an addictively dark dance sound that showcases her incredibly evocative vocal stylings.
Having honed her talents in several Toronto... (Read more) Javelin took some time out from their musical adventures to talk to GigApe about what has lead them from Providence to New York, through months of touring, Cowboy movie soundtracks, miniature Viking ships and a passion and love of music that was instilled in the womb!
GigApe: How did you guys get together? We’re... (Read more) Northside Festival is thrilled to announce that Guided By Voices will headline the McCarren Park Stage on Saturday, June 18, with Wavves set to support.Individual tickets to the all-ages show are available for $30 advance / $35 day of the show. Last month, Northside confirmed that Beirut would be returning to their adopted hometown to headline McCarren Park on Friday, June... (Read more) Baker Street is an upcoming indie pop band consisting of Michelle Hutt (guitars/keys/vocals), Mike Kennelly (bass), Jimmy Nugent (guitars), and Kevin Oshinskie (drums). We got to sit on them rehearsing for a gig and catch a word on who they are and what the world can expect from them. Gigape: So how did Baker Street... (Read more) Sam Halliday from Northern Irish band Two Door Cinema Club takes some time out from the busy schedule of potential world dominance to speak to GigApes Ken Grand-Pierre about At the Drive In,60’s pop videos and a record called Frengers! Gigape: Do you remember what experience you had that made you decide you wanted to... (Read more) Texan psych rockers The Black Angels are set to release a limited edition 10”vinyl B-Sides collection titled ‘Phosgene Nightmare’ on Blue Horizon Records in support of Record Store Day. Only 5000 copies of the record will be available on Saturday April 16th throughout Europe and North America on collectable white vinyl that also comes packed... (Read more) Ska is in my opinion one of the most beautiful art forms known to mankind. It’s not a genre of music I usually submerse myself in but I know my high school years would have been a lot more daunting if I didn’t have bands such as Less Than Jake or RX Bandits to make... (Read more) I love Northern Ireland. So not much of a surprise that one of my favorite releases of the year is by a Northern Ireland band. Forming in Bangor in 2007, Two Door Cinema Club have come a long way. After dropping out of university to pursue music the band have already supported bands such asPhoenix, Foals, Delphic, released a... (Read more) deadmau5 Live @ Victoria Park announces Lets Go Crazy Collaboration!The countdown has begun for deadmau5’ return to the capital when he takes over London’s Victoria Park to headline his first ever headline outdoor event on Saturday 11th June, and we are pleased to announce a collaboration with Lets Go Crazy – the biggest youth clubbing... (Read more) One of the best parts about New York City is discovering musicians. On March 30th this was no exception as I headed to Highline Ballroom to watch South African rockers Civil Twilight perform a headlining show. The last time the band were in our city it was to support Florence + The Machine at Irving... (Read more) Are you ready for the sleaziest summer ever?Fresh from selling out her entire US tour in just a few short minutes & conquering Australia earlier this year leaving a shiny trail of glitter & sweat behind in her wake, global pop sensation KE$HA has announced she will bring her ‘Get Sleazy’ World Tour to the... (Read more) The February Festival season is well under way here in Sydney and while our weather may be fluctuating between roasting hot and wet, the strength of the overseas acts being lured over here has not faltered one bit. By chance I was lucky to happen upon !!!(Chk Chk Chk) playing at The Metro in town.... (Read more) Elbow, The Specials & Primal Scream (Screamadelica) to headline Belsonic 2011 in association with Absolut – Also confirmed – Plan B with Katy B, Dizzee Rascal with Wretch 32.Building on the overwhelming success of the 2010 run of shows, Belsonic in association with Absolut returns to Belfast’s Custom House Square this August.One of... (Read more) Kylie plays the first of four nights at the MEN Arena,Manchester.The original deminuative pop princess Kylie hit Manchester’s MEN Arena for the first of four nights on her Aphrodite: Les Folies tour.Aphrodite: Les Folies is more than just a tour, with a major commercial sponsorship and the kind of stage show that would put some... (Read more) Fans of Swedish rockers had no idea what to expect from the support for the bands sold out NYC gig. The support slot was won by Californian female rapper k.flay. With a touch of aggressiveness and sincerity throughout her forty five minute set something happened that rarely does at NYC shows, the crowd were completely... (Read more) Here Come the Mummies at Irving Plaza 3/26/11 After ten years of playing together, Here Come the Mummies finally came to New York, and the crowd was waiting for them. Some had driven in from other states, some had seen the band already on this tour and almost everyone seemed to know the lyrics to... (Read more) Arcade Fire (w/ Fucked Up).Sunday 28 November 2010. Munich Zenith Kulturhalle.Sunday night suburban rock opera.The evening began with an unusual air of anticipation. It was perhaps this that brought people out early on a frigid Sunday night in Munich to queue up early outside the Zenith. Personally speaking I’m always perplexed by a band’s choice... (Read more) Underworld Confirmed for SW4.”London is our town and we love to play in front of a home crowd. SW4 is going to be amazing this year and we can’t wait to play there. It’s a party in the sun for London’s night people. See you there”. Karl Hyde (Underworld).Karl Hyde and Rick Smith aka Underworld... (Read more) The past, present and future sounds were on offer at the royal Randwick racecourse this Saturday, with a sublime mix of psych-pop, electro, trance, and drum and bass at the Future Music Festival. Gypsy and the cat kicked off proceedings on the Flamingo stage, arriving half an hour late,... (Read more) SXSW have announced Yoko Ono as a very special featured speaker for the 25th Music Conference and Festival.Ms.Ono will sit down with Jody Denberg for a SXSW Interview on Friday March 18th.From her pioneering work in the Fluxus movement of the 1960s to the recent Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, Ono’s art has challenged and... (Read more) After a kick ass 2010 House Rules returns with Space Ibiza resident and Circus head honcho Yousef, Cream Ibiza resident Gareth Wyn, rising Swedish star Oliver Ingrosso & the freshest London talent Jon Bills.House Rules first show of the New Year at its spiritual Brixton home, Plan B, sees the one and only international DJ, Club... (Read more) The Wombats At The HMV Picture House, Edinburgh, Scotland 07/03/2011.Standing at the side of the pit it looked like I was at the wrong event! I felt a bit like a headmaster at a school disco making sure the kids were behaving, yes it was an over 14’s gig but surely not an under 16’s…... (Read more) Terrorvision at The Garage, Glasgow 06/03/2011.Hi were Terrorvision and were from Bradford..These will be familiar words to anybody whos been to a Terrorvision gig and anybody has been to one of their gigs will also know how energetic the front man Tony Wright is! Tonight is no exception and right from the word go Tony... (Read more) Martina McBride brings her “Teenage Daughters” to Country Radio . Grammy-winning, Country Music Icon Releases First New Music Since 2009.Country Music Superstar Martina McBride, mother of three daughters ranging from 5 to 16, is putting her girls to work – figuratively speaking that is. There are no plans for sixteen-year-old Delaney to join the band and... (Read more) The Postelles eponymous debut album will be released by +1 Records on June 7th. The record, co-produced by band and The Strokes Albert Hammond, Jr., exudes a raw exuberance that places the New York City-based quartet in an ideological lineage that can... (Read more)
Belsonic 2010 was one of the largest outdoor music events in Northern Ireland. And building on the overwhelming response, the city centre festival is back in Custom House Square in Belfast next August. Last year’s lineup saw sold out performances from Florence & The Machine, David Guetta, Biffy Clyro, and Paolo Nutini. Over 40,000 tickets... (Read more) Good vibrations festival announces 2011 lineup.Bringing you the summers most electrifying beats, pioneering UK dance act FAITHLESS headline this years festival. Joining Faithless for 2011 are French indie rockers PHOENIX, rap / reggae combo NAS and DAMIAN MARLEY, electronic pioneer SASHA, entertainment mogul LUDACRIS and viral phenomenon CEE LO GREEN. Genre straddling Diva KELIS will... (Read more) Grab your bathing suit, tell your friends, and don’t forget the suntan lotion! Beach Dog Presents announces the inaugural Electric Beach, to take place March 17-20 at the AAA Four Diamond award-winning Gran Melia Hotels & Resorts in Cancun, Mexico. This very special Spring Break event will have two stages that will see performances by... (Read more) Warm Ghost released their debut EP, Claws Overhead, on the label Geographic North on May 11th, 2010. Now, with Partisan Records, Warm Ghost have released their Uncut Diamond EP featuring three remastered tracks from their debut EP and three new tracks on a vinyl and digital only release. The band is now currently working on... (Read more) 
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The stage lights were off and the house music was still playing as Rex Hobart was tuning up, slowly but steadily building up a country beat. Then, when he was ready, Hobart started singing and the light and sound tech at Rockwood Music Hall had to catch up... 
I was on the wrong damn side of the stage: all the action was on the right/bassist side. That’s where Young Empires gave the mic to a fan during their final song and where Saint Motel had all the girls dancing. Sometimes you go where the best vantage... 
Outsized hair? Check. Outsized stage presence? Check. Total recognition that it’s all about the band and not himself? Check. All of this was summed up in one word by Fort Lean’s Keenan Mitchell tonight: “Beach?”
For months the buzz surrounding Gary Clark Jr. has been building: he’s amazing, he’s the next great guitarist, you have to see him to believe it. Well, I’ve now seen him, and I do believe it.
With the crowd chanting for “One More Song,” all S of So frontman Liam Finn could do was say “We’ve played everything we have!” The band, and the four others at the Knitting Factory last night, had only formed twelve hours earlier as part of Brooklyn’s second Rock... 
When Dex Romweber plays the guitar, you don’t hear it so much as it reaches back and stimulates something the lizard part of your brain. The Meat Puppets bring something else entirely to the stage: a sense of fame-charred revival.
Talking about Detroit in 1975, Bobby Hackney of Death said that they didn’t have names for punk, rock, funk, hardcore or anything other subgenre. They simply called what they played “hard driving rock and roll.” You could almost say a similar sentiment applies to the CMJ Music Marathon and Film... 
They didn’t quite turn The Rock Shop into a honky-tonk, but Lydia Loveless and Michaela Anne did bring two very different stands of country music to Brooklyn last night.
What do pink unicorns, an elfin cupcake and some not-fully pumped up kicks all have in common? They were all on stage during the Foster The People, Cults & Reptar show at New York’s Terminal 5 tonight.
The woman in the panda outfit kept saying to me “I want you to film this… I want you to film this.” It was the homecoming show of D Generation’s reunion tour and she expected the crowd to erupt into a giant mosh pit, which might cause her... 
The Detroit Cobras, Baxx SiSi’s & Des Roar at the Bell House, Brooklyn, 8/13/11.To talk about this show at The Bell House, I’m going to borrow a few pages from the tale of Beatrix Kiddo and her lover/foil, Bill.