Garret Likes Music

Gig! Tonight!

2007-10-02T14:40:00.001Z

TONIGHT (October 2nd) - Los Campesinos!

Cardiff based, but entirely non-Welsh, Los Campesinos! managed to secure a support slot to their heroes Broken Social Scene after just 6 gigs and 2 months. Their debut EP, 'Sticking Fingers Into Sockets', made them famous amongst bloggers and got a good review off Pitchfork. Of course, if PF was a band, it would be LC!.

Having just finished recording their new album in Canada, to be released in February 08, gig goers can expect to hear new material tonight.

Here's the best song off the EP, You! Me! Dancing!

Concerto For Constantine

2007-10-02T14:18:00.000Z

After a support slot to Simple Kid on his UK tour, and a few demos on his myspace, Mark Greaney has abandoned his solo project and teamed up with Gavin Fox, best known for his work with Idlewild, and Paul 'Binzer' Brennan of The Frames and Bell X1 face. The band is called Concerto For Constantine and is playing on the 2fm 2moro 2our with Ham Sandwich and David Geraghty. David aside, lots of dodgy names right there.

C for C are promising recorded material by the end of the year, and will hopefully be a return to form for Greaney after the rather poor and melodramatic solo demos.

Oh yeah, I'm back posting on this here information superhighway XD

http://www.myspace.com/concertoforconstantineofficial

Joseph Arthur albums to be released in the Uk/Ireland

2007-05-15T15:04:00.000Z

What's this? Two posts in the same day? Oh em jee like

Nuclear Daydream and Let's Just Be are finally getting UK & Irish releases in August. The former was released in September 2006. I hope and presume that a tour to promote these albums will coincide with their release.

I actually managed to get my hands on a copy of Nuclear Daydream just two days ago. My father who was in America for work picked it up for me. While most UCD-ers get their parents to buy selected items from the latest Abercrombie and Fitch range I request obscure indie records.

Black Lexus (off Nuclear Daydream) performed for KEXP.

What's with the CD taped to his guitar. I noticed it when he was on Jools a couple of years back.

Simple Kid 23rd of May, The Village Venue

2007-05-15T13:50:00.000Z

Mark Greaney is NOT playing support to Simple Kid. Pinky is. Mark never intended to, and made this clear several months ago.

More Leccy Picnic acts announced

2007-04-27T11:02:00.000Z

A day after the event sold out, Aiken have announced the latest additions to the line-up

ERASURE / MIA / MANIC STREET PREACHERS / SPIRITUALIZED-ACOUSTIC MAINLINES / UNKLE / EASY STAR ALL-STARS / FIONN REGAN / SONS AND DAUGHTERS

An exciting mix of new acts have just been announced. From Reggae to Rock, Electronica to Indie, there is something to suit all tastes.

First addition to line up announcement is worldwide synth-pop duo ERASURE, one of the most successful bands of the late 80s and early 90s with over 25million album sales under their belt. Still as popular as ever, their eagerly awaited dance-orientated album 'Light at the End of the World' is due for release in May.

Finally, MIA will make her long and eagerly awaited Irish debut at this year's Electric Picnic. Fresh from the recent success of her 'Bird Flu' single the Sri Lankan-English rapper will perform tracks from her brand new album 'KALA'.

A first time at the Picnic for the MANIC STREET PREACHERS, as they enter another musical era, with their 8th album 'Send Away the Tigers' already receiving rave reviews. Off the road for the last two years, this date will be the start of Manic Street Preachers new tour, and Nicky Wire promises, "Springsteenesque long sets, working class rage, make-up and dumb punk fun".

Following the huge success of their UK tour last autumn, the newly-billed SPIRITUALIZED-ACOUSTIC MAINLINES show will grace the lawns of Stradbally Hall and showcae some of the songs from the forthcoming Spiritualized album as well as tracks from Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized back catalogues. The soulful voice of Jason Pierce AKA Spaceman will make for an out of this world show.

UNKLE will perform their full live band show for the first time EVER in Ireland. Having amassed some of the best production credits in the music industry, UNKLE has worked with a wealth of artists, and Picnikcers will be indulged with a high octane performance featuring tracks from their new album 'War Stories' due out in autumn.

Modern Reggae at its best, the 10 piece New York based EASY STAR ALL-STARS are a collective family of some of the best reggae artists around. The quirky crew are responsible for last year's 'Radiodread' album, a complete reggae version of Radiohead's 'OK Computer'. With a rotating cast of talented members, each gig is guaranteed to have its own personality, and they are certain to give a memorable performance at this years' picnic.

Singer songwriters always a hit at the Electric Picnic, this year sees 'Irish troubadour' FIONN REGAN on the bill.The popular singer-songwriter hailing from Bray is sure to delight with one of his awesome but intimate live shows showcasing the many tracks from his recent critically album 'The End of History' .

Conceived while on tour with Arab Strap in 2001 by Aedele Bethel, SONS AND DAUGHTERS went on to massive worldwide success. Known for their energy and sassy onstage personality, Glasgow Folk-Rock outfit Sons and Daughters new material will be a much anticipated treat.

Electric Picnic line-up already includes The Beastie Boys doing their first Irish show in over a decade; the recently reformed Iggy And The Stooges, a rare live outing by the wonderful Bjork with new material to shock & awe us; ex-Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker; a hark back to 1980s punk-pop with The Jesus And Mary Chain; cutting edge dance-rock from LCD Soundsystem (who have just released one of the Albums of the Year); the newly resurgent Primal Scream; the first ever Irish show by the Damon Albarn-led The Good, The Bad and The Queen; Modest Mouse, the dramatic Polyphonic Spree and the eminently adaptable Craig Armstrong; Soul II Soul - who are arriving over with a 12 piece band and string section in tow! Plus Paul Hartnoll's The Ideal Condition and the return of the Dublin Gospel Choir who will be there to redeem your souls on Sunday morning.

The Electric Picnic Ireland's only Boutique Music Festival returns on 31st, August 1st and 2nd September 2007 at Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois - and if you haven't already heard, is now SOLD OUT!

The Pigeon Detectives cancel Irish tour!

2007-04-26T23:33:00.000Z

After digging out the Dance To The Radio sampler CD I remembered that I had read something of a date in Whelans for Pigeon Detectives. The record company site had them down as playing the lovely Whelan's on the 10th of May. But are Suburban Kids With Biblical Names not playing that very venue on that very date? Yes, yes they are. And I believe that that may the the reason behind this blog entry. They've pulled the tour, but are looking to reschedule for late summer. As I previously blogged about, they are playing on the Saturday of Oxegen

In case you were not aware, the debut album is out in May, and earlier this month Dance To The Radio released another compilation album.

Check out Pigeon Detectives on their myspace.

The National play Oxegen

2007-04-21T13:22:00.000Z

The National have confirmed, in their newsletter, that they are to play the Latitude Festival in the UK and Oxegen here. They are also supporting Arcade Fire on their US tour. This is all great news as The National are a fantastic band. I've yet to give the new album, Boxer, which is out on Beggars Banquent on May 22nd, a proper listen, but so far it's sounding good, real good.

The National have previously mentioned that there will be a proper tour of the Uk and Ireland in the Autumn period.

A post about everything, and about nothing

2007-04-20T09:47:00.000Z

You may have noticed that I have not posted in a week and a half. You were probably sitting in front of your PC for the last 10 days frantically hammering the F5 key in the hope that a new post would appear. Well, I apologise for the inactivity, but I "misplaced" my laptop charger.

So what's happened since last Wednesday? Well the Manic Street Preachers were announced for Electric Picnic, and they also confirmed that they will be begining their autumn/winter tour in Dublin. Seeing as they are playing Leccy Picnic it is safe to assume that they will be performing at either Tripod or Vicar St..

The Police also confirmed their gig in Croke Park for October 6th. That surprised me because I was pretty sure that was announced last month!? A quick check shows that tickets are still available.

Also I was reminded the other day that Maximo Park are playing a free gig in the Temple Bar Music Centre. ~~It's a Budrising gig, which is unfortunate seeing that they'll only serve that piss alcoholic beverage.~~ I've been informed they serve Guinness and possibly wine as well as Budweiser at these gigs. Enter the draw here: http://www.budrising.ie/register.php

I think that is all for now as regards 'news', but expect lots more postings over the next few days.

P.S. I design the look for the blog. What do you think?

Joanna Newsom tickets back on sale

2007-04-11T14:11:00.000Z

Tickets for the previously sold out show at the Olympia are back on sale at www.ticketmaster.ie and at the WAV ticket box. If they are gone on the site, check out the WAV box office, because its tickets are not available to buy online.

My battery is about to go :|

Message From Sam

2007-04-11T00:14:00.000Z

Sam Herlihy, formerly of Hope Of The States, posted this message on the HOTS message board just a few hours ago.

A little blurb on present topics.
Though ridiculous and in manymany ways utterly ungrateful, the recent sudden interest in new band nonsenses shoved me a little sideways. It's been writing recording destroying rebuilding since last september and all of it under any radar anyone cares to keep an eye on. Suddenly a quiet (an let me in no way kid myself of my importance in anyone's schemes, grand or otherwise) wave of questions/queries/statements etc threw a little loop of me. Then after my couple of moments of self important sulking I am struck by a notion:
Though I do and have worried regular for the last few years about whether or not the lack of distance between myself and those interested in the music I scrabble my way through is an entirely healthy endevour, it in so many ways is something to be sinfully proud of. All I know is that any band I have ever truly cared about always gave me the sense that they gave more than two hoots about a) my interest in them and b) what being a complete fanboy/girl of a band feels like.
It's not always pleasant to be on the end of barbs aimed as if the assassin knows you and yr motives personally but conversely I'm not convinced that I could ever enjoy being in a band without a feeling of genuine connection with the odd but often amusingly skewed takes on these messes I make.
I have no idea why I spout this tonight but ta for still caring those who do. And to those who do not, yr all going to miss out on a fuckoff blinder of a record when it's done, because it's going to be better than everything else....maths fact.............so speaketh the rod for my back....

s
x

Lazy? Well I can take the work out of it for you.
He loves his fans, has been recording and the new album is fantastic.

Presumably this recording has been done with the band mentioned in an earlier blog.

Andrew Bird - Crawdaddy 21st March

2007-04-06T23:34:00.000Z

Yeah it was loike ages ago, but I did not have one of these music web logs back then, so what the hell eh? Andrew Bird had cancelled his gig the night before due to a bad flu. However that did not stop him putting in an excellent performance. His voice was unaffected bar a couple of coughs between tracks.

Support was provided on the night by Dosh, whose mix of drums and keyboards, with impressive looping made for impressive listening. He also played drums/keys for Andrew Bird.

Andrew Bird is also famous (well, in as much as an obscure violinist can be) for his looping. Swapping between guitar and violin constantly, his instrumentation was flawless. His dramatised take on some of the lyrics was interesting, but when he sang like he can, the similarities to Jeff Buckley (in his less showy moments) cannot be ignored.

The setlist omitted 'A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left' and 'MX Missiles' to my disappointed, but the new tracks off 'Armchair Apocrypha' sounded well live, with 'Heretics' a standout track. Despite singing 'Encores can be fatal' on that track, he relented, coming on stage to proclaim 'Oh alright'. He played a beautiful cover of Bob Dylan's 'Oh Sister'

If you missed him, do not fret, he promised to make up for never visiting Ireland before now.

Andrew Bird performing 'Sovay' at HiTone, Memphis in 2005

Yup, another Electric Picnic post

2007-04-03T10:46:00.000Z

According to the man in Sound Cellar who I talked to half an hour ago, tickets are going pretty fast, and could be gone by the end of the day. So if you know you want to go, I'd say not to take any risks and get your tickets as soon as you can.

And for anyone concerned, I will have a non EP related post up by the end of the day :D

Electric Picnic lineup so far

2007-04-02T22:06:00.000Z

So the line-up was officially announced. Some surprising omisions. The Chemical Brothers are probably being held back until the album details are released, but I'm not sure why Wilco were not included in here. Also surprising was that MCD did not try and spoil the party by announcing the Irish Latitude, another rival boutique festival to be held on the grounds on Belvedere House. Perhaps its a non-runner? Time will tell

Sonic Youth
Bjork
Jarvis Cocker
The Go! Team
LCD Soundsystem
Soul II Soul
Primal Scream
Ratatat
Beastie Boys
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
Polyphonic Spree
James Lidell
Damien Dempsey
Iggy & The Stooges
The Magic Numbers
The Undertones
Fujiya & Miyagi
Horace Andy Craig Armstrong
Ukelele Orchestra Of Great Britain
Modest Mouse
Marlena Shaw
!!!
Jesus And The Mary Chain
Dublin Gospel Choir
A Trak
Paul Hartnoll's The Ideal Condition
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Josh Wink
Electralane
Bonde Do Role
Deerhoof
Keiran Hebden & Steve Reid

Bodytonic Arena
(Some may have been mentioned above)
Derrick May
Hextastic
Josh Wink
Derrick Carter
Mr Scruff
The Glimmers
The Electrons LIVE
DJ Marky
Greenskeepers LIVE
Dixon
Ame
Joakim & The Ectoplasmics Live
Larry Heard
James Liddell
Bonde Do Role
A-Trak
Simian Mobile Disco Live
Annie Mac

Electric Picnic Press Release

2007-04-02T13:51:00.000Z

THE ELECTRIC PICNIC â€“ The Boutique Musical Festival

Stradbally Hall, Co Laois â€“ Friday August 31/September1/September 2 2007

"One of the best festivals we have ever been to... the bands and the sound were incredible... and the organization was perfect" - Rolling Stone Magazine

The Electric Picnic Ireland's only Boutique Music Festival returns on 31st, August 1st and 2nd September 2007. Capacity remains at 32,500, ensuring that The Picnic's trademark intimacy remains intact, but the festival will have an enlarged camping area to allow for more room and comfort for festival goers.

It's a tribute to the festival that so many repeat visitors get their tickets without even asking who is on the bill. Now in its fourth year, The Picnic has grown from being a music festival to encompassing a lot more from music to art to poetry reading. The trust has been built up and each and ever year there's something better about it. It truly is your listening festival, regulars return from each year's bash with ideas/suggestions/advice as to how to enhance the experience.

Musically, it can't be touched, The Picnic handpicks only those acts who know how to merge themselves with the Stradbally experience. And forget what it says on your birth certificate, there's always something on somewhere for everyone in the audience.

This year's highlights include The Beastie Boys doing their first Irish show in over a decade; the recently reformed Iggy And The Stooges, incidentally this will be their only UK/Ireland performance this year; a rare live outing by the wonderful Bjork; ex-Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker; a hark back to 1980s punk-pop with The Jesus And Mary Chain; cutting edge dance-rock from LCD Soundsystem (who have just released one of the albums of the year); the newly resurgent Primal Scream; the first ever Irish show by the Damon Albarn-led The Good, The Bad and The Queen; Modest Mouse, the dramatic Polyphonic Spree and the eminently adaptable Craig Armstrong; Soul II Soul - who are arriving over with a 12 piece band and string section in tow! Plus Paul Hartnollâ€™s The Ideal Condition and the return of the Dublin Gospel Choir who will be there to redeem your souls on Sunday morning.

Away from the music there's a dizzying array of delights. The Body and Soul Village is back, bigger and better this year and you'll find them down among the trees where they'll have organic food and drink, a massive range of holistic treatments and plenty more stuff to keep you on the up and up. An added dimension to the Body and Soul area is the Village Green, there will be an Arts and Crafts area where some of Irelandâ€™s best craftworkers will weave their talents to create a collective art piece especially for this yearâ€™s festival.

A dynamic, playful and ridiculously colourful kids field will house fun games, creative workshops, movies, arts and crafts, puppet making and circus skills. And not to forget the grown ups there will be tug of war, twister, giant skittles and rounders to tickle your fancy.

What would the Village Green be without the Village Hall? Get ready for a right rustic knees-up, with line dancing, daily ceili, gypsy bands, trad sessions, apple bobbing, salsa classes, dancing competitions and a bit of mayhem for all the family, friends and freaks to enjoy. Thereâ€™ll also be a farmers market selling fresh produce from the local Laois farmer each morning.

Lost Vagueness are proud to attend The Electric Picnic for a third fabulous year. This time round they will be bringing you the infamous Chapel of Love and Loathing. The original and best festival chapel has amazed and astounded countless visitors with its heady combination of daytime wedding ceremonies and the darkest night time cabaret. In addition we are happy to bring you The Casino and The Changing Room. All in all a full Lost Vagueness experience and one not to be missed. Returning will be the Ballroom and the Laundrettas Laundromat Of Love providing a small army of stylists to pimp your look.

New this year is the world renowned Fossets Circus, with acrobats, clowns and jugglers.

Back by popular demand is the Leviathan Think Tank - the political debate tent hosted again this year by Economist, broadcaster and writer David McWilliams. Enlarged this year to 2 tents there will be a series of intelligent and entertaining discussions as the centrepiece to a vibrant weekend of spoken word events including poetry, theatre, speakers' corner, story-telling, musical satire, comedy films and much more.

The very popular International Comedy Club also makes its return hosted as usual by the formidable Des Bishop.

The ever popular Southern Comfort Crawdaddy Tent, Bacardi B Bar and Foggy Notions Stage all make a welcome return.

In addition will be a late night stage which promises impromptu performances from various acts throughout the weekend.

In the Bodytonic Arena, they'll be serving up the finest underground funk-dance (and plenty more besides).

With the finest accommodation facilities of any festival in Europe, this year you will really have to book early for the luxurious Boutique Campsite which has a 24 hour on-site reception and an extra special "Apres Fest" chill-out zone.

There's also Beach Huts, a fab Bohemian Bivouac, the very popular Podpads, Tipis and the double decker dormitories that are the Bus Beds.

This year Electric Picnic intends to make a greater strides towards becoming as environmentally friendly as possible. Discussions with Cultivate Ireland & Global cool are on-going to investigate how we can reduce our use of non renewable energy & offset those we do. The festival will also have large on site recycling stations this year, instead of recycling off-site as previous years, and will be introducing a pro-active 'Leave No Trace' campaign. Enforcing a biodegradeable packaging policy with the traders and focusing on a more environmental traffic management plan, these are just a few of the areas which we hope we will make a difference. Watch www.electricpicnic.ie for developments over the summer and to find out how you can make a difference.

John Reynolds of Pod Concerts â€œAs always no matter what the line-up is or the changes made to the festival year on year, Electric Picnic wouldnâ€™t happen at all if it wasnâ€™t for the support and co-operation from the local council, Gardai and of course the residents of Stradbally and Laois. Last year we raised â‚¬65, 000 which was distributed among several local charitiesâ€™â€™
Remember, the last swig of the summer festival wine is always the sweetest.

Subject to licence.

Tickets for the three day festival are priced â‚¬220, including camping. Tickets include booking fee and VAT. Phone & internet bookings subject to â‚¬5.95 service charge. Agents â‚¬2 per ticket handling charge. Avail from www.ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719300.

Electric Picnic announced tonight

2007-04-02T12:57:00.000Z

So at 6pm it will go up on the website. I won't be able to report on it until later tonight, because some bright sparks at UCD decided that sending us out to Blackrock to do an exam at 7.30 is a good idea. They also like to schedule them on the same night on as alternative music gigs (Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire), resulting in many a sprint to the DORT station afterwards.

Anyway, its seems that the shoe-ins are The Beastie Boys, Bjork, Chemical Brothers, The Jesus And Mary Chain, LCD Soundsystem, Wilco, The Good The Bad The Queen, Jarvis Cocker , Primal Scream, Modest Mouse and The Shins

I've heard a couple of mentions of Sonic Youth, but I'm unsure as to the plausibility. I remain fairly confident of The Smashing Pumpkins, but just don't expect them to be announced tonight.

New acts announced for Oxegen

2007-04-02T12:52:00.000Z

Ammusingly typing Oxegen into Google image search brings that up as the first result.

Saturday
Queens Of The Stone Age
Enter Shikari
Ocean Colour Scene
Avril Lavigne
The Maccabees
The Pigeon Detectives
Air
The Hold Steady

Sunday
Bright Eyes
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Dizzee Rascal
Jamie T
Gogol Bordello
Little Man Tate
The Long Blondes
Rufus Wainwright
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars
The Saw Doctors

Some very interesting additions there. Hopefully Bright Eyes will play this time, but will there really be an audience for Rufus Wainwright at Oxegen? By all accounts his set at EP last year was not the very well attended. Air is another one that raises eyebrows, but every gig they have done here so far has been MCD.

Anyway it's been enough for me to decide not to sell my ticket

Joseph Arthur New Albums

2007-04-01T19:47:00.000Z

On April 17th, Joseph Arthur will release Let's Just Be. This is the first album recorded with his new band, The Lonely Astronauts. According to the press release he plans to release another album taken from the same recordings later this year. Good news for those state side, but for us over here, well we're still waiting on Nuclear Daydream to hit these shores. It was released in the US last September to critical acclaim apparently but has yet to be given a date for UK/Ireland release, which is disappointing, because Our Shadows Will Remain, his last release over here, is an excellent album.

I first heard of him when he appeared on the excellent Later With Jools Holland series. He performed Can't Exist, and below is this performance.

I went out an bought the album, Our Shadows Will Remain. A slow burner for me, but now it takes up the position as a favourite of mine, that every month or so I find myself returning to.

Currently Listening To... The Little Ones - Sing Song EP

2007-03-30T12:57:00.000Z

This 7 track EP was released over this side of the Atlantic last month, despite being recorded in 2005. As the cover (left) indicates, it's an infectiously cheery display.

I first encountered The Little Ones last year when I read a small single review on Planet Sound. Needless to say a 9 out of 10 and the mention of them being the ideal stopgap before the release of the new Shins record was enough to pique my interest. However, with Wincing The Night Away out, I can say that their position atop American indie pop is looking rather precarious. Every track on Sing Song is a gem, and 'Lovers Who Uncover' is one of the finest tracks you are likely to hear this year. At €10.99 in your local HMV, it's well worth checking out. Their myspace is here.

They recently played support to Tily And The Wall, and hopefully they will be back for the festival season.

Here is the video to their single, Oh MJ:

Members of Hope Of The States form new band

2007-03-29T17:47:00.000Z

So someone went poking round, stalking in essence, on myspace and found some rather interesting information on people's myspaces. It seemed as though there was talk of a new band including members of the sorely missed (by me and a few others) Hope Of The States. Not to be confused with Troubles, a post-rock side project, this band will have a similar styling HOTS.

The thread about the original discovery can be found here.

So armed with this knowledge, I sent that link to Mr. John Earls of Planet Sound, the alternative music pages on Channel 4 Teletext. An early champion of HOTS, he was intrigued by this revelation, so went investigating.

Apparently, Sam, Simon and Paul from HOTS and Jon from Troubles are in this band, and there will be vocals. Which is good news all and all.

And because I don't need much of an excuse to do it, here is Black Dollar Bills off the debut LP, The Lost Riots.

The Smashing Pumpkins announce new show

2007-03-28T23:20:00.000Z

The Smashing Pumpkins first show in 7 years will be held in Paris on May 22nd. The grand, old and intimate Grand Rex shall host the performance. It will be the first time songs from Zeitgeist shall be played live, but by exactly whom, it is unknown.

Expect a scramble for tickets when they go on sale on April 11th.

Tour dates are as follows:
Tue 5/22 Paris, France Grand Rex
Mon 5/28 Landgraaf, Neth. Pinkpop (Near Heerlen)
Thu 5/31 Barcelona, Spain Primavera Sound Festival
Sat 6/2 Nurburgring, Ger Nurburgring Race Track
Sun 6/3 Nuremberg, Ger Zeppelinfeld
Sat 6/9 Lisbon, Portugal Super Rock
Tue 6/12 Madrid, Spain Las Ventas
Fri 6/15 Nickelsdorf, Austria Nova Rock
Sat 6/16 Imola (Venice), Italy Heineken Jammin' Festival
Sun 6/17 Interlaken, Swtz. Greenfield Festival
Sun 8/5 Washington, DC V Festival at Pimlico Park
Fri 8/24 Leeds, England Leeds Festival
Sun 8/26 Reading, England Reading Festival
Sat 9/8 Toronto, ON V Festival

North American fans have been told to stay tuned for further information regarding a tour after the V Festival dates in Washington and Toronto.

As you can see, there is a gap between the Reading Fest and Toronto V that a set at Leccy Picnic would slot into nice and dandy.

A misnomer? Only time will tell.

2007-03-27T19:28:00.000Z

There are many poorly named bands and acts in the world today. Kells' own Hand Sandwich are one of the latest, and worst, offenders. Echo And The Bunnymen always sounded silly to me. However all of these pale in comparison to London's Gavin Shaw. This is a man badly in need of Urban Dictionary. Since splitting from rap collective 35 Above, their demise a sure kick to the stones for the hip hop world, he has been making music under the name Gee Bag.

Yep Gee Bag, spelt that way. It reminds me of when Chandler convinced Joey to use Stalin as his stage name, except its worse and more hilarious

Gee Bag

New Manics Video

2007-03-27T01:31:00.000Z

Those old favourites of mine, Manic Street Preachers, have a new album out soon. The following is the video for the upcoming single. Nina Persson of Cardigans fame, duets on it.

Underdogs, also off the new album, can be streamed here.

Personally, I think if this is the best the album has to offer, the band's chances of recapturing the masses' attention are not good.

MCD... crafty fellows

2007-03-26T22:59:00.000Z

So you may or may not have heard that there is a new boutique festival starting in Scotland called Connect. Acts confirmed include LCD Soundsystem, Mogwai, The Beastie Boys and Bjork. It's on the same weekend as Electric Picnic. So my first reaction was "OMG it's gonna pair up like TITP and Oxegen"

However my parade was pissed on when, after a little bit of googling and wikipedia-ing (I dont see that getting into OED anytime soon), I found out that the promotors of Connect, DF Concerts is 67% owned by Gaiety Investments, the parent company of MCD.

OH NOES!!

Does this mean that MCD will steal even more acts from EP... well perhaps. However I have been reassured that the headliners were secured before MCD could meddle further.

There are also rumours of Latitude (the English leccy Picnic) being brought over by MCD, but I am not sure how much truth is in those.

Mark Greaney's solo project

2007-03-26T22:21:00.000Z

He has one song up on his myspace. It's called Radio, and I'm liking it. Being a fan of the band, especially the second album I must say I am excited. He's also playing support to Simple Kid in May in the Village Venue. He claims on his myspace that he shall play new and old stuff.

Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan part ways

2007-03-26T22:15:00.000Z

Story

The official story makes it seem all very amicable, but I believe that Lisa Hannigan soundchecked with the band last week in Germany, but was not there for the gig, nor any other subsequent gigs.

More Concerts Á Emporter

2007-03-26T22:08:00.000Z

So this is the big one for Blogotheque, Arcade Fire perform Neon Bible and Wake Up

Neon Bible was pretty special huh? Wake Up was underwhelming. I'm the first to shh for silence at a gig, but come on surely the "ohhhhh oooooo awwww"s of Wake Up require crowd participation.

From what I hear Arcade Fire were somewhat disappointed at the lack of energy in that respect at some of their gigs, Manchester for one.

Oh, and Win is sick, and so they've had to pull the rest of the European tour, but having seen them in Dublin, I don't care.

The National - Concerts Á Emporter

2007-03-26T21:54:00.000Z

So Blogotheque have been running this for a while now, with previous guests including Guillemots, The Kooks and I'm From Barcelona. The National were one of the more recent acts to perform. This video is of the band and friends performing Start A War, off the forthcoming album.

An intimate moment, no?

This is a test

2007-03-26T21:36:00.000Z