Gigs for 2024

Girls Aloud in the 3Arena.

They played a few hits.

Ooooh you lucky sod! Lots of great stuff there. Aside from the obvious stuff at the top, BC Camplight great in Whelan's a while ago, loved Divorce, Hot Wax and Bodega at EOTR, bdrmm excellent in Button Factory, going to Les Savy Fav Friday, supposed to be savage live and would defo have a look at Bob Vylan, ferocious energy. Also really looking forward to seeing Lambrini Girls and Big Special later in the Summer. Have a good one!

I saw Therapy last year in the Olympia. And they still put on a really good show.

And I've been a fan of Future Islands for a while, so I am biased in my recommendation to catch them. Very energetic. The lead singers dancing antics can be worth the admission price alone.

Thanks sooo much for the recommendations! Im a big electronic & old school/acid head so deffo have orbital, the orb, roni size, k-klass, 808 state, fabio & groovrider, chris liberator on the list. Then therapy, future islands. Deffo dexies for a bit of ‘Come on Eilleen!’ Will check out some of your shouts also. First fest of the summer, - Glastonbury, Boomtown and Burning Man to come 🥳

Off to Wide Awake on Sat.

Yep, will do squire.

English Teacher in a sold out Whelans tonight were a bit of a mixed bag (my two mates thought the same). Hot new things? Don't believe the hype i would say. The main problem was the setlist pacing; started off and finished lively but a great big chunk of slow songs in between were a killer for me. I've not experienced a midset lull like that outside of far too many Spiritualized gigs. I had completely lost interest and just wanted to get out of there by the time they picked up the pace again. In saying that they were rapturously received throughout, to the point that they ended up saying this was the best night of the tour. They seemed genuine! Did an encore of New York I Love You.

Personally i'd lump them in with what my mate terms 'Student Project Bands' (Squid, BC,NR, Black Midi etc). Initially, those kind of acts seem interesting then eventually you realise they're just boring. I fear English Teacher will end up there pretty quickly to my ears but i'd be willing to give them another go. Tip of the hat to the ever reliable Of All Living Things as support. I think they actually moved up a gear tonight. The loud & noisy parts seemed louder and noisier and the new songs sounded good. Kudos to the singer for saying "bless you" without skipping a beat in between her vocal when someone had a massive sneeze at the end of a noise section😀

Next up are Les Savy Fav on Friday and McClusky on Saturday.

Looks good for his age and his voice is still amazing

Seen him back in 2016, think he'll do a Bruce type tour sooner rather than later. He's only 64 years young

Only been to 2 gigs in 2024 before no. 3 last night - which kicks off possibly my busiest ever run

Yeule → Forbidden Fruit → In the Meadows → Beyond The Pale → LCD/Idles → Suede/Manics → Nils Frahm.

Then it's time to squeeze in a family holiday before heading to ATN.

Anyhow, back to last night and the very very excellent Yeule. One of the best purveyors of "indie pop/rock" that I've heard lately (although that genre classification is a very fuzzy one I acknowledge…). The purists likely don't appreciate all the pre-recorded vocals (they don't just mime but they also don't hide their use of pre-records) however for me, it was a very good show with quality tunes all the way. Looking forward to what they do next.

Now that's an interview I'd pay to see.

Yep. Great frontman. Why? 'Cos it's obvious he has to do it and doesn't see it as something a lead singer is expected to do to entertain the audience. Funny with it too. I must admit i had deep reservations for tonight. I was very worried we were going to get some dreadful noughties/Pitchfork/hipster/blog-band rubbish but those fears were soon allayed. Much beefier sound live and way better than the records. Recommended if the chance arises.

Mclusky very good in the Workmans tonight. 80 minute career spanning set of fast, noisy punky tunes with a couple of slower ones. All interspersed with funny banter. For a 3-piece they sure do make a racket and time hasn't diminished their abilities. I've often thought they sound like a more aggressive Pixies at times. Is that just me? Probably the Steve Albini production that does it. Not so noticeable live mind you. They did a nice piss take about Albini actually! Glad i finally got to see them and will happily do so again should the opportunity arise.

They were great. When he said that last gig was 5 years ago I nearly died. I would have sworn it was 2 at most!

The perspex screen has to do with dampening the sound going towards the singer. He was wearing headphones on all songs bar the two quiet ones. So my guess is he either has some hearing damage and it was hearing protection or else it he doesn't like actual in ear monitors so was using the headphones in lieu of them.

Thanks for the link to those songs @ Dreamweapon

Best quote of the night for me when a few people starting clapping along. "no clapping, this isn't T in the Park" 🤣

Rod the mods gig in Kilmainham last night was pretty epic. Even the rain couldn't dampen it. Great setlist too.

Just back from Bearded Theory. Nice smaller (15k)fest that usually but didnt sell out this yr. Loads of old english punks, very few Irish. Friendly northerners crowd. Saw the following, and I’m an electronic head, but my favourites were Lamgrini Girls and Bob Vvylan. Dry Cleaning were the worst act Ive ever seen on a main stage. Not my vibe at all.

Future Islands

Lamgrini Girls

Dutty Moonshine Big Band

Bob Vvylan

Dexys

Dry Cleaning

Ferocious Dog

English Teacher

Dynosaur Jnr

Amyl & the Sniffers

Dry Cleaning

Orbital

I was wildly impressed until I realised that the guitars are prerecorded, which has taken the shine off a bit.

Bob Vylan is two dudes, one of them on drums. Pre-recorded guitars? Sure no different to Sleaford Mods. The biggest disappointment for me is Meryl Streek as he doesn't even have a laptop on stage to press play on. Just him running around, ranting to an offstage backing track. I felt slightly cheated tbh.

No, fair enough. I knew what Sleaford Mods were, I didn't realise with Bob Vylan. I've never seen them live so I'm certainly not writing them off, just found them very exciting on first listen and the guitars are a big part of their uniqueness, just disappointed when I realised they weren't thrashing those chords out on stage.

Och, I liked the ould Dry Cleaning, but I totally get people's problems with them! Saw them at Bearded Theory there at weekend. It is somewhat of an acquired taste, I think. And, this particular schtick may exhaust itself, one imagines.

Yeah I saw them in the Workman's five years ago with the room almost completely empty and they were great. Fairly dull in Vicar St last year.

Spot on there. Saw them in the Button Factory, thought they were ok, nothing special but not crap either. Lasted one song at ATN then left, caught them again in Vicar St where they were an absolute bore. They have been chucked into the same bin that contains Squid, Black Country, New Roads and Black Midi. They can bugger off, the lot of them.

Gosh - "ever"?! Remember first hearing them & did enjoy. Still do, but appreciate not to everyone's taste. But, I guess, ain't that what's great about music? We all have differing tastes & no-one is necessarily 'right' or 'wrong'.

I think that first Dry Cleaning album is pretty ace, but a bit like Wolf Alice, they're a band who I fear that unless they shake thinks up sonically, they'll be relegated a little.