The X Factor TV show has its critics. The critics seem to focus mainly on three arguments: the ‘soap opera’ style of the judges criticisms, the possible faking of audience vote numbers, and the extensive use of cover versions. Cover versions get a bad rap. Finalists are accused of copying and not bringing anything original to the plate. There’s an [...]

Never mind Madonna getting a haircut and a new dress and the press fawning all over her calling it a reinvention, Foals know the true meaning of a reinvention. In 2008 they were all set to be a one-trick pony – albeit a popular one – when the death of nu-rave saw the rise of its less acerbic, more chilled-out [...]

Sparks At The Button Factory 29th of October 2012 It’s a night of firsts. Formed 41 years ago and with a daunting 22 albums under their belt, it seems unlikely that Sparks wouldn’t have visited Dublin before. They haven’t though, their only Irish appearance being at Electric Picnic 2006. Having been used to touring with a full band, this is [...]

The Civil Wars, The Lumineers at Mandela Hall 28th of October 2012 The Lumineers have quirky folk down to an art form. Visually there’s the barefoot pianist who, when he switches to mandolin wanders the stage like a troubled troubadour. There’s Neyla Pekarek who plays cello with an irresistible grin and when set free from her cello leaps about the [...]

Review: Jesus Christ Superstar at Odyssey Arena Belfast 9th of October 2012. You know the show you’re at is going to be interesting when the Free Presbyterian Church Of Ulster are protesting outside it, handing out flyers to the almost 8000 attendees. A read of this flyer reveals that the rock opera Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborated on [...]

The Darkness are already in full swagger with ‘Growing On Me’ when we reach the ‘vertigo seats’ in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Hair metal died in the ’80s, everyone knows that, but if there’s an act who have a chance of reviving it, it’s these guys. They know what they’re doing is retro but for the duration of this too-short set they [...]

It isn’t the busiest Belsonic, admittedly. The front third of Custom House Square that’s generally packed solid with people at these events is a little ragged around the edges, leaving plenty of room for people to walk to the front row. Perhaps it’s the fact that of all the ten Belsonic shows this year, this is the one with the [...]

Belfast five-piece Seven Summits call themselves a rock band and, live, they are more than capable of a riff or two, but recorded they seem to inhabit the worlds of indie-quirk and something a lot more thoughtful and delicate, and not too far from alt-folk. The quirkiness announces its presence from the beginning. Bell X1?s Paul Noonan’s habit of using [...]

“Most of the show is going to be me tying my shoelaces” Jason Webley says as he does, indeed, tie his shoelaces. In fact, if the measure of a good gig is how much punishment the performer inflicts on his own clothing during the performance Webley is up there with the best of them. Shoelaces come undone, the little flat [...]

Duke Special at Auntie Annie’s, Belfast on July 29th Review by Elizabeth McGeown Having a gig that starts after midnight has benefits; the crowd are well-lubricated, enough to laugh and chant along with anything; the downside being that sometimes this isn’t necessarily what the performer wants. Duke Special seems perplexed by tonight’s audience, their applause and enthusiasm welcome, their incessant [...]