The Big Reunion at The O2 on the 16th of May 2013 Acts included: 5ive, B*Witched, 911, Honeyz, Atomic Kitten, Liberty X & Blue The type of reunions that we are more used to usually involve a drunk uncle singing DJ Otzi’s Hey Baby at the top of his lungs, triangular sandwiches, the insincere murmurings of a sparse “congratulations” and [...]

By Sunday, the weather had improved to the point that while it was still not sun-kissed, it was at least very mild and people had begun to shed their rain coats. The relaxed feel to the day set the tone for Gypsi Swing on the DoneDeal stage. Their jazz and trad style with violin, double bass and dueling acoustic guitars [...]

The early afternoon festival slot on a Saturday can be a graveyard for many bands, with most revelers just awaking from their slumber/hangovers and wandering the campsites like zombies. One of the many advantages of Vantastival is that you can roll out of the tent and, within the time it takes to make a few moans and groans at your [...]

Words: Ros Madigan & Frank Hughes The bank holiday pilgrimage had begun once more as all the impatient festival goers loaded up the wellies, the hibernating tents and everyone’s much-loved festival hat (what do you mean you don’t have one?). From humble beginnings, Vantastival has risen to be a much loved fixture on the festival calendar.  On arrival, it was [...]

Vantastival is fast approaching this weekend and we sat down and listed out the bands we’re really excited about catching this weekend. We have two guys heading down to Vantastival for the weekend and they bashed heads together to come up with 10 acts they would recommend catching down at Vantastival this year. Of course there is a ton of [...]

P!nk at The O2 on the 12th of April 2013 The lights dimmed and a rather peculiar little man, who was a cross between Ron Jeremy and a field-mouse, took to the stage reciting verse as if we were witnessing some dodgy theatre show. Soon after, the curtains were raised to reveal the stage which housed an elaborate set with [...]

 Ellie Goulding at The Olympia on the 7th of April 2013 Ellie Goulding‘s return to Dublin was far less straightforward than the last time she graced ‘the big schmoke’. Previously, she entertained the crowd “with a set that was about as predictable as the presence of Eamonn Dunphy’s characteristically droopy bags beneath his furry face friends. This time around, Ellie [...]

Frances Black at Vicar Street on the 15th of March 2013 All too often the scenario arises whereby the chance to see a national musical treasure passes you by. For any number of reasons the chance to witness and appreciate such an act can be easily resigned to the musical doldrums and national memory archives and you inevitably hear such [...]

 Of Monsters and Men at The Olympia on the 21st of February 2013 Of Monsters and Men have had an incredible year; coming from remote obscurity and exploding on to the Summer festival circuit in 2012. Having played at last year’s Electric Picnic, for what was many one of the highlights of the festival, they were back to Ireland in [...]

‘Clocks’, the ever-dynamic Julie Feeney’s third self-produced album comes at a very strong moment in Irish music. Irish music in 2012 saw a burgeoning scene across multiple genres from folk singer song writers to hippity-hip-hip indie music bands gaining much acclaim, resulting in sell out venues up and down the country. Amongst all this excitement, all on it’s own, sits [...]