Goldenplec » Articles

GOLDENPLEC DUBLIN CLUBBING GUIDE

Dave Quinn — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:01:12 +0000

MR. JONES PRESENTS: GAFFPARTY 2ND BIRTHDAY PARTY & THE LOOKS SINGLE LAUNCH

As I am sure you are all well aware, Goldenplec does an awesome job at keeping you Irish scallywags in the know about what’s new in the world of music – and with that in mind we are introducing the Goldenplec Dublin Clubbing Guide!

Stuck for something to do during the week? Need some tips on where to go out? Dying to lose some excess body fat on a dance floor to some pumping choons?? Worried that you will end up a hermit??

Worry no more! Goldenplec will be bringing you the low down on where to bring your sweet new top-man T-shirts glow sticks each week.

Kicking things off in style this week we are pointing you in the direction of the Twisted Pepper, this Thursday the 29^th of July. Mr Jones will play host to not only the 2^nd birthday of the illustrious GAFFPARTY, but also the new single launch from The Looks.

The Looks have rocketed into the public forum after gaining notoriety as support for New Young Pony Club in the Button Factory in May, and the launch of new single Enemies/Romeo shows they have no plans to slow down. Support on the night will be provided by Kid Karate.

Once business hours are over for The Looks they will no doubt stick around for the party, as DJs set to perform well into the early hours include Trev Radiator and WhisperJack from Transmission, Ghostscene Djs, Shortie (representing the hosts Mr. Jones) and of course The Birthday boys. The Gaffparty lads will be closing off the night and celebrating their two years in style, with visuals provided throughout the night by Le Tissier.

With The Mezz staging another long line-up of DJs, the fun will never end until your body physically gives up.

Doors are at 9pm and Admission €5 until 11.30 or with Concession/ €8 without.

And don’t worry, there are plenty of drink promotions too so feel free to go nuts!

So if you were on the fence about what to do with your Thursday night, this may very well help you decide to put on them raving shoes, practice that fist pump and get yourself down to The Twisted Pepper.

For all the details check out the event page on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135205423184873

REVIEW: The Deans @ Whelans

Dave Quinn — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:52:20 +0000

Review by: David Quinn
Photo’s By: Kieran Frost

Wednesday 21st of July 2010 Whelans

Its 9pm on a typically wet Wednesday night and I am sheltered in the cosy familiarity of the Whelans bar, a comfy pint of the black stuff ready to hug my insides. I know what you’re thinking, there are a million places you would rather be on a miserable midweek night, and there is only so much to be expected entertainment wise for this time and place. The bar was a ghost town at the stroke of 9, with a few faces fitting in like the quiet locals of a rural pub. So I stood at the bar, weighing up my expectations based on the crowd, cynically half assuming my mind would be/could be made up before even judging the band. I didn’t like these thoughts, this lack of optimism, so I went outside to clear my head. As I stood in that lane we all know so well, I witnessed something which flickered memories of Almost Famous or some other stereotypical rock-fiction moment that brushed all scepticism aside. A large coach pulled up right in front of the lane, allowing dozens of people to flood off, all of whom walked straight in my direction and into the bar. Five minutes later it happened again. A rush of excitement filled me and my face flushed as I uncontrollably cracked a smile. Travelling fans – which mean at least one thing – notoriety. A second meaning is the inclusion of a crowd, because we all no how it feels to be at an empty gig.

Prior to my arrival I did have high hopes, as The Deans were fresh off a European tour spanning some of the best Rock and Blues festivals the continent has to offer. And as I came back to take my position at the bar, the large group forming in front of the stage told me that I was in for a treat. When the Deans graced the stage with their presence, they personified the rock and roll image, and immediately kicked things off with a rendition of Bo Didley’s Hey Luci. I turned to an acquaintance and we gave each other the approving nod. Following their opener, they played their original Rise and Shine, and that they did. The brothers Dean broke into a mid track solo and, to the joy of the crowd, oozed stage presence while playing each others frets. Yes, I said it. Some other fan favourites followed in the form of Harboring Faces and Mama Don’t Talk to Me, and then they stepped it up another level. One thing I am a sucker for is crowd participation, and if done successfully and prove ownership of everybody’s attention. Basically, if you have fun you are going to rave about the gig, and crowd participation is damn fun. This came in the form of the a capella Lin’in Track, assisted only by the beat of the crowds clapping hands. This also showed the range of Gavin’s voice which is equally astounding as his guitar playing. They slowed things down a bit next with their EP title track Distraction and Snake Dance, with hints of Ryan Adams, Rory Gallagher and The Doors peeping through. Two songs that could definitely withstand the weight of commercialism.

After another traditional jaunt or two they introduced what will soon become a newly released single, Worried All the Time. Thinking financially for just a moment, a single is assumed to be the pathway to commercial recognition, and therefore needs to have a certain element that can induce the majority into turning up the dial on their radio. More airplay means more dineros. Worried All the Time definitely has the strength and character to push their success, but I would worry for their sake that they do not become the victims of change too soon in order to please the “Suits”.

Thankfully these thoughts did not weigh heavy for too long as they introduced their following song as a “spiritual orgasm”, and proceeded into a lengthy medley of Mr. Hyde and William the Coward, which could only be described (by me) as a musical mind bomb transfusion of Santana-esc similarity. I am aware that the description doesn’t make sense, but referencing mind and body to the liquid sex of the song still seems justified.

By now I am in the palm of their hands, and when a band gets an Encore on a Wednesday in Whelans, it’s special. They finished off with classics Honey Hush by Big Joe Turner, What I’d Say by Ray Charles and the always welcomed Johnny B Goode.

When they finally did say goodbye, I included myself in the provision of a worthy ovation, as The Deans truly encapsulate classic Blues Rock for the modern music climate, similar to what The Answer are to doing for heavy rock. They stick to the roots of their influences and give a new generation access to a quality of music that, to the few who are aware or still care, literally paved the way for most of the music we listen to today. It may finally be time for all the Indie scenesters to open their mind to the past, the beginning, the reason for the songs and the bands we love – the blues. And what better a way to re-educate than for a fresh, young band to emulate the greats of the past while keeping it unique for the present. Imagine my surprise when I overhead a fellow attendee state “That was great, but not as good as the last time.” The possibility of The Deans leaving any more of a positive impression was difficult to fathom. At this stage all they will be doing is preaching to the converted.

http://www.thedeans.ie

http://www.myspace.com/deansrockandroll

SETLIST:

Hey Luci (Bo Didley)

Rise and Shine (Gavin Dean)

Harboring faces (Gavin dean)

Mama don’t talk to me (Gavin Dean)

Lin’in track (Traditional – A Capella)

Distraction (Gavin Dean)

Snake dance (Gavin Dean)

Why’d you do that to me (Traditional)

Feel so good (J.B Lenoir)

Worried all the Time (Gavin Dean – unreleased single)

Mr. Hyde (Gavin Dean)

William the coward (Gavin Dean)

Encore; Honey Hush (Big Joe Turner)

What id say (Ray Charles)

Johnny be Goode (Chuck Berry)

REVIEW: Cut Copy at Tripod

Kev Meagher — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:24:12 +0000

Review by: Kev Meagher
Photos by: Alessio Michelini
Cut Copy Wednesday July 21st 2010 Tripod

Every so often a gig pops up that seems a little bit out of place. Cut Copy are in the middle of a tour that has seen the Aussie trio play a couple of festivals and small club dates testing out material for their yet-untitled third album, obviously wanting feedback before heading back to the studio to mix the album this August. They are a band that could have easily gotten a slot at one of the Irish summer festivals, but decided to go with a smaller club date instead. Too small in fact, with the gig having to be moved from The Button Factory to Tripod to meet demand. So as I entered the Harcourt St. venue I wondered what type of gig I should expect, a set full of unfamiliar new material? or would I finally get to see the best of ‘In Ghost Colours’ live?

Luckily it proved to be a bit of both. With no support band, Cut Copy took the stage in a packed Tripod just after nine and immediately settled any nerves I had with ‘Lights and Music’, followed by ‘Far Away’. I was always worried about seeing Cut Copy live. Getting the same sound as their albums live requires getting the mix just right, and unfortunately for the first two songs it was a bit off. With the vocals too loud and the synths not prominent enough, both tracks didn’t have the same balance as the album, but the crowd didn’t seem to care and had probably been looking forward to this gig as much as I had so were just delighted to finally hear the songs that had been playing on their stereos for the last two years live at last.

Next they played a new track called ‘Where I’m Going’, the sound issues seemed to be sorted by this stage and we were treated to a Stone Roses meets Beach Boys style song that is definitely a bit different than the material from their last album, but retains the same 80′s electro style. It reminded my a little bit of the stuff the The Drums have been doing. They followed this up with ‘That was Just a Dream’ from their first album ‘Bright like Neon Love’ and another early track I didn’t recognise before playing ‘So Haunted’ and ‘Nobody Lost, Nobody Found’. The crowd, who had been unusually subdued until that point, really started to come to life, and that was reflected by the band on stage who finally looked like they were enjoying themselves, with frontman Dan Whitford impressively strutting his stuff from behind a synth.

This proved infectious with even the new song that followed being greeted with enthusiasm before the band really brought it up a notch with ‘Hearts on Fire’. This time around there was no problem with the sound as crowd went crazy for what I think is their best song, and definitely best song on the night. With the lights and back screens perfectly synced to the track it was the perfect example of how dance music and indie rock can be fused together to produce something really special. The band left the stage to rapturous applause and then return to play what I think was ‘Time Stands Still’ followed by the cracking ‘Out There On The Ice’ which once again had the crowd in full voice, capping off a great set and really enjoyable night.

It was strange for a crowd on a night like this being so subdued at the start, I think the choice to go without a support band may have hindered Cut Copy a little, and the band themselves looked a bit tight at the start. Thankfully though once everyone was warmed up it was a cracking set, and predictably it was the tracks from ‘In Ghost Colours’ that stood out. While stuff from their first album and the newer songs still have the 80′s synth vibe, they seem to lack the same vibrant feel and sophistication of Hearts on Fire & Co, and unfortunately that showed in the set when the tracks were compared. While my fear heading in tonight was not getting to hear tracks from ‘In Ghost Colours’ that I so desperately wanted to, my fear heading home is that Cut Copy have set themselves one hell of a bar to match with their next album.

Setlist (Thanks to Swear I’m Not Paul)

Lights And Music
Far away
Where I’m Going
That Was Just a Dream
Feel the love
Alisa
So haunted
Visions
Nobody Lost/Found
Blink
Hearts On Fire

—————–

Sands of Time

Out There On The Ice

Oxegen 2010 Preview

Kev Meagher — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:09:57 +0000

Well ladies and gentlemen, it is that time of the year again. This weekend 0ver 80,000 punters descend upon Punchestown Racecourse to catch the some of the finest musical acts around for Oxegen 2010, and once again Goldenplec is here to give you the lowdown on the must see acts of this years festival

With over 100 acts playing this weekend it was a hard task to pick out our favorites but below find our musical recommendations for the weekend. Of course it is just our opinion and we have the full line up available for you to pick your own must see acts and plan your weekend.

Campsites open from 12 noon Thursday 8th July with the Main Arena from 1.30pm on Friday 9th July. Full details on getting to the festival and opening times are available at the Official Oxegen website. We recommend bringing a rain jacket / rain poncho’s as its almost guaranteed to rain according to the forecast. Where possible we recommend travelling by Public transport as they will be given priority leaving the concert, so it will save you time.

Friday

Jay-Z
Main Stage 20:50
I use the word ‘Superstar’ carefully but what else can you call the Brooklyn born rapper? With 15 No.1 Albums in the US, Numerous musical awards, a popstar wife and many successful businesses, Jay-Z really is a true global superstar, but on top of that he is a performer. Anybody who saw his Glastonbury performance in 2008 knows he can win over even the most hostile crowds and deliver a performance that is talked about for weeks after. With an arsenal of songs that includes ’99 Problems’ ‘Hard Knock Life’ and ‘Empire State of Mind’, expect one of the performances of the weekend.

Goldfrapp
Green Spheres Tent 21:40
Electro duo Goldfrapp are one of the most progressive and interesting acts out there, actively exploring different music genres and styles but always with the same result of brilliant Music. When Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory take stage on Friday you don’t know what you are going to get but with songs like ‘Strict Machine’, ‘Ooh La La’ and ‘Ride A White Horse’ you are guaranteed a filthy synth-filled disco.

Vampire Weekend
Main Stage 17.35
After being the sound of the summer in 2008, Vampire Weekend returned with their second album ‘Contra’ this year with music press asking “Will they be one album wonders?”. Well, ‘Contra’ proved to be one of the most interesting and entertaining albums of the year with songs like ‘Holiday’ and ‘Cousins’ fitting in seamlessly with favorites from the first album like ‘Oxford Comma’ and ‘Walcott’, giving Vampire Weekend a catalogue of songs to produce a cracking set this Friday.

God Is An Astronaut
Green Spheres 16.10
Quite simply, God Is An Astronaut are one of the most progressive and consistently brilliant Irish acts we have. Their epic instrumental post-rock compositions reverberate at an emotional level with the listener. Eagle eyed GP readers will know we recommended God Is An Astronaut as a must see act at Oxegen 2008 and anyone who followed our advice were not disappointed. One of the most impressive and underrated Irish acts out there.

Sweet Jane
2FM / Hotpress New Bands Stage – 15:30
An Irish band, Sweet Jane are another good rock based act for you to catch this weekend, They have just released their debut album “Sugar for my Soul” and will be well entertaining. Drop by! check out our interview with Sweet Jane HERE

Kassidy
Heineken Green Sphere 14:55
One of those unique bands out there at the moment, boast a 4 piece cast, all guitarist, they have a unique sound and will be worth catching if you find your tent pitched nice and early and are looking for something to help kick off your Friday.

Saturday

Muse
Main Stage 23:10
If there was ever a band who have everything needed to be unforgettable headliners, it is Muse. The Devon trio have always been an impressive live proposition but as their albums have become more ambitious, so have their stage show. Muse are one of the few live acts that understand the power of live spectacle, and with songs like ‘Knights of Cydonia’ and ‘Super-massive Black Hole’ mixed with old favorites such as ‘New Born’ and ‘Plug in Baby’ it has to be one of the must see sets at Oxegen.

The Drums
Red Bull Music Academy 21:40
One of most surprising acts to emerge over the last year, The Drums brand of Beach Boys meets The Cure indie-pop has everything needed to be sound of the summer. With their debut album released in June, The Drums will be going out to impress with tracks like ‘Best Friend’, ‘I Felt Stupid’ and ‘Lets go surfing’, and after recent tours in support of Florence + The Machine expect them to be on top of their game.

Dizzee Rascal
Main Stage 18.05
What a 12 months for Dizzee, the british rapper has become the toast of the UK music scene with a succession of cracking tunes such as ‘Holiday’, ‘Dance Wiv Me’ and ‘Bonkers’ and a no.1 album ‘Tongue N Cheek’. This popularity has also seen Dizzee become a main stage act, and he is taken this jump in his stride. While the bill is full of international superstar rappers, the best rap performance of the weekend might come from the lad from East London.

Two Door Cinema Club
Vodafone Stage 16:05
Two Door Cinema Club are quite simply the biggest Irish music success story of the last 12 months. With their songs featuring in every other TV ad and performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live in the states, the lads have come a long way from Bangor. With their debut album ‘Tourist History’ sure to make most end of year lists, expect a huge crowd at the Vodafone Stage this Saturday.

Wallis Bird

Heineken Green Spheres 15:00

Another Irish one to throw into your mix, Wallis Bird is a great singer / songwriter and this was proven by winning the Meteor Awards “Best Irish Female” that category was a real scrap to win, so it shows the pedigree. Guarunteed another great show here.

Sunday

Mumford & Sons
Green Spheres Tent 22.50
I never thought a folk band would become one of the must see acts at Oxegen, but over the last year Mumford & Sons transcended their genre to become one of the hottest bands around, and the biggest crime is that they are not on the main stage. The Green Spheres tent will be absolutely jammed from their set this Sunday so our advice is get their at least one band early.

Fake Blood
Dance Arena 19.15
One of the biggest electro acts at the moment, Fake Blood has a knack of producing tracks that can be retro-style rave and modern party electro at the same time. Add in his remixes of the likes of Little Boots, Hot Chip and Calvin Harris you get a guaranteed party atmosphere going on in the dance arena this Sunday

The Temper Trap
Vodafone Stage 19.00
What a difference a year makes. There is a big difference playing Electric Picnic’s Electric Arena early on a Friday and Oxegen’s Vodafone Stage Late on a Sunday, and in less that 12 months Aussies The Temper Trap popularity has grown enough for them to be considered one of the hottest acts at the moment, in no small part to songs like ‘Sweet Disposition’ and ‘Fader’.

General Fiasco
Green Spheres Tent 14.00
One of the most promising Irish acts at the minute, Northern Ireland’s General Fiasco have gotten alot done since forming in 2007. Aside from supporting the likes of The Enemy, Snow Patrol and The Pigeon Detectives, as well as playing the Glasgowbury, Leeds & Reading and Belsonic festivals, they released their debut album ‘Buildings’ in March this year. Hoping to live up to the hype, the belfast 3-piece will be looking to impress this Sunday.

Planet Parade
Red Bull Music Academy Stage – 14:00
I’ve seen these guys twice in small venues and they have really impressed me, if your into a vampire weekend kind of sound, planet parade will be right up your alley. They got featured in reviews Here and Here

Irish Acts at Glastonbury

Aidan Cuffe — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:04:30 +0000

As the yearly pilgrimage to Pilton begins in earnest today we thought it might be a handy little guide for those heading over the Glastonbury 2010 to do up a little guide on the Irish acts playing at Glastonbury this year and where you can find them. It’s just a quick rundown so if you want to support the Irish acts over there you can quickly and easily find them.

This year we have Christy Moore and Declan Synott, Imelda May, Ash, Villagers, Fionn Regan, Two Door Cinema Club, Julie Feeney, The Saw Doctors, Kormac Big Band, Shouting at Planes (who came through 100 bands to win their slot) and Brian Kennedy.

Who will you go to see over the weekend? check out the bands and their stages and times below.

Christy Moore and Declan Synnot
Acoustic Stage – Saturday – 10:30pm

They say the Irish travel well, and none so much as Christy Moore, an absolute Irish legend in the music industry and his music translates across the globe. He may never be the superstar status of a Rhianna or Take That, but his core Irish music roots has never changed throughout his career and that is something to be applauded. I don’t think any of the acts on the billing could make you feel as close to home as Christy Moore and he is joined by Declan Synott of Horslips fame. It should be a good set. Catch him on The Acoustic stage on Saturday night. Headlining

Imelda May
Acoustic Stage – Saturday 7:30pm
Avalon Stage – Sunday – 7:35pm

One of Ireland’s newest superstar’s, Imelda May burst onto the scene in 2009 with a re-release of her 2006 album “No Turning Back” she had massive hits with “Johnnie got a boom boom” and “Big bad handsome man” in 2009 and played a string of festivals and tour dates. 2010 has seen her grow in stature and she plays TWICE with an appearance Saturday on The Acoustic stage and then Sunday on the Avalon stage. Definitely catch her at least once.

Villagers
The Park – Sunday – 12:30pm

What can you say about the vehicle that is Conor O’Brien and The Villagers. From Jools Holland performance which made everyone stand up and take notice of the talent, he is now selling out shows all around Ireland and tipping into Europe too. It’s hard to tell how popular he is in the UK, but if he has even a bit of the following he’s amassed in Ireland, The Park stage isnt huge and could be absolutely jammers when he takes to the stage. a MUST see.

Fionn Regan
The Park – Sunday – 2:45pm

Described by many as the new Bob Dylan, though i don’t think thats really fair as i think Fionn is his own enigma, his own style with hints of Dylan. Fionn Regan is probably one of the unsung talents as far as Ireland goes. He quietly goes about his gigs in an unassuming manner. He has a strong following who love his gigs but i think that given the right set of circumstances, he truly could break through. Is Glastonbury the place that it happens, Do you really want to miss it and say you weren’t there because you were off having an ice cream. Go see Villagers and then stick around to see Fionn play (Avi Buffalo’s play in between)

Two door Cinema club
The Other Stage – Saturday – 11am
The Queens Head – Thursday – 6pm

A band i almost hate because they are all i hear at the moment, Radio play, Tv Adverts, even my Ipod keeps throwing them at me. I can’t escape. There is a reason though, and its because Two Door Cinema Club are CLASS. Unreservedly so, i’m not going to even tell you to go see this one because you already know that. 2 chances to do it, The Other stage early on the Saturday (so go easy Friday night) or The Queens head (which is always packed for a decent band) on Thursday at 6pm.

Ash
John Peel Stage – Sunday – 10pm

Need no introduction, Ash are one of Irelands perrenial rock groups. Still churning out music all year with their A-Z project and some of the tracks are awesome. If you want a nice blend of new with old. i guaruntee they will please. Hits like Kung-Fu, Candy, Shining light and more on arguably the best stage, The John Peel Stage, Sunday, Closing the stage. It most likely is a choice between Stevie Wonder and Ash. So i guess its down to taste.

Julie Feeney
Acoustic Stage – Friday – 12 Midday

Julie Feeney, Choice Music Prize winner 2006 for her album “13 songs”, she certainly is the type of act you either get, or you don’t. If Julie is up your street, go and support her on the Acoustic stage early on the Friday.

The Saw Doctors
Avalon Stage - Sunday – 9pm

Another stalwart of Irish music are going since the day i turned 1 year old. 13 albums to their name including their current “To win just once” which they are out promoting. If you’ve been a fan of them over the years your guarunteed a set filled from their greatest hits.

Kormac Big band
Club DaDa – Saturday – 00:45 am

Kormac Big Band is an 11-piece orchestra playing Kormac’s tracks. A mix of live turntables, samplers, drums, double bass, barbershop quartet, trumpet, clarinet, banjo and live visuals. To me that sounds absolutely insane and gives me every reason to want to see that live based on description alone. The Club DaDa tent on Saturday just after midnight.

Shouting at Planes
The Queens Head – Saturday – Opening slot 2pm

These are an Indie Alternative Blues 5 piece from Cavan, You wont have heard of them most likely, but they beat 100 other bands in Ireland to win a slot at Glastonbury, so really they cannot be bad. If you’re up early on Saturday catching Two Door, maybe fly over to The Queens head after for these and see if they are worthy winners.

Brian Kennedy
The Acoustic Stage – Friday – 4:30pm

Eurovision entrant 2006 and Message in the box singer/ songwriter Brian Kennedy makes the trip to Glastonbury to the Acoustic Stage on Friday at 4:30pm. Ive never been the biggest fan of his work, but i am all for supporting Irish acts, so if you get a chance. DO!

Annie Mac
The Hub Stage – Friday – 1am

Dublin DJ Annie Mac

Yr Ods
BBC Introducing - Friday – 1pm

Psychedelic / Pop band from Northern Ireland / Wales

Seven Summits
BBC Introducing – Sunday – 5:35pm

Alt Rock band from Belfast

Rodrigo Y Gabriella
West Holts – Sunday – 9:35

They may not be Irish but they began their careers in pubs in Ireland and i think we should be able to claim them. You know they are cracking. You know it will be a great show. MUST SEE
————————————————————————————————

So thats the Glastonbury 2010 look at the band’s from Ireland playing around the Festival over the course of the 4 days music. Some of Ireland’s best acts are heading over. It’s a little light on its feet compared to previous years but that just means you have less trekking around to do if you want to support our upcoming and breakout talent.

Enjoy the festival, we’ll see you all when you get back.

Album Review: Ladydoll – The Knife Thrower And His Wife

Kev Meagher — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:31:51 +0000

‘The Knife Thrower And His Wife’ is the debut album of 2010 JD set winners Ladydoll. Formed in 2007, Ladydoll are a Cork 4-piece featuring Finn Sedas (Vocals, Keys & Guitar), Dave Shaw (Guitar), Nora King (Bass) and Eoin Ryan (Drums), and the question facing the foursome is have they produced a debut album that can match up to their hard-earned reputation as ones to watch?

Quick answer: Yes. ‘The Knife Thrower And His Wife’ is a well produced mix of dark and surprisingly catchy tunes that at times show an originality and quirkiness that seems to be lacking in a lot of newer bands. Tracks like ‘Eisenhower’, ‘Genetics’ and ‘Honeybunny’ are well put together dark, guitar driven songs that draw on their influences such as Placebo and the Pixies whilst maintaining their own identity. In contrast, ‘I Hate Cats’, ‘Punchbag’ and ‘Debt collector’ are more jingly, piano led songs than the above but share the same dark lyrical tone, reminding me of acts like The Eels.

While songs are often is quite dark and angst filled, they do contain a charm, as if Sedas sings about these dark things with an ironic smile on his face. I also have to wonder if Ladydoll are a band in a hurry as only one song on the album over 4 minutes long, but what they lack in quantity they make up for in quality, the songs are sharp, to the point and never overstay their welcome.

The album is not without its flaws though. While the previously mentioned tracks are fresh and inventive, others don’t hold up so well. ‘I’ve got a nightmare’ sounds like it’s taken from the pixies back catalogue, ‘Good times’ and ‘Roulette’ sound like the band are trying to be placebo lite and ‘You know best’ has a emo-rock sound that is completely out of place with the rest of the album, but what these songs lack most is the charm that give the other tracks what I would consider the Ladydoll sound, and for a debut album it should be all about all about establishing that musical identity.

Overall, ‘The Knife Thrower And His Wife’ delivers on Ladydoll’s live promise. Tracks like ‘Punchbag’ and ‘Eisenhower’ are amongst the best songs by an Irish band I’ve heard this year and a welcome relief from all the electro synth acts currently taking over. If you like Placebo, The Eels or even The Smashing Pumpkins this album should be right up your street. A very strong debut album that reinforces all the good things being said about Ladydoll.

Album Highlights: Punchbag, Eisenhower, Honeybunny

Buy the Album: Tower Records

Artist link: MySpace

Ladydoll are playing The free JD Set CD Release party tonight (June 3rd) in The Mercantile on Dame St. if you fancy checking them out first hand, and will be playing the “Theres No Place like Dome” festival in Silgo on June 20th.

FEATURE : Codes

Kerrie Donnelly — Mon, 31 May 2010 00:29:21 +0000

With blood pouring from her face, a girl stumbles into the surging crowd at a Christmas light’s fundraiser in a dingy pub in Ireland. Yes, that’s right. A fundraiser for Christmas lights. Surrounded by hundreds in fancy dress, neither the band on stage or the sweaty crowd took a second glance at the screaming girl. But she wasn’t reenacting the final scene from Carrie like the band thought, she had slipped, glassed herself and blended in with the rest of Freddy Krueger’s victims. “Nobody knew if she was for real or fake”, laughs singer Daragh.

Fast forward two years, and CODES have graduated from playing to the meager and slightly bloody crowds of the dilapidated pubs of Meath, to the 11,000 strong crowds of The O2 in the capital. The four-piece, who formed in 2007 have had a pretty quick rise in popularity. Within the space of a few months, the indie-electronic group had two singles in The Irish Top 40, played a set at Oxegen and were asked to support Keane on the Irish leg of their “Perfect Symmetry” tour.

Recalling their first experience of performing in front of thousands of people, piano-playing Ray says they, “took to it like a fish to water.” Presuming he meant to say duck to water, bassist Eoin was quick to correct him. “Eh no, I’m on about those aquatic lake fish,” Ray retorts. And so, we swiftly move on.The guys who comprise CODES are as follows. Daragh – the songwriting lead who’s faux-falsetto chords are reminiscent of a certain Matt Bellamy, Eoin – the baby-faced funny- man in charge of the bass, Paul – the straight-faced drummer who is either the silent brooding type, or just severely hungover on the day I met him and Ray – the Hanson-loving pianist with a slight obsession for The Saturdays.“We met them once. We met their entourage keeping us away.” Smooth, guys. With Ray hailing from the barren lands of Sligo and Eoin and Daragh from South Dublin, they are the self-proclaimed Indie Westlife, “they’ve got ones from Dublin and ones from Sligo.”

After signing a record deal with E.M.I records in May 2009 which the lads just about remember, “I don’t recall getting home that night”, laughed Ray, they were desperate not to let their new bosses see that when it came to a spot of drinking, they were Irish through and through. “We didn’t want them to see us really drunk on the first day, although we wanted to set a benchmark. Unfortunately, they failed miserably. “At least we’re told we went out that night!”, says Daragh.

Their debut album, Trees Dream in Algebra is a Winter-inspired collection of thirteen tracks recorded with Manic Street Preacher’s producer Greg Haver. Perched on the top of a snow-covered mountain, their album cover ties in with the minimalist music created by the quartet. Was it taken in Scandinavia? No. Greenland? No. Antarctica? No. “It’s in the Wicklow Mountains actually.” Well, that’s not very rock-star like. “The budget wouldn’t allow. We’re not 30 Seconds To Mars,” laughs Daragh.

Getting stuck in a lift with Vinnie Jones, eating breakfast with their idols The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and insulting the bloke with the sunglasses from The Ting Tings, are only a few of the band’s Oxegen tales. “It was the guy from The Ting Tings who said he always wore his sunglasses because of a dodgy eye. I was talking about them and they were sitting right behind me,” says a red- faced Eoin. Insults aside, this year will be the third time the band will play at Ireland’s largest music festival as well as fourteen other festivals – and that’s just the Irish ones. “It’s a busy Summer for us. It’s good to be busy though. That’s what we always wanted to do, we just wanted to play every festival there is because we were all festival goers when we were younger.” Surrounded by huge artists at Oxegen, the lads are sure to get a tad star struck. Or maybe not. “I don’t think we’re the kind of people that get star struck,” ponders Ray. “I think if I met Thom Yorke I’d be a little overwhelmed, but I don’t know. I don’t think we’re the type of people to go up to someone and say, ‘Aw I know you!’, except Tom Dunne!”, laughs Daragh. Asking them why they’d get star struck after meeting an Irish news broadcaster is not even worth it.

Admitting that Kelly Clarkson, Hanson, Paolo Nutini and wait for it, the whole Doctor Who soundtrack are on repeat on their ipods, these black-loving, skinny-jean wearing rockers are not as hard-core as they’d like us to think. “They’re good pop songs!”, Eoin replies when the topic of Girls Aloud arises. Before they completely destroy their reputations, the boys mention Metric, a band in the US they’ve been listening to flat-out lately and Northern Irish band, And So I Watch You From Afar. “ There’s lots of classical stuff too, like Steve Reich and Philip Glass who we’re going to see in concert in a couple of weeks,” says Ray. “I really love that BBC Orchestra stuff. It’s minimalist and dark sci-fi music with crazy pianos and marching sounds.”

Drawing comparisons to Muse, Coldplay and Keane, the four-some are happy to be compared to such established bands. “We just did what felt natural to us and what came along at the time and because of that, any comparison is ?attering to us, especially when people say Keane. Keane are like a huge stadium rock band and we’re just a band from Ireland who haven’t done much stuff outside our own country. To be compared instantly to them is complimentary!”, enthuses Daragh. “It’s much better to be compared to someone like that than someone rubbish,” Ray butts in. And who may they be talking about, you ask? A Flock of Seagulls, a-ha and The National are just a few of the “really weird ones”. “I remember someone saying we sounded like The National. That’s like taking chalk and cheese and saying these two things are similar,” says Ray.

With a name like CODES, it would be a bit disappointing if there was a lack of mystery amongst the band. But have no fear. If you happen to be a fan on Facebook or one of their many followers on Twitter, you will be familiar with their cryptic status updates and their impossible riddles. “It’s just a way of keeping people interested and having a laugh with people. I think all of our favourite bands have that sort of aspect were there’s a lot more underneath the surface than just the things you take for granted,” says Eoin. “So instead of us writing up, ‘today we had chips..’ , we’ll do it in a way that’s fun and people might be a little more into it.”

If the lads weren’t sky-rocketing ahead in the music business, Ray sees himself doing a Ross Gellar and becoming a paleontologist. Unbeknown to the rest of the band, he insists that digging up dinosaurs is his fall-back plan. “I’m working on the beard. All I need is the checkered shirt.” “I’d like to think I’d be a sculptor or something mental,” Daragh coos. Perhaps he’s watched Ghost a few too many times. Thankfully, the guys might be able to forget about those plan-b careers after the ?awless album they’ve produced. With theatrical, orchestral tunes like “Our Mysteries”, it’s easy to see where the Muse comparisons are coming from. “Telos”, a stunning instrumental worthy of Sigur Ross, the crowd sing-a-longs “Starry Eyed” and “You Are Here” and the apocalyptic opener “Malfunctions”, are just a few of the many tracks that prove Trees Dream In Algebra is an epic record that is scarily near-perfect for a debut album.

They may be set for international success, but don’t expect any sympathy from CODES if you glass yourself at their next gig. They won’t believe you.

Article by : Kerrie Donnelly

CODES Play The Academy 2 on June 26th, Tickets €10

Enter a competition to win tickets to that HERE

FEATURE : Adrian Mullan (formerly Fight Like Apes)

Emma Ratcliffe — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:36:53 +0000

Drumming it Home – Interview by Emma Ratcliffe

Fight Like Apes is one of the most strident musical acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years. They featured in NME’s ‘New Bands You Must See’ list, and their music has been described as the ‘Perfect synth driven bass-throbbing heart-swelling indie pop’ by Organ Magazine. Ape’s irrepressible Drummer, Adrian Mullan, described by Hot Press magazine as a ‘veritable powerhouse of a tub-thumper’ is taking a short break from the road.

We are sitting in Adrian’s new home in North County Dublin; the sun shines across the terrace and in through open doors. Neighbours saunter on the lane and a welcome warm breeze sweeps in bringing promise of summer. Adrian, complete with rock star Mohawk, is relaxing on his couch. He is refreshingly honest and affable answering each question with a smile or a laugh, often hearty sometimes bellowing. He is thoughtful, reflecting his enjoyment of life and where the first part of this creative journey has taken him.

When it came to drumming, Mullan, now 31, was a late bloomer. “I got a Hohner percussion kit worth £200 when I was 18. I set it up, hit it and thought, right, that’s actually what that sounds like then. I didn’t touch the drums again for another year. I couldn’t play and didn’t want to make a fool of myself!” he recalls. He bumped into some friends who were starting a band. Adrian had drums, it seemed sufficient qualification, (in truth his only qualification). As for being able to play, well, that would have to come later.

The band, which Adrian cites as “a direct rip off of their interpretation of a cross between Bush and The SmashingPumpkins” practiced every weekend over the course of two months, shaping up to play gigs on the Dublin pub scene. Even if their performing zenith was a humble one to two gigs per year, the experience gave Mullan a taste for performing. “We played in a place called Frazer’s just off O’Connell Street. We ended up firing our bass player because he was arsing about, so it was guitar and drums, way before the White Stripes” he laughs. “Initially I was struck by the feeling; let’s just get through this gig. It felt so good the minute we got off stage and it was over. But I loved it!” Admitting it was just nerves, he insists that it’s only a matter of time before a band loosens up. “You really get over it quickly. But those first couple of gigs, I mean, I see bands now and I see the look of fear in their eyes and I think ‘Yeah I remember…I remember all too well!”

The band played together for another five years before parting ways, setting Mullan up for his next musical endeavour. “There was a new band looking for a drummer, so I ended up trying out for them and we had a little thing going for just over a year” he says. A clash of personalities involving the lead singer and the rest of the band resulted in a split, leaving the four remaining members. And just like that, Fight Like Apes was born. The band consists of Mary-Kate ‘MayKay’ Geraghty (vocals and synth), Jamie ‘Pockets’ Fox (keyboard and vocals), Tom Ryan on bass and Adrian Mullan on drums. The name itself, ‘Fight Like Apes’ was purloined from a friend of Jamie’s, who was setting up a band himself, but decided on a different name. “Jamie suggested the name to us and we all thought it was pretty good” says Mullan. “It’s from the movie, Planet of the Apes, where some character demands that the apes attack the humans, and he shouts out; now, fight like apes!”

Three months after the foursome started playing as Fight Like Apes, they had their first gig. Adrian recalls “It wasn’t a bad first gig but it wasn’t amazing either. It got us a second gig though, which is always good, and the second got us a third and a fourth and so on. They all cascaded into each other; it was a very natural process.” The popularity of the band grew rapidly due to their ability to leave the crowd entertained and bemused. They caught the eye of Detroit band, The Von Bondies, with their unique sound. “They found us on MySpace and we ended up going on tour with them. They were absolutely great. We got on really well as we gave them their space. I think they respected us for that. We’re still friends to this day and I’d easily go stay with them in Detroit.” says Mullan.

Adrian smiles with the mention of touring. Admitting that living out of a suitcase is his favourite element of being in the band, it is clear he enjoys every minute of visiting different cities and playing some of Europe’s most popular festivals. “I absolutely love it. Some bands don’t like being on the road so much, but I do, it’s great. I could be away for six weeks at a time, but don’t unpack because I could be off again in another week. Festivals are fantastic as well. You arrive; get your slot, which gives you time to go see other bands. You don’t necessarily get to do that if you’re a headline band because you’re too busy warming up to check out the other acts.”

Adrian has played in his fair share of places, including the US, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, but his favourite city is Bristol, in the UK. “Bristol I loved. It surprised me. There’s a really good vibe in the place. It seems to be a college town. We played the Louisiana in Bristol, a tiny place, but when it’s jammed full of people, it’s great.” he laughs. “We also played another venue there; it was a large converted boat, accommodating 800 people. You go down to the docks, into the boat and it’s literally the length of the hold!”

Being on stage has presented Mullan with some humorous moments. From kits falling apart on stage, broken drum sticks, shattered snare drums and floor toms resting on beer crates; these experiences were a small price to pay for the chance to tour with some of the biggest names in the music circuit. Fight Like Apes supported We Are Scientists, The Ting Tings, Kasabian, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Prodigy, the latter Adrian notes as one of the strangest crowds to play for. “I was watching from the side with their manager looking down into the crowd. There was this serious biker-metal guy, covered in tattoos, late forties, early fifties. And there’s a lad right beside him, in a hoodie and anorak, with his face falling apart because he’s so out of it on drugs” he recalls. “Any other time of the year, the two of them would kill each other. But at that point in time, they were having a ball!” As support to the Prodigy, the Apes had to warm up the audience filled with metal-heads and chavs. These stereotypical individuals were less than enthralled with the Apes during the first couple of shows, but Mullan saw the funny side. “The first night we played some slower songs. Not a good idea!” he smirks. “The next night was a bit better, but we were getting pints thrown at us the entire gig. There was a serious queue for the bar and the pints weren’t cheap, so we must have really been bad at that point!” he says. Needless to say, the show must go on. The foursome gave it their all and kept on playing. “The last night we decided to not give a crap, so we went out there, stormed all the songs and they responded. Half liked us, half hated us but no pints were thrown that night! It was great craic.”
Adrian’s love of music and performing has taken him a on an exciting journey, yet his friendly demeanour is still very much intact. He is unfazed, modest and appreciative of it all. He talks about playing a venue, ‘El Paradiso’ in Amsterdam where fans were wearing Fight Like Apes t-shirts, singing along to the songs. “We had never even been there before. It was totally bizarre but fantastic all the same!” he says with a grin. His aspiration and focus on drumming is impressive, a far cry from the days of adolescence. “I’ll always be drumming. Any jobs I have had revolved around drums. Anything that was going I’ve done, all to get a wage packet to enable me to move on musically.” This has certainly worked for Mullan, progressing from an amateur Hohner kit to Pearl Masters, an impressive kit he has played for a number of years; still drumming his way to the top.
Adrian talks of self-education, which doesn’t seem to cut it at his level of ambition. “With drums, like everything else, you can only get so far on your own. But to advance and really work up a technique, you need guidance from someone who knows what they’re doing. I want to get back into education with it” he says. Adrian’s next step is to enrol in Drumtech, a contemporary drum college located in London. “It looks great. I’ve been to open days, but with the band being so busy lately I couldn’t commit to it fully. I really want to elevate my playing!”
To do what you love is the greatest of gifts. Mullan has matured into an accomplished drummer with the humility to know there is more to learn and he relishes the challenge. We look forward to his next adventure in music, and you can be sure he will do it to the beat of his own drum.

IMRO License : IMRO vs Music Bloggers

Aidan Cuffe — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 03:35:22 +0000

This week saw a revelation that i dont think anyone in the music industry was expecting but it seems that IMRO, the Irish Music Rights Organisation have begun issuing certain music blogging site with notice that they are now required to pay for a license if they are to continue streaming / allowing download of MP3′s of acts that IMRO represents and obtains money for royalties for.

It began with Nialler9 receiving the letter initially. The Torture Garden and Asleep on a Compost Heap have also been contacted. This is an excert from Nialler 9′s post on the issue

The MCPSI-IMRO (LOEL) covers the use of music online by small-scale/non-commercial companies and individuals, providing services to the Irish public, whose gross revenue is less then €7,000 per year.

The LOEL covers the making available and mechanical rights in musical works for most types of Limited online and mobile music services. This includes services which offer: Permanent downloads, On-demand streaming and limited downloads, Premium and Interactive Webcasting, Pure Webcasting, Music Podcasting.

The LOEL also covers the following types of audio-visual usage: ‘Promo’ music videos, Live concert performances, Combination of a musical work with images relating to the performer or composer of the work, Use of a musical work with an interview with an artist, composer, producer or other person involved in the creation of music, where the work used is associated with the interviewee.

Now im unsure if Goldenplec will recieve such contact or not. We’ve never been massively contacted by PR/Bands asking us to post their MP3. There are a few blogs out there that will have a large amount of their content that is reviews of bands music with a streaming MP3 often provided to the blog BY THE BAND.

Now the crux of this matter is, that a band signs up to IMRO, they in turn will track plays of the bands music to calculate royalty fee’s. These for most small irish bands can be very small sums until they make it in some form or another. However by signing up for IMRO’s financial service it appears that every band is giving up the rights to all their music to IMRO. In fact should a band decide to start their own blog, put their music on the blog and stream it, they would have to buy a licence from IMRO to PLAY THEIR OWN MUSIC.

IMRO have also stated that they will be contacting all sites/blogs that are making Irish bands/artists that are under IMROs licence that are viewable from Ireland (i.e. any music site that uses an Irish bands track with or without permission) and will be required to purchase a licence to continue allowing such music on their sites.

The Licence itself is for websites who have under 7,000 euro revenue per year. Its a blanket fee regardless of whether there is 1 stream of the song or 40,000 streams of it. The licence doesnt take into account that most of these blogs earn absolutely zero euro a year and thus would then make a loss of 150 – 300 a year for a basic license fee.

According to IMRO’s License page they have a license to stream at 150 euro for less than 45,000 streams per year, 150 euro for a license to allow download of songs permanently for less than 5000 downloads and anther 150 euro per year if you run a podcast containing any music for less than 165,000 streams of the podcast per year.

So effectively a site like Nialler9.com could get hit for 450 euro a year to continue to provide the promotion and positive push he gives every band he features on his site. Other bloggers might only get charged 150 to just stream some songs but still this licence fee could indeed force sites smaller than nialler into closing down or severly restricting their method of blogging. Indeed the other two named above other than Nialler9 have said that they dont earn a penny from their blogs and having to pay such a licence would be impossible.

Lets not forget that these sites provide FREE promotion to bands and artists normally at the request of the band or PR agency behind them to get a review of the content up on the site. Unfortunately most of these seem completely unaware or oblivious of the fact that IMRO doesnt let them do this. So what do bands make of this revelation, well Jim Carroll or On the Record and Nialler9 have been seeking feedback from bands represented by IMRO but with next to no responces from bands around the place.

What will this licence chase end up causing. Will sites like Nialler9 have to charge a band to review its material? I mean as a guy who runs Goldenplec as a hobby and personal enthusiasm for music is what keeps me going i cant imagine being told “In order to provide this band with promotion for free you must pay us” Goldenplec’s ads don’t even cover the cost of Hosting and Domain Renewal. Should we recieve the same mail as the others we would have to consider our position. Im not saying Goldenplec would close, but reviews would become word only. The concept of reviewing and band and allowing the person reading a review to sample the music we are talking about will disappear into the night. Multimedia blogs will disappear into the night because IMRO says so.

Again referencing Nialler9′s post linked above, this is IMRO’s current stance in responce to the guys already contacted.

A Band does not have the right to give permission for full download of the track on a blog/site

A Website streaming/allowing download of content music have a license from IMRO. Youtube has one, any other sites like soundcloud etc must obtain one. Presumably Myspace/Facebook/Bebo and all social networks must obtain one too

Hosting your site outside of Ireland has no bearing on the requirement to get a license

A site does not have to be making money to be required to have a licence. IMRO points out that many current licencee’s do not many a profit.

I had contacted IMRO 2 days ago to ask their stance on a number of items. Although their marketing person replied saying it would be forwarded to the relevant person. I have received no statement or reply. If i get anything back i will try add to the article but im sure that the other guys will have similar if not the same information.

If your a band and are represented by IMRO or a blogger who feels he will be affected by this why not drop a comment either here or over on Nialler9′s post which is pretty comprehensive and definitely worth a read.

The Music Industry (Part 7) : Band Merchandising

Aidan Cuffe — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:26:58 +0000

The importance of merchandising in particular t-shirts. Indeed sometimes it’s when you’ve had a loss making gig due to promotion costs and so on it can be the merchandising sales that can take the sting out of the tail and make a gig break even or even make a profit.

Put simply merchandising is putting your band name, logo or likeness to any product that you wish to sell. Although there’s very few local bands who have their own branded lean mean grilling machine so most settle for the likes of t-shirts, hats, pin badges or stickers. There are four main reasons for selling merchandise which when broken down and explained show the benefits clearly and they are simply:

As Part Of An Effective Marketing Package
First and foremost your t-shirt can be an excellent tool to help promote your EP, single or album and to re-enforce the CD into the minds of prospective fans. With some decent work and co-ordination you can tie in your CD cover design into not only your t-shirt but your website and even myspace site as well.

A good current example of this would be the UK band Bloc Party. If you visit their myspace website the design is based around their album “Silent Alarm”, if you visit their main website the design is also heavily based around the CD cover for “Silent Alarm” and when you go to view their merchandise their t-shirts all have the CD cover or album title on them. See my point?

Making Money
Secondly, you sell your merchandise to make money (and yes it is only secondary). Now this initially may just mean covering your costs but it can very quickly turn to profit. If you buy on hundred t-shirts (which is a fairly standard order) for €5 and sell it on for €10 by the time you’ve sold 50 you’ve covered your expenses and made enough to order more if you wish. The other 50 can then be given out as prizes as an incentive for fans to signup to your newsletter / forum, freebies to local radio shows / media or obviously sold to fans for profit to further help fund your various adventures.

Building Band Name Awareness
Thirdly, merchandise can and does get you talked about. People who aren’t even into your band will compliment a well designed t-shirts and for every t-shirt you sell that person effectively becomes a “walking billboard” for your band displaying your name and website or myspace address or even your CD cover if you choose to base your design around that.

Consolidating Your Fanbase
Last but not least selling merchandise can help re-enforce your fanbase by fostering a sense of belonging to your fans. In a sense they feel like a supporter of a football team and are proud to show that they have discovered this great band before the rest of the world.

For the most part bands have to sell these t-shirts off their own back (if you pardon the pun) however, you may find that when you start to develop a really solid and large fanbase a merchandising company may seek you out with the intention of promoting your merchandise on your behalf which obviously has the benefit of leaving you and your management more free time to concentrate on other aspects of the bands such as promotion and gigging.

However, at the core of your act’s identity is the way you choose to represent yourself (which a lot of bands don’t give enough thought to in my opinion, but that’s an entirely different days work). Think long and hard about this and maybe even get an image consultant (they can be well worth the once off fee) because it’s the most important thing in the whole merchandising process and aside from that fact they can help you to “package” your band better which in turn can win you some more fans.

You will need to try and choose a good graphic designer and have yourself or your management as involved in the process as much as possible. You should get some examples and if your looking for inspiration it’s a good idea to check out other bands websites / magazine adverts who have similar music and to look at how they represent themselves. It can also pay dividends to pay attention to your gig goers clothing and what they seem to wear (regarding colours / graphics etc) so as they will be more inclined to buy your merchandise you will also need to give AS MUCH information as possible to your designer to help them come up with the best possibly suited graphics for you.

Be clear and structured in your dealings and requirements with the designer and DON’T FORGET to ensure your website / myspace address is on all your merchandise. Obviously your fans will need to find you as well as potential new fans that see your “walking billboards”. If you’re the cautious type (which is never a bad thing) then a good idea is to draw up a straightforward letter of agreement with your designer agreeing copyright ownership, their fee and most important royalties on sales, then again most professional designers would have a standard design contract drawn up setting out the above clearly.

Another solution (and even better free) for the perplexed is to run a fanbase consolidation exercise and ask if your fans would like to design your t-shirt, so some of your fans get stuck into coming up with potential designs for your merchandise leaving you with more of a choice between designs without the cost of having a designer. In fact you may find that sometimes (just sometimes mind you) someone who is not a designer could come up with a better idea than a designer.

What Kind of Product?
Now onto the usual range of products you might wants to sell these generally include t-shirts, baseball caps, badges, stickers, posters, framed photos, wallpapers and screensavers.

Actually, on a quick side note I personally feel A LOT of bands overlook wallpapers and screensavers as a low cost method of advertising. For the approx cost €30 they can have their wallpapers / screensavers designed and made available on their site for download on their fans computers constantly re-enforcing the band into the mind of the fan and anyone else who uses the computer, alas I digress, so back to the point in hand.

If possible get a choice of designs for everything you intend to do. It is important to offer a range of merchandise whose prices correspond to all of your fans budgets. The average spend of a gig goer is between €5 and €15. But if you offer some very low priced merchandise items then everyone can go home with something which in turn means both money for the band and your name getting out there even more.

You need to consider the profile of your punters, literally – what size are they? Some t-shirt printers will let you mix and match sizes but MOST OF THEM will only print one order in one size, so unless you want to pay the money to have a warehouse full of different sized t-shirts then pay attention to this details and specify it in your order. For the most part a medium-large will fit most of the gig-going general public so that would be the obvious choice. Again on a quick side note if your planning on selling merchandise other than t-shirts it would be a smart move to pay close attention to the average age profile of your fans / people at your gigs. Big blue foam hands may possibly sell well with younger people but would the older people be interested in buying them?

Getting Your Merchandise Manufactured
As always prices can vary quite a lot depending on the supplier you use and with that quality and before going any further it’s worth noting that the most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean the best quality. You can try asking for previous samples that your supplier has done however don’t be surprised if the answer you get is no as most suppliers won’t provide a sample free of charge due to the set-up costs involved in providing you a sample. Even if they do provide a sample expect a high charge of approx €25-30 for one t-shirt as the supplier will most definitely pass on the set-up / sample cost to you.

The average price in Ireland for t-shirt printing is between €3 to €11 that is based on a black or white t-shirt using one colour print on either the front or back on the t-shirt. You can also most definitely count on suppliers charging you per colour (again prices vary wildly for this) and they may also charge you twice for printing on front and back. What’s more some suppliers will offer free delivery and set-up costs which can be a great cost saving move on your behalf.

There’s another two possible avenue’s you could explore. One is to source a plain t-shirt supplier yourself and buy direct from them and then approach a printing company to print on them for you. This option involves a good bit of running around but can reduce the average cost of getting t-shirts done by about 10-15%.

Your other possible option involves the complete DIY method, as nowadays for smaller quantities of producingmerchandising particularly t-shirts in can usually be lighter on the pocket but heavier on time to purchase iron on printing paper then print off your logo. If your giving consideration to using this method it’s best to keep the design as simple as possible and if you haven’t got a design what you could do is to pay a visit to www.fontfreak.com and simply download a free font that you’d like to use as a logo.

You’ll obviously still need to find a supplier of cheap, good-quality, plain t-shirts (white usually works best with iron on logos). You can also take your poster designs to a print shop and have them run off A3 sized posters if you haven’t got a large enough one at home (for those of you in Dublin I’d recommend MCG Digital just off Grafton Street for good quality decent priced printing)

One final note, if you feel merchandise suppliers prices in Ireland are a bit on the expensive side and your tempted to look across the water in the Europe or the far-east then bear in mind that when the cost of shipping 100-500 odd items to Ireland is factored in it’s an almost certainty that it will work out more expensive than buying from a supplier in Ireland.

Generating Sales
Even though most of your sales will more than likely be made at live events a good rule to stick to that can help generate more sales is “just as your merchandise refers to your website, your website should refer to and promote your merchandise also”.

If your website may not have the ability to take online payments (this can be set-up through paypal or you could even get a professional developer to set-up a full store section for approx €300-600 depending on who you approach) OR the alternative free method is to place a mail order form on your site to allow your fans to buy through that method to help generate sales.

When your playing a gig don’t fall into the temptation to make an “announcement” that merchandise is on sale after / during the gig for obvious reasons. Your best bet is to get a few breadboards (or something similar) and staple or secure your merchandise to them and turn this into your merchandise stand in a prominent position in the venue which is usually as close to the main entrance / exit to the venue as possible so everyone at least has the opportunity to pass by the stand and have a quick look at your merchandise, albums / singles etc.

Obviously it’s somewhat of a physical impossibility for band members to be at the stand straight after a gig, so if you don’t have any management you will need to find a hard-nosed, trustable friend to look after it for you. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to reward them for their efforts either so offering them 5% per sale will definitely make it worth their while to run the stand properly plus leave plenty left over for the band.

The whole idea of selling merchandise on your website and at gigs may seem sleazy and god forbid even “selling out” by quite a lot of people. However, at the end of the day a lot of the successful bands out there recognise merchandise as an excellent revenue stream to help fund the bands recording / touring which allows them to undertake better recordings and longer and better promoted tours which obviously helps them grow bigger and bigger.

Don’t forget there’s a reason why practically all of the large and touring bands sell and quite a lot of money through merchandising and in fact there has been cases before where an entire tour has been underwritten on the basis of merchandising sales alone.

Damien Gill (For Goldenplec), © 2007-2010
UN-AUTHORISED REPRODUCTION, COPYING, RE-POSTING PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION

DISCLAIMER: While the author (Damien Gill) has written this article from professional experiences as well as taking all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of this article, such information is not guaranteed. Therefore the author and Mantra Music will not be held responsible for any individual decisions taken as a direct / in-direct result of this article or any information contained within this article which is intended for general information purposes only.

Goldenplec » Articles

GOLDENPLEC DUBLIN CLUBBING GUIDE

Related News

REVIEW: The Deans @ Whelans

Related News

REVIEW: Cut Copy at Tripod

Related News

Oxegen 2010 Preview

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Related News

Irish Acts at Glastonbury

Related News

Album Review: Ladydoll – The Knife Thrower And His Wife

Related News

FEATURE : Codes

Related News

FEATURE : Adrian Mullan (formerly Fight Like Apes)

Related News

IMRO License : IMRO vs Music Bloggers

Related News

The Music Industry (Part 7) : Band Merchandising

Related News