Keep It Fresh

Following on from the success of their debut single Love Like Nicotine, Dublin-based electronic pop act Dark Room Notes are set to release their first EP Dead Start Program on 12^th October. There’s something instantly appealing about Dark Room Notes with the band being compared to likes of New Order, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads and Interpol. Dead Program Start is sure to be an instant hit, comprised of tracks that proved popular during their high energy live performances. We pegged the band as one to watch at HWCH and from what I hear they were a huge success, playing to packed room. You can preview the entire EP by heading to their myspace…

The Dead Start Program tour kicks off this week with gigs at Cyprus Avenue tonight, Spirit Store tomorrow and Tower Records (2pm) / Crawdaddy on Saturday 13th.

***COMPETITION***

To celebrate the launch of Dead Start Program we’ve got a copy of the new EP and a pair of tickets for Saturdays Crawdaddy gig to giveaway. First answer this simple question:

Name Dark Room Notes debut single?

Then email your name and answer to freshcompetitions@gmail.com. First email in the door wins!

-phil

pic: Betamax Format @ HWCH ‘07 - misslili

Before I head out for some house party action (flu tablets and jager…yes!) I want to claim how excited I am about tomorrow. As already mention earlier today current music industry darlings, Los Campesinos! play Whelans tomorrow night but I just discovered that Beatmax Format are lined up for the support. Most excellent news as I was pretty annoyed at having to miss them at the weekend (plus I’ll be able to get my mitts on a BF tee). Tickets still available at the door for a meager €13.

MP3 Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!

MP3 Betamax Format - You Are Welcome In My House

And while I have you…another one of my “favorite bands that I missed at HWCH”, Butterfly Explosion have put up a new track for download on their myspace. It’ll only be up for about a week so go here to download new track ‘Vision’ along with two tracks from their ‘Turn The Sky’ EP.

-phil

pic: Super Extra Bonus Party @ HWCH ‘07

Well there ain’t many unfortunately as I could only make Friday. Saturaday was a family gathering of the grand scale and Sunday was spent in bed sick. Boo-urns. So here’s a rather small report.

First off the ‘all-in-one’ building setup works. I was a smidge late getting down to Pod so I missed Gavin Glass but I hear good things which is nice to know. After meeting the gang myself Bernie and Sinead headed to Tidal District in the Working Man’s Club. I was instantly blown away but this is defiantly a band worth checking further down the line.

Next up was festival favorites Super Extra Bonus Party. I really like the Party’s instrumental material and it was a great show filled with high-jinx. The Crawdaddy room was full with bodies been directed to the balcony area upon arrival. It’s a bit late but shout out to nialler9. Happy Birthday dude!

After a quick bevy (Budweiser, Budweiser, Budweiser or Guinness) we popped off to the Lennon Lounge for something a bit different. Los Langeros sang and danced into the crowd and were made for a Spiegeltent performance but their certainly not everyone’s cup of tea (ahem…Sarah!). Real fun band worth checking out.

In a continued attempt to hit every room at the festival (missed Tripod!) we headed to the Pod room to check out The Minutes upon Bernie’s recommendation. Their a really together band with some good tunes so do check them out. They play Whelans with the Blonde Majority on October 4th.

Finally I dashed over to the Odeon by my lonesome to check out Le Bein. I could natter on about the duo all night but the bottom line is they continue to get better and better. Roll on a hard copy release.

Props to all those involved with photo exhibition including our boy Dan and Miss Lili (photo at top of post). The work looked fantastic and Crawdaddy’s Lobby Bar should be used for more of the same in the future.

The drive home was filled with power ballads and garlic/cheese chips. Great night and I’m gutted I couldn’t make the rest of the weekend. No dice I guess.

HWCH 2008 anyone?

-phil

So HWCH is almost upon us (exciting!). Below are the weekends schedules with the surprise inclusion of the Odeon as a venue. Tickets are still available (Night pass €15, weekend pass €30) and can be bought from the POD box office which is open 12pm - 11pm each day. Below is my list of Irish recommendations and you can view the individual schedules after the jump.

-phil

*deep breath*

Alphastates, Betamax Format, Butterfly Explosion, Channel One, Chicks, Dark Room Notes, Dry County, Evil Harrissons, Fifteen Minutes, Fight Like Apes, Gavin Glass , Grand Pocket Orchestra, Halves, Ham Sandwich, Hassle Merchants, Jenny Lindfors, Kill City Defectors, Le Bien, Los Langeros, Michael Knight, MIGALINX, Miss Paula Flynn, Noise Control, One Day International, Panda Kopanda, Queen Kong, rhob, Sub Rosa, Super Extra Bonus Party, The Laundry Shop, The Radio, The Terribles, Tidal District,Valerie Francis, White Noise Continue reading ‘HWCH Schedules’

Not really much to say about MIGALINX because, well I don’t really know much about them. Another group I came across while checking out this year’s lineup, all I can tell you is the following:

1. Their Irish.
2. There’s three of them.
3. Track Glitch is a cracker.
4. Thy have a myspace - www.myspace.com/migalinx
5. They play the Odeon on Sunday 30th at 11pm as part of HWCH
6. They will ‘hopefully’ have a four track EP released in time for October.

Can anybody add anything to that?

MP3 MIGALINX - Glitch

-phil

Loud. Crunchy. Dirty. Electro. Punk. Rock. Noise Control. Single “Steel” quickly made it to No.2 in the Irish download charts and Noise Control have been snowballing ever since. The band played support to The Prodigy for the Irish leg of their European tour so already their hanging out with the right crowd. My first introduction to Noise Control was last years IMRO showcase and I guarantee you they will take the roof off the Pod room when they play this year’s HWCH. Look out for them at 10pm on the Saturday and be sure to check out the Star Little Thing remix of Steel on their myspace.

MP3 Noise Control - Addiction

-phil

A surprise hit (in my opinion) on Phantom FM, I only discovered Gavin Glass while having a gander over this years HWCH lineup. Turns out he also plays with a friend of mine, N.C Lawlor, and combined with a few other heads you’ve got Gavin Glass and the Holy Shakers. With a voice made for this kind of music, current single “Older Than My Years” is a classy Ryan Adams like number thats hard to come by in this country. Debut album “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” was released in 2005 and 2nd album, simply titled “Gavin Glass & The Holy Shakers” is released this Friday, just in time for their HWCH slot at 8pm. It’s sure to be one of this years more unique HWCH performances.

MP3 Gavin Glass & The Holy Shakers - Older Than My Years

Video:

-phil

Remember the new Betamax Format tees I mentioned a while back? Well the results are in…

The t-shirt has been designed by New York artist Artur Arbit (www.twistedrobot.com) who has designed posters for shows in NYC, Berlin and Dublin. The tees should be available on the Betamax website next week and you’ll be able to pick up one at live shows including this months HWCH show Saturday 28th.

-phil