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It was all about the new with We Should Be Dead this weekend, their first gig since returning from LA and the band were keen to play tracks from the just released album Dreamstate. The band that once showed so much potential before decamping stateside walked on stage in Dolans Warehouse and delivered a show that proved they are ready to play any stage, any festival, anywhere, anytime. Confidence was high and the sound made bigger helped by months of recording time with producer Owen Lewis and the line-up now swelled to a five-piece. On the night, possible hit singles came in the form of ‘Where Do We Stand?’, ‘Breath In’ and ‘Right Back at You’ judging by the crowds reaction to a set laden with new material and a spiky version of ‘Forget Romance Lets Dance’ and a fine cover of Womack and Womack’s Teardrops sent the punters home happy. They Will Be Big.

On the banks of the River Shannon at the falls of Doonass, a scene of some of the most destructive flooding last November, Siobhan O’Brien’s voice rang out over the Clonlara fields singing “Come gather ’round people, Wherever you roam, And admit that the waters, Around you have grown” from Bob Dylan’s ‘The times they are a changing’ proving the relevance of Dylan’s lyrics whether taken metaphorically or literally to the times we live in today. Bobfest is a small scale one day event that celebrates the work of Bob Dylan, held this year on the grounds of The Anglers Rest Bar. Siobhan O’Brien’s appearance sets the tone for the night with a very smokey/bluesy version of ‘I’ll be your baby tonight’ and accompanied by Eamonn Hehir also on guitar delights the gathering crowd with ‘Shelter from the Storm’, ‘It’s all over now baby blue’ and other early gems from the Dylan songbook that were not to feature in the mans own gig in Thomond Park the following night. The festival now in it’s second year will hopefully be back again in twelve months.

Last Days of Death Country, the Limerick band chosen to open the show impressed with their no-nonsense live run-thru of tracks from their ‘Mode and Effect’ EP including Seasick Steve who remained backstage to check out the band’s set. Next up Alabama 3 stormed thru a brilliant set of their acid-country groove, most notable ‘My name is Johnny Cash’ and ‘Vietnamistan’. Seasick Steve claimed he is an old dog and not about to learn any new tricks as he started the ‘Doghouse Boogie’, and with the best received show of the supporting cast, all messy blues and beaten up battered guitars he has enough tricks in his bag right now. With just Seasick Steve on guitar and Dan Magnusson on drums the duo make sweet racket and new song ‘Burning Up’ rocked the gathering crowd. Read the rest of this entry »

TWO years on from their last album ‘Forget Romance Lets Dance’ We Should Be Dead are to release the first single from their new album ‘Dreamstate’ on June 18. Recorded with renowned producer Owen Lewis while the band spent a year in LA, ‘Up All Night’ does not herald a major change in the band’s sound, they just simply got better. The band display a love of all things eighties here from the snappy crack of the snare drum, the buzzy guitar intro, the wonky keyboard solo to Tara’s distinctive vocal with shades of Harry/Hynde “We’re up all night, you think we’d be tired but we’re in a dreamstate / We’re up all night, you think we’d be wired sure we’ll sleep when we’re dead”. It’s catchy but not instantaneously so, sounds like ‘The Primitives’ wilder out of town cousins coming to party, it’s just damn good noisy pop that gets better with every listen.
The band filmed the video for ‘Up All Night’ last week and it will get it’s debut at a party in Bourkes Bar, Catherine St. on Friday June 18. We Should Be Dead play Dolan’s Warehouse, July 2.

The Cranberries made a very special return to Limerick last Wednesday for the Special Olympics Ireland Opening Ceremony. As the band walked onto the Thomond Park stage situated less than a couple of minutes from the Hogan brothers original home in Moyross the band ended a 17 year wait to play for a Limerick audience . As the opening chords of ‘Zombie’ were trashed out, the crowd roared their approval and the band looked confident and sounded great. Taking time out from their world tour to fly back from France to attend this special one-off performance the band continued with their biggest hit, ‘Linger’ followed by ‘Salvation” from their third album ‘To the Faithful Departed’. The significance of the event for the band was obvious when singer Delores O’Riordan declared that the band were “proud to be from Limerick” and after introducing her mother from the stage sang an emotional rendition of ‘Ode to my Family’ . She also encourage the crowd to follow their dreams before playing out with their breakthrough hit ‘Dreams’. Though short, the gig hit the right notes and the positive crowd reaction should ensure another Limerick appearance for The Cranberries when they return with new material next year. Pic by Ken Coleman

The Frank and Walters have just released their new single, ‘The Parson’ which is part one in a series of four singles the Franks will release to coincide with the unfolding of the seasons in the next twelve months. It is all of 18 years since these Corkonians brought the cheer and optimism of ‘After All’ onto ‘Top Of The Pops’. ‘The Parson’ is as joyous and optimistic as anything they have ever released, it has the familiar breezy chiming guitars and a heavenly, soaring chorus
“I’ll take you back to a time when our lives were so full and clear
We hung suspended in love now which memories are souvenir”
The Franks have entered into their third decade with a song that, once heard, will have you reaching for the play button again, it is just simply that good.

Limerick singer/songwriter, Keith Forde has been awarded third prize by the prestigious International Songwriter Competition for his debut release ‘Pop Them Pills’. It was entered into the International Songwriter Competition (ISC) which honors amateur and professional songwriters around the world and recognizes excellence in the craft of songwriting with an impressive judging panel made up of the likes of Tom Waits, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith and Frank Black amongst others. The song is a country tinged, Dylanesque tune with a well observed narrative about the effects of a druggy lifestyle on a friendship with someone you once respected and admired.

Hear ‘Pop them Pills’ here

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip rocked Dolans Warehouse to the very rafters last week.  Mixing electronic and hip hop beats with the spoken word beat poetry, they are in a category all of their own. Opening with ‘The beat my heart skips ‘ the Essex duo made a statement of intent that fired the full-house attendance into a festive celebration. With all of the words of their new album’ The Logic of Chance‘ being shouted back by the predominantly young crowd, it was obvious that the band were preaching to the converted with Scroobius Pip’s positive messages of standing up for what you believe in ‘Stake a Claim’, renouncing knife violence ‘Great Britain’ and sex and relationships in ‘Get Better’ being particular stand-out moments. They finished with their biggest hit ‘Thou shalt always Kill’ which tonight, strangely, sounded a little muted such is the strength and live impact of the newer material. To roars of approval they encored with their very best track ‘Letter from God to Man’.

ON the new CD, Natural Angle, Irish band Gráda (meaning “gradient” in Irish) mix traditional Irish and Appalachian tunes with North American folk songwriting. Recorded in Nashville with famed bluegrass musician and singer Tim O’Brien, the band draw from a melting pot of influences to deliver their Irish melodies with an Americana edge and a bluegrass twang. At O’Brien’s suggestion Grada elected to record together in session as opposed to recording individually which captured the band live energy perfectly. Check out the band’s take on the “The Butcher Boy” (recorded by Bob Dylan as “The Railroad Boy”, a song he may have learned from The Clancy Brothers) and the explosive energy of “5 Jumps,” a set that marries a Danish reel, an original reel by former bandmate Colin Farrell, and a traditional Irish tune. Gráda will play Dolans Upstairs Friday May 7.
Gráda – The Butcher Boy

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Gráda – Five Jumps

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DUBLIN band, The Cast of Cheers, released their impressive debut album ‘Chariot’ online last February, this 10 track recording clocking in at just over half an hour is certain to be in many listeners debut album of the year list at years end. Sounding like a moodier, angrier Foals with better pop hooks than Two Door Cinema Club this remarkable debut is FREE for you to download here. The Cast of Cheers only formed in October 2009, had ‘Chariot’ almost finished by Christmas and decided to give the album out free online because considering the current download culture it was the fastest way to get the most listeners’ attention. The band have also provided access to their SoundCloud page where you are encouraged to use their stems to remix some of their songs. They have thrown up some of these remixes for you to check out on their myspace . It is only a matter of time before a Limerick gig is booked but you can catch the band in Galway’s Roisin Dubh on May 6 or at festivals over the Summer.
The Cast of Cheers – I am Lion

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