Delorentos - An Interview

Alternative rockers Delorentos gave us a quick hello this week and answered a few questions for us here at Illusional Music Blog. The North Dublin lads have been busy gigging around Ireland, Europe and further afield, promoting their Choice Music Prize winning album 'Little Sparks'. So we caught up with Kieran and asked him the questions that everyone wants answers to!!

What/Where is your favourite chipper or fast food ?

Fast food is bad for you. Which is partly why we're so unhealthy. Nothing better than a Blaa with Cheese n' Onion crisps or some late night chicken. Plus, some nice wine, because we're classy.

What’s your favourite Kurt Russell movie?

Who's Kurt Russell?

Jaffa Cake, biscuit or cake?

Well, it's a cake of course. You know 'cos cakes go hard over time, biscuits go soft.

There's always (at least) one annoying  fecker in a band. Who’s that in Delorentos and why?

There is no-one who is annoying in Delorentos. This has been medically proven.

You can play at any festival, which one and why?

SXSW. It's incredible.

You pull out of a parking space and scratch the car beside you. Do you A: leave a note with your details  considering they could be nice and be OK about it or they may not and cost you hundreds and lose your No Claims bonus. Or B: Do you do a runner?

I enhance the scratch to look like outsider art, then watch as its sells for millions at a gallery.

Name 1 song you wish you’d written?

The Irish National Anthem / Who let the Dogs out.

  

And 1 song you’re glad you didn't?

The Irish National Anthem or Who let the dogs out.

The most off the wall thing you've read about yourself (newspaper, magazine etc)?

There has been lots, in an early album review it said we named our band after male prostitutes.

What’s on your rider list (list of backstage requests, beer, embroidered dressing gown etc)?

Jaffa Cakes, late night chicken, bag of wine.

You can turn into any animal. What animal would it be?

Kurt russell.

Lastly, hows the writing for the next album going?

Good... It's no "Who let the Dogs out" though.

Thanks to Kieran for taking the time to talk to us. 

Delorentos 3^rd studio album ‘Little Sparks’ is available from their Bandcamp Store and on iTunes.

Where can you see them?

28/06/13

Enniscorthy, Wexford at Strawberry Fest

30/06/13

Westport, Mayo at Westport Fest

28/07/13 

Kilkenny  Bruce Springsteen Weekender     

16/08/13 

Drumlish, Longford at Marquee in Drumlish

01/11/13 

Dublin at Vicar Street

Delorentos new single 'Petardu' available now. You can see the video for it below.

Thanks for reading. Please share and comment below

Pat
IM Blog

A Night for Christy

This week there is only 1 gig we will be featuring on the blog and that is 'A night for Christy'.

A night for Christy is a benefit night for Aslan front man Christy Dignam who is battling cancer. Some of the best and brightest that Ireland's music industry has to offer will all come together for this special night being held in the Olympia Theatre Dublin on Friday 21st June. 

Already confirmed for the gig are some big names including Paul Brady, Shane McGowan, Mary Black, Paul Walsh (Royseven), Danny O' Reilly (The Coronas), Tom Dunne, Ryan Sheridan and loads more. Even Jedward are getting in on the action. 

I'd post a link to Ticketmaster for tickets but this has long been sold out. Keep your eyes on your usual spare tickets buying websites like Toutless, Adverts and DoneDeal because this is one night not to be missed.

Opening the night will be Paul Walsh with his rendition of 'Gotta make it'. Later on in the proceedings U2 will perform 'This is' from their LA Studio and will be shown on a screen at the Venue. Others on the night will sing many more Aslan favourites including 'Down on me', 'This Time' and 'Chains'.

Not only will this be live in the Olympia but the gig is also being streamed live Worldwide. Over 100 premises around the globe will be streaming it live (some of the list below). An updated list will appear on www.aslan.ie later this week.

So, if you have tickets, don't lose them. If not, get to the nearest place streaming it or get your local to stream it by contacting mark@amamusicagency.ie 

Then on the night, get yourself your favourite tipple and raise a glass to Christy.

Pat

IM Blog

Updated List of Venues Streaming A Night for Christy

Dublin Central

Capitol Bar 18/19 Lower Stephen's Street

Copan Rathmines

Harry's Bar Stephens Green Dublin

Sinnotts Bar Stephens Green

Dublin Surrounding

Bottom of the Hill Finglas Village

Old Mill Tallaght

Paudi Ogs Mullhuddart Co Dublin

Sallynoggin Inn Sallynoggin

Ollies Place , New Street Skerries Co.Dublin Skerries

Carlow

Brennans Bar Graiguecullen, Carlow

Cork

Fir tree Bar Watergrasshill

The Old Oak Cork City

The Wollshed Bar Cork City

The Brick Oven Bantry

C - U fermoy Fermoy

Derry

Downeys Bar in Derry Derry

Dungarvan

Downeys Dungarvan Waterford

Donegal

Abbey Hotel Donegal

Galway

An Caislean Portumna Co Galway Portumna

Kilkenny

Rose of mooncoin Mooncoin

Hoganstand Ballyragget Co Kilkenny Ballyragget

Killarney

INEC Backstage bar, Gleneagle Hotel Killkarney

Meath

The Keltic bar Headfort Arms Hotel Kells

Navan

The Palace Ludlow st Navan

Portlaois

Bar Habana Main St Portlaois

Sligo

Belfreys Sligo

Wicklow

Carly Toms Quinnsborough Road Bray Bray

Dubai

Dubai Mc Gettigans at the Bonnington Towers Dubai

World Trade Centre - DWTC Dubai Dubai

Czech Republic

Franks bar Prague

Kodaline - In a Perfect World

So it's been a long time coming, delayed for months, then weeks, then days and finally Kodaline's debut album 'In a Perfect World' is upon us. Personally I've been looking forward to this for an age. I just wanted to hear more and more from the band and with every new EP/Single release it gave me the 'fix' I craved.

So now I have it in my hands (figuratively) and I've listened to it through a couple of times. The question on everyones lips is, Was it worth the wait?...... Definitely

I hadn't seen so much hype in a band before they'd even had an album out and I guess that's why getting this release as fine-tuned as possible in their eyes was a good reason for the delays. 

So, the album (track listing below) starts off with the lovely (yeah lovely!) 'One Day'. Continues then with 3 songs that have flooded the airwaves in recent months in 'All I Want', 'Love Like This' and 'High Hopes'. The album just flows wonderfully. The songs I'd not heard previously live up to everything previous. The album is clean cut and perfectly produced. 

Having constantly listened to the EP's it would be hard to pick a best track on the album, so I will choose one from those I'd not heard before. So the stand out for me would be 'Pray'. Strong drums, great vocals. What's not to like.

The long and short of it is, do Kodaline have their own unique sound? Yes and No. But just because they don't completely, doesn't take away from how good the album is. We all draw different influences in things we do in life and songwriters are no different. You'll get the subtle hints of Coldplay or Snow Patrol, or the not so subtle hints of Mumford and Sons (Love Like This). But all those mentioned sound like someone else in their own way and them like some other and so on.....

Should you get this album, a massive yes. If you're not sure you can listen to it online first before making your decision but you will not be disappointed. It's a feel good lovey rock summer record. 

Thanks for reading, let me know what you think on Twitter / Facebook

9/10

Pat

IM Blog

Track Listing 

1. One Day

2. All I Want

3. Love Like This

4. High Hopes

5. Brand New Day

6. After The Fall

7. Big Bad World

8. All Comes Down

9. Talk

10. Pray

11. Way Back When

Album in the Car......3

Unfortunately it's been nearly 2 weeks since I last did an 'Album in the Car' post. Mainly because I wasn't working and was barely in the car. So, having been back this week I went through the collection and picked this.

Fionn Regan - The End of History (2006). 

Fionn Regan is an Folk songwriter from Bray, Co Wicklow. I remember when this album first came out and really disliking 'Penny in the slot' when I first heard it on the radio. I've no particular reason why I did but for some reason it stuck in my head. Heard it a few times more and found myself singing along to eventually really liking it and wanting to hear more from him.

So I bought the album and the rest is history as they say. The album opens with the brilliant - and my now favourite track from the album -  'Be Good or Be Gone' and continues in the same vein. But strangely unlike a lot of other folk artists he manages to make each and every song original, each it's own uniqueness, made especially difficult because of his distinctive voice.

There are 11 great songs on this album, of 13 songs (keep your ear out for the fantastic 'Campaign Button', which is a hidden track at the end of the album).

Another recommended listen.

Feel free to comment and share.

Pat 

IM Blog

Gig Preview. Week Beginning 10-6-13

Interesting and mixed week of gigs ahead. 

Monday kicks us off with Californian Metal band Slayer who come to the Academy in Dublin tonight. Tickets €42.50 (also Tuesday at same venue)

Tuesday: Canadian Folk artist Cara Luft performs at the Locke Bar in Limerick. Tickets priced at €13.50

For Wednesday I've gone for something a little different. Captains Live is a weekly mixture of bands and DJ's in Captain Americas in Blanchardstown, Dublin. Held in the Suas bar on top of the restaurant, it's perfect for the summer nights. Entry on the night is only €5. PS: Captains do great beer and cocktail deals.

Thursday sees more metal to the stages of Ireland with Mastadon hitting the Academy in Dublin. Well if Slayer fans don't totally destroy the place on Monday and Tuesday. Tickets for Mastadon are on sale on Ticketmaster and priced at €29. (Mastodon also play Friday at the same venue)

For the weekend we have some 'Big Shots' playing on these shores. It begins on Friday with Robbie Williams at the Aviva (Lansdowne Rd) Stadium, Not everyone's cup of tea but a good entertainer all the same. Tickets are still available for this priced at €69.50 to €129.50

Saturday is the big one for a lot of people with the return of " Rock Gods" Bon Jovi. This time they take on Slane Castle in Co Meath. Reading reviews of their RDS gigs in 2011 they seemed to impress so maybe this is the gig of the week for most. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster and are pried at €79 to €96.

If you're over the other side of the country Fight Like Apes play Roisin Dubh in Galway on Saturday night. Tickets €14.85

To finish off the week there are a few decent shows to see. To start off we have O Emperor in Tower Records, Wicklow St. Dublin for a store session at 1pm (Free), or you can see The Wanted in the Marquee in Cork (show from 6.30pm, tickets priced at €44.05) and to finish off head to the last day of the Doolin Folk Festival in Doolin Hotel Co. Clare. (Weekend tickets €59, Day tickets €29)

Have a great week, share and leave comments on your own recommendations for the week.

Pat 
IMBlog

Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

It's been 6 years since Queens of the Stone Age released their last album Era Vulgaris, but this was certainly worth the wait. The first few songs on '...Like Clockwork' feel like QOTSA have picked up exactly where they left off in 2007, but as you progress through the album the mood changes. For me it sounds like Homme was listening to a lot of Bowie while writing the album. The song 'The Vampyre Of Time And Memory' kicks this off and I had to check to make sure I had put on the right album and not drifted into Bowie's back catalogue. The album continues in the same vein until the final few songs until it returns to classic Queens once more. Not to say that this middle section is bad, it's not, it's great (Even though I wouldn't be a huge fan of Bowie). It's just different, but Homme puts his own stamp on it, his fantastic eerie voice ghosts through each song.

Former QOTSA band members Nick Oliveri and Mark Lanegan appear on the album as backing vocalists. Former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters lead  Dave Grohl also makes an appearance, playing drums on most of the album after Homme had sacked drummer Joey Castillo during recording. Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner also appears on the album, co-writing 'Kalopsia' and backing vocals and guitar on 'If I had a Tail'.

After listening to the album for the fourth time today, I've been trying to find reasons not to like it. I can't find any. The album doesn't present itself as great and shouldn't be, but it just is. It's not as heavy or grungy as former QOTSA albums but it works.

Give it a listen, it will grow on you

Thanks for reading, let me know what you think below or on Twitter / Facebook

9/10

Pat
IMBlog

Kodaline - Love Like This EP

In anticipation of their forthcoming release of their debut album 'In a Perfect World', Dublin natives Kodaline have released a 4 track EP titled. 'Love Like This'. 
'Love Like This' is the latest single to be released from the band and as with all previous releases, it doesn't disappoint, far from it actually. To put it simply this is another great single from one the most anticipated debut albums for me. I was disappointed when the album release was delayed by a couple of months but obviously the lads weren't completely happy with it and went back and have made it all it can be. So in the meantime they have delighted us with some great singles and EP's and if you follow their website (www.kodaline.com) you will see the Kodamap where they were writing a song for each state they visited in the USA.

The EP contains the above single, an acoustic version of the single and 2 other tracks, 'What it is' and 'Midnight'. 
For me 'What it is' sounds a lot like a Coldplay song. I mean that in the nicest possible sense. Has the epic soft rock sound to it. 
'Midnight' is a softer folkier number. One of the finer points of Kodaline is their fantastic harmonies and they are definitely on show in this song.

The acoustic version of 'Love Like This' that finishes off the EP is haunting and beautiful at the same time. Steve really shows how good he is with this vocal performance.
  'Love Like This' EP is available from the Official Kodaline Store. You can also pre-order 'In a Perfect World' on there too. 
I hope to have a review of the album up here next week too. Or before maybe *ahem / *hint!! 

Overall a very good EP, a great taster for the release of the album. Definitely recommend it.
8/10


Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment.


Pat 
IMBlog