Northern trio The Japanese Popstars have been confirmed to play the Wireless Festival in London on July 5. Already scheduled for festival slots at Glastonbury and Oxegen, the electro-rocker’s boom time continues with news that they’ve been added to the roster of the Beatink agency in Japan (the home of Underworld, Aphex Twin, and more).

Their EP1, out in May, precedes the late summer release of their eagerly-anticipated debut album on Ministry’s Gung-Ho offshoot. The single will be swiftly followed by a profile-building remix, Groove Armada vs The Japanese Popstars: ‘Get Down’.
Galway-based deep house stamp Aruba is about to unleash the bass-propelled ‘Ewa Beach’ from Greek DJ Steve Mill. Hot on its heels will be promos of ‘Naikrovek’ from Loudest Records mainman Daniel Kyo featuring remixes by Northerner Scope (aka Ric McClelland) and Philadelphia DJ Pete Moss.
Trance phenomenon John O’Callaghan and Dublin DJ Neal Scarborough don their Inertia cloak again in June for the follow-up to monster 2007 anthem ‘The Chamber’. O’Callaghan’s career takes another giant leap towards world domination with the news that he will be making his BBC Essential Mix debut in June.
Meanwhile, Scarborough is busy boosting his profile with a host of UK club gigs, an internet radio show (on www.etn.fm) and a string of high-profile remixes. He makes his debut on Paul van Dyk’s Vandit label on May 8 with a remix of Jon O’Bir’s ‘Ways And Means’ which will be accompanied by a PvD remix, no less.
Neal has also completed a remix for Infrasonic Recordings of Andy Tau’s ‘The Path’, which has been licensed for inclusion on a forthcoming Sean Tyas mix album on Armin van Buuren’s Armada label.
Belfast-born DJ and Hollywood composer David Holmes has contributed an exclusive new track to the forthcoming Carling Supports: The Oh Yeah Sessions ’08 album. ‘McCready Rides Again’ (named after his former Sugarsweet DJ partner Iain) was produced by Holmes, co-written by David and Leo Abrahams (an associate of Brian Eno) and recorded at the Drama Studio in Belfast.
Limerick legends Ross & Buddy have two storming singles in the pipeline. Their upcoming electro-house outing on Queep, ‘Why’, features Nat Leonard on vocals and has the potential to be a crossover smash. It’s preceded by a thumping single on Donegal’s Full Tilt stamp, ‘Lights Out’, which is coupled with a sensational Heatbeat feat Matias Faint remix.
Portrush will enjoy a beach party this summer, after all. Planetlove promoters Eddie Wray and Judith Farrell-Rowan have teamed up with Lush! promoter and DJ Col Hamilton to save the day after the Beach Party 2008 was cancelled. Its replacement is called LIVE in Portrush and is headlined by one of the UK’s biggest live acts, Grammy award-winners The Chemical Brothers.
The concert takes place at East Strand car park in the seaside town on Saturday June 14.
There will also be DJ performances from an array of chart-topping international acts and DJs including Fedde LeGrand, Eric Prydz, Utah Saints, Steve Angello and James Holroyd. Tickets cost £36 plus booking fee.
Eddie Wray says: “We’ve worked extremely hard at the eleventh hour to ensure that this magnificent show takes place in Portrush this year.” Col Hamilton adds: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been given the opportunity to promote an event of this size and stature in my local area. I was massively disappointed when I heard that there was going to be no Beach Party this year, so I decided to take the bull by the horns and here we are. I can promise everyone attending that LIVE In Portrush will be the best day of their lives.”
The new event takes place a week before Planetlove’s other big venture in June, the Summer Session at Fairyhouse Racecourse, County Meath. And we hear that it’s well on course to selling out its 18,000 tickets well in advance.
Another massive summer event has just been announced. Tiesto: In Search Of Sunrise runs at Ballinlough Castle, Athboy on Saturday August 2 for a limited capacity of 5,000 revellers.
The Dutch legend – who has sold out the Point Theatre on a number of occasions on his own – will be performing a five-hour set supported by another Dutch trance outfit, First State. Tiesto’s party will run from 5pm until 1am, with tickets priced €59.50 on sale now from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.
Incidentally, Tiesto recently made Timmy & Tommy’s ‘Full Tiltin’’ single the tune of the week on his radio show.
Limerick superclub Trinity Rooms has just announced its plans to return to Ibiza this summer and host two huge parties at the white island’s original superclub Es Paradis. With Paul Webb at the helm, and fellow residents Johnny Da Bomb, Jay-J and KC at his side, the club will also host all-Irish events at the award-winning Plastik in San Antonio and Borabora in Playa D’en Bossa. See www.trinityrooms.ie for full details.
And finally, you can now vote in this year’s Northern Ireland Dance Music Awards, which take place on May 25 at St George’s Market in Belfast. To make your voice count in more than a dozen categories, go to www.dancemusicawards.org… THE BEAT GOES ON!