Happy fifth birthday to Popical Island! The Dublin-based collective celebrated the occasion with a show in Whelan’s recently, featuring a fine collection of its acts including Squarehead, Land Lovers and Groom.

Their sixth year sees them hit the ground running with the new No Monster Club album arriving on February 6. People Are Weird is a joint venture with renowned Brooklyn label Mirror Universe, which has released music by the likes of Toro y Moi, The War On Drugs, Yuck and Washed Out.
The sonic melange includes nods to Daniel Johnston, William Onyeabor, ABBA, The Polyphonic Spree and Animal Collective. It will be launched with shows in Switzerland and Italy in mid-February, followed by an Irish tour in March.
In other PI news Skelocrats will release their new album Bella Bella in March and have just unleashed the first taster in the form of ‘Lyin’ Eyes’, a yearning folk-rock ballad….
Further north, Belfast singer-songwriter Robb Murphy launches his second album Sleep Tonight with a headline show in the Black Box on February 1. The collection follows on from 2012's debut outing, Take A Stand.
It was recorded locally in Mill Valley Studios, and was produced by Robb and Alan Dickson. Post-production was expertly handled by Roger Seibel, the man behind outings by the likes of Bon Iver, Death Cab For Cutie, Decemberists and Volcano Choir…
Galway outfit Pockets launch their debut EP Raison D’Etre in the Roisin Dubh on February 18. The quartet – who have shared the stage with ASIWYFA and Planet Parade to name but two – have been accumulating quite the following...
Cork songwriter Kilian Pettit makes his US TV debut in the coming weeks. The Echogram frontman will feature on NBC's The Jimmy Lloyd Songwriter Showcase next month. He flew to New York late last year to shoot his acoustic performance at the Gibson Guitar Showroom, formerly the legendary recording studio The Hit Factory.
The People’s Republic resident has had quite the year; his debut album hit number 2 on the iTunes Rock Chart, while two other tracks featured on MTV shows in the US, and another was used on a radio campaign for Guinness Amplify….
Two Cork acts were amongst the highlights of this year’s Tradfest; Marc O’Reilly and The Hard Ground played a fantastic double-header in the beautiful surrounds of St. Werburgh’s Church. Congrats all! And look out for the second album from The Hard Ground, Triptych, coming on April 10!
Dublin band Loop Culture celebrate the release of their debut single ‘How Does It Feel?’ with a February 5 gig in The Workman’s Club. Since dropping their debut home-recorded EP last March, they've warmed up audiences for the likes of Raglans and The Riptide Movement…
The following night in the same venue, Weezer fans will be delighted to hear an innovative tribute to Rivers and co is taking place. Only In Dreams: The Blue Album versus Pinkerton sees acts such as Windings, Dott, Me & My Dog, Swimmers and So Cow take to the stage to play two tracks from each album. Intriguing!