The indie band with the questionable name, Ham Sandwich, have revealed their latest tour dates, which see them play smaller venues as well as festival gigs.
I’m not sure what I expected from my first Ham Sandwich experience: probably something a little kooky, a bit amateurish and not particularly riveting. Wrong. This is a record of no little intensity, slow burning from a quietish start into something potent and memorable. There are so many things to recommend it – but let’s just stick with the controlled power that the band exudes and Niamh’s truly wonderful vocal. ‘Words’ deserves to be nothing less than their own ‘Nightrocker’, the kind of track that smashes all preconceptions and establishes Ham Sandwich as serious contenders.
In addition to the November 6th single release, the band will be playing across Ireland this month. They also invite fans to participate in their logo competition.
‘Click..Click..Boom!’ sounds for all the world like it should be a hip-hop track and there is a certain swagger and assurance at work here. Musically, this is a duet that sits on the edge of darkness and a track that places itself firmly in the eye of the storm. Producer Karl Odlum continues to bring out the best in Ham Sandwich (b-side‘Song In D’ is, to be honest, equally good) and there is a sense that they could take this anywhere they please. Best new Irish band? At the moment they’re a shoo in.
You can see the logic behind this mini-festival in The Ambassador, featuring three up-and-coming Irish bands. The small acts pool their respective fanbases to create a bigger audience for all three – thus the gig is given an aura of an event to draw in music-lovers who may not be familiar with any of the performers. In practice, it fell short of the mark.
Ham Sandwich are asking their not inconsiderable fan base to help them design the cover for their debut album, which is due in the autumn and addresses the theme of heartbreak.
"Generally the tracks have a real heart tugging quality to them, with rising melodies and great musical diversions as middle eighths – the band really know how to build a song to an epic climax."
RTÉ is doing its bit for Irish music with the 2FM 2moro 2our. Patrick Freyne went along to the live launch to catch a glimpse of the hit bands of the future.
He’s best known for his bout of fisticuffs with Jack White but nowadays it’s the dire situation of his native Detroit that is foremost on the mind of The Von Bondies’ Jason Stollsheimer.
Formed when they were fresh-faced school kids, border country gloomsters Sanzkrit are at long last set to unleash their debut album. You could say they’re looking forward to finally getting stuck in.
We can now reveal the band who will take to the Live stage at The Music Show this weekend as winners of the Hot Press/Sennheiser competition. Drum roll please...!
Aslan were the unexpected winners of the night at the Meteor Ireland Music awards, beating off competition from the likes of Ash, Delorentos and the Flaws to take the title of Best Irish Band.
The HP-7 Summit is back with Michelle Doherty, Rocky O'Reilly, Niall Breslin, Mark Greaney, Niamh Farrell, Messiah J and Danny O'Donoghue sat around the only table that matters this Christmas.
Hot Press has some brilliant opportunities for Irish bands and solo acts. Read on to see how you can get a music video, CD release, studio time and a top gig...
The official opening of The Music Show will take place in Trinity College, with an interview with Island records founder Chris Blackwell conducted by our very own Stuart Clark.
We arrived just in time for Ham Sandwich – soft vibes, floating vocals, bass-player with the best rhythmic leg scratch in Ireland. It might have been the midges.
The Hot Press Newsdesk are mightily impressed with the debut single by New Amusement, ‘Gone To Sea’, which is out this week on Dublin indpendent Another City.
To coincide with their upcoming burst of live activity, The Sultans Of Ping – we still miss the ‘FC’ – have recorded their first new material in 12 years.
The new series of Dave Fanning's The Last Broadcast will include appearances from The White Stripes, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, The National and lots lots more...
Pierce Turner is back in Ireland for a summer tour, but he’s also pre-occupied by his bad experiences in Ireland as a keen music radio listener and has some radical ideas for shaking up Radio 1 and Lyric FM.
Director, Republic Of Loose and the Sultans Of Ping are set to headline this year's Indie-pendence Festival, which features a host of homegrown talent - for free!
Harmonica virtuoso DON BAKER has been busy recently adding another string to his bow, in the form of an acting career which has so far seen him work with Jim Sheridan and Richard Attenborough. And in between takes he s even managed to put the
finishing touches to his latest album, Just Don Baker. Interview: PETER MURPHY. Pics: cathal dawson
The organisers of the Dysart Festival have announced a major rejig of the August 9 and 10 event, with a venue change, cancellations and lineup amendments.
"Unlike its pop counterpart, a glowstick-fest which descends into autocue/miming hell, Childline Rocks manages to showcase a far more tasteful array of talent for precisely the same cause."
Live music industry stalwart Vince Power and classical guitar guru John Feeley are the latest additions to The Music Show, set for October 4-5 in Dublin's RDS.
So popular is the Rock The Vote campaign that it's become something of a celeb magnet. Watch videos from the likes of Cillian Murphy, Dara O'Briain, Katy French and more, who all have one clear message!
So popular is the Rock The Vote campaign that it's become something of a celeb magnet. Watch videos from the likes of Damien Dempsey, Mario Rosenstock and more, who all have one clear message!
The full lineup for Co. Carlow's Solas festival has been announced, with Autamata, God Is An Astronaut, Kíla and Republic Of Loose among the highlights.
While the rest of you were off stuffing your faces with turkey, here at HotPress we were busily polishing our crystal balls in readiness for our annual gaze into the future. S
There is a huge wealth of music talent in Ireland today. In this economic meltdown, the government should help the industry live up to its potential through the introduction of initiatives that would make Ireland a better environment for musicians.
The college circuit has always been a lucrative one for touring acts, and a fine opportunity for students to check out the best in show, at a reasonable price.
Some of the country's leading music industry figures joined thousands of people for the Music Show, a two-day celebration of all that's good about the recording arts in Ireland.
Think you've got them all right? Or maybe you fancy a sneaky peak (you're only cheating yourself you know!). Either way, you've got the questions – we've got the answers....
