And so it is. Humanzi arrived back to Dublin on the back of a triumphant tour with The Bravery, and a level of anticipation befitting their signing to a major label.
Out of the ashes of a fairly unassuming Dublin outfit called Listo, Humanzi have arisen, phoenix-style, to become our new Great White Hope and the frontrunner of a new music scene.
I’ve always been a bit suspicious of Humanzi, a feeling it appears a few of you share if the HP message board is anything to go by. 'Diet Pills...' is alright though, a catchy little tune that motors along without being nearly as dangerous as it thinks it is.
With two of the three main acts up for the Meteor Awards for Hope of 2006, it’s fair to say that the air of excitement about tonight isn’t merely that reserved for an everyday gig in the capital.
Like their incendiary live performances, the pace is nothing short of relentless over the course of the 43 minutes or so it takes Humanzi to slash and scorch their way through this 11-track debut.
Hot Press favourite Julie Feeney - whose superb 13 Songs took the inaugural Chioice Award earlier this year - and Humanzi have been picked by RTÉ 2fm to be Ireland's main representatives at the annual Eurosonic Festival.
Sound Foundation Recordings continue their quest for global domination with the February 24 release of Violation, a three-track, 10” EP featuring Channel One ‘Not For The Last Time’, Humanzi ‘Fix The Cracks’ and The Things ‘Demon Stomp’.
They’re mates with Humanzi and have hung out with Juliette Lewis. Give it a little while and Leeds dance-rock outfit The Sunshine Underground will probably be stars in their own right.
Yes that's right - those with a coveted ticket for the Foo Fighters will be pleased to learn that the up'n'coming band are in support in their hometown of Dublin.
Like Humanzi, Limerick’s Vesta Varro show much promise. Their much anticipated double A-side has been delayed as interest in the UK has grown. With a sound taking in early U2, Joy Division, Wire and The Cure, they fit snugly into the current scene. Sharp, polished guitar hooks are punctuated by a strong chorus. At times ‘Blue Mirror Boy’ evokes memories of Woodstar’s wonderful ‘Dumb Punk Song’. An assured debut and a band to keep tabs on over 2006.
A unique blend of domestic and international talent, Other Voices is the brainchild of Philip King. The new series is, he believes, the most ambitious yet.
Now a provocative solo artist following a spell with the Subtonics, The Mighty Stef (alias Stefan Murphy) invites Jackie Hayden round for some pasta a la Murphy.
Never mind the naysayers, Dublin 2006 is spilling over with white hot talent. Steve Cummins and Shilpa Ganatra run the rule over the capital's new breed.
Irish labels, bands and artists often face an uphill struggle to garner recognition, even on their home turf. Which is why hotpress and HMV have undertaken their own combined initiative, to coincide with the announcement of the shortlist for the first Choice Irish music prize. As a product of this initiative, all ten albums will be specially stocked and displayed in HMV stores all over Ireland on the run-in to the announcement of the winning album later this month. Here, we take a look at the list – and reflect on those that have been omitted.
On the eve of the release of their highly anticipated debut album, Dublin quartet Delorentos take five from their latest video shoot to discuss playing with Gang of Four, hanging with Steve Albini and playing football in Texas.
Rock has lost one of its most colourful characters with Cramps frontman Lux Interior passing away yesterday in a Californian hospital from a pre-existing heart condition.
Other Voices, the RTE series featuring acclaimed bands playing in an intimate venue in Dingle, Kerry, will kick off its fourth year with a series of recordings in December.
Not content with bringing you the cream of new Irish and overseas talent, this year’s Hard Working Class Heroes festival has rounded-up some prominent industry names to participate in its workshops and panel discussions.
This year’s Dublin Fringe Festival has one of its strongest musical line-ups yet, with all manner of gigs, once-off collaborations and curated events taking place in the Hennessy Spiegeltent.
Who was it that said that beauty is a double-edged sword? True, it could be all too easy to denounce Mainline as six pretty boys, looking for all the world like a band of spruced-up Fonzies. Luckily their sound tells a different and much more substantial story.
It was always going to be a bit messy. Students being students you couldn’t but have expected the odd scuffle, girls vomiting on their expensive ball gowns, lads pissing wherever there was a wall and thousands of well dressed revellers drunkenly stumbling around the courtyards of Trinity College. What was unexpected though, certainly for a first timer, was just how good a night the Trinity Ball is. This was an event streets ahead of most outdoor events. Everything was well organised, queues for loos and bars were minimal, and security didn’t make themselves felt. It meant that all were allowed to just get on with the night at hand and enjoy Europe’s largest private party.
hotpress.com can exclusively reveal the hundred or so acts that are getting offered a slot at the prestigious Hard Working Class Heroes Festival 2005. Selected by over 25 judges including the likes of Thrills & Humanzi manager Allan Cullivan
From U2 to The Frames and Sinead O’Connor to Damien Rice, music has helped put this country on the map. So why is the government so slow to back the music industry?
RTE2 have plenty of live music action to keep us placated for the next few weeks - here's the line up of bands and when to catch them. For more about the Other Voices series, click on the link at the very bottom.
All Write Now, we said. And boy did you follow instructions! The entries poured in from all over Ireland, and further afield, in their thousands. We were snowed under – but, as the song says: That’s the way, uh huh, uh huh, we like it…
