Never again, I’d sworn to myself. “Mark my words,” I’d said following their dire Lansdowne Road show in 2002, “never again am I watching Oasis live.” Five years later, and I’m standing in Marlay Park for my 11th (yes 11th!) Oasis gig.
Perhaps it was Marlay Park fatigue or the hotchpotch line-up but Lovebox was far from full. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – no queue for the booze or the loos!
‘Everything Is Average Nowadays’ and ‘Heat Dies Down’ emerge as decent enough tracks that benefit greatly from Rick Wilson’s much-lauded onstage charisma.
If you listen to the first half of ‘Burning Benches’ whilst remembering that they supported Coldplay in Marlay Park last year, one may form the impression that these Mancunians are a weak version of a drippy act. But it soon builds up into a furious, fast-paced jam, complete with gravelly vocals that Chris Martin couldn’t match with a duty-free allowance-worth of cigarettes.
If Morning Runner are this diverse at their fourth single, where will their fifth take them? Stay tuned to their channel.
Fresh from working with looney/genius producer Phil Spector (currently under arrest for murder), Uk minstrels Starsailor join REM for their Marlay Park date in July
The latest chapter of the Travis v Aslan saga: Travis were never told Aslan were offered the Marlay Park gig in the first place - and they are more than welcome on the bill, if "MCD can accommodate them"
In an interview in the next issue of Hot Press, Mastodon’s Troy Sanders expresses his hope that the band’s Marlay Park gig will provide the opportunity for a stage union with legendary Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham.
Some performers wish you to know they can sing like angels and howl like banshees. In fact, so proud are they of their foundation-shaking vocals, they hesitate to allow anything as trivial as a song get in the way.
The sun slicing through the Dublin evening skyline makes the after-work traffic bearable on the hike out to furthest Rathfarnham. Indeed, the gridlock is so bad that we miss the start of Interpol and have to be content to hear the masterful ‘NYC’ and the driving ‘Obstacle One’ while walking down the leafy path that leads to the venue.
Following the huge commercial success of Set List and ‘Fake’, The Frames look poised to ascend to rock’s premier league with the upcoming worldwide release of the Burn The Maps album. Kim Porcelli joins the band on the day of their triumphant show at Marlay Park to discuss the pros and cons of pop-stardom, the departure of dave odlum, the abiding influence of mic christopher, and the challenge of creating their most eagerly anticipated record yet.
from reagan to bush; from radio free europe to clear channel; from green to reveal; from the sfx to marlay park. REM call time out and Peter Buck fills in the gaps from 1983 to 2003. interview Peter Murphy
It’s hard to think of two artists less alike than MUNDY and LAURA IZIBOR. But they do have one thing in common: they’re Irish outsiders who have overcome challenging circumstances and, with new albums under their belts, are set to sweep all before them in 2009.
The Marlay Park crowd are more engrossed in the FAITHLESS Experience than in Faithless themselves and - despite their gargantuan record sales across Europe - they are small-time celebrities in an individual context...
The Slovak Festival Orchestra will be the highlight of a free day of family fun in Marlay Park this summer, cleverly titled Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Park.
New York, London, Paris, Munich, everybody’s talking about Mylo’s music. The 25-year-old dancefloor maestro here sounds off to Steve Cummins about touring the globe, the challenges of following up his acclaimed debut album, and why maruading chavs won’t be enough to dissuade him from moving to Essex.
Those in Dublin and the vicinity (plus diehard fans who are willing to travel of course) will be thrilled to learn that the big Moz himself has announced an outdoor date for the summer.
After what seemed like an eternity of enduring processed boy/girl band hell, 2003 was the year that pop became exciting again. Finally, we got a long hot summer soundtracked by Beyoncé (song of the year – hands down), 50 Cent’s awesome ‘In Da Club’ and even a band from my own ‘hood whose debut album was the feelgood hit of the season.
Foo Fighters are the first band to be confirmed for the BudRising Summer festival - and Maximo Park are kicking the whole series off with a free, low-key gig!
This just in: Massive Attack are planning a ...well, massive outdoor show in Ireland this April, featuring (we gleefully quote) "mad visual stuff" among other delights. A Hot Press exclusive
The Lovebox festival returns to Dublin with a stellar line-up including Maximo Park, N*E*R*D, Paolo Nutini and Gorillaz Soundsystem. We talk to organisers Groove Armada.
East Glasgow quartet Glasvegas have nothing to do with the TG4 show. They're the anthemic band discovered by Alan McGee in the same venue he found Oasis.
Grunge titans Alice in Chains are back after a 14 year hiatus. They talk about the tragic death of vocalist Layne Staley, working with Elton John and keeping the spirit of the early ‘90s alive.
Citing “irresolvable conflict”, grunge legend Chris Cornell has packed in his day job with Audioslave to pursue a solo career. Here, he explains why he’s decided to go it alone.
An Irish band who don’t entirely fit in at home, Relish can console themslves with a great new album Karma Calling, and an international fanbase that stretches from the U.S. to Japan.
An Irish band who don’t entirely fit in at home, Relish can console themslves with a great new album Karma Calling, and an international fanbase that stretches from the U.S. to Japan.
Fresh from strutting their stuff at Oxegen, Kasabian will be joined by The Rapture and Hot Chip to play a special show in Belfast as part of a new Channel 4 music programme.
Are they Madchester tribute band charlatans, an even more half-baked Kula Shaker, or swaggering rock monsters from Leicester? The jury is still out in the case of The People vs Kasabian.
Crack houses, stripping, underwear parties, hate mail from Pink Floyd fans and Elton John’s dog – are you ready for a tasty slice of camp pop history as told by Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters?
Since the release of their sophomore album Antics late last year, New York goth-rock quartet Interpol have risen to the pantheon of great contemporary bands. In a rare in-depth interview, the group’s erudite frontman Paul Banks here discusses the making of Antics, their upcoming support slot with U2, the band’s peers in the NYC indie scene, The Strokes, Nirvana and David Lynch - and where one of the most acclaimed groups of recent years go to from here. Interview by Paul Nolan.
They’ve been heralded as the biggest thing in Irish rock since U2 – a prediction that proved prescient when The Script romped to the top of the charts with their debut album.
Metallica are back with an album that recaptures their brain-frying '80s pomp. Frontman James Hetfield talks about the dark side of hedonism and his love of Thin Lizzy.
Champagne corks were popped last week as Snow Patrol joined that elite group of bands who’ve simultaneously topped the charts in Ireland and the UK. It’s all a far cry from the days when their fame was confined to the University of Dundee Students Union bar. Gary Lightbody takes time out from wowing the masses in Dublin and Belfast to tell Stuart Clark about their twisty and turny route to the top.
As predicted, Snow Patrol emerged the big winners at the Meteor Music Awards, which took place at The Point in Dublin last night. Click for photos from the night
Fianna Fail TD, guitar player, marathon runner and father of David, TOM KITT on: Charlie, Beverly, Liam, Bertie, Carr Communications, drink, dope, religion, protest singing and the high regard in which he holds his famous son.
Interview: OLAF TYARANSEN. Photography: MELLA TRAVERS
In an exclusive interview, Once stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova talk about the love affair that sneaked up on them, recall their Oscar-winning adventures, give us the inside track on the movie's remarkable success and explain what it's like to hang out with the Coen brothers for an evening.
Never mind pressies and OD’ing on cranberry sauce, the important thing about Christmas is that it signals the return of the HP-10 Summit. Absolutely no blushes are spared as Ireland’s rock ‘n’ roll elite dissects the musical year that was 2006. Keeping order: Stuart “Paxman” Clark. Taking photos: Graham “Paparazzi” Keogh. Taking the piss: Eyebrowy
Never mind pressies and OD’ing on cranberry sauce, the important thing about Christmas is that it signals the return of the HP-10 Summit. Absolutely no blushes are spared as Ireland’s rock ‘n’ roll elite dissects the musical year that was 2006. Keeping order: Stuart “Paxman” Clark. Taking photos: Graham “Paparazzi” Keogh. Taking the piss: Eyebrowy.
Ahead of their return to Ireland, Muse reveal they’re about to go through their U2 phase, talk about magic mushrooms and explain why, when it comes to conspiracy, they’re on Jim Corr's side.
Where did it all go right? Oasis are back. Six years on from Noel Gallagher’s enquiry as to where it went south, the Gallagher brothers have begun to regain some of their phenomenal mid-'90s popularity
Recorded in Italy on September 11th 2001, this live album (and soundtrack to an upcoming DVD) presents more or less the same show in a similar format. But what started out as an end-of-tour celebration for the former Policeman turned into an emotion-filled requiem for the events that had taken place hours before.
As the sun sets over Dublin Castle, Snow Patrol kick off the first outdoor festival of 2006 with intent. But the early, heady pace set by Final Straw favourites 'Wow' and 'Chocolate' is soon interrupted by the new material from Eyes Open.
As if Beck’s brilliance wasn’t enough, Radiohead deliver an absolutely stunning set that puts the efforts of Coldplay, Keane, Muse and the million other pretenders to their throne into utterly unforgiving perspective.
Unfortunately, the material from Morrissey’s most recent solo albums, while still containing the clever lyricism that is his hallmark, is missing one vital element – Johnny Marr – and so is musically generic, undistinguished and at times just downright boring.
It goes without saying that at this stage SNOW PATROL are an incredibly polished live act, with the likes of ‘Spitting Games’ and ‘Chocolate’ electrifying the venue early on.
Hallelujah, brothers! Mercifully, the rain (which has intermittently fallen in bucket-loads throughout the day) has held off, and so the scene is perfectly set for peerless US noiseniks Sonic Youth to come along and do their alternately corrosive and blissfully melodic garage rock thang.
You have to hand it to The Frames. Even Bruce and U2 baulk at starting new campaigns outdoors in front of 17,000 people – although Glen Hansard might claim that this is a farewell to Set List arms rather than the unveiling of Burn The Maps.
...here's the Hot Press Irish Music Awards, and a massive bash avec much live music is pencilled in for Belfast in April. Read on for the categories and nominees in full
Survivors don’t come more grizzled than the New York Dolls’ David Johansen. Here he recalls shooting the breeze with Muddy Waters and explains how Morrissey persuaded the Dolls to get back together over lunch.
In the new Hot Press, Peter Murphy picks his 20 highlights from the last 35 years of home-grown alternative culture (in strictly chronological order!). Take a look and then have your say on the indie moments that rocked in your lifetime...
Following on from their Marlay Park cracker last year with Peter Gabriel, Crowded House have announced their own headlining show in the capital for June.
The all-day extravaganza that's taking place at Marlay Park on 22 August may have Kaiser Chiefs headlining, but the supporting bill alone is worth the ticket price.
After saying they will and then saying they won't, Nine Inch Nails have finally have been re-announced as the Foo Fighters' main support at Marlay Park, Dublin.
The Download Festival mightn’t be coming to Ireland this year, but heavy metals can seek solace in the news that Velvet Revolver have been confirmed as special guests for The Who’s Marlay Park bash on June 29.
Following on from their incendiary performance last year at Oxegen, The Who have confirmed visits to Marlay Park, Dublin (June 29) and Live At The Marquee, Cork (30).
Breaking news or what: after Saturday's spectacular support performance at Marlay Park, Dublin, the Republic Of Loose will do the honours for Snow Patrol again on the Isle Of Man.
Having warmed up the frenetic crowd at Marlay Park for the Chemical Brothers last week, Scottish dance maestro Mylo is planning an Autumn return to these shores.
