And the Most Original Tour Award 2009 goes to... Beautiful Unit! Vans, vacant shop fronts, hay barns and disused ESB Sub Stations, nowhere is safe from the sonic experimental stylings of Brian Mooney and Jimmy Eadie this October as they hit the road for their New Sounds, Different Spaces trek.
The band explore the possibilities of real time sound manipulation using 8 bit sampling, repetitive grooves and live music accompanied by visuals designed by Hector Castelles.
Earlier this year their debut album European Son was unleashed to rave reviews. The upcoming jaunt is presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award. Check hotpress.com for full details…
Wicklow’s Bray Vista release their Jim Lauderdale/Leo Pearson-produced long-player Let It Ride on October 12. Since beguiling debut EP This Time Around the Leinster troupe have cultivated a healthy following and gained many plaudits. This is their second full-length release following on from 2004’s magical When I Get There, which had Karl Odlum at the production helm…
Remember Carlow’s 79 Cortinaz? Well since the act disbanded Cormac Strain and Darren O’Neill have decided to soldier on with new experiment MacroGrizzly along with Kilkenny vocalist Steve Ryan and Australian guitarist John Higginson.
Their mission is to bring their music to as many as possible via-the wonders of the interweb. The band are launching Raid Radio at raid.radiocrackle.com, which will act as their own virtual venue. The first gig looks set to broadcast on Halloween night but will confirm next issue! Come January 2010, they’ll be releasing a download single every month accompanied by at least one or more online gigs. 
Dublin’s Van Cleef have been busy on the live circuit promoting latest single ‘Prince’. They’ve already packed out venues in Limerick, Mullingar and Waterford. Monaghan fans can catch them in The Brewery on October 10 and Dubliners should get along to the Lower Deck on October 31 for the official single launch Halloween Party. The track is currently available from iTunes or Amazon and contains ‘Lisboomvarna’ as a B-side, a recording of a live favourite, which is a weird and hilarious mix of Christy Moore’s ‘Lisdoonvarna’ and ‘Boom! Shake The Room’ by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince.
Galway’s The Ralphs have debut double A-sided single ‘Waste Of Time’/‘Gunfire’ available from www.downloadmusic.ie/theralphs. The track was recorded at Tuam’s Sun Street Studios during the summer and will get an airing when they play Dublin dates in The Thomas House (October 24) and Upstairs @ Whelan’s (November 2). The band have shared the stage with the likes of The Saw Doctors, Noelie McDonnell, Disconnect4, Funeral Suits, and ex-Revs frontman Rory Gallagher since their formation……..
Experimental Cork four-piece Plinth launched their debut EP Tenzuke Chiste at a roof-raising show in Cyprus Avenue. Their unique sound runs the gamut from thrash metal to country ballads and everything in between.
In 2008 they made it through to the final of the Eircom Unsigned band competition with ‘Eakombookom’, which is one of four tracks that can heard at www.myspace.com/plinthband. Check hotpress.com for accompanying tour dates...
Waterford’s O Emperor launch highly-anticipated debut single ‘PO’ on October 9. According to their PR blurb, they sound like “Grizzly Bear or The Beach Boys locked in a cupboard with Radiohead or The Cure” – intriguing! Following a same-day launch party in The Methodist Church, Ballybricken, Waterford, they head to the Rocktober Festival, INEC, Killarney (10); Art College, Limerick (14/lunchtime); HWCH, Andrew’s Lane, Dublin (16); and The Globe, Dublin (18).