Beats + Pieces

Irish duo Agnelli & Nelson are on a right roll at present. BBC1FM’s Dave Pearce has played their forthcoming Xtravaganza single ‘Holding Onto Nothing’ every week for the past six, Judge Jules has been playing two of their other new tunes – imports credited to Afterburn and Cortez – every week for the past month, and Paul Van Dyk is typical of the many club DJs spinning at least two of their tracks in every set. They have signed tracks to the two new Ministry collections, the new albums from Godskitchen and Gatecrasher, and the new mix CD from Ferry Corsten … The next D1 Recordings single is from Decal’s alter-ego Decoy …
One of two Irish Siobhan’s to leave an all-girl pop trio in the past twenty years – naming the other is a great trivia question – ex-Bananarama gal Siobhan Fahey guests on the awesome new Psychonauts album Songs For Creatures. (Incidentally, Siobhan has also been working with ex-Adam & The Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni) …

Steven releases his solo album, Future Home of Burbank Elks this fortnight. There are echoes of Air, Elliot Smith, Beta Band and Stereolab, and Money Mark contributes keyboards on two tracks … Also worth investigating are three great compilations: Audioworks 5 by Total Science (ace drum ‘n’ bass), Jazz In The House 12 (does what it says on the tin) by Phil Asher on Slip ‘n’ Slide, and Disco House on Mastercuts (the likes of Inner City and Milk & Sugar) …
Exhibitionist features the long awaited mix project (nearly 8 years since the now collectible Live At The Liquid Room, Tokyo) and the first ever DVD release from techno legend Jeff Mills. The DVD’s multi-use design and function separates it from a typical ‘live’ recording. The DVD is appealing to anyone with a sense that the future of electronic music and art is only just beginning. The accompanying CD mix album will also be a must for fans and techno-philes. Jeff will be supporting the Exhibitionist release (in the Spring on React) with a special tour with Laurent Garnier …
Following on from a totally sold out and rocking night in The Sugar Club, Alligator have announced their last live performance of what was a great 2003 for the Dublin band, at Whelan’s on November 28th. Their year had kicked off with a couple of shows in London which proved very fruitful. A spotter from MTV who caught the gig offered to produce a video in the MTV studios for the band, and the video was shot two days later and is currently on rotation on TV3 and MTV digital …
Open since May, the luxurious three-spaced Trinity Rooms in Limerick’s – on the site of Doc’s – is already the most talked about venue in the country, with no small thanks to the likes of Moloko and The Cranberries. The hotspot is the brainchild of Ken O’Connell and Joe Clarke, and the weekly line-up includes Soul Clinic (Mr Ray and Andrew Flynn) on Thursdays, Brian Phelan and Jody spinning R’n’B on Fridays, and The Breakfast Club on Sundays. Forthcoming guests include Grand Central’s Jon Kennedy on November 20 and Donal Dineen on December 4. Spirit’s first club tour is at the club, meanwhile, tomorrow (21st) … Matt Hardwick plays alongside Jonno Brien at the Brandon Hotel in Tralee on December 12th ... Much confusion surrounds the Andrew Weatherall party in December – hotpress can confirm the maverick DJ will be spinning at Electric City on the 4th … With the PoD currently closed for renovations, the HAMsters are moving up to Club Nassau temporarily on Fridays. Nick Corrigan and Toni Pugh spin the platters that matter … DJ Shadow has said that he feels very humbled in Qbert’s presence: “Qbert and the rest of the Invisibl Skratch Picklz showed the world what a true DJ is.” So check out San Fran’s finest, Q-Bert, when he plays Choice Cuts at The Village on December 6th …
Ilogik and Nick Rafferty headline at the Sundissential album launch party at Regal Lodge on November 29th … Cork’s r’n’b God Stevie G returns to Tralee on Saturday (22nd). Stevie will be playing The Greyhound Bar … Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the greatest freestyle rapper in the world ever”, MC Supernatural joins DJ Noize at The Village on November 25th … Umek plays Redbox on November 28th … Greg Dowling and Shane Johnson bring their brand of deep house to Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick on December 4th … Carl Cox plays Shine on November 29th … And finally, don’t forget the almighty Gangstarr play Redbox on Saturday, the same date for the last 110th Street Boogaloo of the year, at Black Box in Galway … THE BEAT GOES ON!