City Slickers

Our fair city seems to be the creative muse du jour for the capital’s musicians. Just recently I waxed lyrical about Barry McCormack’s latest opus, Cut Throat Lane. Now The Mighty Stef unleash the Iveagh Flats EP with a November 7 gig at Whelan’s. The tracks are (some of) the fruits of their labours earlier this year with producer Alain Johannes (QOTSA) in LA.

As someone who has heard the EP and seen several of the songs performed live when they supported The Boomtown Rats in Vicar St. (great show lads) I can heartily endorse both purchasing the collection and getting along to one or all of three upcoming gigs!
The November 7 date sees support from Knoxville Morning and the brilliantly named Screaming Demons Of Thrashville. You can also catch them with A Lazarus Soul and Fallen Rule warming up the crowd (November 21) and supported by Late City Edition and Gavin & Thee Icons (December 5) in the same venue……
Following their successful stint at CMJ the wonderful We Cut Corners are gearing up for new single ‘YKK’ on November 29, marked with a show in The Workman’s Club. The song, which is the first taster for their second long-player, will be familiar to fans as a live fave.
Other gig activities over the coming months see them visit Club Fandango, The Buffalo Bar, London (October 29), then hit the road supporting Bell X1 in The Seapoint Ballroom, Galway (December 7) and Mandela Hall, Belfast (14).
The forthcoming album was recorded with Tommy McLoughlin of Villagers fame in his Donegal lair and follows Choice-nominated Today I Realised I Could Go Home Backwards…
Since the release of debut Sunshine/Moonlight in August 2012 electro producer and Vann musician Benny Smiles has created quite the stir. He received rave reviews for his sets at Electric Picnic, Castlepalooza and Hard Working Class Heroes and we even included him in our Hot For 2013 list! He’s released ‘Somehow Yours Do’ featuring Ships’ Sorcha Lou, the lead-track from forthcoming EP Manos Frias due next month. Check it out on iTunes!
Some good news for Alarmist fans next… the Dublin instrumental rockers are back with their second EP, Pal Magnet, recorded in the studio of Solar Bear Rian Trench. 2012’s tour saw them join forces with projection artists Slipdraft and Le Tissier to create quite the stunning live spectacle. Hopefully more dates are on the way. Will keep you posted….
Navan’s Red Queen Contest have just released their self-titled debut album and are currently in the middle of a slew of dates. You can catch them in Number 1 in Mullingar on October 24 and precisely a week later in Murphy’s, Waterford.
The album was recorded and produced by Adrian Garry (Bell X1, Delorentos) at Keely’s Lane Studio in Oldcastle, Meath. It features guest appearances from Cora Venus Lunny, Crash Ensemble’s Kate Ellis and Kevin Kelleher and Liam McCabe of Shouting At Planes.
The Ikonics make a welcome return to Upstairs @ Whelan’s on October 31. Entry is €10 or free to those in fancy dress! The band recently released the excellent ‘I’m Not Defeated’ on which they worked with Mark Needham of Killers fame, and are completing their forthcoming EP with Philip Magee whose credits include Kodaline and The Script. You may get a teaser on the night!