Im really excited to get it out into the world. And honestly, the more I sat with it, the more I understood for myself what it means. It feels like a really special time. A lot of the album was made while I was experiencing the biggest high of my career so far. And theres a lot of joy that comes with that, a lot of validation, but also a lot of change and restlessness. Its like walking into the unknown.

I sat in a very particular place in the industry for a while, and then all of a sudden Im exposed in a new way. Through a lot of it, I felt like my identity and my Blackness were questioned. People were confused about Black girls wanting to be in pop and wanting to experiment. People hearing Love Me Not for the first time and thinking I was white that opened the can of identity and what it means; and more specifically what it means to be Black in music.

I felt a need to reconcile that for myself. I had to really try to understand: what is it that I want to do and what is it that I want to say in my career. So, this album is me facing that and being okay with the restlessness and the unease it involves, while also riding this incredible wave.

Black artists have walked that path for years, trying to break down those barriers that still exist in music and in culture.

This album was a good moment for me to start standing by exactly what I feel, and believing in my vision, regardless of how this song, or that song, is going to be playlisted.

Its so easy to get caught up in the politics of it. Thats especially true when youre an artist who covers a lot of ground.At times that can feel like a curse, but you really have to embrace it as a gift. Once you switch your perspective on that, you feel empowered. Artists like me, Foushe, Steve Lacy, Rachel Chinouriri artists who are really doing their thing its just inspiring. So hopefully there are artists, younger than us, right now seeing that, and its inspiring them to just do what the fuck they want to do.

NEW AND UNEXPECTED

Babygirl feels like the thesis of the album. When we wrote it, I remember thinking it was really important to have a song that describes, or narrates, my day-to-day thoughts and feelings, up here in my head. It feels like Im describing what its like to be a Black girl in music and the world, in R&B and pop and a girl that still moves to the beat of her own drum. A girl who knows her path is a little different than everyone elses.

Theres gold in that. Staying true to that path is really the most fulfilling thing.

There was an open verse on it and I was like, Doechii would be so perfect for this! I think her career has really been a testament to that.

I remember when I saw her, a few months before I even sent her this song, I told her that when she won her Grammy, I cried! Not only because Im so proud of her, but because I remember her saying in her speech that she prayed to God, and God told her that if she stayed on the path that felt real and true to her, she would be rewarded. That just felt so powerful to me.

Collaboration is one of the parts of making music thats most fun. Im someone who likes to pick features pretty thoughtfully. Its about finding artists you feel you could learn from it gives you a good opportunity to jump into each others worlds.

Reputation was one of the first songs I knew I wanted someone to be on and Dom Fike just felt like the perfect fit. That song felt like the Rihanna/Mikky Ekko Stay moment those two worlds collided in a really interesting way, and made something new and unexpected happen.

Thats what I look for, in my features or even in artists I love. Its so satisfying when something happens that wasnt really supposed to happen, but it makes perfect sense.

Blue Island is out now. Ravyn Lenae plays Electric Picnic on August 30.

The song, originally written by Shane MacGowan, comes as the next single from the upcoming MacGowan tribute album, 20^th Century Paddy The Songs of Shane MacGowan, out November 13.

The project, put together by MacGowan's wife Victoria Mary Clarke, brings together a wide range of Irish and international artists to reinterpret songs from MacGowans catalogue and celebrate his legacy. Half of the artist royalties from the album will be donated to the Dublin Simon Community, which aims to provide lifesaving housing and healthcare for those experiencing homelessness.

"It's like people putting flowers on his grave," Clarke said. "It's people paying tribute in a way that they can. Being musicians, the nicest thing they can do is to play his stuff."

Kingfishr, Bob Geldof, David Keenan, Jimmy Artache and Tom Creagh are among the most recent artists confirmed to feature on the record.

Other artists already confirmed include Hozier, Jessie Buckley, The Libertines, Bruce Springsteen and more.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah was The Pogues first single to chart in the US, reaching No. 17 on the Modern Rock Charts.

The Pogues are preparing for their winter Greatest Hits tour across Europe, the UK and Ireland, which includes three Irish dates Dublins 3Arena on December 9, Belfast's Telegraph Building on December 10 and Killarney's Gleneagle Arena on December 12.

Meanwhile, U2s new album is on the way, expected to drop later this year. They released the lead single Street of Dreams last month.

U2 also recently shared a collaboration with Martin Garrix titled Fireflies and continue to top charts, making the list of most-streamed albums of the 80s and the biggest albums of all time on the Official UK Charts.

Hot Press recently announced the publication of Becoming U2, which tells, for the first time, the wider story of the bands debut gig. It is available for pre-order here.

 

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Alternative R&B, dark pop and synthwave might not occupy the same commercial territory as mainstream dance or country in Ireland. Still, they have a devoted life of their own in clubs and independent venues. Tesfaye has spent his career bridging those worlds. Tonight, at a packed Croke Park, the result is less a conventional stadium concert than a full-scale descent into his peculiar, glamorous vision of the apocalypse.

As the first of two Dublin dates on the After Hours Til Dawn tour gets underway, dancers in red robes and eerie, gold,Eyes Wide Shut-style masks line the stage. Then The Weeknd appears, concealed behind an equally sinister black mask, amid bursts of flames and pyro.

The production is enormous and carefully considered. At its centre stands a gold statue of a woman, designed by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama and inspired by his signature "Sexy Robot" series. A burning architectural structure forms another focal point, creating a cathedral-like backdrop for the evening's various chapters. Everything is drenched in darkness, gold and fire; an appropriately theatrical setting for music obsessed with isolation, nightlife, sex and purgatory.

DUBLIN, IRELAND - AUGUST 22: The Weeknd performs at Croke Park on August 22, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images for Live Nation)

There are echoes of almost every era of The Weeknd here. The murky atmosphere ofHouse of Balloons- heavy reverb, slow tempos and bruised vocals - hangs over the production, while the sharper pop instincts ofBeauty Behind the MadnessandStarboyprovide the huge hooks. More recently,After HoursandDawn FMpushed Tesfaye towards an intoxicating world of '80s new wave, disco and synth pop.

'Baptised in Fear', one of the standouts from last year'sHurry Up Tomorrow, is an early highlight. Its transition into 'Open Hearts' is so seamless that the two tracks dissolve into one. On 'Wake Me Up', the combination of heavy synths, R&B and pop becomes almost overwhelming.

He remains elevated on the main stage while his masked dancers take centre stage, circling the golden statue. The effect is distinctly post-apocalyptic - a ruined city populated by beautiful, anonymous figures. If this is what gigs will look like at the end of the world, bring it on.

For all the spectacle, however, there is initially a distance between Tesfaye and the crowd. Attempts at singalongs are met with varying degrees of enthusiasm - until 'Starboy' detonates across the stadium. Suddenly, the stands are alive. The mask comes off, revealing a huge grin beneath it. The transformation is striking: the terrifying figure who emerged from the flames gives way to something much more human.

DUBLIN, IRELAND - AUGUST 22: The Weeknd performs at Croke Park on August 22, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images for Live Nation)

From there, the performance loosens. By 'Can't Feel My Face', he's clearly having fun, moving around the stage, dropping down towards the crowd and throwing in a brief crip-walk. The choreography becomes less rigid, the energy more spontaneous.

Tesfaye has never been particularly interested in traditional lyric complexity. His strength lies elsewhere: in atmosphere, vocal texture and the ability to make desire, loneliness, and hedonism feel cinematic. His soaring falsetto is perfectly suited to songs about romantic devastation; he makes whining and moaning about love feel genuinely transcendent. His best songs are his songs of longing. Starboy? Loverboy, more like.

His sonic palette is similarly indebted to pop history. There are flashes of Daft Punk-style synths and distortion in 'Take My Breath', alongside beats that recall late-prime Michael Jackson in 'I Feel It Coming'.

'Timeless' and 'RATHER LIE' bring another jolt of excitement, with opener Playboi Carti joining Tesfaye on stage to the delight of the crowd. By now, the evening feels less like a concert and more like a giant after-party. There were plenty of actual after-hours events advertised around Dublin tonight, but judging by the exuberance pouring out of Croke Park, there is little reason for anyone to go anywhere just yet.

Then Lana Del Rey's 'Stargirl Interlude' plays, an elegant signal that the night is beginning to draw towards its conclusion.

And inevitably, there is 'Blinding Lights'. Six years after its release, the song remains one of the most effective stadium anthems of the modern pop era.

Its omission from the 2021 Grammy nominations remains one of the more baffling decisions in recent awards history (Tesfaye responded by publicly calling the Grammys "corrupt" and announcing that he would no longer submit his music for consideration). Standing inside Croke Park as thousands of people erupt into the opening notes, it's difficult not to wonder what exactly the Recording Academy thought it was missing.

The Weeknd has built an entire universe out of darkness, desire and excess. Tonight, that universe fills Ireland's biggest stadium - and for a few hours, Croke Park feels less like the home of GAA than the final nightclub on Earth.

DUBLIN, IRELAND - AUGUST 22: The Weeknd performs at Croke Park on August 22, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Nothing in this world is perfect, but everything seems to be perfecth, and that title is funny when youre in a group, but it aint so funny when youre alone," explained frontman Josh Homme of the album's title.

The record was inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi. The creative medium involves repairing broken pottery by filling its cracks with gold so what has been shattered is made more beautiful.

Perfecth was birthed from sessions recorded in cities from New Orleans to Los Angeles.

"Every song sounds like its from a different world," said Homme. "And thats on purpose, because its trying to stitch together all these emotions revolving around love, lust, foolishness and the sort of wisdom that comes as a gift from all that.

Alongside the news comes the release of their latest single, Insignificant Other, which could be considered the albums centerpiece, according to a press release.

Its a song about distance, said Homme. About how someone can be your entire world only to simply vanish. And about the strange vertigo of being on the receiving end of that.

They also shared a new video, directed by Chapman Baehler, which stars a character named Big Chongus as "the embodiment of Perfecth."

Earlier this month, the band launched a complaints hotline, inviting fans to call a phone number to share their grievances. The hotline is still available and, according to the band, each complaint is reviewed personally.

Before that, in July, they released Easy Street (feat. Nikki Lane) which marked the bands first new music since 2023s In Times New Roman, and will make the seventh track on the upcoming album.

Queens of the Stone Age will resume their North American stadium tour with Foo Fighters on September 15. They also recently announced a fall headline run in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore.

Listen to 'Insignificant Other' and watch the new video below.

His tour includes shows at Belfasts Telegraph Building on August 31 and Dublins 3Olympia Theatre on September 1 and 2.

These tickets can only be purchased in-person at the venues box office on show day and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis with a valid student ID, White wrote on his Instagram yesterday. Only one ticket will be available per student ID.

 

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The tour comes in celebration of Frozen Charlotte, Whites seventh solo album, which was released on July 10 and lauded by Hot Press as raggedly mischievous, totally wired and an absolute blast, in a review.

He will kick off his tour at Londons Eventim Apollo tonight, August 25. This will be followed by shows in Bristol and Newcastle, before heading to Belfast and Dublin.

White is known for co-founding The White Stripes, alongside Meg White. The garage rock duo began in 1997 and achieved global fame with their 2001 album, White Blood.

They officially parted ways in 2011 and Jack White began his solo career in 2012 with the release of Love Interruption, his first solo single.

Prior to that, in 2001, he founded independent music label Third Man Records. The label recently announced it is bringing its pop-up experience to the UK and Ireland, stopping in Dublins Dawson Street Tower Records from September 1 to 2.

Listen to Frozen Charlotte below.

The Dublin band's new single, which is currently at No.15 on the 'first look' chart, is expected to join 'It's Amazing To Be Young' as their second track to break into the Top 40. The UK's Official Singles Chart will be fully announced on Friday afternoon.

'Marianne' has also soared straight to No.2 on the UK's Official Trending Chart which is based on the first four sales days of each chart week, and ranks those songs showing week-on-week growth on the Official Top 100 Singles Chart.

Fontaines D.C. released 'Marianne' last week, as they announced their fifth album Dopamine Chamber (set to be released October 16, via XL Recordings).

I think Romance was maybe 60 per cent human and 40 per cent corrupted by automation, and a loss of feeling, frontman Grian Chatten says of the upcoming album. This one feels more like 60 per cent corrupted the mask is wearing the face a little more.

"I felt it would be more powerful to leave the hope out and reflect the ugliness honestly. This one needed to feel more like a catastrophic warning.

Watch the video for 'Marianne' below:

Fontaines D.C. play Electric Picnic's Main Stage at 10.30pm on Sunday, August 30.

"Our performance is on Friday, but we get to stay for the weekend. Weve never actually got to experience a festival were playing in we played Beyond The Pale this year, but we only got to stay one night. It will be nice to experience Irelands biggest festival in full as a performer and as a festival-goer.

"Some of our friends are playing that were really excited to see, Bleech 9:3 and Madra Salach. Its great to see them doing so well.

"Well be doing a mix of our first EP and a couple of singles from our next project, which will be out early next year, so theres lots to expect from our performance.

"In terms of the wider festival, No Music On A Dead Planet is a project we really back. Sustainability is really important to us; a lot of festivals are held on preserved grounds, farms, or wildlife areas. We have to look after these areas so we can keep having these festivals.

"The orange bins are definitely a way to help. Just throwing in a can, even if its only one per person there will be thousands at Electric Picnic, and that will add up. It will make Stradbally a nicer environment to be in, for the acts, the festival-goers, everyone. We all have to do our part."

Crothe play Electric Picnic's ArtLot stage at 8pm on Friday, August 28.

In terms of food, Nomad, a new addition to the festival this year, will allow attendees to book lunch reservations to two restaurants Ibile, a West African eatery, and Biang Biang, serving Chinese cuisine inspired by the Changan province. The area was created with the intention of exploring global cuisine as the irish pallets starts migrating away from spice bags, according to Richard Irwin, who runs food and drinks at EP.

Other options at Nomad include Yogovan, a yogurt bowl and aa vendor new to the festival this year.

Following the final sitting at 4 pm, Ibile and Biang Biang will turn into walk-up food and drink vendors, with other options including Bah33, a Dublin-based Brazilian steakhouse and grill, Gyro Kings, a Greek-inspired spot and Wing It, a popular chicken chain.

Electric Picnic will also hold an extra night of comedy this year as the tent opens from 6pm on Friday evening. Among the performers are Steve Spade, a Las Vegas magician and showman, Cork-based comedian Sinad Quinlan and Taran OSullivan, a comedian and radio presenter from Meath.

This year also sees Re-turn named as Electric Picnic's official sustainability partners. By choosing to put their can or bottle in one of 400 Orange Bins across the site, attendees are not only helping keep EP clean, but keeping valuable materials stay in the circular economy too, while supporting good causes across Ireland.

"I think it's extraordinary that we've got 200 volunteers dedicated to returning used bottles and cans," festival director Melvin Benn told reporters. "I think it just shows the incredible commitment Ireland's got to sustainability that fits perfectly well with Electric Picnic.

"Returning and reusing is essential to the future. You've seen the heat across Europe this year, and everybody's putting it down carbon footprint. And rightly So changing culture is essential. Re-turn being here, making such a strong commitment at the Electric Picnic, is essential. Not just here at the Picnic, but in society and life generally."

For new spaces to enjoy, the festival has added a Barefoot Garden to Cro, an area that invites attendees to take off their shoes and stand on the earth.

"One of the things that we try and do is make sure people have one hell of a time," festival director Melvin Benn told reporters. "People can go a little over the top, and reconnecting with the earth is a way to rebalance yourself. [Taking your shoes and socks off] actually does make a difference to the calmness of your life. It's something I love doing myself, and I just thought: 'Wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to do it in the Picnic?'"

Two other new areas will also make their debuts, including Survivors Bar and Stage and GlowDepot, a city in the woods inspired by the upcycled shopping trolly fitted with flashing LEDs that roamed Electric Picnic fifteen years ago.

Whats really exciting about it is for the first time Irish hip hop and underground is going to have a dedicated space at irelands largest music festival, said GlowDepot curator John Kennedy. Some acts who I think are the top poets of the younger generation. These are our Seamus Heaneys and our John Montagues.

For the first time, Guinness will be offered at the festival this year at The Lovely Local. Pouring the first pint is pop star Morgana, who is also set to play an intimate gig there.

Finally, the Main Stage Presented by 3 will make the epicentre of the festival. It awaits acts from Lewis Capaldi, Gorillaz, Fontaines D.C., Sombr, Zara Larsson, CMAT, Amble and more.

Check out Hot Press' special Electric Picnic issue below.

Freshly graduated from BIMM Dublin, the young band found themselves competing for the crowds attention against a large, inflatable crocodile which people, in typically madcap EP-style, were taking turns to sled down the hill on. Fontaines, unsurprisingly, won that battle.

Fontaines DC at Electric Picnic 2018. Copyright Nick O Donnell

Already considered one of the Irish scenes most buzzed-about new bands, their raw talent was undeniable, as they tore into tracks like Boys In The Better Land, Chequeless Reckless and Liberty Belle all of which would feature on their acclaimed debut album, Dogrel, released less than eight months later.

By the time they next played the festival, in 2022, they had more than made good on that early promise, with three albums now under their belt: the Mercury Prize-shortlisted Dogrel; the Grammy-nominated A Heros Death; and Skinty Fia, which had debuted at No.1 in both the UK and Ireland just a few months earlier.

As they demonstrated in no uncertain terms at that Electric Arena set, Skinty Fia opened up a bold new sonic world for the group, moving away from the plucky post-punk emphasis of their earlier work. While digging into their Irishness with more passion and fearlessness than ever, the third album officially marked their arrival onto the world stage with the five-piece securing the BRIT Award for International Group the following year.

Fontaines D.C. at Electric Picnic 2022. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Thankfully, that growing platform and fame didnt lead to safe, stick-to-the-script music and laurel-resting. Following the release of frontman Grian Chattens lauded solo LP, 2023's Chaos For The Fly, the band returned a year later with their most captivating, adventurous release yet: Romance.

Zooming out from their ruminations on Irish identity, Romance which they recorded with producer James Ford found the band exploring a dystopian, futuristic universe, inspired by the likes of Akira and Blade Runner. But the sense of doom at the centre of Romances fictional world was also informed by very real concerns.

Climate anxiety, Gaza, and everything in the Congo its difficult to think about it, and then revert back to having a conversation about music, or watching The Bear, Grian told Hot Press around the time of the release. The record is about that tension between escapism, and the harsh overwhelming reality.

While touring the album, Fontaines continued to use their platform to stand up for what matters voicing their support for Palestine on major festival stages like Roskilde and Primavera, as well as at their biggest headline show to date, at a sold-out Finsbury Park in July 25. They also raised over 200,000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians through their Romance-inspired jersey collaboration with Bohemian FC which Greta Thunberg famously sported while sailing towards Gaza on a Freedom Flotilla Coalition mission last year.

That Romance era came to a close, however, at the end of last summer, and up until this month, it had been a year since Fontaines played a live show which explains the increasing popularity of bizarrely-named tribute acts like Fontaines C.D. in meantime.

But thats not to say the real band have spent the past 12 months completely out of the spotlight. Earlier this year, they teamed up with James Ford once again for the star-studded HELP(2) album, with the band covering Sinad OConnors Black Boys On Mopeds, and Grian also appearing on the track Flags with Damon Albarn and Kae Tempest.

Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten and Kae Tempest. Credit: Lawrence Watson

HELP(2) just so happened to share the same March 6 release date as the official soundtrack to Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man which also featured contributions from the Fontaines gang, including the lead single Puppet, written and recorded by Grian, alongside composers Antony Genn and Martin Slattery. The star of the film, self-described Fontaines D.C. groupie Cillian Murphy, helped initiate the collaboration noting that the lyrics, the darkness, the menace thats in their music just felt perfect for the world of Peaky Blinders

Members of the band have also been kept busy with other behind-the-scenes projects from drummer Tom Coll launching a new Irish label and online store, Inis Records, to guitarist Carlos OConnell producing Dead Dads Clubs self-titled debut album.

During an NME interview around the Dead Dads Club release, Carlos offered some insight into Fontaines plans for their end-of-summer shows claiming he wasnt sure if the band would be completely abandoning the world of Romance just yet.

Romance was so intense in every [way], he remarked. The visual, the production, the setlist... It wasnt just about the music. Romance was about a million more things, I think, and its a bit strange to move on from it completely, just because its an album.

I guess thats the decision to make. Does that become the identity of the band, or actually, its just a phase and you reinvent it? I dont know. I dont know if I want to dye my hair pink again...

Now, with just weeks to go until they make their Electric Picnic return, Fontaines have offered up their first official insight into their next chapter, with 'Marianne' released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber,due out October 16.

"I think Romance was maybe 60 per cent human and 40 per cent corrupted by automation, and a loss of feeling, Grian says of the new LP. "This one feels more like 60 per cent corrupted the mask is wearing the face a little more.

"I felt it would be more powerful to leave the hope out and reflect the ugliness honestly. This one needed to feel more like a catastrophic warning.

As fans prepare to enter into that new sonic world, there's no doubt that Fontaines' first ever headline performance at Electric Picnic is set to be both momentous and emotional as not only their first Irish performance in a year, but also their first show back home since the tragic death of Trevor Dietz, their long-time manager, in June. In a tribute shared online, they described Trevor a beloved figure on the Irish music scene as the sixth member of the band, who was there from the beginning of their journey.

Of course, as Trevor told us at the Hot Press MIX Course wrap night back in 2019, he would never have got involved with the band all those years ago if they hadnt had huge expectations and huge dreams.

Trevor Dietz at Ireland Music Week 2019 in Lost Lane. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Its safe to say that, however huge those early dreams were, Fontaines have made them come true tenfold by now for both themselves, and the people whove supported and believed in them from the get-go.

Whatever happens next, you can bet the Dublin-formed five-piece will still be defying expectations for decades to come one brilliantly conceived, boundary-pushing album at a time.

Fontaines D.C. play Electric Picnic's Main Stage at 10.30pm on Sunday, August 30.

I was on a ship cruise called Rock The Boat, which operates out of Sydney, explains Dunstan, speaking from his home in Australia. The promoter is a friend of mine, and he said I needed to come down and see this Fleetwood Mac tribute. As soon as he said it, I went, Oh god no, not another one! But he talked me into it and said these guys are exceptional. So I went down and I was actually blown away by the vocals of Amanda Canzurlo, who goes by the name Bloom here. For many years, Id discussed this idea with Christine McVie and Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac coming back with an orchestra.

They both loved the idea, but of course with the passing of Christine, those plans all sadly ended. But I had a chat with Amanda and the group, and I said, Youve got a great product, but with an orchestra, itd be incredible. They really loved the concept. They went away and did some demos with the Perth Philharmonic Orchestra, and when I listened to them, I just couldnt believe how good they were.

So good in fact, that I sent it to Mick Fleetwood. Within an hour, he called me back and said, Dennis, are you sitting down? Mate, this is so good, its giving me goosebumps. Youve got my full authority to go ahead with this and give it everything. We recently had the first show of our world tour, a sold out date at Sydney Opera House, which was mind-blowingly good.

INTER-BAND TENSIONS

Fleetwood Mac achieved superstardom with the 1977 classicRumours, which shifted 40 million copies worldwide and ultimately became one of the biggest selling albums of all time. Famously, the recording was dogged by inter-band tensions, with Christine and John McVie divorcing after eight years of marriage, and Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks going through an on-off relationship that led to regular fights. Dunstan, whose relationship with the band grew after working as their road manager in Australia, reckons the conflict stirred their creativity.

There is no question thats what happened, he reflects. With Stevie and Lindsey, there was a lot about the conflict with Christine, it was about healing and moving on. It was, Dont stop thinking about tomorrow. Or a track like Warm Ways all of these beautiful songs. I think they all realised the band was bigger than all of them. When I talk with them, they go, Can you believe that songs about break-ups and heartbreak would go on to become iconic classics? Thats exactly how they talk they go, Weve got to pinch ourselves that these songs have become immortal.

Theyre evergreen songs and every generation seems to develop a new love of this material. You have parents handing it down to their kids, then the kids grow and do the same in turn. Mick and I often talk about it and go, We cant believe it the band seems to be bigger now than ever. Its amazing.

Dunstan still marvels at Fleetwood Macs creativity.

When you got them in the studio, Christine was a master at harmonies, he says. So was Stevie. Theyd sit there and work, and then Lindsey would step in the booth, and this three-part harmonising would start. Id sit there and get blown back in my seat; this magical resonance just happened. Ken Caillat, the engineer, and I would look at each other and go, We cant believe how good this is. They just had this magic. Then youd get Mick on the drums, and John on bass, putting this incredible backbone behind the whole thing.

The rhythm section was the heart and soul of that band as well. So when it was their turn in the studio, the band would sit back in awe. Mick would do his unique fills, which have stood the test of time. Hes not a technical drummer, or a John Bonham of the world, but hes an amazingly crafty, super-talented player he brought a lot of magic to the Fleetwood Mac entity.

The Mac had another titanic seller on their hands with 1987sTango In The Night,which contained mega-hits like Big Love, Lies and Everywhere.

Dennis with Stevie Nicks

PRETTY MAGIC

It was pretty magic, Dunstan says of the recording. I was actually living at Christines house when she was writing a lot of her big hits on that record. She knew I was a drummer, and asked me into the music room. She said, D, Ive got an idea. She starts going, Tell me lies... Shed stick on a cassette and have me tap along, with her singing. It was sort of half the tempo. She brought it into Lindsey and he went, I can really hear this. By then, most of the bickering had disappeared. When he put his magic touch on things, Lindsey Buckingham was a genius.

He sped it up a little bit and then they threw in the harmonies. The band were getting on pretty well duringTango In The Nightand there were some good times in the studio, actually.

Nonetheless, following the albums conclusion, as the band gathered to plot the tour, a major row erupted between Buckingham and Nicks which even continued into the street outside.

I was at the meeting, it was at Christines house, Dunstan recalls. I was the one who actually came in and broke it up! It was around six months after the album was made, and we were setting up a tour. It had been organised and everyone had put time aside. Then Lindsey came out and said, I need more time to finish my solo album. Im not kidding, John McVie got up and walked out he couldnt believe what he was saying.

Thats when Stevie just lashed out at him. They got up and stormed out into the carpark of Christines house. Next I looked out the window and thought, I better get out there. It was really getting heated. The next minute, theyve got their hands around each others throats, and I just came out and pushed them apart. I said, Lindsey, back off here man, this is getting out of control. Basically, that was when Lindsey departed. He was gone for some time.

It led to a period where the group had to reconfigure their approach.

Over the next year, myself and Mick went about getting Rick Vito and Billy Burnette into the band to replace Lindsey, Dennis continues. It was an emotional time for me as well, because I loved Lindsey, he was a personal friend of mine. He could be volatile. Throughout his whole career, he would show his emotion, or wouldnt be a team player at times. Wanting too much control was probably one of his creative missteps.

He would get so intense, or so involved in his solo projects, he even found it hard to finish them. The record companies would go, Lindsey, youve got to finish this. He would just take forever to conclude these projects. I think thats why Fleetwood Mac was very good with Lindsey when he was in the band, because they would say, No, thats it, that song is finished. Whereas he would just go on and on, and always want to tweak things. He was a perfectionist, a genius, but at times he was his own worst enemy.

As Fleetwood Mac achieved greater and greater levels of success, it naturally afforded Dennis the opportunity to meet various A-listers.

Before I worked for Fleetwood Mac, I worked on the Paul McCartney Wings tour in Australia, he says. I got to know Paul and Linda, and I took Fleetwood Mac to his show at the LA Forum. We went backstage, and he came up and hugged me before he even said hello to the band!

Was there anyone Dunstan was epecially knocked out by?

AMAZING MEMORIES

Probably Tina Turner, he replies. She was a huge Fleetwood Mac fan. Elton John was amazing. And Mick Jagger borrowed my stereo one night to try and woo Stevie Nicks, when we were on the road. I had a Nakamichi cassette deck the band had bought me, cos none of the rooms had any of that in the 80s. We were in Europe and Mick came by. He said, Stevie said youve got the best stereo. And he grabbed it. In the morning, I went to find him in Stevies room and hed already upped and gone, and taken my stereo!

About a week later, we get to Munich and I roll up to the hotel, still sort of pissed off. There was this huge bunch of flowers waiting at the reception desk, and the manager said, Dennis, theres flowers here from Mr. Mick Jagger. Then from behind the desk, they pull out my stereo, and theres this beautiful note from Mick Jagger, saying, Dennis, cant thank you enough sounded so good, I had to take it on the road!

Ive got pictures here of myself with Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, and some of the blues greats who Mick knew very well. Ive got amazing memories of the people I met it was brilliant.

Seventh Wonder Performs The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac play the Ambassador Theatre, Dublin on August 29.

Since the late 60s, Irish-born publicist, party-starter, mischief-maker, collaborator and co-conspirator BP Fallon has dedicated his life to rock n roll. Whether you remember him as the man who coined the term T-Rextasy, or the bloke who provided the sonic thrills during U2s Zoo TV tour, the guru is indelibly inked into the evergreen genres ongoing history and over the decades the self-declared 109-year-old has performed many roles in music save one that of frontman in his own right.

2013 sees all that change though with the release of his debut full-length album Still Legal. Naturally enough, when we catch up with the Austin, Texas-based vibe merchant, our first question is: why now?

We had the band, we had the songs, we had the urge! he replies. Right from the beginning of all this, singing I Believe In Elvis Presley live in the studio with Jack White in Nashville, it was one of the biggest highs Ive ever had and at the same time it felt completely normal. Ive been on stage all my life one way or another and I like it. Its just a million times better now, with this killer band behind me who graciously allow me to be the singer and leap about and make a great album with them.

Buoyed by the results of his Jack White-recorded first single Fame #9', the rock n roll soothe-sayer set about assembling that aforementioned all-star band (aptly dubbed The Bandits) to score his musical adventures in earnest. With former New York Dolls member Aaron Lee Tasjan and Blondies Clem Burke and Nigel Harrison forming the spine, David Holmes, Ian McLagan from the Small Faces and a host of others all appear on the album too. Did BP feel like he couldnt fail with such a sterling line-up behind him?

Theyre among the best rock n roll musicians in the world, no question. Clems not only in Blondie and The Bandits hes also the only man ever whos been a member of The Ramones and recorded with both Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan. But it doesnt matter how good the players are if the songs arent up to the reputation of the musicians and forgive me, but our songs are really good and also very catchy.

I write the lyrics and we all collaborate on the tunes, he continues. So were literally drawing on the same fountain as, say, Nigel Harrison [Bandits bassist] was when he was in Blondie and wrote One Way Or Another with Debbie Harry.

Centred around love, lust, mutual infidelity, drugs, models and everyone from Jesus and Edie Sedgwick to Dylan and Columbus (Normal New York stuff, says Fallon), Still Legal was partly funded by the Pledge scheme. Does BP feel the fan-based programme is the future of the music business?

Crowd funding is one of the futures. For The Bandits, this way we own and control everything. And if the man with the golden cigar makes us an offer we cant diffuse, we can talk.

Were doing it our own way, were not part of any music business establishment, this is all off our own bat. We take this very seriously and we have a laugh, he adds.

Featuring a live line-up that includes Stooges member Scott Asheton and Primal Screams Barrie Cadogan (because clearly you can never have enough current and future rock n roll Hall of Famers in your ranks) BP reveals that while we shouldnt expect a full blown traditional tour in support of Still Legal you never know where they might turn up next.

A series of one-off shows is more our vibe, he concludes. For the last gigs we had the four of us [Aaron, Nigel, Clem and I] plus Scott Asheton on additional drums and Barrie Cadogan on added guitar. Can you imagine two amazing drummers pounding away behind you? Clem Burke and Scott Asheton...good Lord! Such a groove. We wouldnt say no to doing some Bandits shows with The Strypes who we love, though...

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Fontaines D.C., Niall Horan and KNEECAP who've all played acclaimed sets at the Budapest festival over the years the pair made their Sziget debuts on the opening night of the festival, drawing in crowds that reflected the festivals famously rich mix of nationalities and backgrounds, and highlighted both artists appeal far beyond their loyal fanbases at home.

First up was Curtisy, in the hip-hop-centred dropYard area. Taking the stage after First Nations rapper Miss Kaninna fresh from her sets in Ireland earlier in the month the Tallaght-raised artist demonstrated his skills not only as a playful yet profound lyricist, but as a performer who can exude both confidence and vulnerability.

His status as one of the most intriguingly original forces in alternative Irish hip-hop was undeniable, particularly across standouts like Sonny, from this years collaborative Get a Life! project with owin. Backed by DJ Cian Bolger, Curtisy revelled in relaying distinctly local tales to the international crowd who showed lots of love for his native Jobstown throughout.

 

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The lights and lasers of the Yettel Colosseum signalled the beginning of Jazzys set later that night. Located inside a massive amphitheatre made entirely of pallets, in the heart of the festivals buzzing Delta District, the scale of venue highlighted just how high the Crumlin dance sensations profile has grown over these past few years with Jazzy garnering over one billion catalogue streams in just three years, and becoming Spotifys most-played female DJ/vocalist globally.

With a set full of the euphoric energy shes built her career on, Jazzys command over the joyous sea of bopping bodies was effortless having honed her chops, and developed her confidence, in venues right across the world at this stage. She also offered a taste of what to expect from her eagerly awaited debut album, Peace & Patience, out in October.

 

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But Jazzy and Curtisy werent the only Irish talent on display at Sziget 2026. Over on the Main Stage, Naomi MacLeod a well-known figure on the Irish music scene, formerly of Bitch Falcon and Square Pegs played a blinder on bass with Biffy Clyro, while unique covers of The Cranberries Zombie were performed by both Natasha Bedingfield at the Revolut Stage, and Palestinian pop artist Bashar Murad at Magic Mirror.

All of which served to showcase the border-transcending capabilities of Irish music, right across the board from bold, genre-bending approaches to hip-hop, to dancefloor-conquering club hits.

Funded by the News Reporting Scheme.

In a statement released on Monday, the broadcaster said the decision was due to a lack of clarity from the Eurovision Broadcasting Union (EBU) over assessing which countries could compete.

It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character, AVROTROS Director-General Taco Zimmerman said. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division.

AVROTROS also boycotted this years contest in Vienna, previously citing the humanitarian situation in Gaza and concerns over press freedom.

The severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the ongoing restrictions on press freedom have contributed to increasing divisions surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years, Zimmerman added.

Earlier this month, the EBU updated its rules to state that if a country involved in an armed conflict wins the competition, they will be ineligible to host it the following year. AVROTROS said the changes do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored.

Martin Green, director of the contest, said the organisation regrets the decision, but respected the choice. He also said they would investigate whether another Dutch broadcaster might be willing to participate.

We very much hope that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can continue to be represented in the Eurovision Song Contest, said Green.

The Netherlands was one of five countries, alongside Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Iceland, which did not participate in Eurovision 2026 due to Israel being allowed to take part.

In May, RT Director General Kevin Bakhurst said there was "no reason at the moment" to change that position, but said it would be reviewed in the coming months.

RT has not yet confirmed whether Ireland will participate in Eurovision 2027.

The contest will take place in Burgas, Bulgaria in May, with the Grand Final on May 15.

The tour will celebrate the release of his upcoming album, Wild Love, out November 6.

On August 19, he previewed the record by releasing the lead single, It Was Gonna Be You.

Passenger began in 2003, when Mike Rosenberg co-founded the original indie-folk band. In 2009, he transitioned to a solo career under the same name after the group broke up. He performed as a solo street busker up until dropping Let Her Go, his breakthrough single, in 2012.

Let Her Go, which is part of his album All the Little Lights, has since amassed billions of streams and views.

He has released 12 albums total, most recently One for the Road (Songs from the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry the Musical) in 2025.

The last time Passenger performed in Ireland was at Dublins Iveagh Gardens and Galways Festival Big Top in July 2024, as part of his most recent international run.

He will kick off the Wild Love tour next year on March 9 in Oslo, moving through Europe and the UK, before ending in Australia in October.

Tickets for his Dublin show go on sale Friday at 10 am here.

Listen to 'It Was Gonna Be You' below.

Babyshambles' history sounds like something written by Irvine Welsh.

It's 2003. Pete Doherty has been banned from playing with The Libertines until he can get his substance abuse under control. So, naturally, he starts another band.

More than two decades later, a more grown-up Babyshambles are standing on stage at Vicar Street, spurred on to tour after the passing of guitarist Pat Walden, who died aged 46 last year.

Read the full live report here.

It's 2003. Pete Doherty has been banned from playing with The Libertines until he can get his substance abuse under control. So, naturally, he starts another band.

More than two decades later, a more grown-up Babyshambles are standing on stage at Vicar Street, spurred on to tour after the passing of guitarist Pat Walden, who died aged 46 last year.

Doherty is there before most of the crowd are. "Fan-zine anyone? They're only a tenner?" he asks, and almost every hand goes up. It's a small moment which sets the tone for the evening: this is not going to be an especially polished affair, but it is going to be fun.

The Dandy Hooligan tour's Dublin date begins with Cork's Pebbledash, whose dreamy guitars and shoegaze textures are threaded with traditional Irish melodies. Junior Brother follows, with finger-picked guitar and tin whistle providing a folk-inflected change of pace.

The fluorescent lights fade, signalling that Babyshambles are here - and this time Doherty isn't alone.

'Killamangiro' - or 'Kill a man for his giro' - starts off like an uplifting indie anthem, but beneath the jangling guitars are conversational confessions about street violence, poverty and desperation. Its emotional centre turns towards Doherty's friendship with Libertines co-frontman Carl Bart, touching on rejection, public scrutiny and what was once the complicated wreckage of their now reconciled relationship. The riffs hit hard, and the beat is wacky, unpredictable and gloriously loose around the edges.

Babyshambles at Vicar Street / copyright Patrik

'I Wish' brings elements of British ska and reggae, with brass adding a beautiful lift to lyrics steeped in loneliness and a desire for change. "Even without the drugs, the world is still a dark and angry place," Doherty reflects, while recalling the band's last performance in Dublin. The suit jacket comes off and he looks happy to be back.

Even after twenty-odd years, the energy and angst haven't gone anywhere. Doherty folds himself over the microphone stand and belts out 'Sedative', looking less like a rock star trying to recreate his youth than someone who never quite left it behind.

Then comes the long, loud introduction to 'Beg, Steal and Borrow'. The harmonies take over, and there is a remarkable sense of suspension throughout the set. The guitars are constantly building towards something. Songs stretch, tighten and explode. Even when the volume drops, there's a feeling that another enormous instrumental section is just around the corner.

'La Belle et la Bte' is one of the night's most thrilling moments. The song recounts a surreal, drug-addled conversation in Soho, with the returning brass adding a gorgeous flourish. Its central tension remains fascinating: the hedonistic lifestyle that seems glamorous from the outside can easily become the beast itself.

By now the amps are approaching deafening levels. Still, Babyshambles understand the value of contrast. Slower passages give way to huge instrumental releases, while garage-rock numbers such as 'Unstookie Titled' provide an opportunity for the entire room to simply lose itself in the noise. The song's rage at tabloid media and the draining machinery of celebrity culture feels no less relevant two decades later.

Babyshambles at Vicar Street / copyright Patrik Meier/hotpress.com

A Littl'ans song follows, with 'Our Way' making an appearance. Then comes the announcement nobody wants to hear: the curfew.

The band are already a little behind schedule. "There's no time for banter," we're told, so they launch into '8 Dead Boys'. It's one of the punkest performances of the night: a fast rhythm, splintering guitar lines and a chaotic vocal mix.

Lead guitarist Mick Whitnall plays the opening notes of 'Baddie's Boogie,' barely audible above the roar that erupts from the room. The song turns into a cynical reflection on long-term relationships, remembering the optimism of falling in love only to arrive at a much less glamorous destination.

The clock is running down. The band is visibly dismayed to discover they have only 20 minutes remaining, but rather than letting that deflate the show, it gives the final stretch an extra urgency.

'Side of the Road' arrives with that urgency intact, combining classic British pop-rock influences - The Kinks are never far away - with the speed and aggression of punk.

And then, it's over. There's something oddly fitting about a Babyshambles show being slightly late, slightly chaotic and constantly in danger of running beyond its allocated time. The band have spent the night singing about the past: the trouble, the drugs, the women, the mistakes, the regret. But there is no sense they're merely looking backwards.

They're still here. Still loud. Still capable of turning a room inside out.

The World Cafes Sense of Place series will dedicate two weeks to Dublin, from August 24 to September 4.

You dont need me to tell you that Dublin has a long, rich history of great storytellers and songwriters, said World Cafe host Raina Douris. But what moved me most when we recorded these sessions is just how much history is still alive in the newer generation of artists coming up in the city.

From indie rock to hip-hop to punk-influenced to traditional each artist in this series draws inspiration from Dublins past while telling vibrant stories of Irelands present and future.

The radio series is also set to feature The Chieftains, Florence Road, Hozier, KhakiKid, Loah, Pillow Queens, SPRINTS, U2, the late Sinad O'Connor and more.

World Cafe Sense of Place: Dublin arrives as the programme looks toward their 35^th anniversary this autumn.

The year World Cafe turned 20, we launched our Sense of Place series with a trip to Ireland, said senior producer Kimberly Junod. Now, 15 years later, as we head into our 35^th anniversary, we are so excited to return to a music scene that continues to be a global highlight.

Earlier this year, World Cafe earned a New York Festivals 2026 Radio Award for Theres a Missing Piece to Montreals Jazz History, a feature that aired as part of its Sense of Place: Montreal series.

Past installments of the series have profiled US cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Fort Collins and Provo, as well as Rome, Montreal and Tokyo internationally.

They will perform at Belfasts The Limelight 1 on February 21 and Dublins National Stadium on February 22.

The news follows the release of Wired, their first album in eight years, in May.

Basement, formed in 2009, consists of vocalist Andrew Fisher, drummer James Fisher, guitarists Alex Henery and Ronan Crix and bassist Duncan Stewart.

They released their debut album I Wish You Could Stay Here, in 2011. Before their follow-up album, Colourmeinkindness, could hit shelves, the group decided to disband so Andrew Fisher could get his teaching degree.

In 2014, they reformed and released two more records, Promise Everything in 2016 and Beside Myself in 2018.

The band released Wiredafter some deep conversations that reaffirmed their creative alliance, according to a press release.

Wired, according to the band, speaks to Basements unshakeable tenacity. Five friends whove persisted through several breakups and breakthroughs but have only grown as people and evolved as a musical unit.

In January, they supported Turnstile during their tour dates in Australia and New Zealand. This summer, theyve appeared at festivals such as Outbreak Fest in London and Rock im Park in Germany. They are also set to perform at Canela Party in Spain this month.

In October, Basement will kick off the North American leg of their Wired tour with dates across the US.

Tickets for their Belfast and Dublin shows go on sale Friday at 10 am here.

Moby returns to Dublin for the second day of the IMMA summer concerts. The US-musicians comeback was supported by Faithless.

Electric Picnic 2026 runs from Friday, August 28, to Sunday, August 30.

Stay tuned to hotpress.com for more festival news, announcements and reports.

FRIDAY

18.00 - 19.00: Jade
19.30 - 20.30: Zara Larsson
21.00 - 22.00: Sombr
22.45 - 00.00: Lewis Capaldi

Lewis Capaldi Photo credit: Gary Ibbotson

SATURDAY

14.00 - 15.00: City Stages feat. Tinie Tempah
17.30 - 18.30: Role Model
19.15 - 20.15: The Mary Wallopers
21.00 - 22.15: CMAT
23.05 - 00.35: Gorillaz

CMAT. Copyright Peter O'Hanlon/www.hotpress.com

SUNDAY

13.00 - 14.00: RT Cili Mr
14.45 - 15.30: James Marriott
16.00 - 17.00: Van Morrison
17.30 - 18.30: The Saw Doctors
19.00 - 20.00: Djo
20.30 - 21.45: Amble
22.30 - 00.00: Fontaines D.C.

Fontaines D.C. Copyright Trevor McGrath/ hotpress.com

 

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"I played EP in 2022, it was the year Tame Impala was headlining. Its still my favourite Electric Picnic performance. Im a massive fan, and hes inspired a lot of my music, so to be playing the festival with Tame Impala was a huge thing for me.

"My set is an hour this year, so Ive a lot of time to go through new and old songs. Im going to be playing a lot of new stuff Ive been writing and playing songs for a long time now. I want to give people something new, but I also want to throw back to some earlier songs that I havent really performed live that much.

"The thing about playing festivals is you dont know whos going to be there. With gigs, you know the size of the room. But I love walking out at a festival you dont know what the stage or crowd is going to look like until youre out there. Its very exciting seeing all sorts of people wander in and enjoy themselves.

 

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"Im a big Gorillaz fan so its great to be playing with another big inspiration of mine this year. Theres such a crazy line-up there are so many amazing Irish artists Im looking forward to seeing live for the first time.

"Electric Picnic being sustainable is very important to me. I have a thing against disposable vapes I know that Electric Picnic does as well. I need to be going to a festival where they take sustainability seriously, with vapes specifically, as much as I do.

"The introduction of the orange bins is an amazing idea. Irish people love to drink. The more drink, the more bottles and cans, which means more money for childrens charities. The more sustainable and clean we are, the tidier the festival will be it helps everyone. Its an amazing thing to do."

Lemonade Shoelace plays the ArtLot stage at Electric Picnic 2026 (August 28-30).

Amble Conquers Limerick with Triumphant Three-Night Sold-Out Dolans Docklands Residency! Taking the stage in Limerick for three sold-out nights at Live at the Docklands, Amble demonstrated yet again why they have quickly become one of the most compelling forces in contemporary Irish folk. Moving through a setlist packed with material from their debut chart-topper Reverie the trio's connection with the crowd was unfathomable.

Track highlights like "Mariner Boy" and "Little White Chapel" showcased Robbie Cunninghams grounded, narrative-driven lead vocals, punctuated by Ross McNerney's intricate mandolin and bouzouki flourishes.

The energy surged during upbeat numbers like "Tonnta" and "The Swell," where the acoustic guitar of Oisn McCaffrey rhythms locked in with a crowd that sang back every word.

Staying true to their recording ethos, the live mix remained direct and unpretentious, relying on rich natural harmonies rather than artificial studio tricks.

Selling out a three-night stint at the Docklands is no small feat, yet Amble made the sprawling venue feel remarkably personal. The three night stint stands as another defining milestone in their career, proving that pure songwriting and authentic musicianship can easily fill the biggest stages.

With less than a week to go til kick-off, Mr. Fish is almost hyper-ventilating with excitement as he tells us what he has instore for Picnickers this year.

For the first time weve got professional wrestling courtesy of the Over The Top crew including Session Moth Martina, Jerry enthuses. Do you know her?

Yes. Real name Karen Glennon, shes from the Sheriff Street flats and has whipped asses all the way from Dublin to Tokyo where shes a big star.

Shes amazing! Mr. Fish resumes. Growing up in South London during the 70s and 80s, the Saturday afternoon wrestling on ITV was massive; people like Mick McManus and Kendo Nagasaki who wore a mask. Even if those names mean nothing to you, youre going to love it.

On now to matters musical.

A few years ago I got quite depressed because all the bands were playing it safe and sounding the same, Jerry reflects. I think it was a case of, How am I going to make some money in this business? Whats happening now is a reverse of that and its so exciting. People are getting together as bands just to have fun. They know that the chances of giving up their day jobs is slim. The charts have gone so, hey, lets do our own thing.

Child of Prague. Copyright Maizy Kharrazian/www.hotpress.com

So, youve the likes of Child Of Prague doing really experimental stuff. Is it Talking Heads, is it trad, whats going on here? I love that band. Weve also got Crayfish with their dirty guitars; BABYRAT who I love; and Leevy I was in West Cork recently and everyone was talking about them.

In terms of putting the lineup together, Ive always been: Wait and see what everybody else is doing and do what theyre not doing. A couple of years ago I thought, Why isnt Mik Pyro at the Picnic? So we put him on, as we did The Frank & Walters who brought half of Cork with them. They were both fantastic and now the other stages have nicked them from us which is great! One of the things I love is introducing older bands to a new audience.

Jerrys kid-in-a-sweetshop glee ratchets up another gear when he jokingly tells me that: Ive been lucky to come across this young cat Jinx Lennon. He was the Sleaford Mods before they were the Sleaford Mods. Were he releasing his first album now, hed be the most talked about thing in rock n roll. Way ahead of his time. I shouldnt be saying things out of school, but The Mary Wallopers used to bring their notebooks with them when they went to see Jinx. Hes Dundalks finest and someone to discover again.

Jinx Lennon Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Then theres Shobsy, an amazing vocalist and a beautiful person; ditto MayKay wholl be showcasing her new album at the Picnic; and Rowetta from the Happy Mondays, among others, whos doing a DJ set. An Emotional Fish were very lucky in that we got to tour with the Mondays in 90/91 and witnessed their genius closeup. For obvious reasons, our eyes would be on Rowetta who has the same amazing energy now as she did then.

Were just going to have a massive, massive party at the Picnic.

Tyre (also referred to as Sour in Arabic) is one of the worlds oldest continuously inhabited cities, with archaeological excavations dating the citys founding to around 2750 BC. The ancients believed the city was built by the gods. In their myths, it was the birthplace of two legendary namesakes: the Phoenician princess Europa, who gave her name to the modern continent, and the Carthaginian queen Dido, who gave her name to the British-Irish pop star.

On July 22, 2026, the entirety of Tyre was inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger due to the city sustaining damage from Israeli strikes. While Tyre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, this latest designation raised it to the same critical threat level applied to olive farming regions in Palestine, national parks in South Sudan, and historic churches in Ukraine.

In early July, I visited the main archeological site in the eastern part of the city. I followed a pathway that led between intricate tiled mosaics, beside rows of Corinthian columns, over ancient baths, all the way to the breathtakingly picturesque oceanfront. It was a humid 37 day, spent mostly walking between urban bomb sites, and my visit to the ruins was unplanned.

On my way back towards the exit, I asked to speak with one of the three gentlemen working at the site, and one kindly agreed to sit for an interview. He introduced himself as Dr. Ali Badawi and, to my surprise and appreciation, told me that he happened to be the regional director at the Lebanese Ministry of Culture for the countrys South Governorate.

Dr Ali Badawi

I dealt out thank-you cigarettes to Badawi and his colleagues, reluctantly accepted my fourth espresso of the day, and took a seat beside him under the shade of vibrantly blooming oleander bushes overlooking the ruins to begin our interview.

The heritage of Tyre is its identity, said Badawi. So everything what we call archaeological sites sometimes, historical towns, the harbour all of these are parts of the identity of Tyre and the people of Tyre themselves. And also, because it is a World Heritage Site, everything here is part of the international heritage that we all have.

He explained that the Lebanese people had understood the critical risk posed to the city especially the archeological site where we sat since the 1920s, when colonial French troops took over parts of Tyre and later bombarded locals in the city. The city underwent attack after attack: it was occupied by French Nazi collaborators and later liberated by Indian and Australian troops in World War II.

It took in thousands of Palestinian refugees following the Nakba and underwent Israeli shelling in the process. Subsequently, it was the site of many firefights during the first and second Lebanese civil wars, and was afflicted by Israeli attacks and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon continuing to the modern day.

Arguing its long history of suffering violence, Lebanon successfully designated 73 cultural sites, including Tyre, under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which mandates the protection of cultural heritage during times of military conflict. It demands all parties involved in a conflict coordinate not to use or allow anyone else to use a historical site for military reasons.

Tyres inscription under the Hague Convention was represented by several signs posted around the historical site, bearing the emblem of enhanced protection: a black and white hourglass shape with a red border. I asked Badawi what the effects of protections mandated under the Hague and UNESCO looked like on the ground, pointing to a sign nearby. He looked out at the crumbling columns and sighed before answering.

Does any of it really, fully protect these sites? he said. No, it doesnt mean full protection. Definitely not in the case of Tyre. Its possible that you didnt actually see what happened as a result of attacks here. For example, you see the colonnade here? Some of the columns fell, or the capital [top of the column] fell from the column onto the floor.

There were also some big metal elements that, as a result of the bombings, exploded and destroyed some of this site. Many other protected places [in Lebanon] have been completely demolished. So the international protections that are available might not always be helpful, but I think it is our duty to try.

HISTORICAL SITES

Nearby residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were also hit, and we could see the wreckage from where we sat. Badawi said he wasnt surprised that historical sites were attacked We know the people that we are dealing with here, he said and explained that there were emergency protocols in place to protect artifact collections, which were mostly successful. But when it came to entire archeological sites like in Tyre, there was no saving everything; only trying our best to minimise the effect of severe damage.

When the most recent attacks started, everything we knew could be done was done, he says. But we knew at the same time that it may not work. This is war, and it is really a tough war. We have to think about what could happen here. We look to Gaza: the demolishing and the genocide. That total destruction of culture and property could happen in Lebanon. But we all do our best every day.

Chloe Craft in Tyre

When asked what message he had for the international community in terms of preserving sites like Tyre, he shrugged. I pressed, asking if he believed more diplomatic pressure was needed to achieve more concrete protection, and he ashed his cigarette with a huff.

I will tell you frankly, I think we have put too much into pushing for these international protections, despite what is happening to the sites even now, to call it diplomatic pressure, he says. Our Ministry of Culture has been doing so many things and making so many calls with ambassadors and high-level nationals. We believe they could help us to minimise damage to our heritage sites, so maybe we can call that diplomatic pressure. But we are still so worried.

UNESCO and many other entities all over the world have published statements saying they are also worried about this history here. So we are depending on diplomatic pressure. We just hope the international community would remember us more and that diplomacy will help us be independent in the future.

Badawi paused, then added, Actually, this is not about us. Its not about the Lebanese government. I mean, this city could belong to any state, but thats not even the point. It is a human history at this site. This is my heritage. This is your heritage.

I thanked him profusely, and on my way out, he pointed to what I first thought was some kind of discarded pile of burnt scrap metal. That is my car, he said with a laugh. After it was bombed, I needed somewhere to keep it. I thought I would just park it here. And then they bombed here.

From the historic site by the sea, I walked along one of the main coastal streets, passing a sprawling refugee camp on my way. Tents were draped with layers of woven fabrics, thick plastic sheets, and UN-branded tarps. In a dense forested area between streets, a fire had started.

Children were gathering by the roadside to watch. I watched with them for a few moments, before making my way through the winding streets of the old city to meet musician and music teacher Zeina Ibrahim at her home. Ibrahim welcomed me, a translator, and a local guide into her home, insisting we each take a bottle of soda and make ourselves comfortable.

LOVE OF MUSIC

It was clear from the moment we entered how much she loved her hometown. From a tiny figurine of the columns from the heritage site on her desk, to the locally made ocean-themed decor, to the traditional ceramics and textiles of the region in every corner. She sat in a chair by the window, and the translator and I sat side-by-side on a couch next to her. I started by asking how she first became interested in music. She smiled from ear to ear as she answered.

When I was little with my mother, if we were shopping somewhere in a souk, I would stare at the instruments inside the shops, fascinated, Ibrahim explained. And then during ceremonies when music was played, I would listen carefully to each instrument being played apart from the others, so that I could distinguish between instruments. I wanted to learn them all. Because of this, I say that I was a musician from my early childhood.

Zeina's keychain

She said that she likes all different types of music, but she loved music from Tyre above all others. She named old Arabic singers like Umm Kulthum and newer ones like Majida El Roumi, but said her current interest was in Western classical music. She paused to hum an old Arabic song, swaying with a content smile, and repeated that the best music for her to listen to and play was any music that comes from Tyre. I asked her what the music meant for her.

Music, for me, is a message for people unlike anything else. It is a mix between beauty, emotion and culture. So through music, I can send a message to human beings and give people emotions to feel.

THEATRE GROUP

She explained that she is an active member of a theatre and music group in Tyre, which often invites her to play more modern music. While she owns many instruments, practising often on her acoustic guitar and oud, she hadnt owned an electric guitar. Inspired to try her best to be more involved in her theatre group, she bought one earlier this year. As she spoke, her smile faded.

After I bought the guitar, the war began, she said. From four months ago when it [the 2026 Iran War] began until now, I didnt play it. The flame turned off. It was only in recent days that I began to play it again. What I am sure of now is that music cannot be taken away from the culture, and I will not play silly music.

As much of Tyre went north towards Beirut to escape Israeli bombings, and Ibrahim spent most of the time at home with her mother, occasionally leaving as strikes hit near her home, she pivoted to teaching music online. But due to restrictions on the internet in Lebanon, including a ban on many websites and online services with ties to Israel, she has struggled to find a way to create a website and receive payment for teaching.

In the meantime, she continued to post videos in Arabic, English and Spanish on her YouTube channel, @zeinaibrahim1. She showed me an older video of her playing a cover of the Pirates Of The Caribbean theme tune, and the translator remarks, Shes like the Led Zeppelin of Tyre. I laughed, but asked her to elaborate on her comment about no longer playing silly music.

Music is a peace language, she says. The message of the music before the war is totally different than after the war began. Before the war, you can play something to give happiness to the people, just happiness. But during the war, since the war affected us so much and hurt us inside, music has a different purpose. We make music talking about nationality, talking about countries. We make music as something to offer to martyred souls. We are sad so our music must be sad.

I asked her what she meant; surely, music with more joyful themes might lift peoples spirits. She shook her head.

Even if I travel outside Lebanon, even to Europe, the sadness is built in inside me. Since I am from South Lebanon and my roots are here, I cannot just play something very happy, because the music I play is a part of myself as the player. What is inside me will always be mirrored somehow in the pieces I perform here, or inside a theatre or on a stage.

Recalling her love for music from her hometown, I asked her to tell me about the songs of Tyre and what makes them special. She told me that all songs about Tyre touch their soul, but named a few that affect her more than others. In particular, she mentioned a song by Julia Boutros titled Ghabat Shams El-Haq or in English, The Sun Of Justice Has Set.

The song basically says, I can sacrifice the south for everything, and I am willing to sacrifice everything for the south, she said.

When asked about her hopes for the future, Zeina began to cry as she spoke.

In the situation we have now, we are hopeless, she said. We cannot have any hope unless the governments write a real peace agreement and the Israeli army pulls back to their borders and stops striking our country. But before that happens, we cannot talk about hope.

Zeina Ibrahim

It will take years to rebuild Tyre, she said, if it ever could be rebuilt. But first there must be a peace agreement, and until then, she said she will not see any light of hope.

All we want is to be safe and secure and live in peace, said Zeina. We dont want to get evacuated again, to lose our houses, to lose our lovers, to lose our music.

DRONE STRIKE

As we reached the end of our interview, Ibrahim paused to glance at her phone. In a WhatsApp channel for Lebanese news, there was a new message with a video of a mushroom cloud over a village.

They just hit Nabatieh, she announced.

I later learned that the drone strike in Nabatieh, a city just a few miles northeast of Tyre with a similar wealth of historical sites, killed four people. The Israeli military claimed a car had approached occupied territory and was deemed a threat. The strike, according to Lebanese media, killed a schoolteacher and her mother, alongside a woman working as a foreign domestic worker and a Syrian man. The four people were reportedly returning after visiting their home in Nabatieh when their car was hit with a guided missile.

At the time, it was the deadliest Israeli attack since the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon in June, according to the BBC. There have been several more attacks on Tyre since then. Through it all, Badawi has continued to keep a watchful eye over the ancient ruins of world heritage, and Ibrahim has continued to play music heavy with grief and insistent on existence. At the time of writing, a final peace agreement has yet to be reached.