However, the singer-songwriter a Dublin native based for many years in Galway certainly kept busy in the ensuing years, first publishing the novel that had always half-threatened to emerge from his lyrics anyway, titled The Pawnbrokers Reward. A couple of years later, ORourke would also publish an equally well-received follow-up, A Whisper From Oblivion.

Although the singer returns to the musical fold with this months Oceanic, he clearly enjoyed the different perspective afforded by his years away from the studio.

For a while, music simply wasnt my daily MO, explains ORourke. I didnt write anything musical for two or three years. That disruption to the songwriting cycle was a huge gap for me. But writing prose filled that creative need and ticked the same box, artistically speaking. Its funny, whenI came out of that phase, I was like, How do you do this again? What is songwriting?!

I knew I had to let the music find its way back to me. Eventually, these songs for Oceanic began to sketch themselves and inch along as musings in a hobbyist way. Before I knew it, I had a whole bunch of songs.

Even still, he struggled to bring them to fruition at home in Ireland. It wasnt until he received a call from Irish folk giant Luka Bloom that ORourke began to see a home for his songs. Bloom phoned ORourke to tell him about an upcoming film that he thought he was perfect for.

The film, Almost With You, follows an Irish folk singer in Australia, much like ORourke himself, who struggles with loss and performance paralysis, only to find the solution through community and love. Despite never having acted, ORourke decided to audition for the lead role, and got it, travelling to Australia to film. In the meantime, the singer looked for a studio to bring his new music to life.

At once, the wider project started to fall into place. ORourke tapped his longtime friend Jim Moginie, of the Aussie rock band Midnight Oil, to aid in the helming of Oceanic, who offered up his home studio. Journeying back to the land that inspired his first album, Declan says its been, a long and winding road leading to the studio in Sydney where we recorded Oceanic.

Jim Moginie

It was a beautiful album to make, in terms of the energy around it, he continues. Then there was the environment it was created in and the people involved. Jim and I always talked about doing something together. We had written songs, hung out many times, even shared stages together. He assembled a band for me based on the demos I sent and what we thought they needed.

While ORourke may have already been familiar with Australia, Oceanic nonetheless saw him venture into some fresh creative terrain. To start, its the first time we hear the guitar virtuoso go all in on the piano.

When the time came to record with the band, I was worried the piano songs I worked on were too slow or dragging, ORourke says bashfully. But there was a lovely experience where we all sat together and they asked me to play through the song O Deepest Sorrow for them.

Slowly, they started adding little notes here and there, and then they just hit it on the nose. All in one take. It moved the needle so much that the tempo felt absolutely right and had a real gravity to it. The band knew exactly how to fill the space and not make it sound too slow. The hairs were standing on the back of my neck. I felt so uplifted.

He warms to the theme.

My shift towards piano for this album wasnt a conscious effort, Declan resumes. After the last record, I was finally able to buy a piano, which I had always wanted to do. I went to Germany and found this old Blthner one that had such beautiful character, and it even survived two world wars.

I moved it over here to Ireland and had been tinkering on it ever since. Eventually the songs started to fall out. Ive said to people this record wrote itself, and thats a prime example of it.

Whether you call it divine inspiration, flow state or simply letting the thing write itself, the tension between conscious creation and an unconscious channelling of the muse speaks to the magic of making music. Woody Guthrie used to maintain his songs had already existed for millenia, and that he plucked them from the air. Musics great sage Bob Dylan even once said that Van Morrisons song Astral Weeks might have been there for thousands of years, sailing around in the mist, and one day Van Morrison came by. Im curious if ORourke considers himself a leader or a follower of his own craft.

Interesting, he says, pausing to mull over the question. Its a combination of actively engaging with the music and letting it wash over you. Youre constantly waiting for inspiration. A number of years ago, I learned that youre basically in control of the music. You can wait for it like a bolt of lightning, or you can look at it like a tap. All you have to do is reach out to turn on the tap.

You have to engage with your musical craft to keep the wheels greased and the gears turning, but if were talking about lyrical content, thats different. A long time ago, I made the conscious decision to be a driver of my own writing. When I was trying to become a songwriter at 19, I found myself with this little collection of songs, but I didnt quite know what they were about.

Subsequently, the singer had something of an artistic breakthrough.

When I wrote them, I let them just roll out and it was only after writing that Id try to find their meaning, he notes. Some of them mightve stemmed from passing thoughts, or maybe an argument Id had with somebody. But I told myself that I wasnt going to continue doing that.

I stopped writing for about a year, and figured I would approach it in a way where I know exactly what Im trying to say and achieve. Today, I approach music methodically, but Ill always leave room for inspiration to spark.

Much of ORourkes music is unflinchingly personal, and Oceanic dives especially deep. Indeed, in his search for genuinely powerful songs, he at times struggled. One of the standouts,The Magic Road To Anywhere, is a case in point.

That song was a real struggle for me, he reflects. Ill share a moment with you I havent really told anyone else. The day I arrived at Jims home studio, we played through all the songs. But when I played him The Magic Road To Anywhere, I broke down immediately afterwards. I found it very hard to speak about. It wouldnt have made it on the album if Jim didnt push me. Im very glad he did.

The song is about a childhood friend of mine who struggled with addiction, and that magic road is the escape that substance abuse can offer. I wrote it many years ago. I had this idea that Id play it for him and ask if hed be alright with me putting it out, out of respect to him and his feelings. Sadly, he passed away before I got to do that. It didnt feel right to put it out for a while. The song always hung around and kept saying, Hey, look at me!, but I struggled any time I tried to play it.

But one day, my eight-year-old son was sitting in the car with me as I was playing through the mixes on the stereo. The Magic Road To Anywhere came on and he went quiet, just listening to it. When it got to the line, I lost my little brother when a stolen car rolled over, he said, No, you didnt! That never happened! I tried to explain to him that I was singing as my friend and telling his story.

Whether on screen, record or page, ORourkes art carries a shape-shifting quality, as he sometimes settles into the voices of other characters to relay his stories. Music was his preferred medium for a long time, but as hes ventured into new creative realms, ORourke finds that the title singer-songwriter doesnt quite encapsulate the breadth of his output.

But Im curious if his art ultimately all stems from the same source.

Yes, definitely, he nods. I realised that when I was writing literature. Before that, I wouldnt have seen music and literature as similar, and I never had any great desire to write a book. But once I got into that vein of writing prose, it felt very familiar.

I had always identified myself as a songwriter, but I realised Im actually just a creative person, and that the medium is not so critical. Other people want to put you in boxes, and decide youre better at one thing than another. But the creative process is bigger than that its a form of expression through whichever means. It should have no limits.

Oceanic is out now. Declan ORourke plays Vicar Street, Dublin tonight, October 17.

Live performances will be given on the night by Beoga, The Unthanks, Declan ORourke, Jillian OMalley, Joshua Burnside, Hammy Hamilton & the Ora Quartet and more.

Tommy Sands, a folk singer-songwriter, radio broadcaster and activist, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The County Down native toured with his siblings as the Sands Family in his youth, introducing foreign countries to Irish traditional music. An advocate for peace, his music has addressed the unrest in his native Northern Ireland, including the track 'There Were Roses', which mourns the death of two of his friends during the Troubles.

Dolores Keane will be posthumously inducted into the RT Radio 1 Folk Awards Hall of Fame. The singer is considered a key representative of Irish folk and traditional music. Raised by her sean-ns singing aunts, she was a founding member of D Dannan.

In the category Best Original Folk Track, the nominees are Clare Sands for her song 'Anam Cara', Dove Ellis for 'Heaven Has No Wings', Rua R for 'Johnny Workman', Barry Kerr for 'The Curlew's Cry' and Lisa O'Neill for her song 'The Wind Doesn't Blow This Far Right'.

Rua R is also nominated for the title of Best Emerging Artist, along with Ellie O'Neill, The Railway Boys and Leevy.

For Best Traditional folk track, the nominees are The Railway Boys with their track 'Amhrn na Scadn', Trona & Maighread N Dhomhnaill with 'Cad Sin Don T Sin', Rattling Ark with 'Coleraine Jig', Macdara Yeates with 'De May Bush', Cormac Begley & Liam O'Connor with 'Ryan's Rant' and Damien Dempsey for his song 'The Mickey Dam'.

The contenders for Best Folk Singer are Barry Kerr, Clare Sands, Joshua Burnside, Lisa O'Neill, and Macdara Yeates.

The nominees for Best Folk Instrumentalist are Caroline Keane, Ciarn Maonaigh, Jack Talty, Sen McKeon, and Altan O'Brien.

For Best Folk Group, An Chad Ghlin Eile compete with Beoga, Lemoncello, Poor Creature, and Ye Vagabonds.

In the category Best Folk Album, the nominated areAn Bhearna Bhn by Jillian O'Malley, Caillte Sa Cheol by Ciarn Maonaigh, Curlew's Cry by Barry Kerr, Ithaca by lullahush, It's Not Going To Be Okay by Joshua Burnside, and Beoga's Phases.

Tickets to the event are available here.

Basht. debuted at No. 7 on the chart, with their new record Poor Advice.The Dublin rock band previously released two EPs, 2024's Dirty White Lies, and 2025's Bitter and Twisted. They are currently No. 1 on the Irish Independent Albums Chart. Hot Press rated the album 7.5/10 and described it as "beautifully intense."

They will be embarking on their headline tour on October 27. Dates include Nottingham, Glasgow, Manchester, and London. They will also be performing a show at The Button Factory in Dublin on November 7.

 

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Morgana's album The Whole Thing Was Very Very Emotional debuted at No 8. on the chart. The singer also placed at No. 2 on the Independent chart. She released her first EP, Party Killer, in 2025.

Morgana will be going on a UK and Ireland tour to promote the album. Beginning in Limerick on December 16, dates include Galway, Cork, Manchester, and London. She will be playing a show in Whelan's in Dublin on December 20.

The Wran's new record The Stone Man debuted at No. 10 on the Irish Albums Chart, and at No. 3 on the Independent chart. The alt-trad band comprises brothers Tommy, Danny, Sen and Stephen Dunford. They were recently announced as acts for Dutch festival, Eurosonic 2027.

The group are currently on their Irish leg of The Stone Man tour. Shows include Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Cork, Kilkenny, and Belfast. They will also play several UK dates, such as Manchester, Leeds, London, and Bristol.

 

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The set lists will include his greatest hits, including 'The Lady in Red', 'Missing You' and 'High on Emotion'. The Argentine-born Irish artist has sold over 45 million records worldwide.

A Trinity College Dublin graduate, De Burgh was raised in a 12th century castle in Wexford. His first album was Far Beyond these Castle Wallsin 1975. His most recent release, titled 50 to mark the milestone in his career, was released in 2024.

Much of his music enjoyed greater popularity in continental Europe and South America than it did in the UK or US, though 'The Lady in Red' topped charts internationally. He will perform the song in a cameo role on the TV series Rivals later this year.

De Burgh will perform at Dublin's Bord Gis Energy Theatre on May 31. This follows shows at Wexford's National Opera House on May 20, Limerick's University Concert Hall on May 24, Cork Opera House on May 25, and Waterfront Hall Auditorium in Belfast on May 29.

Tickets to the shows are available starting this Friday at 10 a.m. here, or from venue box offices.

This year's Christmas blowout is gearing up to be an extra special one with Johnny B and Johnny Smacks celebrating 10 years of The 2 Johnnies.

"Jesus, if you told us when we started out messing around making videos and podcasts in Cahir that wed be celebrating ten years with a massive show in the 3Arena, wed have asked what you were after drinking..." the pair commented.

"Itll be everything people love about The 2 Johnnies music, comedy, a few surprises, probably a few things well regret saying and thousands of people having one massive Christmas night out together..."

To be in with a chance of winning tickets, fill out the competition form below:

Now, after sorting through a phenomenal, genre-spanning selection of entries, Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland are thrilled to reveal our final shortlist...

The final shortlist:

• Dwna, 'Damhsa le mo Chailn' feat. Hazey Haze
• Aisling, 'Plms'
• CLDA, 'Idir Dh Linn'
• ire agus C Chulainn, 'Go Deo na nDeor'
• Cn de Brca & hHH, 'Ionradh na Normannach'
• Niamh Keane, 'Tar Anos'
• Teague and Joyce, 'Leath Bhdir'
• Fobha, 'D'athraigh m'
• Paul Mooney and Elevator, 'Amhrn na mBoghanna Bist'
• Leatsa, 'Cro Ln'
• Ciara Finnerty, 'Ceo Draochta'
• Eleanor Quaine, 'Ist Leo'
• Ash Fuller, 'Airm uaim th'
• Drandn, 'Leannn S'
• LARAbEL, Fileacn'
• Tara Dignam, 'Mo Chuisle Mo Chro'
• seansean.ie, 'Geimhreadh Dubh' feat. Niall Tarmey
• The Boxty Gang, 'Siar Bhaile'
• Phoenix and Wolfe, 'Levanta Te'

Of course, there can only be one winner...

The Amhrn na Laoch judging panel which includes legendary Co. Donegal fiddler and singerMairad N MhaonaighofAltan, and renowned musician and broadcaster Fiachna BraoninofHothouse Flowers are in the process of whittling that fantastic shortlist down to one final song.

As part of the prize, Irish record label Gael Linn are joining forces with Hot Press and the IBI to release a recording of the winning song.

"Gael Linn is delighted to team up with Hot Press, for Amhrn na Laoch 2026," Ramonn Ciarin, CEO of Gael Linn said. "We hope to bring an extra dimension to the Amhrn na Laoch competition by working with the winner to ensure their award-winning song is available across the globe on the major digital platforms on a music label with seventy years of experience in the field, Gael Linn."

The winner will be announced in advance of the upcoming A New Local Hero live finale at The Academy, Dublin, on Wednesday, October 28. That night will see special sets from the A New Local Herofinalists, and a very special guest set to be revealed soon.

The worthy Amhrn na Laoch winner will receive:

• Airplay support across 22 independent Irish radio stations
• Guaranteed coverage in and support from Hot Press
• 2,500 prize money
• Music industry mentoring and support
• Mixing, mastering and release of a single through the Gael Linn label

Launched in 2021,Irish Music Monthis an initiative ofHot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, and is supported by Coimisin na Men. It takes place in September and October across 22 participating local radio stations, covering every blade of grass in Ireland.

The winner of the inaugural Amhrn na Laoch was Huartan, from Belfast, with Bean Uda Thall. Huartan went on to win the Live Act of the Year Award at the NI Music Prize, and also secured the BBC Introducing Northern Irish Artist of the Year Award at the end of 2025.

Cuireadh go leor amhrn den scoth isteach le haghaidh Amhrnn na Laoch, a dirt Niall Stokes, eagarthir de Hot Press. T obair an-deacair le danamh ag na breithina. Ach is cinnte go mbeidh buaiteoir iontach agus fintach againn."

An Post is proud to support Amhrn na Laoch, celebrating the creativity of songwriters and performers through the Irish language," Orla Bradshaw, Irish Language Officer with An Post, has commented. "Congratulations to the artists who have made the shortlist. We are delighted to see such a positive response to this years competition and look forward to hearing the winning song.

Amhrn na Laoch has also been singled out for praise by the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly.

As President of Ireland, may I send my very best wishes to Hot Press and to all those local radio stations and artists participating in this years Irish Music Month, the President said. "It is vitally important that our broadcasters support our local Irish artists and I am very grateful for the commitment which each of the stations involved are showing to Irish musicians through this initiative. I am particularly pleased to note that Irish Music Month will again this year include the Irish language song competition Amhrn na Laoch, fostering creativity and songwriting in the Irish language. May I wish all involved a wonderful month of music and performance.

Tickets for the A New Local Hero live finale taking place at The Academy, Dublin, on Wednesday, October 28 are available to purchase here.

Stay tuned tohotpress.com for more Amhrn na Laoch news ...

Inaugural Amhrn na Laoch winners Huartan. Copyright Trevor McGrath/hotpress.com

Thug ealaontir gach cearn den tr freagra ar r nglao ar iontrlacha dAmhrn na Laoch 2026 mrchomrtas cumadireachta amhrn Gaeilge, le tacaocht An Post mar chuid de Mh an Cheoil ireannaigh i mbliana.

Anois, tar is dinn rimse iontach iontrlacha iliomad senra ceoil a mheas, t lchir ar Hot Press agus ar Chraoltir Neamhsplecha na hireann r ngearrliosta deiridh a fhgairt...

An gearrliosta deiridh:

• Dwna, 'Damhsa le mo Chailn' feat. Hazey Haze
• Aisling, 'Plms'
• CLDA, 'Idir Dh Linn'
• ire agus C Chulainn, 'Go Deo na nDeor'
• Cn de Brca & hHH, 'Ionradh na Normannach'
• Niamh Keane, 'Tar Anos'
• Teague and Joyce, 'Leath Bhdir'
• Fobha, 'D'athraigh m'
• Paul Mooney and Elevator, 'Amhrn na mBoghanna Bist'
• Leatsa, 'Cro Ln'
• Ciara Finnerty, 'Ceo Draochta'
• Eleanor Quaine, 'Ist Leo'
• Ash Fuller, 'Airm uaim th'
• Drandn, 'Leannn S'
• LARAbEL, Fileacn'
• Tara Dignam, 'Mo Chuisle Mo Chro'
• seansean.ie, 'Geimhreadh Dubh' feat. Niall Tarmey
• The Boxty Gang, 'Siar Bhaile'
• Phoenix and Wolfe, 'Levanta Te'

Ar ndigh, n fidir ach buaiteoir amhin a bheith ann...

T painal moltireachta Amhrn na Laoch ar a bhfuil an fidlir agus amhrna iomriteach as Contae Dhn na nGall, Mairad N Mhaonaigh Altan, agus an ceoltir agus craoltir mr le r Fiachna Braonin Hothouse Flowers i mbun an gearrliosta iontach sin a chng go dt nach mbeidh fgtha ach amhrn amhin.

Mar chuid den duais, t an lipad ceirnn ireannach Gael Linn ag dul i gcomhphirt le Hot Press agus leis an IBI chun taifeadadh den amhrn buaiteach a eisiint.

T lchir ar Gael Linn dul i gcomhphirt le Hot Press le haghaidh Amhrn na Laoch 2026, a dirt Ramonn Ciarin, Promhfheidhmeannach Ghael Linn. T sil againn gn bhreise a chur leis an gcomrtas Amhrn na Laoch tr oibri leis an mbuaiteoir lena chinnti go mbeidh an t-amhrn a bhain an duais ar fil ar fud an domhain ar na mr-ardin dhigiteacha, faoi bhratach Gael Linn, lipad ceirnn a bhfuil seacht bliain de thaith aige sa rimse.

Fgrfar an buaiteoir roimh oche cheannais bheo A New Local Hero, a bheidh ar sil in The Academy, Baile tha Cliath, D Cadaoin, an 28 Deireadh Fmhair. Beidh lirithe speisialta ar an oche sin iomaitheoir ceannais A New Local Hero agus aoi an-speisialta a bhfgrfar a channacht go luath.

Gheobhaidh buaiteoir tuillteanach Amhrn na Laoch na duaiseanna seo a leanas:

• Tacaocht chun an t-amhrn a chraoladh ar 22 stisin raidi neamhsplech in irinn
• Cldach rthaithe in Hot Press agus tacaocht rthaithe uaidh
• Duais airgid 2,500
• Meantireacht agus tacaocht n tionscal ceoil
• Meascadh, mistreil agus eisiint singil tr lipad Ghael Linn

Is tionscnamh de chuid Hot Press agus Chraoltir Neamhsplecha na hireann M an Cheoil ireannaigh, a seoladh in 2021 agus a fhaigheann tacaocht Choimisin na Men. Bonn s ar sil i m Mhen Fmhair agus i m Dheireadh Fmhair ar 22 stisin raidi itiil rannphirteach, agus cldaonn s gach cearn dirinn.

Ba Huartan as Bal Feirste buaiteoir chad chomrtas Amhrn na Laoch, lena n-amhrn Bean Uda Thall. Ina dhiaidh sin, bhuaigh Huartan Gradam Taibhithe Bheo na Bliana ag an NI Music Prize, agus bhuaigh siad Gradam Ealaontra Thuaisceart ireann na Bliana de chuid BBC Introducing ag deireadh 2025 freisin.

T moladh ar leith tugtha ag Uachtarn na hireann, Catherine Connolly, dAmhrn na Laoch.

Mar Uachtarn na hireann, ba mhaith liom mo dhea-ghu chro a chur chuig Hot Press agus chuig na stisiin raidi itila agus na healaontir uile at pirteach i M an Cheoil ireannaigh i mbliana, a dirt an tUachtarn. T s rthbhachtach go dtacdh r gcraoltir lenr n-ealaontir ireannacha itila, agus tim forbhuoch as an tiomantas do cheoltir ireannacha at liri ag gach ceann de na stisiin rannphirteacha trd an tionscnamh seo. T thas ar leith orm a thabhairt faoi deara go mbeidh an comrtas amhrn Gaeilge Amhrn na Laoch mar chuid de Mh an Cheoil ireannaigh ars i mbliana, rud a chothaonn an chruthaitheacht agus cumadireacht amhrn i nGaeilge. Gum m iontach ceoil agus taibhithe ar gach duine at pirteach ann.

Dirt Orla Bradshaw, Oifigeach Gaeilge le An Post: T An Post brdil as tacaocht a thabhairt dAmhrn na Laoch, a dhanann ceiliradh ar chruthaitheacht chumadir amhrn agus thaibheoir tr mhen na Gaeilge. Comhghairdeas leis na healaontir ar irigh leo it a bhaint amach ar an ngearrliosta. T lchir orainn freagairt chomh dearfach sin ar chomrtas na bliana seo a fheiceil agus timid ag tnth leis an amhrn buaiteach a chloisteil.

T ticid doche cheannais bheo A New Local Hero a bheidh ar sil in The Academy, Baile tha Cliath, D Cadaoin, an 28 Deireadh Fmhair ar fil le ceannach anseo.

Coinnigh sil ar hotpress.com le haghaidh tuilleadh scala faoi Amhrn na Laoch...

In the new instalment, Paul Nolan examines The Strokes' classic period with their debut album, their unique brand of rock at the time of its release, and the role of the UK music press in kick starting this musical movement.

He also explores their use of downtown New York grit, their unique and instantly recognisable visual aesthetic, and the sonic brilliance of Is This It.

Nolan also goes into their difficulty to follow up with equally acclaimed output, their switch in sound and the subsequent musical movements they inspired.

In the episode, Nolan also discusses the fertile grounds that saw the birth of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the brilliance of Karen O as a front woman, and the art-rock flavours of their sound.

He also chats about Fever To Tell, the extraordinary catchiness of their melodies, and the consistancy of their output.

To wrap up the episode, Nolan brings back an interview with Meet Me In The Bathroom author Lizzy Goodman from 2017, where they discuss her background with The Strokes, her love for Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the influence of Karen O.

Find out about this and more in the new episode of Hot Press Classics, out now.

This episode was produced by Paul Nolan and edited by Flo Laurent.

Check it out below or on Apple Podcasts:

Where Is Gone?, from Fontaines D.C.'s newly released Dopamine Chamber, features Rosala and song is incredibly cinematic with gentle rhythms, rousing string instrumentation and the Spanish singers airy voice beautifully intertwined with Grian Chattens darker tones.

It blew my mind that she was up for jumping on that track, guitarist Conor Curley said in a recent interview with Hot Press, praising Rosala for her incredible voice. I always think the whole duet thing gives such a beautiful narrative to songs anyway. Im really happy with how that turned out.

Fontaines D.C. Credit: Ewen Spencer

Jack ORourke, Samhain

Cork singer-songwriter Jack ORourke has shared a new single Samhain - his first release in three years. With an Americana thread running through, eerie, ethereal and cinematic qualities and inspiration from the likes of Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Emmylou Harris - the track ushers in a new era for ORourke.

I wanted this release to feel a little different sonically - richer and fuller than Wild Place, but still with the voice and piano at the nucleus In a way, this is my Babooshka song theres something a little more dramatic and mysterious about it.

Jack O'Rourke

The Kates, 'Only Us'

The Kates have announced their disbanding, but first, their debut album Between Takes, out now. The title references the difficulty of balancing other work and a family with the musical project, the reason for the five pieces separation.

Focus track Only Us is a thoughtful, clear-eyed song imagining a less noisy, selfish world with vocal solos by different members before their voices wrap together in harmony to conclude the track. All five members join in on vocals.

"Our goal was to be more representative of women in music, more visible", said Paula O'Brien, bassist and vocalist. "And then to record an album as well, those things were our goals. I think its important to know when youve had everything you can possibly have. To stop wanting more and more and more because it wouldnt make sense for any of us. Were all working, some of us have families. [...] We're full of joy and gratefulness".

The Kates. Credit: Jamie Levanna

Niamh Bury, 'Some Stroke of Luck'

Niamh Burys new single Some Stroke of Luck is a soft, sweet ode that has been compared to Norah Jones at the start of her career. Piano and guitar round off the alternative folk and jazz track that would not be out of place in a cozy caf on a rainy day. It precedes Burys second album, due in February.

Some Stroke of Luck is a song about serendipity, Niamh Bury said. Its about chance encounters where stars align, the axis shifts, and suddenly youre put on the path that was meant for you. Im very grateful for the people in my life, and I often think about how different my life would be if we had never met.

Niamh Bury cover art.

LOBEPINE, 'Along My Ride'

LOBEPINE is an indie pop singer and guitarist from Dublin, joined on this track by Carol Lobo with supporting vocals. Along My Ride is a catchy, bittersweet song about lifestyle choices, such as the freedom to move on versus remembering what is left behind. The track uses electric and acoustic guitars plus bass and synth to create a relaxing, melancholy groove.

LOBEPINE. press photo

Mechanical Wonders, 'Mr Keeper'

Mechanical Wonders are Richie McGrath on vocals and guitar, Keith McLoughlin and Brian Wolohan both on guitar, Stephen Caulfield on bass, and Carl OConnor on drums. The indie band from Blanchardstown have released new single Mr Keeper about the last conversation between a son and his dying father. Frontman McGraths own father died when he was a young man.

Considering the subject matter, the songs melody is surprisingly upbeat. Jingling guitars join McGraths somber voice as he asks Mr Keeper to share his memories and wisdom before his frail body can no longer sustain him.

Mechanical Wonders. press photo

Laura Sheeran, 'D'Arcy's March'

DArcys March is a protest song with the emphasis on protest. Named after the activist Margaretta DArcy, the song features soundbites of Katie Taylor boxing, whistles, car horns, and screaming recorded at protests. Laura Sheeran shouts We need a revolution and Free, free Palestine on the disco-techno-infused track. It is a bouncy, unorthodox performance.

"When I sing We Need a Revolution, I'm thinking about the homelessness crisis", Sheeran says, "the growing divide between rich and poor, the cost of living, our dependence on international supply chains for essentials like food and medicines, the failure of governments to provide adequate public infrastructure, the ongoing devastation of colonialism and genocide, and the unchecked development of AI technologies and their impact on the human imagination. I believe we're approaching a critical turning point in human history, where fundamental systemic change is necessary. We need a revolution."

telekura, 'hi-chew'

telekura named their new single after the candy. Fittingly, it is a bright, snappy track about nostalgia, discontent and not fitting in with grown-ups doing grown-up things.

"Superficially, hi-chew is a wistful reflection of an unpursued relationship and what might/mightnt have happened", said frontwoman Rachel Tan. "Theres a bit of nostalgia and regret mixed in there. It overtly points at a romantic relationship, but really it extends to any other opportunity that you might have given up in pursuit of the right thing to do".

telekura. press photo

Danxgerous, 'Leo Rising'

Leo Rising is Daniela Mariti a.k.a. Danxgerous' take on indie folk, with deep gentle guitar backing her vocals. The Italian-Czech artists new album Old Soul is now out, with a performance at Sin tonight. The world she creates in the concept album has been described as a blend of indie-rock, dreamy pop, and contemporary indie-folk.

"Before writing this record, I never expected it to hold this much meaning," Mariti said. "The songs gradually revealed a story I didn't realise I was telling. Im so proud of the magic it holds and conveys. In my mind, the album exists like a huge painting where countless things are happening at once. Every time you look at it, another detail appears. I wanted to bring that painting to life and ask how something so imaginative could survive in the real world. Because that's really the question I was asking myself: how can I survive in the real world? These songs helped me find the answer."

Danxgerous. Credit: Leo di Filippo

Evan Miles, BLUR feat. Pat Lagoon & RikShaw

Waterford electronic artist Evan Miles has released a bouncy, groove-led track BLUR, featuring Pat Lagoon and RikShaw. With an infectious beat, popping synths and dance-worthy energy, BLUR makes a great new addition to Miles brilliant catalogue.

For me the song feels like a flashback, said Miles. Living the night in reverse in your head. Glimpses of people coming and going, lights flickering, heart pumping while youre dancing to the music. Looking for a sign of love or lust in the crowd somewhere we all know that feeling.

Evan Miles

Roseanna, Yes

LA-based British-Irish singer Roseanna has released Yes, a beautiful track inspired by her recent marriage to her husband Sam. Yes weaves a vibrant love story through its delicate acoustic guitar tones and soaring vocals, which build into a majestic chorus with sweeping cinematic strings.

This song is me trying my best to capture how my husband Sam makes me feel, and how saying yes to him was the easiest and best decision Ive ever made, Roseanna recalled. We aren't perfect, but he loves me and sees me for the real me, and beyond all the things I think are flaws in myself, somehow they don't matter at all. It's the safest I've ever felt. I really wanted to capture that.

Roseanna Brown. Credit: Andy Earl.

Venus Grrrls, Carmilla

Alt-rock goth band Venus Grrrls have released a new single Carmilla, blending their distinct 1990s punk energy with dark synths and witchy aesthetics. The song comes as part of their debut EP To Die as Lovers May. Deeply cinematic, it features Grace Kellys (GK) rousing vocals, heavy instrumentation and thematic lyrics. The captivating music video for the track was filmed at Whitby Abbey.

This special place is enriched with literary vampire history, partly inspiring Bram Stoker to write his iconic novel, Dracula, they wrote of the location. It was so utterly rewarding to bring our vampire love song to life here, given the novel that gave our song its namesake was also an inspiration for Bram.

Venus Grrrls

Antoni OBreskey, Beare Island

Antoni OBreskey has released a resonant new track, Beare Island, as part of his new collaborative album with his daughter Consuelo Nerea Breschi. With enthralling piano rhythms, rousing fiddle and an incredibly unique composition, Beare Island shows just how innovative and visionary this duo are. The album itself weaves a tapestry of cross-generational conversation, honouring tradition while pushing it forward.

Each track on this album represents a step I took down into the underworld of this uninhabitable land, followed by steps back up toward the light, OBreskey said. I see this album as a journey of rebirth and catharsis.

Antoni O'Breskey and Consuelo Nerea Breschi

Pink Rabbits, To Get To You

Dublin-based musician Pink Rabbits, aka Paul Walsh, has released To Get To You a newly reworked version of a track that featured on his debut album, which was released last October. With bumping synths, cathartic vocals and heartfelt lyrics, the songs bittersweet themes shine through.

To Get To You is about trying to reconnect with someone, Walsh said. There is distance between you and the person to whom you were once so close and youre fighting for that connection again basically, trying to get back to them to the way things used to be.

Pink Rabbits

Radie Peat, Hares On The Mountain

Lankum / XNs Radie Peat releases the new single Hares on the Mountain, taken from the forthcoming debut solo album No Human Tongue Can Tell. The opening track of the record, it was taught to Peat through Shirley Collins and sees her ponderings on the unjust gender dynamics in courtship, through her instantly recognisable contralto voice, carefully constructed string instrumentals and delicately moving harmonies.

The collection of folk songs on the album came together easily, comments Peat on No Human Tongue Can Tell, and its only now I see a thematic link between them. They are largely songs of female struggle, suffering, strength and endurance. But there are many about love as well, with all the complications that brings.

RADIE PEAT photo credit: Daniel Archer

Paro Pablo, Drunk On A Tuesday feat. Tamara Salmon

Paro Pablo releases the new single Drunk On A Tuesday, a club inspired track featuring the rappers signature sharp lyricism, heavy and intoxicating, perfectly highlighted by deft bars and incredibly catchy instrumentals. Underlined by a beautifully melodic chorus from Tamara Salmon, who offers her warm tones to the track Drunk On A Tuesday is an undeniable highlight from this week of releases.

Paro Pablo

banron, You & i

banron, the musical project of Irish songwriter Risn N Haicid, shares You & i, hailing from her debut album Untarnishing, out now. A soft and deeply affecting number, the track features carefully layered guitar instrumentals and string elements, making for beautifully transporting soundscapes which perfectly accompany the singers silky smooth vocals.

Speaking about the album, banron says Its a time capsule of feelings & experiences from 2022-2024, it feels like reading your old diary, laughing and tearing up over a previous version of you.

Me and Diarmuid recorded the album last year over a cathartic two weeks in Kildare with Henry & Lile and in the Shandon shed with Cosmo. Doc makes music sound exactly like how it does in my head & I cant thank him enough for all the work he did on the album.

banron - credit Kate Lawlor

KETTAMA x Prospa, Think Of You

KETTAMA collaborates with Prospa on the 80s-tinged club banger Think Of You, featuring hard hitting build-ups, dreamy synths, otherworldly vocals and a deliciously rousing drop a song designed for nostalgia and dancing the night away, both dancefloor ready and tinged with a retro-futuristic feel that makes the offering so special.

Kettama

Francis Harris & Gareth Quinn Redmond, Flutter feat. Rachael Lavelle

Francis Harris & Gareth Quinn Redmond share their new album Eyes Bright and Low, including the single Flutter, released in collaboration with Rachael Lavelle. An ambient-flavoured track blending acoustic and electronic instrumentation, layered with nature sounds, delicate percussion and gentle synths, Flutter is the perfect background to Lavelle's otherworldly vocal performance.

Francis Harris and Gareth Quinn Redmond

Bell X1, Atlas

Hailing from Bell X1 ninth studio album, Good Bones, arriving on November 13, Atlas blends Americana flavours with the bright, indie-pop soundscapes that make Bell X1 so recognisable. Reflecting on the quiet acts of care that sustain relationships, it is a delicately uplifting as it is perfectly melodic.

Speaking about the song, the band say: The recording had us leaning into the freewheeling Americana of the Hudson Valley where we recorded, the endless skies and wraparound porches of the place.

Cathal Caulfield, Finvola, the Gem of the Roe

FOR THOSE I LOVE collaborator Cathal Caulfield releases the impossibly dark new track Finvola, the Gem of the Roe, a minimalist trad-tinged tune set against a backdrop of driving, almost dissonant strings which set the tone of the whole tune, giving it an otherworldly quality and makes it into a really special, and widely unique offering.

 

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NOTIFY, For Now

The title track to six-piece ensemble NOTIFYs new album, out today, For Now is a silky-smooth traditional song with layered instrumentation and widely catchy melodies, described as embracing composition, improvisation and collaboration. It invokes an image of a ship sailing slowly into the night, moving towards the horizon without knowing exactly what lies ahead - the perfect closer to this record.

For Now is not intended as a final statement, says the group. It is a reflection of who we are at this particular moment: the people and places that have shaped us, the losses and friendships we carry, and the music we wanted to make together.

NOTIFY. Credit: Mikey Aldridge.

Robbie Doherty x Tom Did It, Because Of You

A collaboration between Robbie Doherty and Tom Did It, Because Of You is a perfectly heavy and deliciously intense club tune, where dance-floor ready vocals blend with perfectly measured percussions and rousing synth instrumentals, making for a widely exciting offering which is certain to keep dancers going until the early hours of the morning.

Robbie Doherty at Longitude Festival on July 5th, 2025. Copyright Ryan Smyth/ Hotpress.com

Arborist, Ive Been A Flneur

Arborist is back with the brand new album Looking For Love, including the impossibly warm folk track Ive Been A Flneur, a perfectly delicate tune built on gentle acoustic guitars and carefully layered piano and wind melodies, making for the softest backdrop to the lush lyricism and poignant vocal interpretation.

Pamela Tully, 'Don't Think You Own Me'

Pamela Tully has released her new single 'Don't Think You Own Me.' The Dublin singer returns with a pop-rock anthem about refusing to be silenced or underestimated. Tully reclaims her voice in the song; it is partly inspired by her own experiences as a woman in a professional setting, where she felt she was constantly being talked over and ignored.

Her brash, powerful vocals blend with booming drums, you can feel her anger and defiance in the song. Tully has created an empowering track that anyone can relate too, and shout along with!

Pamela Tully

Christian Cohle, 'Play Your Hand in Mine'

Christian Cohle has released his new album, Queen of Ashes, which features the song 'Play Your Hand in Mine'. This will the alt-rock artists' third album, it explores themes of addiction, healing, and transformation.

'Play Your Hand in Mine' explores the push and pull of desire in a budding relationship. Cohle's playful, energetic vocals mesh well with the vibrant production of the song. The vocals, combined with drums and soaring strings create an unorthodox love story that perfectly encapsulates modern life.

Christian Cohle, credit: Narayan Van Maele

Kate Prendergast, 'Growing Pains'

Kate Prendergast has released her new single 'Growing Pains'. The indie-folk artists' newest song is a bittersweet exploration of growing older, and how your outlook on life changes as a result. The song delves into nostalgia, with Prendergast's emotive songwriting adding to the vulnerable subject matter.

Her vocals have a conversational nature, which adds to the storytelling aspect of the song. The organ and guitar add a layer of depth to the song; Prendergast proves her capabilities as an emerging artist with the track.

Kate Prendergast

The Coronas, 'End The Day With You'

The Coronas have released their new single 'End The Day With You'. It was dropped as a double A-side single along with 'My Biggest Nightmare'. The band will be playing a show in Dublin's Fairview Park in June 2027.

'End The Day With You' is an acoustic-led track reminiscent of The Beatles and Billy Joel. It explores love, and highlights the quiet moments spent together in a relationship. Danny O'Reilly's heartfelt vocals blend well with the guitar and piano in the song, creating a track that feels timeless.

The Coronas

Doireann N Ghlacin, 'Pirceanna Glasa'| 'Greenfields'

Doireann N Ghlacin has released her new single 'Pirceanna Glasa' (Greenfields). The track is the second single ahead of her debut album An Tairseach (The Clearing), which drops on January 15, 2027.

The track is built around the reel 'The Greenfields of Glentown', composed by Donegal fiddle player Tommy Peoples. The single explores themes of family, musical inheritance, and place.

"I learnt this tune from my father on Christmas day in 2008. It's the best Christmas present I ever got," she said.

"This track, like the rest of the record, is rooted in an analogue nostalgic sound that defines the notion of liminality, the idea that the energy generated by certain music can transport us to another place."

Doireann N Ghlacin. Photo credit Brd ODonovan

RuthAnne, 'Older'

RuthAnne has released her new single 'Older'. The song is a moving tribute to her father. The track reflects on the reversal of roles as both parent and child grow older. The song explores the bittersweet emotions that go along with loving someone, while also acknowledging that they are growing more vulnerable.

"'Older' came from watching my dad get older and realising that, somewhere along the way, our roles had started to change," RuthAnne said.

"He has COPD, and Ive watched someone who always looked after me begin to need looking after himself."

"I think Older is me trying to process that shift, but more than anything, its about not really feeling ready for it."

'Older' single artwork

Fya Fox, 'October 15'

Fya Fox has released her new single 'October 15', ahead of her debut EP Bittersweet on October 23. The Armagh singer explores personal insecurities following an argument, disagreement or relationship breakup. The song combines her clear, bright vocals with subtle guitar. The alt-pop artists' emotive singing makes her honesty and vulnerability shine through the track.

"Its all the little things that build inside, feeling like you've no return," Fya Fox said.

"The chorus hits with a sense of relief and hope, that nothing is permanent and we can turn things around no matter how bad you think it is."

Fya Fox has an upcoming show in Whelan's on October 24 to celebrate the launch of her debut EP.

Fya Fox

U2, 'The Greatest Show on Earth'

U2 have released their new single 'The Greatest Show on Earth', ahead of their album Carnaval de Luz, which drops on November 13. The song was released along with their tour announcement. It follows the story of two lovers fighting to keep faith in each other and maintain their own faith. The track follows the wider themes of the album, which explores spirituality, friendship, freedom, and endurance.

The track features powerful, reflective vocals by Bono, along with layered, vibrant production. The song is a sweeping epic of hope, pulled off by a band completely confident in their abilities, while still capable of creating something entirely new and exciting.

U2 - The Greatest Show On Earth, YouTube.

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I wanted a career where music would remain at the centre of my life, but where I could also be part of something bigger, he says The Defence Forces offered professional stability, excellent musical experience and the opportunity to contribute to important national occasions.

Life in a military band demands more than musical talent. Members must meet the standards expected of Defence Forces personnel while maintaining the precision, versatility and discipline required of professional performers. For BM Hodson, recruit training provided a foundation that continues to shape his work.

It challenged me in a completely different way to music college. You learn resilience, teamwork and attention to detail. Those qualities are just as important on the parade ground as they are in rehearsal or performance.

Learning While Serving

While serving full-time, BM Hodson continued his studies at Technological University Dublin, completing a Bachelor of Music degree in 2023 with first-class honours.

Balancing service, performances and academic work required a lot of discipline, he says. But the experience I gained with the band strengthened my studies and what I learned at university fed directly back into my playing.

That same year, BM Hodson was named a finalist in the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year competition. He also received the Conrad OSullivan Memorial Prize for the best performance by a wind or brass player, recognition of both his ability and his commitment to developing as a saxophonist.

Receiving the Conrad OSullivan Memorial Prize was a huge honour and a real encouragement to keep developing as a performer.

Bandsman Gavin Hodson

Music on the National Stage

BM Hodson is also a member of the Army No. 1 Band Saxophone Quartet. The ensemble has represented the Defence Forces at events including St. Patricks Day celebrations in Brussels and the State Banquet marking the inauguration of Uachtarn na hireann, Catherine Connolly.

Performing at a State occasion carries a special responsibility, he says. You are aware that the music is helping to shape an important moment, and that you are representing both the Defence Forces and Ireland.

The international engagements are equally memorable. They give musicians the opportunity to act as cultural ambassadors, presenting a modern image of Ireland and its Defence Forces to audiences abroad.

Travelling to Brussels for the St. Patricks Day celebrations was a brilliant experience.

BM Hodsons role is unusually varied. Alongside his work as a saxophonist with the Army No. 1 Band, he serves as a bagpiper within the Defence Forces School of Music. Moving between the two instruments reflects the versatility expected of military musicians - and the breadth of opportunities available within the organisation.

The saxophone and bagpipes have very different traditions and demands but I enjoy that contrast, he says. No two weeks are exactly the same. One day might involve a formal military ceremony, another a quartet performance, rehearsal or major public event.

Bandsman Gavin Hodson

More Than a Military Band

The Defence Forces School of Music plays an important role in Irelands ceremonial, cultural and public life. Its musicians support military occasions, State ceremonies, commemorations and community engagements, as well as representing Ireland overseas. Behind every performance is a professional environment built on rehearsal, preparation and close teamwork. It is a career that can appeal to musicians seeking both artistic development and a strong sense of purpose.

The standard is high and you are always learning from the musicians around you, BM Hodson says. There is a real sense of camaraderie. Everyone has an individual part to play but the performance only works when the whole group works together.

For young instrumentalists considering their next move, BM Hodsons journey demonstrates that joining the Defence Forces does not mean placing artistic ambition to one side. His career has combined military service with third-level education, solo competition, chamber music, international travel and appearances at historic State events. He believes potential applicants should be prepared for the demands of military life, but also open to the possibilities it can create.

If you are passionate about music, enjoy working as part of a team and want a career that offers real variety, it is worth considering, he says. You have to be committed to both the musical and military sides of the role, but that combination is what makes it so rewarding.

From Cathal Brugha Barracks to concert platforms, diplomatic celebrations and ceremonial stages, BM Hodsons career shows the Defence Forces School of Music as a place where tradition and contemporary musicianship meet. For the next generation of performers, the message is clear: a career in uniform can still be a career defined by creativity, achievement and sound.

For further information on the various career options offered by the Irish Defence Forces, visit www.military.ie.

 

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Speaking to Music Week, Lawrence Montgomery, managing director at UK-headquartered music retailer Rough Trade, revealed that the first week's pre-orders for Dopamine Chamberwere four times higher than those of Fontaines' previous album, 2024's Romance. That's despite Romance, he stated, being "the best-selling record of all time at Rough Trade."

Originally founded in London in 1976, Rough Trade now operates a chain of shops in the UK, New York and Berlin.

Romancesaw Fontaines D.C. take a major leap forward on the international stage with the album doubling the first-week sales of its predecessor, Skinty Fia, in the UK.

"As a retailer, we loved that Romance continued to sell beyond week one which is rare these days," Montgomery said. "We are still selling around 50 units a week of that album two years after its release.

The even higher demand for Dopamine Chamber, he argues, proves that there is "a much larger addressable audience for the new album."

'Marianne', the lead single fromDopamine Chamber,became Fontaines D.C.'s first track to break into the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at No.19 following its release in August.

How DopamineChamberwill perform on the charts at home and overseas will be revealed next Friday, October 23.

Read our Album of the Month Review of the album here.

The group return to Dublin following their Vicar Street and The Button Factory shows last year. Since their inception in 2025, the band are known for their energetic sets and dedication to the preservation of Irish traditional music.

The all-female trad supergroup comprises Lisa on harp, banjo, vocals; Laura Doherty on fiddle and guitar; Zoran Donohoe on concertina; Sal Heneghan on fiddle and harp; Miadhachlughain ODonnell on flute and vocals; Nicole Lonergan on fiddle; Niamh Hinchy on vocals and synth; Aoife Kelly on cello; Ciara N Mhurch on fiddle; Hannah Hiemstra on drums; and Claire Loughran on fiddle and harp.

They performed at King John's Castle in Limerick on October 4 for the Ryder Cup Live at the Castle concert. Dublin band The Coronas also played at the event, which celebrated the countdown to the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.

They also performed 4 shows in the 3Arena in September as opening acts for Westlife's thirteen-show residency at the venue. Other special guests for the shows included Aslan, Paddy Keyes, and Garron Noone.

This followed a run of US and Canada tour dates during the summer, where they supported Ed Sheeran for his LOOP tour.

Following US rapper Macklemore's dismissal from the tour due to his calls for a 'free Palestine' during his opening set on September 4, BIIRD shared their support for the rapper on Instagram.

"We stand unequivocally behind every word he said," they wrote.

After their 2025 appearance on The Late Late Show, the band sold out their debut UK and Ireland tour, which included dates in Limerick, Mayo, Derry, and Galway. They played in front of 15,000 fans on the mainstage at All Together Now 2026, despite not releasing any music.

The band recently signed with Primary Talent as booking agents for 2026, with an extensive Irish, UK, and US tour soon to be announced.

Tickets for The National Concert Hall show go on sale on Wednesday, October 21 at 10 am here.

Take a bow, Brian Kennedy. On How Can I Keep From Singing, Thom Moores Carolina Rua is given a sprightly, soft-rock backing, while The Auld Triangle allows the essence of the song into the open air, captivating without its normal guttural take.

The selection is also leavened with less predictable, but no less welcome offerings, including the title track, featuring just piano and Kennedys golden voice. Elsewhere, Margaret Barry Broke My Heart beautifully evokes the memory of the titular singer, while The Leaving Of Liverpool zips along nicely.

Throughout, the production by Billy Farrelland Calum MacColl opens fresh space in the songs, really allowing the vocals to shine. Indeed, what we have here is vintage Brian Kennedy a man who doesnt just sing songs, but inhabits them.

8/10

As with all of his albums, Looking For Love is defined by Arborists powerful voice, as well as his lush Americana-inspired arrangements. On the 11 songs here, Arborist acts as flneur in his home city, penning lyrics about the small dramas, moments of wonder and little intrigues that make up life in Belfast.

There is so much joy in the slow way Arborist moves through his songs, apparently getting a feel for them before allowing them to burst free with their full power. There is endless warmth in the appropriately titled Ive Been A Flneur, while Sono Io is a hair-raising number sung in Italian. But Arborist saves the best til last with The Taming Of The Horses a delightful, conciliatory ballad, bursting with wisdom about time, love and travel.

8/10

The band played an intimate gig at Alexandra Palace in London during the week. They showcased material from their newly released album Dopamine Chamber. Spanish singer Rosala features on the track 'Where is Gone', which the group dropped on Monday.

The concert was recorded for a one-off version of the long-running entertainment show. The set will air on BBC Two on Sunday, October 15. It will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer on Wednesday, October 21.

Individual songs from the show will be available to watch for global fans on BBC's YouTube channel from October 21.

 

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Fontaines D.C. made their first appearance on Later...With Jools Holland in 2020. Vocalist Grian Chatten took the stage for a solo performance on the show in 2023. The band last played the programme in 2024.

The first episode of the new series aired on Sunday, October 11. The programme featured live performances and interviews.

The first episode featured artists such as Paul Heaton, Johnny Marr, Skye Newman, and Mary in the Junkyard. Irish acts Kingfishr and Madra Salach will also appear in future episodes of the new season.

Fontaines D.C. are set to headline Slane Castle, Co. Meath in June 2027. They will be the third Irish act, along with Thin Lizzy and U2, to headline the venue. The band were originally supposed to perform one show, however a second was added due to demand.

They will be joined by special guests Hayley Williams, Damien Dempsey, and Madra Salach, with more to be announced.

They have announced a run of shows in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand in January 2027. They will also be embarking on a North American tour, beginning in April 2027. Dates include Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Atlanta.

Tickets for Fontaines D.C.'s upcoming shows can be found here.

Equipped with confident musicianship, impressive solo vocals and upbeat harmonies, The Kates inhabit a space between The Staves and Haim, but revealing a more musical maturity than either.

So what will we miss? All That Talk boasts a captivating melody, with lyrics about facing challenging obstacles. A sturdy, guitar-driven rhythm propels Unbalancing, which also features some neat vocal interplay. Seductive, cathedral-like keyboard opens Cover Me Over, which later incorporates noisy guitar washes.

Elsewhere, Wires Crossed deals with fun-free misunderstandings, while the manifesto-like Between Truths takes a hard line on political and social oppression, and Only Us is a stinging rebuke to our collective empathy deficit.

By going out on a high, maybe The Kates will prove that sometimes enough is actually enough. As for us, as Joni Mitchell sang: you dont know what youve got till its gone.

8/10

Take Earl Grey And Edwin, a sublime piece of orchestral pop, juxtaposing a classical arrangement with contemporary lyrical imagery. Or What Does The Eye Of A Great Whale See, which captures a master craftsman at work.

Recorded in Sydney with longtime friend and collaborator, Midnight Oil man Jim Moginie, the album marks a full-circle moment in ORourkes life and career as it was in Oz, whilst still a teenager, that he committed his first songs to tape.

Indeed, his acclaimed debut, Since Kyabram, takes its name from a south Australian town. Remarkably, lead single Miracles And Mirages was originally written the day after ORourke and Moginie met and its a banger!

For Free and Song For Baby are gilt-edged ORourke songs wistful and humane. O Deepest Sorrow, with its rather shocking imagery of loved ones burnt and strung up, delivers a frightful jolt. Elsewhere, the Tom Petty-scorched Echo will no doubt become a live favourite, while The Magic Road To Anywhere is a further standout. Mighty stuff.

9/10

The Irish singer-songwriter previously played the venue in 2014, to promote his third studio album, My Favourite Faded Fantasy.

The 25th anniversary tour kicks off in Australia in February, before continuing on to Asia, Europe, the UK, South America and North America.

Originally released in February 2002,Owon the Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music a prestigious award for albums that have sold less than 500,000 copies. The album would eventually, however, go on to receive Gold certification in the US. Singles fromO including 'The Blower's Daughter' and 'Cannonball' have clocked up hundreds of millions of Spotify streams.

You can register for pre-sale tickets for the tour at damenrice.com with most pre-sales set to start at 10am on Wednesday, October 21.

The Bord Gis Energy pre-sale for the Dublin shows kicks off at 10am on Thursday, October 22 while general sale begins at 10am on Friday, October 23.

2027 Tour Dates:

• Feb 9, Melbourne, Australia Hamer Hall
• Feb 11, Sydney, Australia Sydney Opera House
• Feb 12, Sydney, Australia Sydney Opera House
• Feb 16, Singapore Capitol Theatre
• Feb 17, Singapore Capitol Theatre
• Feb 20, Bangkok, Thailand SiamPic Hall
• Feb 24, Hong Kong Xiqu Centre
• Feb 25, Hong Kong Xiqu Centre
• Feb 27, Seoul, South Korea GS Arts Center
• Feb 28 Seoul, South Korea GS Arts Center (Matinee)
• Feb 28 Seoul, South Korea GS Arts Center
• Mar 3, Taipei, Taiwan TICC
• Mar 21, Dublin, Ireland Bord Gis Energy Theatre
• Mar 22, Dublin, Ireland Bord Gis Energy Theatre
• Mar 26, Lisbon, Portugal Coliseu dos Recreios
• Mar 30, Madrid, Spain Teatro Lope de Vega
• Apr 4, Rome, Italy Auditorium Conciliazione
• Apr 6, Zurich, Switzerland The Hall
• Apr 9, Berlin, Germany Tempodrom
• Apr 12, Paris, France Le Grand Rex
• Apr 16, Amsterdam, Netherlands Royal Theatre Carr
• Apr 17, Amsterdam, Netherlands Royal Theatre Carr
• Apr 19, London, United Kingdom Lyceum Theatre
• Apr 20, London, United Kingdom Palladium
• Apr 23, Manchester, United Kingdom Opera House
• Apr 24, Manchester, United Kingdom Opera House
• May 3, So Paulo, Brazil Sala So Paulo
• May 8, Mexico City, Mexico Auditorio BB
• May 11, Chicago, USA Auditorium Theatre
• May 14, Toronto, Canada Massey Hall
• May 21, New York City, USA Kings Theatre Brooklyn
• May 25, Los Angeles, USA Greek Theatre

Two additional cities are still to be announced...

 

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On Eyes Bright And Low, the duo deliver a contemplative, ambient opus, replete with caverns of reverb, weeping chimes, alien dream-pop vocals and transcendent loops. Wind With Wings finds sinewy drums dissolving into eerie synth pulses, while Flutter boasting gorgeous vocals from Rachael Lavelle is the closest the album gets to pop.

Elsewhere, the majesty of Miniatures And Slight Risk lies in the perfect symmetry of the spectral atmosphere and slow synth swells, while the dark, aching and aptly-titled However Dimly brings proceedings to an impressive close.

8.5/10

The French-Canadian has sold over 260 million albums, making her the best-selling Canadian artist and best-selling French language artist.

The doll's outfit is inspired by Dion's appearance at the 1998 Academy Awards, where she performed 'My Heart Will Go On'. The necklace is a reference to the blue heart-shaped pendant Kate Winslet wears in Titanic.

The song, composed by James Horner for the 1997 film,with lyrics by Will Jennings, won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, plus four Grammys.

It is a true honor to join the Barbie legacy with a doll inspired by one of the most meaningful moments of my career", said Cline Dion. "I hope this doll inspires everyone to express themselves with confidence, follow their dreams and believe in the power of their own voice.

Dion is currently in residency at the Plenitude Arena in Paris, with concert dates until late May 2027.

The Cline Dion Barbie doll is available for pre-order here.

At Greep's Vancouver concert last week, someone passed out flyers accusing him of being a rapist. This led to walkouts and the cancellation of five of his upcoming performances. Greep said onstage that the incident of the previous night was "a complete misunderstanding" and that he was "not a rapist".

He played that night's set solo, claiming he didn't want to force his band to play under the circumstances. Keyboardist Cameron Campbell has since said that he quit the band that morning.

Campbell and the alleged victim, who used the pseudonym Laura, spoke to Paste magazine about what happened that night.

According to Laura, she and a friend met the musicians at a bar, and when it closed, the group moved to another friend's apartment.

Laura says she fell asleep on the couch and woke up to Greep kissing her "on my lips, trying to make out with me". Others in the apartment were woken by her screaming, including Campbell. Greep was then kicked out of the apartment, they both said.

According to a statement made by Laura, she "never wanted any of this to be made public", and the accusatory flyers were circulated at the concert "without [her] consent or knowledge".

"I dont know his full intentions, and either way, his behaviour was disgusting. But he did not rape me, and I would never claim otherwise", her statement reads. "I dont think that his assault should be diminished because of this. What he did was absolutely not okay, and should be taken seriously".

Campbell confirmed the account of how they met and what happened, though he admitted that he was not an eye witness to what Laura says Greep did. After being told to leave, Campbell says Greep lingered in the building's hallway.

"He tried to start downplaying it right there, saying that he only tried to give her a kiss on the cheekwhich, again, if shes asleep, that doesnt really make it okay either way", Campbell said.

Greep has responded with his perspective of the events.

"I kissed her once and she immediately responded negatively and pushed me away", he wrote in a post on Instagram. "I apologised and stepped away. She was understandably upset and told me to leave. She told me she had been asleep, which to my great regret, I honestly did not realise."

"I'm not trying to minimise what happened in any way and, again, all I can say is how sorry I am", he concluded the message.

 

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To coincide with the news, the Irish band have announced 'Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth', a world tour that will kick off in Mexico City in February, before continuing on to So Paulo and Buenos Aires. Beck is set to support in all three cities.

Additional 2027 dates for Europe and North America are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

The new single, 'The Greatest Show On Earth', was co-written by U2 and Brian Eno. It follows the previously released singles 'Street Of Dreams' and 'Silencio'.

Carnaval De Luz, U2's16th studio album, is set to be released on November 13.

Produced byJacknife Lee, the album is described as "a collection of 12 songs exploring themes of spirituality, friendship, freedom and endurance in the face of dark, encroaching forces."

Watch the video for 'The Greatest Show On Earth' below:

CARNAVAL DE LUZ PRESENTS: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH WORLD TOUR 2027 DATES:

• February 23 MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Estadio GNP Seguros
• February 26 MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Estadio GNP Seguros
• March 10 SO PAULO, Brazil - Estdio MorumBIS
• March 12 SO PAULO, Brazil - Estdio MorumBIS
• March 23 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Estadio River Plate
• March 25 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Estadio River Plate

Last month, U2 marked their 50th anniversary as a band with surprise events in Dublin including a performance at Bewley's on Grafton Street. Read Hot Press editor Niall Stokes' reflections on the celebrations here.

The extraordinary story of the band's first official gig as U2 at a competition in Limerick in 1978 is explored in the brand new book Becoming U2by Brian O'Connell. Hardback and paperback editions are available to pre-order now through the Hot Press Shop.

Other will be the electronic duo's eleventh studio album. The group released the record's first single 'Mother, Maiden & Crone' today. The track takes inspiration from folklore and witchcraft, and features vocals from English actress Maxine Peak (I Swear).

Brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll are also embarking on a UK and Europe tour to promote the new album.

Beginning on April 8 2027, the band's first stop is Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre. They will also play shows in Dolans, Limerick on April 9, and Limelight 1, Belfast on April 10.

UK dates include Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, and London. The band will round out the tour with shows in Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and Copenhagen.

The album will be Orbital's first release featuring new material since their 2023 album Optical Delusion. The record will explore themes of otherness, and the feeling of being unable to fit within society's margins. Other moves through a range of genres such as folk, drum & bass, and punk.

 

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Originally from Kent, the brothers released their debut album Orbital (also known as The Green Album) in 1991. The band's set at Glastonbury 1994 is regarded as one of the best gigs of all time.

It was shown on Channel 4 as part of the broadcaster's coverage of the festival. The concert was seen as the introduction of rave music into mainstream culture.

Tickets for the Irish shows go on sale on Friday, October 23 at 10am here.

CMAT really cleverly calls out the generations of politicians weve had in this country that have let people down, Jack nods. Its just our nature Irish people question authority, and weve always had the ability to put two fingers up to it.

Its a spirit that Basht. have tapped into too, on their powerful debut album, Poor Advice, out this month via UK-based independent label LAB Records. The project follows two EPs, high-profile support slots for the likes of Wunderhorse and Miles Kane, millions of streams, and some notable line-up changes for the Irish four-piece now made up of vocalist/guitarist Jack Leavey, drummer Ryan McClelland, bassist Louis Christle, and lead guitarist Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock.

The albums title is a reference to the moral advice dished down to all of us as we grow up, from various sources and questioning those authority figures a little bit more than youre probably expected to.

That theme just kept coming up, in different ways, Jack resumes. And then eventually it was like, Okay, lean into that, and really ask yourself, what do you think about it? It was like lifting logs in the field, and seeing whats underneath and just pushing yourself further down that hole.

It was a line of thought that first began to emerge during long periods on tour.

You spend a lot of time in your own head, says the singer. Youre sitting in the van, looking out the window, taking the world in. Even being in different places around Europe, youre constantly being reminded about the history of everything and then youre drawing comparisons from that to the modern day.

He also found himself exploring the juxtaposition between biblical imagery and the modern world.

Theres definitely a subconscious influence there, he says of the Church. From growing up, learning prayers in primary school, and then going to Mass in secondary school. The biblical stories I always find quite interesting, especially the Old Testament stuff.

Tracks like Terror TV and Circadia address the violence that continues to rage around the world with the latter directly influenced by the genocide in Gaza.

As a band, we feel very strongly about that, and we wanted to communicate it, Jack notes. But we also wanted it to not just be representative of one moment of time. Every conflict like that that has happened, or will happen its about injustice and oppression.

Terror TV also stretches back to those long drives in the van, staring down at a phone screen. You see a horrendous video and it doesnt even register that its a real event that actually happened, he reflects. That level of desensitisation that were experiencing is indicative of how we, as a culture, are just being numbed by it all.

But as drummer Ryan McClelland notes, the world of Poor Advice is more nuanced than those heavy topics might suggest offering up different things with different listens.

Recorded with Ali Chant ((known for his work with the likes of PJ Harvey and Perfume Genius), its the first collection of new songs that all four of the bands current members have worked on together. Ryan and Lughaidh are the most recent recruits, with both having previously played together in genre-blending Irish band Sky Atlas.

While still informed by a classic rock n roll spirit and influences like Lou Reed, Paul Banks and Ian Curtis the line-up changes have allowed Basht. to continue expanding their sonic world.

Credit: Patricia Rosingana

Myself and Lughaidh have been working together for a long time and gel very well, Ryan remarks. And obviously Jack and Louis Christle have been doing this project for a bit longer, and they have their own relationship. So it was nice having those little combos already exist. But its been a real melting pot, all of us, together.

The Sky Atlas stuff was coming from a different genre again, but I was always a rock drummer growing up. It feels like Ive finally arrived at a nice home for all of my influences and everyone has space in this project to really be themselves.

Its an approach that has clearly resonated with listeners with young, emerging bands already citing Basht. as influences.

Thats a bit surreal, Louis Christle says. It only feels like yesterday that I wouldve been openly citing bands that Id now consider my contemporaries as influences. But now were all sort of in the same boat, and on the same path. So for us as a group to be cited as influences just feels very cool and very flattering.

On their own way up, Basht. have also been shown plenty of love by established acts, including Wunderhorse.

And Gurriers theyve been great for a bit of knowledge here and there, or advice, Jack tells me. Theyve really been part of cultivating that Irish scene.

Although, as Ryan acknowledges, there is an undeniable overseas media fascination with Irish bands right now, he also points out that, at the end of the day, seeing that your peers are also having success can only be a good thing.

Its an amazing moment all this homegrown talent getting international recognition, and really leaning into their Irishness. Thats what makes me proud that theyre not shying away from it. And everyone wants each other to succeed, and to lift each other up.

The Irish music scene is very small anyway, Lughaidh adds. So everyone gets to know each other pretty quick. And a lot of people bounce around different bands. My housemates are in the band Theatre. And Jake [Brennan] who used to drum for Basht. was in the band Brooki as well. Theres a lot of different members crossing over, so its very friendly in that way.

The fact that Basht. are now gearing up for a headline show at the Button Factory which sold out months before fans even had their hands on the bands full-length debut is particularly special for Jack.

My dad used to run it when it was the [Temple Bar] Music Centre back in the day, he says of the venue. I grew up going in and out of that place, for gigs and stuff, as a kid. The fact that its now where were doing our headline show and its sold out is a real full-circle moment.

Thats not to say that Basht. are resting on their laurels just yet, however. Although Poor Advice has yet to be released at the time of our conversation, they tell me they cant wait to get back in a creative groove again, for Album No. 2.

After this, Im going to meet a guy off Adverts, to buy a 90s drum machine, Louis reveals. Ive been listening to a lot of 90s house and 80s techno, from Detroit. All those older sounds Ive been loving a lot lately. Its mad to think there are literally millions of different ways to sequence or play or present drums.

So a Basht. techno album next?

Well, we have a couple weeks off now, Louis laughs. So theyll either love or hate what I bring to them, come end of September!

Poor Advice is out now. Following a run of UK shows, Basht. headline the Button Factory, Dublin on November 7

Boldly expanding the dystopian world we were introduced to on 2024's Romance, the new album finds the band deliberately leaning into a sound thats more synthetic, and less immediately human.

We were stepping into a newer territory withRomance, in terms of starting to use keyboards and stuff like that, Curley tells Hot Press. So that blueprint had been set, a little bit, for this one. We had figured out how to work building tracks in the control room, and not just playing them live. And we built on that.

Fontaines knew they wanted to incorporate those electronic elements even more extensively this time round with Curley saying he drew inspiration from bedroom producers and "amazing" DIY-minded artists like RIP Swirl, untitled (halo), Double Virgo, and james K."

As withRomance, producer James Ford proved crucial to bringing the five-pieces ever-expanding vision to life.

He has such an incredible ear, for electronic music especially, Curley says of Ford. I feel like he was in a really playful place. He was really enjoying the process of figuring out how to do these sounds.

Since working on Romance, however, Ford has spoken openly about his health struggles with the producer having been diagnosed with leukaemia, after becoming seriously ill in December 2024. He still managed to produce this years star-studded War Child album, HELP(2) which featured Fontaines D.C., alongside the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Arctic Monkeys remotely, from his hospital bed, while undergoing treatment.

There was a period of time where it wasnt looking like he was going to be able to do the record, Curley says ofDopamine Chamber. But in fairness to him, hes such a strong person and whenever the timings worked out, and he was able to, hed go to the studio. He really wasnt taking anything for granted. Thats what hes on this earth to do make records, and be involved in music.

In contrast to the dark, wintery period in which the album was written, Curley recalls there being "a lightness to the recording sessions" with the band able to head outside and kick a Gaelic football around when the sun broke through.

But theres no denying that the world Fontaines have captured on Dopamine Chamber is a much more menacing one than that of Romance.

As Grian said around the new albums announcement, if Romance was 60 per cent human and 40 per cent corrupted by automation, and a loss of feeling, then Dopamine Chamber feels more like 60 per cent corrupted the mask is wearing the face a little more.

A lot of the world of Fontaines now exists on this online thing, Curley says of the inspiration behind those themes. Its such a negative thing to interact with to keep up with what your online thing is doing as a band.

People want to be in the position where they can be like, Oh, I never use my phone from this time to this time, or whatever, he adds. Its like we have these accepted addictions.

To Curley, the dopamine chamber represents a forced addiction, or a forced sort of place.

Its getting into the realm of taking away free will but through spikes in pleasure, he resumes. Its a dark, twisted kind of place.

The gritty, genre-splicing Tongue marks a bold departure for the band which Curley credits to listening to a lot more Kendrick Lamar, and more hip-hop backstage.

After the intensity of that track, and the run of songs before it, the tender mid-album pairing of One Man and Where Is Gone? feels almost like taking a breath as if something organic has infiltrated the albums largely synthetic world.

With us, I feel there always has to be a kind of a reset, the guitarist considers. I think our records always go like that. By having that lighter, acoustic stuff, it lets you push the darker stuff darker.

And the darkness is never far away with the characters right across Dopamine Chamber contending with feelings of emptiness, loneliness, insecurity and depression.

I feel like our songs never have the answer to the anguish, Curley notes. Theres never really a declaration of what to do, in any of our music. Its always just examples of pain and isolation or something like that so that people can feel it as well. And thats the thing, I think, that people have connected with.

Elsewhere in the interview, Curley talks Slane Castle, AI, Macklemore, Rosala, Fred again., Greta Thunberg, Mayo, Monaghan, Manhattan and more.

Read the full cover story interview with Fontaines D.C. in the current issue of Hot Press in shops now, and available to order online below: