Grand Pocket Orchestra record album, plan German tour

The Dublin quartet will play Astra Stube in Hamburg on April 28, followed by Lades Kaelder in Copenhagen (29), Privat Club in Berlin (30) and Antje Oeklesund in the same city on May 1. The tour will conclude at the Limes Club in Cologne on May 2.

Then it's back home for dates in the Roisin Dubh, Galway (May 12, with Alphastates) and Cork's Pavilion (14).

But before they spend some time abroad, GPO will be in Cork for the next five weeks recording their first album, the follow-up to their Odd Socks and Make Happy War EPs, which you can buy in Road Records, City Discs, Freebird, Plugd and via their MySpace.

Also worth checking out are their sweet-yet-scary promo shots (see right), by Loreana Rushe (www.myleftventricle.com).