There is one hell of a June Bank Holiday weekend ahead of us. Junior Spesh turns three, Subject turns seven and Abstract curate a stage at Forbidden Fruit festival.

After an incredible 36 months of weekly parties at Dublin's Twisted Pepper, Junior Spesh have announced their birthday bash on May 29 will be their last outing. Three years on the go is no mean feat. Performing on the night will be Meltybrains? (what a name!), CLU and Monto. On May 30, meanwhile, Bedlam present Scntst from Boyz Noize and OM Unit at the Twisted Pepper.
Dublin city’s urban music festival Forbidden Fruit returns on May 31 and June 1 in the beautiful grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The Abstract Agency have revealed they will be curating a stage for the first time. They’ve announced dOP, Tone Of Arc, Detroit Swindle, Session Victim (love it!) and John Heckle playing over the weekend. Hidden Agenda is also curating a stage, featuring Erol Alkan and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.
Subject celebrates seven years of service (try saying that quickly seven times in succession) to Dublin’s underground with a series of special shows to mark the occasion. First up is Orbital’s Phil Hartnoll performing an Orbital Classics DJ set in the intimate confines of the Twisted Pepper. On June 1 there's another monster line up with Surgeon, Paul Woolford and Sunil Sharpe (again in the Twisted Pepper). The festivities conclude with the Breakfast Club on Monday morning (7am) in the Dark Horse Inn. Detroit’s Marcellus Pittmann (of Three Chairs fame) oversees proceedings.  
I asked organiser Ro Flynn if he has any advice for upcoming promoters. He said: “Don’t give up. Create goals and work towards them. Start small, test the water. For bigger events and international bookings, operate from your heart but always with a business sense. Work off a profit and loss sheet and know if you can make the gig function financially. There’s no glory in losing lots of money.” Wise words!
Meanwhile in Waterford on June 1, Kerri Chandler plays with Re:Publik in Crystal Nightclub. The Terrace Sessions also return to the Basement Bar that night.
The following weekend, I make my first appearance up north with AudioAsylum in Derry on June 6. I‘ll be playing in Sandino's Back Room. Melodic have Guti playing a live set on June 7 in the Twisted Pepper. He reached number five in Resident Advisor’s top live acts poll and is also a classically-trained jazz virtuoso and national rock ‘n’ roll hero in Argentina. Hidden Agenda host Karma Kid in the Button Factory.
On the release front there’s been lots of activity from Irish artists. Arveene and Misk made their fourth appearance on Mason’s Animal Language imprint with their Acid Future project. Orla Feeney has released her Lilyhammer EP on Paul Van Dyke’s label Vandit. Rob Murphy has an EP out on Leeds imprint Digital Disorder and Owen Begley has a release on London-based Different Attitudes.
I’d like to hear from more people outside Dublin about underground stuff and new projects. If there isn’t anything going down in your town, then make something happen and tell me about it. Get stuck in. Email: [email protected]