The Inside Track: March of the penguins

It’s all happening in the Electric Penguins camp at the mo. Fresh from an electric (ahem) support slot to new wave legends Devo, the band are in production for the video for ‘Supergirl’. The single is out on July 6 on iTunes, a wonderful taster for the Goodbye From The Electric Penguins album available next month. They also grace the stage with Annuals in Whelans on July 2, and are hard at work on their next long-player.
The Mighty Stef has returned to Dublin after his adventures in the US. Catch him in The Village on July 4 when he hosts the first in a series of his Evenings Of Acoustic Nightmares featuring guest performers and DJs. As a keen hurler back in the day, Stef was delighted to hear that RTÉ sports played his single ‘Poisonous Love’ over the highlights of the recently drawn Munster Hurling Championship game between Tipperary and Limerick.
Limerick’s Seneca hit Crawdaddy on July 1 to launch ‘Smile’ from their forthcoming album Sweeter Than Bourbon (due for a September release). This year has been a busy one for the boys, who have been cultivating quite a following on the live circuit and landed support slots to Republic Of Loose and Director. Support on launch night comes from Dave’s Radio...
In other single launch news, My Brother Woody celebrate the release of ‘Hanging Around’ in the Boom Boom Room on June 28. Admission is only !7 and includes a free copy of the single.
The band is the creation of Irish songwriter Michael Cleare backed by Steve Lynch (piano), Marc Aubule (guitar/synth), Eugene McMahon (bass) and Sebastian Boes (drums). Having shared bills with The Posies, Marc Carroll, Mundy and The Chalets, the band are developing quite a following. The new single precedes the forthcoming album It’s A Long Way From That Sort Of Thing You Were Raised which hits the shops in August...
Mullingar’s TKO are returning to Whelans on June 29 (one of the last gigs before the venue’s renovation). The band’s last two shows in the venue sold out, so if you weren’t lucky enough to get a ticket, you can catch them in the Music Factory in Carlow the following day….
Ponomica (featuring Nigel and Jamie formerly of Waiting Room) are putting the finishing touches to their debut long-player Battle Lines Are Gently Drawn which will be released later in the summer. The songs were originally intended to be the second Waiting Room album. They will be playing gigs in Ireland and the UK in September. We will keep you posted…
One gig not to miss over the next fortnight is The Things’ [pictured] EP launch in Voodoo on June 30. The Wild Psychotic Sounds EP is out on Big Neck Records and will be available on CD, Download and limited edition 12” vinyl. The six tracks will “bring you as close to the Things live experience as you can possibly get without catching something”, according to the press release! Support on the night comes from the wonderful Twin Kranes….
Another date for your diary is June 29, when brilliant Mary Chain-derived scuzz-fuzz outfit Sickboy will release the single ‘The A-tune’ on their new label Slap In The Face Records. The disc will include three tracks and a video. The launch will take place on that day in Tower, followed by a gig in The Hub.
After all that, will you have any energy left for Oxegen?