All photos by Julia Whyte
Here are photos of Indie Week's Closing Party at The Grand Social (Dublin) on Saturday, May 14th. Indie Week Canada 2010 winners These Electric Lives (from Toronto, Canada) co-headlined with a great local band The Dirty 9s and needless to say, it was a great night!
The closing night of Indie Week is always an important one as one act is selected to go to Canada. This year, The Suburbians from Essex, UK was selected! Listen to their catchy new video here:
All the Canadians in the house
Ireland Top Act The Suburbians
The Suburbians and the Indie Week crew
Again, The Suburbians and the crew!
Canada 2010 Top Act These Electric Lives and their lovely manager Lori
These Electric Lives and the Indie Week team
Last two Indie Week winners: These Electric Lives and The Suburbians
Black Circles perform Saturday, May 14, 9.30pm
Ask anyone and they'll tell you the same....three is the magic number......
BLACK CIRCLES are a power-trio with experience in their ranks and a gloriously melodic and heavy sound that combines the hazy valve fuzz of Queens of The Stone Age with the blistering pop melodies of early Biffy Clyro and Silversun.
Frontman/guitarist Dan and bass player Mayumi cut their teeth on the touring highway in previous bands before fate brought them together in the heart of Kent. Both ambitious and demanding of themselves as songwriters and musicians, they soon discovered the creative synergy between their dynamic musical backgrounds.
In 2010 they recruited new drummer Tris and successfully self-released their anthemic debut single “Little Girl” (iTunes/August 2010), picking up glowing reviews in Japanese and UK press (Black Velvet Magazine, Classic Rock Magazine’s Track of the Day). The song was also popular on the BBC Radio Kent Introducing playlist and enjoyed extensive airplay further afield in LA (where 'Great Unknowns Presents…’ ran a feature on the release).
With an undeniable songwriting talent, raw energetic live performance, a music video by Crossroad Films and busy festival season ahead (The Great Escape Festival, Farm Festival), there is no doubt Black Circles are a force to be reckoned with in 2011.
New single "FINAL STRAW" out on iTunes 16th May 2011.
http://www.myspace.com/blackcirclesband
The Suburbians will be playing Saturday, May 14, 9.05pm at The Grand Social
In July, two brothers Ben and Mark Konstantinovic fronting their new project 'The Suburbians' are releasing their debut album. A much anticipated eclectic mix of Rock, Indie and Blues, delivered to audiences through moving performances from this fresh 4 piece band..
‘The Suburbians’ were recently described in local papers as ‘The Ones To Watch. In 2011’. Aswell as their first single being playlisted on their local BBC introducing show. It seems the papers are not the only ones keeping an eye out...
Romesh Dodangoda (producer of Kids in Glass Houses, Motorhead, Manic Street Preachers to name but a few) discovered The Suburbians through early demo tracks, and has recently confirmed the production of their debut album to go ahead in the last week of April, set of a release in mid July 2011.
Performances from The Suburbians in these early stages always include a well rehearsed show structure mixed with improvisation between these musicians that epitomizes what great music is all about. The band members are Mark Konstantinovic on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Ben Konstantinovic on lead guitar and backing vocals, Charlie Roberts on bass and Ben Nyari on drums. The life long friendship between Ben Nyari and Charlie Roberts, mixed with the brotherhood of Ben and Mark, is what gives this band the unity and performing experience which is only seen in the most established, world class bands, and its hard to forget that their average age is 22.
Notable Achievements (Since formation in Nov. 2010)
Queen of Hoxton, London night hosted by “Jay Cartwright” from Inbetweeners, featuring Dan Ralph Martin from Kasabian – Headline slot, audience of approx 500 in attendance.Dec ‘10
Proud Camden, London – Music Weeks Breakout session featuring the hottest artists upcoming in this famous hub of musical activity. Dec ‘10
Scala, London- selected to play for a new up and coming artists night, attendance of nearly 1000. Nov ‘10 (New Stars tour)
Roadmender, Northhampton - ‘Bollox to poverty’ charity event 600+ in attendance, BBC northampton interviews and BBC introducing involvement off the back of this performance. Jan ‘11
Performance at the first ever Brighton Marathon for Heart FM, open air mainstage slot performing for over 1000 people. Invitation to return in April ‘11http://www.thesuburbians.co.uk
Eoghan Colgan will next be performing at the Closing Party on Saturday, May 14 at The Grand Social, 8.45pm.
Eoghan (pronounced Owen) has been training and working as a doctor for the past 11 years and moonlighting as a singer-songwriter. “it’s a difficult job to give up but the hours made it hard to devote as much time to the music as I wanted” says Eoghan. Despite long shifts at the hospital Eoghan managed to release two self-produced E.P.s to great acclaim and comparisons to some of the most successful songwriters in the world. He has played sold-out shows in some of the best venues in Glasgow as well as festivals in Australia, Scotland, Ireland and Norway. He debuted on BBC Radio Scotland then had live sessions on Q96 as well as being a featured artist of the week on XFM Scotland. “I’m proud of what I achieved over the past few years but I guess I wanted to release an album and tour around the UK and Ireland. To do that would mean giving up my medical job”. And that’s what he did.
This year Eoghan was handpicked by some of the leading music industry figures to be awarded the O2 Undiscovered music bursary. “He was the only artist with a God-given talent – that being his incredible voice. With the right help and development he could go on to sell millions of records.” says Amanda Ghost, one of the judging panel. “I guess it was the break I needed to convince my family it was now time to go full-time at the music!” Eoghan said with a wry smile.
In the past few months Eoghan has played at the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, The Grazia Magazine Fashion Awards, The Scottish Fashion Awards and most recently the Q Awards Nomination Ceremony at the Millenium Dome alongside Athlete, Hard-Fi and the Manic Street Preachers. His passionate and honest live performances are now in demand. Eoghan is currently writing and recording his first full-length album which will be coming in 2008.
http://eoghancolgan.com/
Thursday, May 12, midnight, Auntie Annie's (Belfast)
Loved by the likes of Hot Press and AU magazine and lauded by Rocksound, Radio One and the Fly, Belfast-based alternative punk trio Axis Of plan to capitalize on their rapidly growing reputation as a fearsome live act by releasing a brand new EP (‘Port Na Spaniagh/Brobdingnagian’) that features both of those incendiary tracks plus ‘We Dine On Seeds’ on June 6.
Having already trekked around the UK and Ireland countless times before and performed at festivals far and wide such as Glasgowbury, Pigstock, Soundcity in Liverpool and Eurocultured in Manchester, the three-piece now set their sights on mainland Europe in a bid to blow away the music fans of France, Belgium, Holland and beyond with their righteous brand of nu-school punk rock.
One of the hardest working bands around right now, Axis Of spent last Christmas recording music for Radio One at the legendary Maida Vale studios in London and 2011 sees them emerge, as Rocksound so eloquently put it, as “The most exciting band to come out of Northern Ireland, possibly ever.” Initial tour dates in support of the Re-release of ‘Port Na Spaniagh/Brobdinagian’.
http://www.myspace.com/axisof
Wednesday, May 11, 12am, Sweeney's Mongrel
The Whatmans are a top European indie rock outfit consisting of John Brennan on vocals, Padar Mulvey on guitar and backing vocals, Francis “Frany” McGinn on bass, Aidan Carolan on drums, and Elizabeth Oakes on keys. They formed in 2007 out of a frustration against what Padar Mulvey describes as a constant stream of over-produced “safe pop.” The Whatmans have turned heads with a pulsating, high energy, powerful live performance complemented with strong tunes, mixed with a high tempo output. There are not many bands out there with a complete 2 hour set of their own strong original material, who can still leave a crowd chanting for more.
http://www.thewhatmans.com
Saturday, May 14, 10.45pm, The Grand Social (Dublin)
The Dirty 9s released their debut album “Stop Screaming, Start Dreaming”, produced by Greg Haver(Manic Street Preachers) in 2010 to critical acclaim. Described by RTE.ie as “Plenty of energy..nice hooks” and by State.ie as “a record of youthful endeavour..bags of promise”, this album has not only enabled The Dirty 9s to reach people worldwide with their music, but it has also helped them to become an established live act to be reckoned with.
Prior to the 2010 World Cup, The Dirty 9s were asked by Indiecater records to record a song for the Argentinian National Team, for a 32 song indie compilation that they were organising called “Fast Forward”. The band took on this challenge, and wrote the ‘Ballad of El Diego’, which was described by the Irish Independent as “appropriately, unhinged, OTT and rather magnificent”, and also prompting the Guardian to describe it as “ludicrously catchy, horn-soaked Argentine anthem Ballad of El Diego.”
The Dirty 9s formed in 2008 and haven’t wasted anytime in their mission to take their music to as many people as possible. Named after the less than flattering nickname given to their local bus service -the 39 the Dublin five piece first came to the public’s attention when they won the €10,000 grand prize on Irish TV Show Deis Roc. The show which aired on TG4 was a music competition for unsigned bands in which you had to write and perform your own music in Irish. Judges on the programme included Jim Lockhart from the legendary Horslips. The band put their winnings from the show to good use and enlisted Manic Street Preachers & Super Furry Animals Producer Greg Haver to record their debut album with. The album is called ‘Stop Screaming, Start Dreaming’. In the short time they’ve been together the band have also been selected for the 2009 IMRO Showcase Tour, performed on BBC Scotland Music Show Rapal, had their debut single ‘Lucy Opus’ picked as the download of the day on Today FM by Tony Fenton and they’ve had a track of theirs ‘Corridors’ chosen for the Hotpress/Oxfam compilation CD. They finished 2009 by signing a licensing deal with US based company Uncommontrax who provide music for Film & TV shows such as Entourage & Twilight. Since forming the band have clocked up gigs in top venues throughout the country including among others Whelans, Auntie Annies, The Academy, Cyprus Avenue, Spirit Store, The Stables, Electric Avenue & The Granary. They’ve also supported Republic of Loose, Delorentos, The Coronas, CODES, Director & The Stunning.
http://www.thedirty9s.net/
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