Gig Guide: February & March

WOLFF

Info: A round up of the best gigs coming up over the next few weeks in Dublin, single, E.P. & album launches plus info and getting tickets.

1) Abner Brown's Celebration of Women in Irish Music

Beginning in mid-January, every one of the 6 nights hosted in Abner Brown's Barbershop in Rathmines has sold out so far. Ticket details are announced when they become available on Eventbrite.ie via Abner's Facebook page, and they're free (with a much appreciated donation to the Women's Refuge in Rathmines) as well as BYOB, but they go fast, so to stay in the loop and avoid disappointment Like the page here. 

https://www.facebook.com/AbnerBrownsBarbershop

Remaining dates:

Feb 11 Mongoose , Neev Kennedy 

Feb 13 Sinead White , Saramai 

Feb 18 Carron , Niamh Regan 

Saramai - Fall A While

2) The Clockworks - Feb 11th - The Button Factory, Searchlight Showcase

Galway post-punk revival band The Clockworks feature on a superb line-up in The Button Factory on Thursday, which is free and run by Searchlight Productions. The showcase also features excellent acts such as Wolves of Youth, Gary O'Neill, Tadgh and many more. The Clockworks lads have also organised a return bus for the night from Galway to Dublin which you can find out about here, fair dues! 

The Clockworks - If I Told You....

3) WOLFF - Feb 13th - Upstairs in Whelans

After playing the front bar at Whelan's Ones To Watch last month, trash blues rocker WOLFF returns to the venue to headline, this time Upstairs. It's free before into Whelan's before 10:30pm, €10 after (with access to the club night etc.) and he'll take the stage at midnight with doors opening upstairs at 11:30pm, this one is going to be special.

https://www.facebook.com/events/978549992219125/

WOLFF - Flesh, Blood, Skin & Bone

4) Æ MAK - 13th Feb - Jack of Diamonds Presents, Sin É, Dublin

Recent BIMM graduates Æ MAK play Sin É venue on Upper Ormond Quay on Saturday night. I recently caught these guys at Abner Brown's during the week and Aoife McCann and Ellie McMahon were amazing live with their backing band who were all excellent musicians. They will also be playing State.ie's Faces series the night before in Whelan's, see these guys now before they explode (in a metaphorical sense).

Æ MAK - Abner Brown's Barbershop

5) The Skydive Sessions feat. Anderson & Blades Club - 13th Feb, The Bello Bar, Dublin 8

On Saturday February 13th The Skydive Sessions in Aid of the YSPI, will showcase the newest and noteworthy of Irish music in Bello Bar. Hosted by Sounds from a Green Room and The Cavalier, the gig will aim to raise as much money as possible for the YSPI (Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland) with entrance fees on the door going towards the charity. There is brilliant line up for the night Anderson, Blades Club, Wounded Healer, Anna Kerr, Asteroid, and The Cavalier all for only  three euro, but people are free to give more .The YSPI are a charity that provide mental health services for young people and carry out secondary school visits and workshops. They get no funding from the government so a large group of students from UCD are doing sponsored skydives in April with an aim of raising €100,000. We're trying to raise at least 500 for the charity so we'd appreciate if people could dig deep!

Blades Club - Asian Babes

6) Danny G & The Major 7ths - 14th Feb, The Bello Bar, Dublin 8

I've seen Danny G & The Major 7ths a couple of times over the last year or so and I can't think of any better band to provide the backdrop to your Valentines night, whether you've been in a long-term relationship that's going stale, or your just out for the first-time shift....these guys will repair / boost your chances whatever your current romantic situation is. Supreme velvet soul and funk drawing on the spirit of the late, great Marvin Gaye and the funky styles of well, everyone who was anyone, let love rule and pop down to the Bello.

Danny G & The Major 7ths - Good Things (Live on RTÉ's 2FM)

7) Hotel On Mars - 19th Feb - The Grand Social, Dublin 1 - Album Launch

Dublin five-piece Hotel On Mars launch their debut album, Don't Feel Like Daylight, in The Grand Social, which will be available on the night on CD and on super limited edition vinyl (only 250 copies will be pressed) as well as digital download from all major digital distributors the next day. I've had a blast of the album already and it's great, check out below current single, 'Want What You Want', rockin' stuff.

Hotel On Mars - Want What You Want

8) Galants - 5th March, Whelans Upstairs, 12pm

Galants and Borders of Sleep bring the noise to the Midnight Hour Upstairs @ Whelans. Galants is a noise-gaze band from Dublin incorporating the scuzzy pop tones of Teenage Fanclub with the reverberated bombast of My Bloody Valentine. In the summer of 2015 the band released a trilogy of singles, 'This is Heaven', 'Seventeen' and 'Out of Sight', receving praise from Hot Press Magazine, The Irish Times and BBC Across The Line. 

Really like the sound these guys are going for, MBV is definitely in the DNA here but there's a really strong old school Irish rock sound to the music and vocals too.

Galants - This Is Heaven

9) Peco - 16th March - The Loft Venue, Upstairs in Foley's Pub, Dublin 2

I have a soft spot for Kildare folk troubadour Peco McLoughlin, mainly because I strongly believe he is one of the best lyricists in the genre in Ireland at the moment and there's strong observational depth to his music. Secondly because he reminds me of all of the best elements of folk music from times of yore, in a previous review I mentioned 70's Dylan and Waterboy's main man Mike Scott. Definitely an intimate show to be caught next month, additional dates around Ireland & the U.K. below also.

Join Peco and friends for the launch of his debut solo single 'Safe Haven' in the intimate settings of The Loft Foleys. Special guests on the night will include Sean Farrell and more to be announced. Limited number of tickets available (50 Max Capacity) free of charge but on a first come first serve basis. If interested in attending please e-mail info@liveloudmusic.com