Live: Cock and Bull 5 - The Casanova Wave, Kid Karate, Cloud Castle Lake

Seriously snazzy lineup for the 5th Cock and Bull event, which will take place in the larger confines of The Grand Social on February 5th.

Cock and Bull TV is basically a free gig once a month, where they fill a space with some quality acts, film it, interview some of the bands and then deliver it to the interweb -  what more could you want?

It's a great idea, that is done on a shoe-string and also for free by the people behind it so kudos all round.

Having already featured the likes of Owen Pallett and Patrick Kelleher, the 5th event will see The Cassanova Wave, Kid Karate and Cloud Castle Lake take to the stage - full details are available anseo.

Sample the bands below and make sure to head along on the night - it's free!



The third episode of Cock and Bull, featuring Jon Dots, Hello Moon, At last an Atlas is now online and available for your viewing please here.







  A Wolf Howling by cloudcastlelake

Live Review: Whelan's Ones To Watch 2011 [Thursday 13th January]

With the brilliantly conceived Ones To Watch 2011 mini-fest well under way, I made my way down to Whelan's on Thursday night to sample some of Ireland's great musical hopes for 2011.

Having unfortunately missed Hunter Gatherer, Cloud Castle Lake were first up on my agenda and with last years Pick For the Picnic title under their belts, the four piece come highly rated. Situated somewhere between the sombre work of Portishead and Sigur Ros, they immediately verify such acclaim; combining to produce an intensely brooding, melancholic sound, which is steeped in atmosphere and intensity. Incredibly high-pitched vocals are underpinned by a dreamy, hypnotic musical landscape which grips and enthrals, despite the length of the songs on offer. Extremely accomplished and equally memorable, it's easy to see why they're being tipped for great things in 2011.

In what must be a first for any gig, the 'Lake' theme continued with the next act - Great Lakes Mystery, which is the latest project from Dublin drummer Gareth Averill.


Backed by two supporting members, and with a cocophony of instruments on show, Averill steps beyond the pig skin (for the most part) to serve up an enjoyable mix which shifts between sullen and animated electronic based vibes. A relatively new concept, it's clear that GLM is a project brimming with ideas. On occasion however, there is perhaps too much ingenuity on show at once and with a lack of direction notable on certain tracks, there is a tendency for some tracks to get lost along the way, as they meander into the 'pleasant but plodding' category. Never the less, there is moments of genuine flourish on show from GLM, with Averill clearly holding an interesting creative streak which hints at a promising future for GLM. Expect news on a release and gigs in the coming months.

Finishing off the main stage is Thread Pulls, whose ambient tones and glitched up beats seem to have a large part of the audience entranced. It's a complex affair and Thread Pulls are certainly not a band who endear themselves to the newcomer. Rather, their unique creation of ambient drones, and fragmented beats is something which must wash over and envelop, until the roughly cut, minimal soundscapes seep into your pours. An interesting creation no doubt, but one which requires an advance listen, personally.

With so much good music on offer, it was only natural that some escaped my ears and the upstairs stage was particularly neglected. Never the less, a brief liaison with Toby Kaar, a rising electronica maestro from Cork, proved fruitful as he provided a memorable set, which was brimming with verve and catchy invention.

An excellent platform for rising artists, and a further indication of the quality currently flowing from these shores, the Ones To Watch festival is a testament to all those involved.

The festival ends tonight (Saturday), with tickets available at the door. Full details available here. 

More pictures from the night and sounds from the artists below:


  A Wolf Howling by cloudcastlelake


  Organo Moderato by Great Lakes Mystery


  How to talk by thread pulls


  Brightout by TobyKaar

Cloud Castle Lake




Great Lakes Mystery

 

Thread Pulls

Mini Festival in Whelans: Ones To Watch 2011

This one deserves all the attention it can get and for a month that is generally low on excitement, it's the perfect event to shake off the cobwebs and kick off the year in style.

Whelan's, in conjunction with State, is hosting the Ones To Watch 2011 mini festival next week which will showcase some of the best Irish acts currently on offer.  

Running from Wed 12th to Sat 15th of January, the event will see over 30 acts, play 3 stages (Whelan's main, upstairs and The Village) over the 4 days. 

Tickets are only €5 a day or €10 for a 4 day ticket and give you Access All Areas and you also get a free pint of Heineken with each Ticket - bargain!

Kudos to the organisers for this one, it's like a mini Hard Working Class Heroes - with dozens of great acts for a bargain price.

The full line-up thus far:

Thread Pulls | Jennifer Evans | Grand Pocket Orchestra | Planet Parade | Heroes In Hiding | Anthony Furey | Guilty Optics | Toby Kaar | Catscars | Strait Laces | Hired Hands | Cloud Castle Lake | Alarmist | Lost Chord | We Should Be Dead | No Monster Club | Bill Coleman | Lisa O Neill | Ivan St John | Owensie | Hunter-Gatherer | Squarehead | The Danger Is | Shouting At Planes | Hoarsebox | Miracle Bell | Cashier No 9 & more





Baseball Ghost by richtercollective