PICK OF THE WEEK
Those in the big smoke on Saturday evening who want some live music but who would prefer a roof over their head have two must-see shows to select from.
Discerning hip-hop fans will already have marked Your Old Droog’s Irish debut at the Twisted Pepper in Dublin with their highlighter pen.
One of the acts who grabbed a lot of attention at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, in March, Your Old Droog (above) is a rapper out of Coney Island, New York who has been building a head of steam over the last year for his roughneck, hard-chaw, raspy rhymes and throwback rhythms.
There was some initial suspicions that this was Nas in disguise, but those were nixed when Droog turned out to be a lanky lad born in the Ukraine and bred in America.
Also hitting the boards tomorrow night will be Girls Names, the Belfast band (with a Dublin drummer) who will release their new album in the autumn. Arms Around A Vision is the follow-up to the much admired and acclaimed The New Life in 2013.
The forthcoming third album, say the band, will take its cues from “European elegance, Italian futurism, Russian constructivism, Germany’s Zero Group and both Neubaten and Bowie’s Berlin”.
Get a first taste of what that sounds like when they play Hangar, Dublin tomorrow night.
INDIE FOLK
Lord Huron
Whelan's, Dublin 8pm €16.50
whelanslive.com
Having named his band after a lake that frequented as a child and teenager, Lord Huron co-founder Ben Schneider has fashioned a special ear- worming blend of folk and pop informed by American literature (notably Willa Cather) and American alt.roots (notably Fleet Foxes). Strange Trails, their recent album, will be showcased.
ISLAND LIFE
Oiléan
Leighillaun Island, Schull, Co Cork 3pm €35
facebook.com/moodroomcollective
The location is a tiny spit of an island in the heart of west Cork, a couple of miles beyond Schull, which can be entered at low tide. Aside from music from Neil Flynn (the Irish producer behind the excellent Louise EP for Lossless), St Andrews' techno DJ JVXTA and Mosse, you'll also have space to pitch your tent and food from Smokin Mo. What more are you after?
DISCO
Late Night Tuff Guy
Twisted Pepper, Dublin 10.30pm €15
facebook.com/LateNiteTuffGuyOfficial
Carmelo Bianchetti is the man when it comes to buckwild disco. As Late Night Tuff Guy, the Australian DJ and producer has created a galaxy of fantastic, sexy, gorgeous disco edits, remixes and cuts. Vintage dusty grooves by Chic, Chaka Khan, Queen and many others are freaked and tweaked by Bianchetti into glittering anthems. Also in the house: Dutch underground spinner and former Trouw shapeshifter Young Marco.
CLUB
Twitch
Queen's Students Union, Belfast 10pm €12
The Secretsundaze crew are in town tonight – good news indeed for Belfast’s party faithful. Resident DJs James Prestley and Giles Smith will represent the London club, a shindig that has managed the remarkable feat of remaining relevant and cutting-edge 13 years on from its inception. Support from Paddy Towe (Slack Society), Phil Lucas and Switch resident Matt Burns.
JAZZ
Phil Ware Trio featuring Bobby Wellins
JJ Smyths, Aungier St, 9pm, €15,
jjsmyths.com
Veteran Scottish saxophonist Bobby Wellins has been one of the most original voices on the UK scene since the mid-1950s, perhaps best known for his contribution to Stan Tracey's seminal Under Milk Wood recordings. His previous Irish encounters with pianist Phil Ware have been celebratory, hard-swinging affairs and these two dates, north and south, promise to be no different.
