Jim Carroll

• Plug The Ticket
• July 31, 2009, 09:52

In The Ticket today, Pixie Lott talks world domination, Amiina talk Icelandic, Vincent Cassel talks iconic French gangsters, Damien Dempsey talks brandy, port, fruit, water and nuts and Brian Boyd talks up how Spotify may kill iTunes. In New Music, …

• Festivals
• July 30, 2009, 08:50

In terms of sheer volume alone, the August bank holiday weekend is the busiest weekend of the year if you’re in the business of putting on shows in the open-air. There’s Castle Palooza in Tullamore, Indiependence in Mitchelstown, Le Cheile …

• The Far Side
• July 29, 2009, 15:04

Seeing as there are quite a lot of On The Record readers enjoying what Spotify has to offer and as there are no plans at present to podcast or repeat The Far Side, here’s a solution of sorts – The …

• Live music
• July 29, 2009, 13:57

Yes! One of the best live acts I’ve seen this year, Baddies play Dublin’s Academy 2 on October 1 and Belfast’s Auntie Annies the night after. They’re going to tear the roof off bothe venues. Debut album “Do the Job” …

• The Far Side
• July 29, 2009, 09:54

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, Tuesday July 28, 10pm-midnight You’ll find a Spotify playlist of some of the tunes from last night’s show (and some of the tunes which would have been on last night’s show if …

• Irish music
• July 28, 2009, 09:45

There is one topic above all others which is guaranteed to have tanks parked on an Irish blog’s lawn by teatime: writing about Irish bands. Can you park your M1s on the left and Challengers on the right please?

• Randomiser
• July 27, 2009, 09:15

(1) Will Lenny be visiting Ireland every summer from now on? This time out, in common with so many returning acts from the last couple of summers, Lenny went indoors and took over The O2 for a few nights last …

• U2
• July 24, 2009, 15:31

Per a check on Ticketmaster, there are suddenly cheap seats (well, €33.60 pius booking fees cheap seats) back on sale for U2′s Monday show. Couple of questions for Bono: dude, do you know the meaning of “sold out”? Or is …

• The Ticket
• July 24, 2009, 09:46

In The Ticket this week, we talk to La Roux about her fabulous year, Tony Scott sells us his remake of The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (flick better be good because the original was a smasher), Wallis Bird …

• Tune of the Week
• July 23, 2009, 09:22

What a beautiful noise. You probably know Tyondai Braxton best as one-quarter of advanced maths combo Battles. It is now time to get to know his forthcoming solo album, “Central Market”. “Uffe’s Woodshop” is the first tune from that album …

• Festivals
• July 22, 2009, 15:40

The latest names for the Stradbally soiree from September 4 to 6 are Florence & The Machine, Baaba Maal, the Duckworth-Lewis Method, Mick Flannery, Laura Izibor (I thought she had been announced ages ago?), The Big Pink, Nightmares On Wax …

• The Far Side
• July 22, 2009, 09:39

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, Tuesday July 21, 10pm-midnight DJ-ing plug: I’ll be DJ-ing with Gugai at a post-Bon Iver Strange Brew special at the Roisin Dubh in Galway tomorrow (Thursday, July 23 – admission is free). …

• Sport
• July 21, 2009, 19:07

Another excellent performance by Nicolas Roche in his debut Tour de France. After two previous Top 10 finishes (including the runner-up spot at the weekend), Roche came in fourth today, six seconds behind Mikel Astarloza, after what was a tough …

• Music business
• July 21, 2009, 10:05

Later this morning, the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Prize will be announced. While there has been a lot of speculation in the last 24 hours about the albums which might be on the list, all such guesswork should be …

• Live music
• July 20, 2009, 16:31

Hope Sandoval and her band of merry men The Warm Inventions play Galway’s Roisin Dubh on October 29, Cork’s Cyprus Avenue, Cork on October 30 and Dublin’s Vicar Street on October 31. Yep, you too can spend Hallowe’en with Hope. …

• U2
• July 20, 2009, 10:42

Am I the only one wondering just how many tickets U2 have sold for their homecoming shows next weekend? Over the last few weeks, there have been non-stop ads advertising the fact that there are a “limited number of production …

• Live music
• July 20, 2009, 08:40

The excellent Noisettes play Dublin’s Button Factory on October 10. Tickets, at €16 a pop, go on sale next Friday.

• The Ticket
• July 17, 2009, 09:28

In The Ticket, your best weekly guide to music and movies on the planet, Donald Clark goes moonwalking with Duncan “Zowie Bowie” Jones, director of the rather awesome Moon, we go Dutch with comedian Hans Teeuwen, one of the stars …

• Politics
• July 16, 2009, 15:55

Poor Martin Cullen must be wondering what he has done to deserve this. In a report which doesn’t take any prisoners when it comes to recommending snips (snips? You would want to be desperate to go to Colm McCarthy and …

• Tune of the Week
• July 16, 2009, 11:57

The name of the band is Django Django. And no, they’ve got nothing to do with Belgian gypsy jazz guitarists.

• Live music
• July 15, 2009, 11:11

Oh yes. Pixies will now also recreate their “Doolittle” album at Dublin’s Olympia on September 30. Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning at 9am (€54.80 and €44.20). The shows on October 1 and 2 are sold out. UPDATE Gig is …

• The Far Side
• July 15, 2009, 09:35

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, Tuesday July 14, 10pm-midnight DJ-ing plug: I’ll be DJ-ing with Gugai at a post-Bon Iver Strange Brew special at the Roisin Dubh in Galway on July 23. If you’re going to the …

• Festivals Live music
• July 14, 2009, 14:07

MONIO – Music of Northern Irish Origin – takes place at the King’s Head, Belfast on August 1 and 2. Playing the marquee next to the pub over those two days are David Holmes, And So I Watch You From …

• Live music
• July 14, 2009, 09:57

Nico Muhly is coming to Dublin. You may not know the name, but you certainly know his work. The awesome composer, arranger, collaborator and all-round new music whizzkid, who has worked with Antony & The Johnsons, Grizzy Bear, Sam Amidon, …

• Oxegen
• July 13, 2009, 09:50

If you want the reviews, please scroll down the page. If you want the analysis from 60 hours in the mud, please keep reading.

• Oxegen
• July 12, 2009, 22:59

Here come the sharp-dressed men. If you required any additional proof that we’re reliving the 1980s at the moment, the sight of a reformed Specials near the top of the bill as well as the miserable rain pelting down as …

• Oxegen
• July 12, 2009, 18:27

HudMo arrived in Dublin airport at lunchtime and was onstage kicking out the bass bumpers an hour later. He may have been playing to a tiny crowd but that doesn’t stop Hud from some accomplished grandstanding. This is the real-deal …

• Oxegen
• July 12, 2009, 18:18

It’s a schtick which never fails to get a crowd pumped. On the stage, RSAG’s Jeremy Hickey is playing the drums and singing away like a man possessed. On a screen behind him, you can see the outlines of a …

• Oxegen
• July 12, 2009, 14:09

If it’s Sunday, it must be (still) Punchestown. The mud report: it’s not raining, the car parks are in pretty good nick (the blue carpark, anyway) and the arena is OK. Like, I wouldn’t like to spend a week’s holiday …

• Oxegen
• July 12, 2009, 12:39

More capsule reviews from last night. I also saw a bit of the Kings Of Leon – mmm, so that’s what the Jonas Brothers will sound like once they start shaving. Ooooooh, now this is pop (baby). The Pet Shop …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 21:44

Reviews by me for The Daily Ticket Yeah Yeah Yeahs: it’s a blitz It’s their time. You can sense this in how the Yeah Yeah Yeahs approach this show. It’s pelting down, stagehands stand around with towels and mops and …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 21:40

Reviews by Tony for The Daily Ticket Regina Spektor: posh ‘n’ packed This New York resident, Russian-born singer was surely agog and agape at the reception she received yesterday – but was the tent stuffed to the rafters because they …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 21:38

Reviews by me for The Daily Ticket Passion Pit: wide awake It all happened for Passion Pit before they were really ready. The band wasn’t even fully formed when blogs went doo-lally for the songs Michael Angelakos wrote as a …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 21:32

Reviews by Tony for the Daily Ticket Squeeze: pop credibility Something of a British heritage act, Squeeze still know how to write a classic pop song. So effortless is their skill at putting kitchen-sink-drama lyrics to melodies that give bad whistling …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 16:35

First capsule reviews of the day The Gaslight Anthem rock like beasts. When it comes to chronicling US small town blues and ennui, New Jersey punk-rockers The Gaslight Anthem are your only men right now. Aside from the fact that …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 16:26

Today’s cancellations: The Game is a no-show. Dude must be still mourning Michael Jackson.

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 14:27

Second day in Punchestown Racecourse and it’s all about to begin once more. The clouds are low and the weather forecast is lousy but, hey, what are you going to do? Bands we’re looking forward to seeing today include The …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 14:18

As reviewed by Tony for The Daily Ticket Blur: played a blinder The main turn? The one-time Britpop stars back in a surprise/ shock/cataclysmic turn of events? Yes, hell, in one of its many formats, has frozen over, and after …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 02:59

Nice touches from Blur in what was an all-hits set. They dedicted “There’s No Other Way” to the late, great Leo Finlay, a Dublin-born music journalist who worked for a rake of publications including Sounds and Music Week. He was …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 01:48

Reviews by me from The Daily Ticket The Script: a steady rise Was there anyone watching any other band while The Script were onstage? It felt as if everyone in Punchestown was ole-ole-ole-ing at the main stage for this one. …

• Oxegen
• July 11, 2009, 01:46

Review by Tony Clayton-Lea from The Daily Ticket Snow Patrol: generic genius It’s a given by this point that Snow Patrol are festival favourites – perhaps especially so In Ireland – but it’s only when you see them in action …

• Oxegen
• July 10, 2009, 22:21

All reviews by me for The Daily Ticket Dinosaur Pile-Up: G is for…. On the eve of their first Irish show, this trio spent the night doing what every band should, to get in the right mindset: watching Arnie gurn …

• Oxegen
• July 10, 2009, 22:21

All reviews by Tony Clayton-Lea for The Daily Ticket. Lily Allen: the critic’s vote Everyone’s At It could be Oxegen’s signature tune. And Allen could be its signature act. She’s cheeky, swears and writes great melodies. Admittedly, F**k You might …

• Oxegen
• July 10, 2009, 16:40

A trio of Irish acts to start the weekend. A lovely buzz with 202s (Red Bull Music Academy). While their album is good, if not great, there’s little to fault in their live set: gorgeous Krautrock grooves, really robust songs …

• Oxegen
• July 10, 2009, 15:20

Yep, it’s raining.

• The Ticket
• July 10, 2009, 08:24

It’s Oxegen week at The Ticket. We talk to the Punchestown-bound Fight Like Apes about their rocky rock to Co Kildare, Tony Clayton-Lea gives his guide to the weekend’s runners and riders and we unleash Oxegen I Spy, the game …

• Oxegen
• July 9, 2009, 14:02

Per posters pasted up around the Oxegen site, The Specials are playing Dublin’s Olympia on November 14. Memo for those who’ve lifted this for their own sites and tweets: I’ll drive back around later to check on ticket prices etc. …

• Tune of the Week
• July 9, 2009, 09:47

It’s all Oxegen all weekend from here on in.

• The Ticket
• July 8, 2009, 14:00

The Daily Ticket will be published on Saturday and Sunday at Oxegen. As those who’ve seen the Daily Ticket at the Electric Picnic in 2007 and 2008 will know, each edition will contain all the words and photos we can …

• Live music
• July 8, 2009, 12:39

La Roux plays Dublin’s Academy on November 12. No ticket info as of yet (promoters probably too busy in Punchestown). I liked her show at Sonar last month and really like this Skream remix of “In For The Kill”

• The Far Side
• July 8, 2009, 09:53

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, Tuesday July 7, 10pm-midnight Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (Columbia) Simian Mobile Disco/Beth Ditto “Cruel Intentions” (Wichita) Shit Robot “Simple Things (Work It Out)” (DFA) Holy Ghost “I Will Come Back” (Green …

• Music business Technology
• July 7, 2009, 13:56

Am I the only one out there who is still using MySpace? It sure seems so from some of the coverage of late. Over the last few weeks, I’ve read nothing but doom and gloom about the social networking service …

• Live music
• July 7, 2009, 09:40

Umack are rocking out in September (and November) with shows by Silver Apples, The Jesus Lizard, Zu and Fugazi’s Joe Lally. The awesome Silver Apples play Whelan’s on September 12 (tickets €20), the equally fine Lizard – who were as …

• Randomiser
• July 6, 2009, 13:59

Funniest blog post of the weekend: Darragh goes to a full-moon party in Kells. Read it here. Very successful outing for the very first Banter with Paul McLoone and Ciaran “The Golden Maverick” Nugent chewing the fat in the Twisted …

• Live music
• July 6, 2009, 08:25

The awesome Fleet Foxes play Dublin’s Vicar Street on September 7. Tickets will be €24 and go on sale on Thursday (Ticketmaster 9am). New Vicar Street house band Blitzen Trapper support.

• The Ticket
• July 3, 2009, 09:33

Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol was The Ticket’s guest editor this week and Ticket ed Conor Goodman explains how it came about and how it worked. In the mix: Snow Patrol’s festival survival guide and Oxegen tips, the editor interviewing …

• Tune of the Week
• July 2, 2009, 12:29

Time to catch the train.

• Competition
• July 2, 2009, 09:02

Last day of our competition where you can win a pair of weekend tickets to Oxegen 2009. A huge volume of entries so far so get stuck in here.

• Festivals
• July 1, 2009, 14:06

Well, this information was supposed to be made public tomorrow, but it arrived early so what are you going to do? Here are the latest runners and riders for the Stradbally steeplechase. Sadly, no Eazy-E Kid Creole & The Coconuts …

• Recommended music
• July 1, 2009, 12:21

As we reach the halfway mark in what has already been a champion year for new music, I’m reminded of a fine piece a few weeks ago in the Guardian. Johnny Dee had a look back at 1989 and noted …

• The Far Side
• July 1, 2009, 09:40

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, Tuesday June 30, 10pm-midnight RSAG “The Climb” (Psychonavigation) Casiokids “Finn Bikkjen!” (Moshi Moshi) Ladyhawke “Paris Is Buring (Cut Copy remix)” (Modular) David Holmes “Melanie” (Mercury) Messiah J & The Expert “Keep the …