Music Reviews

On Megadeth’s farewell album, Dave Mustaine signs off with a final act of bloody-mindedness

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By Ed Power

Hothouse Flowers at Tradfest 2026: Powerful night of music from a band with real soul

Hothouse Flowers are joined by several special guests, from Susan O’Neill to Steve Wall and more

By Pat Carty

Emmylou Harris at 3Arena review: Spellbinding Irish sign-off from one of the greats

The country star Emmylou Harris brings all her wisdom and flinty wit to bear on this quietly breathtaking evening

By Ed Power

Louis Tomlinson: How Did I Get Here? review – Thumpingly okayish blend of Oasis guitars and Ed Sheeran-style saccharine bangers

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By Ed Power

Britpop is Robbie Williams at his best, an irreverent, splurging Valentine to 1990s guitar rock

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By Ed Power

Jenny on Holiday: Quicksand Heart review – Brilliantly bittersweet walk on pop’s melancholy side

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By Ed Power

New Irish albums reviewed and rated: John Blek, Dani Larkin, Van Morrison, Noelle O’Sullivan, Ailbhe Reddy

January 2026 releases include The Midnight Ache, Next of Kin, Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge, Rolling on the Inside, Kiss Big

By Tony Clayton-Lea

Biffy Clyro at 3Arena Dublin review: Scottish rockers show why they’re one of the world’s best live bands

Three decades in, Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro still deliver a thrilling live show

By Simon Bracken

The Cribs: Selling a Vibe review – First-rank indie underdogs make an attention-grabbing return

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By Ed Power

2025 in music: The five best international albums of the year

Including releases by Ethel Cain, Anna Von Hausswolff, Wednesday, Hayley Williams and Cole Pulice

By Ed Power

2025 in music: The five best Irish jazz albums of the year

Including releases by Simon Jermyn, Snowpoet, Izumi Kimura, Ronan Guilfoyle and Nils Kavanagh

By Philip Watson

2025 in music: The five best trad albums of the year

Including releases by Maighread and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Cormac Begley and Liam O’Connor, and Tara Breen

By Siobhán Long

2025 in music: The five best Irish albums of the year

Irish acts have released more than 300 albums over the past 12 months. These are our favourites

By Tony Clayton-Lea

Dove Ellis: Blizzard review – Thank heavens for awkward outsiders, and for this luminescent Irish album

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By Ed Power

Kneecap at 3Arena: A rambunctious and humorous set with heartfelt moments

Rap trio brings its controversy machine to the Dublin venue with a formidable live gig, guest collaborations and plenty of fun

By Ed Power

Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here 50 review – Brilliantly bleak masterpiece comes with its own mythology

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By Ed Power

Wolf Alice at 3Arena review: An ultimately superb – if underattended – show

Scintillating gig shows Ellie Rowsell’s skills as frontwoman and band’s talent for old-school indie pop

By Ed Power

Ed Sheeran at 3Arena review: Pop’s everyman superstar serves up Christmas bangers and beige ballads

The Dublin gig is a reminder of why Sheeran is both a streaming behemoth and a popular punching bag

By Ed Power

John Maus at Button Factory review: In a haze of dry ice, the former philosophy lecturer slams like a human jackhammer

John Maus’s Dublin gig is half performance art, half exhibitionist freakout

By Ed Power

CMAT at 3Arena review: One of the best gigs of 2025 by an artist at the peak of her powers

Having conquered an arena, the immediate feeling now is that a stadium awaits her

By Una Mullally

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