Jenny bigs up our best bands

A new book featuring profiles of and interviews with a host of active Irish bands is published today. In Bloom: Irish Music Nowwas written by 2FM DJ Jenny Huston, who interviewed 15 of Ireland's biggest acts for the book. Included are established musicians such as Lisa Hannigan, Republic of Loose, Bell XI and Duke Special, as well as up-and-coming buzz bands such as And So I Watch You From Afar, R.S.A.G. and Fight Like Apes.

Huston told The Ticketshe was approached by Currach Press last Christmas and asked to write a book on emerging bands. "It's a snapshot of the scene right now. More than anything else I wanted to celebrate their success and brag about the bands a bit. We are not great at celebrating others' successes in Ireland – some would say masters of begrudgery – and we certainly would not tolerate musicians singing their own praises, so someone had to do it for them."

The book will be launched at Tower Records on Wicklow Street tonight, when Bell XI, Republic of Loose and The Blizzards will participate in a signing. Huston’s 2FM show will then be broadcast live from the store from 8pm to 10.30pm, and will feature acoustic performances by Cathy Davey, Yes Cadets! and Oliver Cole.