Death In Vegas have announced a show at District 8, The Tivoli on July 20th as part of Richard Fearless European tour which is set to deliver ‘a series of intimate and curated shows featuring acts who represent his vision of club culture.’
Tickets priced at €27.50 go on sale Tuesday April 24th via Eventbrite.ie.
Death In Vegas have a new single coming soon featuring vocals from former porn star Sasha Grey called ‘Honey’ backed with a remix of ‘Witchdance’.
Posted on April 19th, 2018
It’s not quite clear what a Death In Vegas live show will be in 2017 as it’s been 5 years since Richard Fearless has played a live set that we can verify what was played. Recent years have seen the project head down a more esoteric electronic direction with last year’s Transmission album feeling like the work of a producer in a bunker underground. There was always a dystopian outlook to the music but now it’s less countered by euphoria. Airing of any of the first 3 albums from the unfortunately named project would be welcome but unexpected. Fearless will also be participating in the RBAM talks at 3.15pm on Sunday and DJing an after-party set at Wah Wah Club on South William Street on Saturday night.
Northside Dublin MC Mango Dassle is a former member of The Animators collective and he’s really stepped up his profile this year with superb live shows at Electric Picnic with producer Mathman, where the pair displayed an Irish grime sound that felt like its own thing as opposed to a satelite of the UK scene.
If you’re looking for something a bit more interactive this weekend head to Bingo Loco, Ireland’s only “Bingo Rave”. It’s pretty self-explanatory: bingo, rave, dildos as prizes, chugging beer, karaoke battles and classic tunes. It follows Sing Along Social’s singing pop battle party on the same stage on Sunday.
It’s always good to see a female DJ smash it at a festival as the sight is still rare. If Peggy Gou’s stellar performance at this years Dekmantel Festival is anything to go by then this should be an hour and a half set to feed all of your dancefloor needs.
Dublin born-UK based Bonzai has developed her own soulful-electronic sound at the age of only 20. An energetic set from this lady is to be expected.Her latest song is the poppier vibe of ‘Feel Alright’.
Dominic Maker and Kai Campos give off waves of rhythm on their third Mount Kimbie album What Love Survives this year, exploring a more 80’s inspired electronic, post-punk sound, they return after last year’s in-between album set and this time, the songs are out in the ether.
French native Jeremy Underground is known for delivering a well varied set, expect everything from soul, house, techno, funk, and jazz. I just hope his hotel room is up to scratch.
Posted on October 27th, 2017
Metropolis Festival has announced its first acts for 2017’s edition on October Bank Holiday Weekend on Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 October at The RDS, Dublin
First acts:
with more to be announced.
Weekend Tickets go on sale THIS FRIDAY 30th June at 9am via Ticketmaster.ie & Usual Outlets www.metropolisfestival.ie/tick
TIER 1 (Sat/Sun) – €99.50
TIER 2 (Sat/Sun) – €109.50
TIER 3 (Sat/Sun) – €119.50
TIER 4 (Sat/Sun) – €129.50
A review of last year’s festival
Posted on June 28th, 2017
Death In Vegas’ Richard Fearless last appeared with new material in 2011, via Trans-Love Energies, dark electronic album which featured Austra’s Katie Stelmanis on vocals on two of the album’s tracks.
For his new release called Transmission out Friday, Fearless’ main vocal collaborator is former porn actress, artist and writer Sasha Grey. The pair bonded over a love of Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey so it’s no surprise that the album delves into deep, dark synth drones and experimentalism as its bed.
In between, field recording samples of air traffic and a factory beside Fearless’ Metal Studios in London give it an industrial sheen while the synthesizers pulse, drum machines kick with trance and techno rhythms. Grey’s vocals are a discordant addition, and Transmission overall has the sense of a 66-minute long dystopian heady trip.
A Track by Track is at The Ransom Note.
The album is for sale at Phonica on Vinyl/CD.
Richard Fearless and Sasha Grey will be premiering their live A/V performance of Transmission at Berlin Atonal Festival in August.
Posted on May 25th, 2016
Update: It’s 2016, I found this post and enjoyed it. I’ve now added a Spotify playlist of all of the albums available.
Below is a list of my favourite records of the ten years between the turn of the millenium, the year 2000 and 2010. Ranking these albums was led by a) what the album means to me and b) how often I’d listen to it. Each and every one of these albums blew me away repeatedly at some time between the ages of 18 and 27. Each one has something special going for it, something magical that brings me back to it. For that I can only thank the creators of each.
Without further ado, here are my favourite 50 albums from the decade. And remember, you can’t be wrong if they are your favourites.
Posted on February 25th, 2016
Nialler9 and Jim Carroll’s On The Record are segueing blog powers together at Camden Crawl, London which happens from 4th to the 6th of May this year.
300 of the best new bands have been chosen to play by a panel including ourselves (full list below) and as part of the 3 day event, Nialler9 & On The Record will curate a night of live music with a lineup to be revealed at a later date. Camden Crawl kicks off with Death In Vegas in Koko on May 4th from 5pm (I’m doing a DJ set before Richard Fearless this Saturday as it happens)with support from four of the best new bands of the festival. The full lineup will be announced in February as will details of the Dublin version of the festival.
Posted on January 24th, 2012
Death In Vegas’ Richard Fearless will be in town on Saturday January 28th for a Big Dish Go headline DJ set at Kennedy’s on Westland Row. Admission is €12 and support on the night comes from Conor Feeney and someone called Nialler9.
A flyer, some tracks and a Richard Fearless mix…→
Posted on January 10th, 2012
The best of new album streams this week in A-Z form.
Bjork – Biophilia
Death in Vegas – Trans-Love Energies
Feist – Metals
The Field – Looping State Of Mind
Future Islands – On the Water
Iceage – New Brigade
Jeffrey Lewis – A Turn in the Dream-Songs
Joakim – Nothing Gold
Leyland Kirby – Eager To Tear Apart The Stars
Martyn – Ghost People
Plaid – Scintilla
Prince Rama – Trust Now
Radiohead – TKOL remix album
Rustie – Glass Swords
Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
Still Corners – Creatures Of An Hour
Teeth – Whatever
Tropics – Parodia Flare
We Were Promised Jetpacks – In The Pit Of The Stomach
Wilco – The Whole Love
Zun Zun Egui – Katang
Plenty more in the Streams category.
Posted on October 5th, 2011
This 20-minute mix by Richard Fearless is made up entirely of new material from Death In Vegas‘ forthcoming album Trans-Love Energies (September 23rd in Ireland / 26th UK ) for those who are itching to hear it like me.
Download: Richard Fearless Mix For BBC 6Music by Death In Vegas
Posted on September 14th, 2011
Here’s a look at the 15 bands I saw over the weekend at Electric Picnic 2011 that impressed me the most. There was lots of other sets I enjoyed but these were my personal favourites. All the good photos are by Damien McGlynn (apart from the crappy Best Coast one – that was me) and Instagram photos are by myself or Aoife. Videos by Barry Gruff and Roger.
An absolute killer set to follow up her equally brilliant set from three years previous. A mix of songs like ‘Say Aha’, ‘L.E.S. Artistes’, Major Lazer’s ‘Hold The Line’ and new material means Santi White is top of my list to see at Berlin Music Festival this weekend.
Highlight: The backing dancers cool moves and BAMF demeanor.
The hour wait between the finish of the main stages and Austra’s set in Body and Soul was a cold boozeless one but where better to take in this Canadian band’s mystical sounding electro than late night under a tree in a natural amphitheatre. Songs from the band’s debut Feel It Break sounded perfect in the cold AM, they really are well-written tight tunes. Add Katie Stelmanis and her backing dancers Tasseomancy’s shamanistic dance moves and it’s the perfect festival closer for those who could not brave another hour for Brandt Brauer Frick at 3am.
Highlight: The dark-edged disco vibe of ‘The Beat And The Pulse’ felt through the night air.
An unexpected surprise and a perfect festival band, I had heard the ten-strong American west coast collective were a great live act and judging from their 2009 album Up From Below, I had high hopes but they easily surpassed those and went straight into the great festival set book. A raggedy celebratory, up-in arms triumph of musical positivity.
Highlight: The crowd singing back the chorus of ‘Home’ during the extended outro.
Besides some jibes about himself and Public Enemy being the only black people at the festival and the cheeky culmination of the set with The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’, Fly Lo delivered a beat-tight set of songs taken from his own back catalogue along with samples from Radiohead’s ‘Idioteque’ , Mr. Oizo and Odd Future’s ‘Yonkers’. The set is all one big beautiful blur with lots of dancing despite the dodgy sound.
Highlight: ‘Do The Astral Plane’ and Fly Lo’s eternal smiling face.
A masterclass in getting old in hip-hop gracefully (if we ignore Flava Flav’s on-screen reality TV antics), PE are most definitely still in effect. A greatest hits set including classics like ‘ Don’t Believe The Hype’, ‘Fight The Power’, ‘Shut Em Down’ and ‘Bring The Noise’ kept the energy levels up significantly. Not even Flav’s drum solo interlude could detract from the buzz and DJ Lord’s turntablist routine of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ with scratches from behind his back added to the spectacle.
Highlight: The consistent energy of a PE2011 show.
It had been a few years since Richard Fearless and co. played live as Death In Vegas so pre-show talk was all about whether they’d be able to recapture that spirit. There were no such problems. An intense and brooding set of krautrock-inspired electronica from a full band featuring some recognisable nuggets like ‘Death Threat’ and ‘Hands Around My Throat’ alongside new material left me salivating to hear forthcoming comeback album Trans-Love Energies.
Highlight: ‘Hands Around My Throat’.
Hot damn. The funkiest and most fun set at the Picnic went to an Irish band whose live renditions of their self-titled album got the Body and Soul crowd moving in the sunshine. Throw in a bit of disco, multi-part harmonies, glockenspiel and a super-tight rhythm section and Tieranniesaur are one hot rock-blocking live prospect.
Highlight: Finally seeing Annie Tierney and co. live for the first time and the fact that they were deadly.
My third time around seeing Twin Shadow live and a final confirmation that this is a band who are infinitely better live than on debut album Forget. In a live setting, the songs are more full-bodied, less-languid and hazy, more direct and danceable. Good time vibes from one of the coolest bands around.
Highlight: ’80s dance moves.
Heart-pumping electronica from the 18 year-old producer representing the Newbridge massive. From complete unknown to much-hyped Irish producer and remixer of a marquee name like Interpol (all while pumping out enough study to respectively finish his Leaving Certificate exams) in just over six months, Jack Colleran hasn’t had much time to catch up with himself but if his Body And Soul Love Letter set is anything to go by, this kid doesn’t need much time to put his own spin on heady electronic music, even if not much is happening on stage (visuals in future maybe?). He even manages to fit in an unreleased Bon Iver remix at the start of the set.
Highlight: Hard to pick but probably ‘Jimmy Francis’.
Another bloke who has come a long way. Gaz Le Rock’s army also only came into existence in the last year but the band have got it together very very quickly. From live debut to near festival headline slot in mere months, Retarded Cop are tight, the kind of tight festival rock band that blow the socks off everyone else on sheer wound up power and good-time pop punk rock music. Gaz Le Rock parades the stage like an Irish Iggy Pop with his top off, bouncing around with exuberance to the songs from the band’s debut LP. Listen to the album here.
Highlight: Watching Gaz Le Rock become a big-stage performer in front of my eyes.
Live electro is not something that Ireland has traditionally done well over the years but Le Galaxie can now justifiably claim to be Ireland’s brightest in the synth-rave stakes. From the moment the band take to the stage, it’s relentlessly pumping songs beamed from another dancefloor universe with synthesizers, guitar and thumping bass-heavy beats, all delivered by four guys who always look like they are having a better time than anyone else. Luckily for Le Galaxie, it’s contagious. A4 pages with TUNE! are ceremoniously handed out and the excitement gets too much for singer Michael Le Galaxie who climbs the sound rigging to play some cowbell. They should have played a much much later slot. [Listen to their album Laser Disc Nights 2]
Highlight: The massive TUNE! sign.
It’s been three years since I saw Lykke Li live and since then she’s taken her performance to star status. Dressed all in black, she cuts a dramatic figure and the look perfectly suits the much more melodramatic and bombastic songs from second album Wounded Rhymes. There’s a fierceness to the live show that keeps interest up as Lykke dances through dry ice and the band punish their instruments. It’s almost cathartic. There’s even a welcome diversion into The Knife’s ‘Silent Shout’.
Highlight: Second album singles ‘Get Some’ and ‘I Follow Rivers’.
You probably know the deal with Best Coast by now. Extremely likable surf-rock from the extremely likable Bethany Cosentino and band. Hence, lots of fun was had.
Highlight: Lots of talk of Snacks, Bethany’s cat which graces the album cover.
I didn’t see all of this show but what I did see was a superb three song run with one brand new song that has me convinced The Cast Of Cheers will have no problem repeating the acclaim of their debut album Chariot. The band recently moved to London and are almost finished the recording of their second album.
Highlight: Seeing one of Ireland’s best new bands get even better.
Humorous comedic (but not just comedy) songs played through an acoustic folk lense with instantly charming vocals by Dorothy Cotter. EleventyFour’s songs were a welcome and relaxed break to the madness elsewhere and her between song banter is just as good. We got songs about how “all they eat in Sicily.. is cake”, a guy called Jeff Nelson, forklifts and other off-beat observations. Cute as a button.
Highlight: Fair play to Dorothy for warding off that dancing deck of cards and the guy who interrupted her out of his bin.
Posted on September 6th, 2011
Another dark slice of electro from Death In Vegas’ first album in seven years – Trans Love Energies, due for UK release on September 12th on Drone Records. ‘Your Loft’ features the voice of Austra’s Katie Stelmanis who appears on two tracks on the album.
Below, you’ll find a new Richard Fearless ‘Noir ‘N B’ (his words) remix of Hurts’ ‘Better Than Love’:
Hurts – Better Than Love (Death In Vegas Remix) by Death In Vegas
Posted on July 22nd, 2011
Well, well. Historically a band that have made some of my favourite albums in the past, Death In Vegas will release a new album called Trans-Love Energies in September. Far from the live-band sound that worked so well on The Contino Sessions and Scorpio Rising, new track ‘Enforced Peace’ is more like something from Satan’s Circus or their early material: all squelched out synths and robotik rhythms. Get a free download at their site. Death In Vegas will be on a full live tour once the album is released.
Enforced Peace by Death In Vegas
Posted on April 19th, 2011
One of my favourite acts of all-time. Watch the videos for ‘Dirt’, ‘Aisha’, ‘Neptune City’ and ‘Hands Around My Throat’ from MUZU. Must dig out The Contino Sessions again.
Posted on October 14th, 2008
Dublin Quays Festival returns featuring Pillow Queens, Sleep Thieves, The Murder Capital, Robert John Ardiff, Silverbacks and many more
And So I Watch You From A Far, Bitch Falcon, Ryan Vail, Cherym and many more to play final gig at Belfast’s Mandela Hall
22 gigs, clubs and performances to see in Cork this weekend
Review: Getting back to nature at Meadows In The Mountains
Beatyard add Daniel Avery, Andrew Weatherall, New Jackson, Jacques Greene and Sean OB to this year’s lineup
10 must-see Irish acts @ Body&Soul Festival this year
The best gigs and clubs in Dublin this week
Julian Casablancas & The Voidz announce Dublin show
Villagers to headline and curate a night at Metropolis Festival
Win tickets to Body&Soul Festival
