This week Encore NI traveled down South for the triumphant return of Belfast's adopted sons A Plastic Rose, as they took to the stage at the Button Factory in Dublin, supporting Irish legends Turn. Since their move across the water to Nottingham last year the band's stature has continued to grow, the release of new single 'This Side Of Winter' unsurprisingly capturing the attention of many bi...
To cap off a fantastic year for local music, Encore NI has narrowed down, in no particular order, our list of the top ten songs of 2013. Agree with our choices? Let us know!
10. The Wonder Villains ~ '33'
During a year of cementing their position as one of the countries hottest prospects with successful gigs across the country, indie-pop masters The Wonder Villains released this gem in a fl...
Neil Young once proclaimed that he was proud to keep on rocking in a free world. For years, like Neil Young, the local Northern Irish music scene did the same, celebrating our diverse and eccentric talent like no country before us. That is, until very recently. In a country, however briefly, recently transported back to it's violent past with an attempted terrorist attack in Cathedral Quarter...
As it's coming to the end of a very successful year for Encore NI we thought we'd like to feature something rather different on the site. Here Taylor Johnson takes a first listen to a demo from a young Mancunian 4 piece looking to make waves in 2014. Already armed with an obvious determination and edgy attitude, this week Encore NI introduces 'The Croons'.
Cradled under the gentle rain of a...
As the dust settles in the wake of the inaugural 'Northern Irish Music Prize' it seems that all has went well for Belfast's Official Music Week. The winner, as well known by now, was Belfast's answer to David Gray, singer songwriter and all around gentleman Foy Vance, with his second album 'Joy Of Nothing'. Having listened extensively to Mr Vance over the last year and had the pleasure of se...
More than a year ago, when I was just beginning to delve into the world of local music journalism, I went to see a young band in a tiny venue in Antrim's high street, not knowing what to expect, nor how I would be able to describe it to an audience I couldn't be sure would even care about what I had to say. Months (and 49 live, EP and album reviews) later and Encore NI is going stronger than e...
'Symmetry and Correlation' is out now...
Strabane is admittedly, not particularly renowned for it's musical heritage which makes the discovery of alt-rock four piece "Freak's" all the more intriguing. Adopting their name from the fantastically punctuated graffiti of the same name in the town itself, Freak's have quietly went about building a solid fan base alongside the likes of 'Those Ghosts'...
After nearly three months left in the wilderness of the Northern Irish indie-rock scene, Antrim's most promising prodigal sons of rock and roll have slowly began to reemerge from their temporary hiatus to reclaim the hype left in their exciting wake. Expectation was high for the bands latest EP 'Dumo', the psychedelic follow up to their much talked about debut, but amidst an unfortunate b...
It's very unusual for a gig review to ever be written in two parts, but on this occasion I felt an exception had to be made. In support of the awesome 'Levity Breaks' came one of the local music scenes most respected and loved singer-songwriters on the circuit, (fans include Tired Pony and Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody amongst others) ex 'Six Star Hotel' frontman David C Clements. Fresh f...
As the final tireless melody plays out on 'Water Runs Dry', it's difficult to believe that 'Maudlin' is simply the debut of one of Belfast's most popular alternative rock bands, Levity Breaks. Since their formation in mid 2010, the band have been touted for great things. Expectations were high when two years later, they began work on the debut that never was, their 'Broken Hands EP'. After dis...
For many years the fast paced riffs of the 'indie-rock' scene had been the only genre that continually eluded the diverse musical landscape of Belfast. Recently, however, a distinct group of bands have begun to pick up the baton thrown down in recent years by the likes of The (early) Arctic Monkeys, The Twang and Franz Ferdinand. Paving the way for the Northern Irish indie outfit, have been ...
Wyldling's latest single, 'Little Girl' is out now...
Last week Encore NI had the pleasure of chatting to Jilly St John, the explosive front woman of one of the countries most exciting rock acts 'Wyldling'. In a refreshingly honest interview, Jilly opens up about her musical journey so far, promising local talent and gives her damning verdict on the pop star conveyor belt of television shows s...
'Melody driven alternative rock' is how Belfast's own Seven Summits would 'Sum up' (sorry folks) their synth crafted sound.
Citing influences from recent indie folk such as Bombay Bicycle Club to Blur's
boisterous Britpop, many an influence can be derived from this album. Think of
the relatively recent entourage of indie-synth bands such as Swim Deep and
Peace to best place the band into the...
There was a relaxed, jubilant vibe around Belfast's Speakeasy tonight, as Radar productions put on their first show in months (for free we might add) with performances from Irish DJ Adultrock, indie-pop group Go Wolf and headliners Not Squares. With the next generation of University students on the brink of flocking to the venue through the fast approaching Freshers Week, it was a chance fo...
Bursting back onto the scene this week with their first release since last years impeccable 'Camera.Shutter.Life' comes 'This Side Of Winter', the newest single from Belfast's favorite adopted sons A Plastic Rose. Armed with a sleek new logo, more hard hitting riffs and soulful melodies, and a new album in production, the conditions look perfect for a nation wide recruitment drive for the dedi...
This week I found myself in the heart of Belfast's underground art-rock scene, in the bustling confines of the obscurely decorated and eclectically finished Hudson Bar. Hidden in the upper floors of this busy local hot-spot lies a tightly compact room filled with wonderfully radical posters urging it's punters to 'Vote JFK', spontaneous graffiti echoing the ever growing German phenomenon of 'I ...
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