The Point of Everything

Dublin rap/hip-hop duo Mango x Mathman released their long-awaited debut album Casual Work in early November, preceded by lead single 'Deep Blue', featuring Lisa Hannigan. Having started out together as part of the Animators, Mango and Mathman got together in the mid-2010s and have really honed their craft - and live show - over the intervening years. We talk about how that happened, how Casual Wo...

Dublin's Soda Blonde released their debut EP Terrible Hands on November 8 and ahead of an Ireland/UK tour, singer Faye O'Rourke talks about how they grew out of Little Green Cars, where these songs came from, what they hope to achieve with Soda Blonde and lots more. Soda Blonde tour dates: November 16: The Kino, Cork November 23: Roisin Dubh, Galway November 26: Paper Dress Vintage, London Novembe...

Dublin artist Sorcha Richardson releases her long-awaited debut album First Prize Bravery via Faction Records on November 8. Ahead of its release, and while on tour supporting Honeyblood in the UK, Sorcha talks about her journey from Dublin to New York to Los Angeles and back again, how the creative scene in Dublin helped her find her voice, why she left her drumming days behind, and how the road-...

Cork band Shookrah have released their long-awaited, self-titled debut album, which you can buy at https://shookrah.bandcamp.com/. Emmet and Senita talk about the creation process of the album, finding their groove, the fraught nature of band votes, Spotify playlists, collaborating with God Knows and more. Shookrah are playing two album launch shows: November 15: The Kino, Cork November 17: Bello...

Dundalk artists Andrew and Charles Hendy aka rappes TPM and trad band The Mary Wallopers (where they're joined by Sean McKenna)were the guests on a live episode of the TPOE podcast recorded at O'Donovan's Hotel as part of Clonakilty International Guitar Festival 2019. We talked about how they started each act, their audiences, DIY, Richie Kavanagh, Dundalk, curry and lots more. Thanks to Ray, Kevi...

Tandem Felix have released one of the best albums of the year with their long-awaited debut, Rom-Com. Frontman David Tapley talks about how it was created, the journey of the band, country music, how 'playing the game' isn't for him, the greatest job he ever had, the Irish music non-industry and lots more. Tandem Felix tour dates: November 14: The Kino, Cork November 16: Ulster Sports Club, Belfas...

David Geraghty aka Join Me In The Pines, and one part of Bell X1, recently released Monomania, his fourth solo album and second under the Pines moniker. It's brilliant, flowing with 80s synths and Prince references. In our interview, we chat about his upcoming tour dates, how the new sound and album came about, how he fell out of, and back in, love with music, Prince, what to expect from new Bell...

A Lazarus Soul have made one of the Irish albums of the year in The D They Put Between The R And L. Ahead of a show at Whelan's on October 30, Brian Brannigan talks about the recording process behind it, how album highlight 'Long Balconies' came right near the end, why it's the happiest he's ever been with an album after 20 years or so of being a band, the changing Dublin music scene, their stella...

Ahead of the release of their third album in two decades, Before There Was Air, Boa Morte sat down to chat about their creative process, influences such as Sigur Ros, the changing Cork scene over the last 20 years, Spotify and lots more. Before There Was Air is released on Gare Du Nord Records on September 27, 2019. Press release: Before There Was Air is only the band’s third album in two decades,...

Rosie Carney discusses her stellar year so far, which began with the release of her superb debut album Bare and continues this weekend at Sounds From A Safe Harbour in Cork city - she plays Coughlan's at 7pm on Sunday, September 15. She talks about her journey to date, from being dropped by Polydor to recording with Lisa Hannigan, the pressure of Spotify streams in the millions of plays, and what'...

Ahead of released a new self-titled collaboration album with fellow Gloaming member Thomas Bartlett, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh joins the TPOE podcast to talk about how it was recorded, his journey in music, his own bespoke instrument the hardanger d'amore, improvising, and not having a phone. Caoimhín and Thomas play Live at St Luke's on Saturday, September 14, as part of Sounds From A Safe Harbour F...

Mary Hickson is the director of Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival, which returns to Cork city for its third edition from September 10-15, 2019, featuring the likes of Feist, Damien Rice, Efterklang, Thomas Bartlett and Caoimhin O Raghallaigh, and lots more. It's curated by Mary, alongside the Dessner brothers Aaron and Bryce, Enda Walsh and Cillian Murphy. I talked to Mary about the new Bon Iver...

This week on the TPOE podcast is a live recording, from O'Mahony's of Watergrasshill during the Mystery Bus Tour of Crosstown Drift litfest, where I got to interview Emilie Pine (Notes to Self) and Ian Maleney (Minor Monuments) about writing their non-fiction books; Tramp Press, which published both of them; and what's next for both of them.

Knockanstockan returns to Blessington, Co Wicklow on July 19-21, 2019 with another stellar lineup, from Mango, TPM and Powpig to Junior Brother, Soda Blonde and about 100 more. It's going to be an amazing weekend - and my first time going to Knockanstockan. So I thought I better get the down-low from music director Graham Sharpe about what to expect, how the festival survived, thrived, took a brea...

A House are playing as A House Is Dead to perform I Am Still The Greatest this Saturday, June 29, at the National Concert Hall as they receive the NCH/Imro Trailblazer Award that was first awarded to Microdisney in 2018. Dave Couse and Fergal Bunbury are the sole remaining members and ahead of the show I talked to Couse, over his landline in Cavan, about why they're getting together for their firs...

Gemma and Morgan aka Saint Sister talk about their recent US tour, playing NPR's Tiny Desk, the special moment when they first met each other in college, my song of 2018 'Twin Peaks', new music, knitting and what's next. Saint Sister tour dates: September 12: Connollys of Leap, Cork September 13: Set Theatre, Kilkenny September 14: Dolan’s, Limerick September 19: Empire Music Hall, Belfast Septemb...

Mick Flannery is a busy boy at the moment - he's releasing his self-titled sixth studio album on July 5 and has collaborated to turn his 2007 album Evening Train into a musical of the same name for Cork Midsummer. It runs at the Everyman June 14-23. Synopsis: West Cork: Grace dreams of a new life far away from here as she waits for Luther; he's late. Again. Elsewhere in town, bartender Frank surre...

Vicky Langan is a Cork-based artist and is also involved in putting together the fourth edition of Open Ear Festival, which takes place on Sherkin Island, West Cork, this weekend, May 30 to June 2. It's a bit different to the music festival norm, which gives a platform to Irish artists involved in the experimental and electronic music scene. Tickets might still be available on openear.ie. I talked...

The Point Of Everything podcast returned to It Takes A Village festival in Trabolgan for a panel on The State Of Cork. Ellie O'Byrne (journalist), Greg Dowling (Fish Go Deep) and Lisa O'Flynn (DJ, Plugd) discuss some of the issues facing the arts in Cork, from artist spaces - or the lackthereof - to the events centre, drawing a crowd, later closing times and more.

Pillow Queens (Cathy, Pamela, Rachel and Sarah) are one of my favourite bands of recent years so I was delighted to talk to them on the eve of their UK/EU tour supporting Soak. They talk about tour prep, not forming on a basketball court, how 'Gay Girls', one of the songs of the decade, came about, and what's next for the four piece. Pillow Queens Irish tour dates: May 28 - Live at St Luke’s, Cork...

Cian Ó Cíobháin marks 20 years of An Taobh Tuathail this week. Broadcast on Raidio na Gaeltachta, Monday to Friday, 10pm to midnight, the show runs the gamut of genres, from ambient, folk and soundscape, to indie, techno and dance. It's a voyage of discovery. Over a 45-minute interview, Cian discusses how he got involved in radio, how his love of music developed, what listeners can expect from his...

Anna Mieke releases her debut album, Idle Mind, on Friday, April 26. It's been honed and crafted over the past number of years as the singer-songwriter toured the country and travelled the world, from Wicklow to Granada, Cork to New Zealand. We talk about how her tracks have developed over the years, where inspiration comes from and what - and where - is next for one of the best new artists in the...

Ian Maleney released his debut collection of essays, Minor Monuments, on Tramp Press at the end of March. He writes intimately about the family homestead in the midlands, his role in it, and how Alzheimer's took hold as his grandfather suffered from the disease. We talk about how the collection developed, how Tramp got involved and life in 2019 Ireland

Ahead of releasing their second album No Man Can Tell on Penske Records on April 12, Cork artist Dan Walsh returns to the TPOE podcast to discuss how it was recorded and the ideas and musicians behind it. Dan appeared on TPOE 37 if you want a more general overview/interview of Fixity - this chat goes in deep on No Man Can Tell. Fixity tour dates: 12/04 - Cork | Plugd 13/04 - Waterford | The Rogue...

Bob Gallagher has directed some of my favourite music videos of recent years for some of my favourite bands, including Pillow Queens, Villagers and Girl Band. He recently held his first solo photography exhibition at the Darkroom on North Brunswick Street in Dublin City. Entitled Forced Perspective, it was an experiment with an analogue photographic process and 3D stills. Acts featured included Wa...