Local Heroes: Red Radar

Hello.

The lovely people from Red Radar let me go back in and shoot another video with them. This time I got to recommend some of my favourite Irish music at the moment, including James Vincent McMorrow, Laura Sheeran, Fight Like Apes and Bipolar Empire, all of whom I've managed to catch live the past few months and was suitably impressed by.

Joey Kavanagh from REDradar on Vimeo.

I also gave a shout out to The Casanova Wave, who I recently caught supporting Go Panda Go, but sadly that piece was a victim of the cutting room floor.

James Vincent McMorrow - We Don't Eat (Adventure Club Dubstep Remix) by Adventure Club Dubstep

Jenny Kelly - Fight Like Apes by anhuber1@gmail.com

Take Me Where She Sleeps by L A U R A S H E E R A N

Here's A Daisy For Good Luck... by The Casanova Wave

Feel That You Own It by Bipolar Empire

Live Review: Florrie @ The Academy

Last week, Lou Bru came up trumps when she sourced me a last-minute ticket for Florrie's debut Dublin headliner at The Academy.

The as yet unsigned singer, songwriter and drummer is closely associated with Xenomania, the man behind most of Girls Aloud's back-catalogue, and has drummed live and on record for the (former?) girlband.

She released her debut EP, Introduction, last year (which is available as a free download from her website) and in a live setting, minus Xenomania's studio gloss, these songs hold their own remarkably well.

Florrie makes the same kind of lightweight but immaculately crafted pop that saw Pitchfork darling Annie, early incarnations of Sugababes and Girls Aloud salvage the genre's sullied reputation in the mid noughties.

Alternating between belting out high-energy numbers and thrashing on the drum kit, even the most po-faced gig-goers were shimmying and shaking by the time she wrapped up her short but supremely sweet set. Second helping: sought.

Florrie - Give Me Your Love



Florrie - Left Too Late



Florrie - Call 911 (Fred Falke Remix)



Florrie happens to be among a number of artists, Lou Bru and I discussed in a recent video for Red Radar. Check it out here:

Not Very Wise and Spherical Notions from REDradar on Vimeo.

Ehmmm...

My video for TRTE, where I rave about Janelle Monae, is currently up on their site and will be for the next 24 hours. Check it out here

As you'll hear, in between me saying 'ehm' a lot, I managed to mispronounce the name of the abum. My bad. The studio lights got the better of me, I'm afraid. Apols, Janelle.

Meanwhile, The Red Radar site is beginning to get into full swing. My contribution, about how I inadvertently wound up in local band Bipolar Empire's music video for their new song is up here. Reckon you can do better? Well, I believe they're still on the lookout for contributors...

Party Ben - This Tightrope's Made For Walking (Janelle Monae vs Nancy Sinatra)