ODi are one of the four featured acts for April 2009.

For more on ODi, visit ODi on MySpace.

This page will be updated following Playlist Mix 53 on Sunday April 12th.

Star Crossed Enemies are one of the four featured acts for April 2009.

For more on Star Crossed Enemies, visit Star Crossed Enemies on MySpace.

Star Crossed Enemies are a semi-acoustic pop duo, gigging around Ireland and giving away free biscuits to anybody that will watch them. Live, they both play guitar and drums, and they both sing. Brian does the ‘oooooooh’s and Gary does the ‘ahhhhhhh’s. It just works well that way. Many of their shows are acoustic. Their first CD, beautifully titled ‘D.E.P’ is sold at all of their shows, it’s only 2 euro. The band have played shows in front of 100 people and shows in front of 3 people… “it’s a fun ride”.

A few things have been said about Star Crossed Enemies, this one makes the lads smile -

“Bloody fantastic! Beautiful music. A band we can expect huge things from in 2009″ – Alan Jacques, Green and Live.

Check them out on MySpace

Chucky’s River are one of the four featured acts for April 2009.

For more on Chucky’s River, visit Chucky’s River on MySpace.

Chucky’s River come surging into the musical world that is 2009 after a year of creating, shaping and fine tuning their determined ensemble. The charismatic personalities and diverse musical attitudes of these three musicians are amalgamated to form this driving musical force. Lead singer Comerford set out on a short lived solo project in 2007 with percussionist Conor Stafford. They played over 50 shows including a mini London tour at the end of 07’.

The acoustic circuit, whilst providing an important insight into the performance of songs in their most humble form, resulted in a yearning amid the duo to bring their music to another level. The electric guitars were dusted off and the full drum kit polished up. The hunt for a bass player with the right vision and playing prowess began.

Cupie arrived with his resonant and punchy basslines to bring Chucky’s River to fruition and an intense and committed song writing regime was adhered to during the band’s primordial year of rehearsal. A wide variance of style is injected into the overall sound. Unconventional structure is not feared. The sheer driving nature of the songs coupled with the real life observational lyrics of Comerford make the band’s music both compelling and arousing.

Ultimately, the band felt they had to be ready before the results of their hard work could be unveiled.

That time has come.

Valentine Black are one of the four featured acts for April 2009.

For more on Valentine Black, visit Valentine Black on MySpace.

Update to come following Playlist Mix 53 on Sunday April 12th.

The Funeral Suits are on of the featured acts for March 2009.

Check back here after the show goes live at 22:00GMT on Sunday, March 1st.

In the meantime, check out The Funeral Suits on MySpace.

The Very Most are on of the featured acts for March 2009.

Check back here after the show goes live at 22:00GMT on Sunday, March 1st.

In the meantime, check out The Very Most on MySpace.

Heritage Centre are on of the featured acts for March 2009.

Check back here after the show goes live at 22:00GMT on Sunday, March 1st.

In the meantime, check out Heritage Centre on MySpace.

Serial Twin are on of the featured acts for March 2009.

Check back here after the show goes live at 22:00GMT on Sunday, March 1st.

In the meantime, check out Serial Twin on MySpace.

Pavesi are a four-piece guitar outfit from Donegal town in the north west of Ireland.

The group are made up of ‘Duck’ Gallagher on vocals, Ronan Hanna on guitar, Michael Gillespie on bass and Mark Hanna, drums. Formed in 2006 the band-name comes from that of a local ballroom where they used to practice. They started writing original material and immediately made impact around Donegal. On only their second gig they performed on the first night at the renamed Rory Gallagher Theatre in Ballyshannon. They currently boast almost two hours worth of original material and have recently recorded a demo, which they hope will raise their profile in esteemed venues across the country.

Their debut single, Turnaround Year, is available to by on DownloadMusic.ie. To get your hands on it and support the band in the process you can either

• Click here to visit DownloadMusic.ie or
• From within the Republic of Ireland text ‘music 2242′ to 57501. Texts cost €1 including operator charges.

Check them out here on MySpace to get a listen to other tracks including Old Piano and Moment To Savour or check out their YouTube channel for some video action, including the one shown below.

What we say…

As tracks go, there’s a great rounded sound to Turnaround Year, the track featured in show #44 and due for release as the band’s first single. It’s the bass in the opening few bars that does it for me but the track makes all the right moves and has a nice radio-friendly commercial vibe to it without crossing anywhere near a manufactured indie sound. Plus, they’re Irish – any homegrown act that has the determination to get their music out there deserves to be heard. Here’s to hoping they get the single out and best of luck to them with it.

The Lions Mane hail from my hometown of Kilkenny, a place long referred to as “the Seattle of Ireland” given the history of progressive, rock and grunge acts the city has produced since the 80s. Bring things around to 2008 and The Lions Mane appeared, inspired by drummer, guitarist and producer Alan Dawson. More an entity to interpret and represent the music of The Lions Mane than a band, they are currently plying their trade a four-piece (of Alan Dawson, Thomas Donohoe, Evan Prendergast, James O’Brien) that echoes and combines the likes of Soundgarden, A Perfect Circle, Alice in Chains, all woven into their own unique strand to make up the outfit.

Perhaps it’s a reason for the naming of their debut album, ‘Strands’, due for release in 2009.

The music and the process is meticulous and the ultimate task was in mapping it to the stage, something they’ve achieved with great effect and as a result have initiated a serious local following.

What the people are saying…

Here’s what one reviewer had to say about their debut performance in Kilkenny in 2008.

Alan Dawson is the man behind the mane and before the gig had even started, his hard work and meticulous preparation had obviously paid dividends in the jam packed house in Cleere’s and the strange sight of gig goers running around in Lions Mane t shirts. The approach to this gig was masterful. Indeed, the approach to the band was even better. Building a strong internet presence around a bit of mystery, slowly leaking material and developing a strong aesthetic over the past year, The Lions Mane was allowed to take their time and build an audience whilst working on a strong collection of material. No rush jobs here, just care and attention and the music put to the forefront.

It’s only in recent weeks that the band gained a face as the build up to the first full band airing of material began. The refreshing approach to music first, image and posturing see ya later, paid dividends. It was all about the music. As the gig kicked off, a grinning Dawson traded some verbal barbs with a mouth in the audience before launching into a ferociously confident rendition of ‘Pull It Out’, the crowd was immediately won over. The set was very tight, extremely well executed and in Evan Prendergast, Danny Pearson and James O’Brien, Dawson has found an extremely proficient band to blast the songs to life.

I’ve already mentioned about how refreshing the ‘music first’ ethos is but this band really have to be also commended for the sense of fun they brought to the stage. Prog rock gets a hard time for being a little too poker faced and its entirely with validation but even to term The Lion’s Mane as solely prog rock is to do them an injustice. The flair for musical styles and the segues between genres was seamless and added to the sense of playfulness on the stage. And fun it was. Alan Dawson has too long been in the background in a plethora of bands, most recently Itchy Trigger Finger, but as a front man he really shone at this gig. And why wouldn’t he? He took his time to make sure that when he stepped forward, he did it right. Smiling all the way throughout and never taking himself seriously, he cut a distinctly bullshit free, non posing figure who didn’t need to be front and centre of the proceedings. Bantering with the crowd and taking the entire thing happily in his stride, he at times resembled a party host who just wanted people to have a good time in his gaff. Kudos to the rest of the band for following his lead and really giving off a sense of fun up there. And then they rocked it like a motherfucker.

This gig was refreshing, well executed and beautifully played by some skilled musicians. It entirely justified the strong build up and the sense of anticipation. The music scene in Kilkenny is alive and well and this gig underlined how good we have it locally at the moment. Maybe we won’t be the Irish Seattle again but fuck it, right now just being Kilkenny is good enough. Long may the lion roar.

Check out The Lions Mane at MySpace and watch out for Strands, coming your way in 2009.