Annies last month on air, in The Big List and on this blog. Desert Hearts remain one of the most underrated bands of all time - albums in 2002 and 2006 were scandalously overlooked.

Part of the problem was the band were a little....unpredictable live - scrappy and loose one night, mesmerising the next. Seeing them at Auntie Annies though - with Stu and Leaky from General Fiasco playing guitar and drums to properly beef up the sound and add a little discipline -I got the impression that had changed. 

'This is the best the band has ever been' explains Desert Hearts front man Charlie Mooney. 'It feels like we're just starting. We have an album's worth of music ready to go and the older songs finally feel the way we imagined, with Stuart and Leaky putting everything into it. DSR2011 - NO CHALLENGE!'

Their next show is this Thursday (2 June) at The Empire, Belfast. Support from Sea Pinks and CBOO.

You can listen to Hotsy Totsy Nagasaki, the second album from Desert Hearts, on their bandcamp page. We'd recommend the tracks Ocean, Sea Punks and Gravitas....to start.

Anyone following us on facebook or twitter will get it by now, we had a blast at Pigstock 2011. We thought that as means of giving us some closure we'd bring you our ten remarkable things about this year's south Down shindig .

**************************************************************************************************************

10. The Body Popping Maestro -

Who doesn't like the robot dance? Nobody, that is who! The guy who stood at the main stage for the majority of the Saturday body popping was probably the biggest non-hero of the weekend, bar festival organiser Johnny Tate. We demand at least a knighthood, if not a canonisation. 

9. The Cinema Screen -

I (Phily) found myself at 4:45am in the morning sitting on my hands, partially shivering but grinning like a fool watching 'The Last Waltz' on a massive cinema screen. Good work Pigstock because if hadn't of been for that many punters may have harmed each other after having to spend two days in the close proximity of a small tent.

Read the rest of this entry

Team ATL is currently recovering from an incredible weekend in Killinchey, as Pigstock kickstarted the festival season with two days which soared above and beyond our (high) expectations. We've decided the only way we can get over the inevitable post-Pigstock blues is to look forward to what the rest of the summer has in store!

With that in mind, we'd like to hear which local act (and at which festival) you consider absolutely unmissable, and why. Whether it's Fight Like Apes at Electic Picnic or Not Squares at Willowstone - let us know via facebook, twitter or by texting 81771 when we go on air at 8pm tonight. Here's our picks....

***********************************************************************************************************************************

Rigsy - ATL presenter

Rams Pocket Radio @ Glasgowbury 2011

Yes I'm a massive fan (as any regular listener to the show will know!) but it's more the fact that, for some ludicrous reason or other, I keep missing them live and ain't seen them perform since last summer. Off the top of my head - a wedding, a flat tyre, tonsillitis and poor time keeping are among some of the things to blame. What makes it worse is having to listen to people hark on about how amazing they've become live (for example, ATL review William Johnson on Friday evening). So if not before, I will be putting this right at Glasgowbury '11 with Rams Pocket Radio my one absolute-cannot-be-missed act of the day/summer.

Read the rest of this entry

Main Stage, Saturday May 28th 10.15pm

Describe in a tweet: Dramatic wouldnt be in it.

What happened?: Everything happened. Not even halfway into this headline performance, Johnny Black announces that bassist Herb is leaving the band. There had been a palpable sense of 'something' going on from the opening bars of the set and clearly this had been playing its part. As always, Lafaro are an awesome machine to watch. Every member of the band is a draw, from Alan's frenetic drumming, Dave's hair (which seems to have become a living, independently headbanging entity atop his head), Johnny's laconic snarl and of course the dervish-like Herb at the head of a rhythm section pincer movement, flanked by guitars. Once the departure is announced it seems to have chased an elephant from the room and they open up, rattling through new material like 'Easy Meat' as if they were setlist staples. Familiar tunes such as 'Mr. Heskey', ' Great Conversations Remembered..' and 'Leningrad' are all like being repeatedly pinned down by the ears and given a punishment kiss. While some gripe at, and some adore the corny stage banter, musically, there is no flab. Its all essential. 'The Ballad of Burnt Dave' and especially 'Tupenny Nudger' are now simply something akin to national anthems. This band are special, their chemistry is unique and there is going to be one hell of a sizeable pair of shoes to fill for Lafaro over the summer.

Silk Purse: The songs. The songs. The songs. 

Sow's Ear: The fact that the Lafaro juggernaut needs to be halted - albeit temporarily - is a frustration, given the immense sound of the new material that has been showcased in recent gigs. Simultaneously more riffage and more punk attitude bodes well. Herb, take a while, think about it and come back home.

Pigstock Rating: 9/10 (and thats because we dont want to have THAT argument again).

Main Stage 9:05pm Saturday

Tweet: The shank hits the target.

What happened? Some of us turned up ignoring the football and saw a trio with at least one madman going a bit bonkers in a really friendly way.

Silk Purse: From our masked bassist going wandering in the crowd in the first track we know there's a bit of chaos here. But they're sweet with it, holding up a squeaky pig in between their punchy, frantic, math-madness. It's intense, tight and bludgeoning, but they're always happy, in the same way that the Joker is. We also believe they may have special powers over animals as the nearby sheep appear to bleat in time with them.

Sow's Ear: We could do with a few more people here at the start, and it's a bit of an unsatisfactory conclusion to the set, just finishing and shuffling off rather than the fireworks they should be setting off.

Rating: 8/10

Engine Room, Saturday 28th May, 2pm



Describe in a tweet: louder than bombs

What Happened?: Fresh faced from not having had to survive a night's camping, Red Enemy certainly weren't catering for all the hangovers on display in their audience. They rampage the Engine Room Stage with their growling vocals and dual guitars but alongside heavy riffs are great harmonies. Unadulterated metal served as it should be - loud and angry!

Silk Purse: Another passionate showing from an Irish metal outfit.



Sow’s Ear: That Mr Garrison Tattoo - in fact all the south park tatoos. No, just no!

Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May 2:50pm



Tweet: Mag-nifique. We’re all off to get some ketchup now.

What Happened?: An essential of the festival experience is the something you wouldn’t normally listen to - usually a bit of gospel or soul or ska. Here its some afro-beat-jazz-funk-reggae putting us all in a good mood, with bouncy numbers like ‘Tomato Sauce’. 

Silk Purse: Chilled, but toe-tapping at the same team, their change of pace from the rest of the festival draws in a crowd, but its songs with competing drummers, risque banter and old-fashioned call and response that keep us all there. 



Sow’s Ear: That it took so long for the crowd to get there. And that once the place did seem to be going nicely the set finished. We needed at least a couple more tracks of us all bouncing around.

Pigstock Rating: 8/10

Engine Room, Saturday 28th May, 2pm

Describe in a tweet: Louder than a hawaiian shirt.

What Happened: A rampaging, growling guitarist, a head-banging front man, all ably supported by some game moshers at the front. Riffs a-plenty in ‘To The Dead’ which is well capable of reanimating a few corpses. Or at the very least the Gacy’s themselves who profess to still be recovering from last night.

Silk Purse: The passion from the lads.

Sow's Ear: They probably should see a doctor about those throat problems. It can't be good for you sounding like that

Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Engine Room, Saturday 28th May 1.15pm

Describe in a tweet: "five more tunes! five more tunes!"

What happened?:

After taking the slightly scenic route to get here (no they weren't lost honest!) Hero In Error treat their smaller than it should be pigstock crowd as if its an arena audience. Frontman Anto spends half his time leaping from the stage to the crowd then back swinging the mic dangersouly close to removing their guitarists eye! Drummer Stephen is literally smoking as the heat from the lights turns the rain into steam rising off his back like he's on fire! EP Track 'The High Point Of New Lows' sees the crowd finally get as raucous as the band and the whole set is topped off with a chant for not one but "5 more tunes". 

Silk Purse: These lads mean business. Their stage presence alone shows they're aiming for big things and they have the tunes to back it up! A thoroughly outstanding performance which has left many ears ringing!

Sow's Ear: When we chanted "5 more tunes" they only played one more - next time try harder lads!!

Pigstock Rating: 8/10

Main Stage, Saturday, 28th May 4.20pm

Describe in a tweet: Spandex, masks, crowns and chaos!

What happened?: For a bit of a joke act Mental Deficiency sure managed to pull a crowd. It's difficult to imagine ever playing their music at home while chilling out but there's something about the madness in a field surrounded by frazzled campers and rain drenched sheep that makes this work. Mr Majestic's outfits range from nothing but silver paint, to red spandex catsuits and crowns while his guitarists sport eery masks and the stage is guarded at every angle by security guards who wouldn't look out of place in Top Gun! Honestly we can't really remember the tunes - we were too distracted by all the chaos and too busy laughing at the crowd chanting GHHGHB!

Silk Purse: The almighty craic - the show was hilarious, just what the crowd needed to shake their camping hangovers and get thoroughly stuck into the night ahead.

Sow's Ear: The spandex catsuit is an outfit we did not need to see - it will haunt our dreams for weeks to come.

Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May, 12pm

Describe in a tweet: The youngsters of folk open things up in the Gem Saloon

What Happened?:The first slot of the day goes to newcomers Tequila Mockinbird. Usually its a tough ask for any band but with schoolmates in abundance down the front, its a respectable crowd early in the day. With shared vocals, guitar, bass and Cajon its a standard enough lineup for a nu-folk act. They're fresh faced and enthusiastic and with a couple of decent tunes to hold the ear of us older folksters at the back. They've got the material, the look and with a few more shows and maybe a less puntastic name they could do well.

Silk Purse: The almost punky refrain of 'Trouble with a capital T'.

Sow's Ear: All that early morning youth makes this old hack feel past it.

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May 6.05pm

Describe in a tweet: Utterly magnificent, catch them while they're still ours.

What happened?: It's an odd situation when, after set, a band feel like they've played a below par gig but the audience is wrapt and buzzing. Ladies and gentlemen we're witnessing the rise of something special in Peter Mcauley's band. Of all of our many bright stars, Ram's Pocket Radio seems set to shoot furthest and a destiny beyond Northern Ireland looks imminent. So many of these songs sound familiar yet all take interesting tangets of rhythm and tempo. It's pop, Jim but not as know it. 'Dieter Rams Has Got the Pocket Radio' is the opening gambit.'Coal, My Lips Are Sealed' sends an already convinced set of onlookers into joyful spasms, and even the brand new material is instant enough to keep the pace breakneck.

Silk Purse: Apart from the sign in the crowd, the contents of which, we cannot relay to you due to legal reasons? Probably the collective sense of being at something that's about to potentially turn massive. 

Sow's Ear: Peter at one point asks the audience 'are you listening?'. Course we are, dummy!

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May, 5.15

Describe in a tweet: Bluegrass hoedown? Dont mind if I do, ma'am.

What Happened?: I'll tell you what happened, we were expecting some nice laid back folk tunes. We were very much mistaken as we were enveloped in a massive square-dancing equivalent of a mosh pit. Dual vocals can sometimes make a band suffer from a lack of identity or focal point, but Rachel and Steven combine well, their harmonies driven forward by a pounding country-rock rhythm section containing former Leya drummer Hammy behind the kit. Their sheer joy is infectious and the Gem Saloon quickly swelled with many like-minded converts. Exactly what the doctor, or perhaps we should say vet, ordered.

Silk Purse: Pretty flawless set from Farriers who encouragingly announced an imminent album. We're officially on board!

Sow's Ear: No complaints here at all, seriously. It was cless. 

Pigstock Rating: 9/10

Gem Saloon, Saturday, 28th May 4.30pm

Describe in a tweet: For a band this good, we wanted more.

What happened?: The Gem Saloon is a belter tent, big enough to get a party started, small enough to feel intimate, but this performance seems to fall between two stones. Its neither bad, nor good to be perfectly honest. The 1930's are in decent enough form, and are in posession of a positively embarassing canon of deadly tunes, but nevertheless something doesnt quite fire this time around. In fairness it could be the struggle to keep the bleed from the main stage sound at bay, but the duo seem a little reticent to really push this show and at one stage almost seem apologetic. 'Break My Heart' is the star of the setlist, but after hyping up 'I Am A Vapour' we're left with an overall feeling of unfinished business.

Silk Purse: The tunes shine through, and there is an impromptu hoedown at one point. Never interrupt anyone in the middle of a hoedown, as Homer Simpson taught us.

Sow's Ear: Whether sound problems affected this performance we dunno, but 'I'm a Vapour' is a damp squib rather than the rocket we were excited about hearing. The band admit a degree of ropiness directly afterwards.

Pigstock Rating: 6/10

Main Stage, Saturday, 28th May 2:50pm

Describe in a tweet: B.O.Y meets world.

What happened?: A Band Called B.O.Y are a familiar site to ATL. They are a band designed to play psychotic, unhinged, loose shows in dirty little toilet venues, and that is were the B.O.Y's make sense. The main stage seems a little daunting to the guys, they don't take to it as well as The Burnt Reynolds or The Rupture Dogs before them. New single 'Teenage Parasite' is a banger, it is most definitly the highlight of the set. Overall the guys played a good set, it's just it would have probably suited the Gem Saloon a little better.

Silk Purse: The bass player playing so hard that he bust his hand and bled all over his axe.

Sow's Ear: The guys are much more suited to small sweaty venues than the main stage but they have plenty of time on their side. 

Pigstock Rating: 6/10

Main Stage, Saturday, 28th May 2:50pm

Describe in a tweet: Boyz 2 Men

What happened?: Key of Atlas are the cleanest most meticulously dressed guys at the festival. If we see them later we are going to jump on their converse and ruffle their hair. This afternoon the Belfast based guys have come into their own, the guys are full of confidence and why should they not be. They have an arsenal of new tunes that most young bands would beg for. They've got heavier, they've crontroversially dumped some of the fan favourite songs and most importantly they get away with it. The kids down the front are lapping it up and its hard not to get carried away in the youthful exuberance both on stage and out front.

Silk Purse: Key of Atlas growing up into big proper men with mortgages, pensions and car insurance.

Sow's Ear: Messing up Pure Black Spectrum but then pulling it all back to win the game.

Pigstock Rating: 8/10

Main Stage, Saturday, 28th May 2:50pm

Describe in a tweet: Trigger happy strokers lay down the law.

What happened?: The sugar filled teenie bopper audience that filled the grass for Key of Atlas seems to have been gobbled up and digested by the burly congregation down the front waiting for Triggerman. The devil horns are being thrown about like confetti at a wedding, albeit a very saudit wedding. The Derry based beast they call Triggerman are on fine form, their bluesy hard rock is angry and viceral. It's very much trucker rock designed for those who enjoy the odd tipple of ale, so much so they have a song dedicated to the art ofembibing called 'Shebeen'. ATL sticks with their coke and hog burger but nods along approvingly. 

Silk Purse: Their track 'Praise to the River Gods'. It's scarey but a good type of scarey.

Sow's Ear: They, like Burnt reynolds, suffered a bit from the transient crowd. 

Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Main Stage, Saturday, 28th May 2:50pm

Describe in a tweet: Mid afternoon lull means nothing to old Burnty.

What happened?: It seems like half the campsite have carried their worn out feet back to their tents for a siesta. The main stage is looking like a lonely place now but thats no bother to The Burnt Reynolds, it's business as usual for our heavy rocking amigos. They're set is tighter than a viking cage fighter and their riffs hold their own on a predominately rock orientated main stage, the only set back is that they don't really stand out. On a stage that boasts Lafaro, The Rupture Dogs and Team Fresh its hard to get over excited with their perfectly passable rock. 

Silk Purse: These dudes got skills. A very impressive instrumental display.

Sow's Ear: The turn out for the guys wasn't great.

Pigstock Rating: 6/10

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May 3.45pm

Describe in a tweet: Paper boats rather than galleons.

What happened?: 5 folkies in a line on stage played to a small, mildy appreciative audience. No one got overly excited or stressed.

Silk Purse: Its completely pleasant , inoffensive modern folk with a couple of bits of rhythm that differ from the usual. And it's probably what we need at this point of the day to let us rest up before the remainder of proceedings.

Sow's Ear: Its completely pleasant , inoffensive modern folk, seemingly aimed at the Mumford market, but without the rabble-rousing catchiness or hooky choruses of some of the scene's leaders.When done right this can be great joyous fare but there's no blood and thunder or heart-wrenching passion to elevate them beyond a name on the timetable here.

Rating: 5/10

Main Stage, Saturday, 28th May 2pm

Describe in a tweet: The Rupture Pups reign supreme.

What happened?: It's the look-a-like half hour with Alan McGreevy looking every part the Dave Grohl prototype while brother Gareth looks like a DNA mash up of Kurt Cobain and Donny Tourette. This afternoon they are confident, loud and damn heavvy. Opener 'Back to Life' sounds gargantuan live, it sends out a Tarzan-esque jungle call for the festival punters to assemble that is met with vivacious reciprocation. They draw the biggest crowd of the day so far.

It's an assured and sweet move for the guys to invite two thirteen year old kids onto stage to play a song with their slightly bewildered looking bass player. Dogs really are mans best friend.

Silk Purse: The Rupture Dogs welcome on stage two kids to play a song. Those kids rock, watch out lads, the old get older and the young get stronger.

Sow's Ear: The rain frazzling Gareth McGreevy's pedal board. How is he meant to rock with only one distortion pedal?

Pigstock Rating: 8/10

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May 1.20pm

Gem Saloon, Saturday, 28th May 2pm

Describe in a tweet: Triumph over adversity in game of two halves.

What happened?: The start of this relatively early set from The Bonnevilles appears to be dogged with sound issues. There is audible hum beyond the capabilities of any vintage and a guitar is sacrificed early on after breathing its last at the start of the second song. Substitute in hand, Andy and Chris rip through a tight, punchy set of swampy blues rock, making a noise a four piece would be pushed to produce let alone a duo. We're thinking of scenes from True Blood as yet unsoundtracked which need to be fixed by this lot. '1000', recently performed in session for ATL, makes us rise up with fists, and punch the air. Singer Andy informs us that the relatively high percentage of ladies at Pigstock is 'mostly a good thing', and with a wink they disappear back to the bayou.

Silk Purse: Musically it has to be 'Hard Tale Lurgan Blues'. Tried and tested at this stage, but still one of the finest weapons in an increasingly formidable armoury. A fine show stopper. Also the renaming of 'Good Suits and Fightin Boots' to 'Daisy Dukes and Wellie Boots'. 

Sow's Ear: These are finely crafted songs, intricate and demanding attention that at times was difficult to muster for a crowd dealing the night before.

Pigstock Rating: 8/10

Engine Room, Saturday 28th May 1.15pm

Describe in a tweet: Co. Antrim heaviosity bludgeons the fragile.

What happened?: First up let's say that the singer is the double and we mean DOUBLE of David Holmes. Had to get that of our chest, it was bothering us.. Now, Jackalfeud are a band that ATL has championed for many years now, despite us being regarded as indie wusses. The Ballymena 4 piece have tunes to burn though and live none of the melodies are hidden behind walls of distortion and are allowed a presence many heavy bands sacrifice for power.

Silk Purse: Jackalfeud are a powerhouse. 'If You Believe This You'll Believe Anything' is one of several stand out tracks from the 'Structures' mini album. ' No Reason, Just Fire' is similarly immense.

Sow's Ear: These are finely crafted songs, intricate and demanding attention that at times was difficult to muster for a crowd dealing the night before.

Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Gem Saloon, Saturday 28th May 12.30

Describe in a tweet: An old bearded soul with a vocal to lift the early afternoon gloom.

What Happened?: The crowd has thinned out slightly as the elder statesman of the Belfast folk scene takes the stage accompanied by bodhran. Matt McGinn has been around for a while and is a seasoned pro on the live scene. Despite not having a defined setlist, he treats us to a slick set of tunes old and new. Tracks from the new album standing true alongside the older material. It gets a little cutesy in the middle when a track or two is dedicated to his partner and a little girl but as they leave there are a few more great bluesy tunes and a slightly dirty folk rendition of Blackstreet's 'No Diggity'.

Silk Purse: No Diggity, no doubt

Sow's Ear: The occasional sound bleed from the main stage.

Pigstock rating: 7/10

So each week on the Dance Show we have one of our super-knowledgeable panel of residents join us with some hot tunes for you to get your hands on. We're going to share one of these with you online every week too, these are tunes you really do need to have in your life, but don't just take our word for it, here's Suzi with this week's selection...

This was one of the highlight's of my recent trip to the Southport Soul Weekender where Ben Westbeech dropped it and performed live vocals over the top...

Main Stage, Friday, 26th May 11.20pm

Describe in a tweet: Nothing shy of what you'd expect. Greatness.

What Happened:  Just your standard ASIWYFA gig really - rib rupturingly loud riffage and an audience behaving like they've finally been cured of an horrendous affliction. Four legends onstage, seemingly moments away from spontaneous combustion. Stage invasions, crowd surfing/diving and apparently the first rain of the day (not that anyone noticed).

Silk Purse: The kid (he must have been about ten) stage invader singing and controlling Rory's peddles during '....Solidarity', the barely controlled lunacy of 'Search:Party:Animal', the mutual love as the band said their thanks. We could go on.

Sow's Ear: While they gave it everything, ASIWYFA did look a little tired. Lets hope they're not pushing themselves too hard touring that second album. Oh, and they didn't play the very brilliant '7 Billion People all Alive at Once' but.... we can't have it all.

Pigstock rating: 8/10

Pigstock 2011, Main Stage, 7:30pm

What Happened?: a bit of head-banging fun for all. We’re getting underway now and the party is beginning. We’ll dust ourselves off and get back into the saddle for the next band.



Tweet: and they’re off, coming charging out of the gate. 

Silk Purse: Dirty grungy individuals making dirty grungy music. ‘Dance With The Devil’ is good old fashioned metally head-banging fun and ‘Desperate Times’ continues the trend.

Sow's Ear: Lack of hog roast, hungry.

Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Main Stage, 7pm

Describe in a Tweet: Classic rock done classically. 

What Happened: Nothing fancy here. Some good old fashioned riffs, driving rock, and even an appropriately named ‘Lighter Side’ demonstrating their..well, lighter side as Pigstock 2011 opens for business



Silk Purse: Smiles abound as the music begins. Here we go!

Sow's Ear: hard to say although its so early we probably could have asked everyone individually. Rest of people are still arriving. Those that were there enjoyed it though.



Pigstock Rating: 7/10

Main Stage, Friday 26 May, 9.15pm

Describe in a tweet: Likably agressive ginger-pop.

What happened: It's all about Axis Of 2.0 as the lads unveal a bunch of remarkable new songs, the first of which (we await it's title) is a total gem, with 'ba bas' and enormo-hooks almost overshadowing the usual AO bedlam. The band are up for it tonight - getting over some early technical problems (and the fact it's a sparse gathering to begin) via daft banter and frisky moves. By the end we've human pyramids, mosh pits, birthday celebrations and a 'proper' festival vibe. It's on.

Silk purse: Just as we're thinking these tracks are the best things they've done, along comes 'Port Na Spaniagh' to blow us all away. It's a pop song, you know.

Sow's ear: Everyone seems to have forgotten their watch - it takes the mainstage racket a good five minutes to drag folk back from the campsite as Axis Of open to only a handful of punters. Keep an eye on that timetable folks!!

Pigstock rating: 8/10

Main Stage, Friday, 26th May 10.15pm

Describe in a tweet: Every single moment stands out.

What Happened:  That's bound to be the festival won, already. Every song is absolute killer and Mike Mormecha seems to have morphed into an utter superstar and developed the finest scowl we've heard in years. When you can open with the obscenely good 'The Mann' and somehow still go uphill...look, it was just really, really good, okay?

Silk Purse: 'What a Secret' seems to have been inflated since the last time I heard them play it while the strangly sweet 'Electric Sea' is as close to a ballad as they'll get. New song 'I Ain't Sharing', with it's ludicrous bass, also makes a valiant attempt at standing out. The sound is incredible as well - clear as a bell. And it's got nice and dark. It can't get much better. 

Sow's Ear: Mike's jacket is a bit rubbish.

Pigstock rating: 9/10

There'll be no messing about at Pigstock tonight. While Amy melts her own brain trying to work out who to see at Primavera, myself, Paul, photographer Carrie and ATL reviewer William Johnson will be enjoying a nice, stress-free evening in Killinchy, safe in the knowledge there's only one stage operating tonight and no difficult choices to make.

So that means I'll definitely get to see Mojo Fury again (I missed their album launch) and a post 'Gangs' ASIWYFA. I'll definitely find out if Axis Of have found a way to be even noisier and full on than they were in Mandela Hall last year and if Event Horses are as good live as they are on record. I wasn't hugely impressed by Bomb City 7 when I saw them a few weeks back, but I hear great things, so it's good a second viewing is definitely on the cards. As for Shades of Jonah - well, I know nothing about them. They're my wild card.

While day 2 of Pigstock is set to be very special indeed, with a whole mess of bands spread across three stages, competing with a new Spoken Word tent (and the Champions League final), I'm looking forward to a pressure free run of performances all in the same place. As I say, no messing about. It'll ease us all in nice and gently for what could be the noisiest weekend of the year.

The ATL Blog will publish revews and pictures of every band's set within minutes of them coming off stage. You can also follow us on Twitter (#pigstock) for more!

PHOTO OF AXIS OF AT PIGSTOCK 2011 BY CHRIS FLACK

Since I got to briefly join them on tour with my faves The Lo Fidelity Allstars, I've been a massive fan of hip hop allstars Olympic Lifts. Daft party music, bitta hip hop, bitta funk and soul, fun times - what's not to like folks?! 

Anyway, after a resonably lengthy hibernation period, they're back and set to record what will be their third album live at Auntie Annies. As in, what happens onstage in Belfast on Friday is what they'll be stuck with as their third LP for the rest of their lives. Considering their shows have, in the past, been a little hectic, is this a good idea? To illustrate the unpredictable nature of what they do, I asked guitarist and MC Big Show what's the daftest thing has ever happened onstage at an OL show.

"During an aborive show somewhere in Germany with the PA exploding and parts of the stage collapsing, The Pylon kept the 300 strong crowd entertained during rush repairs by making a general **** of himself, culminating in the quote - 'who wants to see me pour ANOTHER two litres of water over myself?'"

Big Show gave me a few other examples, none of which are bloggable I'm afraid. Children reading and all that. Still though, with a full live band (including brass section) and a bag of new tunes to unleash, what could possibly go wrong? Come to Auntie Annies, Belfast this Friday night and I'll guess you'll find out.

Download a studio version of a new track here....

*********************************************************************************************************************

Spiritualized - Let it Come Down

Rigsy - ATL presenter

I'm ashamed to say I've never really collected vinyl and don't even own a record player anymore. But I have bought the odd piece of vinyl, fascinated by the feel of the things and (especially) how the artwork looks. I've copies of some all time faves - Exit Planet Dust, Endtroducing, Screamadelica and How to Operate with a Blown Mind...for a start. All of them framed. But simply because I was lucky enough to get it signed by Jason Pierce ('high times, david?') I'll go for 'Let it Come Down' by Spiritualized. The Irony being that the CD artwork, a kind of 3D indented version of the pig tailed lady, works much better....

Amy McGarrigle - ATL content assistant

Smashing Pumpkins - Tristessa

I found the 12" vinyl of Smashing Pumpkins second ever single, and sole release on the legendary Sub Pop label, on a day trip to Letterkenny. I was probably about 15/16, right in the middle of my Smashing Pumpkins adoration phase and willing to buy anything Billy Corgan stamped his name on. I coughed up £30 (Irish pounds in it's dying days) and took it home to be blue tacked (via its plastic cover) to my wall. We never had a record player in my house and Tristessa was re-recorded for the debut album (the version I had), so I actually don't know if I've ever actually heard this recording. Not sure if it would be worth much now, what with it falling off the wall every other week and rolling across the carpet, but I've still held on to it. What with its particularly psychedelic image of Jimmy Chamberlain with a bowl hair cut on the back. And Billy Corgan with plenty full locks of hair.... Fetching.

Read the rest of this entry

So each week on the Dance Show we have one of our super-knowledgeable panel of residents join us with some hot tunes for you to get your hands on. We're going to share one of these with you online every week too, these are tunes you really do need to have in your life, but don't just take our word for it, here's Phil with this week's selection...

This is big room italo-influenced techno with a chunky bassline and some great aciiid noise!

I'm off to sunny (hopefully) Barcelona next week to go to the ever 'Pitchfork-esque' indie hipster fest that is Primavera. Big acts like The National, Simian Mobile Disco, Interpol, PJ Harvey, and The Flaming Lips will play along more underground, left of centre acts. In the run up to the festival, I made the customary 'festival playlist' with some of my favourites and tracks from new acts I haven’t heard of before. That traditional playlist lead me to find the Finnish group, Rubik.

Read the rest of this entry

So, a friend on facebook made a gag about Queen already having visitied the south - "playing Slane in '86". Hilarious stuff I'm sure you'll all agree, but check out the video he linked up....

Sweet baby Christmas! I know it's a bit rare they came onstage at 6pm (would they have played under cover of darkness at all?!) but can you imagine how incredble that show that would have been? Not long after Queen at Live aid (regarded by many as the greatest perforamnce of all time) and just as they'd released the likes of 'One Vision' and 'A Kind of Magic'. An incredible band at the peak of their powers in front of....well that crowd looks somewhere in the region of forty billion people

ATL is keepeing it local by choosing Pigstock over Slane next weekend, but that's not to say we don't have strong, teary feelings for the Co. Meath event. For a start, Slane 95 - well that was the happeist I've ever been.

Anyone catch a bitta Gaga over the weekend? Pretty hard to miss everyone's favourite pop weirdo, what with her performing at Radio One's Big Weekend, being surprisingly 'dead on' during an interview with Graham Norton and generally eating up tabloid column inches the last few days.



ATL quite likes Gaga and enjoys a bit of decent pop. To celebrate that then, our topic this week is your favourite pop act (or pop song if it's a one hit wonder) from the last ten years. No matter how obscure your tastes are, we're assuming everyone has at least one commercial act they can't help but love? Let us know!

Let us know yours by hitting us up on Facebook or Twitter or text us on 81771 during the show tonight (8-10pm). As always, we'll read out as many as we can.

***************************************************************

Beyonce

Rigsy - ATL Presenter



Always loved Destinys Child - great tracks, great singers, great eye candy. Beyonce was always the best and her solo career has been fun, even if her latest take on Pon De Floor is a load of old bobbins. For 'Single Ladies' and 'Crazy in Love' though, she's a living legend. That said, the coolest thing she's done to date is marry Jay Z. If it wasn't for the Jigga, I'd definitely be making moves this summer at Oxegen.....

Read the rest of this entry

So each week on the Dance Show we have one of our super-knowledgeable panel of residents join us with some hot tunes for you to get your hands on. We're going to share one of these with you online every week too, these are tunes you really do need to have in your life, but don't just take our word for it, here's Nik with this week's selection...

John Tejada - Unstable Condition (Kompakt)

This is a lovely piece of melody led electronica from John Tejada on the ever consistent Kompakt label. I've been a fan of Tejada since his early releases on Mosaic and Ferox from is around 15 yrs ago and over that time he has always released solid and interesting dance music. With this 2 tracker he once again delivers with both tracks being of a high standard worthy of any djs set. I have went with the title track 'Unstable Condition' which uses old school 909 drum patterns along with dark melodic synths and it's the melodic drops and loops that make this track for me. The b side is also a tasty chuck of electronica and I look forward to more treats from Mr Tejada in the future.

So, after taking three summers off (the work shy fop), it seems Vital is back, relocated and ready for action in Bangor this August. Six years that festival ran in Belfast believe it or not, and here's just a few stand out moments….

Snow Patrol - 2002

For two years, Vital lived in a marquee, a noisy little baby of a festival taking place over two days. An on form Primal Scream headlined day one, with Bobby Gillespie dedicating the bands set to Belfast producer David Holmes (while cursing the fact he was missing the mans wedding). But Snow Patrol quietly stole the show, finding a little form themselves after a run of slightly shambolic shows in Belfast the previous couple of years.

Read the rest of this entry

So each week on the Dance Show we have one of our super-knowledgeable panel of residents join us with some hot tunes for you to get your hands on. We're going to share one of these with you online every week too, these are tunes you really do need to have in your life, but don't just take our word for it, here's Phil from Twitch with this week's selection...

The sun is out, it's a bank holiday and we're thinking locations for our summer holidays! Which lead us to talking about our favourite non-english language song. The tunes to soundtrack the convertible(really the cheapest and smallest hire car hatchback) road trip along the mediterranean coast, or through the vineyard valleys or perhaps a sweaty underground club in the middle of Berlin. Who knows!

Let us know yours by hitting us up on Facebook or Twitter or text us on 81771 during the show tonight (8-10pm). As always, we'll read out as many as we can.

************************************************



Blur - To The End

Phily Taggart - ATL Presenter

Read the rest of this entry