Bang Bang!

This week on BBC Introducing Wales we've invited multi-instrumentalist and nintendo-folk, casio-coustic magician Pagan Wonderer Lu to step into our "soon to be legendary Studio 3" to mess around and make some music and hopefully play his dementedly catchy number The Tree of Knowledge.

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So this week we discussed how one would go about charging ones MP3 player with an Onion. I said it couldn't be done and somewhat surprisingly was prooved....wrong! I don't recommend you try it, and I only know it works because I was told as much. I also tried to convince my producer that the moon does exist, but his main concern was quickly transferred to the wherabouts on planet earth of '"The Purple Headed Mountains". Trust me, it all makes sense when you hear it https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell. While you're listening you'll also hear Mojo Fury https://www.myspace.com/mojofuryband in session, and an acoustic session track from The National https://www.americanmary.com and one of the best bands you'll hear all year, The Twilight Sad https://www.thetwilightsad.com . We had a profile on one of THE essential venues to play for bands coming up through the ranks in NI - Brysons Bar https://www.brysonsbar.com and oppenheimer https://www.myspace.com/oppenheimer joined us on the phone from THE AMERICAS, where they're currently on tour with They Might Be Giants...(I wont bother with a link for them, eh?)

Ello ello.

This week it's Twisted Wheel in session on Introducing in England from midnight tonight and on In New Music We Trust from 9pm. The Manchester band are excellent live; anyone who's seen them will testify to this. You Stole the Sun is the track I've been playing on the show lots - expect full on rock and roll beauty from their debut Maida Vale session!

Was up in Wolverhampton djing last week at the students union, thanks to all who danced!

For those of you who are partial to a bit of light fanzine reading, the Sheffield Phonographic Corporation have a new issue out now with The Hair, the Chiara L's, Slow Down Tallahasse all featured.

Tonight in London town it's the night I put on once a month at the Social which is on Little Portland st - Huw Stephens Introducing Gideon Conn, George Pringle, Threatmantics and Rory McVicar are all playing, it's four quid to get in. Ace line-up! Then i'm shooting off to do tonights show!

Well, gig of the year was how it was billed by many in Hereford, and last Tuesday local bands Pencil Toes, Brandon Steep and The Anomalies took to centre stage at The Courtyard, Hereford's Centre For The Arts.

It was the first time I've seen this venue without any seats, but it was a cracking performance by some great bands who deserve (and are somewhats getting) national recognition.

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This week ont he show we had the brilliant Johnny Foreigner in session. The Birmingham three piece are releasing their debut mini album soon on Best Before records. Scroll to 1am for the session on listen again if you missed it.

Big up Sam Isaac - his new single Sideways was played by Jo Whiley this week. From nightime to daytime radio in one fell swoop! And a lot of gigging of course, not least as part of the Introducing tour recently.

Next week it's Manchester's awesome Twisted Wheel in session - amazing live, this is their debut radio session. Exciting stuff!

The festival I put on in Cardiff last weekend, Swn fest was wicked - so many great bands playing, I tried to catch them all, but seeing a 120 bands in one wikend was wishful thinking!

Went to see Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds play last night - brilliant tunes and the singer had passed his driving test that day. i'm not jealous at all! Then saw a great band from Paris called The Do. Such a do! Off to Wolverhampton to dj tonight. have a lovely wiiiiiiiiiiikend....

Right. Hope you all enjoyed this weeks edition of BBC Introducing with Rory McConnell in Northern ireland on Radio 1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell (try sticking that on an apparel). We had The Twilight Sad https://www.myspace.com/thetwilightsad in performing a few acoustic tracks. They are quite simple an astonishing band. And this was the first acoustic session they had ever performed. Ever! Blind Friday https://www.blindfriday.com were our electric session guests and The Kissaway Trail https://www.thekissawaytrail.com joined us for a chat on the phone in 'Incoming'. RTE 2FM's Cormac Battle joined us for all the gossip from the Republic Of Ireland too.

Despite webcams being a bit 1990s, I was randomly sent this image of us in the studio with last week's session, Cardiff drum and bass king and despicably young and talented producer Dan Marshall. Thought I'd share! Tonight we roll with lots of live rock and roll from last weekend's Swn festival (Cardiff's response to In The City or Sxsw, a festival of 120 bands across loads of the City's venues).

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Simple Kid https://www.simplekid.com was in session for us this week. Released two albums callled "SK1" and "SK2". Really laid back and was a welcome breather to a hectic two hour show (which you can hear, here https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell/). ATL TV on BBC2 NI https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/atl/ is showing highlights from the Vital Festival 2007 https://www.vital07.com/lda.php so to celebrate we broadcast highlights from our very own Radio 1 stage. There were live sets from Alloy Mental https://www.alloymental.co.uk , Holloways https://www.myspace.com/theholloways , and Kharma 45 https://www.kharma45.com . Cormac Battle joined us from across the border with all the news on gig announcements down Mexico way. And The Wombats https://www.thewombats.co.uk joined us to chat about their new album in 'Incoming'. Phew!

Simple Kid https://www.simplekid.com was in session for us this week. Released two albums callled "SK1" and "SK2". Really laid back and was a welcome breather to a hectic two hour show (which you can hear, here https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell/). ATL TV on BBC2 NI https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/atl/ is showing highlights from the Vital Festival 2007 https://www.vital07.com/lda.php so to celebrate we broadcast highlights from our very own Radio 1 stage. There were live sets from Alloy Mental https://www.alloymental.co.uk , Holloways https://www.myspace.com/theholloways , and Kharma 45 https://www.kharma45.com . Cormac Battle joined us from across the border with all the news on gig announcements down Mexico way. And The Wombats https://www.thewombats.co.uk joined us to chat about their new album in 'Incoming'. Phew!

Ten years after their hit singles 'If You're Thinking Of Me', 'Staying Out For The Summer' and 'Good Enough', the 90's Brit-pop trio Dodgy were due to hit the road for a full UK comeback tour, this week.

Unfortunately, Andy (the guitarist) hit the floor instead, breaking his arm after falling out of bed!

So the tour's off - but not completely - as we found out when we caught up with lead singer, Nigel Clark on this week's Friday Session Introducing...

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So, the first blog for Introducing in Essex; We are Mike & Ollie, the BBC's youngest radio presenters at 16 and our show has been running for only 10 weeks now. Our show is full of all the best Essex music, with Interviews, Live sessions, Gig listings, band info and "at the gig" interviews.

So It's been 10 weeks at BBC Essex and we have already covered so much music - near on 100 tracks have been played now. We've had Nick Silvey, Those Men, Vinny Vinny, Koopa and now Soprano on the show all for live sessions!

Heres the video of Ollie & I's trip to Maida Vale; Ollie & I always argue over things, seems we couldnt decide who would edit our video diary.... The first is my edit; the second is Ollie's.

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Simple Kid https://www.simplekid.com was in session for us this week. Released two albums callled "SK1" and "SK2". Really laid back and was a welcome breather to a hectic two hour show (which you can hear, here https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell/). ATL TV on BBC2 NI https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/atl/ is showing highlights from the Vital Festival 2007 https://www.vital07.com/lda.php so to celebrate we broadcast highlights from our very own Radio 1 stage. There were live sets from Alloy Mental https://www.alloymental.co.uk , Holloways https://www.myspace.com/theholloways , and Kharma 45 https://www.kharma45.com . Cormac Battle joined us from across the border with all the news on gig announcements down Mexico way. And The Wombats https://www.thewombats.co.uk joined us to chat about their new album in 'Incoming'. Phew!

ello ello

Hope all is well. Got a banging show tonight from 9pm - My Device from Brighton are in session to celebrate their debut album release on ace DIY label Shifty Disco. Got new tunes passed on by Ras Kwame, Vic Galloway and Rory McConnell too and Beth Elfyn will be on to tell us about her show in Wales tonight and Swn festival in Cardiff this weekend.

Ace Sheffield band Actionier have been in touch with news of a single coming out - if you like your guitars loud and heavy - check out their tunes here.

Wow, that was the week that was, so to speak. It's almost a case of "where do we go next" and "who do we support next" after the BBC Electric Proms Introducing tour, which saw five of the UK's hottest new artists gaining the recognition we feel, as the BBC, they deserve.

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Warning these images could be offensive!

Last night on BBC Introducing in Wales we let the freaks take over, and roll with a nasty show of dark thoughts and squealing sounds. More photos...

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Hi blog friends, Crikey, you are almost as close to me as my myspace family by now, our sudden familiarity is quite shocking. I'm going to post some pics in a bit from last night's Halloween special, but first... a public service announcement.

We are hosting our first Live showcase at the Swn Festival next Friday night. More details this way...

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I hate Halloween. It's horrible. I don't usually leave the house. Had to this year though for a couple of reasons. Firstly I had to present the N.Ireland Introducing show https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/rorymcconnell. We had a really intimate acoustic session with Floridian rockers Against me https://www.againstme.net and a full on electric melody assault from Clone Quartet https://www.clonequartet.com. Recent 'Road To V' winners Brightlights joined us on the phone for a chat https://www.myspace.com/thebrightlightssound, and there was a feature on N.Irish music publishers AU https://www.myspace.com/altulster. The other reason I had to leave the house was that the National were playing a venue down the road https://www.americanmary.com, but not only that they popped into BBC broadcast house to record a few session tracks for the show!! Hopefully you'll hear those next week, so check it out. BBC Introducing in N.Ireland with Rory McConnell on Radio 1. Or as we call it, 'The Early Early Breakfast show' Every Wednesday at midnight.