Picture This Release New Single

Picture This Bring "Lets Be Young" Into the World!

Ah just when we thought these guys couldn't get any better... they go and feckin get better! Literally just off the stage at the Sea Sessions Festival in Bundoran and Ryan and Jimmy have released their latest single "Lets Be Young" and fans are already raving about it on social media. 

This track was definitely one of the most anticipated releases of the year so far, mainly due to the fact that their other releases have been so successful! 

I think I have already said anything that can be said about these guys on my blog in previous months so I'll just let the music do the talking.. Check it out! 

EP of the Week - "Lost or Gone" by Aislinn Logan

EP of the Week - "Lost or Gone" by Aislinn Logan

Every now and then when I'm browsing through Spotify, I stumble upon a real hidden gem, something that makes the hairs stand on the back of my neck. This time round, it was Aislinn Logan's incredible four-track EP "Lost or Gone".

Aislinn's distinctly unique voice, superb lyrics and exquisite melodies, make this EP very, very easy on the ear! 

I spoke to her during the week and her commitment to her music is admirable. She moved over to London from Northern Ireland at quite a young age to focus solely on her music career and judging by this release, that move has paid off!

She has a couple of gigs coming up over the summer (check out her Facebook page for more info) but perhaps most notably at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on the 19th and 20th of August, as well as a show at The Islington in London on July 3rd. 

Trust me when I say that this artist has a very exciting future ahead of her and is definitely one to keep an eye on over the coming months. Check out her live performance of one of the tracks on the EP below!

Lost or Gone Track Listing   

1. Wild

2. Flying Kites 

3. Iron Wax 

4. Poison 

Gavin James Announces UK Tour

Irish Singer/Songwriter Will Return to the UK in October

The word of Gavin James' exceptional talent is beginning to spread from Ireland and travel around the world. The United Kingdom seems to have taken a particular interest in the Dublin native, so it's just as well that he has announced a UK Tour this October!

The tour spans from the 2nd-21st of the month, calling at 13 towns and cities along the way! The most notable show is on the 7th at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, mainly because it shows how far the musician has come! He has moved from smaller venues like Scala, to a bigger one such as Koko but October will see his biggest headline show in the capital. 

The tour also includes two dates in Scotland which has always been a successful place for James to play!

October will round off what promises to be a busy summer for Gavin James as he is playing numerous festivals around the continent, leading up to his largest ever headline show in the 3 Arena, Dublin in November!

Gavin James UK Tour Dates, October 2016

2nd Oct - The Haunt, Brighton

3rd Oct - Thekla, Bristol

4th Oct - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth 

6th Oct - Sub89, Reading 

7th Oct - Shepherd's Bush Empire, London 

8th Oct - Cavern, Exeter

11 Oct - Glee Club, Birmingham 

12 Oct - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham 

14 Oct - Gorilla, Manchester

16 Oct - Plug, Sheffield 

17 Oct - Independent, Sunderland 

19 Oct - Beat Generator, Dundee 

20 Oct - Oran Mor, Glasgow

Song of the Day - "Eyes Fixed" by Mike Vass feat. Mairi Campbell

Song of the Day - "Eyes Fixed" by Mike Vass feat. Mairi Campbell

Mike Vass is one of the most creative forces on the Scottish music scene. As a musician, composer, producer and arranger Vass has amassed a body of work that encompasses early appearances as a livewire young fiddler, collaborations with many of the leading voices among today’s Scots and Gaelic tradition bearers, delivering multi-media performances, overseeing critically acclaimed recordings, and scoring for prestigious ensembles.

I'm delighted to feature his track "Eyes Fixed" with the very talented Mairi Campbell as the Song of the Day here on View From the Stalls. The track is a beautiful combination of outstanding music and exquisite lyrics, which makes it very easy on the ear!

It has been getting quite a lot of traction on social media and already has over 3,000 views on YouTube. No doubt people will be keeping a close eye on what Mike has up his sleeve for the future. 

You can check out the video for "Eyes Fixed" below and don't forget, if you want to keep right up to date with all of Mike's activity, you can follow him on Twitter (@saystheking) or like his page on Facebook (@vassmusic)

Tyler Ward Releases Powerful Tribute To Christina Grimmie

A Song For Christina Grimmie 

The world was well and truly shocked over the weekend when the story broke that YouTube and Voice star, Christina Grimmie had been fatally shot following a show in Orlando. 

Reports say that Grimmie was signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans at a merchandise stand when a man approached her before opening fire, shooting Christina and then turning the gun on himself. 

Tributes began to flood in on social media with singers, fans, family and friends paying their respects to the extremely talented musician. 

Among those tributes was one from Tyler Ward, a fellow musician and friend of Christina. I have followed Tyler's career on YouTube for a number of years but I have to say, the video he posted today completely and utterly blew me away. 

He has released a track suitably called "A Song For Christina Grimmie" in which he explains the extent of their friendship and reflects on the memories they had together. It is exceptionally powerful, brilliantly written and very, very emotional. Check it out for yourself below!

Jess Glynne Announces UK & Ireland Tour

Jess Glynne Is Hitting The Road Later This Year

Jess Glynne has well and truly made her name on the world stage over the last couple of years with outstanding releases, a superb attitude and great live performances!

Therefore, it was no surprise that fans were overjoyed today when she announced her "Take Me Home" tour on social media. The tour is largely in the month of November, with one gig taking place on December 1st. It's spread out over a two week period, calling at nine venues along the way! 

From an Irish point of view, Glynne was here not so long ago, selling out the Olympia Theatre, but when she returns in November, she has bigger and better plans - performing in the significantly larger 3 Arena! Also, don't forget, she will be here before then when she joins Walking on Cars and Kodaline on stage for what promises to be a cracking outdoor gig in Marlay Park on July 8th. 

If you check out the link in the bio of Jess' Instagram account (@jessglynne), you can sign up for Wednesday's pre-sale tickets for her upcoming tour! Check out the all important dates below PLUS the official video for her track "Take Me Home" which is undoubtedly my favourite Jess Glynne song, taken from her debut album 'I Cry When I Laugh'!

Tweet me and let me know if you're planning on popping along to one of the gigs! 

Take Me Home Tour Dates

18 Nov - Genting Arena, Birmingham 

20 Nov - Echo Arena, Liverpool 

22 Nov - 3 Arena, Dublin 

24 Nov - First Direct Arena, Leeds

25 Nov - Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle 

27 Nov - Brighton Centre 

28 Nov - Plymouth Pavilions 

30 Nov - The O2, London 

01 Dec - Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Introducing: Fallen Lights

Introducing: Fallen Lights

It seems as though Ireland truly has gotten into the habit of producing top class bands and artists and Fallen Lights are no different. With a quirky on-stage presence and a superb ability for songwriting, these guys are certainly ones to keep your eyes on over the next few months. 

I've followed their music online for quite some time but only saw them perform live for the first time last weekend when they supported Scoops in Whelan's, and I have to say, they were incredible, as I expected.

Although, what impressed me most actually didn't happen while they were on stage, it happened before the doors of the venue even opened. The guys randomly popped up to the top of the queue of fans waiting to go inside and began to perform on the spot. It's acts like that which will help them live long in people's memories and make their gigs all the more special. 

That said, as I mentioned, they have a natural gift for songwriting and the banter and quirkiness they have on-stage ripples through the crowd. I got chatting to the lads afterwards and they have a lot planned for the next couple of months and we will keep you right up to date here on View From the Stalls. 

In the meantime, check out the official video for their track "If I Only Knew" and if you like what you hear, browse their Facebook page for details of how you can get your hands on their EP. 

One to Watch - Niamh Crowther

One to Watch - Niamh Crowther

I had been hearing quite a lot about Niamh Crowther over the past couple of weeks from various people in the Irish music industry, so, I decided to browse her Spotify one night and immediately understood what the hype was all about. 

Her voice, her lyrics and her music completely blew me away and got me excited about what the future may hold for this rising songstress. 

She came to prominence around the age of 16, when she claimed the prestigious Youth Music Awards, defeating over 15,000 other young artists. Following on from that, a succession of well received singles further enhanced her reputation. 

Crowther has supported the likes of PictureHouse, Mundy and Blink, as well as performing at numerous events and festivals around Ireland. 

Her debut EP is out now and the two tracks "Little by Little" and "I'll Be" have been generating a lot of radio play in Ireland and the UK.

She is expected to make an announcement regarding some live shows in the not too distant future and we will of course keep you right up to date here on View From the Stalls! But in the meantime, check out my favourite song of Niamh's, "Origins" below!

Picture This Announce London Return

Irish Duo Set To Play @ The Borderline in November

Things just don't stop happening for the guys of Picture This lately! I've already posted about their upcoming Irish Tour, but the love is starting to spread cross-channel in the UK as well!

The duo played a sold out show in the Waiting Room in London during the week and the reaction was phenomenal, with the guys taking to Twitter to say how incredible it was to hear their songs being sung back to them in an English accent!

So following on from that success, they have decided to announce another headline show in England's capital, this time in The Borderline on Wednesday, November 9th with tickets going on sale this Friday morning! 

Do yourself a favour and check these guys out, it'll be the best decision you'll ever make. And something tells me that London's gig is only the start of their gigs outside of Ireland!

Here's a little taster of what to expect!

TAKE MY HAND OFFICIAL VIDEO 

HAWK Are Coming To Ireland

HAWK Announce Irish Tour

Irish fans of the London-based band HAWK will be delighted to hear that they are touring Ireland, starting THIS FRIDAY!

The four-piece will play six shows, spanning over ten days, with headline and festival gigs included!

The guys started the tour officially in London on the 8th of June, playing at The Old Blue Last but the remainder of the gigs on the tour are scheduled for Ireland!

All tickets and event details can be found on HAWK's official Facebook page or on their website www.hawkofficial.com - but in the meantime, check out the Irish dates below and also watch the video for their track "The Hunt" (just to give you a taster!)

10 Jun - Avenue, Dublin 

11 Jun - Kasbah Club, Limerick 

15 Jun - Citog @ Roisin Dubh, Galway 

16 Jun - Cyprus Avenue, Cork 

17 Jun - Carlow Arts Festival

18 Jun - Central Arts Hall, Waterford

Gig Review: Walking on Cars @ O2 Forum, Kentish Town, 7 June

Gig Review: Walking on Cars @ O2 Forum, Kentish Town

You might remember that we featured Walking on Cars' debut album "Everything This Way" as our Album of the Week a few weeks back and it got a massive reception! So we decided, why not travel to the UK and do a review of the band's biggest headline gig in London? In hindsight, it was one our better decisions. 

The guys were absolutely incredible live and completely stole the show. I guess from an Irish point of view, there is always that sense of pride when you see people in other countries warming to an Irish band and on numerous occasions, I got shivers down my spine.

Walking on Cars played an array of tracks from their album, with "Speeding Cars", "Flying High Falling Low" and "Catch Me If You Can" proving to be real crowd pleasers! They also revealed plans to release more music in the not too distant future and performed one of those new tracks, which appeared to go down well with the fans!

London's gig was just the second show of their UK Tour, having played in Brighton the night before. It also marks what will be the start of a crazy few months for the band who will be playing gigs and festivals across Ireland, Austria and the UK to name but a few! You can find all details on their website www.walkingoncars.com 

Also, a quick word for the support acts, who were also incredibly talented! First up was Will Joseph Cook whose music is generating a great buzz, particularly over in the UK and I have to say I am a big fan of his four track EP!

The second support act was a band called Causes who met Walking on Cars over in Germany and having listened to their album when I got home, I truly think they are destined for bigger and better things very soon!

Elm Release Powerful Music Video

Dublin Based Alt Baroque-Pop Band, Elm, Tackle Transgender Issues with New Video For Their Single 'Concentrate'

It's not very often that music videos send a shiver down my spine, but that is exactly what Elm's video for 'Concentrate' did when I watched it a little earlier on today. 

It was only posted on YouTube six days ago and is already heading for 11,000 views, which is testament to the powerful message it portrays. It comes at a time when there have been huge strides for Transgender rights especially in Ireland with the 1 year anniversary of the Gender Recognition Bill this July. The band say that this issue hits close to home with them having members who are part of the LGBT community. 

The song itself is the second single release by Elm and accompanies the story with lyrics describing inner struggles; “In this skin, in this body, I don’t know which side will win”. It starkly highlights the isolation that so many transgender people suffer with ; “I’m all alone, I’m lost in space, I hide away”. There’s also a moment of anger at an unaccepting world; “For I know you bleed the same”.

It's a credit to the guys for tackling such a huge subject in today's society and the video fits perfectly too. Check it out for yourself!

Hare Squead Release Debut Single "If I Ask"

Hotly Tipped Trio Release Debut Single

There has been much talk lately about Hare Squead and what they have to offer to the music industry and I think with the release of their debut track "If I Ask", they have answered a lot of those questions!

I think what makes these guys stand out is that their music is so unique and different, particularly here in Ireland. Their bio on Facebook simply describes them as "3 black Irish kids making waves"! And I can assure you that things are about to take off for Hare Squead in the not too distant future.

The reaction to this track thus far has been immense, and it was only released this morning! In fact, Apple Music made them their 'Artist of the Week' in Ireland and the UK and the single got a spin on BBC Radio 1Xtra last night, which, I can assure you, won't be the last radio station to play this track!

They have plenty lined up over the summer too! You can catch them at Longitude Festival, Castlepalooza Festival and support act to De La Soul in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin later this month!

Check out the official video for "If I Ask" below! 

Song of the Day - "Nervous" by Gavin James

Song of the Day - "Nervous" by Gavin James

Anybody who knows me, knows how highly I speak of Mr Gavin James! The past year or two have been absolutely massive for this guy and it only promises to get bigger and better. 

He has gone from playing in pretty small venues to preparing to play two huge shows in The Marquee and 3 Arena respectively, with The Marquee gig just next Friday, June 10th!

I have seen him live 7 times now, most recently in The Joiners in Southampton and I have to say he just gets better as time goes on! His song "Bitter Pill" won Best Song at the Meteor Choice Awards not too long ago but his latest single "Nervous" is going to feature as our Song of the Day not only because of the outstanding lyrics and Gav's spine tingling voice, but also because of the exceptional video, filmed by the ever talented Christian Tierney!

Check it out below and tweet me what you think @Eoin_Beatty 

Gig Guide: Badger Hill @ Odessa, Dublin, Friday June 3rd

Badger Hill To Sign Off With a Bang At Odessa

You may or may not have seen my blog post not so long ago about the news that Dublin based band, Badger Hill announced that they would be going their separate ways in the not too distant future. 

However, they have one final show before they sign off - a headline gig to launch their single "Chosen" in Odessa, Dublin on Friday, June 3rd. The guys have promised to play a whole range of songs from their time together including tracks from their EP "Let Me Go", plus songs that are brand new and never quite made it to the recording studio!

Support on the night comes courtesy of Heroes in Hiding and Gavin Davis and it promises to be a cracking show! Advance tickets are selling out fast, so to get yours for €5, just log on to Badger Hill's official Facebook page!