6 Irish Music Acts You Should Know About

Since December of last year, I've been working as an event coordinator for Pleasing Features Music and enjoying every second of it.
Nearly every single band and artist I've been working with has exhibited exceptional talent, incredible musical skill and complete professionalism when trying to put the shows together.

Plus, I get the added bonus of being that insufferable hipster idiot whose iPod is packed full of music by bands "you've probably never heard of."

But that's the thing - you should hear of them.
It's happened a lot recently that I've ended up recommending the music of some of these bands to friends who I know would love them.
And that's exactly what inspired this post.

Now I should mention off the bat that these are not the "top 5" bands I've come across. If I tried to make a "top" list of these amazing entertainers, it would have to be at least a top 50 and I'd be here for weeks and weeks, trying to craft an exact order.
(And in the end, you'd find a very defeated and extremely disgruntled skeleton sitting at my desk).

No. For this blog post, I tried to assemble five bands with very different sounds, styles and energies from each other.
That way, I'm sure all of you who read this will find something new to listen to.

I very much doubt that this will be the first of these blog posts I publish - there are numerous bands I want to write a praising (and possibly cringey) paragraph on but for now, here's (in no particular order) five Irish music acts you should know about.

1. The Shades

* Give them a listen if you like:
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jake Bugg, The Vaccines, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Chuck Berry, Oasis, Dr Feelgood or Eddie & The Hot Rods.
* You can find their music at:
{Their website}

Photo by Ronan Power

Rhythm, style and energy are probably the three words that can best summarise this five-piece from Dublin. As soon as they start playing, you can tell they've garnered some inspiration from legendary bands like The Beatles, The Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones, as well as more contemporary acts like Arctic Monkeys and Jake Bugg. However, they do not seek to emulate these musicians but rather merge their sounds together to create something entirely new.
When I saw them play live, I was instantly blown away by the spirit they all have whilst performing. The amazing energy they generate is extremely reminiscent of the great Chuck Berry. All five members give it their all, making it a captivating experience that draws in every member of the audience.
Combining a casual throwback to the 1960's with an elegant Indie rock style, this band belongs in the music collection of anyone who has a passion for rock 'n' roll throughout the ages.

Photo by Ronan Power

2. Naoise Roo

* Give her a listen if you like: 
Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Tom Waits, Radiohead, Portishead, Massive Attack, The Glove or UNKLE.
* You can find her music at:
{Her SoundCloud or her YouTube account}
{You can also download her brilliant track "Oh Son" for free here}

Picture courtesy of Naoise Roo

Imagine if Thom Yorke of Radiohead and PJ Harvey had a baby on the set of Moulin Rouge. Now imagine if that baby's godfather was Nick Cave. That baby would most likely grow up to be Naoise Roo.

Incorporating a range of styles and sounds, Naoise creates an emotional cabaret atmosphere that is not without zeal, artistry and enthusiasm. Her band consists of four incredibly talented musicians who have done their part to ensure that Naoise's music is fine-tuned to the point of perfection.
Her performances are passionate and lively, making it clear that the people onstage are enjoying the show as much as those who are watching it. At one show I was lucky enough to attend, the crowd became so excited that a miniature mosh pit broke out, proving that the devotion this artist shows onstage really is contagious.
With an album (Lilith) coming out this April, Naoise's future is looking great. And so will your iPod once you have the album on it!

Photo by Ronan Power

3. Radio Room

* Give them a listen if you like:
Maximo Park, Vampire Weekend, Keane, The Strokes, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party or Foals.
* You can find their music at:
{Their SoundCloud or their YouTube account}

Photo courtesy of Radio Room

I think one of the best ways to describe this group of four is that it's easy to imagine someone telling you that Radio Room are their favourite band. With memorable riffs, animated drumming and original lyrics, their tracks can definitely be described as enduring and catchy.Their live shows mirror this captivating force by immediately winning the attention of the audience with the first few notes they play.
But it's not just music designed for you to (happily) have stuck in your head for the rest of the day. It is also meaningful, intelligent and includes that very human element that makes it seem like some of those songs might just have been written about you and your life.
With an album coming out later this year (which you can preview here), this band is definitely one to get yourself acquainted with if you're a fan of the Indie - alternative genre.

Photo by me, myself & I

4. TADGH
* Give him a listen if you like:
Maroon 5, Jamiroquai, Bruno Mars, The Brand New Heavies, Jamie Cullum, Justin Timberlake or Curtis Mayfield.
* You can find his music at:
{His Facebook page}
{Note: TADGH works to make his music a personal experience for anyone who enjoys it. Via his Facebook page, you can send your e-mail to his manager to receive direct updates on what he's working on}

Courtesy of TADGH

TADGH is a brand new artist on the music scene and I had the absolute pleasure of seeing his first ever live performance just last week.
Wedding together the genres of pop, R&B, soul and funk, TADGH presents the audience with the happy marriage that is his music.
His sound is sprightly, bright and easy to listen to, while still being insightful enough to make the audience concentrate on the words he's singing. His band are made up of a team of skilled instrumentalists who help develop TADGH's songs into the type of tracks that you would hear as single releases on the radio.
Unlike so many other artists who try to produce happy songs, his music is not cheesy in the least. Instead, it is cheerful and refreshing with catchy riffs and perceptive lyrics.
The live show itself was a relaxing (but still enthralling) experience that constructed a laidback, enjoyable atmosphere for all who were present.
If you like the type of music that tends to sell out Dublin's 3 Arena or London's O2, you'll be able to appreciate this talented artist. 

5. Within Without
* Give them a listen if you like:

Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against The Machine, Placebo, Green River, 30 Seconds To Mars or Blind Melon.
* You can find their music at:
{Their Facebook page}

Picture courtesy of Within Without

Fresh on the Dublin music scene, this hard rock band is made up of four experienced and skilled musicians that all bring their own individual genius to the group.
Their songs are ruthlessly spirited, with fast-paced drumming, thrashing guitar riffs and exceptional lyrics.
Out of all the bands I've seen perform live in the past few months, Within Without certainly put on one of the most energetic and memorable shows. High-powered and unbelievably zealous, the band effortlessly captured (and kept) the full attention of the crowd with the very first song. Using the entire room as their stage, Within Without had everyone up on their feet and created the impression that you were at a gig of one of your favourite bands - not a group you were seeing for the first time.
When you see them live, it becomes obvious that the four members all work tirelessly to make Within Without an inclusive and enjoyable event for every single person in the audience and I'd suggest their music to anyone who loves that good ol' feeling of completely cutting loose to good music.

Photo by me, myself & I

6. i am niamh
* Give her a listen if you like:
Deerhoof, Times New Viking, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Florence & The Machine, Debussy, Lightning Bolt, Regina Spektor or Joanna Newsom.
* You can find her music at:
{Her website}

Courtesy of i am niamh

Interesting, extraordinary and inimitable music is the main result that has come of i am niamh, the music project of just one talented individual.
Utilising a looping track to create an ambiance that could be described as beguilingly celestial, Niamh's music is certainly both progressive and extremely appealing.
When I saw her play live, her performance immediately absorbed the entire room, with people commenting to one another how original the music was between songs.
Perhaps it is the artist's classically trained voice that adds to the distinct atmosphere of i am niamh, but it is definitely a must for any fan of interesting and avant-garde music.


7. CREEP
* Give them a listen if you like:
Alice In Chains, Pantera, Audioslave, Soulfly, Guns 'N' Roses or Soundgarden.
* You can find their music at:
{Their Facebook page or their guitarist's YouTube account}

Picture courtesy of Creep

Ta-da! It's a secret seventh entry!

This band isn't included on the main list because ...
1. I didn't meet them through Pleasing Features Music.
2. They are currently on indefinite hiatus.
But I really, really like these guys so I wanted to give them a mention anyway!

Creep's music hybridizes grunge and metal to create an energetic and expressive sound. With driving riffs, tireless drumming and dynamic vocals, the band's music is immediately reminiscent of thrash metal bands like Metallica, Pantera or Anthrax. However, their grunge influences also exhibit a more poignant side to their music, including stirring key changes and innovative lyrics.
The band's live shows are spirited, enlivened and instantly successful in getting the audience keyed up and shouting for an encore.
I guess I do need to mention at this point that my boyfriend is the bassist for Creep (cue the eye-rolling from people who think I'm being biased and nepotistic) but I honestly wouldn't include them on this post if I didn't think they were a uniquely talented group. And besides, why would I want to contribute to the growth of his ego? (Joke. But not really).
I'm recommending this band to anyone who likes to genuinely have fun when they're just sitting on the bus/train and listening to their music.
And who knows? Maybe if we pester them enough, the hiatus will soon be over.

Picture courtesy of Creep

Well, I certainly hope you'll find something from this list that you'll enjoy (to be honest, I'd be very surprised if you don't).
And if you're the type who's interested in unique, pioneering music in general, you'd most likely also be the type who'd be interested in what we do at Pleasing Features (yup, here comes the shameless self-promo).
As stated by our manager and founder, Shane Chambers, we aim to "promote and showcase innovative and original acts."
We have live events every Monday night at The Workman's Club in the city centre so feel free to pop by anytime! The nights usually kick off at about 7:30pm and it's free in.
You can also check us out on Facebook (click here), Twitter (click here), Instagram (click here) or our own website (click here).

Picture courtesy of Pleasing Features Music

Like I said, I see talent on such a regular basis at Pleasing Features that it's probably only a matter of time until I release a Part II to this post.
Until then, enjoy listening to all the new music your awesome friend Aimee hooked you up with!