best new irish bands no no no not repuplic of loose got there album stand by my statement it sucks ass,sons of now,the things,the ravines,the urges,andalusia as far as i've heard anyway

hmmmmm.... Band To Make A Come Back: REM (have never really left and so can not really come back, but will, i think, restore themselves to their mid-late-nineties glory days...) Band To Reform; Beta Band (yep, they broke up today. bummer.) Deceased Artist To Become More Popular: JUNE CARTER CASH Most Promising Band: Kamikaze Hearts Most Promising Album: Elliott Smith's final double disc/new REM/ new Waits Most Promising Act To Rise Up: Kings of Convenience Ideal Three Band Tour: REM/Wilco/Kings of Convenience OR (on a smaller scale) Walkmen/Franz Ferdinand/The Gossip as for tom waits news, ol' pitchfork released an "update" of sorts a couple weeks ago: http://pitchforkmedia.com/news/04-07/12.shtml ...and for those of you scrambling for proof of the beta band's sad parting, it's at www.betaband.com

"Band To Make A Come Back: Flaming Lips Hopefully will get their arses in gear and get something new out" They did it's called 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots'. Tip: Sons and Daughters

Been hearing lots of good things about Sons and Daughters and another band called the Archie Bronson Outfit...will be investigating!

heard wellers version of that 70's classic wishin on a star, its not very good, then again it was at 8 this mornin

Someone to get the acclaim they deserve - Mark Lanegan. I've been listening to Bubblegum since Monday. What a fabulous record... reminds me in places of Closing Time, Tom Waits, but the songs are about a love affair with drugs, not a love affair with unrequited love a la Waits. I agree about Ed Harcourt. I took our esteemed Webmaster to see Ed in Bush Hall, West London, earlier in the year and he is a talented boy. Made us all sit down for the first half. Someone who's critical acclaim will become even more deafening? - JOff Buckley. There's a new 2CD release of Grace on the way... *YAWN* What about Charlotte Hatherley? Will she soon be bigger than Ash?

Most Promising Irish Act to Rise Up: is a guy called Neil White (from Waterford or Wexford I think) I had heard about him from a friend who heard him in Waterford a few weeks ago so we checked him out in Slattery's Capel St last Thursday. He played all his own stuff, over an hour of it, and it just got better as he went along. Someone said to me at the gig that he's the next Damien Rice - I actually think he's going to be even better. Keep an eye out for him apparently he's playing there again on the 19th. I know he has an album out later in the year.

I think that Jenny Lindfors will be a big hit this year. She is a welcome breeze on the singer/songwriter scene.

gar! i was at the zutons/rep of loose gig ealrier on this year in the village. the loose wiped the floor with them.....and i'm not a terribly big loose fan, but they did so there ye go. not sure what all the fuss is with the zutons, saw them at oxygen too, quite boring in my opinion....but alas that sax player! heard that new bees album too....i think they're a confused bunch, not knowing exactly what they are. they switch from reggae/funk/loungey music....and even a bit of a nuggets tune thrown in (the best song on the album by the way!) just a bunch of musos with no attitude or balls me thinks. i also read the other day that they are the new kings or shroomadelica.....but i thought that was the coral, then i thought it was the zutons! what the hell is up with that?

While I wasn't at the Village gig where ROL supported Zutons, I have to disagree about their Oxegen performance. They were top class. And that sax player was the sexiest girl of the whole w/e. I'm big fan of Zutons and can't wait for their TBMC gig. The new Bees album is quite good I think. There are one or two dodgy tracks but overall it is a very good album. Also looking forward to their Village gig. As for comparing them with The Coral and/or The Zutons, they are all different. The Coral are the masters at what they do. The Bees have their own sound which yes does dip into reggae/rock/funk but thats whats good about them. A bit of variety to a band's sound is always welcome just as long as they don't over exploit it, which I think The Bees capture perfectly on 'Free The Bees'. Respecting your opinion but disagreeing!!!

Binolkular thought you might like to know that Miss Kitten is playing Remedy in the Music Centre on Sat 25th Sept in the Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin (if you hadn't already heard) - was looking at her website today, it's quite interesting! Anyway, Tiks are €20.

Thanks Dromed, I hadn't heard about that. Do you know if its an actual gig or is she just doing a DJ set? It would be nice to kn waht to expect if I'm making the trip. I'm know I'm starting to sound like a stuck record here, but I find travelling to Dublin such a pain. (public transport sucks, and its near impossible to get there quickly by car either) I gotta move there or something! I guess my aversion to travelling to gigs stems from the time I wrote off my mums car coming home from a gig a few years ago. She took it remarkably well, considering. (And before you ask, no, I hadn't been drinking!)

ehh trust me B...you don't need to move to Dublin It didn't actually say if it was live/DJ set, but maybe send an email to her website, she seems to be on it alot/involved in its content so I'd imagine you'll get a response...might check it out myself

Tom Waits Album and tour news Tom Waits plays three Berlin shows; first dates announced in November European tour Tom Waits plays three shows at Berlin’s Theater Des Westens on Monday 15th, Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th November 2004 -- the first concerts to be announced on the singer’s eight-date European tour that follows the release of his new album, Real Gone, this autumn. Tickets for the German concerts go on sale this coming Saturday, 7th August, and are available from all CTS (Computer Ticket System) box office outlets nationwide or use the links listed below. The tour –- Waits’ first in Europe since 2000 –- will also include shows in the UK and the Benelux countries. The full details of these concerts, to be played in small and intimate venues, will be announced in the near future. Waits has not played in the UK since 1987. His new touring band features Marc Ribot (guitar), Larry Taylor (bass) and Brain Mantia (drums), the same musicians who also appear on the Real Gone album which is released through Europe in the week beginning Monday 4th October. Real Gone has been written and produced by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, his longtime collaborator. The 15-track CD unveils Waits’ new musical hybrid, crafted from primal blues, Jamaican rock-steady grooves, African and Latin rhythms and melodies and what Waits calls “cubist funk”. The album is released on Anti Records. ps. the beta band havent released anything of any worth since the 3 eps

ruan, dead right about the 3eps comment! saw beta band in the music centre for bud rising fest (?) a dismal performance! even the stuff of the 3eps was poorly performed. altohugh i thought the bass player was descent enough......and what was that short film at the start about....mildly amusing! just about tom waits there, i heard that keith richards plays on mule variations but he's not credited....any truth in this....and if so, what song(s)??? i know he does a bit on rain dogs.

Cheers for posting that news about Tom Waits up. If you hear anything about the UK date or an Irish date, be sure to inform this board. I might travel over to the UK, depending on alot of things though. I've seen Dylan live, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Tom Petty are still to be crossed off my list.