Gig Guide
By deputyeditor | Apr 19 2016
Aisling Kraus gives the lowdown on the highlights of the Dublin gig scene in the coming weeks.[br]Hiatus Kaiyote / The Sugar Club / Thursday 5th MayLed by enigmatic frontwoman Nai Palm’s mindbendingly flexible vocals (her range is nothing short of remarkable) and rooted deeply in sophisticated, bass guitar-heavy grooves, it’s no wonder that music fans and critics alike struggle to assign a genre label to this Australian five piece’s sound. Fusing elements of soul, R&B, jazz and electronic music with hip-hop-style production, Melbourne-based Hiatus Kaiyote’s unique brand of mould-breaking “future soul” has earned them two Grammy Award nominations for Best R&B Performance, and consistent rave reviews for their live performances. Arrive early to catch the talented Wyvern Lingo’s opening set.Chad Valley / The Hangar / Wednesday 11th MaySince leaving his former band Jonquil and setting out to work on his solo project under the moniker Chad Valley, Hugo Manuel’s serene, glossy, 80s-indebted take on electro-pop has garnered major blogosphere buzz and comparisons to fellow champions of the genre including Active Child, Toro y Moi and Twin Shadow. 2011’s colllaboration-dense Young Hunter was followed in 2015 with more the more brooding Entirely New Blue. Benjamin Francis Leftwich / Upstairs at Whelans / Sunday 15th MayYork-born Benjamin Francis Leftwich creates the kind of gentle, acoustic folk-pop that would fit snugly on a playlist between the sounds of fellow singer-songwriters Ben Howard and James Vincent McMorrow, and yet his work has been remixed by Kygo, arguably the biggest dance music break-through act of 2015. The intimate setting of Whelans’ upstairs room is sure to make for a memorable performance from the maker of one of Zane Lowe’s “Hottest Record[s] in the World Today”.Day Wave / The Workmans Club / Monday 16th MayJackson Philips makes mellow, synth and guitar-based dream-pop under the suitably hazy nom du musique Day Wave. Having only begun to release material from this solo vehicle in 2015, Philips has gained an impressive amount of traction for his polished tracks and has been very prolific, churning out three polished EPs in the space of little more than a year. This is less surprising given that Philips is experienced in the trade, making up half of electronic duo Carousel. Philips is joined on tour with a full band.Saint Sister / The Unitarian Church / Friday 27th MayDublin-based friends Morgan MacIntyre and Gemma Doherty have been creating what they have dubbed as “atmosfolk” since 2014, drawing on Celtic harp traditions as well as folk and electronic music, all infused with their own enchanting style of vocal harmonisation. The duo are well-seasoned performers by now, having once opened the stage for Arcade Fire’s Will Butler. Their debut EP Madrid dropped last November and has been met with an overwhelmingly positive reception from music critics and journalists. The haunting, resonant acoustics of Dublin’s beautiful Unitarian Church are ideally suited to Saint Sister’s “bewitching” sound and will make for an unforgettable sonic experience.