Dan Deacon will play the Black Box in Belfast on Sunday the 10th of February. Famed for his live shows and audience participation, this is Deacon's first Belfast show since 2007.

The electronic music composer/performer released his new album America on Domino Records in August. Deacon has described the album as representing his conflicted feelings toward the country and world he calls home.

The Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival will return in 2013 from February 20th - 24th for its 9th year running. As wtih previous years the festival will feature a host of performances from talent spanning both sides of the Atlantic. Confirmed acts so far include:

American artists Brett James, Nanci Griffith, Kristian Bush, Jason Blume, Chris Young and Bob Dipiero.

Northern and Southern based artists such as Brian Kennedy, Gareth Dunlop, Katharine Phillipa, Ursula Burns, Wes Grierson, John Spillane and Mick Flannery.

UK acts Tom Baxter, Karima Francis, Rae Morris, Rosie Carney, Boo Hewardine, Then Jericho’s Mark Shaw and Henry Priestman. 

For more information on the festival you can check out their official site here.

Derry based rockers, Swanee River announced back in September that they would call it a day. After eight years, three EPs, an album and extensive tours, they will finish up with a home coming gig in Derry next month. They will also play farewell gigs in Ahoghill and Belfast.

Farewell Dates:

8th December, The Diamond Rock Club, Ahoghill (Ballymena)
20th December, The Empire Music Hall, Belfast
21st December, Gweedore Bar, Upstairs, (Derry)

 

Ellie Goudling will play the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on Saturday the 6th of April 2013. As previously announced, Goulding will also play the Olympia, Dublin the following day.

The singer released her sophomore album Halcyon last month and it debuted at number 2 in the UK Album Charts.

Tickets go on sale this Friday.

And So I Watch You From Afar have announced live on ATL that they have come together with a multitude of bands, promoters and contributors to put on benefit gigs in the city over two days in December.

The event is called 'Benefit' and will feature And So I Watch You From Afar, LaFaro, Axis Of, David C Clements, Eatenbybears, Ed Zealous, Bats, More Than Conquerors, No Spill Blood, Sons of Burlap and The Continuous Battle of Order. More acts are to be confirmed.

The main showcase will take place across the Mandela Hall, Bunatee Bar and Bar Sub at Queens Students Union on the 15th of December.

Other shows are planned to take place on the 14th and 15th of December in aid of MacmIllan Cancer Foundation and NI Bowel Cancer.

As previously reported the small but massive Draperstown festival Glasgowbury is retuning for its 13th year, this time expanding to 2 days, one of which will be a Derry showcase tying in with the City of Culture Celebrations.

As with previous years, bands looking to get themselves a slot at the festival have the chance to submit their music for consideration.

If you think your band has what it takes all you need to do is:

• Send an email to submissions@glasgowbury.com using ‘Glasgowbury 2013‘ as the subject title.

• Provide a link to your most recent recorded music. 

• And provide at least one main contact number for the act (two if possible).

Submissions will close in January 2013 with the festival lineup being announced in the months following. 

If you can't wait to don you wellies and get up Eagle's Rock where the annual music festival takes place, why not check out some of ATL's previous video coverage of Glasgowbury to see what to expect for 2013!

Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and John McDaid have announced today that they will be playing a special homecoming Christmas acoustic gig in Belfast on December 23rd at the Waterfront Hall. 

Support comes in the form of Derry singer songwriter SOAK who recently popped into ATL to perform some live session tracks. 

Snow Patrol recently finished their 2012 'Fallen Empires' world tour tying in with the release of their sixth studio album of the same name. 

Belfast band Girl’s Names have just been added to the Eurosonic Noorderslag festival in Groningen, The Netherlands.

The Festival takes place from the 9th January until the 12th January and will feature artists from across Europe. Other local acts joining Girl’s Names are Little Green Cars, Kodaline, Adrian Crowley, Villagers and Mmoths.

Last year Ireland was the 'spotlight country' of the festival and the likes of Cashier no9, Foy Vance, LaFaro, Mojo Fury, Rams' Pocket Radio and many more played the event.

Girl's Name's put out their new single 'The New Life' this week.

 

So Cow and Squarehead have released their split album entitled ‘Out Of Season’. The 10 track album is evenly divided between the two acts, So Cow performing the first five tracks, Squarehead the next five. As well as a digital download, a vinyl LP is also available.

It is releashed under US label 'Inflated Records' which also features artists such as Oberhofer, MemoryHouse, Ducktails, Ava Luna and Bass Drum Of Death.

Both bands will be playing in support of Rural Savage on the 18th February in Galway at the Roisin Dubh.

Our Krypton Son, Allie Bradley, Kris Platt and Jamie Neish will play at a Live Screenprint Expo on Wednesday 21st. The acts will perform acoustically and create prints at the event in the Black Box, Belfast in aid of an animal charity.

Each act will create their own unique artwork which can be screen printed onto T-Shirts at the end of the night. Those present will also be shown how a print actually gets on a T-Shirt.

Irish electro musician Jack Colleran aka Mmoths has announced he will be releasing a new EP called 'Diaries' in March next year.

'Diaries' will be the follow up to Mmoths self titled debut EP released back in March.
 
The tracklisting for 'Diaries' will be as follows:

1. One
2. For Her (feat. Young & Sick)
3. Losing You
4. No One
5. All These Things (feat. Holly Miranda)
6. Too Real

For those who can't wait until february the track 'For Her' is available to listen to over on Mmoths Soundcloud.

The song was recorded at Graham House Studios by Walter D'Goon and Start Together Studios by Chris McCorry, and then mixed and mastered by Rocky O'Reilly.

Before Machines play Auntie Annies in Belfast this friday with Croupier, Rachael Boyd, Novak/Frontier, and Patrick Kelly.

 

INXS have confirmed they are calling it quits after 35 years. Currently fronted by Castledawson's Ciaran Gribbin, the band announced at their concert at Perth Arena on Sunday that they would no longer perform live as a band.

There was some confusion after the concert, and Gribbin posted online that:

"As I write this most of INXS are on a plane flying from Perth to Sydney. Please try and be patient as the Band plan to release a full statement on the subject ASAP."

The band's statement followed the next day which said:

"All things must eventually come to an end. We have been performing as a band for 35 years, it’s time to step away from the touring arena.”

Ciaran Gribbin, previously known as Joe Echo and ex-Leya frontman, joined INXS in September 2011. He replaced J.D Fortune, who parted company with the band after six years.

Photo by Rich Gilligan

Villagers have announced an Irish tour in support of their new album, Awayland, out on January 11th. Fresh from a sold out show at the Black Box last night, the band will return to Belfast on Saturday the 16th March to play the Empire Music Hall. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday.

Tour Dates:

Thurs 14 March – Seapoint, Galway 
Fri 15 March – Dolans, Limerick
Sat 16 March – Empire Music Hall, Belfast
Mon 18 March – Inec Acoustic Club, Killarney
Tues 19 March – The Savoy, Cork
Thurs 21 March – Olympia, Dublin