Lankum

Your handy guide to Ireland’s top live music events for the year ahead

She sparked a ferocious backlash when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV show Saturday Night Live in 1992.

:: VerseChorusVerse – Be Proud (single, self-released) FIRST up this week is the new single from VerseChorusVerse, aka singer/songwriter Tony Wright.

HI RADIE, are you looking forward to the upcoming album launch shows and have the band played much of the record live before? We have, but only in the last few weeks.

WELCOME back to Noise Annoys, your bi-weekly dose of musings on new alternative sounds from this neck of the woods and beyond.

Today Ben Folds, Matt Holubowski – CQAF Marquee, Belfast Discharge, By Any Means, Deathbus etc – Voodoo, Belfast The Barbiturates, Invaderband, Tuath – McHugh's, Belfast We Are Scientists – The Limelight 2, Belfast Hunkpapa, Franklyn, The Tin Pigeons etc – The Limelight, Belfast Michael Chapman – American Bar, Belfast I'm With Her – First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary Street, Belfast Rebekah Fitch – Strand Arts Centre, Belfast XSLF – Trouble Songs, Oh Yeah, Belfast The Pee Wee Ellis Funk Assembly – The Black Box, Belfast Haypark, The Vicunas, Cloakroom Q etc – The Pavilion Bar, Belfast Snow Patrol, Brand New Friend – Millennium Forum, Derry David Keenan – Sandinos, Derry The Hot Sprockets – Skylite Room, Warrenpoint Saturday May 12 King Creosote – The Black Box, Belfast King Kong Company – The Limelight 2, Belfast Pale Lanterns, SX-70, Gemma Bradley etc – Foundry, Belfast David Keenan, Harry Hoban & The Brothers Kane – Duncairn Arts Centre, Belfast David Rodigan, The Skallions etc – CQAF Marquee, Belfast The Savage Five – First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary St, Belfast, 2pm Susie Blue, Roe, Reevah, Rebecca Mulhern – Beyond The Walls, Nerve Centre, Derry The 4 of Us – Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick Sunday May 13 Connla – The Black Box, Belfast, 2pm Lankum – CQAF Marquee, Belfast, 2pm Georgie Fame (Family Trio) – CQAF Marquee, Belfast, 8pm Conor Caldwell – Green Room, The Black Box, Belfast Ye Vagabonds, The Murphy Beds – Duncairn Arts Centre, Belfast Tuesday May 15 Coilguns, Bailer, Disconnect etc – Voodoo, Belfast Wednesday May 16 Ralph Alessi Quintet featuring Ravi Coltrane – The Black Box, Belfast Marmozets – Oh Yeah, Belfast Conan, Monolord, Elder Druid – Voodoo, Belfast Thursday May 17 Ghost Office, Sister Ghost, Whale Talk – The Menagerie, Belfast The Fake Flirtations, Bell Diver Spiders, Valium etc – Voodoo, Belfast Fox Colony, Cherym, Bui – McHugh's, Belfast Friday May 18 Garganjua, Hornets, Elder Druid etc – Crypt of The Riff, Bar Sub, QUBSU, Belfast David Ford – The Empire, Belfast Colm Mac Con Iomaire, In Their Thousands, Lemoncello etc – Blas Ceoil Live, An Culturlann, Belfast Simone Felice – Wesley Centenary Church, Bangor .

EVERY so often, a band appears that gives a jolt to a particular musical tradition.