As the south-west gears up for the Summerfest, Limerick man Steven Ryan prepares for the release of his epoymous debut long-player Windings through celebrated local label OutOnALimb (home to Waiting Room, giveamanakick, Rest and TenPastSeven). Recorded in bursts over a four-year period, the final 14 tracks were decided on late last year. All songs are written and performed by Steve (giveamanakick/tooth) with a little help from some of his friends. Expect a mix of lo-fi acoustic melodies, ambient electronic pieces, pure pop and metal – an interesting aural cocktail indeed!
Limerick act Vesta Varro [pictured] play Crawdaddy on Thursday May 5 with Red Kid and Screaming Skies as special guests on the night. The band then head to the Sugar Club on Tuesday May 10 for their spot on the IMRO showcase tour. Vesta Varro were recently added to the playlist of The Musicians Channel on Sky Digital for their hotpress award wining video ‘Believe’.
The band are due to release their debut single (produced by Nick Seymour of Crowded House-fame) in June with a nationwide tour also on the cards – check hotpress.com for details…
…Representatives for Dublin’s Silver Addictive are just back from five days in Los Angeles for the MusExpo at the invitation of A & R World-wide. The invite came as a direct result of the success of the recent online single ‘Stuck in Drive’ which spent seven weeks in the top five of internet music site NewMusicLabel.com
...Also just back on home soil is Galway-based songwriter Peter Byrne who has just returned from a very successful trip to Mexico. In early April Peter played three gigs in the Second Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival in Mexico. He shared the stage with international artists like Grammy award-winning artist and songwriter Tia Sillers and with chart-topping songwriter and guitarist Mark Selby…
…Meanwhile in the City of the Tribes, The Slatehouse Sessions will continue throughout the summer. The highly successful nights monthly acoustic nights at Busker Browne’s will play host to Matt Lunson, Jenny Lindfors, Emm Gryner, Colin Reid, The Sun Seekers and a host of others in the coming months…
...On another live note Barry O’Brien is taking time out from recording his debut album to perform on this years IMRO showcase Tour on May 10 at The Sugar Club, he will also be playing The Cavern Club in Liverpool as part of the IPO festival on May 26 and 27…
Some news from the Risc Records camp next….’XXX Robot’/’Raus! Raus!’, Betamax Format’s debut single, is available now on heavy 70g vinyl in a 300g recycled cardstock sleeve for around Eur5 from fine independent retailers in Dublin, Cork and Galway. The band will be playing a series of Irish gigs prior to playing at the Berlin Festival 2005 on June 4…Medea will be playing in Crawdaddy on Thursday May 19 with 79Cortinaz, Moth Complex and David Hopkins. They are also nearly finished recording their debut album…
…The Dudley Corporation have been keeping quietly busy organising things internationally and have just announced that their current In Love With The Dudley Corporation will be released in the U.S. this week on Absolutely Kosher Records (there will also be vinyl copies available for the first time courtesy of Dutch label Laterax)….
…Stanley Super 800 take a quick break from a packed touring schedule in support of their new ‘2 Hours Late’ EP (Bingo). They will be finishing off their Irish dates with gigs in Galway on May 5, Waterford on May 6 and Clonakilty on May 7. Foreign shores beckon over the summer months when they be heading to L.A. and New York for live shows and have also been invited to play at an outdoor festival in Lithuania…
…And finally, my recommendation for a gig not to miss this fortnight is Crumb, House of Mexico and Richer Than Astronauts in Mother Redcap's on Friday May 13 – not a superstitious soul amongst them obviously!

For live updates tune into The Last Splash, Sunday nights 8-10, with Alison Curtis on Today FM.
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