sugar club

Gig of the Week: Vernon Jane & THUMPER launch new singles in The Sugar Club this Saturday!

Two of our favourite Irish bands return this week with two wildly different and equally exciting new singles.

Jazz/Punk/Psyjance purveyors Vernon Jane have just dropped a brilliant new video for their single ‘Fragile’, directed by Conor Dockery (DOCK). The track itself is an enigmatic display of songwriting, full of chaotic and disparate sounds that somehow gel together into a deep groove that’s hard to shake once it sticks in your head.

The band said in their own words:

”Fragile explores the darker side of human nature. It captures the constant battle between keeping yourself together, or letting yourself truly fall apart.The water in the video represents the feeling of suffocating under your own expectations. We tell ourselves we have to be stronger. We have to get better, And stay better. We forget to tell ourselves to be our own authentic self. To find strength in vulnerability and fragility. We push ourselves until we break. This video represents a breaking point.”

This may be one of the few opportunities to catch them on such a small stage, Vernon Jane have just signed a worldwide distribution deal with AMS Records as well as a Chinese distribution deal with Pocket Records. Their last single ‘Fuck Me’ has also racked up a crazy 227,000 plays online. Don’t sleep on this one people.


Also launching a new single on the night are Dublin fuzz merchants THUMPER. Explosively energetic live, previous recordings have leaned pretty steeply towards the lo-fi end of the spectrum, failing to fully capture the bands raucous sound. We’re happy to report that this is not the case on the Dan Fox (Girl Band) produced ‘AFL’. The track is a perfectly polished gritty ear bleeder, rocketing through it’s 3:43 and begging to be played again.

The song is about ageing rapidly but gaining no wisdom. Feeling like a child in a man’s suit, desperately playing catch-up in the Imposter Syndrome Champions League. Every Friday night gasping for answers in the smoking area of your nearest terror den. The music thunders on and words fall away like the raving of a calm lunatic. There’s no conclusion, even at the end. 

Supporting both bands on the night are one of Ireland’s most promising instrumental bands, BiCurious. Twonys Cosmic Disco Wobbler DJs will finish out the night, hitting the decks til 3am.

Tickets are a steal at €10 and are available at the Sugar Clubs website here.

Keep up to date with Vernon Jane on:
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THUMPER on:
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And BiCurious on:
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Icelandic songstress JFDR hits Dublin tomorrow night with support from Paddy Hanna & Dunny

One of Iceland’s most promising new artists will be hitting Dublin’s Sugar Club tomorrow night. 22 year old songstress Jófríður Ákadóttir is far from a new name on the Nordic island, having spent her teen fronting bands such as Pascal Pinon , Samaris and GANGLY. Björk even named her as one of her influences last year. This new venture is her first solo endevour under the moniker JFDR.

A few minutes into listening to JDFR it becomes apparent that all of this fanfare is well deserved. Her solo debut Brazil a haunting piece of work dominated by Jófríður’s beautifuly fragile voice. This gig promises to be a special night and a chance to catch JFDR on a small stage before she outgrows them completely, which will probably be very soon.

Support on the night comes from Paddy Hannah and Meltybrains? member Dunny. Tickets are €12.50 and are available from The Sugar Club website here.

Stream JFDR’s debut album Brazil below.

Keep up to date with JFDR on:
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REVIEW: Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles in The Sugar Club

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The Sugar Club is packed to capacity as Cory Henry and his band take to the stage. The Snarky Puppy keyboardist needs no introduction and his fans have come out in droves to see what his solo side project has to offer.

From the moment the first song begins it’s clear that this will be a night to remember. Cory is a masterful bandleader, taking time to step out of the limelight. While the band members rip it up with extended solos, Cory struts around the stage egging each of them on. Shouting, instructing “Hit me on the one.” Bham! “Hit me on the two.”…Bham! “Hit me on the three”……Bham! “Take it back home.”

When it’s his time to shine, he goes into a trance like state. He stares straight ahead, not even glancing at the keys as he plays incredibly complicated improvisational pieces. “Was that alright?” Cory asks, “YEAAAAH!” we reply.

Funk is music that is innately fun. The audience and the performers share the thrill of taking risks, laughing when it doesn’t work and cheering when it does. If there was a single word to describe this show, that’d be it. FUN!  My highlight of the night was the dark, brooding, bass heavy cover of Prince’s “1999”, with it’s slow build eventually erupting into a massive crescendo. Incredible stuff.  Soulful backing singers, walking baselines, syncopated guitar and  insane drum groove. These guys had it all.

The shouts of “ONE MORE TUNE” threatened to bring the house down and they graced our ears with one more dose of musical medicine. Afterwards Cory stood by the exit meeting fans and thanking anyone who said hello. This is a man who truly appreciates his fans. I’d highly reccomend checking him out next itme he hits our shores.

A special mention to the band and their great hats!

Keep up to date with Cory Henry on:
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