December starts with a roar when Dublin punks Kiss My Acid and Belfast stoner troupe Mosmo Strange feature in The Midnight Hour in Whelan’s of Dublin on Thursday December 1.

Founded in 2015, Kiss My Acid are heavily influenced by Green Day and numerous other American punk bands. Foxboro Freda (guitar/vocals), Rick Wright (Bass) and Tom Ryan (Drums) have made a big impact in a short time with a plethora of shows around Ireland and the UK. Their debut EP, Individuality, is available here.

Mosmo Strange are a four-piece from Omagh in Northern Ireland. What began as a songwriting project for founding members Gavin Scott and Nolan Donnelly, has come to life with the addition of Eamonn Doherty (bass) and Conor Bradley (drums). Their combination of pop songwriting and heavy guitars comes across like Kyuss jamming with Wheatus. Sample Mosmo Strange for yourself here.

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Admission is free.

“Alternative psychedelic experimental progressive industrial shaman post-folk rock” they call it. And sure why not? You have to call it something and this Hungarian quartet are damn hard to pin down. The tuning is unusual. The time signatures are unusual. The whole thing is unusual.

Guruzsmas are as comfortable playing folk festivals as they are sharing a bill with arty types and heavy rockers. Their instrumental tunes are artsy folk with a progressive, post rock sensibility played with the ferocity of a hardcore band. Imagine Planxty borrowing System Of A Down’s instruments and you’re in the right arena.

Guruzsmas combine traditional rock instruments with Kazakh dombra, didgeridoo tilinkó, kaval, zither, and throat singing. A good introduction is ‘Nyitás a Kozmosz Felé’, the second track on the album. Translated as ‘Opening To The Cosmos’, it is best enjoyed with some strong medicinals.

Guruzsmas’ debut album, Üst A Gríz Felett, is released on Wednesday December 14 through Secret Entertainment.

Tracklist:

1. Kegyelmet - Mercy

2. Nyitás A Kozmosz Felé - Opening To The Cosmos

3. Üst A Gríz Felett - Caldron Over The Semolina

4. Intermez? - Interplain

5. Az Eke Rosszabbik Oldalán - On The Wrong Side Of The Plow

6. Éjjeli Hús - Night Meat

7. Hegyitangó - Mountain Tango

8. Engedelmet - Your Permission