Now in its third year, MusicTown celebrates the rich music heritage and contemporary artistic lifeblood of Dublin City, one of the world’s most musical cities. Full programme details will be announced in the coming weeks. Over 11 days and nights in April the beat of the city will be set by the eclectic mix of musical performances and events taking place across Dublin.

Founded by Dublin City Council, and programmed by Aiken Promotions, this jam packed programme running from 7-17 April, encompasses and celebrates the various types of music created, performed and waiting to be enjoyed in the city; from classical to pop, trad to rock, psychedelic to opera, electronic and everything in between. A myriad of concerts, masterclasses, collaborations and workshops, bringing together an exciting mix of composers, singers, musicians, producers, DJS, and artists right across the musical spectrum to celebrate the best, the next and the unexpected.

As well as my own event featuring Naoise Roo and Hvmmingbyrd, festival highlights includes the first concert of the inaugural Dublin International Choral Festival, Craig David, Our Lady’s Choir present Handel’s Messiah, world music Concert Globe, Brady and Irvine: A Tribute, John Prine, Bronagh Gallagher, Music Together, Young Hearts Run Free & Nialler9 present Darkness to Light, Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Melanie C, Sound of Silents 2017 – An improvised music and silent film project, The Egyptian Book of the Dead is the inspiration for this recital of songs at Chester Beatty Library, Ficino Ensemble, Mary Black, Katie Kim and Crash Ensemble, 5 exciting events from the RIAM, Matt Simons, Yuseef Kamaal, Weyes Blood, Kevin Rowland, Dylan Tighe’s Wabi-Sabi Soul: 3D Listening Event, Kid ink, The Fureys, Chelsea Wolfe, PWR BTTM, Ryley Walker, a musical Walking Tour on Easter Monday and events for children including a delightful music, storytelling, and puppetry performance The Quiet Tree and a fun participatory contemporary music event for children entitled Our Tunes.

Find more details at www.musictown.ie

Finnish Alternative hard rock band AncarA will release it’s fourth studio album Garden Of Chains via Concorde Music Company internationally on March 3rd 2017. On November 2015 AncarA played the highest (unofficially) ever played electrical rock show on Mount Everest at 4600 metres. A documentary film of that trip, Project Rockin High, was also recorded and has gathered lots of praises when shown at film festivals, movie theatres and on Finnish national television.

The music video to the track ‘Ending Mode’ was filmed at the Mount Everest session and it’s probably the highest ever filmed music video with the band members standing their legs on ground! AncarA will celebrate the release of the album with a release show at Rock Club Tavastia, Helsinki. 

With the earlier albums AncarA has reached on top 10 on official Finnish record sales charts and at number two on Finnish single charts. Garden Of Chains was recorded in Finland and at Hollywood, Los Angeles with producers Jimmy Westerlund and Erno Laitinen.