Features & Interviews

RTÉ: Oasis Tribute Concert Unites Bangkok in Wake of Devastating Earthquake

In the harrowing hours following Bangkok’s most devastating earthquake to date—a shocking disaster that tore through Thailand’s capital city from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake’s epicenter in neighbouring Myanmar—high-rises across the city were reduced to rubble or evacuated due to structural damage threatening collapse from imminent aftershocks. The bustling city of Bangkok sat in a state of fearful paralysis; its globally celebrated spirit seemingly lost among the growing list of missing souls of the day.

Death Threats in Gaza and the Perils of Building Peace Bridges with Banksy: An Interview with Fatboy Slim

"I was quite taken aback by how politics and religion still get in the way of things, when all we’re trying to do is unite people with music.

Maybe I’m naïve, but I tried. And I suppose we sort of half succeeded by playing Tel Aviv, but still, we didn’t get to play Palestine. We didn’t get to fully say, ‘Look, this is nothing to do with politics or religion.’ And in the end, it – well – it basically was."

Earth Sentinels and Robot Hearts: An Interview with Burning Man's Jason Swamy

An angel in silver knee-high boots glided towards me as I rounded a bend in the lush, tropical labyrinth leading to Suara Festival’s main stage; the breeze from her swirling, LED-tipped wings offering brief relief from the Balinese summer heat. Three glitter-faced Australian festies jumped beside me to get in on the divine draft fanning down from the angel’s rolling perch – wings whirling in perfect time to the beats pumping from somewhere within her ingenious makeshift mobile stage...

Poetry in the Time of AI: An Interview with David Keenan

“I was told long ago that you’d learn more on a building site than you would in school…”

As the opening lines from David Keenan’s latest single “El Paso” are belted out over the captivated crowd packing the hallowed halls of Galway’s Roisin Dubh, a line from the Coen brothers’ portrait-of-a-folk-artist Inside Llewyn Davis ran circles in mind: ‘If it was never new, and it never gets old – then it’s a folk song’.

John Butler Stuns Fans in Malta with Surprise Perfromance and Reunion at Nicky Bomba's Gig

Legendary musician John Butler crashed Nicky Bomba’s gig for a brief-yet-powerful reunion at Zion last night. Yes, that John Butler! The multi-award winning front man of The John Butler Trio, and genius behind the impeccable and stupefying instrumental track “Ocean”, teamed back up with Bomba to share some love with his Maltese fans – and they did not disappoint...

Musical Medicine: An Interview with Nahko (Nahko and Medicine For The People)

They’re shamans of self-awareness; gurus of forgiveness; masters of mindful meditations – and fans are pilgrimaging across Europe for a glimpse of their rarely shared stage.

Over the past decade, indie-world musicians Nahko and Trevor Hall have independently conquered the American festival circuit, absorbing fans into their respective moveable feasts of spiritual transcendence along the way. Now, they’ve combined forces, like a conglomerate of consciousness spreading their message of personal f

Reminiscing with the Father of Italian Blues: An Interview with Zucchero Fornaciari

Zucchero Fornaciari, the proud father of Italian Blues and I sat down ahead of his sold-out show at the MFCC in Ta ‘Qali, Malta Saturday night, where we discussed Zucchero’s current – and most ambitious – “Black Cat” world tour, as well as the exciting and inspiring collaborations on his latest and correspondingly-titled 2016 album, “Black Cat”, and how Otis Redding’s “Sitting By the Dock of the Bay” first seduced him into a life-long love affair with the Blues...

Jah In Every Moment: An Interview with John Butler Trio's Nicky Bomba

A tattoo with the letters “JIEM” sits proudly on Nicky Bomba’s right shoulder. It’s slightly worn from the relentless Australian and Maltese sun, and perhaps also from years of rapid drum and guitar solos with bands like The John Butler Trio, The Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Bustamento, and Bomba. However, the constant philosophical reminder that the ink serves seems to have played an abstract hand...

The Bootleg Master of Manchester: An Interview with Youngr

We ducked into the air conditioned green-room tent backstage, and let out a shared sigh, momentarily basking in the contained cool that undoubtedly transported us both to the more familiar chilly climates of our respective homes, far from the balmy coasts of Bali. For Dario Darnell – stage name, Youngr – it was Manchester, England; for me – Galway, Ireland. After a beat, we exchanged an unspoken glance of shared-relief, and took a seat...

Dundalk's Bob Dylan: An Interview with David Keenan

David Keenan promises to hit the studio once his U.S. tour finishes this week.

“There’s a muse on every street corner, flipping a coin,” David Keenan said, greeting me at sound check in New York’s Irish Arts Center. In a few hours he was taking the historic stage to kick off his first solo tour in a city “overrun by a hyperactive hum,” in a room “full of ghosts lingering in the woodwork of the walls.”It’s the infinitely surprising indie singer-songwriter’s second trip to New York in six months,

Silver Screen Dreams of Immortalizing Malta's Great Siege: An Interview with Hollywood Director Jon Cassar

When most people head for the Hollywood hills, they never look back. But just the opposite is true for Malta’s very own Hollywood star Jon Cassar. Despite a successful 35-year career in film and television, his eyes are set on the shores of Malta – and he has some exciting plans to share.

The multi-award winning film and television director/producer, who gave the world the international smash hit series 24, returned to “The Rock” this week with dreams of immortalizing Malta’s intricate history...

Soaring like an Airplane in the Night Sky: A Day with Grammy-Winning Songwriter Kinetics

News buzzed through every shop, café, and household in Cold Spring when Haldane’s ‘04 graduate and Cornell University graduate, Jeremy “Kinetics” Dussolliet, sold “Airplanes” to Atlantic Records hip-hop artist B.o.B. back in 2010. It was an early Kinetics and One Love track that many locals were familiar with – often heard booming from car stereos as kids ‘scooped the loop’ ...

John Butler Reunites with Former Bandmate to Serenade the Island of Malta

Legendary musician John Butler crashed Nicky Bomba’s gig for a brief-yet-powerful reunion at Zion last night. Yes, that John Butler! The multi-award winning front man of The John Butler Trio, and genius behind the impeccable and stupefying instrumental track “Ocean”, teamed back up with Bomba to share some love with his Maltese fans – and they did not disappoint.

The humble Nicky Bomba informed Lovin’ Malta during our interview earlier this week that there would be very special guests joining t

Death Threats in Gaza and the Perils of Building Peace Bridges in Israel with Banksy: An Interview with Fatboy Slim (Initial Publication Link)

“Is it my third time in Malta?” laughs Fatboy Slim, as he struggles to remember the specifics of his 2012 open-air show at Numero Uno.

“Man, I can’t really remember my second time that well! The thing is, I’ve been doing this for about 35 years now. You tend to only remember the really good ones, and the really bad ones.”

The air was thick, sweaty and unforgiving outside of Café del Mar’s green room, where Lovin Malta sat down with the 53-year-old DJ, whose real name is Norman Cook. The oppr

This Bar By The Valletta Coast Is A Sanctuary For Artists

Tucked down below Valletta’s Fort St. Elmo rests a hidden sanctuary for Malta’s artists. It’s not the crystal-clear cove of St Elmo’s Bay itself, but rather, the small beach bar perched on the fishermen’s wharf, Maori.

You many know it from the cat mural that faces Valletta, luring in curious onlookers from the promenade above. However, Maori’s appearance is in a constant state of flux, with its other three walls changing forms like a cuttlefish, hiding from predators.

Where once stretched a m

RTÉ: Bangkok's Musical Oasis in Aftermath of Quake (Irish Language Version)

International music journalist Mike Finnegan reports for RTE.ie on how an Oasis tribute concert brought hope and unity to Bangkok in the wake of its most devastating earthquake. With the city reeling from a 7.7 magnitude disaster, music once again emerges as a powerful force for healing. Read how the resilient spirit of the Thai people channeled the life-affirming music of Oasis to prop up Bangkok in the midst of tragedy.

Keep On Moving: An Interview with Bob Marley's Wailers (Initial Publication Link)

Prior to his tragic passing in 1981, Bob Marley humbly, said:

“People want to listen to a message, word from Jah. This could be passed through me, or anybody. I am not a leader. Just a messenger. The words of the songs, not the person, is what attracts people.”

Since that fateful day in ’81, The Wailers have carried their torch of peace, love, and unity throughout the world, with an unyielding determination to reach people from all different backgrounds with Bob’s words, The Wailers’ rhythms,
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