Eilis Phillips – Oh Captain (Official album artwork)

This is technically the third time ‘Captain’ Eilis Phillips has featured in a This Is Not A Review. Those of you who actually read this shit – rather than just checking out Will’s super-cool and often-sexy artwork – might remember that last year I told you about her in this article. What no one could possibly have known, though, is that she actually featured as a character in one of my stories, way back in ’09. No, folks, I was not lucky enough to secure a date with her. Rather she was known simply has ‘the hottie in the red dress’ in this article.

[Editor's Note: Let the record show that I am currently face-palming.]

(more…)

No Comments

So it’s back down with a bump from Christmas and the New Year – in Belfast all the snow’s melted and the taps are slowly coming back on around the place. I hope all Bandwidth’s readers, watchers and listeners had a fattening and warming festive season – and we’re looking forward to burning it all off with an exciting 2011 of more great music sessions.

To ease us in, here’s an archive piece – filmed waaaay back in 2009 backstage at Auntie Annies – its an amazing band from Saaffend, England called Baddies – and if you’re in London they’re playing a heavier version of what you see here at the Queen of Hoxton on Feb 11th.

Happy 2011!

[Download Video]

[Download Video]

Camera/Edit: Will McConnell
Filmed backstage in Auntie Annies, Belfast in October 2009

No Comments

Its Christmas week, so Bandwidth has joined with the very incredible Belfast band Napoleon to bring you a very special Christmas In Stores Now.

First up, the lads have two original tracks recorded indoors by the fire, a Listen To Me and a speically written Christmas tune called Celebrate This Christmas.

[Download Video]

[Download Video]

After the festive sweaters and eggnog were taken off and wore off respectively, it was time to venture into the cold snowy air of Carrickfergus, determined to find a Seasonal Winter Tree and sing some carols. I had some suggestions, but a traditional hymn won out.
We’ve seen some stinkers of trees on the TV news recently, so we were determined to find something pretty looking. Carrick didn’t disappoint. It really is quite lovely, prospective shoppers.

And after that, where else to head but the famous castle itself – for a heart stopping track Brother.

[Download Video]

[Download Video]

Napoleon launch their EP at Belfast’s Out To Lunch Festival on 28th January in The Black Box – where they play with Bandwidth veteran Nathaniel Rateliff. Be sure to be there.

From all at Bandwidth and from Northern Ireland, have a very happy Christmas and New Year wherever you are..

Camera/Edit: Will McConnell
Filmed in Carrickfergus, December 2010

No Comments

Season’s Greetings from Japan

Your Granny may say that Christmas has become too commercial and that people have forgotten its true meaning. Well, to our mortification, we do seem to have forgotten its original meaning in Japan. Oh, please make sure your dear Granny will never read this! What do many youngsters in Japan expect from this festive season? A Christmas date– It’s time for relatively shy Japanese youngsters to ask someone out for a romantic date for the first time in their relationship history. Not religious at all but that’s at least fairly romantic? Ahem, can I interest you in a wee tour of Tokyo?
(more…)

No Comments

Artwork by Will McConnell

This week I wrote a restaurant review and the editor rejected it without even showing it to Will.

[Editor's Note: You wrote a four hundred word review of the Subway sandwich you had after a night on the piss and the most insightful thing you said was 'not enough pickle'.]

So the next day I woke up to a text telling me to be at the Ulster Hall as 1pm and be ready for a proper gig review. I am always suspicious when the bastards don’t give me any details but I was in no mood to argue, so I just popped a couple of Alka Seltzer in a glass of water and had some private time with an episode of Nigella’s Kitchen.

(more…)

2 Comments