Awards: 2010 Meteor Ireland Music Awards Winners

The 2010 edition of the Meteor IRMA Music Awards were held in the O2 last night, with performances from the usual names: Westlife and the Script, as well as such international luminaries as Pixie Lott, Florence and the Machine, and Paolo Nutini. The Coronas also played on stage, in what was a great night for them, picking up Best Irish album. Of course, Lady Gaga was there to pick up her award, oh no wait...

Here's the full list of winners.

Public Voting Categories
Best National DJ - Ray Foley (Today FM)
Best Regional DJ - Leigh Doyle (Beat FM)
Best Irish Band - Snow Patrol
Best Irish Male - Christy Moore
Best Irish Female - Wallis Bird
Best Irish Pop Act - Westlife
Best Irish Album - The Coronas Tony Was an Ex-Con
Best Irish Live Performance - The Script, Oxegen 2009
Most Promising New Artist: Amasis

Non-Public Categories
Best Folk/Traditional - Sharon Shannon
Best International Band - Florence and the Machine
Best International Male - Michael Buble
Best International Female - Lady Gaga
Best International Album - Paolo Nutini Sunny Side Up
Best International Live Performance - Leonard Cohen, Kilmainham

Lifetime Achievement Award
Brian Kennedy

Humanitarian Award
Niall Mellon

Industry Award
Henry Mount Charles

Watch: The Black Belles - What Can I Do?

The Black Belles are the latest artist to emerge from the Jack White stable Third Man Records. I reported on them last month, since which time they've released their debut, 'What Can I Do?' through iTunes and all those similar avenues. They've also recorded a video for that track, and it's fantastic. Have a look...

Watch The Black Belles - 'What Can I Do?'

Album News: Hole - Nobody's Daughter

Courtney Love's new look Hole played eight new songs at the Shockwaves NME Awards Show last night. The songs are due to feature on the band's upcoming album Nobody's Daughter, due out on April 27th. She wrote some of the songs with Linda Perry and Billy Corgan, including 'How Dirty Girls Get Clean' and lead single 'Samantha'.

Partial tracklist:
'Skinny Little Bitch'
'Honey'
'Letter To God'
'Pacific Coast Highway'
'Nobody's Daughter'
'How Dirty Girls Get Clean'
'Samantha'
'Never Go Hungry Again'

Watch 'Samantha' on Jonathan Ross:

Live: The Unthanks at Whelan's

The Unthanks (formerly known as Rachel Unthank and the Winterset) released their third album Here's the Tender Coming late last year, and it was a lovely folk album, every bit as good as their breakthrough record The Bairns.

They'll be playing Whelan's in Dublin on March 28th, and tickets cost €18.

Watch them on Later with Jools Holland:

Single News: DBT - Solo Record Store Day Release

Mike Cooley said the following to BLURT Magazine:
"The band will be issuing the special release on April 17 in time for Record Store Day."

"It's not an album, it's not a full-length record. It's not even an EP," he says. "There's no way I can describe it. You'll think I'm fucking with you if I start describing it. You'll just have to see. The only thing I'll tell you is this - it's high art."

"It's definitely that," confirms Truckers frontman Patterson Hood with a laugh. "It's so high art that John Neff plays the sitar."

Although BLURT originally reported this would be a solo release for Cooley, it will actually be a full Drive-By Truckers release.

Download: Chris Singleton - Twisted City

Chris Singleton will be releasing his new album, Lady Gasoline in the summer on IRL, and has released a podcast preview for it. In addition to this, he has made his last album, Twisted City, available as a free download - all for the price of an email address. That's the cover for the new album above - as you can see it was recorded with his new full band, The Distractions - it promises to be great.

Download:
http://www.singletonmusic.com/freealbum/register.htm?newsletter-feb-2010

Setlist: Mika, Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 15 February 2010

Mika did not walk away with the Best British Male gong at the BRIT Awards last night (he cancelled his second Dublin date to attend), but he did play his most loved songs at the Olympia Theatre on Monday.

Setlist:
Rain
Big Girl
Stuck in the Middle
Blame it on the Girls
Billy Brown
Any Other World
Blue Eyes
Touches You
I See You
Dr John
Good Gone Girl
Happy Ending
Love Today (with opera intro)
Relax
We Are Golden (remix)
---
Toy Boy
Grace Kelly
Lollipop

Watch 'Lollipop':

Stream: Joe Pug - Messenger

Country sensation Joe Pug released his debut album Messenger today on Lightning Rod and you can stream it in full on Spinner. It's the follow-up to the Nation of Heat EP, and is a wonderful step up from the singer-songwriter. Joe Pug will be supporting Josh Ritter on his Irish Tour next month.

Stream:
http://www.spinner.com/new-releases#/8

Watch: Jonsi - Go Do

Sigur Rós frontman Jonsi will be releasing his debut solo album in March, and has released a three track promo EP (or preview single if you will) to show off material from the album, Go.

'Go Do' Promo Single Tracklist:
1. Go Do
2. Kolniður
3. Grow Till Tall

Watch 'Go Do':

Live: 65s for Burma at the NCH

The National Concert Hall will play host to a special one-off concert, 65s for Burma, which will honour the 65th birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The show will be much more than a regular music gig, with performances, readings, and more from a whole host of acts including Christy Moore, Eamon Dunphy, Keith Donald, Fiachra Trench, Carmel McCreagh, Deirdre Purcell, Brendan Graham, Niall Toner, and Noel Eccles.

Tickets for the night cost €20-€45 and are on sale now from National Concert Hall box office, by telephone on 01-4170000 or online at www.nch.ie All proceeds from this concert will go to Burma Action Ireland to aid their continuing efforts to raise awareness for the violent military oppression suffered by the people of Burma.

For further information on Burma Action Ireland - www.burmaactionireland.org

Album News: Bonnie Prince Billy - The Wonder Show of the World

To announce his upcoming album with the Cairo Gang, Bonnie Prince Billy has posted a Valentine's message an a somewhat-NSFW video through his UK and US labels, Domino and Drag City. The album will be called The Wonder Show of the World, and is due for release on March 22nd. Not a lot more info than that as of yet, but have a look at the video below.

Watch 'A Valentine for You':

Live: Rage Against the Machine at the O2

Christmas Number 1 one-hit-wonders Rage Against the Machine - well that's what Simon Cowell would have you believe anyway. But rock legends RATM will be bringing their live show to Dublin's O2 on June 8th.

Rage last played Ireland in 2008 at Oxegen, and played a storming set. Tickets for the O2 show go on sale this Friday at 9, and cost €65.70.

Watch the band's encore at Oxegen 2008: