Good music being shared for a great cause! That's always been the aim of Simon's Pub Music Festival, and not only is the popular festival back, but it's also turning 20! To celebrating this milestone, the team behind Simon’s Pub Music Festival has been working hard to put on a bigger and better edition. Perhaps one of the most special aspects about this festival is that the line-up on offer doesn't just present established acts but also allows space for upcoming artists; a su

A regular and much-anticipated event on the local live music calendar, Simon’s Pub Music Festival is back this month for its 19th consecutive edition. This year, the event kicks off on Friday. April 28, boasting a lien-up of no fewer than 20 acts, the larger part of which are established names, but do keep an eye out for the lesser-known acts, as there are always pleasant surprises to be had when least expected. The festival comes to an end on Sunday night and, as in previous

The world-famous Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel will be performing live in Malta on Wednesday, August 10. Currently touring his 2015 It's Never Too Late album, the accomplished musician, best known for his engaging fingerstyle technique and use of percussive effects on the guitar, will be giving local audiences a taste of his renowned energetic performances at the Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta. The acclaimed gypsy jazz Maltese band Hot Club of Valletta will be performi

Local music duo Xarulu’, essentially Josef Camilleri and Luke Agius, recently released their second single Smells Like a Relic. Already picking up pace on the local radio stations, the single is markedly different from the duo's 2015 debut Grand Paris. "It is rather different to our first single", Camilleri said, "we let the song takes its course and this is how it turned out". Despite not packing as immediate a hook as its predecessor the new single, a laid-back acoustic num

Good looks, a friendly smile, charming personality and highly infectious acoustic pop songs; Maltese singer-songwriter Joe Roscoe certainly has a lot of pluses on his side. He is also the kind of person not to take anything for granted, which probably explains why he decided to relocate to the UK, where he isn't only carrying on his musical studies, but also gaining invaluable experience through regular street-busking sessions and of course, proper live gigs too. With a handf

Music marathons have been a regular feature on the local music scene for many years, decades even. They will no doubt continue to thrive, as much for the fact that they almost always support a noble cause, as well as because they offer a convenient platform for both established and upcoming bands. Ticking both these boxes, the upcoming Live Music Marathon being held at Ir-Razzett L-Aħmar in Mosta in the weekend of 6-7-8 February is also quite likely the biggest - as in number

You've probably caught them performing in some bar or other around Malta, but there's much more to Xarulù than just playing for the crowd. Consisting of two friends on vocals and acoustic guitars with a shared passion for anything remotely having a musical inclination, Josef Camilleri and Luke Agius formed Xarulù in the summer of 2013. Since then, they've earned a solid reputation as talented and entertaining artists, thanks in part to their affable personalities, as well as

It’s hard to believe it’s less than three years since young Maltese singer-songwriter Dana McKeon moved to London to pursue a career in music. Immersing herself in her work, she has successfully secured a place for herself among the world’s top beatboxers as well as establishing a regular presence within the British capital’s live circuit, where besides gigging she also hosts a weekly open mic night in Camden. MICHAEL BUGEJA recently spoke to DANA MCKEON following the release

Canadian guitar virtuoso Don Ross will be visiting Malta to give a solo live performance at Teatru Salesjan in Sliema on Wednesday, November 5. Ross is a unique composer and performer, considered by many as one of the best acoustic finger-style players of our time. He is also the only person to date to win the US National Finger-style Guitar Championship twice, in 1988 and 1996. His innovative approach has influenced people like Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour and countless other

Local songwriting duo Mistura will be launching its first album, U d-Dinja Tkompli Ddur, during the October 10 edition of the ROCKNA radio show. The weekly Friday night show, hosted by Michael Bugeja and broadcast nationwide on Radio 101, is now in its fifth year and is widely regarded to be a leading showcase for the Maltese music scene. Mistura’s debut album will be the first-ever full-length release to be exclusively launched during the show. Clocking in at around 64 minut

Ever since debuting at the 2012 edition of the L-Għanja tal-Poplu festival, where they won the WAFA award for Best New Talent, local duo Mistura has been steadily gaining ground within the local scene. Describing themselves as a duo that writes and sings songs in Maltese that doesn't insult the listener's intelligence, Mistura's music is influenced by blues and rock, but retains a certain degree of je ne sais quoi thanks to which they have stood out, for better or worse, amon

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s quote, “Music is the universal language of mankind”, may have become something of a cliché over the years, but the American poet knew what he was talking about. Further to this quote, one might add that some musicians are more tuned in to this universal appeal than others, their presence alone projecting a feel-good factor before the first notes have even been played or the first words sung. Maltese singer songwriter Claire Tonna is one such artis