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stages in The Sound House. The line-up features D
DR DJs such as Cáit and No Place Like Drone with an array of alternative artists such as Maija Sofia, Post-Punk Podge, Fixity and Rising Damp set to perform over the weekend. The premise, as Carson reveals, is “to provide a platform, an alternative Paddy’s Day Festival, for acts who never get invited to partake in Paddy’s Day Festival performances across the city. That’s pretty much what we are at DDR; a platform for unheard voices, unheard music. It was to give a sort of physical presence to that.” Coupled with providing the finest underground and alternative artists in Ireland with a platform, DDR has become known for its advocacy on a number of social issues as broad as homelessness, promoting women’s rights and voices (Strike for Repeal and 24 Hours of Womxn’s Voices) and looking for licensing reform in Dublin’s nightlife (Give Us The Night). This activism is something they inherited, in part, from the people they encountered in Jigsaw as well as some DDR members prior involvement with Rabble, a non-profit newspaper that offered informative journalism with a transparent dissection of misconduct across authority. Last summer, DDR were involved in the organisation, alongside the 1815 football group and Dublin Central Housing Action, of a marathon community football match held in Mountjoy Square Park as a protest against the Georgian Society and Dublin City Council looking to privatise the public space. Across the afternoon, a selection of the resident DJs, such as R. Kitt, played tracks over a thumping sound system as they broadcast the event live over the station. “There’s always been a political undercurrent in what we do, although we’ve always been really careful not to affiliate ourselves with any political parties and have it as more of a grassroots activist body,” says Carson. The ways in which Dublin Digital Radio has enhanced the experience for many living and working in the city since its inception is immeasurable. O’Brien considers the undeniable draw and influence the station has had across the underground community, “There’s a strong network that has congealed around DDR. There’re people within the station with record labels releasing music by other members of the station. You’ve something like Alternating Current, giving a platform to both up-and-coming HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATION The Nightfly Hosted by Dublin-based musician Ian Lamont, The Nightfly – named in honour of the 1982 debut solo album from Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen – dedicates an hour to the very finest ambient-pop arrangements. Here, your ears will be treated to gorgeously calming sounds from all decades. Listeners can expect the unexpected, a broad range of contemporary artists and sunken treasures such as Atlas Sound, Meltybrains and “Blue” Gene Tyranny become unlikely bedfellows in Lamont’s perfectly crafted playlisted universe. A reliably enjoyable go-to, The Nightfly is the ideal companion for still, dusky evenings either with an ice-cold pint in the company of friends or alone, batch-cooking in your kitchen. Occasional guests, such as Totally Dublin’s music editor Danny Wilson, make for a consistent source of surprise and tremendous tunes. The Nightfly airs on a monthly basis. Death Culture Blues Every Thursday evening, a member of revered independent online music site The Thin Air takes the wheel and steers listeners through a spooky soundscape of experimental tracks. From 8pm until 10pm, venture through the darker side of music. To keep things interesting, there are occasional specials where songs are threaded together by a unifying theme. In the capable hands of Loreana Rushe, Eoin Murray and Brian Coney, audiences are presented with ample servings of Krautrock, infectious blasts of post-rock, intense industrial melodies and everything in between. An eclectic mix of songs allows listeners to get familiar with the personalities and particular tonal penchants of each host. Getting Away With It For mellow moments, sit back and stick on Getting Away With It, hosted by Cathy Flynn. On this show, you can enjoy the crackle of vinyl adding texture to smooth tunes from days gone á la The Moody Blues mixed with fresh songs from underground Irish artists like Fears. On a regular basis, Flynn delivers a perfectly balanced combination of soothing dream-pop and shoegaze with sporadic bursts of trance and acid-house, over a 60-minute period. You could say that there’s definitely a mischievous edge to this resident which lives up to its title as you never know when a gloriously rogue tune will fill your ears, such as Forgiven Not Forgotten from Dundalk’s finest, The Corrs. Elsewhere, there are treats for listeners with shows celebrating a particular artist, with George Michael and Sugababes been granted this honour. The Recommendation Game A film show in which, by the hosts’ – Ricardo Deakin and Orla McNelis – own admission, is guaranteed to contain “spoilers and bad impressions.” The premise of the show sees one of the hosts suggesting a film the other hasn’t seen and then they discuss and review it together for an hour. Thus, bringing forth an excellent and highly entertaining interaction between the pair, regardless of whether the listener has seen the movie in question or not. Previous episodes have featured analysis and trivia on Sean Durkin’s 2012 thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene and Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night, released in 1934. For film buffs looking to expand their cinema knowledge or anyone looking for a good movie recommendation, be sure to check out The Recommendation Game. and established Irish artists, too. Looking from the outside, it does feel like it’s the hub of a lot of interesting things that are going on. There are different strands and the intersecting point seems to be DDR.” Outside of this, DDR has given Dublin’s younger generation a reason to remain in their native country. Carson has direct experience of this. “I remember myself and Yann (Chalmers, host of No Standards) were both uncertain about staying in Dublin,” she discloses. “I’d say that DDR was the linchpin reason why we didn’t, in the end. When I saw the response to the fundraiser at the end of last year, I’d say there were a few people who thought twice about emigrating or have felt a bit softer towards Dublin. I feel like that’s because of what DDR is doing. It’s so antithetical, in so many ways, to how commercialised the city has become. It feels like this haven that hasn’t been tarnished by horrible tech Dublin.” listen.dublindigitalradio.com Alternating Currents is on in The Sound House on Eden Quay from Friday March 13 to Sunday March 15, weekender ticket €65 It feels like this haven that hasn’t been tarnished by horrible tech Dublin. 50