Life After Art presents…a lovely night in June.

about

hotgirl 

Drogheda/Dublin based band hotgirl began as the bedroom project of singer/songwriter Ashley Abbedeen, when she threw a lofi, trip-hop style demo of hotgirl’s first single ‘Jam’ on Soundcloud in July 2021. 

Wanting to put a band together, she posted an Instagram call-out which caught the attention of guitarist Sophie Boxwell, who eventually auditioned successfully for the band. Drummer Nick Stanley (aka Muttonhead) and bassist Jake Hurley (aka Local Boy) later entered the mix after stumbling across Jam on Soundcloud. Eager to book hotgirl for one of their Burner Records showcases, they ended up filling in on drums and bass when the band was stuck. The band bonded over their love of music and hatred of the scene.

Since the addition of her fellow bandmates, the music evolved from its humble lofi, DIY style origins into a full soundscape of noisy, melodic dissonance that has come to define the band’s sound. With Boxwell offering angular lead lines, Hurley bringing chromatic crunch on bass, and Stanley adding impressive punchy backbeats, hotgirl’s unique and distinctive sound is what separates them from other bands.

hotgirl released their debut EP Sick Sad World December 1st 2023, with singles from it landing on Spotify’s biggest playlists such as New Music Friday UK, Fresh Finds UK & IE and All New Punk. The band have played showcase gigs in Ireland such as Ireland Music Week 2023 (rated #2 in top ten artists to see by The Goo) where they played to a packed out crowd in the Grand Social, as well as playing the main venue at Whelan’s Ones to Watch 2024. They have also swung some prime support slots with acts such as with Krooked Kings, Fraulein and SPRINTS. They had their debut London performance in The Windmill,

AOIBHA with band

AOIBHA is an indie-folk-pop artist from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Influenced by artists like Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones and Phoebe Bridgers, AOIBHA writes with a raw vulnerability that translates into soft, haunting melodies. Dubbed as ‘one of Belfast’s most anticipated indie-pop artists’ by Chordblossom, AOIBHA’s music has also been described as ‘eerie,’ ‘beautifully tender’ and ‘low key yet intense.’ 

AOIBHA was announced as the Chordblossom Kickstart Runner Up in 2023 and has been marked as an artist to watch in 2024 by the Belfast Telegraph and Daily Mirror. AOIBHA is in the process of recording her debut EP which is due to be released in Autumn 2024 and is being funded by Arts Council Northern Ireland.

“She sold out her debut headline show the same day tickets went on sale. There’s only exciting times ahead for her.” – BBC Radio Ulster, Across the Line Introducing

“We’re predicting big things for the Belfast–based songwriter next year.” – The Sunday Life

“She’s amazing live, she’s so good. You have to get to see her.” – Eve Blair, The Late Show, BBC Radio Ulster

“The singer–songwriter’s lyrics are vulnerable but her sound is still 100% her own. This is only the beginning of AOIBHA’s journey…” – Hot Press Magazine

Arn.

Growing up in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Aaron Coleman aka Arn.’s penchant for writing infectious pop hooks and his borderless aesthetic is challenging any preconceived notions of what it means to be an artist from rural Ireland. Emboldened by the homogenous and limited pub scene of local musicians, Arn.’s mission statement is fuelled by a desire to take the road less travelled. “My surroundings informed what I’m doing now, because I didn’t want to do country. I didn’t want my music to be a direct association of where I’m from. It was the things that weren’t from where I’m from that moulded my taste of music.”