Reviews
| Ireland has always had a lot to offer musically with massive bands and massive anthems (usually drinking anthems!). But in 2008 Irish music belongs to ‘The Beat Poets' no doubt! This is a band that formed in 2005 and in just 3 years has rocketed to success beyond belief. They're sound is totally refined, its perfect, if they were engine oil they'd be Castrol GTX! ‘G.I’ is a pure rock modern classic The song starts very strong with nice guitar rifts and some gentle lyrics, this is then thrown away and replaced by heavier guitars and more powerful lyrics with an excellent back up from the drums. The chorus is catchy and very easy to remember, the guitars are simply amazing and the drums fit perfectly giving this track that ‘perfect' feeling. ‘G.I' is a pure rock modern classic and I think it has everything going for it to become a summer anthem. ‘The Beat Poets' obviously took their time, thought about where they wanted to go and created what can only be described as a masterpiece. ‘G.I' is just one of those tracks that you play again and again, especially if you want to rock out and go a bit mental. ‘The Beat Poets' are destined for great, great success, they have everything you want to hear from a band, a real lyricist, an excellent drummer and two amazing guitarists and a bassist genius who can all fit in and play together in perfect harmony. ‘The Beat Poets' will be going for it this summer so I suggest you get to where they are and show these guys the most support possible, they down right deserve every rave review they get, just simply amazing! |
| TSM Radio - G.I (Generation Innocence) Song Review (June 2008) |
| Are you ready to rock? Warrenpoint war-horses The Beat Poets certainly are. From the opening chords it's pretty clear that showmanship, songwriting and a little bit of sleaze is on the menu tonight and Hot Press is in the mood for a double-helping of everything. Frontman and spiritual son of Iggy and Jagger John Dinsmore seems more than happy to compy with our request and as his band tear through their short set we get the feeling we're watching a band on the cusp of something big. The songs such as the barn-storming 'Bloodline' are unapologetically old-fashioned, but the delivery and dram inherent in the performance is what makes the Poets truly special. By the end of their show we're smitten and we think we've found our new favourite band. Let's hope it doesn't take too long for everyone else to catch on. |
| Hotpress Magazine - April 2008 - Gig Review - Limelight Belfast |
| Now The Beat Poets specialise in proper rock and roll. It's garage rock in the spirit of Primal Scream, The MC5, The Hives, Queens Of The Stone Age, even rock-metal riffs in there. They've been bubbling under for a couple of years now, quietly concocting their riffs before unleashing them on us. 'You Are A Disgrace' is bit of a belter, while 'Hail To The Rock Thief' proves that they've obviously got a time machine hidden away, went back to the 1970s and stole it from someone back then. Another one to add the growing list of cracking little bands from here that should go far. |
| BBC ATL - The Duke Spirit & The Beat Poets - March 2008 |
| Now that the drunken glow of St Patrick’s Day has gone and left us for another year, we can once again put away everything Irish, from Guinness to Leprechauns, to the back of our minds again. However, there might be one Irish thing worth paying attention to other than tiny people who hoard gold and kill hapless teenagers in the movies. A relatively new band calling themselves The Beat Poets have started to make themselves known on this side of the culturally stereotypical rainbow. They’re a meat and potatoes rock band in the best way; uncomplicated balls-out rock bliss. Beyond this, their lead singer John Dinsmore, who we had a chance to interview earlier this month, is a genuinely cool and interesting person. His views on taking the road less travelled and retaining control of their music rather than immediately going for the standard record deal are well worth the read....So, there you have it. Forget about lucky charms, heavy lager, and four leaf clovers. The Beat Poets: the only Irish import you really need to know about. Enough said |
| www.ktsch.com - March 2008 |
| The Beat Poets, one of the most promising rock bands to emerge from Northern Ireland for quite some time, have had the media singing their praises ever since they put out 'Staring Stars Down' as a radio-only release back in 2005. If one can get beyond a vocal swagger that can at times make Robert Plant seem demure by comparison, they play a 'modern dynamic rock' that has all the ardour of Primal Scream getting their rocks off to The Vines. A blustering style that is about as audacious as charging a Zeppelin through the NWOBHM without a guitar solo in sight, armed instead with solid T-REX rock guitar hooks that would have Dickinson's old Maiden taking a run to the hills for cover. The Beat Poets rock. Their debut single from last year 'Turn It On', quite a direct rock song altogether more suited to the live environment didn't quite cut to the psyche with the same invasiveness as the earlier promotional material, and was perhaps an ill-advised choice for a debut release release on those grounds, but with 'Post Pop War', due to be their new single, The Beat Poets are very much on track to win a host of new admirers. Again, the vocal and lyrics twist quite high on octane in a manner that has a lot in common with the Classic Rock/Metal divide, but beyond it, the riffs and melodies are closer to pop-rock here, and outrageously so at times - whether by accident or design, a melody which grows from an interlude has a striking resemblance to the theme tune to a popular American children's television series from the 70s and 80s. I'll say no more lest to spoil it. With interest from many of the major labels in the UK (Colombia/Sony, Gut Rec, Parlophone, Fierce Panda, Polydor), offers of an MTV licensing deal, and several endorsement deals already in the bag, the only surprise is that they are not already tied up long-term with one of the major labels. An exceptionally busy band, they are now also recording a Fly on the Wall documentary with Graham Smith and Liar films at present. Their live set has been described as blistering, frenzied and blood-stirring, and they will be touring again extensively this year, with the current batch of upcoming dates in the UK and Ireland listed on their myspace page. The Beat Poets, by all accounts, are a live act not to be missed. |
| From Frequency Ireland - Review: The Beat Poets - Post Pop War - http://www.frequency-ireland.com/ June 2007 |
| Forget Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac because the Beat Poets are on a different kind of quest, despite their curiously deceptive name. This band is all about straightforward rock drive and certainly not the epicurean chaos of the late 1950s counter-culture bohemia. These guys are undoubtedly bohemians too, but of a different kind, drawing from the classic rock tradition more than any other formula. The treasure trove of Irish rock history, from Taste and Thin Lizzy to U2, is probably the Beat Poets’ most obvious point of reference, but there are many layers to their material, punk and Eighties pop including, as well as original ideas of their own, which makes them a versatile modern band, despite their unmissable classic rock leanings. The band’s set on the night was a confident, focussed voyage through different styles, starting with the best song the Beat Poets have written so far. “Staring the Stars Down” is an instantly enjoyable torch song with the melody, the harmony and the hypnotic vocals united in one moving piece of music, revealing the band’s quest for stadium rock glory. The song’s high-flown, fluent sound echoes U2’s inspired radiance, singer John Dinsmore’s voice sending out his call free and clear, making you instantly imagine this voice stirring waves in a 100,000-strong crowd. “Bloodline”, another standout, was where the band continued their pursuit of texture and depth, taking the song beyond the straight-ahead rock format. “Bloodline” is a sad song, and, like all sad songs, is not easy to sing, a challenge that Dinsmore handled with competence and poise. What makes him an outstanding singer is not only his voice which is a blessing from nature, but even more the fact that his singing is completely sincere and heartfelt, a rare article on a scene full of mannered fakes. “Supersonic Madness Parade” showcased the band’s other side, this time stretching their stylistic latitude in the direction of gritty guitar-driven rock. The hard-hitting growling riff hinted on the legacy of Rory Gallagher and his legendary band Taste, with the tough, firm rock-out drive taken to its bare-bones extreme. Even though the guitar is often prominent in this band, guitarist Marty Canavan deliberately chooses not to play solos, one part of the classic rock tradition that this band is plainly not interested in. Still, you hardly notice this peculiar fact because the Beat Poets are a fully developed band with tunes and riffs so powerful that you forget about the missing solos. The band’s rhythm section is compact and functional, but still sustains the movement of the songs with concentrated resolve, allowing the vocals and the guitar to come through unhindered and clear. “Behind the Mask”, a punk-influenced song, was a great example of this approach, illustrating how the rhythm section sticks to the bare minimum, letting the vocals the guitar carry the message. What makes the Beat Poets stand out among other revivalist bands is how they add confidence and imagination to the way they update the standards of classic rock. They do it with fire and conviction, excelling at what Irish rock musicians have traditionally been so staggeringly good at – giving a direct, moving and powerful rendition of human existence in the modern world. The industry can’t ignore such an evident talent, so hopefully the time when we hear John Dinsmore send his call through a stadium crowd is not that far ahead. |
| The Beat Poets The Rhythm Factory East London 7 June 2007 Words & Pix by Alissa Ordabai (SugarBuzz London) |
| ‘Blistering, Frenzied, blood-stirring, old school rock that weaves it’s way through U2, the Foos and The Vines, Belfast four-piece ‘The Beat Poets’ have caused quite a stir since being plucked from obscurity to support The Chemical Brothers on their tour last year. Check out their ace double A side ‘Turn It On/ Shadowlands’ |
| Poetry in Emotion - NME (November 2006) |
| Over the next 10 pages we introduce two of the most talked about bands of the new generation, profile the artists from the Ireland and UK most likely to have people raving during 2006.... |
| HOT FOR 2006 HOTPRESS MAGAZINE (Jan 2006) |
| A few more drinks later and on come the band that I’m truly there to see, The Beat Poets. The hype that has been built up about them tonight means I am expecting something extraordinary and I certainly get that. They play loud heavy music that brims with loads of influences from U2 and The Vines, to AC DC and Led Zeplin. They have more energy than the whole room put together and they act as if they are playing in a packed out stadium. Singer and front man John Dinsmore (who looks remarkably like Carl Barrett from the Libertines) prowls around the stage, climbs on the speakers and walks through the crowd singing at full volume and I have to say it is a very good show. |
| Glasswerk Showcase @ Upstairs at the Garage, London www.glasswerk.co.uk (Feb 2006) |
| Presented first for our listening pleasure are local likely lads The Beat Poets – a very well formed old fashioned rock and roll outfit, featuring large dollops of stage presence and madness from a crowd-invading front-man. Musically they tread a path somewhere along the lines of early U2 and The Bravery with some tinges of glam rock and other ’70s influences. There’s already a bit of buzz about these guys, and it’s plain to see why. They’re a more than competent little combo, they have the potential to be a lot of fun for a lot of people. Songs like ‘G.I.’ and ‘Hail To The Rock Thief’ are exciting and blood-stirring numbers whipping the early arrivals into a small frenzy..... All-in-all, it’s the sort of night that makes you glad you went out. And take a note of the names of all the bands – all you will hear of again |
| Nine Black Alps, Red Sirus, The Beat Poets, Spring & Airbrake, Belfast BBC Across The Line (Feb 2006) |
| This single is an incredible showcase to a band with enormous potential, they've already taken Ireland by storm and on this evidence the world will quickly follow. Rhythm & Booze Rating 9 |
| Rhythm & Booze (November 2006) |
Archived Reviews
I defy you not to tap your feet to 'Staring Stars Down'
Tastyfanzine review of 2 track Radio single - August 2005 Full Review
Another 10 songs of this calibre ... then I'll be buying the album
Musician.ie review of 2 track Radio single - July 2005 Full Review
Delivered exactly what their preceeding reputation promised
Gigsmart Review of The Beat Poets' 1st Dublin gig - June 05 Full Review