Kilkenny’s young music lovers can look forward to a Christmas party with a difference.
The Underground Christmas party will feature the famous Mike Got Spiked and a huge list of Kilkenny's finest bands. The gig will take place in The Zoo Club, 40 Parliament Street on Sunday at 4pm.
In an industry that increasingly makes or breaks bands on the strength of their PR machine rather than their talent, Mike Got Spiked are a true embodiment of how hard work can still win you thousands of fans.
The four-piece cemented their reputation as one of the finest hard-rock acts in the country with the release of their debut album, ‘Caveat Emptor’, on Conflict of Interest Records in March. A five-star review of the record in the Irish Examiner speculated that ‘Caveat Emptor’ could be 'the most original album to emerge from Ireland in a decade', while Rock Sound's 'schizo melody-tinged rock' description fits the bill perfectly.
Recorded over three months with American producer Peter Slankster in Creamy Sonic studios, Dublin, the album was mastered in Los Angeles by legendary engineer Eddy Schreyer, known for his work with luminaries such as Alice in Chains, Korn, System of a Down ‘ and At The Drive-In.
MGS have trekked to every end of the country promoting the album, picking up fans from Cork to Carrickmacross via Carlow, and they have been rewarded with high-profile support slots with the likes of Anthrax and Biffy Clyro.
More recently, they were invited to play alongside the likes of Thrice, The Offspring and Dillinger Escape Plan as the only Irish representative on the Canadian leg of the prestigious Vans Warped Tour, where they topped the bill on the Kevin Says stage. ‘Caveat Emptor’ also proved very popular with the Canadian punters, climbing to number seven on the Warped Tour's official download chart.
Formed in late 2002, Mike Got Spiked's incendiary live shows quickly gained them notoriety around Dublin, and the success of Find Yourself - downloaded over 500 times in just a couple of weeks - was followed up by a raid on the charts, as debut single ‘All You Need’ reached number 23.
The band embarked on a 10-day tour that took in 19 shows around Ireland in support of the single, including a very special launch night which saw them fill Dublin's 500- capacity Temple Bar Music Centre on their own - some feat for a band that was then unsigned.
As the group makes the crucial step to becoming full-time musicians, exciting times await both at home and abroad for Mike Got Spiked. The band have been touring America for over a year and have gained a huge American fan base. Taking Christmas off to return to Ireland to visit their families, Mike Got Spiked agreed to include Kilkenny in their Christmas celebrations.
Also on the bill is a selection of Kilkenny’s finest bands including Selsm, Joe Had A Stroke, Modern Rik and 6 Feet or Above Ground.
See what all the fuss is about on Sunday in The Zoo at 4pm. Arrive on time to secure entry.
