The Beat Poets

The Beat Poets, a Northern Ireland outfit, came together in 2005 and attracted well-earned comparisons to the legendary U2. In their early period the quartet generated substantial attention, earning favorable notices from NME, securing rotation on stations ranging from Virgin and Xfm to the BBC, and landing opening slots alongside major rock acts including Sonic Youth and the Chemical Brothers. Their debut single, "Turn It On," surfaced in 2007 and sustained the group’s upward trajectory, prompting John Dinsmore (vocals, guitar), Keith Doran (guitar), Johnny Cardwell (bass), and Mark Dinsmore (drums) to enter the studio for their self-titled first album. That record arrived in 2008, following the release of its advance single "Staring Stars Down."