Thanks for joining us today Nova Dream… Tell us a bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
We’re all based in Dublin, although each of us comes from a slightly different background. Josh and Gabe crossed paths around 2023/2024 and started building the foundation. Then in 2025, Alex joined us initially as a guitarist—though somehow, he ended up behind the drum kit! We all fell in love with music in our teenage years, drawing heavily from 90s Britpop, grunge, pop-punk, and alternative rock.
What’s the live music scene like in Dublin right now?
It’s definitely in a growth period. A lot of great up-and-coming bands are bringing the Dublin scene into a wider spotlight right now.
Anyone we should be looking out for (besides you, of course)?
A few bands on the scene that we’ve been really taken with are Bleach 9.3, Gurriers, and Theatre. Bleach 9.3 in particular has blown up recently, which is well deserved. We saw them almost a year ago at Whelan’s and the energy was unbelievable
What’s the story behind El Matador?
Gabe was in a second-hand bookshop in Dublin and spotted—or believes he spotted—the phrase “The Unemployed Dreamer,”which struck us with its beautiful irony. From there, the whole concept circled around who you have to become in order to make things happen. It’s about creating that “Killer” persona—the armor you put on to push through life and show people you’re taking this deadly seriously.
Do you think it’s easy to become a victim of our surroundings sometimes?
Absolutely. Nowadays, everyone measures success by comparing what’s “better” or “worse,” letting surroundings dictate what’s considered cool. It’s inevitable that you’ll be influenced by that noise, but as Alex once put it: “Other people’s success is not our failure.” Their momentum doesn’t diminish what we’re doing. It’s far more important to write something authentic that you’re genuinely passionate about.
What are your ambitions for the band?
We’re focused on getting further—traveling a lot more, touring new places, and growing the audience. We’ve also written a colossal amount of new material that takes us in an exciting new direction. El Matador is just the first from this new batch to see the light of day, acting as a bridge to what’s coming next. We’re just eager to get these tracks out into the world and onto people’s radars.
We hear you’ve just been over to the UK recently and are coming back soon. Do you feel it’s important to play both? Why?
Yes! We’ve been coming to the UK a lot more recently and we are planning on keeping that up. I feel it’s almost a right of passage for a lot of bands in the scene, there’s definitely a sense of as you get a little bigger and want to find a new audience you make that leap. By no means are we forgetting about Ireland.
We actually have an upcoming Irish tour, but there definitely is an opinion which may not necessarily be said out loud that when you start making that jump you’re taken a little more seriously. I think it’s that sort of thing where people notice “ oh this band is really investing time and money into this”, I think it shows that you’re actually passionate about your music and you really believe in it and that sort of rubs off on people.
Where’s your favorite place to play?
Anywhere there are people willing to listen!
But if we are keeping it purely to Venues, then Whelans, Workmans and the Grand Social have to be top of the list. They are just so ingrained in Dublin nightlife that the atmosphere is always amazing. So many amazing bands have passed through those venues and there’s a real sense of history and pride to be playing there.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
Patience is key. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. All you can do is keep pouring your heart out, putting everything you have into the music, and trusting the process. Like we said, we really try to live by the mantra of “Other people’s success is not our failure”
How did Nova Dream start?
Josh and Gabe found each other online when Gabe’s previous project was looking for a bass player. From there, the two started writing together—initiating the first tracking sessions split between a garden shed and a cramped flat. Alex joined a year or so later, and our different styles just naturally clicked.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
There’s so much new music coming out that it’s hard to keep up! But Gabe and Alex have been really enjoying Saint Clair’s Something to be Said, the new Tooth EP is getting plays, and as mentioned earlier, Theatre or Bleech 9:3. Besides that, we are listening to a lot of Superheaven, The Stone Roses and Foo Fighters.
What else is coming up?
We’ve got another single coming out very soon, followed by an EP.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Come out to a gig and say hello!
FOLLOW NOVA DREAM HERE
IT’S FESTIVAL SEASON, ALL THE LATEST LINE UPS AND FESTIVAL NEWS HERE AND INTERVIEW NEWS HERE