Limerick Leader - On The Beat

Forbidden Fruit festival this Saturday and Sunday to feature Aphex Twin

2011-05-31T15:49:00.001+01:00

Aphex Twin, playing at Forbidden Fruit on Sunday

ONE of the most intriguing new music festivals of recent years kicks off this June Bank Holiday weekend, featuring headliners The Flaming Lips and Aphex Twin - the latter described as “the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music” - who grew up in England but was born in Limerick, a little known fact of musical lore.

The ‘Forbidden Fruit’ festival takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, on the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, The Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, in Dublin, the first multi staged music festival to take place in the capital city.

Sponsored by Bulmers and run by POD, the site for the gig is to be set up in the shape of an apple and is billed as a “collaborative fusion of music, art and fashion”. Also featuring on the eclectic and exciting line-up are Battles, Wild Beats, Erol Alkan, Jape, Caribou, Jamie XX, Ham Sandwich and many more.

Full line-up:

Saturday:

The Flaming Lips

Yo La Tengo

Wild Beasts

Bombay Bicycle Club

The Phoenix Foundation

Erol Alkan

Beardyman

The Subs

Rory Philips

Jape

Aeroplane

Ham Sandwich

Colourmusic

Bitches With Wolves

Kid Karate

Bipolar Empire

Spies

Sunday:

Aphex Twin

Battles

Caribou

Jamie XX

Carte Blanche

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

Spank Rock

Logo

Kormac’s Band

Solar Bears

Favourite Sons

Trinity Orchestra

Cast Of Cheers

Not Squares

Bats

Enemies

Squarehead

Tera Melos

Tickets remain on sale and are available from Ticketmaster. See here for more and full day to day breakdown.

Imelda May announced for Dolan's 'Big Top' in the Milk Market - June 5

2011-05-25T20:03:00.000+01:00

DUBLIN'S rockabilly queen Imelda May has just been confirmed for the Dolan's Presents 'Live At The Big Top' show in Limerick's Milk Market for Sunday, June 5.

May will be joined by a full band in the multi-use venue, and follows quickly on the heels of The Coronas, who played a storming show in the venue on the May Bank Holiday weekend recently.

That was something of a test outing for Dolan's, who have an agreement with the venue to stage live shows there, and the venue proudly claimed a crowd of 1,500 for that gig - which ran off without any problems, and showed that the market venue is more than capable of hosting a live gig. In fact, the venue proved to be a top class one, with the large, canopied roof keeping the sound in and adding to the atmosphere. On the Beat understands that this will be the first of many gigs in the venue, presuming their continued success.

Gates for the June 5 gig will open at 7.30pm - and food stalls and bars will be open. It is an over 18s show and tickets priced at €30 including booking will go on sale on Friday morning - or Thursday for members of the music lovers club.

Cold Pro Surf and Music Festival is cancelled - announcement

2011-05-25T12:33:00.002+01:00

THE Cold Pro Surf and Music Festival which was due to take place near White Strand beach - between Spanish Point and Miltown Malbay - and was to feature Peter Hook and Jamie XX , has been cancelled, On the Beat can reveal.

The festival, which had the support of Heineken and Hot Press among others, and featured a strong line-up of acts set to appear on three stages, has been pulled just over a week before it was due to take place, owing to "factors outside the organisers control", according to a statement.

Imelda May, Ben Howard, The Nextmen, Electric Wire Hustle and a multitude of others were due to play at the two day festival, set to take place Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5 and which was to also feature a surf contest with "featuring some of Europe's best riders battling it out for €20,000".

The organisers released the below statement just a short while ago:

"This morning, due to factors outside of the organizers control, Cold Pro festival has been forced to postpone our collective celebration of surf, sounds and soul until a later date.

Events that have transpired during the last 72 hours have made it impossible for the festival to go ahead as planned on the June bank holiday weekend.

The ‘Powers that be’ have unfortunately and sadly decided that County Clare and indeed Ireland will have to wait much longer for a festival like this to be able to function as we envision it.

All of us at Cold Pro festival have put our hearts and souls into creating an independent event run by the people for the people, and we would like to sincerely apologize to every person that has come on board or was as excited as us, and thank all that were aspiring to help out or come and party with us.

We are aiming to come back stronger than ever to run the festival in 2012, possibly in a different part of Ireland, but still with the same ideals and creative vision as the driving force behind it.

All ticket holders will be refunded in full ASAP via ticketmaster."

For more see here.

And So I Watch You From Afar for Dolan's this Wednesday

2011-05-18T15:17:00.002+01:00

Watch from Afar as band take over

TONY Wright, of Belfast rockers And So I Watch You From Afar, has managed to avoid carrying his band’s amps and equipment into a gig venue in Manchester on account of our phone conversation.

Needless to say he is pleased. The guitarist with the gargantuan instrumental rock outfit is equally chipper to discover that band’s new album, Gangs, has just entered the Irish charts at number 28.

“We just found that out, it is really nice,” he beams. “Who would have thought that a bunch of noisy country bumpkins would ever get into the charts - I suppose it is better than Crystal Swing anyway, not to mention Jedward. If we can do it, there is hope for music after all,” he adds with a laugh.

The achievement is warranted, the follow-up to their acclaimed, Choice Music Prize nominated self-titled debut album, a cracker - throbbing with their own brand of joyous post-rock instrumentalism.

But where ASIWYFA’s debut was slightly edgy, on the raw side, Gangs is a more cohesive offering, certainly more celebratory in mood, a tribute to their many fans included among its many fruits.

It is surprising, then, to learn that four piece band - made up of Wright, fellow guitarist Rory Friers, bassist Johnny Adger and drummer Chris Wee - completely scrapped the 20-plus songs they had written for the follow-up, so-called “difficult” second album.

“We had written about 20-25 songs and I think through all of the touring, they just kind of lost their sparkle a little bit, we weren’t quite as enthused about them, they felt a bit rushed and we just decided to start again,” says Tony.

“So we did, I think it was six weeks before we went into the studio - we nearly gave our manager our heart attack, but we didn’t like the songs any more and wanted to start again. I think the songs were written in such a confined space of time that they have a really unique feeling to them - they sound like a body of work rather than just a catalogue of songs,” he adds.

It is a wonder they managed any time to record at all, not to mind scrapping songs and starting all over again, given that the hard-rocking outfit are among that rare breed of band that is willing to tour, tour and tour again - almost to the point of exhaustion. Known for their unrelenting appetite for playing live that has seen them play over 300 gigs since the start of 2009, the band are rightly acclaimed for their high-energy shows.

“Sometimes you do get it into your head, worrying about not getting time (to record), but you just make time, you have to. I won’t lie and say it has been completely stress free, there has been a lot of stress involved, but it is a nice problem to have,” he says.

“I would feel like an utter bastard complaining about it. I’m getting to go around the world and play music - I might be half broke, but I am getting to play music,” he laughs.

The result is an eight song tribute the band’s last two years playing together all over the world, with their typical monster riffage and pounding drums thrown into the mix. There is a mite more introspection in evidence.

“We just wanted to reflect the madness we have experienced over the past couple of years, travelling around, meeting all of these gangs of people. I think we have done it, I hope so,” adds Tony.

ASIWYFA play in Dolan’s Warehouse this Wednesday, May 18. Gangs is out now.

New acts announced for Electric Picnic and Body and Soul

2011-04-20T17:30:00.002+01:00

Legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy are among a batch of new artists announced for Electric Picnic today. The seminal group, led by Chuck D and Flava Fav, who will make their debut appearance in Stradbally, will be joined for the three day arts and music festival by New York pop-rock outfit The Drums, whose 'Let's Go Surfing' was a soundtrack to last summer.

Also added are BLONDE REDHEAD; ZOLA JESUS; SANTIGOLD; THE UNDERTONES; THE FAMILY STONE; JOAN AS POLICEWOMAN; POWER OF DREAMS; BEST COAST; YUCK and 3 EPKANO.

The latest additions for the Stradbally extravaganza join a line-up that already includes ARCADE FIRE; PULP; THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS; INTERPOL; PJ HARVEY; BEIRUT; DEATH IN VEGAS; MOGWAI; JIMMY CLIFF; DJ SHADOW; WHITE LIES; OMD; MIDLAKE; THE CHARLATANS; LYKKE LI; BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE; THE GO! TEAM; BOYS NOIZE; TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS; FLYING LOTUS and many more.

EP '11 takes place from Sept 2-4 in Stradbally, and tickets are on sale now.

More additions were also announced last week for the upcoming Body and Soul festival, taking place on June 18th & 19th in Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath. They are:

Nicolas Jaar, Lisa Hannigan, Delorean, Don Letts and Parish.

The initial line-up for the gig includes Fat Freddy's Drop, Holy Fuck, Lamb, Mount Kimbie, The Field, Plaid, Arborea, The Correspondents, Joris Voorn, Brandt Brauer Frick, Darkstar, Toro y Moi, Cloud Castle Lake and Lisa O Neill.

Tickets are available now from €99. See here for more.

Villagers - The Pact (I'll Be Your Fever)

2011-04-19T12:41:00.000+01:00

O Emperor - Sedalia

2011-03-25T13:20:00.000Z

Bands set to rock Bialystok

2011-03-24T15:56:00.001Z

Judge Richard Dowling, Patryk Pugawko, Bialystok native studying in LIT, Mayor of Limerick, Maria Byrne, Adrian Cunningham, promoter and David Keary, judge, launching the Rock to Bialystok Competition to take place in Dolan’s Limerick in April

50,000 baying students, mega-rock band the Guano Apes and the oldest rock festival in Poland - what do they all have in common? One lucky Limerick band could be among them, performing as the opening act at the Juwenalia Rock Festival in Poland in May.

Local bands are being called on to enter the ‘Rock to Bialystok’ competition that could see them play at Poland’s oldest rock festival in front of an amazing 30,000 music fans.

The contest, billed as Limerick’s first all rock band competition, will take place over three nights in Limerick in April, with the eventual winner scooping the prestigious prize of an opening spot at the huge international festival.

This coming Monday marks the closing date for entry for the competition, and the organisers are urging local bands to enter the heats, and are seeking “original, energetic and exciting rock bands from the Limerick area” to take part.

“We have a good few entries already and we still have just under a week to go before the closing date,” explained competition promoter, local man Adrian Cunningham, of the Production Office.

“This really is a brilliant opportunity for a local band and there will be three nights of heats in Dolan’s, a nice venue, and each heat will be professionally recorded and the band can keep that recording free of charge,” he added.

The eventual winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to Poland to play at the Juwenalia festival, but Adrian warned that is a rock festival, so a rock band was required.

“It is a rock festival, make no mistake. There is a pre-selection process and it for bands of a rock genre - not necessarily heavy metal, but it does include that. If you are not the kind of band who can stand up in front of 20 or 30,000 people and excite them, then you wouldn’t get very far,” he said.

“We would encourage local bands to enter and there is a burgeoning scene here in Limerick, so we know that the bands are there.

“It doesn’t matter about the quality of the demo, it is the material we want to hear, it doesn’t need to be professionally produced,” he added.

Interested bands need to apply before midnight on Monday, March 28 and should send two mp3 tracks and a full biography to rtb@juwenalia.bialystok.pl.

Nine bands will be shortlisted to play at the three heats in Dolan’s, which will take place on April 5, 12, 19, and three selected bands going through to the final on April 26.

Full details are available here.

Mumford and Sons in Dolan's Warehouse

2011-03-24T15:30:00.000Z

Killtribe - Final night in Baker Place (courtesy Ken Coleman)

2011-03-24T12:59:00.000Z

The National - "Conversation 16" (Official Video)

2011-03-10T21:07:00.000Z

Electric Picnic 2011 line-up announced

2011-03-10T17:04:00.002Z

Arcade Fire: Headliners for Electric Picnic 2011

It has been well documented that the Electric Picnic 2011 line-up was unintentionally leaked (possibly hacked) online yesterday, but the official announcement was today, and there are a number of names in the official release that weren't on the leaked list. It's a very tasty line-up indeed, and here it is in all its glory:

ARCADE FIRE; PULP; THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS; INTERPOL; PJ HARVEY;

BEIRUT; DEATH IN VEGAS; MOGWAI; JIMMY CLIFF; DJ SHADOW; WHITE LIES; OMD; MIDLAKE; THE CHARLATANS; LYKKE LI; BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE; THE GO! TEAM;

BOYS NOIZE; TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS; FLYING LOTUS; PAUL KALKBRENNER; TWIN SHADOW; WILLY MASON; SINEAD O’CONNOR; GAVIN FRIDAY;

HEALTH; TRENTEMØLLER (LIVE); KILLING JOKE; MUNDY; SHARON SHANNON AND HER BIG BAND; ADEBISI SHANK; O EMPEROR; THE WALKMEN; ADAM BEYER;

CAST OF CHEERS; MICAH P HINSON; IVAN ST JOHN; CODES; DAVE CLARKE;

BRITISH INDIA; CAITLIN ROSE; R.S.A.G.; THE DANGER IS; POTBELLEEZ

We understand that Pulp will headline the Sunday night, but no word on the other headliners. A very exciting line-up with big guns (Arcade Fire, Pulp, Chemical Brothers), super-cool, out there selections (Flying Lotus, Beirut, The Walkmen), favourites (Jimmy 'I can see clearly now' Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, Interpol) and a great Irish line-up (Ivan St John, Adebisi Shank, The Danger Is, Sinead O'Connor, Mundy, Codes, Cast of Cheers, etc etc).

Flying Lotus: A rather cool dude, and playing at the Picnic!

Faves such as the Body and Soul, Mindfield, Global Green, Arcadia, Comedy Tent (Rubberbandits are mentioned in the press release), Trenchtown, and all of the usual will return, more details to follow.

EP '11 takes place from Sept 2-4 in Stradbally, and tickets are on sale now, here are the details:

TICKETS:

Weekend Tickets are €240 / Family Camping Ticket EU240 per adult. Payable in easy instalments
Sunday Day Tickets: EU99.50 (No camping permitted)
Campervan Tickets for access to Regular & Family Campervan Parks are €60
Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.ie & usual outlets. All ticket prices include booking fee & VAT
Credit Card Hotline: Ph 0818 719300 Republic of Ireland / 0870 2434455 UK/Northern Ireland.

Phone / internet bookings are subject to 12.5% service charges. Agents fee is €2.50.

Line-up announced for Body and Soul festival 2011

2011-03-04T17:43:00.003Z

The line-up for this year's Body and Soul festival has been announced, and boy is it tasty.. One of the - ok - THE best festival we attended last summer returns with a bang - here is the list/blurb, taking place on June 18th & 19th in Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath:

Alex Wilner aka The Field

Fat Freddy's Drop

Lamb
Mount Kimbie
Darkstar
Holy Fuck
The Correspondents
Arborea
Brandt Brauer Frick
Cloud Castle Lake
Lisa O'Neill
Daithi O Dronai

Plaid

Joris Voorn

Wow. Super line-up, and more to come, I'm sure. Here's more from the blurb:

This JUNE 2011, the intimate Other-World of Body&Soul will be returning to the labyrinth of stone-walled gardens, winding pathways and woodlands at Ballinlough Castle, with the same smattering of magic and mischief in a weekend, packed with an eclectic mix of live electronic and acoustic acts, holistic arts, green crafts, a secluded Soul Kids garden, art installations and bubbling hot tubs in the forest. The weekend will also feature Body&Soul's flamboyant Saturday Night Masquerade Ball - now an annual event, where revellers are invited to slip in to costume, don a mask, and dance incognito under the stars.

Adding to the permanent installations on-site, the celebrated Burning Man artists Gerard Minakawa and SHRINE will make their annual trek from California to work exclusively with Body&Soul, contributing their craftsmanship to the festival's landscape with a new custom-built bamboo stage and dramatic art pieces made from found and recycled materials.

In keeping with the Solstice tradition the festival will culminate in a closing lakeside fire ceremony - a magnificent spectacle which will include floating art, giant puppets, fireworks and flamethrowers.

With weekend camping tickets from as little as €99 (Limited Early Bird), festival-goers are invited to enjoy Body&Soul hospitality in a carefully embroidered tapestry of creative surprises and undiscovered musical gems.

This was genuinely the best festival of last summer - think of the best parts of Electric Picnic, without the queues, walking or rain, and camping on a golf course - we can't wait to go again this year! Get buying tickets now!

Weekend Camping Tickets from EU109

Sunday Ticket EU55

Limited Early Bird Tickets EUR99

Camper Van Tickets EU30
Bus Information here. Event & Bus combined tickets available. Ticket Prices incl. Booking Fee from Tickets.ie online bookings: www.tickets.ie or telephone 0818 333 32 31.

Two Door Cinema Club win Choice Music Prize Album of the Year 2010

2011-03-04T17:22:00.000Z

Two Door Cinema Club celebrate winning the Choice Music Prize Album of the Year 2010

Massive kudos to Two Door Cinema Club who were last night announced as the winner of the Choice Music Prize – Irish Album of the Year 2010 for the album Tourist History (Kitsune).

There, I said it. Although quite shocked at the event in Vicar Street, I have had some time to reflect on the outcome, and would not bedrudge the lads their success one bit. And a great gesture by donating the 10,000 cash prize to charity. Impressive.

We saw Two Door play in Dolan's early last year, before Tourist History had ever been released or even included on an ad for a mobile phone company, and they were amazing. A crowd full of revved up teenagers brandishing glow-sticks danced their socks off through the electric set, and it seemed that the lads were definitely not destined for flash in the pan status.

Sure, the album is not as delicate as Villagers/McMorrow, as completely jaw dropping as Halves or as woozily rocky as O Emperor - but it is a complete package, a sugar-rush of effective tunes that have marked TDCC out from the start as ones to watch.

The usual naysaying has begun already after the event - and I feel for the likely runners-up Villagers and James Vincent McMorrow (by all accounts in the final three along with the Bangor electro-poppers), but then this award has NEVER been predictable, has always kept people guessing, and in recent years has already rewarded the ever-so-slightly left of centre of the Irish music scene (Adrian Crowley, Jape and Super Extra Bonus Party spring to mind). I think this award is likely to propell TDCC to bigger and better things, and their acoustic set last night was a joy to behold, showing the young trio to be real musicians.

That said, Conor J. O'Brien must be gutted. After missing out on the Mercury Music Prize (which insiders believed he had a great chance of winning), many felt (this writer included) that the Choice was a formality, a done deal. Not so. Conor is gracious enough and talented enough to take it on the chin, and is clearly destined for great things himself. If there was an award for best performance on the night, Villagers would have strolled out the door and down the street with it. Not to be, however.

Another great night at Vicar Street, with great performances all round, showing the current healthy state of the Irish music scene - if it was a little reliant on the Dublin music scene. Waterford's O Emperor very nearly stole the show on the night, and the lads enjoyed themselves afterward, but were very gracious in defeat too.

Look forward to next year.

Rubberbandits, I wanna fight your father (As Gaeilge)

2011-03-04T17:05:00.000Z

'State Of Affairs' - Protobaby (Official Video)

2011-03-01T10:28:00.000Z

Devil in the detail for Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters

2011-02-11T12:43:00.004Z

THE opening strains of ‘Thread the Needle’, the first single from the much anticipated debut album from Limerick rock band Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters, rings with a chillingly dark tone, the newly expanded four piece cleverly employing an age-old musical structure to set the scene on their newly released single.
A dark, bluesy slice of harmonica driven rock that sends shivers up the spine, the single is cleverly intended to flag the thinking behind the upcoming album’s title, ‘The Devil in Music’.
When you find yourself discussing the historical roots of a chord structure in an interview, you know you are dealing with a level of thinking beyond the banal, crash-bam-wallop of some everyday rock bands.
It seems that the affecting opening note on ‘Thread the Needle’, as Fox Jaw drummer Shane Serrano explains, is a ‘tritone’ or augmented fourth, essentially a collection of notes or a musical interval that spans three whole tones. This tone has assumed a historical reference due to its supposed “evil” connotative meaning in Western culture, which saw it referred to as ‘diabolus in musica’ - or, you guessed it, the devil in music.
“On Thread the Needle, as soon as the full band kicks in, the first chord that is played is a ‘tritone’,” explains Shane, local rocker, filmmaker, magazine editor.
“That combination of notes, back in medieval days, because of how it sounded, got banned by the church, and was referred to as ‘diabolus in musica’. The chord also actually appears a few times across the album. Although it is also known as the ‘Devil’s Chord’, we thought that sounded a bit metal-tastic, so I guess the Devil in Music felt right,” he explains.
“That is one of the main reasons for choosing Thread the Needle as the first single, as a lead up introduction as to why the album is called The Devil in Music.”
The decision to stay away from metal territory suits the band’s style, which is evocative of the louche, scuzzy tones of Josh Homme’s Queens of the Stone Age, but contains elements of Woodstock-era Joe Cocker and other reference points.
The band impressed with their previous releases, the seductive, bluegrass-riddled ‘Homeward Bound and Gagged’, and more recently, with the bourbon soaked, ‘Congress of Oddities’, marking them as ‘ones to watch’ in several quarters, including these pages.
But there has been a delay with the release of this album, an intervening period of time that has convinced Serrano and his mates Ronan Mitchell and Morgan Nolan, who formed the energetic Fox Jaw from the ashes of previous local punk bands, Fun Bobby and Natweed, to recruit a fourth member, local bass player Sean O’Mahoney.
“When the album comes out and people hear it, if we were still a three piece trying to carry off what is going on in the album, you would sense that you weren’t doing it justice in a live scenario,” explains Serrano of the album, which was recorded with Irish super-producer Owen Lewis.
“We started recording in August. We set aside two weeks and it ended up taking five months,” laughs Serrano.
“Owen did our first EP so it kind of came full circle when we went back into the studio with him and started recording. He played a very big role and has a lot of ideas. He would stop us and make sure we were doing everything perfectly.”
“We went into do it as a three piece, but when you get into the studio you get carried away with layers and instrumentation and ideas, and that is why we have expanded to a four piece,” he adds.
The result promises to be very special indeed given the band’s previous offerings, but Shane says they will be keeping themselves grounded, walking rather than running, at least initially.
“We are taking the view that you shouldn’t do anything until you are 100 percent ready,” he says.
“Nearly everything is in place now and we have never invested as much time and money and blood sweat and tears into something before, so we have to give it as much as we can. You only release a first album once.”
Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters play in Baker Place on Saturday, February 12. Thread the Needle is out now, The Devil in Music will be released in March.

Mr Scruff returns to Limerick for Dolan's Warehouse gig

2011-02-09T15:18:00.003Z

THE return of Manchester based DJ Mr Scruff - aka Andy Carthy - to Limerick has prompted much excitement on the local scene, such was the impact of his last show in these parts in 2008.
Likewise, the news that the ‘DJ, Producer, Cartoonist and Tea Drinker’ is to play a four hour set of jazz, soul, hip hop, disco and anything and everything else he can throw into the pot in Dolan’s Warehouse, has provoked scenes of rapture among those who have witnessed such muscular feats.
Promoters Streetlife have also decided to open the terrace in Dolan’s for this Thursday night gig, with Paul Webb and Mr Noiseee to host proceedings Upstairs, while local Limerick spinner A2DF opens in the Warehouse.
Carthy, who made a name for himself under the shadow of Manchester’s mid 90s club scene, has achieved much in his career, with critically acclaimed albums and sales of over half a million records worldwide under his belt.
As a DJ, the man himself explains that he plays “across the board”, with a mind-bending list of genres in his cache.
“As a DJ, I play across the board, including soul, funk, hip hop, jazz, reggae, dubstep, latin, african, ska, disco, house, funk, breaks, soundtracks and loads more,” says Scruff.
“As a producer I make music that draws on these influences, with a large dose of cheek and good humour,” he adds.
Carthy, who is also the proud owner of a tea company, was heavily influenced by his father’s record collection in the early days, a tell tale sign of where his live set grab their inspiration from to this day.
“The event that first sparked my curiosity about music was in the early 1980’s when, as a young 2 Tone fan, I discovered a stack of my father’s original Blue Beat 7”s, including several Prince Buster songs that had been covered by my then favourite band, Madness,” he says.
Mr Scruff takes to the stage in Dolan’s Warehouse this Thursday from 10pm. Tickets are €12.50 and are available from Ticketmaster and on the door.

Mogwai perfect art with seventh album - review

2011-02-09T15:13:00.004Z

Mogwai
'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will'
(Rock Action Records)

SCOTTISH rock band Mogwai have been startlingly prolific over their near 16-year career, one that sees them clock up a seventh studio album with this release, ‘Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will’.
The band have rarely, if ever, put a foot wrong, and this, the follow-up to their 2008 opus ‘The Hawk is Howling’ and last year’s superb live CD/DVD ‘Special Moves’, sees the band remain staggeringly original in their output.
A band whose music effectively coined the term ‘post-rock’, the Glasgow-based outfit have nonetheless consistently made a mockery of that simplistic tag, this album no different in its variety, from the click-track based, Battles-esque ‘Mexican Grand Prix’, to the subtle, delicate and soaring ‘How To Be A Werewolf’, to the epic, grandiose and feedback-drenched album closer ‘You’re Lionel Richie’, Mogwai take their so-called ‘post-rock/shoe-gaze’ style and tear up the rulebook, producing an album that is wonderfully inventive and fresh in scope.
Reunited with Paul Savage, producer of the band’s landmark debut album ‘Young Team’, the closing three tracks in particular might be viewed as classic Mogwai, slow-burning and epic, but other parts of the album represent something of a departure for the band, with the Godspeed You! Black Emperor-influenced, piano-based track, ‘Letters to the Metro’ and the heavily distorted, rare vocal track on ‘George Square Thatcher Death Party’.
The album and song titles show this is a band with tongue stuck firmly in cheek, their humour and far-reaching abilities self-evident on what is an expressive, genre-defining and unselfconscious album.
RATING: 4/5

Down the Rabbit Hole with Quarry Players

2011-02-07T18:22:00.003Z

NICOLE Kidman has just received a Best Actress nomination in the upcoming Academy Awards for her taut and drawn portrayal of Becca in 'Rabbit Hole', John Cameron Mitchell’s movie adaptation of David Lindsay-Aubaire’s Pulitzer Prize winning play.
Playing a sort of Stepford wife character who spends her days tending to her garden, Kidman’s performance is a restrained and gut-wrenching examination of the problems dealing with grief - the central theme of a play that is held as one of the greats of American theatre.

Having secured the rights to the play and a top class director in Dara Carolan, an accomplished playwright, actor and graduate of the London Guildhall who has appeared at Ireland’s top venues and toured internationally, the Limerick based theatre group Quarry Players have pulled off something off a coup in that they will be producing the Irish premiere of the renowned play at the Belltable next week.

“We got the rights after a year and a half looking for them for Quarry Players, so it is nice timing to be able to jump on the fact that the movie hasn’t been released in Ireland yet - it has in America to great acclaim, and we are looking to jump on that bandwagon over here,” says local actor Zeb Moore, who stars in the play as Becca’s husband, Howie, and is PRO with the Quarry Players.
Indeed, the acclaimed movie is released on these shores four days ahead of Quarry’s production, which boasts a cast of five; Moore, Michelle O’Flanagan, who plays the Kidman character, Niamh O’Meara, Bernie Hayes and Conor J Ryan.

“It is great timing with the Oscar announcement, but this piece is renowned as one of the best to come out of America,” says Zeb, well known on the local scene for star turns with Quarry over the past six years, plus work with Impact, Teaspach and his own theatre company Magic Roundabout, whose one man play Spinal Krapp took him to UnFringed and Electric Picnic last year.

Rabbit Hole was brought to Quarry’s attention, “nearly two years ago”, Zeb explains, and it had a dramatic effect on the theatre group.

“When we read it, we all fell in love with it. It just fell into the right place this time around, when we sought the rights, they were available and we decided to move on it,” he says.

The play is a fluid one and largely plot-free, save for the central strand, which deals with Howie and Becca’s attempts to deal with the tragic death of their four year old son. However, there are elements of wit and humour, and the tagline runs that “no-one would ever call Rabbit Hole a comedy about grief, it is a play that shows how close comedy and tragedy really are”.

“The play pivots around the family and how each individual family member copes with this traumatic experience, and whether they can move on,” explains Zeb.
“In saying that, even though the context of the play is based around this tragic accident, the play doesn’t dwell on that sentimentality aspect, there are comedic parts - the attraction to the play is the normality of it, these are real people, this is how life goes on, rather than being dramatised,” he reasons.
Zeb adds: “There is a lot of wit and humour in it”.

Originally from Dublin, Zeb moved to Limerick 11 years ago with his wife.

“We said we would give it a year and if it didn’t work out, we could leave. That was 11 years ago, which is great,” he laughs, his most recent work as casting director on The Outlaw Concy Ryan for RTE’s Storyland project.

A chance encounter several years ago with a director led to a small film role, and Zeb hasn’t looked back. A nephew of Eurovision star Butch Moore, he is a firm believer in getting involved in all aspects of theatre in order to learn the craft. He is staunchly proud of Quarry, who have been an established theatre group for close on 40 years.

“Quarry Players have prided themselves on several Irish premieres in the past, nor is this the biggest production,” he explains. “They have run for 40 years and have had huge, significant successes in the past.

“This production is different in-so-far as it is not your typical mainstream piece, it is a little bit off a tangent, it was just that the writing was so brilliant that it drew us in,” he adds.
Rabbit Hole runs in the Belltable on February 8-12. For bookings see here.

Album review - Owensie 'Aliens'

2011-02-07T18:03:00.002Z

Owensie
'Aliens'
(Out On A Limb)

THE Limerick based independent record label, Out On A Limb, have something of a nose for talent that is perhaps not sufficiently recognised in Irish music circles.
The label - run on a ‘DIY ethos’ and punching far, far above its weight - was set-up in 2003 to facilitate the release of “Is It OK To Be Loud, Jesus?”, the debut album from hard-rockin’ and now defunct local band Giveamanakick. In the intervening years, OOAL has released albums by Windings, Crayonsmith, Hooray for Humans, Rest and Ten Past Seven, providing an outlet for some of the finest in up and coming Irish music, refusing to be just limited to the confines of the burgeoning Limerick music scene.

OOAL return this February with the debut release from Michael Owens (no relation!), who styles himself under the monicker, ‘Owensie’.

A haunting collection of warm and atmospheric classical guitar-based tracks with a folk-tinged sentimentality, the talented Dublin songwriter has an interesting background as a former member of the considerably more intense Puget Sound and Terrordactyl, and is currently a guitarist with rock outfit Realistic Train. Terrordactyl indeed contained members of jaw-droppingly loud rock band Adebisi Shank, so Owens’ background is on far different terrain to the flamenco-bossanova, cinematic landscapes present on this album.

A nine-track album that boasts reference points as disparate as Jose Gonzalez and Albert Niland, Owens’ vocals verge from the haunting to the sublime on ‘Aliens’, with his rock-background informing proceedings and lifting the album out of the ordinary, singer-songwriter territory.
Because of that the opener and title-track is a brooding and unsettling offering, with ringing guitar strings and a haunting violin accompaniment, while the piano-based ‘Cat and Mouse’ offers a gorgeously warm counter-point with superb harmonies.

This is a deeply affecting and addictive album that contains several layers on repeated listens, the simplicity of the music at first a distraction, the depth of feeling gradually becoming more apparent than first glance suggests. The jazzy ‘Cat and Mouse’, largely without vocals, is upbeat and allows Owens to flex his considerable guitar skills, while the more urgent, Chequerboard-esque ‘Ronda’ swells with strings.

Overall, this often malevolent album is deceptive, dark and takes some listening to appreciate its depth, but when you do, it becomes eminently rewarding, and a fitting addition to the OOAL stable.

RATING 4/5

The Phantom Band play Dolan's Warehouse on Thursday

2011-01-19T16:35:00.003Z

SOME bands are reclusive by their very nature, shunning the spotlight in favour of allowing their creative output to speak for itself. The appropriately named The Phantom Band are such a band, a Scottish six-piece who have made avoiding the limelight into something approaching an art form.
The band’s propensity for recording densely layered and exciting, on-the-edge music has, however, seen them gain plaudits and critical acclaim for their 2009 debut Checkmate Savage and last year’s superb follow-up, The Wants, thereby ironically exposing the band to the outside world via the applause they have received.
You get the feeling that this exposure might not sit well with the Glasgow-based band that, when they were starting out initially, performed and released music under alternating identities, from Robert Redford to Robert Louis Stevenson.

“We didn’t do anything by design - we didn’t set out to get that acclaim, that is maybe something that has come (as a result),” says Andy Wake, the band’s keyboardist.
“You can hear bands that are formed in order to get a record deal and get popular, you can hear it in the music and you can hear that in bands that definitely do not do that. The fact is that we were never big ‘showmen’. The whole thing about the name changes wasn’t to be cool or enigmatic, it was the opposite, we were trying to erase our history a bit, because we weren’t sure what we were doing, we were just messing around, we never formed a band with any aspirations, we were more of a collective than a band, it wasn’t settled, more just something do on a Friday night, have a couple of beers and make music and have fun.”
When they eventually settled on their present moniker, it reflected their desire to remain “under the radar”.

“When people were offering us gigs, we were never doing them to try and build up popularity, we were doing them for the experience of doing them,” says Andy.
“We didn’t want people to be able to follow us from one gig to the next, because we wanted to be able to start from scratch every time. We only stuck with the name once we were happier with what we were doing live and we were starting to form a collection of pieces of music that we would play, and the whole thing about the name emerged because people referred to us as the ‘phantom’ band, in reference to the fact that we were changing the name and staying under the radar, and it is still something that we do from time to time.”

Indeed, after the success of the first album, the band went back to this tactic when sketching out pieces for the follow-up. The Wants is a weird, claustrophobic album that channels influences as broad as Animal Collective, Berlin-era Bowie, Brian Eno, The Walkmen and The National, and is an elusive, mercurial offering that is as enigmatic as the band themselves. Unlike their first record, the songs for which were built up over a period of playing time them live, The Phantom Band literally locked themselves away for six months in a remote studio to record the follow-up, with only a broad canvas on which to paint, allowing the process to dictate the output.

“We were locked in and weren’t let out until we recorded an album,” laughs Andy. “The first time we went into the studio with some things already finalised as tracks because we had been playing them live for a couple of years, but this time we went in with pretty much nothing and were holed up for quite a while and writing it as we went along,” he explains.
“To be honest, it was pretty stressful, there was a lot of arguing, because nobody had a clear idea of what direction each track had. You end up fighting over it and trying to pull it in different directions, so you can probably hear it in the music that it does that, but it was quite interesting for us, the idea that on a different day, the whole album could have gone in a different direction altogether.”

The band employed a succession of strange and colourful instruments during this time in the studio to help with the creative process. The instruments, both home made and hard-bought, ranged from bits of furniture to a toy drum machine and FX pedals to the studio fire extinguisher.

“It is something we have always done. We don’t use these instruments to be wacky or to try and be original, we just use them because we find the sound of them interesting,” explains Andy with a laugh.
“You might say they (the albums) are quite layered and we use the studio a lot when we record, we almost use it as an instrument and really exploit it.”

Asked about playing live, which the band will do this week in Dolan’s Warehouse, the Scot is as definitive as he can be on the band’s live direction, which he says he can’t wait to bring to Limerick.
“We have always had the mindset that the live sound and the recorded sound are never going to be the same, so we don’t fight against that, we use it as something to make the live shows as interesting as we can and not replicate the album exactly,” he says.
“Obviously you can only do that to a certain degree, because people want to hear music that they know, if they have the album, but really we are conscious of making it a different experience. I have heard good things about Dolan’s, hopefully it goes well,” he adds.

The Phantom Band play Dolan’s Warehouse this Thursday.

Bottom Dog bring New York production of Romeo and Juliet to The Loft

2011-01-18T11:47:00.003Z

LOCAL theatre company Bottom Dog have teamed up with the New York based Forestburgh Theatre Arts Centre to present a co-production of Romeo and Juliet in the Loft venue this week.
The innovative local theatre company have joined forces with the New York based company to present an exciting version of the classic play, which Liam O’Brien of Bottom Dog describes as “fast, furious and edgy”.
“It is going to be a very slick, very fast production, just six actors but they are going to be doubling up all of the roles and there is a modern, contemporary rock score,” explained the well-known local actor. “It is just 80 minutes, so it is very much for those afraid of Shakespeare and three hour productions and features a punky, American cast in modern clothing, flying through the stuff, using music to make it very accessible.”
It was Liam’s own trip to the prestigious Steppenwolf Theatre in California last summer that spawned the idea for a co-production, with one his fellow actors involved with the Forestburgh group, who are based in the Catskills of New York.
“We wanted to do something between the companies and either do something over there or them come over here,” explains Liam of this first international collaboration between the groups. “The first step is them bringing this production of Romeo and Juliet over here, and one of the actors is a tutor that taught us so there is a real Steppenwolf flavour to it.”
“It is a cracking story, but doesn’t get bogged down in the minutiae and the heavy detail - it has been condensed into a very accessible play and it will be exciting to see how Americans do Shakespeare as well. They have a great love for it, but they will approach it in a very different way to its normal production,” he adds.
The group are also set to tour around Ireland while they are here, and will be performing Romeo and Juliet in Friars Gate Theatre in Kilmallock during their Limerick run, and interest is high in the collaboration.
Romeo and Juliet runs in the Loft on Wednesday, January 19 and Friday and Saturday, January 21-22 at 7.30pm. For bookings call 085-2085737.

Album review - Iron and Wine 'Kiss Each Other Clean'

2011-01-13T16:57:00.003Z

Iron and Wine
'Kiss Each Other Clean'
4AD

SAM Beam, better known under his performing moniker Iron and Wine, has completed something of a quiet, understated journey with this, his fourth studio album, shedding the earlier, admittedly simplistic perception of him as something of a whiskered and bearded singer-songwriter, whispering into his microphone, his folk-songs subtle and understated, and similarily lacking in ambition.
A mere glimpse at the retro, psychedilic-drenched album cover suggests from the off that Beam is going to advance the journey began on his previous record, the excellent The Shepherd’s Dog, which made many Best Of lists on its release in 2007.
He likened that album to an attempt to replicate something in the vein of Tom Waits’ Swordfishtrombones, moving from the acoustic-driven whisper of The Creek Drank the Cradle and Our Endless Numbered Days to a fuller, more complete sound, and has proclaimed this
album to be “more of a focused pop record”, his first since he signed to Warners/4AD,
leaving the Sub Pop label, home of Fleet Foxes and Postal Service and more.

It is the many layers and quirky rhythms on this album that surprise the most, notably the waves of sound on superb opener Walking Far From Home, the African influenced Monkeys
Uptown - which references the throbbing electric guitar sounds prevalent on a Tinariwen record - the steady, brooding closer Your Fake Name Is Good Enough For Me, and the more subtle, minimalist and off-centre groove of Rabbit Will Run.
The eye-opening jazz-prog-beat of Big Burned Hand is the biggest departure for Beam, who has effortlessly turned his hand at producing a much richer sound here.
The do-wap oohs and aahs of Half Moon are more of a throwback to his earlier output, as is the
softer, Bon Iver-esque Godless Brother In Love.

However, it is the fizzing melodies of Glad Man Singing that catch the ear repeatedly, the piano driven track bustling with electro-flourishes and reminiscent of AstralWeeks. Superb.

If this is the second twist on Beam’s musical journey, we can’t wait to see where the road goes next.

RATING 4/5

Choice Music Prize shortlist for Irish Album of 2010 announced

2011-01-12T15:33:00.003Z

The shortlist for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of 2010 has just been announced, and here it is:

Adebesi Shank - This is the Second Album of a band called Adebisi Shank (Richter Collective)
The Cast of Cheers - Chariot
Cathy Davey - The Nameless (Hammer Toe Records)
Fight Like Apes - The Body of Christ & The Legs of Tina Turner (Model Citizen)
Halves - It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever) (Hate is The Enemy)
Imelda May – Mayhem (Universal)
James Vincent McMorrow – Early in The Morning (Universal)
O Emperor - Hither Thither (Universal)
Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History (Kitsune)
Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (Domino)

No major shocks outside of the Cast of Cheers, whose album were are unfamiliar with, a situation we will be shortly rectifying. Hard to look beyond the Villagers album as a winner, but there are certainly some very deserving names on the list, including two of our favourite albums last year, O Emperor's Hither Thither and Halves' It Goes, It Goes (Forver and Ever). That said, all of the names on the list are deserving, but no shout for Limerick bands Windings and Brad Pitt Light Orchestra is a bit disappointing..

The event itself takes place in Vicar Street on Thursday, March 3 and the winning act will receive 10,000, a prize fund provided by IMRO and IRMA. We will be there as usual to cast out eye over the acts and await the winner with interest. Tickets are now available from Ticketmaster and more information is available here.

Top Ten Gigs Of The Year - Limerick 2010

2010-12-31T12:56:00.005Z

10. Speakeasy Jazz: The Freeform Foundation - Shannon Rowing Club (January)
This was our first chance encounter with the Freeform Foundation, who blazed a hole through January 2010 at the popular Speakeasy Jazz gig, their lose-flowing and eclectic rhythms washing away the cobwebs of the New Year. Superb

9. Word of Mouth Presents: O Emperor, Sons of Noel and Adrian and Alessi's Ark - Dolan's Upstairs (January)
A new tour showcase that trundled through Limerick in January, and returns in Jan '11. This gig was special for our first opportunity to breathlessly witness the live brilliance of O Emperor, whose musical tastes belie their tender years. Smashing stuff.

8. Tommy Tiernan - Thomond Park (June)
An incredible gig from the top Irish comedian of this and any year - this Thomond Suite gig was centre piece of his World Tour of Limerick series which saw the funnyman play eight gigs in eight days around the city and county. 600 people laughed, very hard.

7. Bump Muzik Festival - Clonlara (June)
Limerick's own - very special - boutique festival on the shores of the River Shannon at the Angler's Rest in Clonlara. Organised by Viva, Double Bass and Secret Stash, the finest local and international DJs bumped and grinded at this amazing location. Set to return in 2011 at a new location. We can't wait.

6. UnFringed Festival (January)
Limerick's 13th UnFringed Festival was reduced this year to five days but the programme didn't lack in depth, with 16 distinct productions being packed into the festival line-up. Superbly eclectic, and returns for an amazing 14th year in January 2011.

5. Two Door Cinema Club - Dolan's Warehouse (March)
We approached this one with trepidation; lots of hype had built up this quirky, electro-pop driven Norn' Irish trio. As it turned out, the hype was justified - a packed Warehouse danced and waved glow sticks and we left happy.

4. Bell X1 - St. John's Church (November)
The finest, most stunningly atmospheric venue in the city provided one of the best gigs of the year - a stripped back and acoustic Bell X1 playing a selection of new songs and greatest hits to a rapt capacity audience. Had the X-factor.

3. And So I Watch You From Afar - Baker Place (February)
We knew they were special (if you haven't heard their clarion call self-titled debut, get it now) but we didn't know quite how good they were live. A rammed Baker Place was treated to a smashing set of balls-out, instrumental rock and roll. Crowd surfing, moshing and grins ear to ear. Wow.

2. Villagers - St. John's Church (December)
Would have been gig of the year but for a pair of grinning, plastic bag wearing rappers. Conor O'Brien returned to Limerick 18 months since his first Villagers gig, and blew a full St. John's Church away. The album of the year also, in our book.

1. The Rubberbandits - Electric Picnic (September)
It could have been any of a number of 'Bandits 2010 gigs in top spot; the mystery Christmas gig; a UL Rag Week stormer in the Stables; a triumphant Warehouse/Panic gig in September (very special); the A Conversation With gig in Daghdha; or the recent spate of three sold-out gigs in two days in the Warehouse (an amazing feat in these times). Let's face it, 2010 was the year of the Rubberbandits, and nothing captured their seizing of the zeitgeist - ahead of Horse Outside, Republic of Telly etc - than the duo's amazing gig in the Little Big Tent at Electric Picnic on the Friday of the three day festival. Nearly 2,000 people bounced, sang along and worshipped at the feet of the 'Bandits as they threw it down royally - performing the gig of the weekend at the Stradbally fest. Quite simply our favourite music moment of 2010.

The Rubberbandits aim for Christmas number one

2010-12-10T15:39:00.004Z

IN AN unlikely but hilarious turn of events, Limerick's dastardly, comedic-rap plastic bag wearing duo, The Rubberbandits, have seen their odds of beating the X-Factor and securing a Christmas no.1 slashed by Paddy Power bookmakers.

Paddy Power have made The Rubberbandits 5/4 to pip the X Factor winner to the post with their new single ‘Horse Outside’, which has clocked up an amazing quarter of a million views on YouTube in just over 48 hours.

The single is also riding high in the Itunes download charts - a best estimate was put at it being number one over the weekend - but punters seeking to secure a Christmas number one spot for the Limerick duo are being urged to wait until after December 19 to buy the song, when the sales that go toward the official Christmas top spot are measured.

The 'Bandits debuted their hilarious video for 'Horse Outside' - previously 'Amanda's Wedding' - on the RTE's Republic of Telly on Wednesday night, posting the uncensored video on You Tube not long after the show aired. Between then and this Friday afternoon, the video has been seen by more than 253,000 people.

The hip-hop duo have had an amazing year so far and are to return to Limerick in December to play two Christmas shows in Dolan's - both of which are now sold out, we are told.

For more on this story, see Tuesday's Limerick Chronicle.

Northside Learning Hub and Sunday Times Host Leviathan Political Cabaret

2010-11-24T12:41:00.004Z

THE THOMONDGATE based Northside Learning Hub are to co-host the city’s second Leviathan Political Cabaret event this Wednesday. The event is being held in association with the Sunday Times and takes place in Dolan’s Warehouse.
Late Late Show band leader Paddy Cullivan (of The Camembert Quartet fame) will host the evening of musical satire and lively discussion, with a debate to be held under the heading “Is Music Worth Paying For?”, to form the central part of the evening.
Among the panel to discuss this topic are Spin South West DJ Michelle McMahon, Mick Dolan of Dolan’s Warehouse, Kathleen Turner of the ICO, Alan Owens of the Limerick Leader and Chronicle, David O’Connell, principal of Limerick School of Music, James Blake of the Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and the Learning Hub and David O’Donovan of Eightball.ie and the Limerick Event Guide.
This event is to mark the launch of the Learning Hub’s brand new Music Hub at Kileely House, which will house a fully equipped recording studio and music rehearsal space.
For more information see here. Please come out and support this event if you can.

OOAL Drop Split 7" Single This Sunday In Dolan's

2010-11-18T16:24:00.002Z

HUGELY POPULAR local record label Out On A Limb Records are gearing up to “drop” a new split 7” vinyl single release from two of the countries most exciting up and coming bands, Ennis band C!ties and Dublin’s Guilty Optics, and celebrate by holding a special launch party Upstairs in Dolan’s this Sunday.
The launch party, which will feature both of the bands present on the superb new single, will also feature the excellent Jogging, who released one of the best Irish records of the year with the blistering "Minutes", and Baby Blue Eyes (featuring ex members of Limerick band Hatch 77 and Scott from Sea Dog).
C!ties, a young instrumental trio from Ennis Co. Clare, have been regualr visitors to Limerick on and off for the last 18 months and incorporate a wide range of styles, chiefly thumping electro-rock.
Their self produced EP, released in November 2008, impressed many and bolstered the young band’s reputation. The band present their wide-eyed and giddy slab of instrumentalism with “Krakatoa” on this single release, OOAL’s second split release.

Guilty Optics, on the other hand, formed more recently - in 2008 - and feature Alan Finnerty, Peter Lee and Ruadhan O’Meara and have a particular type of melodic rock’n’roll that is starting to gain them a wider reputation and offer the shuddering “White Teeth” on this single, recorded using vintage analogue equipment.

OOAL, home to Windings, Crayonsmith and more, has been noted in the past for discovering new acts, and this spilt release is no different.
Ciaran Ryan of the label says they are “delighted” to be doing a split 7" with both bands.
“Both bands played OOAL shows during our label tour in February and we were mightly impressed,” says Ciaran.
“They are two of the most exciting newish bands in the country, and sound completely different to each other, so it made perfect sense for us to throw them on a single together,” he adds.

The OOAL launch party takes place at 6pm this Sunday Upstairs in Dolan’s and it is a free show. The 7” will be available to buy at the gig and selected independent record stores. Each comes with a unique downloadable code. For more see here.

Album Review - Robert Plant 'A Band Of Joy'

2010-11-18T12:57:00.002Z

Robert Plant
‘Band of Joy’
(Decca/Universal)

I, FOR one, am glad Robert Plant turned down a reported $200 million offer to reform Led Zeppelin following their reunion gig in 2007.
If the seminal rock band had reformed, we might not have seen the release of two of the finest albums produced in the intervening period - Plant’s album Raising Sand, released in 2007 with Alison Krauss, and his latest offering, the new release Band of Joy.

Raising Sand went on to win six Grammy Awards, including Grammy for Album of the Year in 2009, and was a masterpiece, Krauss’s delicate and hushed voice intertwining perfectly with Plant’s gruff, often falsetto, timbre.
This album picks up where that left off, but finds Plant with a new band of collaborators, including Nashville legend and guitarist Buddy Miller, multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott - both of whose fingerprints are heavily featured on this album - and country singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, who manages to avoid merely copying Krauss and brings her own individualism to the project.
Band of Joy takes its title from Plant’s first group, formed in the ‘60s, and his decision to resurrect the name burns with symbolism, the former Led Zep frontman allowing the first rate musicians he has assembled to steer him back to his roots, as it were.

The album opens with to the throbbing, groaning guitar lines on an incredibly diverse interpretation of Los Lobos's 'Angel Dance' - a delicate banjo the perfect counterpoint to Plant’s dulcet tones, and the Southern blues of Miller’s guitars.
The bluegrass, brush-drum tones of ‘House of Cards’ follows, the perfect vehicle to demonstrate Plant’s vocals as they twist and turn with Griffin’s softer tones.
The slow-building exhalation of blues-rock that is Low's 'Silver Rider' is one of the most intoxicating offerings on the album, while the upbeat, chugging snarl of the Beatles-influenced ‘You Can’t Buy My Love’ is an eye-opener.
The beautiful swoon of The Kelly Brothers' Sixties soul classic 'Falling In Love Again' and the deliciously vibrant ‘The Only Sound That Matters’, provide a nice balance to the feedback drenched ‘Monkey’, the standout track on the album.
This is a majestic offering from one of rock’s most royal members; a comprehensive reworking of some old standards and classic tunes that is varied, rich and vibrant.
Truly a thing of joy.
RATING 4/5

Album review - Supermodel Twins 'Raincloud Free'

2010-11-18T12:46:00.000Z

Supermodel Twins
‘Raincloud Free’
(Gohan Records)

IF EVER there was a more appropriate album title, we haven’t heard better than the much anticipated debut from local power-popsters, Supermodel Twins.
‘Raincloud Free’, unlike other obscure monikers we have heard in the past, does exactly what it says on the tin; delivering a blistering, 11-track, 35-minute collection of upbeat pop-rock songs in the mould of Weezer, Nada Surf et al, with a Beach Boys-meets Green Day dash thrown into the mix.

The album will certainly brighten up your day and take your attention away from the deluge currently falling outside your window.
This is undoubtedly the album’s strength and sees the Limerick five-piece wear their hearts on their sleeves, unashamedly allowing the above influences to ring clear on the album, avoiding any kind of pretension at trying anything other than blasting out good solid pop songs.
Produced under the expert gaze of The Cranberries’ axe-man Noel Hogan, the glossy sheen on this album add greatly to the wholesome sound - a testament to Hogan’s growing production skills.

However, and we offer this by way of constructive criticism, where the album falls down is its reluctance to vary from its obvious formula, sticking rigidly to a heavily Weezer-influenced sound, all American-twang vocals and loud guitars.
Simply put, Raincloud Free is inhibited by its style and lack of originality, but, it is fun, and there are some really decent pop songs on offer here.
The first couple of tracks set the scene and surprisingly, offer some deliciously off-kilter and quite subversive lyrics buried within the seemingly saccharine melodies; on opener While You Were Out, the singer details snooping around said girl’s apartment; on the superb One Step Behind, reminiscent of early Foo Fighters material, a song which boasts taut melodies and coruscating guitars, we hear elements of the same theme, “everywhere you go, I’ll be there / always one step behind”.
The toned down and more reflective My Girl presents engaging melodies a la Fountains of Wayne and shows more depth, as does the excellent Bruises, popping with handclaps and effervescent melodies.

However things start to unravel on the ill-advised and poppy ‘Hilary’, which includes the following lyric: “ever since I saw you in that movie / where you tried to hide your boobies”, and so on.
The zingy melody of Footprints In The Snow and soft-core rock of Modern Day Robin Hood are better, but overall this album’s lack of scope and depth proves its undoing.

Pity, cause there is some serious potential here.
RATING 3/5

Album review - Halves "It Goes, It Goes (Forever and Ever)"

2010-11-18T12:36:00.002Z

Halves
'It Goes, It Goes (Forever and Ever)'
(Hateistheenemy)

TO SIMPLY label this album from Dublin trio Halves as “cinematic” would be vaguely correct, but simplistic.
While the superb opening track Land/Sea/People might indeed be at home on a Cameron Crowe or Nick Cave soundtrack, the sheer depth and variety on this album makes it too difficult to pigeon-hole into one genre.
Indeed, it would also be simplistic to simply class this highly-awaited debut album from the band as “post-rock”, but there are undoubted elements of this multi-faceted genre on what is a genuinely haunting and spine-tingling album.
The scale of the instrumentalism - deep, dark drums, soaring guitars, bouncy melodions, rich and vibrant cellos and haunting violins - present on this album is astounding, while the pacing and narrative structure are adhered to cleverly without becoming overly rigid.
This is a brooding, grandiose and epic album, but unlike the raucous noise of the undoubted influence of Scottish post-rock specialists Mogwai, there are also tender, heartbreaking vocals on It Goes, It Goes, some from vocalist Tim Czerniak and some from the haunting Amy Millan (of Stars fame) on the superb I Raise Bears and the criminally underrated Katie Kim on the unfolding rhythm of Growing & Glow.
With this release, recorded live on tape in Montreal’s Hotel2Tango studios, the Dublin trio (Brian Cash, Tim and Elis Czerniak) end a five year wait for their debut album, preceded as it was by two well received EPs.
Halves live show has long been lauded, correctly, for being a dramatic mix of sweeping visuals, guitars and live drums, but on this record they have managed the seemingly impossible; an ability to conjure up a sweeping visual vista in the listener’s mind, simply by allowing the strength and epic nature of their music to spark the imagination.
Quite simply, a brilliant record, made to be listened to again and again.
RATING 5/5

Bell X1 and Rubberbandits for Eightball gigs in Daghdha this weekend

2010-11-17T16:15:00.002Z

THE DELIGHTFUL St. John’s Church - home to Daghdha Dance Company - plays host to two very special live gigs this weekend, as Bell X1 play a special acoustic gig on Friday and Limerick’s own Rubberbandits take to the stage on Saturday.
Promoters Eightball.ie are very excited about these two exceptional gigs, as are we, both of which have the potential to be the most talked about of the year - for very different reasons.

Bell X1 arrive in Limerick as part of a national tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of the release of their debut album, ‘Neither Am I’, and after tremendous success over recent years. The band will play a special stripped back, acoustic set from their entire catalogue as well as debuting some new material, with their fifth studio album due in Spring 2011. The gig is sold out.

Saturday will be a completely different affair as the dastardly duo of The Rubberbandits take to the stage in the 15th century church, for what should be a memorable show.
The Bandits’ arrive in Limerick for a very special - and possibly unique - gig, billed as an “Intimate Evening With The Rubberbandits”, featuring the comedic/rap duo in conversation with Cian Hallinan, host of the Voice Box in Dublin’s Twisted Pepper.

Never fear, the show will be in two parts and will also feature the Limerick duo performing a number of their by-now classic tunes at the gig, which comes hot on the heels of their weekly appearances on RTE’s Republic of Telly, presented by Limerickman Dermot Whelan. The ‘Bandits segments have also had 100,000 hits on YouTube.

City Life got in touch with the Rubberbandits to find out what the gig will consist of, and Blind Boy Boat Club, one-half of the ‘Bandits, told us: “A lively debate on everything from Friedrich Nietzsche to tying your shoelaces with fags in both hands”.
Asked to account for their recent rise in fame and fortune, Boat Club replied: “Telling jokes about fannies and willies coupled with an extensive knowledge and insight of the human psyche, if the human psyche was but a shallow pool of water in the paw prints of a greyhound”.

After the lively and existential debate, expect songs about horses, glue and honda civics - and expect to leave with a stomach sore from laughing. Tickets for Bell X1 are sold out. Tickets for The Rubberbandits are available from Euro Empire 061-317211.

Doors for both shows open at 8pm.

The Autumn: Winter series continues this Friday, Saturday

2010-10-27T08:46:00.004+01:00

THE SUPERBLY titled Autumn:Winter Collection series of shows continues with a double-header of gigs in the atmospheric St. John’s Church this weekend, with some of Limerick’s top bands taking to the stage on Friday night and Sharon Shannon bringing her accordion to the altar on Saturday night.

The series - which will see Bell X1 and Villagers appear in the church in the coming months - marks a special date this Friday when promoters Eightball.ie celebrate the ninth birthday of the Limerick Event Guide with a very special show in the intimate 14th century church.
The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, We Should Be Dead and Walter Mitty and The Realists will provide a very special show to celebrate the milestone, while an after-party will take place in the Loft at the Locke Bar, featuring top local DJs Leon and A2DF, Greenwood and Broken Funk.

Chart-topping trad musician Sharon Shannon takes to the stage the night afterward, providing fans the opportunity to see the Clare-born artist - one of the finest of her generation - perform her popular songs in the jaw-dropping venue. Shannon’s debut solo album, which featured U2’s Adam Clayton, became the biggest-selling Irish folk album ever, and was released after she quit university in Cork in the late 80s to concentrate on music, later joining The Waterboys.
“School for me was like prison, so to be able to just do what I loved and get paid for it and be free during the day, to just learn more music and be myself and be happy, was amazing,” Sharon has said.
Saints & Scoundrels, her most recent album, features songs from a superstar cast that includes Imelda May, Jerry Fish, The Waterboys, Carol Keogh and Shane MacGowan.
Backed by her four-piece band, Shannon will perform an evening of the finest traditional music from her extensive and number one selling back catalogue, which should prove to be a big hit with local music fans.

The Limerick Event Guide 9th birthday takes place on Friday, October 29, Sharon Shannon on Saturday, October 30.
Doors for both shows open at 8pm. Tickets are available from Euro Empire on 061-317211.

Album review - Kings of Leon 'Come Around Sundown'

2010-10-27T08:41:00.004+01:00

Kings of Leon
‘Come Around Sundown’
(Sony)

THERE IS an argument that the Kings of Leon could be considered rock’s version of Wayne Rooney (indulge me here); substitute Croxteth for Tennessee; both were snarling, street-smart and dragged up by their bootstraps as youngsters; both subsequently had their heads turned with the price of money, fame and idolatry (substitute Paul Stretford for Bono as you wish); both threatened to be world-beaters, but have seen their careers level off in recent years.
Hang on, I hear you say, haven’t the Southern rockers sold truckloads of records more since they went mainstream? Yes is the answer, but at what cost?
I must admit to listening to this new Kings record - their fifth - with a heavy-heart. There is little to suggest that the four-piece have cast a knowing glance at their superb, world-beating back catalogue and tried to find out where they lost that urgent, adolescent, grubby rock and roll vibe and replaced it with bland, stadium rock anthems.
However, when you allow this record to sink in (rather grudgingly as a result), it starts to re-engage you; where the Kings have lost their Southern drawl, screeching guitars and dirty, scuzzy rhythms, they have replaced it with an album that is actually quite introspective, thought provoking and tender, in parts at least.
Gone from this offering, thankfully, are the woeful Sex on Fire/Use Somebody-type tracks of predecessor Only By The Night, and present are the brooding, oft-dark and rebellious The End and Radioactive; the grungy The Immortals, the serene Pyro.
A highlight is the lap-steel and violin driven Back Down South, full of handclaps and gospel choirs, cat-calls and back-slapping; while the brassy groove of Mi Amigo is superb.
They may not have hit the heights of yesteryear, but they have gone some way toward redeeming their careers on this offering - and may yet hit the back of the net again in the future. RATING 3/5

Interview with O Emperor

2010-10-21T14:42:00.002+01:00

ACROSS A Limerick city centre hotel, Waterford band O Emperor are clearly discernible from the business power lunches taking place in the riverside restaurant, five scruffy looking individuals eagerly tucking into fish and chips, huddled around a table, awaiting the arrival of yours truly.
While they clearly stand out among the suits, shirts and ties, the five piece, who have just released one of the albums of the year in Hither Thither, also exude a dynamism and natural confidence in each other’s company, the type of attitude that can only come from years of gigging and touring together.
The fact that they are childhood and school-friends adds to that aura, as they complete each other’s sentences and giggle mercilessly at each other’s answers.

O Emperor are made up of Paul Savage, Richie Walsh, Alan Comerford, Philip Christie and Brendan Fennessy and despite their young age, have produced one of the most assured and anticipated albums of the year - a shoo-in for a Choice Prize nomination and possible win. Boasting a deeply layered sound, mature instrumentation - ringing guitars, shimmering, lush soundscapes and delicate pianos - and songs that namecheck influences as diverse as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Midlake, The Band and Neil Young; simply put, this is an astonishing piece of work from such a young band.

Not many bands get two opportunities to record their debut album, but then not many bands are of the level that O Emperor have reached in just a few short years.
This band recorded their debut in Kinsale over a six-month period, had it packaged and printed, and then decided to scrap it - using the completed album as a calling card to record companies. A management deal was signed, a contract was secured with Universal Ireland, and the five piece headed back into the studio to re-record some of the original songs, and some newer ones.
There is a palpable sense of relief at finally releasing the much anticipated product.

“Yeah definitely, it has been a long time coming,” says Paul, something of a spokesman for the group.
“It is nice to have an actual body of work out that people can judge - people always ask you what you sound like and you never know what to tell them, at least if you have an album they can listen to it and find out what you are about,” he adds.
Asked if they are happy with the end result, Philip leans in: “We are pretty happy with it. We had a long time to mull it over and get everything that we wanted on it - we would want to be happy at this stage! If we weren't, I don't think we ever would be”.
“It was pretty crucial we get it right this time, because it was last chance really, we couldn't possibly do it a third time. But it was pretty easy to do, it was all done in four weeks,” adds Savage.

However, the experience of recording themselves and then going into a studio to work with an engineer ultimately helped shape this album, the band explain, meaning they almost skipped that ‘first album’ experience that many bands suffer through.
“That kind of helped in the end really, because we had such a good idea of where the songs were going from having all that time to play around with,” says Brendan.
“It definitely wouldn't have happened as easy if we hadn't gone through the process of recording the songs already and gigging them so much,” he adds.

The obvious closeness between the five friends must help as well, certainly given their eery harmonies, which often number five separate parts in a song.
“We all feel the same way about what is a good song, and seem to have the same sort of idea about what we want a song to sound like,” says Brendan.
“We never really thought of doing anything else to be honest. We didn't have an original vision, but once we had a set of songs that all worked together, then we decided to do something with it.”
Paul takes up the baton: “I think everyone needs to be equally as passionate about it; if it gets to any stage when you have a leader and a sideman, people start thinking, what's the point? If it is everyone's collective responsibility, you feel the same and put a lot more into it”.

Brendan adds with a grin: “It helps more in terms of touring. I suppose we are used to playing with each other live, but definitely touring it helps - we know each other too well, we have no qualms telling each other where to go!”

O Emperor play Upstairs in Dolan’s this Saturday night. Hither Thither is on general release.

Album review - Strands

2010-10-21T12:49:00.002+01:00

Strands
‘Strands’
(Casino Gravity)

YOU MAY not immediately recognise the name Stephen Shannon, nor the moniker for his new solo project Strands.
Chances are however, that you have heard the man’s work, seeing as his production abilities have graced most of the finest independent Irish releases in recent memory.

Shannon, in his Experimental Audio studio, has produced some of the best loved Irish albums over the last few years, from Cap Pas Cap to Crayonsmith, Babybeef to Vyvienne Long, David Turpin to Adrian Crowley’s Choice Prize winning Season of the Sparks, as well as playing live with Crowley.
Somehow, Shannon also found time to be an integral member of electronica extraordinaires Halfset, whose two beguiling albums Dramanalog and Another Way of Being There lit up a dull Irish ambient electronica scene.
The news on Shannon’s debut solo record is equally as enlightening; while not bursting with the energy that Halfset poured into their work, the Strands album sees Shannon wrap some delightfully kaleidoscopic melodies around an element of subtle menace, the elegant 11-track offering oozing class.

Echoing elements of Chequerboard, his own band, Lemonjelly and tinges of the sweeping, glacial soundscapes of Sigur Ros, Shannon continually manages to disguise deep, dark elements among seemingly saccharine melodies - to a wow-factor on second track Chow Bell, which features militaristic drums and opulent pianos, splashed across a lush soundscape that sounds eerily like an early David Kitt track, without the grating vocals.
The guitar-based bounce of Framed belies the brooding base line contained underneath, while the shimmering electro-beats of Tremon wash over the listener.
The ever-expanding, at times pounding Temper is a certain highlight, as are the effervescent drums, harpsichords and melodions contained on second from last track Home.

All in all an excellent debut solo offering from Ireland’s finest contemporary producer.

RATING 4/5

Rubberbandits, Sharon Shannon for St. John's Church series

2010-10-13T16:22:00.004+01:00

THOSE nice folks over at Eightball.ie have given us a heads up on the next acts to form part of the Autumn:Winter Collection series of shows to be staged in the delightful St. John’s Church, which already includes sold out gigs with Bell X1 and Villagers over the next two months.

The local promoters have announced a further three series dates, including a rare opportunity to see the superb Sharon Shannon in the intimate 14th century church, plus a unique and innovative “Intimate Evening With The Rubberbandits”.

Eightball.ie will also celebrate the ninth birthday of the popular Limerick Event Guide magazine with a show featuring the cream of the crop of local musical talent at the end of October.

The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, We Should Be Dead, Walter Mitty and The Realists, Nick Carswell and the Elective Orchestra and more will come together to celebrate the LEG’s ninth birthday, followed by a party in The Loft @ The Locke Bar afterward, with top local DJs taking to the stage, including Leon and A2DF, Greenwood and Broken Funk.

Chart-topping trad musician Sharon Shannon will take to the stage in St. John’s Church the night afterward, providing fans the opportunity to see the Clare-born artist - one of the finest of her generation - perform her popular songs in the jaw-dropping venue.

Backed by her four-piece band, Shannon will perform an evening of the finest traditional music from her extensive and number one selling back catalogue, which should prove to be a big hit with local music fans.

However, the gig that has us most excited is the news that dastardly duo, The Rubberbandits, will step onto the St. John’s Church alter for a night of insanity and hilarity - big news after selling out a gig in Dolan’s Warehouse recently, and ahead of scheduled national television appearances, including a regular slot on RTE’s top rated comedy show.

The plastic-bag wearing comedians/rappers are planning a live interview as well as performing some of their most popular songs, and this is a must for any self-respecting Rubberbandits fan.

The Limerick Event Guide 9th birthday takes place on October 29, Sharon Shannon on October 30 and the Rubberbandits on November 20.

Tickets are available from Euro Empire on 061-317211.

Album review - O Emperor 'Hither Thither'

2010-10-13T16:08:00.002+01:00

O Emperor

‘Hither Thither’

(Universal)

NOT MANY Irish bands get two cracks at the whip when recording their debut album. But then, there are not many Irish bands around as good as Waterford five piece O Emperor, fewer still who have produced a debut album as incredibly confident and assured as this.

Boasting a deeply layered sound, mature instrumentation - ringing guitars, shimmering, lush soundscapes and delicate pianos - and songs that namecheck influences as diverse as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Midlake, The Band and Neil Young; simply put, this is an astonishing piece of work from such a young band.

Holed up in in a cottage over a period of six months, the fledgling band - all of whom are schoolfriends and went to college together in Cork - recorded their album by their own endeavour, but then wisely allowed an early EP and rapturously received live performances to allow word to spread. As a result, O Emperor were picked up by Universal and decided to go back into the studio to re-record the album over a rapidly quick period, recording new songs and allowing the older ones to develop into fully fledged adults.

The results are stunning.

The soft-core, Radiohead-bass-chug of opener Don Quixote is an immediate eye-opener, vocalist Paul Savage allowing his voice to descend into a Thom Yorke sneer, while the guitars scream in the background.

The unexpectedly delicate piano-based rhythm of the subtle Sedalia is equally as impressive, the band mixing a dash of Syd Barret with more quaint English 1970s folk-rock.

Intertwining three part - at times five-part - vocal harmonies on certain songs, most notably the excellent single Don’t Mind Me, O Emperor effortlessly achieve heights no other Irish band has hit in recent times.

The weirdly spine-tingling and ghostly reverb of the Echo and the Bunnymen influenced Heisenberg is another highlight, as is the simple yet effective Catch-22.

There might not be enough upbeat moments on this album for many listeners, but it is a stunning piece of work, and one which loudly hints at further riches to come from this band.

RATING 4/5

Album review - Windings 'It's Never Night'

2010-10-06T12:48:00.003+01:00

Windings

‘It’s Never Night’

(Out On A Limb Records)

CHOOSING TO open this album with the soft, atmospheric and warmly folk-tinged track ‘Lil Hands’ is something of a masterstroke by windings frontman Steve Ryan - proving immediately that this band is the antithesis of his former band, the hard-rocking Giveamanakick.

That said, the cheery, “woo” opening of second song Brain Fluid is the polar opposite of that hushed offering, and a demonstration of this band’s range, now that a “definitive” windings line-up has been found featuring, in particular, Ryan’s long time collaborator and friend Liam Marley, who brought a high level of multi-instrumental and song-writing skills to the table in 2008, with Aaron Mulhall’s drumming abilities and Patrick O’Brien (of Last Days of Death Country fame) added later.

This settled unit, which initially offered Ryan a font with which to express his musical alter ego, has now, with a settled line-up and collaborative process in place, given him the position in which to flex his musical muscles in a way that GAMAK could not.

Brain Fluid was the lead single from the album and impressed many on its release earlier this year for ringing with a sunny pop sensibility evocative of Teenage Fanclub or REM but we (proudly) knew of Ryan’s potential since the first windings release in 2005 - and through his antics with his former band, now sadly disbanded but not forgotten.

The Limerick man’s effortless electric guitar skills and fingerprints are all over this album, particularly on the aforementioned lead single, the upbeat yet retro Poor In The Mouth and the rockier You Did.

But it is the folk driven songs we love most here, the epic, stomach churning Apologia, finishing as it does with a post-rock wig out; the beautifully wistful Song of the Doomed; and the gorgeously warm Old Like J, a stone-wall album highlight that you won’t be able to get out of your head for days, and won’t want to for that matter.

The changing, twisting seven-something minutes of These Horses Also Ran is firm proof if you needed it that this album was worth the wait, chugging toward a soaring finish with rat-tat drumming and jangling guitars, bursting into a furious, eye-opening climax. A long time coming, but worth the wait - and then some.

RATING 4/5

Limerick Live on Cruises Street this Saturday

2010-09-29T14:54:00.002+01:00

THE CREAM of the crop from the Irish music scene comes to Limerick this weekend for the debut music and arts festival Limerick Live, which is set to bring hundreds of music fans onto Cruises Street.
The superb Fight Like Apes and rising stars O Emperor will be joined by The High Kings and John Spillane, as well as exciting local acts We Should Be Dead, Supermodel Twins and Windings on two stages on the city centre pedestrian street.
The impressive initiative is being spearheaded by HMV on Cruises Street, in association with Dolan’s Warehouse - who will host Fight Like Apes, We Should Be Dead and Supermodel Twins in the Dock Road venue on Saturday night - and is being supported by the Limerick Chronicle and Limerick’s Live 95FM.
There will be two stages set-up on Cruises Street during the day, with some of Limerick’s brightest talent performing on the second staged, including performances from the Art In Motion Performance Company directed by Jenny Brown and guests, Myles Breen of Bottom Dog Productions, Choke Comedy Improv and Centrespace Studios. There will also be a signing area where fans can meet the bands and get autographs.
O Emperor are first on stage at 12pm on Saturday and we strongly recommend getting down early to see one of the finest Irish bands in recent memory.
Designed to be a “fun filled day out for all the family”, the street festival is intended to “celebrate what Limerick city has to offer”, according to HMV manager, Chris Keena.
“Essentially the idea behind the event is to promote Limerick city by providing people with a quality event that not only appeals to every walk of life but offers value for money,” explained HMV store manager Chris Keena.
“It is our sincerest hope that Limerick Live will grow and develop as an event and continue to attract people back to the city by re-establishing the city as the heart of the county,” he added. Dolan’s supremo Mick added his voice to a call for similar events established in the city.
“We need a project like this – and more like it – to drive on the city and take us out of the recession,” said Mick.
The FREE music and arts event takes place from 12-5pm on Saturday, while the event moves down to Dolan’s Warehouse from 9pm that night.

* We will be posting an interview with Fight Like Apes here tomorrow, do come back!

New play Chicane in the Belltable this week

2010-09-29T14:34:00.002+01:00

A BLACKLY comic thriller, where the audience should “expect the unexpected”, is how Guna Nua Theatre Company’s Chicane is described, boasting a top notch cast and direction by Limerick man Paul Meade, a renowned actor in his own right.
Written by first time playwright Anthony Brophy and featuring Barry Barnes, Emmet Kirwan - of RTE’s Sarah and Steve - and highly promising up and coming actress Jane McGrath, this is definitely not one to miss.
Steeped in film noir and effectively a cinematic thriller on your local stage, Chicane is packed with suspense, violence and deceit and receives its world premiere on Limerick’s Belltable stage, a considerable coup for the venue.
“It is a thriller, set in a lawyer's office in contemporary Dublin and basically what people can expect is the unexpected,” laughs Paul Meade, founder of Guna Nua, whom local audiences may remember brought the superb ‘Little Gem’ to the Belltable in recent times.
“The name Chicane refers to something in the story, but it also refers to all the twists and turns in the play and it brings you around a different corner every ten pages or so. The play is like a revenge play, but your perception of what is happening is constantly being subverted. It is set in one office, there are three characters and it is really intense, but very funny at times - it is playful in the sense that it is constantly changing in that you don't know what is going to come next.”
He adds with a smile: “There are a lot of film noir overtones. If you like thrillers or black comedy, you will love this”.
The three-hander is a suspenseful whodunit, but is ultimately a story of love and loyalty. Happily, it provides the Dublin based Meade - whose performance in the Georgian House located Buck Jones and the Bodysnatchers lingers long in the memory - with a chance to return to his home city.
“It is great to be back in Limerick and it is always great to be in the Belltable - they have been very supportive of Guna Nua for the last number of years with Little Gem and this,” he says effusively.
Chicane runs in the Belltable @ 36 Cecil Street until Saturday, October 2.

Panic with The Rubberbandits in Dolan's this Thursday night

2010-09-29T12:48:00.004+01:00

Mornin' folks (is it afternoon already?).. Apologies for the lack of posting up here over the last few weeks - if anyone is still reading - but Electric Picnic, holidays and black tie balls have crippled our output in recent times.. Back on the air and delighted to say there is loads going on over the next few days, weeks and months, all of which you can read about in the pages of the Chronicle/Leader, or get the rag-tag bits and bobs here!

This Thursday sees local heroes The Rubberbandits return to their roots for a show in Dolan's Warehouse as part of the excellent new Panic! club night, which has already featured DJ sets from Newton Faulkner and Ocean Colour Scene and the superbly talented Redneck Manifesto last Thursday. This week the 'Bandits (after their recent exploits at EP '10 and in the capital, see below, thanks to Ken Coleman for the pics) are joined at Panic! by DJs Paul Webb, Leon and John Kelly - all for the princely sum of five squids.. But get down for 10.30pm, because it'll be sold out by 10.35pm we reckon..

LIMERICK’S dastardly rap-comic duo The Rubberbandits - who maintain their secret identities by performing with plastic bags over their heads - joined a list of guest speakers that includes Jonathan Swift and Nelson Mandela by making an appearance before the Trinity College Philosophical Society recently.
The improbable appearance came hot on the heels of a rapturously received gig at the Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, at which the Limerick duo were joined on stage by Crystal Swing, and also after the duo sold out Dublin music venue Whelan’s last week, on a Sunday night no less, an impressive achievement in itself.
The duo are also set to appear on Brendan O’Connor’s The Saturday Night show on RTE in the coming weeks, and have also recently been filiming a weekly slot on one of RTE’s top rated comedy shows - the identity of which cannot yet be revealed.
The Rubberbandits were invited to appear at the Trinity Philosophical Society - known as 'The Phil' - last week and caused such a commotion that a roadblock had to be erected on the Dublin city centre campus, with security shutting down the building the minute they came off stage, according to a spokesperson for the duo.
To put their appearance in some perspective, in recent years the society has played host to guests such as actor Al Pacino, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, presidential candidate John McCain, actress Dame Helen Mirren, writer Sir Salman Rushdie and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
The ‘Bandits themselves said of the appearance: “We just made an appearance before the Trinity College Philosophical society where we were guest speakers. They got us to sign some old brown book that had signatures from eejits out of the 1700's with long names. Today is the first time that a drawing of Bob Marley saying "chuckig our law" has been inscribed in those pages. I spotted that Jonathan Swift wrote something about UB40 in it though in fairness”.
The Rubberbandits return to Limerick this Thursday, September 30 for a special gig in Dolan’s Warehouse as part of the new Panic! weekly clubnight.

Album review - The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra 'Lowering the Tone'

2010-09-22T16:21:00.002+01:00

The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra

‘Lowering the Tone’

(Silly Goose Records)

IF THERE was a fear that the devilishly theatrical musical collective of The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra might struggle to replicate their joyous, energetic live magnetism on record, that is quelled instantly on listening to the superb, brass-fuelled New Miracle, one of the stand-out tracks on the local band’s much-anticipated debut album, Lowering the Tone.

An ensemble that work in tandem with each other, indeed feed off each other in the live arena, this reviewer feared that the BPLO - in particular producer and chief songwriter David Blake - might struggle to capture that intensity on CD.

Thankfully, this is not the case, from the swooning, undulating opener of December to the more subtle and gentle album closer Lion’s Share.

Formed around the central triumvirate of the Blake siblings - David, Ann and James - the BPLO boast some superb musicians among their ranks, and this class is immediately apparent on an album that has been due for some time.

The band’s status is apparent from the presence of Today FM DJ and The Undertones singer Paul McLoone - a major fan of the group - who assumes mouth tuba duties on the brass-fuelled New Miracle, which packs a wonderfully vaudevillian flavour and some of the finest harmonies heard on record for some time.

The ability of the BPLO to flit between the carefree swing of the undulating December, the smooth, louche lounge-lizard tones of Grace Jones, the haunted, electric-rock groove of The Devil and Me (our favourite track) and epic crescendo of Soon!, is simply remarkable.

There are some other more heartfelt tracks, in particular the soaring, harmony-driven Millionaire and the heart-breaking All I Want, which would make a grown man weep.

The vivid lyrics are an eye opener also, in particular on the superb We Walked On - “we lifted a serpent, a dead man was healed / he spoke with a forked tongue, a truth was revealed”.

The sea-shantyesque balled Long Time Rogue is about the only off-key note on what is a superb, joy-filled, dervish of an album.

RATING: 4/5

Electric Picnic 2010 preview (plus stage times for local acts)

2010-09-02T10:49:00.010+01:00

IT IS the final major festival of the summer, and the weather looks set to put everyone in good humour as Electric Picnic approaches this weekend.

A sizeable contingent of local fans will again make the pilgrimage to the gorgeous rolling plains of Stradbally, but among the masses is a large contingent of local artists who will also perform at the three day music and arts festival.

As it is classed as such, Electric Picnic is not just about music - rather it offers a mind-bending array of comedy, theatre and discussion - indeed everything from political debate to cooking demonstrations - among such headline acts as Roxy Music, Massive Attack, Leftfield and The Frames.

Local bands such as The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, Nick Carswell and the Elective Orchestra, Size2Shoes and the Limerick-based Roots Factory DJs will be joined by local comedian Karl Spain, the Choke Comedy Improv troupe and actor Zeb Moore, who will be performing his one-man show Spinal Krapp in the Theatre Tent in the Mindfield arena.

However, the pick of the bunch - and our absolute stone-cold highlight for the weekend - has to be the Rubberbandits pending debut appearance with cult-heroes Crystal Swing in the Little Big Arena on Friday night.

The bizarre gig - it is true, believe us! - will be one of two the Rubberbandits will play at the weekend, with the second an appearance on the Comedy Stage on Saturday. In an attempt to get an official comment from one of the plastic-bag wearing duo ahead of their appearance with Irish pop-trio Crystal Swing, On the Beat contacted one half of the dastardly duo to find out why they had chosen the Irish band as their special guests.

“I have fancied the Ma in Crystal Swing since I first seen her,” explains Mr Chrome in his inimitable Limerick accent.

“She has this pure captivating look in her eyes. It is as if her iris is the setting for a fight between innocence and sin, and I am the referee. Finally, at the Picnic I will get my chance to shift the face off her,” laughs the Rubberbandit.

Local comedian Karl Spain will perform on a different type of stage as he hosts “ESB Picnic Power” on Sunday afternoon. Essentially a carnival style carousel with thirty bicycles powering an electric shower, Spain will be on hand to get volunteers onto the bikes and may even avail of a hot shower himself!

“It should be good craic. The thing has been described to me as a shower thing that is like a carousel, with 30 people on bikes creating enough energy to power the shower in the middle,” he says.

“My theory is, if you have 30 people cycling, all of them are going to need a shower afterwards! I dont know if that flaw has been thought through,” he laughs. Spain will also perform on the Comedy Stage on Sunday.

The local comedian has played at Electric Picnic a number of times, and says people need to take a break from the madness, and what better place than the comedy tent.

“It is a great idea having comedy at these things, because it is down time. As much as people like to think they are going to go mad for 72 hours, they are not, they need to sit and chill out for a while, and listen to someone who will entertain you,” he explains.

Local musicians Nick Carswell and David Blake of the BPLO are of a similar opinion and are big ‘Picnic fans.

“We're delighted to be playing again, especially in Body and Soul arena, which is the big cosy heart of the festival,” says Nick, who will play with his band on Sunday afternoon on the Love Letters Stage.

“It's the perfect setting for The Elective Orchestra - last year our stage was made from a fallen tree so we can't wait to see the setup, it's always a bit magical. We'll be soothing some sore heads on Sunday afternoon while gearing people up for the last day of the fest,” he adds.

The BPLO will play in the Theatre Tent in the Mindfield area on Sunday night, closing out proceedings in that tent.

“We're thrilled to be invited back to play the Electric Picnic again this year,” says David. “Delightfully we're due to play in the Theatre Tent this year (and the Cabaret tent) which should house our many members. Since we're playing in a tent, we'll be hoping for rain to drive the punters in! Just kidding,” he laughs.

No such luck Mr Blake, the forecast this weekend is for sun, and we can expect plenty of laughter along the way.

Electric Picnic takes place this Friday to Sunday in Stradbally, and some tickets remain on sale from ticketmaster.ie

Don’t miss:

The Rubberbandits (Friday, Little Big Arena, 1.15am and Saturday, Comedy Stage 4pm)

Choke Comedy Improv (Saturday, Theatre Tent, 12.30pm)

Size2Shoes (Saturday, Village Green Bandstand, 2pm)

The Roots Factory (Saturday, Trenchtown, 5-8pm and midnight to 4am)

Spinal Krapp (Theatre Tent, Saturday, 5.30pm)

Karl Spain (Sunday, Comedy Tent)

Nick Carswell and the Elective Orchestra (Sunday, Love Letters Stage, Body and Soul, 4pm)

The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra (Sunday, Theatre Tent, 7.30pm)

Electric Picnic 2010 stage times (plus Body and Soul)

2010-09-01T11:42:00.005+01:00

The times are up, gonna need to plan fairly well, some interesting clashes, not least Jonsi and Modest Mouse on Friday night (eek!).. I will have a list of stage times and locations for local acts up shortly also, or see this week's Limerick Chroncile..

FRIDAY

Main Stage:
10:30pm – midnight Roxy Music
8:45pm – 9:45pm Modest Mouse
7:15pm – 8:15pm The Waterboys
6:00pm – 6:45pm Janelle Monáe
4:45pm – 5:30pm The Jolly Boys
3:45pm – 4:15pm Donal Dineen. Niwel Tsumbu & Friends

Electric Arena:
10:45pm – midnight Public Image Ltd
9:00pm – 10:00pm Jonsi (Sigur Ros)
7:15pm – 8:15pm Marc Almond
6:00pm – 6:45pm Black Mountain
4:45pm – 5:15pm Chew Lips
3:45pm – 4:15pm Nova Static

Crawdaddy Stage:
10:50pm – 12midnight Eels
9:20pm – 10:20pm Foals
7:45pm – 8:35pm Laura Marling
6:30pm – 7:15pm Hurts
5:30pm – 6:00pm Joe Echo
4:30pm – 5:00pm Cloud Castle Lake

Cosby Stage:
11:00pm – 12midnight Duke Special
9:45pm – 10:30pm Stars
8:30 pm – 9:15pm Cymbals Eat Guitars
7:30 pm – 8:00pm Here We Go Magic
6:30 pm – 7:00pm MNDR
5:30 pm – 6:00pm Delta Maid
4:45 pm – 5:15pm Vengeance & the Panther Queen
4:00 pm – 4:30pm James O’Connor with Audrey Trainor

Little Big Tent:
01:15am – 02:00am Rubberbandits feat Crystal Swing
12:15am – 01:00am Kormac’s Big Band
10:45pm – 11:45pm Booka Shade
9:30pm – 10:30pm Sneaky Soundsystem
8:30pm – 9:30pm Sebastian Leger
7:15pm – 8:15pm The Subs
6:00pm – 7:00pm Lorcan Mac
5:00pm – 6:00pm Phil Ryan
4:00pm – 5:00pm LRB

Body and Soul:
22:40-03:30 Donal Dineen live, with guests
22:00-22:40 Janelle Monae
20:35-21:20 Freelance Whales
19:10-19:50 Johnny Flynn
18:00-18:40 I Draw Slow
17:00-17.30 Que Pezon
16:00-16:30 Bocs Social

SATURDAY:
Main Stage:
12.30am – 2.00am Leftfield
10.30pm –11.45pm The Frames
8.45pm – 9.45pm Imelda May
7.00pm – 8.00pm Seasick Steve
5.15pm – 6.15pm Afro Celt Soundsystem
3.30pm – 4.30pm Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
2:15pm – 2:55pm Heathers
1.30pm – 2.00pm Mountain Man
12.30pm – 1.00pm Brian Deady

Electric Arena:
10:45pm – 12:15am LCD Soundsystem
8:45pm – 9:45pm Hot Chip
7:00pm – 8:00pm Bad Lieutenant
5:15pm – 6:15pm Crystal Castles
4:00pm – 4:45pm K'Naan
2:45pm – 3:30pm Robyn
1:30pm – 2:00pm Spilly Walker
12:30pm – 1:00pm Channel One

Crawdaddy Stage:
12midnight – 1:00am Gil Scott Heron
9:45pm – 10:45pm Cathy Davey
8:15pm – 9:15pm Steve Earle
6:45pm – 7:45pm Paul Brady
5:15pm – 6:15pm Villagers
4:00pm – 4:45pm Redneck Manifesto
2:30pm – 3:15pm Adrian Crowley
1:30pm – 2:00pm And So I Watch You From Afar
12:30pm – 1:00pm Goodtime John

Cosby Stage:
01:00am – 02:00am Joker & Nomad
11:50pm – 12:50am Edan
10:45pm – 11:35pm Monotonix
9:15pm – 10:15pm Brendan Perry
7:45pm – 8:45pm The Antlers
6:30pm – 7:15pm Steve Mason
5:15pm – 6:00pm Philip Selway
4:00pm – 4:45pm These New Puritans
3:00pm – 3:30pm Fang Island
2:00pm – 2:30pm The Mighty Stef
1:00pm – 1:30pm Aaron Wright

Little Big Tent:
00:45am – 2:00am Bloody Beetroots
10:45pm – 00:15am Tiga
9:45pm – 10:45pm Daniel Wang
8:30pm – 9:30pm The Japanese Popstars
7:25pm – 8:15pm Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip
6:10pm – 7:10pm Stacey Pullen
5:15pm – 6:00pm Crystal Fighters
4:00pm – 5:00pm Arveene & Misk
2:00pm – 3:50pm Trojan Soundsystem
12:30pm – 2:00pm Mikki Dee & Mystro

Body and Soul:
03:30-04:30 Phil Retrospector
02:15-03:15 Martin Hayes and Denis Cahill
00:45-01:45 Caribou
22:30-23:30 Crystal Fighters
21:00-21:40 Timber Timbre
19:50-20:30 Jimmy the Hideous Penguin
18:40-19:20 John Smith
17:20-18:00 Tucan
16:00-16:40 Lisa O’ Neill
15:10-15:40 Low Sea
14:00-14:40 SPECIAL GUESTS
12:50-13:30 Nouveaunoise
11:50-12:30 Ultan Conlon

SUNDAY:

Main Stage:
10.30pm – midnight Massive Attack
8.45pm – 9.45pm The National
7:10pm – 8:00pm Mumford & Sons
5:30pm – 6:30pm Friendly Fires
3.45pm – 4.45pm Dennis Alcapone
2:30pm – 3.15pm Bonobo (live)
1.15pm – 2.00pm Cymande II
12 noon – 12.45pm Dublin Gospel Choir

Electric Arena:
9:30pm – 10:40pm Fever Ray
7:45pm – 8:45pm UNKLE
6:15pm – 7:15pm Fat Freddy’s Drop
5:00pm – 5:45pm Two Door Cinema Club
3:30pm – 4:15pm Beardyman
2:30pm – 3:00pm DaM-FunK + Master Blazter
1:30pm – 2:00pm Neon Indian
12:30pm – 1:00pm Messiah J & the Expert

Crawdaddy Stage:
11:00pm – 12midnight Wolf Parade
9:15pm – 10:15pm Low Anthem
7:45pm – 8:45pm The Horrors
6:30pm – 7:15pm The Big Pink
5:15pm – 6:00pm Fight Like Apes
4:00pm – 4:45pm The Alarm
2:45pm – 3:30pm Stornoway
1:30pm – 2:15pm The Tallest Man on Earth
12:30pm – 1:00pm James McMorrow

Cosby Stage:
11:00pm – midnight New Pornographers
9:15pm – 10:15pm The Fall
7:45pm – 8:30pm Liquid Liquid
6:15pm – 7:15pm Archie Bronson Outfit
5:00pm – 5:45pm Field Music
3:50pm – 4:30pm Dandelion
2:50pm – 3:20pm Jerry Fish
2:00pm – 2:30pm O Emperor
1:00pm – 1:30pm Land Lovers
12 noon – 12:30pm Riptide Movement

Little Big Tent:
10:45pm – 12midnight Laurent Garnier live
9:15pm – 10:15pm 808 State
8:00pm – 9:00pm Juan Atkins
7:00pm – 7:55pm Mixhell
5:45pm – 6:45pm Jackbeats
2:30pm – 5:30pm Mr Scruff
1:30pm – 2:15pm Lorcan Mak

Body and Soul:
03:00-03.30 Visuals & Close
02:30-02:45 Judith Mok feat. Shane Booth & Daniel Forde performing Love & Life in Operatic Recital
01:00-02:00 Omar Souleyman
23:30-00:30 John Cooper Clarke
22:50-23:05 Sfear
21:30-22:30 Iarla O Lionaird & Steve Cooney
20:10-21:00 Neon Indian
18:30-19:15 Martina Topley Bird
17:25-18:00 Arborera
16:05-16:55 Cymande II
14:50-15:25 Special Guest
14:00-14:30 Jennifer Evans
13:00-13:30 Daithi O’Dronai
12.00-12.30 Paul Melia

Album review - Philip Selway 'Familial'

2010-08-25T09:56:00.000+01:00

Philip Selway
‘Familial’
(Bella Union)

ONE OF THE world’s most proficient drummers, Philip Selway’s innovative timing and off-kilter rhythms give Radiohead their most distinctive edge. Odd then, that Selway’s debut solo album features very little - almost none in fact - of his trademark off-beat drumming.
Instead, we get a deeply personal, understated and at times whimsical offering that deals with themes of growing old and the importance of family - hence the name.
Selway is the third Radiohead member to venture into the solo realm after Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood, and those expecting a duff offering - as is often the norm for drummers from hugely commercial bands - will be pleasantly surprised.
Radiohead fans will not, knowing that Selway has provided backing vocals on several occasions over the band’s seven studio albums - the eighth which is currently being recorded, but not before the engaging Selway takes his own solo compositions on tour.
And what a voice he has. It is not showy or flashy, or similar to the tear-inducing falsetto that Yorke is famous for - rather Selway’s is nuanced and subtle, allowing his voice to creak and crack where necessary.
His impressive range is complemented by the fact that, to a large degree, Selway allows his voice to be the main instrument on the album - and avoids any Radiohead-type sounds, a few digital glitches aside.
The hushed and haunted By Some Miracle opens the album in stunning, Nick Drake style, Selway’s deliciously off-kilter melodies accompanied by gentle harmonies - courtesy of Lisa Germano, who worked with Selway and Neil Finn on the 7 Worlds Collide project.
Familial also boasts Wilco members Glenn Kotche and Pat Sanson - impressive special guests if you can get them, but then Selway’s day-job probably helps with that.
The drumming loops, handclaps and digital rattles of the Tom McCrae-sounding Beyond Reason is the closest Selway allows himself to stray toward Radiohead’s territory.
It is the three core songs of the superb Ties That Bind Us - a countrified and harmonic folky offering with deep double-bass sounds - the very delicate and subversive Patron Saint and sweeping, string-driven Falling, that forms the emotional heartbeat of this album. The ghostly, slow-burning Don’t Look Down is the stand-out track on offer on an album that should open the eyes of both Radiohead and non-fans alike.
Superb.
Rating 4/5

Electric Picnic 2010 day by day breakdown

2010-08-20T10:43:00.002+01:00

The full day to day/night by night breakdown of acts playing at Electric Picnic (on the main stages at least) has been released, with Limerick's Rubberbandits - pictured launching the festival above - set for a Friday night slot with special guests Crystal Swing (the highlight of the weekend in the making, methinks..)

Just two weeks to go!!

Friday:

Roxy Music
Public Image Limited
Modest Mouse
The Waterboys
Jonsi (Sigur Ros)
Marc Almond
Janelle Monae
Eels
Foals
Booka Shade
Duke Special
Laura Marling
Kormac’s Big Band
Stars
Sebastien Leger
Black Mountain
The Rubberbandits feat Crystal Swing
Sneaky Soundsystem DJ set
MNDR
Here We Go Magic
Chew Lips
Hurts
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Joe Echo
Freelances Whales
Delta Maid
James O’Connor
Nova Static
Donal Dineen, Niwel Tsumbu & Friends
Vengeance & the Panther Queen
The Subs
LRB
Phil Ryan

Saturday:

Leftfield
The Frames
LCD Soundsystem
Imelda May
Hot Chip
Seasick Steve
Gil Scott Heron
Tiga
Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77
AfroCelt Soundsystem
Steve Earle
Bad Lieutenant
Villagers
Paul Brady
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Cathy Davey
Crystal Castles
Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
Redneck Manifesto
K’Naan
The Antlers
Robyn
Brendan Perry
And So I Watch You From Afar
Steve Mason
Heathers
Ryan Sheridan
The Japanese Popstars
Stacey Pullen
Edan the MC
Adrian Crowley
Joker & Nomad
Mountain Man
Monotonix
Philip Selway
Arveene & Misk
These New Puritans
Spilly Walker
Fang Island
Daniel Wang
Brian Deady
The Mighty Stef
Crystal Fighters
Mikki Dee & Mystro
Trojan Soundsystem
Goodtime John
Channel One

Sunday:

Massive Attack
The National
Mumford & Sons
Fever Ray
Friendly Fires
Fat Freddys Drop
Two Door Cinema Club
UNKLE
Fight Like Apes
Laurent Garnier (live)
Wolf Parade
The Horrors
The Fall
Dennis Alcapone & the Dubcats
New Pornographers
Bonobo (live)
Landlovers
The Big Pink
Low Anthem
Jerry Fish & the Mudbug Club
Liquid Liquid
808 State
Archie Bronson Outfit
Mr Scruff
Field Music
Cymande II
The Tallest Man on Earth
Beardyman
The Alarm
Juan Atkins
Stornoway
Dam Funk
James V McMorrow
Mixhell
Neon Indian
Dublin Gospel Choir
Messiah J & the Expert
Dandelion
O Emperor
Jackbeats
The Riptide Movement

Album review - The Magic Numbers 'The Runaway'

2010-08-20T10:41:00.001+01:00

The Magic Numbers

‘The Runaway’

(Heavenly Recordings)

THIS THIRD album from double-sibling quartet The Magic Numbers is a perplexing affair. Not in terms of the music on offer - it does not mine difficult artistry and complexity - rather it seems to show a quartet who do not want to be the band they have often been pigeonholed as. Often seen as something of a happy clappy harmony band, a la the Mamas and Papas, as a result of their more successful singles from first two albums, in reality both albums were driven by their own share of heartache, a tinge of unease and unhappiness prevalent on each.

It is no different here, on what is a moody, downscaled and often lo-fi affair that opens bursting with strings, but soon quietens almost to a crawl - too quiet by half for our tastes.

Produced by frontman Romeo Stodart and Valgeir Sigurdsson - who has worked with oddballs Bjork and Bonnie Prince Billy - the standout feature of this beguiling album is the weight of the strings present on it, arranged, before he passed away, by Robert Kirby, renowned for his work with the likes of Nick Drake, Sandy Denny and Elvis Costello.

As such, the swooning violins on the Beach House influenced opener ‘The Pulse’ are an impressive start to the record; as is the orchestral swing of Hurt So Good.

Stodart has said the band wanted to avoid the album being driven purely by guitars, instead replacing them with orchestration, and to a certain extent this is case, outside of by-the-numbers tracks such as A Start With No Ending and the ever so slightly Air-esque beat of Once I Had, but as a result the album is a bit samey, a bit maudlin, and a bit, well, bland.

The funky beat of of Why Did You Call is a stand-out, as is the Fleetwood Mac meets Broken Social Scene mash-up of Throwing My Heart Away, but there is not enough here to incite and excite, as the Magic Numbers eponymous 2005 debut did.

A shame, because the band are clearly bursting with talent. Maybe if they embraced their strengths and cheered up a bit, they might hit the perfect note.

Rating: 3/5

The Body Of Christ And The Legs Of Tina Turner

2010-08-10T12:13:00.004+01:00

Listening to Fight Like Apes' new album The Body of Christ and the Legs of Tina Turner, which is due for release on August 27. Track list below, and as we have come to expect from the excitable Dublin (now) trio, it is off the wall and sounds like none of the urgency or humour has been lost from 2008 debut album FLA and the Mystery of the Gold Medallion.

Tracklist:
01 Come On, Let's Talk About Our Feelings
02 Jenny Kelly
03 Pull Off Your Arms And Let's Play In Your Blood
04 Hoo Ha Henry
05 Katmandu (Face It, You're Caviar, I'm Hotdogs)
06 Thank God You Weren't Thirsty (Lightbulb)
07 Poached Eggs
08 Captain A-Bomb
09 Waking Up With Robocop
10 Indie Monster
11 H + Z5 Together At Last
12 Ice Cream Apple Fuck

Should get a review together for next week's Chronicle, although releases from the Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and last week's Arcade Fire album plus Dinosaur, the debut album by John, Shelly and the Creatures (who play Dolan's this Friday, see today's Chronicle for interview) are also occupying much of our listening space at the moment..

The return of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

2010-08-06T10:55:00.004+01:00

JUST WHEN we needed a bit of cheering up, arriving out of the gloom are eight brothers from Chicago on an adrenaline-fuelled jazz train.

Hyperbole, plaudits and acclaim aside, the very fact that Damon Albarn used the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble on the recent Gorillaz record, had them on the main stage at Glastonbury, and released their album on his own label, plus the fact that they are supporting the Wu Tang Clan the night before they come to Limerick - tells its own tale.

This is a tale of eight brothers and their friend and drummer Christopher Anderson, who form this spiritual and cosmically connected brass-jazz-hip hop ensemble - and who play in Dolan’s Warehouse this Friday night.

The eight brothers, led by spokesman Gabriel ‘Hudah’ Hubert, who joined On the Beat for a genial chat recently, are sons all of the legendary jazz musician Philip Cohran, who had a seminal role with Sun Ra in Chicago in the 1950s.

Cohran turned 83 recently, and his sons were by his side to help him celebrate.

“He is still coaching us and gives us pointers on life,” says Hudah.

“Any time he hears about the things that we do, he always tells us how proud of us he is, and how much more that we have to do. Our father told us that music is supposed to be inspiring and we are here to inspire and as long as I can get that point across and people come up to us after the shows and say they had a great time, then that means I can go on with my job,” he adds.

Witnessing a live HBE show is simply hypnotic, in the absence of a better description, the eight brothers employing a mixture of battered brass instruments - tubas, trombones, trumpets - swaying and swinging as they play.

They have also added a new element of lyricism and crowd participation, beefing up their act considerably.

“The more and more you do something, the better you get at it, and you always try and flip it up and make it fresh so it doesn't become boring to you, and as long as you can be creative and keep it exciting, then the crowd is going to receive that,” says Hudah.

“Our father says when you open and close with a great song, then everything you do in the middle is going to be excellent, so we try to keep that format going and try to be as free as we can and definitely try and loosen up the crowd,” he adds.

Unprompted, the HBE member instantly namechecks the band’s recent gig in Dolan’s, saying he was just watching a You Tube video from that night in April.

“I was just remembering the energy of that crowd out there, it was nice,” he says. “The energy was incredible there last year. Ireland always shows us love, no matter what city we are in, what crowd we are performing before - they seem to love us and we respect the love back, it is a give and take thing that has been working out.”

This is a veritable Band of Brothers, who feel subconsciously connected, so do they believe in fate, that they were destined to follow this path?

“This is no accident, by no means whatsoever. Everything we have done so far has led us to where we are now. The more and more we do it, the more we know we are ambassadors to the world, we are not just representing ourselves, we are representing all the people who we grew up with, and our parents.”

Although the band recently recorded and released an EP with Irish promoters Choice Cuts, there are plans afoot for a full album release in the near future, one that should push HBE into the stratosphere.

“Right now we are back in the process of being in the studio to record some new material, we don't have a release date for it yet, we are just gathering the material because we wanna take the world by storm, we wanna give the people what they know we can give, and what we know we can give - a classic album,” says Hudah.

The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble play in Dolan’s Warehouse this Friday night, along with Limerick’s own B+ (Brian Cross) and Leon.

Album review - Arcade Fire 'The Suburbs'

2010-08-04T16:49:00.000+01:00

Arcade Fire
‘The Suburbs’
(Universal)

AFTER THE near faultless Neon Bible, follow-up to smash debut and album of the decade poll-topping Funeral, it appeared Arcade Fire could do no wrong, particularly in these parts, where they seemed worshipped with a certain reverence.
However, poor early word of mouth on this third album, the strangely titled ‘The Suburbs’, a small-ish crowd at Oxegen to see their headline Friday night appearance - could there be cracks appearing in the world’s biggest alternative band?
Not a bit of it.
True, this is a sprawling, bloated, so-called “concept” album that could have done with co-producer Markus Dravs getting out the scissors and trimming a few tracks - but boy is it a musical hotpotch, a heady brew of deep, dark, often subversive tunes that will take some amount of sampling to pronounce a verdict on.
There is a sense of unease about proceedings here, as if Wyn Butler, Regine Chassagne et al were slightly unconvinced about what they were attempting, but this 16-track beast is a testament to their bravery as artists.
The album boasts some classic rock tunes - Modern Man, an early highlight; synth-driven, Krautrock beats - Sprawl II Mountains Beyond Mountains; and chugging, string driven orchestrations - the pitch-perfect Rococo.
We particularly like the gloom of Sprawl I and II - capturing beautifully the mood and desperation of suburban life - “living in the sprawl/dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains”.
The gentle, almost jaunty opening of The Suburbs is disarming, but the No Cars Go spin-off Ready To Start is unmistakably Arcade Fire, a downbeat offering with a whipping electro finish. The first half of Half Light I recalls Sufjan Stevens with its swirling violins, while its follow-up, Half Light II, is less memorable.
The Fleetwood Mac-meets-Springsteen sheen of Suburban War is one of the highlights - “oh my old friends / they don’t know me now”, while lead single We Used to Wait - echoing as it does Foals/Klaxons - makes more sense when heard in context with the rest of the album.
Don’t listen to the naysayers, this is up there with Arcade Fire’s best work - bizarre Depeche Mode-concept quirks aside - but could still have done with being reduced in scope.
That said, there is enough here to offer a new experience with each new listen.
RATING: 4/5

More additions to Electric Picnic 2010 line-up

2010-08-04T12:08:00.003+01:00

MORE new additions to the Electric Picnic line-up, some of which are very exciting indeed, including new soul diva Janelle Monae, harmonic female trio and recent Bella Union signing Mountain Man, Irish lad Duke Special, dreamy shoegaze pop from Neon Indian, and the superb Irish band O Emperor.

Joining these exciting additions are Dj Dennis Alcapone and the Dubcats, New York's Freelance Whales, Delta Maid, the excellent Joe Echo who has recorded songs for Madonna and Paul Oakenfold, plus Vengenance and the Party Queen.

Some withdrawals also, due to "unforeseen circumstances" Memory Tapes, Breakestra and Chali 2 Na, won't be able to make the Stradbally fest.

Tickets still on sale, we would advise to get cracking if you plan on buying one!

For more see here.

The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble return to Limerick this Friday

2010-08-03T09:28:00.003+01:00

THE EPIC, electric, jazz driven funkof the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble returns to Limerick this Friday, with a very special line-up for the Dolan's Warehouse gig.
Fresh from headlining the main stage at Glastonbury with Gorillaz and a night after playing with Wu Tang Clan in Brixton Academy, the Hypnotic Brass return to Limerick for what should be another spectacular gig.
Joining the Chicago hip-hop jazz ensemble is Limerick's very own B+ (Brian Cross), visionary photographer, filmmaker and DJ, who was responsibile for bringing Brasilintime both to the stage and screen, including a gig in Trinity Rooms courtyard a couple of years ago, featuring the legendary Tony Allen among others.
However, Barack Obama's favourite band will be the main event, and Gabriel 'Hudah' Hubert joined us for an interesting chat for this week's Limerick Chronicle, which hits the streets this Tuesday lunchtime and also features a review of the new Arcade Fire album.

The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble play in Dolan's Warehouse this Friday night. For more see the Limerick Chronicle.

Indiependence Music and Arts Festival

2010-07-30T17:38:00.002+01:00

THE AUGUST Bank Holiday weekend is proving to be the weekend of the small, boutique festival with a number of events taking place to cater for the festival-going crowd who are located beyond the walls of Dublin.
However, by far the most interesting of those small festivals taking place this weekend is the Indiependence Music & Arts Festival, taking place in Mitchelstown, just over the Limerick border and a mere 40 minutes drive from the city.
There is nothing small about this festival though, the brainchild of Shane Dunne, who went to college in the University of Limerick from 1997 to 2002.
With five stages, 90-plus bands and DJs and a capacity of 4,500 people in a brand new, green-field site, Indiependence is truly the way of the future for music festivals. This is the fifth year of Indiependence, which has grown organically bit-by-bit from its origins as a free concert in the main square in Mitchelstown.
Shane, of Curve Music Management, has brought the festival to this point, where the headliners are none other than the White Lies, Alabama 3 and Reverend and the Makers, which virtually every Irish band worth seeing joining them on the bill, including; Duke Special, Delorentos, Jape, God is an Astronaut, Codes, Super Extra Bonus Party, And So I Watch You From Afar - plus Limerick bands including We Should Be Dead, while Fred, with one member from Limerick, also take to the Indiependence stage.
As befits the name, this is a completely independent festival, and the team have done something few have managed; created a low-cost, affordable festival with a magnificent line-up.
“It is completely independently run,” explained Shane, speaking from the site this week.
“It gives people the option that they don't have to travel too far for their festival, plus the fact that it is only €79 for a weekend camping ticket and the line-up is strong helps. We have capped all the prices on site and it is a really good value weekend on an intimate site with no hassle - it will be a really laid back, enjoyable weekend for everyone I think,” he added.
The short drive from Limerick suggests that local music fans will make up a significant percentage of the crowd, we would wager.
“Yes, it is very close, just a short spin really. I went to UL so it is a road I know well myself,” explained Shane.
“We should have six or seven Limerick bands on the bill in total, we got together with UL Music Society this year to run a couple of ‘Battle of the Band’ events so we got a few from there, and we have We Should Be Dead, who are probably the most well known, outside of the 20 percent of Fred that is from Limerick,” he laughed.
Last year’s event was plagued by poor weather, but Shane is optimistic that this weekend should be better.
“Even though last year the weather was atrocious - it rained for two weeks solid in the run up to it and destroyed the site - the feedback was brilliant and a lot of people who were there last year are definitely coming back,” he explained.
“But this is a much drier site and a much better set-up and the forecast is ok for the next week - no heavy rain predicted, so it should be good.”
Securing the services of hugely popular UK indie band White Lies for their only show in the Republic of Ireland this summer is hugely impressive, and a sign that this festival should continue to grow in years to come.
“It took a little bit of back and forth, they are in the studio this summer doing the second album and they were only planning to come out for really select shows where they are the headline acts, so it is great to get an act like that. They are one of the biggest bands in the UK and I can't wait to get them in here at the weekend and up on stage."
He adds: “I think this year now because we have grown it substantially, it is important to leave it get through this year and consolidate a little bit. If we could get to the stage where we were selling out at 4,500 every year for a couple of years, maybe we could look at stepping on a bit at that stage”.
In the meantime, Indiependence is the place to be this weekend for all keen festival-goers.

Bump Muzik Festival this weekend

2010-07-23T17:34:00.003+01:00

AS THE recession continues to bite the music industry hard, particularly the live scene, smaller, boutique festivals are springing up all over the country in response to the major, corporate music festivals that are simply out of many people’s price range.

Events like the recent Body and Soul Gathering in Mulllingar and No Place Like Dome in Sligo, plus the upcoming Indiependence in Mitchelstown are booming, and Limerick is set to join the ranks this weekend with the Bump Muzik Festival, admittedly being held in and around the Angler’s Rest pub in Clonlara, Co. Clare (see pic above).

However the site is just six miles from Limerick and features predominantly local acts seeking to display their wares to a festival audience.

Bump is set to feature some top DJs and bands playing over two days, with three stages set-up on the idyllic site. With full bar and camping facilities on site, plus the finest in local food, produced by local artisans, this could just be the gig of the summer.

The festival is capped at 700 people - with most of the tickets sold at this point - so crowds won’t be a problem, and as one of the organisers Dan Sykes of Viva Music explains, the concept behind the festival is about a “celebration of music, fun and good people”.

“That is what it is all about. You can go to so many things and the vibes aren't right at them. This is about people going to their festival where they can relax and listen to good music, with friendly people. That is what we are trying to promote,” explains Dan, local DJ and promoter.

Running the festival along with Viva are Eanna Byrtt of Dubble Bass, and Emma Ryan of Secret Stash Music.

“The idea came from putting on gigs over the last few years, it was something we wanted to do and put on an event that you would like to go to,” continues Dan, who also runs music production courses from his studio on O’Connell Street.

“We wanted to do something nice and small to capture that community vibe,” he adds.

A host of internationally renowned names are set to play at the festival, including techno maestro Luka Baumann (pic above), tech-house whizz Bearweasel, drum and bass genius Marcus Intalex (pic below) and rising star Rockwell. Irish producer Fran Hartnett and drum and bass DJ Calibre are also in the mix, as are a host of local musicians and crews including Subtle Audio, Micronite, Roots Factory and Cheebah, plus local bands We Should Be Dead and the Freeform Foundation.

“There are big names from outside Limerick but we are really trying to get as many people from Limerick as we can, because there is a really good scene here at the moment that we are trying to promote as well,” says Dan.

“There is enough there to showcase stuff from Limerick - we have the best and the brightest right here, with both the older and newer guys coming through,” he adds.

One of the highlights promises to be the Boudoir Stage, which will feature a “1920 gramophone disco with fancy dress”, according to Dan, while Sunday attendees will be able to purchase a roast dinner, possibly unique among any festival.

“A Sunday roast is something I have always wanted at a festival,” laughs Dan. “The surroundings are idyllic and there is a good energy off the place, you have the Shannon beside you, and there is something to be said about that, definitely,” he adds.

The Bump Muzik Festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Angler’s Rest, Clonlara. Buses will run from Arthur’s Quay from Saturday morning.

For full details see here.

More new acts for Electric Picnic 2010

2010-07-21T10:45:00.006+01:00

AFTER a storming set at Oxegen, the seemingly ubiquitous Bangor electro-poppers Two Door Cinema Club have been added to the bill for this year's Electric Picnic festival, as have Mercury Music Prize nominee Laura Marling; Swedish star Robyn; The Antlers (whoop!); melodic Swedish outfit The Tallest Man On Earth; US indie up and comers Cymbals Eat Guitars; London electro-trio Chew Lips; Brooklyn quintet Fang Island; Dublin four piece The Riptide Movement; Donal Dineen & Friends; and Cork native Brian Deady.

Superb! They join a line-up that already includes Roxy Music, Leftfield, Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem, The Frames and Mumford and Sons.

This latest batch of acts follows a recent announcement regarding the comedy stage at the Stradbally-fest, which will include the likes of Mario Rosenstock, Reginald D Hunter, Ardal O’Hanlon, Phil Jupitus, Ed Byrne, Colin Murphy, Dead Cat Bounce, Glenn Wool, Joe Rooney, Karl Spain, Eleanor Tiernan, Dermot Whelan and many more!

There is now just six weeks to go until the Picnic, and we can't wait! Tickets still available here.

Villagers on shortlist for Mercury Music Prize

2010-07-20T12:23:00.004+01:00

WE ARE delighted to receive the news that Conor J. O'Brien - now better known as leader of Dublin band Villagers - has been nominated for a Mercury Music Prize for his superb, sparkling debut album Becoming a Jackal.

The shortlist was revealed in London earlier today and the winning album will be announced on 7 September.

The full list is:

Biffy Clyro “Only Revolutions” (14th Floor)

Corinne Bailey Rae “The Sea” (EMI)

Dizzee Rascal “Tongue N’ Cheek” (Dirtee Stank)

Kit Downes Trio “Golden’ (Basho)

Foals “Total Life Forever” (Transgressive)

I Am Kloot “Sky At Night (Shepherd Moon/EMI)

Laura Marling “I Speak Because I Can” (Virgin)

Mumford And Sons “Sigh No More” (Island)

Paul Weller “Wake Up The Nation” (Island)

Villagers “Becoming A Jackal” (Domino)

Wild Beasts “Two Dancers” (Domino)

The xx “xx” (XL)

A lot of great albums on there, particularly I Am Kloot and Laura Marling's offerings, which are both enrapturing. The Foals album, I thought, failed to hit the heights of their debut Antidotes, while Paul Weller's inclusion is frankly bizarre. Dizzee and The XX have immediately been installed as favourites, and after last year's Speech Debelle debacle, it is thought that the judges will be under pressure to reward a popular winner. Therefore keep an eye on Mumford and Sons, but our money is on Villagers, simply because it is one of our favourite albums, full stop. Review below from when it was released, if you need a refresher. We know that plans are afoot to bring Villagers back to Limerick also, so stay tuned here for updates..

Villagers

‘Becoming A Jackal’

(Domino)

RARELY has an Irish album release been accompanied with such universal expectation. Likewise, it is rare that such expectation is accompanied by a fulfilment of potential.This is the exception to the rule.

Villagers - essentially Conor J. O’Brien - finally release debut album Becoming A Jackal after whetting many appetites with the superb Hollow Kind EP, released in February of last year.The first Irish act signed to trendy UK record label Domino (home to Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys etc), this is an album that began life as a nameless collection of musical poems, but has become a heart-wrenching, melodic odyssey that should see O’Brien become the biggest act to come out of Ireland in many moons.

O’Brien was once in The Immediate, who imploded just as rave reviews began to see them appear set for stardom, and then spent the latter part of the last two years touring as Cathy Davey’s guitarist - notably standing out in her shows. But O’Brien was always meant for bigger and better things, such is the vividness of his lyrics, and the epic soaring scale of his vocals and musicianship (he recorded this album largely by himself with the help of producer Tommy McLaughlin).

This is quite simply a stunning album, one that will inevitably see the Dubliner compared to Eliot Smith or Conor Oberst, but there is more of a older-style feel to his debut, epic at times, subtle in others, not unlike Neil Young’s Harvest in that sense, for example.

Indeed, on the superb title track and first single, O’Brien channels Simon and Garfunkel in a song with off-kilter rhythms and popping bass lines, mixed in with soaring harmonies. It is something of a relief in the middle of two dark and subversive songs - the eerie I Saw The Dead and the unsettling and up-tempo Ship of Promises.The Meaning of the Ritual follows, one of two songs included here that was also on the EP (the other being Pieces, in which O’Brien moves from slow, Burt-Bacarach croon to a wild, howling, finish - think Radiohead recreating the Beatles’ orchestral antics on A Day In The Life), and has been tweaked to include some impressive horn sections.

But it is the gentle lullaby of Home that is the centre-piece of this album, and shows a lighter, more playful side of the musician. The Crosby, Stills and Nash-esque The Pact is another standout, as is the subtle Set The Tigers Free.Subtle is a defining word for this album, one that crawls under your skin, O’Brien’s lyrical abilities literally eye-opening in scale.

Quite simply, this is the finest Irish album released in many years.

RATING: 5/5

Oxegen 2010 round-up and review

2010-07-14T15:40:00.004+01:00

FOR THREE DAYS it rained, poured and rained some more, turning the Punchestown-based Oxegen site and surrounding camping areas into veritable swampland, despite discussion beforehand that the best June in 40 years would help keep the mud away.
Then, miraculously, on the fourth day - fittingly a Sunday - campers awoke to clear skies and sunshine.
If it sounds like a Biblical scene, then all that was missing Thursday through Saturday was a plague of locusts to complete the effect.
However, as ever at this massive spectacle, the quality of the music on display and the positive disposition of the majority of the crowd, meant Oxegen was once again more about happy festival memories than the already fading scenes of deluge and muck.

In one of the festival’s strongest ever line-ups, there was a virtual array of highlights - Vampire Weekend’s preppy, upbeat tunes warming up a rain-soaked crowd on Friday afternoon; MGMT-lite Aussie band Empire of the Sun donningt mind-bending costumes and employing psychedelic visuals in a heaving Heineken Green Spheres tent; rap mogul Jay-Z performing his mash-up of U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday and the anthemic Empire State of Mind to a heaving crowd, watched by Beyonce and accompanied by an 80-strong entourage; Arcade Fire performing some new material alongside their biggest hits in a very rare balmy and dry hour and a half; Conor O’Brien almost stealing the show with his epic, heartfelt songs in the 2FM/Hot Press Academy tent; Florence warming up yet another sodden crowd with her soaring vocals; Muse belting out their epic rock-opera tunes along with a stunning light and laser show, proving them to be one of the biggest bands in the world right now, and members of the Irish rugby team joining Mumford and Sons on stage for a drum-pounding finish to their upbeat set on Sunday evening.

Despite rumours to the contrary, and after apparently refusing to walk 50 metres at Scotland’s T in the Park on Saturday because of the mud, rapper Eminem did actually make it to Punchestown to wrap up the hip-hop heavy festival, playing some of his biggest hits, including storming versions of The Way I Am and Cleaning Out My Closet in his opening coda.

Securing some or all of these acts was a major coup for promoters MCD, who claimed a crowd of 75,000 - a figure which relied heavily, we would estimate, on the massive crowd of Saturday day-trippers, such was the long lines of queues we saw early that day.

The usual assortment of stars popped into the festival, including the aforementioned Ms Knowles and Messers Jamie Heaslip, Tommy Bowe, Luke Fitzgerald and Cian Healy, as well as Jared Leto, whose band 30 Seconds To Mars played late on Sunday night, while fetching movie star star Rachel McAdams also made an appearance.

On the Beat met a large and varied assortment of fans who made the pilgrimage from Limerick to the Punchestown extravaganza - often seen as something akin to a rite of passage for many in their late teens - while Tim Kelly of Kelly Bus Travel reported a busy trade in those using the round the clock bus services from these parts.
Pleasantly beer prices seemed to have come down this year, making the festival a bit easier on the pocket.
With some of the world’s biggest names appearing on the Punchestown stages, the only thing missing from the line-up was the good weather, but then there’s always next year.
We live and hope it might be better, but the masses will descend regardless, and we will probably be among them.

Dylan delights fans in Thomond Park

2010-07-06T14:53:00.004+01:00

THE ICONIC and evergreen Bob Dylan celebrated his country’s national holiday in style this Sunday, treating an expectant Thomond Park crowd to some of his greatest hits on American Independence Day.

Concert promoters Aiken Promotions and Thomond Park bosses claimed a crowd just shy of 15,000 people, all of whom appreciated the varied support acts on offer, but were in reality in the stadium to witness a piece of history, as Dylan played his first ever show in Limerick.

Watched by a hugely varied crowd that included Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill, in town for the JP McManus pro-am this week, Dylan rewarded life-long fans and interested observers alike to a set that included songs such as Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, Just Like A Woman, Lay Lady Lay, Like A Rolling Stone and Blowin’ in the Wind.

Stadium director John Cantwell revealed to the Limerick Leader after the show that not only did Dylan sign a Munster jersey for display in Thomond Park – as Elton John et al had done before him – but that the gruff-voiced Dylan had personally requested four Munster jerseys to bring back to America with him.

“He requested four jerseys specially and signed a jersey for us, he liked the look of it and we explained what it was about – hopefully he will spread the word wherever he goes,” explained a delighted John Cantwell after the concert.

“In terms of musical legends and cultural icons, they don’t come much bigger than Dylan. To have him at Thomond Park and in Limerick just goes to show exactly how the venue is becoming established now in terms in international terms,” added the Thomond Park boss.

Mr Cantwell also revealed that concert promoter Peter Aiken had “assured us that he is going to raise the bar even higher next year”.

Mr Aiken confirmed this to the Leader himself, saying with regard to next year that Aiken Promotions would “definitely” be back at the venue.

“We have a couple of things lined up, we just have to wait and see,” he said.

“I was just talking to John and trying to figure out a certain date for next year I’m trying to get, something I want to do,” he added.

The concert promoter admitted that he was slightly disappointed with the turnout, which was the lowest of the four concerts held in the venue thus far.

“It wasn’t bad, just a bit disappointing, I thought with the bill and all it might have been more, but that is what is at, that is what it did, and we are happy enough with it,” he said.

Mr Aiken paid tribute to local band Last Days of Death Country, who won a competition to open the show, which also included Alabama 3, Seasick Steve and David Gray, who all turned in superb performances.

“They were great. I couldn’t believe it, they were so confident. They really were a good band. They were really able – everybody was impressed, particularly the Bob Dylan crew and David Gray’s people, everybody was watching,” said Mr Aiken of the Limerick band.

Last Days lead singer Patrick O’Brien told the Leader that the opportunity afforded to them was “brilliant”.

“It was brilliant, it was great. There was a nice crowd and we went out there and played like we did last Friday and it was great. We are delighted,” he said.

Five Limerick bands go head to head for Bob Dylan support slot

2010-06-25T15:54:00.010+01:00

AND THEN there were five.. After over a month inviting applications from the great and the good of the Limerick music scene, a whopping entry has been whittled down to five contenders, all vying for a prized spot on the same stage as Bob Dylan in Thomond Park.
This, as they say, is no time for nerves.
For most up and coming bands, regardless of genre or variety, the iconic Dylan is something of an awesome figure - an elusive character who overcame a perceived lack of vocal ability to become one of, if not the, best known and most distinctive performers in world music.
Five Limerick acts have been shortlisted to go head to head against one another for a spot on Dylan’s Thomond Park bill, which also features heavyweights David Gray, Seasick Steve and Alabama 3.
The acts are Windings, Last Days of Death Country, Brendan Markham, Nick Carswell and the Elective Orchestra and Animal Beats - all seeking to scoop the chance to open for Dylan on July 4, in front of a potential audience of 20,000 people.
Dolan’s Warehouse, in association with the Limerick Chronicle and Limerick’s Live 95FM, will host the event tonight, and with five bands playing for a mere five euro, you can’t get better value anywhere else this summer.
A panel of select media representatives - including On The Beat - will watch the bands perform this Friday and pick a winner from the bunch.
Concert promoter Peter Aiken, who was requested by Dylan personally to select a local act to open his only Irish show this year, told City Life recently that a support slot for an unknown band had, in the past, yielded huge results.
“One year we had an unheard of band to support Pink – the Coronas, and she took them on a world tour, she loved them. Dylan will be listening, so who knows? It will be good, and we are looking forward to it,” revealed the concert boss.
Mick Dolan said the volume and quality of entries received for the competition proved that Limerick’s music scene was “fantastic”.
“The standard is fantastic and the five that were picked will do us proud, whoever wins,” said Mick.

The bands selected represent the cream of the crop on the local music scene, and are wholly representative of the diversity ever-present in local music circles.

Windings is the solo project of Steve Ryan of Giveamanakick, which is, despite being around for several years, only really a band in its infancy, given that Ryan only put the band together last year after Giveamanakick went their separate ways. The group played their first Limerick gig earlier this year in support of the release of excellent new single Brain Fluid, with an album slated for release later this year.

Castletroy band Animal Beats represent the best of the young, up and coming bands in Limerick, formed in late 2007 and displaying a moody brand of rock and roll, reminiscent of The National. The band were overall winners of Limerick's Got Talent 2009, beating over 50 acts to secure first place.

Raheen native Nick Carswell has been hovering on the fringes of the national scene for the last couple of years, with Today FM’s Paul McLoone a dedicated fan of his melodic tunes, stuffed as they are with sweeping orchestration, thanks to Newcastle West sisters Deirdre and Kate Cussen on strings, while local music stalwarts Colin Bartley and Bart Kiely are also full time members, as is vocalist Sian Murray. This is one of the most eclectic ensembles on the local scene, in our opinion.

Post-rock four piece Last Days of Death Country are a band that have been championed on these pages for some time, sporting as they do one of our favourite monikers, plus an impressive set of songs that pack an aggressive rock and roll punch. Debut EP Mode and Effect, recorded with Fergal Lawler of The Cranberries, is one to check out.

Finally, last but certainly not least, is stalwart Brendan Markham, who has been around for many years, particularly as a founder member of the now defunct Limerick band The Driven, but who has only really found his niche with the release of his debut solo album False Witness, which he released earlier this year, and gathering a settled band around him.

The top five bands will battle it out for the Dylan support slot in Dolan’s Warehouse tonight.

Body and Soul Solstice Gathering this weekend

2010-06-17T09:50:00.007+01:00

The first ever Body and Soul festival is gearing up to take off this weekend, with superb weather forecasted for the next few days.

The Body and Soul Solstice Gathering 2010 has essentially relocated the beating heart of the Stradbally based Electric Picnic extravaganza to Ballinlough Castle in Co. Meath for the weekend, with Four Tet, !!! (CHK CHK CHK), Jape, R.S.A.G and Tuung, among many, many others, set to provide a superb soundtrack to the festival.

The full line-up for the main stage is listed below, but, like its older Picnic-brother, the Body and Soul solstice festival features a veritable cornucopia of events, music and otherwise, including - I am led to believe - "acoustic jams, impromptu parties, wood-fired hot tubs, winding paths through delicious food stalls, holistic arts, a secluded soul kids garden, a masquerade ball with a moonlit orchestra, and bonfires under the stars".

The closing ceremony on Sunday will also feature a night-time extravaganza celebrating the theme of this year’s Summer Solstice: Phoenix Rising, and those present can expect Pyrotechnic/Pyro-Performance pieces around Sun Discs, fireworks and some other fire-fantastical elements.

A full line-up of events is available here.

Ballinlough Castle is nestled between the towns of Athboy and Clonmellon, Co. Meath. On the N52 (Kells to Mullingar Road) 3 miles south of Clonmellon and 4 miles west of Athboy.

Saturday's line-up/times:

12:15 - 2am - Gaudi
10:45-12:00am - Four Tet
9:15 - 10:15pm - Jape
8:00 - 8:45pm - Crystal Fighters
6:15 - 7:15pm - Voice of the Seven Thunders
4:30 - 5:30pm - Broken Records
3:00 - 3:45pm - Wiggle
2:00 - 2:30pm - Chequerboard
1:00 - 1:30pm - Patrick Kelleher & Cold Dead Hands
12 - 12:30pm - Jennifer Evans
11:00 - 11:30am - Imogen Gunner & the Imo band

Sunday:

1:00 -2am - RSAG
11:15-12:30am - !!! (Chk Chk Chk)
9:30 - 10:30pm - Blue King Brown
7:45 - 8:45pm - Tunng
5:40 - 7:15pm - Donal Dineen, Niwel Tsumbu & guests
4:25 - 5:10pm - Kormac's Big Band
3:15 - 3:55pm - The Egg
2:00 - 2:40pm - Katie Kim
1:00 - 1:30pm - Eoin Duignan
12 - 12:30pm - Colette
10:30-11:30am - Dr Alex Paterson

A limited number of tickets are still available and are available here. Gates open at 9am on Saturday. For more see here. Enjoy!

R.S.A.G. in Dolan's this Wednesday

2010-06-15T09:11:00.003+01:00

ANYONE WHO has actually seen Rarely Seen Above Ground (R.S.A.G.) perform will tell you it is something akin to an illusory audio-visual experience, less gig than cinematic event.
R.S.A.G. is Kilkenny man Jeremy Hickey, but when he performs, festooned in the middle of a drum-kit, he sits in front of a screen, upon which a virtual band is projected.
Of course, every member of the virtual band is Hickey himself, the man clearly a talented multi-instrumentalist as well as evocative drummer.
But where the show might be considered something of a gimmick if Hickey didn’t have the musical abilities to back it up, this is not the case.

Hickey releases his third album as R.S.A.G. this week, the excellent Be It Right Or Wrong, straight-away a contender for Irish album of the year, we feel.
Where his double album debut, Organic Sampler, was a raw rush of frenetic, infectious energy with influences as varied as David Byrne to Eastern rhythms that saw Hickey acclaimed and Choice Music Prize nominated, the many facets of Be It Right Or Wrong are smoothed, unruffled and bursting with warmth and melody - the product, largely, of Hickey working with a producer for the first time, Leo Pearson, who has worked with U2 and Elvis Costello. For a man who recorded his first two albums at home in his bedroom, working with an outside influence was clearly a departure.

“I had never worked with a producer before, especially a guy who actually had his own studio, particularly one as nice and relaxed as Leo's,” explains Jeremy.
“I was thinking I needed to approach this album in a different way. I did a lot of stuff at home and brought the demos to Leo, but it was his thing to say, let's do everything again. When I heard the quality of his studio, it didn't take much to convince me.”

The result is warm and rich, the central core of songs the superb The Roamer, Movement and Bitter Swing, Hickey allowing more melody to come through than ever before, and particularly allowing his vocals to shine through in a much more pronounced fashion.
“The consistency of the drum and bass sounds are there and there are a lot more guitars on it because Leo has a nice collection of guitars, old style and new style, so I could pick up whatever guitar I thought would suit the sound in that way,” explains Jeremy.
“Between the both of us there was more of a knowledge of what kind of sound we were trying to get. It was very much, get the sound, record it, there was no real major treatment of the sound, the way it was recorded, and I was excited about that, because you have more of an idea of where the album is going, whereas on the first one it was a bit of a mish-mash.”

He continues:“I was into getting more of a melody, especially with the delivery of the vocal, rather than hiding behind an effect. When I met Leo, the first thing he wanted to do was to make sure the vocals were much more to the fore, and they are. That is the difference in working with someone who knows exactly what they are at.”
Hickey says the moniker was inspired by something a friend used to call him - although “he doesn’t remember it all,” he laughs - and the idea for the visual band came from seeing DJ Shadow live in concert. His brother encouraged him to use that idea of shadows on a screen, believing it to be a powerful image.

For the first time, on this tour, Hickey will have a live DJ with him, who he will perform a sort of soundsystem with after his own gigs. But he warns against reading too much into the fact that he has replaced a band with versions of himself.
“The whole idea is with music, visuals and having a good time - it is not supposed to be seen as a band or not a band, the whole idea is that we are going out to put on a show, so hopefully people will get it and continue to enjoy it,” he says.

R.S.A.G. plays in Upstairs in Dolan’s this Wednesday, June 16. Be It Right Or Wrong is in all good record stores.

Donal Dineen Presents :: Natural History Musuem

2010-06-15T00:41:00.000+01:00

Interview with Ellie Macnamara from Heathers

2010-06-04T15:08:00.003+01:00

PRECOCIOUS twin sisters Ellie and Louise Macnamara, better known as Heathers, are finding that the inclusion of their upbeat brand of acoustic pop on a national ad campaign is reaping dividends for the duo.
The guitar-toting double act have had their single ‘Remember When’ included on the current Discover Ireland ad campaign, with considerable impact, as their music is introduced to a new audience.
You know the ad - long, lingering shots of Ireland, accompanied by the Macnamara’s twins singing “I need to find a way to get away from everything”.

“It has definitely given us a massive boost, it is incredible and we are so proud to be a part of it,” says Ellie, speaking to On the Beat from the twins’ Dublin home.
“I think so many people who wouldn't have listened or heard our music before, have now heard it, which gives us a different audience. It is a bit overwhelming and hilarious, especially when you are in the cinema and the ad comes on,” she laughs.

Just twenty years of age, the twins burst onto the scene in the summer of 2008 with the release of their debut album 'Here, Not There', which they recorded while preparing for their Leaving Cert exams. Some weighty acclaim followed for the duo, who only started writing music together the previous year, despite growing up alongside each other.

“We hadn't really played music together, we had sang together once or twice,” says Ellie. “We started writing music together around April 2007. We didn't ever really plan on starting a band, it was just a bit of fun and then gradually it kind of formed into a band when people started listening to our music and hearing it and really liked it, which shocked us,” she explains.

The duo progressed from playing friend’s parties to gigs, and on their third ever live performance, played with an American band called Ghost Mice, who liked what they heard and asked them to tour in America with them.
A band member also asked them to record their album on his record label, despite the fact that they hadn’t written it at that point.
“It was mental,” says Ellie. “We didn't even plan on writing an album immediately anyway, so it kind of gave us a bit of a push, which was incredible. We have been very lucky.”

Luck is one thing, but Heathers have raw talent to burn. Their album is filled with hook-laden, harmony-driven pop tunes, and any success attained is a measure of their ability.
Since the release of their album the band have played several acclaimed gigs in the States, and last year, at the IMRO New Sounds Stage at Oxegen - all of this while balancing full-time college courses.

This summer they will embark on a short national tour and then take some time to write a follow-up album. The experience gained over the last few years will stand to them, Ellie believes. “In a way, the fact that we have had a couple of years, our taste in music has matured and we have had a lot more time to think about what we like,” she says.
“Also playing gigs and touring with bands and seeing how they play, travelling to different places - we have learnt a lot, I guess, so maybe that will have an impact on the next album.”

Heathers play Upstairs in Dolan’s this Saturday night, before which they will play as part of the first ever ‘Cruises St Live Festival’ on Saturday from 11am-3pm.
They will also play at the Special Olympics opening ceremony in Thomond Park next week.

Album review - LCD Soundsystem 'This is Happening'

2010-06-03T16:05:00.001+01:00

LCD Soundsystem

‘This Is Happening’

(DFA/EMI)

JAMES MURPHY has always been known as something of a prankster, famously roping EMI into releasing albums by other lesser known artists in return for the rights to his music as LCD Soundsystem and releasing songs such as the jokey dance classic “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House”.

Murphy, co-founder of DFA Records, released his first single as LCD Soundsystem, Losing My Edge, as something of a lark in 2002, before it became an underground dance hit.

Here, on his third and apparently last excursion under the Soundsystem moniker, it appears Murphy is getting a bit serious on us.

After the universally acclaimed Sound of Silver in 2007 - the second LCD album - Murphy had the world at his feet, such was the superb quality of anthems such as Someone Great and All My Friends.

However, it seems Murphy never imagined LCD as a long-term project, a fact reflected on some of the tracks on this album.

Gone mostly is the bombastic dance-pop tracks we knew and loved - with the exception of the loudmouth indie-dance tracks Drunk Girls and Pow Pow, and in its place is a sort of beleaguered electro, that still often reaches euphoric levels, despite Murphy’s hangdog expression.

The key track on the album is ‘You Wanted A Hit’, where Murphy sings: “You wanted a hit / but maybe we don’t do hits / I try and try / but it ends up feeling wrong’.

This album is something of a grower, such is the diversity of sounds and influences on offer, from the synth-heavy, Human League influenced opener Dance Yrself, the Chemical Brothers beat of One Touch, and the slow, druggy, Lou Reed haze of Somebody’s Calling Me.

The standout tracks are the effervescent All I Want, which sees Murphy employ a David Bowie of Heroes-era guitar line, and the absolutely superb album closer Home, drenched as it is in synths, beats and harmonies.

Murphy would have us believe that he is tired of all of this, a 40-odd year old producer lost in a world of younger dance producers.

Despite this, his latest album, against the odds, stacks up among his finest work. It is just a pity he doesn’t seem interested in continuing to add to this heritage.

RATING 4/5

Pink kicks off European tour in Cologne

2010-06-03T15:58:00.002+01:00

AMERICAN superstar Pink, who is set to rock Thomond Park to its very foundations in less than three weeks, kicked off her brand new concert tour with a stunning performance in Cologne, Germany last Saturday night.
Pink – real name Alecia Beth Moore – kicked off her new ‘Funhouse Summer Carnival’ European tour in jaw-dropping fashion, employing a 70-foot crane, trapeze wires, and amazing special effects throughout the show.

The audacious star is set to bring this full-scale production to Thomond Park on Sunday, June 20, and we can reveal that Limerick is set for a show of epic proportions. 52,000 people crammed into the RheinEnergie Stadion in Cologne for the show, which the self-styled rock chick was performing for the first time in front of a live audience.
A complete sell-out, the audience were treated to a dazzling performance from the athletic star, who is a trained trapeze artist, and performed several stunts without any back-up wires, including flying over the audience’s head.
The Pennsylvania-born performer, who has sold a massive 30 million albums worldwide, revealed to the Limerick Leader backstage before the show that she is really looking forward to coming to Ireland, and particularly to Limerick, where she will perform for the first time.

“I’m glad you are all here, thank you for coming, the show is going to be fun, say lots of prayers,” laughed the singer.
Of the show, which she revealed had caused her to suffer several bumps and bruises in rehearsals, she said: “You’ve got to make it bigger and bolder and brasher or what’s the point?” The production features a massive set and over 100 people working behind the scenes. While conceived by Pink, the show is being directed by Irishman Baz Halpin, and tour coordinator Bill Comstock Buntain told the Chronicle that the star has a “special relationship” with Ireland.
“Pink did her first ever big arena show in Ireland, so she has a special relationship with the country,” he said. “We have never been to Limerick, so we are all looking forward to going,” he added.

Peter Aiken, of Aiken Promotions, said “people will not believe how good she is” when they see her in Thomond Park.
“Within five songs people will be convinced, it is a spectacular show, people won't believe it,” he added.
A limited number of tickets remain for the Thomond Park show on June 20, which the promoters believe will be a sell-out.

Fresh Air in Daghdha last weekend

2010-06-03T15:52:00.003+01:00

A picture from Fresh Air in Daghdha last Friday night, where the Donal Dineen curated gig featured the awesome Natural History Museum, Thread Pulls and Sunken Foal. Unfortunately, due to other commitments, I could only stay for the Carol Keogh/Dunk Murphy collaboration - Natural History Museum - but the combination of eclectic beats, electric and acoustic guitar, off kilter rhythms and Keogh's amazing voice, was inspiring. All of this combined with Dineen's wonderfully bizarre visuals, meant I was loath to leave early. Check out more here.

Donal Dineen presents 'Fresh Air' in Daghdha this Friday

2010-05-27T16:06:00.007+01:00

TO LATE night radio listeners, he is something of an innovator, at the cutting edge of promoting new music. To regular Electric Picnic-goers, he is known for curating the beating heart of the festival, the stage in the Body and Soul arena.
He is Donal Dineen, radio presenter, filmmaker, gig promoter.

The Small Hours, Dineen’s nightly radio show, has something of a fervent cult following among music-lovers. The decision for him to take the music he champions on his weekly show into the live arena was a relatively simple one.
Present experimental music - live music - to a new audience, and make it almost an extra sensory experience with the aid of his own visual projections.
However, for Dineen, it wasn’t as straightforward - the introspective and quiet-spoken presenter being thrust into the spotlight as the organiser and MC of the live shows, known as “Fresh Air”, and before that, as “A Month of Sundays”.

Now however, into its third incarnation, Fresh Air has happily become a living, breathing thing, with a more confident Dineen at its helm, happy to express himself and his films, in tandem with the music that excites him.

This Friday Dineen presents three of Ireland’s “freshest soundmakers” at an unusual gig in Daghdha Dance Company’s space in St. John’s Church, and the results promise to be stunning.

“It should be good. I think in terms of the line-up it is probably the most interesting,” says Donal of an exciting line-up which features Sunken Foal (aka Dunk Murphy), Natural History Museum (also featuring Dunk, along with Carol Keogh - ex of the Tycho Brahe) and experimental two-piece Thread Pulls.

“I have never actually seen Sunken Foal or Natural History Museum, but I am a big fan of both - it is a unique situation in that Dunk is doing both sets - he is one of those people that I have total faith in everything he does,” says Dineen.
“Thread Pulls come very close to being a conventional rock band, but they have a different pace about them, and they have a different type of sound, which is what I am looking for usually, something that has an edge,” he adds.

This will be the third time Dineen has brought his live showcase to Limerick, the first featuring Matt Elliott in the Belltable, and last year’s amazing Daghdha gig, featuring Katie Kim and James Yorkston.
The city, and particularly St. John’s Church, has a special place in his heart, it appears.

“The venue is a totally inspiring place. The minute I saw that space, I couldn't believe my eyes, and it is most definitely the most interesting place that I have done any gigs in this country,” he says.
“I am really looking forward to ending the tour there, and we specifically chose to do that, having had the experience the last time, to kind of wind it up in Limerick. There is just a core group of people in Limerick who are really passionate and who share my passion for whatever I am trying to do,” he adds.

Dineen has used his discerning ear to seek out and encourage experimental music in all genres, especially music made in Ireland, and this tour is no different.
He is, in turn, inspired by the music he hears.
“The intention is to make and add to the atmosphere or create the atmosphere, so that people actually appreciate the music as best they can, there is nothing more to it than that,” he explains. “If I can make a space comfortable for the artist to perform in, and enhance it for the audience, it is all about making that happen. With each person that plays I just try and listen to their music and try to imagine something on their behalf - sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.”

He adds: “I have definitely gained confidence and I feel very lucky to have the chance to repeat these things. I am able to pull it together more and talk more and actually tell a story somehow - the original intention was that I wanted to say something and express myself. This is a great vehicle for that, and I am inspired by this music”.

Fresh Air with Thread Pulls, Natural History Museum and Sunken Foal takes place this Friday in Daghdha from 8pm. Tickets are €15/12 and are available from tickets.ie or on the door.

Spilt Gin present 'Andy Warhol's Nothing Special' in the Belltable

2010-05-27T10:48:00.003+01:00

FOUR FIGURES stand, hands by their sides. They are well-dressed, fashionable even, wearing sunglasses and matching blond wigs. This is the cast of ‘Andy Warhol's Nothing Special’, a new play by the Dublin based theatre collective, Spilt Gin, which was co-founded by Limerick woman Maeve Stone, originally from Castleconnell.

Described as a “playful riff on pop-art”, this innovative piece of writing from James Hickson - fellow co-founder of the new theatre company - is a play about love, art and beauty, and “really pops”, as the tagline goes.

“The piece is basically a treatise on art and love, but in a more practical sense it is about this artist who is not too confident in himself and his work, and he creates an alter-ego called Andy Warhold,” explains Maeve Stone.

“This character becomes the embodiment of what he would like to be as an artist and as a result and falls in love with a character called Eve. It is about the relationship between the characters, which makes it sound serious, but it is really funny, the writing is brilliant,” she adds.

The duo formed Spilt Gin while still in college in Trinity, where they studied Theatre and English. With Maeve more interested in directing and James a natural playwright, the partnership was an instant one.

"We have been working together just over a year and it has been going really well. It is a partnership that works, that dynamic is always crucial,” explains Maeve. “My focus was always primarily on directing and James really shone against the backdrop of our writing, it was always terrible having to read after him in class,” she laughs.

There have been some serious changes made to the piece, which they first performed for 'The Theatre Machine Turns You On' festival in the Project Arts Centre, Dublin in December last year. Chief among them was losing the main actor who played Andy.

“We have made some huge changes. The actor that originally played Andy had to return to London and wasn't available, so we re-cast the main part, and we found that to be a positive thing, because in some ways it invigorated us and made us look at the play anew,” she explains.

“It has expanded from the original show - James took the opportunity to revise it and expand on it and add a lot more meat to the characters, so it is a bigger beast,” laughs Maeve.

Fittingly for a piece inspired by ‘pop-art’, the staging features some vibrant colours, while the music of David Bowie and the Velvet Underground has been reworked and recorded for the play. “James has a real knack for quick wit and pithy humour, so it is really funny and the music in it is great as well,” says Maeve.

“A lot of the design elements are inspired by pop-art and it has got a lot of vibrant colour and the designs and costumes gesture towards that era,” she adds.

‘Andy Warhol's Nothing Special’ opens in the Belltable tonight, and runs until Saturday.

Album review - The National 'High Violet'

2010-05-26T12:09:00.002+01:00

The National
‘High Violet’
4AD

THE OPENING tracks on The National’s third and fourth studio albums - Alligator and Boxer respectively - were instantly engaging, incandescent tracks that set the brooding tone that followed.
‘Terrible Love’, the brooding epic on the Brooklyn-based band’s fifth studio record, High Violet, is no ‘Secret Meeting’ or ‘Fake Empire’. Doused in militaristic drumming and throbbing guitars - as is The National’s trademark - High Violet takes some time to reach the epic heights of the openings to the album’s critically acclaimed predecessors, but by the time it has come, the Cincinnati formed band have worked themselves, and the listener, into something of a subtle tizzy.
The lead single, ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, is the emotional centrepiece of this album, an astonishing continuation of a richly textured period for the band. The effervescent track sees vocalist Matt Beringer allow his rich baritone to be at the beating heart of the song, allowing himself - as in other places on this album - to stretch his vocal chords toward breaking point.
As with most of Beringer’s vivid lyrics, they are opaque and difficult to permeate - ‘I was carried, to Ohio on a swarm of bees’ - but this is one song you won’t be able to get out of your head after even the merest of listens.
The spooky, spine tingling ‘Afraid of Everyone’ is another stand-out track, while ‘England’ - possibly a paean to the band’s spiritual home - is the most musical song that The National have offered in recent years.
The kooky album closer, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks is, bizarrely, one of the most uplifting, soaring tracks you will hear this year.
The National, channelling The Cure and Joy Division through a modern, indie-rock standpoint - a la contemporaries Arcade Fire and TV On The Radio - feel like the anti-Springsteen on this album, such is the restraint shown on tracks such as ‘Sorrow’ and ‘Anyone’s Ghost’.
There is a tenderness and subtlety that mirrors the band’s ascent to greatness, slow and deliberate, but gathering increasing speed.
There is no doubt that Beringer’s baritone will continue to prove divisive, but for those willing to delve in, this is an astonishingly powerful record that will reveal its richness with every listen. RATING: 4/5

Album review - Villagers 'Becoming A Jackal'

2010-05-20T14:05:00.002+01:00

Villagers
‘Becoming A Jackal’
(Domino)

RARELY has an Irish album release been accompanied with such universal expectation. Likewise, it is rare that such expectation is accompanied by a fulfilment of potential.
This is the exception to the rule.
Villagers - essentially Conor J. O’Brien - finally release debut album Becoming A Jackal after whetting many appetites with the superb Hollow Kind EP, released in February of last year.
The first Irish act signed to trendy UK record label Domino (home to Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys etc), this is an album that began life as a nameless collection of musical poems, but has become a heart-wrenching, melodic odyssey that should see O’Brien become the biggest act to come out of Ireland in many moons.
O’Brien was once in The Immediate, who imploded just as rave reviews began to see them appear set for stardom, and then spent the latter part of the last two years touring as Cathy Davey’s guitarist - notably standing out in her shows. But O’Brien was always meant for bigger and better things, such is the vividness of his lyrics, and the epic soaring scale of his vocals and musicianship (he recorded this album largely by himself with the help of producer Tommy McLaughlin).
This is quite simply a stunning album, one that will inevitably see the Dubliner compared to Eliot Smith or Conor Oberst, but there is more of a older-style feel to his debut, epic at times, subtle in others, not unlike Neil Young’s Harvest in that sense, for example.
Indeed, on the superb title track and first single, O’Brien channels Simon and Garfunkel in a song with off-kilter rhythms and popping bass lines, mixed in with soaring harmonies. It is something of a relief in the middle of two dark and subversive songs - the eerie I Saw The Dead and the unsettling and up-tempo Ship of Promises.
The Meaning of the Ritual follows, one of two songs included here that was also on the EP (the other being Pieces, in which O’Brien moves from slow, Burt-Bacarach croon to a wild, howling, finish - think Radiohead recreating the Beatles’ orchestral antics on A Day In The Life), and has been tweaked to include some impressive horn sections.
But it is the gentle lullaby of Home that is the centre-piece of this album, and shows a lighter, more playful side of the musician. The Crosby, Stills and Nash-esque The Pact is another standout, as is the subtle Set The Tigers Free.
Subtle is a defining word for this album, one that crawls under your skin, O’Brien’s lyrical abilities literally eye-opening in scale.
Quite simply, this is the finest Irish album released in many years.
RATING: 5/5

Interview with Cathy Davey

2010-05-14T13:50:00.002+01:00

CATHY DAVEY has always seemed to me to be the perfect indie performer; not in a spiky, PJ Harvey-type way, but rather the type of performer who can furrow her own path, and not listen to the demands of a meddling record label.
On her third album, the just released ‘The Nameless’, the Wicklow chanteuse has released the record on her own label, Hammer Toe Records.

The album is an astonishing piece of work; dark and eery at times, soaring and epic in others, delicate and often vulnerable, like Davey’s voice, which is simply captivating. But Davey, whose superb second album ‘Tales of Silversleeve’ saw her scoop a Meteor award and Choice nomination, plus double platinum sales in this country, has really had to go through the wars, as it were, to reach this point.

Signed initially to Parlophone's Regal Recordings, Davey released her debut Something Ilk in 2004, which was, in her own words, confused. Struck by stage- and studio-fright, Davey enlisted Liam Howe of Sneaker Pimps fame for her follow-up, which she recorded in a house and away from the pressures of a fancy studio and was released on EMI.
However, despite the album’s success in Ireland, she was dropped from the monolith label in 2008. This may have been the best thing that happened to her, we venture.

Davey, who was crippled by nerves when performing, was pushed out of her comfort zone to find a place she is conversely more comfortable in.

“It is the right time for me to independent, definitely,” she says by way of agreement, speaking from Belfast where she has just performed.
“I really didn't know my own head or what I was capable of or what my limitations were. By the time I got to recording this album, I had a definite sense of how I wanted to come across, and not feeling I had to disguise it for fear of being seen as being too theatrical or affected,” she adds.
She rules out any measure of success having an effect on her confidence, pointing more figuratively to the “experience of having success”.

“The larger the shows were that I played, the more I had to dig out of myself to perform in front of more people than I was used to, or rise to the occasion, that all helped me bring out, I guess, a more performing side of myself that I never imagined I had,” says Cathy.

In the aftermath of Silversleeve’s release, Davey took herself off to a little town called Albi, near Toulouse, France. There she lived in a house once occupied by a family, with the woman - now widowed - who owned it living next door. Armed with a “bag of tricks” - recording unit, drum kit, mandolin - she cocooned herself from the outside world and found the mood of the album, rediscovering her love of “song-smithery”, she says.

“I did a month there and wrote about a third or maybe half of the album - I definitely got the bones of the idea or structure there,” Cathy explains. “The people who had lived in the house before me had left an atmosphere. Also I was there on my own and I don't really speak French, so I was kind of isolated. I had all these characters - and the Nameless character evolved and I enjoyed getting lost in that world.”

As a result, the album became loosely based on that character, a “fantastical story”, Cathy explains.
Armed with help from the peerless Conor J. O’Brien, of Villagers fame, Neil Hannon and her own father, Cathy developed the album into what it is now with the help of an engineer, and clearly revelled in the process.
As a result, she has carved out a niche for herself, and sounds happy in the process.

“I have never been the type of person who wants to do any breaking of countries or endless tours just to show the world my music,” she laughs.
“I would really like to make enough money to make another album. I guess I want the ideal world, but I want to be happy in that ideal world,” she adds.

Cathy Davey plays in Dolan’s Warehouse this Sunday night. ‘The Nameless’ is now on general release.

Album review - Cathy Davey ' The Nameless'

2010-05-14T13:44:00.003+01:00

*We've just heard that this has gone to number one in the Irish charts, congrats to Cathy!

Cathy Davey

‘The Nameless’

(Hammer Toe Records)

THERE IS something astonishing about Cathy Davey’s voice; delicate, quirky, at times vulnerable, always soaring - she is possibly one of the most listenable female vocalists out there in this day and age.

Where debut album Something Ilk was a decent record, Davey was unwillingly pitched as a spiky PJ Harvey, something she was never comfortable with. On the superb follow-up, the Choice nominated Tales of Silversleeve, Cathy revealed her tender side, producing a beautiful album, one that was stirring and emotional as well as featuring some brilliant pop tunes, and which catapulted her to the forefront of the Irish music scene.

That wasn’t enough for EMI seemingly, who dropped her - and much of their roster - in 2008, granting Cathy an independence she probably always craved, but possibly wasn’t ready for. Until now.

The Nameless is a cracker; stuffed full of tunes that will require much digging to get to the bottom of, but an album that sees Davey revel in her strengths and not seeking to conform to an imaginary, stilted mainstream genre.

There is an eery darkness to the album, not the least of which is the mandolin inspired title track, a delicate and moody piece that swells and falls with Davey’s delightful timbre. Likewise the imperious Army of Tears, on which Neil Hannon stops in to help out on backing vocals.

There are some beautiful tunes, such as the emotional Lay Your Hand, smothered as it is in soaring strings, and the gorgeous finale End of the End.

Davey has kept her propensity for pop tunes intact also, as evidenced by the lead single, the folky, soulful Little Red, and the humorous Happy Slapping.

One of the strengths of this album is undoubtedly the pitch-perfect group of musicians that Davey has surrounded herself with, including the peerless Conor J. O’Brien, who no doubt added his own dark intensity to the album. A

ll in all, an astonishing and spine-tingling album that is definitely the best thing Davey has done to date.

RATING 4/5

Local band to open Bob Dylan Thomond Park gig

2010-05-13T10:46:00.004+01:00

LEGENDARY singer songwriter Bob Dylan has personally requested that an “up and coming local band” open up his Thomond Park concert on July 4.

Entry forms carried in today’s Limerick Leader and this week's Limerick Chronicle offer a local band the chance to open for Bob Dylan at his July 4 Thomond Park concert.

Aiken Promotions have teamed up with the Limerick Leader and Chronicle newspapers, plus Live 95FM and Dolan’s Warehouse, to offer an up and coming local band the chance to share a bill with the legendary singer-songwriter.

Concert promoter Peter Aiken revealed on Friday that Dylan had personally requested that a local band open the show, which will also feature Alabama 3, Seasick Steve and David Gray.

“We are going to get a local Limerick band, an up and coming band to open it up. Dylan wants it to be a young band to open up the show - a good band,” said Peter Aiken.

A shortlist of acts will be compiled, with entries closing on May 28.

A showcase night will be held in Dolan’s on Friday, June 25 to select the winning act.

Mick Dolan said: “It’s an amazing opportunity for a young band. It doesn't get any better than sharing a bill with Bob Dylan”.

Peter Aiken also revealed that Dylan, who he called “one of the greatest icons of the 21st century”, was looking forward to coming to Limerick.

“He is looking forward to coming here. They have been looking up Thomond Park on the internet - he knows exactly where he is going,” said Mr Aiken.

Mr Aiken also revealed that he had “made a commitment” to John Cantwell, Thomond Park stadium director, to keep returning to the €40m stadium to stage two gigs a year.

“It is our intention to keep coming here and we are going to keep doing two gigs a year,” said Mr Aiken.

Mr Cantwell said Peter Aiken had “provided the goods again in terms of headline acts”.

“It doesn't get much bigger in terms of names, and the reaction has been very positive. It is going to be a great day out and the city can put its best foot forward in terms of profile and image and positive publicity,” he added.

Gates to Thomond Park will open at 2.30pm on July 4, with the first band on at 3.30pm. For tickets - priced at €60, €70.70, €81.25, and seated at €67.50 - check out www.ticketmaster.ie and other usual outlets nationwide. Booking line: 0818-719300. See page 3 of the Leader 2 section for entry forms for the chance to perform on the Thomond Park stage on July 4 with Bob Dylan.

Eight new acts added to Electric Picnic line-up

2010-05-05T11:42:00.005+01:00

This just in; eight new acts have been added to an already impressive Electric Picnic 2010 line-up: Mark E Everett's Eels, who are set to release their eighth studion album this year, End Times; UK electro-pop outfit Friendly Fires; world renowned DJ Laurent Garnier, Mancunian post-punk veterans The Fall; downtempo Ninja Tunes’ act Bonobo, who will appear as an eight piece band; Oxford five piece Stornaway, who featured on the BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll; much loved Irish electro-pop-punk act Fight Like Apes and Dublin techno rockers Channel One.

The acts join a line-up that already consists of Roxy Music, Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem, Leftfield, Modest Mouse, Hot Chip and the Frames, among many many more. Tickets are currently on sale from all usual outlets. For more on the original line-up announcement see here.

In other news, EP '10 organisers have put a "Ticket Installment Plan" in place for this year’s Electric Picnic to make things a little easier for those wishing to purchase a ticket. The scheme is open until the end of this month, 31st May. For more details see here.

Norman Jay plays Streetlife in the Warehouse

2010-05-04T10:13:00.007+01:00

A couple of photos of Norman Jay playing the Streetlife gig down in Dolan's last Sunday - thanks to Joe and Ken Coleman for the pics. I didn't make it down, but heard loads of folks did and that it was a super evening, with Norman Jay in effusive form as he celebrated 30 years of his 'Good Times Soundsystem', which has earned him a Knighthood.
On the Terrace Paul Webb hosted the latest installment of his Balance New Talent Sessions with Brian Sexton, Michael Jason Grant and Dave Hall - check Webb out on Spin South West on Fridays from 21.45.
The next Streetlife party returns on May 21 with the immense line-up of Japanese Popstars and Justin Robertson, tickets on sale now!

Riverfest weekender - May Bank Holiday weekend bonanza

2010-04-29T12:57:00.002+01:00

LIMERICK is set for a bonanza May Bank Holiday Weekend with over 50 different events taking place around the city.
With Riverfest and the Great Limerick Run set to bring thousands of fun-seekers into the city this weekend, music and arts venues are outdoing themselves to stage events to cater for the thousands expected into the city.
Graffiti enthusiasts are expected to flock to the “Just Writing My Name 2” international graffiti jam taking place in “The Spot” on the Dock Road, which is to play host to a stellar line-up of international graffiti talent, including Cope 2 from New York - a legend on the international scene.
Various different music events are to take place around Riverfest and the Great Limerick Run, with the BBQ taking place on George’s Quay on the Saturday afternoon, and music being provided at various points along the route of the run, which is expected to feature over 5,000 competitors.
In a great weekend for live music, Limerick is to play host to the like of 80s legend Nik Kershaw on Friday night, and high profile DJs Dave Pearce and Norman Jay (pictured above) in separate events over the three days.
Limerick man Steve Ryan releases his new single as windings this Friday in Dolan’s, while very highly rated songstress Jennifer Evans takes to the stage in Baker Place this Saturday. Johnny Duhan brings his new show ‘The Voyage’ to the Belltable, while former member of the Ramones, Tommy Ramone, brings his indie-acoustic duo Uncle Monk to Dolan’s.
For theatre fans, the new Loft venue in the Locke hosts the last couple of nights of the excellent Language UnBecoming A Lady, featuring Myles Breen and finishing on Friday, while the Choke Comedy Improv Troupe return to the Belltable on Saturday night.
With live music also taking place in the People’s and Arthur’s Quay Parks this Saturday, Limerick will be alive with sound this weekend, prompting Laura Ryan of Limerick Co-ordination Office to proclaim that there is literally “something for everyone to do this weekend”.
“Limerick is the place to be this weekend and has firmly established itself as the May Bank Holiday festival location,” explained Laura, whose office is co-ordinating Riverfest.
“The weekend has now become synonymous with Limerick and fun and there is lots of stuff happening with close to 50 events taking place,” she added.

Nik Kershaw interview

2010-04-29T12:47:00.002+01:00

NIK KERSHAW was undeniably one of the absolute kings of the ‘80s, no question.
Try and conjure up a mental image from the seminal music videos of the mid-80s period and you can’t look further than the strange ‘Tron’-like video for ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’, in which Kershaw danced around in a strange, glowing suit, hair coiffed to the max.
Likewise the Bristol-born singer’s ‘I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, which featured vacuous, pale-faced children mouthing the words to the song, while the teen-idol danced around a castle which billowed smoke, on this occasion sporting a dyed blonde look.
Kershaw, who was also one of the standout performers at Live Aid, comes to Limerick this week for a ‘No Frills’ acoustic gig - his first time gigging in Ireland in more than 20 years.

“I'm very much looking forward to this Irish expedition, or exhibition,” says Kershaw, speaking from his home and stumbling momentarily over his words.
“It might be a bit of both - me making an exhibition of myself,” he laughs heartily.
A genuine legend, both of the above songs were absolute standards of the 80s era, ensuring the Bristol-born singer spent a record-breaking 50 weeks in the UK Top 50 singles chart in 1984. Both featured on the debut album ‘Human Racing’ - still a classic to this day.
However, come 1990, his star was beginning to wane, and after four albums and eight million record sales, Kershaw stepped out of the spotlight, rather abruptly.
He has flitted in and out since, preferring to remain as a songwriter and producer, working with the likes of Elton John, Cliff Richard, Bonnie Tyler and more latterly, Imogen Heap, Gary Barlow and Let Loose.
Oh, and he wrote and produced The One and Only, sung by Chesney Hawkes - a monster smash hit that no-one the planet could ever claim not to have heard.

“It was huge and it still keeps coming back to haunt me,” agrees Kershaw when asked about the song, which was sung memorably by Chesney Hawkes.
“I'm still very good friends with Ches - despite me ending his career,” he laughs. “That was a weird one, that was almost the first thing, when I decided to write songs for other people, that was almost the first thing I did, and then I stuck it on a shelf and forgot about. I co-produced it, recorded it and then forgot about it. A year later the film came out and blimey - it was mad.”

Remembering the dizzy heights of his own career, Kershaw is more phlegmatic. It is clear that he was never interested in the attention and trappings of fame, indicative of his decision to step away from the limelight, rather than become almost a parody of himself.
“Well you know, it is like the old adage - be careful what you wish for, because I wanted to make music and be known for making music, and I wanted to play in front of thousands of people, but then I was totally unprepared to deal with it, to deal with the public thing, the press and media - I just wasn't very good at it,” he says simply.
On Live Aid he laughs: “That was certainly a big moment - although I keep getting reminded about it, because for obvious reasons people want to know about it, but most of my memories from it have been.. I don't know if they are real anymore, because it has become something I talk about in interviews, and I don't know how much of it is made up and how much is real”.

While he has been keen to stay out of the limelight, the affable Kershaw has nonetheless released a studio album every four to five years, all to considerable critical acclaim, most recently on 2006’s You've Got To Laugh.
He returns this year with ‘No Frills’, which essentially documents his return to the stage, performing acoustically, solo and minus the mullet and shoulder pads.
“Saying I choose to do anything is a bit misleading for me, because there is never a plan, I have always just bumped into things, which I have been doing all my career,” he explains.
“What happened was, I got offered a couple of gigs in Dubai, little acoustic ones, and I thought, I fancy going there and I can try the acoustic thing out and no-one will know any different.
“It went ok and the next time somebody asked me, I surprised myself and said yes, and I did a load of acoustic gigs last year, and I have done quite a few this year. I'm quite enjoying it, so I'll keep going.”
Kershaw is playing a wide variety of songs, classics and newer material, possibly some very new. But surprisingly for a guy who performed in front of hundreds of thousands in Wembley Stadium and elsewhere, he still admits to the pang of nerves before going on stage.
“I'm not beyond nerves, I get nervous before every show. In some ways, especially the smaller gigs, the more nervous I get, because it is just me and a guitar - no smoke and mirrors or a band to hide behind,” he says.
“I was very surprised because I was thinking "anybody can do this" - you think there is nothing special, but you are sharing something with a bunch of people, and I am delighted with how well the gigs have been received,” he adds.

Nik Kershaw plays in Dolan’s Warehouse this Friday night, with an Eighties Night to follow.

Album review - Josh Ritter 'So Runs The World Away'

2010-04-29T12:44:00.001+01:00

Josh Ritter
‘So Runs The World Away’
(Independent Records)

JOSH RITTER has never really appealed to me, I’ve never really understood how the Idaho singer is so popular in - particularly - this country.
Apart from some early promise shown on his second album, Golden Age of Radio, Ritter, who was spotted and adopted by The Frames when he was a fresh faced performer, has never really seemed to live up to the hype.
And what hype; movie stars herald his work, while he has been referred to as “most gifted interpreter of Americana, as an arranger and a lyricist, working today”. Or at least it says so in his press release.
Ritter’s last album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, left me cold. Bland and boring, it evoked Americana alright, but was of no special originality or boasting any appeal to be remarked upon.
It is refreshing then to have this opinion turned upside down by the merest listen to this rather interesting album, which took Ritter two years to make, and takes its title from a reference to Hamlet.
So Runs The World Away is that strange hybrid of beasts; an album with its roots in sawgrass and blues, incorporating modern day recording techniques and guitar effects, delicate strings and quirky touches here and there - and, if this album doesn’t really sound like a Josh Ritter album, it also certainly doesn’t sound like Mr Ritter himself.
The dark and grim Folk Bloodbath, echoing as it does Nick Cave, is astonishingly guttural and eery, while the flipside is the breezy Lark, a Gospel-influenced ditty that would be at home on the O Brother Where Are Thou soundtrack.
Ritter stretches to evoke Tweedy and co on the Wilco-esque blues standard The Remnant, while he channels Neil Young on the superb Southern Pacifica.
It is the range of sounds on this album that is surprising, with Ritter demonstrating an impressive range, touching the ethereal on See How Man Was Made, and the emotional on the charged Another New World.
It is hard to find a bum note on what is an immensely satisfying album.
Welcome back Josh, all is forgiven.
RATING 4/5 Alan Owens

Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip in Dolan's last Friday

2010-04-29T12:12:00.008+01:00

Thanks to Ken Coleman and Streetlife for the pics.. Great gig

2010 IMRO Showcase This Saturday In Limerick

2010-04-22T10:44:00.003+01:00

NATIONAL MUSIC showcase tours can be a hit and miss affair.
Often accompanied by heavy branding and advertising, the bands can often be of a poor quality and lacking in spirit and guile. Thankfully, that is not the case with the IMRO Showcase tour, which is run by the Irish Music Rights Organisation - in association with 2FM and State magazine - and seems to have a genuine interest in unearthing the latest new music talent on these shores.
The 2010 IMRO Showcase has been touring the country since March 25, featuring the likes of The Ambience Affair, C!ties, The Minutes and Talulah Does The Hula - names to watch out for all, take it from us.
This weekend the showcase rolls into Limerick for the local leg - the penultimate on the tour before the Best of IMRO Showcase Tour 2010 gig in the Academy, Dublin, where the cream of the crop will be selected to perform.
A record breaking 800 music submissions were received for this year’s tour, and a heavyweight local line-up has been selected for the Limerick leg; Windings (solo), The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, Nick Carswell and The Elective Orchestra and Supermodel Twins.
Now, none of these bands will be - or at least should not be - unknown to those that regularly attend gigs in Limerick, but gathered together on one stage, broadly represent some of the finest acts this city has to offer to the country.
Top of the bill is Windings - Steve Ryan of Giveamanakick’s new full-time project, which is gearing up for a single release this Friday of the rather excellent “Brain Fluid”, and Steve will play a solo Windings show this Saturday, with a full band show to come the following weekend.
The Brad Pitts are also gearing up to (finally!) release their debut album, which these ears have heard and can strongly recommend.
Completing the line-up is Nick Carswell and his Elective Orchestra, who have been somewhat absent from the local scene of late, but will be back with a bang and some new tunes this Saturday, while the Supermodel Twins are riding high since the recent release of their single Bruises, from their much-anticipated debut album.
It is rare to get four bands of this quality on one stage, so get out and support them.
The IMRO Showcase Tour takes place Upstairs in Dolan’s this Saturday, April 24. Doors at 8pm.

Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip in Dolan's this Friday

2010-04-21T10:04:00.003+01:00

THE SHIMMERING electro-pop of Dan Le Sac VS Scroobius Pip’s new album opening track ‘Sick Tonight’ gives way to a grimey, drum and bass heavy beat after about thirty seconds - Pip spitting with a certain venom: “I feel sick tonight/something in my stomach ain’t sitting right/but I gotta overcome it, keep spitting right”.

This bile-tinged opener isn’t wholly representative of what is a stunningly lyrical album that ebbs and flows, but instead frames what is an astonishingly imaginative offering, the second from the hip-hop duo, who combine this spoken-word lyricism with heavy beats.

Pip’s beat-led polemics are at the beating heart of the Logic of Chance, weaving imaginative tales and themes into the music, and shining a bright light on the ills of British society.

Pip - real name David Meads - is one half of this eclectic and exciting duo who struck gold with their first writing collaboration, Thou Shalt Always Kill, a tongue stuck firmly in cheek satirical rant on modern culture. The song struck a chord with radio listeners, and was a smash, but the duo resisted the pressure that inevitably came with such early success, signing with Sunday Best, the label founded by Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank.

“Dan and I had known each other for ages, but not musically. Thou Shalt was the first song we wrote together,” explains Pip, speaking from his Essex home.

“There was a lot of pressure to get an album out a month or two after that - but we spent over a year working on it. We had a lot of interest from big labels at the time, and we didn't go that way, which feels right now. I think if we had gone with a major, who knows if we would be making a second album now, because the first album went down really well critically, and we have been pleased to tour it and meet the fanbase, but, it wasn't particularly a big chart success,” he explains.

Pip is very much at home discussing the ins and outs of the new record, which is an eye-opener. He doesn’t shy away from the themes present on The Logic of Chance; much like his lyrics, which are literally warts and all.

On lead single Get Better he implores the disaffected youth of Britain to try and change the aimless direction of their life; on Great Britain, he rampages his way through issues around knife-crime statistics.

“There are two or three tracks on this album that are kind of along that kind of line - (focusing) more directly on problems in society,” he explains.

"Generally I always write about society, but different elements of it, and I'll often weave it into a story. “But there was a kind of urgency to be more direct about these things on this album - we should be looking at why they are carrying knives and getting into trouble or getting coked up on a Monday night down in the pub. We need to focus on giving them more options and other things to be passionate about.

“In a way some people will feel the songs are too preachy, but we will get a lot of people who these songs have really meant something to and hit home, and that is more important. The subjects I choose to write about, I will happily put myself up as a target, for those who don't agree, if that is what I have to do to get through to those people it is helping and making a difference to. I am happy to take that hit,” he adds.

Amazingly for such a well-together duo, who seem to spar and feed from each other’s energy both on record and when they play live, the writing of these songs is done individually.

“We rarely actually sit down together with a track and work on it - it is better if we allow each other the space and the time to develop the track, rather than have one of us peering over the other's shoulder,” explains Pip.

“When Dan sends me a load of beats, I'll naturally jump on the ones that sound like will fit something I have already written - that is how we work.”

Regardless of how they record, this a winning combination - the acerbic wit and master wordplay of Pip, matched by the dancey-grimey, zeitgeist-inducing beats of Dan.

“For me it is a development from the last album, it feels like Dan and I have got to know each other's ways and techniques a lot more and we have both developed a fair bit - and yeah, it feels like a really nice progression,” says Pip simply.

“It shows slightly that a lot of it was written on the road, because there are a few more banging, up tempo tracks, but there is still more chilled out points and reflective areas, but there are more ones that go across amazingly live, so it feels really good,” he adds.

Dan Le Sac VS Scroobius Pip play in Dolan’s Warehouse on Friday, April 23.

Oliver Cole of Turn fame plays solo material Upstairs in Dolan's tonight

2010-04-15T09:56:00.002+01:00

OLIVER COLE is in a good mood.
The former frontman with much-loved Irish indie band Turn, who broke up in 2006 after becoming the nearly-men of the Irish music scene, has just released his solo album ‘We Albatri’, and is calling into Limerick on Thursday to perform songs from it.
The affable Kells man describes the process of recording his new solo offering as a cathartic one, after the demise of the band he was in for the bones of ten years.
“I spent about three years making it - or at least, I started it straight away after I left the band,” says ‘Ollie’.
“Then I kind of went off the rails for about a year, a long-term relationship ended, and there was a crisis of confidence. I came back to it about a year and a half ago and finished the record - and I am glad I took that break, I got a fresh perspective on things.”
The album is far removed from anything Turn produced, We Albatri ringing with a pop sensibility that chimes of everything from McCartney to The Shins.
“That is something I had never done before - Turn was quite a dark band, and I didn't want this record to be dark, even though I had an awful lot of things I needed to talk about, I wanted to disguise them in hooks and good melodies and keep the listener interested,” explains Cole.
In 2008, following a chance conversation via MySpace with a German fan, and a swap of some unreleased songs for a box of sweets, Cole ended up in deep in the Black Forest in Germany, in a studio owned by Philipp Rauenbusch, bass player with multi-platinum selling act Reamonn.
Cole recorded the album with friend and producer Ciaran Bradshaw, while some old friends chipped in, including Graham Hopkins, Paul Noonan, and old Turn mucker Gavin Fox.
“That was amazing, I think if that didn't happen, the record would never been made. It was a gift from the heavens. It was a very positive time,” he adds.
“Turn was a lot more claustrophobic. We were a rock band that were good at writing power pop songs, that were inevitably really noisy - and we could never really get away from that, and as a songwriter, I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. I want to grow up to be Billy Joel or something, turn into a proper songwriter at some point,” he laughs.
Listening to the strength of his solo record, Cole is well on his way to showcasing such ability, and his new departure has clearly lifted his spirits. He has finished a journey, but a new one is beginning.
“Yes, but this is the fun part. Ireland is a great place to travel, people are in a good mood and I'm really looking forward to it,” he adds chirpily.
Oliver Cole plays Upstairs in Dolan’s tonight.

Album review - MGMT 'Congratulations'

2010-04-14T14:23:00.002+01:00

MGMT
‘Congratulations’
(Sony/Columbia)

THE HAND wringing and angst that has accompanied this album has been a genuine pleasure to observe.
What? MGMT have gone and made a self-indulgent, psychedelic album, with no singles? Described as “challenging”? And wanted to give it away for free? Are they mad?!
It seems the whole world wanted ‘Oracular Spectacular’ Part 2, except two Brooklyn lads called VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, who wanted to make the album they always wanted, an introspective, sprawling odyssey that takes some time to get your head around.
Let’s get one thing straight, despite what you have heard, this is not a drastic departure for MGMT - several of the songs on Congratulations are reminiscent of those on the debut album, but songs along the lines of bombastic hits Time To Pretend, Kids and Electric Feel, are conspicuous in their absence.
Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser never wanted to be the band that churns out anthemic songs like those mentioned above, which they wrote while still in college, and pasted onto their debut album for a patched-up release. Even in Time To Pretend, they lampooned this attitude, singing, tongues firmly stuck in cheek: “Let’s make some music, make some money, find some models for wives/This is our decision, to live fast or die young”.
Abandoning this route, to the record company’s despair no doubt, MGMT have channelled modern-day acoustica through a 70s psychedelic tunnel, and emerged, blinking, on the other side.
With producer Sonic Boom, or Peter Kember, of the cult British psychedelic act Spacemen 3, MGMT have made a 9-track album that is at turns beguiling and bizarre, but is very memorable, and will require many listens to get to the bottom of.
That said, they have produced some very catchy songs on Congratulations, no less than the title track, Someone’s Missing and I Found A Whistle, while the psychedelia is largely limited to the sprawling trippy-folkie 12 minute behemoth of Siberian Breaks and Pink Flloyd-esque Lady Dada’s Nightmare.
Echoing The 5th Dimension’s ‘Aquarius’ on several tracks, notably opener It’s Working, MGMT have loaded the album up with sitars, harpsichords and pan-pipes, which at times can be overloading, but ultimately, even within the twelve minute Siberian Breaks, they produce some very tender and melodic moments.
While Song for Dan Treacy sounds like something The Libertines might have produced if they weren’t, well, crap, there is very little on this album that won’t stand the test of time, and prove that the duo were correct not to merely reproduce their big hits, and instead make an effort to challenge and provoke.
As they sing in Congratulations, “Its hardly sink or swim when all is well, or the tickets sell”. Listen to this album, ignore the bluster, and make up your own mind.
RATING 4/5

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble in Dolan's Warehouse tonight!

2010-04-13T08:44:00.004+01:00

The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble play in Dolan's Warehouse this fine Tuesday evening - they will also perform at lunchtime in Java's in UL at 1pm and appear on Spin Talk in and around 2.15 (that's good going). For more see here.

NO CONTEST this week, those funk-soul, jazz and bass hounds from Chicago, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, are coming back to town this Tuesday and it is officially the gig of the week, if not the month, or even year.

Almost regular visitors to Limerick at this stage, the nine piece brass explosion of HBE most recently played a storming gig in Trinity Rooms last October, but since that superb evening of adrenaline-fuelled jazz magic, Barack Obama’s favourite band have recorded with Gorillaz on their superb new album Plastic Beach, and are visiting Limerick before they head off on a worldwide tour with Damon Albarn’s not-so-cartooney band.

The Hypnotic Brass are dashing around Ireland this April to promote their forthcoming Heritage EP - recorded for Choice Cuts late last year - which is coming out in advance of their first official studio length album in May, coming out on Albarn’s Honest Jon’s record label.

All sons of legendary Chicago jazz trumpeter and Sun Ra Arkestra founder member Kelan Phil Cohran, plus drummer Christopher Anderson, HBE supported and played with Blur at Hyde Park last year, as well as Glastonbury and Electric Picnic, and to see these musicians perform live is to be literally hypnotised, an aura of telepathy surrounding them.

The last time they were in town, Gabriel Hubert - aka ‘Hudah’ - chatted to On the Beat, and put down their symmetry to the fact that they grew up living and breathing music.

“We enjoy creating music - you have to have fun. That is not the main element, but it helps,” said Hudah. “The thing that makes our sound so unique is that we have been playing together since we were kids. We have been hearing these notes since before we were born. Our sound is more of a cosmic and spiritual connection than a physical connection - it almost can't be put into words, because it is bigger than our personal egos and feelings,” he added.

Get down to Dolan’s Warehouse tonight, April 13 to see for yourselves what makes these guys so special.

Interview with Paul Savage of O Emperor, who play Dolan's this Friday

2010-04-08T12:34:00.005+01:00

ONE OF the most memorable highlights from the recent RTE Other Voices series was an appearance by a little known band hailing from Waterford, who have been quietly going about their business, assembling some cracking tunes and preparing to unleash them on an unsuspecting public.
Of course - we note smugly - we knew all about O Emperor long before they appeared on RTE, with word coming from Waterford and Cork music circles - where the five piece outfit went to college and are based - that this was a band to watch.
A very early gig in January of this year saw the Waterford outfit come to Dolan’s with fellow hotly tipped UK counterparts Sons of Noel and Adrian and Alessi’s Ark, and those that braved the cold were not disappointed by this trio of bands.
O Emperor carry a weight of obvious, if often very simplistic comparisons; vaguely Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear and Radiohead, channelled through the 70s slow burning, soft-core rock of The Band or Neil Young - but blew this reporter away with their performance that cold January night.
Intertwining three part - at times five-part - vocal harmonies on certain songs, most notably forthcoming single Don’t Mind Me, the band displayed off signature rhythms and brooding beats, and a deep multi-layered sound that was so apparent on the debut Persephone EP, and first single Po.
The band are set to release another EP this month, and are gearing up to a full album release in September. Paul Savage, singer with the band, joined City Life for a genial chat recently, with the band fresh from supporting Mumford and Sons in the UK and Ireland.
“They were really great gigs to do, and they were really nice bunch of lads - it was nice for us to play for that crowd,” says Paul, who fronts the band along with school chums Alan Comerford (guitar), Philip Christie (piano), Brendan Fennessy (drums) and Richie Walsh (bass).
“It is just crazy to see a band, of our own age, getting so phenomenally big; it was almost like Beatle-mania when they came on stage. It is crazy to see that, behind the scenes, to see how big someone can get just from one album. It is always nice to see as well - so it gives you some hope that it could be a viable thing to happen,” he laughs.
Paul met the other four members in secondary school, who had all been pals since primary school, and they all decamped to Cork to attend college. Four out of five men studied Music Management and Sound Production courses. Handy then for recording an album, it seems.
“O Emperor first properly began when we left college, about three years ago now,” explains Paul. “Before that we were called different things, but what we were playing before didn't really interest us. We completely scrapped the whole thing, went back to the drawing board, came up with ten songs and renamed the band and pursued that style. That was it.”
He adds: “It is a long story but really it is only happening in the last two years that it is taking off”.
The band recorded the album Hither Thither, but, as they began to send it out and get feedback from music industry people, decide to wait to release it. In the intervening period, new songs were written, which cried out for inclusion. With management sourced and a link-up with Universal secured, O Emperor decided to re-record their debut album, adding new material.
A recent trial trip to a Welsh record studio was scrapped, as the band failed “to gel” with one producer, but have found a happier set-up at a studio in Dublin, and are progressing nicely. However, it is an arduous process at times, Savage admits.
“Obviously re-recording a song is very tedious in itself, it is quite laborious, but it is working quite well this time around,” he says.
“We are working with a good engineer and are working in a nice space in Dublin, and it hasn't been a chore to re-record the old stuff, and it is quite refreshing when you have a bigger studio to work with. We are a lot tighter after a year of playing as well.
“It can work against you sometimes - you can end up imitating what you did originally and it can seem a little forced. It is a tricky thing to do, to get right - but in the end I think it will stand to us.”
O Emperor play Upstairs in Dolan’s this Friday night.

FACTFILE Band: O Emperor
From: Waterford
Members: Paul Savage, Alan Comerford, Philip Christie, Brendan Fennessy and Richie Walsh.
Famous For: Debut single ‘Po’, which was well received, and a recent appearance on RTE’s Other Voices
Releases so far: Persephone EP, Reverie EP (due on April 18)
Website

Album review - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

2010-04-07T12:36:00.003+01:00

DAN LE SAC Vs SCROOBIUS PIP
‘The Logic of Chance’
(Sunday Best)

THE DEBUT album Angles from Essex duo Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip was one of the best independent releases of 2008, launched successfully off the back of the success of first single ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’ - the very first collaboration between the duo.
At the time they resisted major label offers for their much-sought after debut, and resisted the urge to rush release the album, instead taking their time to craft what was a stunning turn of anthemic hip-hop/rap and electro-dance tracks, formed of Scroobius Pip’s (David Mead’s) acerbic and very vivid lyrics and Dan Le Sac (Daniel Stephens’) production and beats.
The Logic of Chance follows the same winning pattern, but we are not sure if the duo took as much time with this release, as they did with the first album.
There are some stunning tracks on The Logic of Chance; the electro-grime and acerbic wit of opener Sick Tonight, the knife-crime referencing Great Britain and dancey first single Get Better, which hypothesizes about encouraging teenagers to take more account of their actions among other topics - but overall it misses an opportunity to follow up on the urgency and superior listenability of the debut offering.
Also, considering he is a master lyrical wordsmith, it is unfortunate that Pip’s vocals are often drowned in the mixes of some of these tracks, and he is simply incomprehensible at times. However, when they are clear, the lyrics deployed here are exceptional - full of anger and vigour - and make The Streets look more like Sesame Street.
Also, when Le Sac gets it right, such as on the dancefloor hip-hop of The Beat and the softer album finisher Cowboi - this is very, very good.
It is just a pity the whole album didn’t get the same careful attention.
RATING 3/5

Great Friday This Good Friday, Where Else Would You Be?

2010-04-02T09:56:00.002+01:00

WHILE the whole country and Limerick’s vintners were holding their breath about pubs opening on Good Friday, the folks behind Limerick’s homegrown rock spectacular, the Great Friday Festival, were quietly going about their business, preparing for their annual day-out this Friday. Great Friday has been running in one form or another for almost eight years, but in 2008, moved to an outdoor location where some of Limerick’s finest bands took to the stage to entertain the masses.
Last year hundreds of revellers turned out to see fifteen bands on the main stage and eleven DJs in the newly introduced dance tent, in a field in Murroe.
Great Friday returns this year with an even better line-up, and a “shiny new” location. The location of Great Friday is shrouded in mystery, and those interested in attending must take a bus from Arthurs Quay, which will run from 11am today.
“We have a shiny new field all ready to go, and while it is much flatter and more convenient, I would still advise people to wear wellies and to bring something to sit on,” laughed Cathy O’Flaherty, of Great Friday Event Management.
Cathy said she didn’t think that the decision to allow pubs to open on Good Friday would affect the one-day music festival.
“I might have a small impact, but I don't think it will be much,” said Cathy.
“It is still a big day out for people and we are showing the Munster match, so people can keep their options open.”
This year’s festival will feature a dozen bands, including local acts the Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and Acoustra, with Dublin band Funzo headlining, while 11 DJs, including Dan Sykes and Jamie Behan will perform.
A number of magicians, fire-breathers and graffiti artists will also showcase their talents at the festival.
“It is certainly a more eclectic line-up than last year in terms of the group of bands we have - from electronic bands to full-on rock bands, a bit of everything,” explained Cathy.
“We also have the chill out tent for acoustic acts and a dance tent for the DJs,” she added. All of the profits from the festival will go to Rape Crisis Mid West, and just 600 tickets are available, so get moving.
“The whole thing is for charity, any and all profits will go to the Rape Crisis Centre,” explained Cathy. “We only do this for the fun of it, no-one gets paid for this. We are trying to keep costs down to a minimum, so only 600 tickets are available, and quite a few have been sold. I would advise people not to wait until the day to buy tickets, as they are selling fast.”
Great Friday takes place today. For full details see www.greatfriday.ie.

Rubberbandits Launch Picnic, Create A Stir

2010-03-31T16:09:00.007+01:00

IN A sign of their growing national profile, comedic Limerick rappers The Rubberbandits last week launched the line-up for this year’s Electric Picnic festival, which features a reformed Roxy Music, Massive Attack and LCD Soundsystem as headliners.
The assembled media were clearly bemused by the duo from Limerick, who recently became the latest You Tube sensation, clocking up close on 40,000 views for their tribute to Limerick’s former Defence Minister, “Song for Willie O’Dea”.
The Rubberbandits performed their first ever live version of the song to a packed Crawdaddy venue for the launch, but earlier posed with models for the press to launch the impressive line-up for the Stradbally held music and arts festival.
The Limerick duo were the only act asked to perform at the launch and are booked to appear at the festival for a second year running, after upwards of a thousand people crammed into a tent to see their performance last year.
Speaking after they performed in Dublin, the ‘Bandits said they were “delighted” to be playing at the Picnic, and said that their first ever live performance of their Willie O’Dea-inspired song “went down a storm”.
“The Rubberbandits are delighted to be playing Electric Picnic, we are going to bring some culture - some Limerick culture - to a festival that only has Poxy Music and L-S-D Soundsystem on the line-up,” said Rubberbandit ‘Mr. Chrome’ after the gig.
“It's the highlight of the summer, drinking cans, watching beoirs - the food is only ok, but we can’t wait to go back,” added the comedic rapper.
The duo have captured the public’s imagination with a succession of hilarious songs, including “Bag of Glue” and their EP “Drawing Pictures of Each Other Smoking Fags”, which is on sale in Empire Music. They will play a hometown “festival gig” in Limerick in June.
Other acts announced for Electric Picnic include Public Image Ltd (Pil), featuring Johnny Lydon of the Sex Pistols, Leftfield, Hot Chip, Mumford and Sons, Jonsi from Sigur Ros, Gil Scott-Heron and Irish acts such as The Frames, Villagers, Redneck Manifesto and Imelda May. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster outlets, at a cost of €240.