Best Gigs of the Year in Limerick 2009

TEN BEST LIMERICK GIGS OF THE YEAR 2009

10 - Big Chillum with Horace Andy - Dolan’s Warehouse, June.
Horace Andy (of Massive Attack fame), Inntinn and Dom from Blood and Fire gave us a dub session extraordinaire in June

9 - Great Friday Festival - A field, Murroe. April
A wet, windy day in April saw the Great Friday Festival return to Murroe - but good spirits, a superb line-up of local bands and a heaving dance tent made up for the weather.

8 - The Wailers - Dolan’s Warehouse. February.
The first of two gigs in the Warehouse from The Wailers, fronted by sole surviving member Anton ‘Family Man’ Barrett, plus rising star Elias Atias, saw the group play the seminal ‘Exodus’ album in full.

7 - Franz Ferdinand - Dolan’s Warehouse. February.
Heavyweights Franz Ferdinand arrived in Limerick - one of only three gigs in Ireland to promote new album Tonight - and reminded us what a superb live band they are. An electric performance.

6 - Walter Mitty and the Realists album launch - Baker Place. August.
One of Limerick’s best up and coming bands launched their debut album Green Light Go in Baker Place in August, an adrenalin-fuelled energy rush of a gig that leave the audience sweaty and hugely entertained.

5 - Tweak - Sunken Foal - St. Munchin’s Church. September.
An electro-acoustic delight, as part of the week long Tweak Festival that saw several innovative performances. We look forward to next year.

4 - Elton John - Thomond Park. June.
The first concert in the newly developed €40m stadium. Rod was good, but Elton knocked our socks off.

3 - Donal Dineen - Fresh Air with Katie Kim and James Yorkston - Daghdha. December.
The final night of the Christmas Presence weekender featured Donal Dineen’s projections and Katie Kim’s heart-stopping post-rock rhythms.

2 - Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - Trinity Rooms. October.
A nine-piece brass band from Chicago that play fun, soulful superb jazz and R&B that was so good they got a slot as the house band for Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz’ project. Their second gig in the Trinity Rooms was a masterclass in exciting jazz-funk, which had the room on their feet for two hours. Fingers crossed they come this way again.

1 - Lisa Hannigan - Daghdha Space, St. John’s Church. August.
The beguiling Lisa Hannigan in the finest venue in the city was quite simply a recipe for gig of the year. The band still play with a smile on their faces, and the music is still superb, plus Hannigan’s new material screams of potential. We look forward to seeing Daghdha become more established on the gig scene in 2010.

Interview with Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand

Here is the full text of the recent interview with Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, carried in the Limerick Leader print edition of Saturday, February 28

The Scottish rockers have let their sound evolve at its own pace for the third album, Alex Kapranos tells Alan Owens

THERE is an unmistakable air to the lead single from Franz Ferdinand's new album, but there is something different about it too.

There in spades is that thumping dance-floor, jaunty beat that so imbued their Mercury Award-winning debut, but Ulysses boasts new variables: swirling prog-rock/synth sounds that kick in before those familiar, clanging guitars.

"I found a new way," sings lead singer Alex Kapranos in the lead track to Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. The Scottish rockers might not have reinvented the wheel, but there is sufficient development on this album to mark it as an improvement on troubled second effort, 'You Could Have It So Much Better'.

"I think Ulysses is a good indicator of what the album is like, because there is a few different sounds and surprises to it that maybe weren't on the other records, but it is still us. I think our band has a quite distinct character and we wouldn't ever want to lose that," explains Kapranos, speaking to the Limerick Leader.

Of the album, songs such as Twilight Omens, No You Girls and the initially balladesque Bite Hard, containing the lyric "You don't know the pseudonym I assume / for you," leap out at the listener.

Kapranos admits that more time was taken on this offering than its less illustrious predecessor.

"Definitely. When we made the second record, we were a bit frustrated. When we made the first record, we had all these ideas that we hadn't properly explored, bits of songs that hadn't been used."

We ended up touring for so long that we were really impatient, we just wanted to get in to record and so we did - I'm not going to regret it, it is the way we were at the time and we were happy to get it done."

The well spoken Scot refutes, however, any suggestion that album number two was rushed, or indeed difficult.

"There was definitely a difference in perception because the first album was a surprise, because nothing else really sounded like that at the time. Of course there is not going to be as much shock when the same band does another record."

I think each album is as good as each other, but the second album didn't have the surprise that the first did. I don't even know if it was rushed. In the 60s they used to make a record a week, and that was extravagant. No, I think it is unfair to say it was rushed, I think it is unfair to say it was difficult."

Nonetheless, this time around the band had a new perspective, seeking to let the album evolve in its own time, playing smaller gigs to try out the developing material, and recording in an old town hall in Govan, on Glasgow's outskirts.

"We started off using it as a rehearsal room, then we got some recording gear in and before we knew it, it was kind of a studio. We went down to a real studio in London and did some recording; while it sounded pristine and perfect, it didn't have some of the quirkiness and character that this building had in Glasgow, so we recorded it there.

"We had no idea what this record was going to be like, and decided to just wait and see. There was a weird way we went about writing it, by playing little gigs. You are so close to the crowd and close to each other on stage - you are really aware and you play tighter and react to the other musicians some of the songs would survive, some would die, and a lot would change as well."

The small gig idea has transferred to these shores, as, thankfully for us, Franz Ferdinand are to kick off their European tour in Dolan's Warehouse this Saturday night.

"It was a conscious decision, because we've not played in Limerick before, so it will be great to get down there," says Alex. "A lot of our crew are from Ireland and we thought we had to play somewhere other than just Dublin this time, so we are. We heard the crowd in Limerick are up for it as well, so I think it is going to be a good gig."

Franz Ferdinand play Dolan's Warehouse this Saturday night.

Franz Ferdinand impress in Dolan's Warehouse

So rare to get a chance to see a band of Franz Ferdinand's stature in a relatively small venue like Dolan's Warehouse. I mean 'small' in the best possible sense, and in this case, the venue came into its own in a way that defies recent memory.

300 odd sweaty and very happy people enjoying an hour and a half of quality music and performance, from no more than 10 feet away. It occurs to me that I might never have been closer than say, 100 feet, to a Franz Ferdinand performance in the past.

If even. I vaguely remember walking past Franz Ferdinand performances at recent festivals, without exhibiting much interest. Sometimes a tune or two, sometimes not. But when such a band come to town, to play in the local venue that you inhabit on a regular basis, then that's a different story altogether.

Now, I was a big fan of the Scottish rockers' eponymous debut. Sort of lost interest - like many - with the follow-up You Could Have It So Much Better. But it is strange how the songs from this album sound new and vibrant after not being heard in time, and also played live to an appreciative crowd.

In fact, all of the songs that FF play tonight sound new and fresh.

The racheting, military style precision drumming of Come on Home opens the show, ripping through the crowd like a knife - attention is immediately grabbed. The central motif to the song is a meandering keyboard scale that Kyle McLachlan-esque guitarist/keyboardist Nick McCarthy allows to hang in the air.

Blue light falls upon your perfect skin/Falls and you draw back again/Falls and this is how I fell..

There is a rush, an energy - no, a tautness about this four-piece, confidently exploring songs from their back catalogue, allowing them to sit comfortably alongside their new output, from third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.

Second on the list tonight is No You Girls, from Tonight, an ear-buzzer of a song that will grab you and won't let go.

Kiss me, flick your cigarette and kiss me.

The shouty chorus is an instant classic, popular with this audience.

Do you ever wonder? No you girls never know - how you make a boy feel.

Matinee and Do You Want To? follow in breathlessly quick fashion and the floorboards creak with the effort of 300 people jumping in unison. Not for a minute did I expect these songs to sound as good as they do, here and now.

Another new song follows, the organ driven Twilight Omens, Kapranos allowing the full range of his falsetto capabilities to stretch their vocal legs.

Walk Away follows, and it is clear the band are going to follow a sort-of one on, one off type strategy to their music, dipping in and out of the first two albums, alongside new material. Fine with us.

Line of the night arrives in the form of Bite Hard, another new song that stands up to the effervesence exhibited by material from album #1 and 2.
You don't the pseudonoyms I assume for you.

The peak of the set arrives with the effortless grind of Take Me Out, the two minute groove of Turn It On, 40', Michael and new single Ulysses, which throws a prog-rock sound into the angular rock mix.

After a brief walk-off the Scots return with first album classic Better On Holiday, new track What You Came For and finish with a roaring version of This Fire that sees all four members stand around drummer Paul Thomson's drums and bash the living daylights out them. Superb.

What's on around the place tonight and the weekend..

FREE gig in Dolan's tonight as Live 95FM presenter Alan Jacques serves up three bands for your delectation..

Top of the bill is Dublin five-piece Heritage Centre, who are promoting their debut EP 'The City, The Tree and The Fox'. Haven't heard it yet (sitting on my desk at home) but their sound is described as somewhere between Weezer, Elliot Smith and Pavement. Now there's an eclectic bunch you wouldn't normally see in the same sentence.

Support from acoustic pop duo Star Crossed Enemies and Limerick's own Pio. Upstairs, Doors from 8pm.

Also tonight, American guitarist, composer and instrumentalist Gyan Riley takes to the stage in the Warehouse, a guest of Limerick Jazz Soc. Should be a good one. 8.30pm.

Out in UL, students from from the Irish Academy of Music are to play a 24-hour session this Thursday in order to raise funds for a fellow musician.
24 beats in a bar will begin at 10pm and the music won’t stop until 10pm on Friday. The 24-hour gig is in support of Luis Asturias, a Spanish musician who has lived in Ireland for the past 12 years.

Another FREE gig in Baker Place this Thursday as The Buzzmonkeys, Drumming Room and Hammered all play in the Tait Square venue.

Onwards:

Friday:

Baker's - Idle Hands/ Underground - Nu Killa Beats (9th Birthday)

Dolan's - Mark Geary (Upstairs - 18 bobs) / The Truth (Warehouse - 12 bobs)

The Club @ Au Bars - The Release Party (it's great fun - 11pm - 5 bobs)

LIT Millennium Theatre - Mundy (20 bobs - 8pm)

Trinity Rooms - The Block (9pm - free until 11pm - 8-10 bobs after)

Saturday:

Baker's - Built For Comfort, Beastmen (6 bobs) / Underground - Roots Factory - Brother Culture

Dolan's - Franz Ferdinand (Warehouse - sold out)

Trinity Rooms - Paul Webb, Mac 3, A2DF and Leon (9pm, free before 10pm, 10 bobs after)

Sunday:

Baker's - Bad Reputation present: Defect, 6 Feet Or Above Ground, Raised To The Ground

Trinity Rooms - I Love the 90s (Free before 11pm, 5 bobs after)

Monday blues...

I'm told that today is statistically the most depressing day of the year, and it is hard to argue. After the highs of Munster trouncing those upstarts from across the water on Friday, plus one hugely enjoyable night out in Salthill, Galway on Saturday, we found ourselves close to the depths of despair on a random Monday in January. Snow. It actually snowed today.

Fear not fellow strugglers, hope is on the way. I'm on my way shortly to the launch of this year's UnFringed festival, which promises much raucous theatre and music over a busy ten days, starting next week. High on the list is an acoustic Fred gig. The Cork band, who also boast strong local links, released one of the best pop/rock n' roll albums of last year in Go, God Go. Nuff said.

Also hovering over the horizon are the Wailers, Thomas Kitt, Franz Ferdinand, Bell X-1 and more. This week we shall be attending Mr Arlo Guthrie's solo performance in Dolan's (Wednesday) at the very least. Plus the MAMCA awards on Saturday in the Radisson, but more on them anon.

On top of all of this, Niall Colgan and friends launched their Living in the City project today, which promises to be fun. See here for more info.

I'll be in better form tomorrow, you'll see....

Tap, tap, tapping away...

Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, dah.. brewing up a storm..

Etc etc. Heading along to The Stunning tonight, you might have guessed. It's sold out though, so anyone without a ticket, well, I can ring you at the required moment if you want?

Daghdha host their White Christmas Mamuska nights as well this evening. Free and all welcome, dance and fun in the fabulous St. John's Church. It's rare that there is a reason to go there so we would recommend a trip. Go on, brave the horrible night there.

Speaking of sold out, Franz Ferdinand's Dolan's gig sold out in about 30 seconds this morning. Well, maybe not that quick but quick enough. Good work by Mick and his crew down there, and we have heard snippets of other acts to be announced in the near future. Yes please is all we will say for the time being. Keep an eye out in the paper.

Franz Ferdinand to play in Dolan's Warehouse

On The Beat can reveal that Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand are to play a one-off gig in Dolan's Warehouse on Saturday February 28.
In a major coup for the Dock Road venue, the band are to play just two dates in Ireland, one in Limerick, followed by one in the Olympia in Dublin the following Sunday night.
We understand that the close links between Kasabian and FF, and the fact that Dolan's have hosted the likes of Roisin Murphy and the Charlatans in recent times, were all factors in helping the venue secure what is - regardless of your preference for the band or not - undisputedly a massive gig for Limerick.
FF are to release their third studio album at the end of January, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, the lead single from which - Ulysses - will be released on January 16.
You know the rest - they released their eponymous debut in 2004, which scooped them the Mercury Music Prize, and was widely lauded as one of the releases of the year. 2005's follow-up was not as enthusiastically received and lacked a little of the spark of the original, but still had its moments.
Tickets for the gig are priced at €35 including booking fee and are available from Dolans Pub and Ticketmaster outlets from 9.30am this Friday morning (at least that is what it says on the press release, probably should be 9am). I would imagine that you would want to move fairly fast to secure a ticket, and purchases are limited to four per person.
First ageing rockers Elton John and Rod Stewart, now indie-darlings Franz Ferdinand, who knows what might be next?

For more news, stay here and with the Limerick Leader.
http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Franz-Ferdinand-to-play-in.4776380.jp