Dylan delights fans in Thomond Park

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.

David Gray and Seasick Steve added to the Bill for Bob Dylan Thomond Park Gig

Aiken Promotions have added perennial Irish favourite David Gray and the superb Seasick Steve to the bill for the Bob Dylan concert on July 4 in Thomond Park.

As Peter Aiken told us this week, up to four additional acts are to be added to the bill, so we expect more acts to be announced in the coming weeks.

Shaping up to be a good day out in Thomond so far, keep it here for more updates.

Tickets go on sale this Monday at 9am from Ticketmaster and usual outlets.

Album reviews - Shakira and Seasick Steve

Shakira

‘She Wolf’

(Sony Epic)

BEGINNING and ending an album with the same song, albeit in two different languages, is never a sign of a quality offering, and despite the opportunities I afforded this album to disprove my initial scepticism about it, well, suffice to say there was no ‘eureka’ moments on offer here.

Why someone would choose to name their album ‘She Wolf’ is beyond me, but maybe it was to allow the undoubtedly talented Shakira to demonstrate her embarrassing howl, which she does - several times, and in both languages.

This aside, the title track ain’t necessarily a bad offering, the jaunty guitar and heavy synth beat like a cross between the Gossip and CSS, the latter whom Shakira has mercilessly plundered, but it is the slick production and heavy orchestration that saves it from total ignominy. Unfortunately, proceedings peak at this point and rarely make much of an impression beyond that. Ok, the rat-tat beat of Did It Again, the Caribbean flavourings of Good Stuff, the faintly euphoric dance beats of Men In This Town and the tabla percussion and sitar-heavy Gypsy are clearly not the worst songs ever written - but that is probably all that could be said about them. Hilarity prevails when the ubiquitous Wyclef Jean turns up on the awful Spy, featuring the most blatant rip-off of the guitar hook from Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop we have ever heard - the poor man must be rolling in his grave.

The anodyne rock beat of Mon Amour is laughable and the aforementioned final track, in which Shakira sings She-Wolf in Spanish as ‘Loba’, complete with howls, is side-splittingly funny, as are much of the lyrics on this bizarre album. I’m being kind with two stars, clearly because Shakira sounds like she is on the verge of laughing her way through most of this album and is not taking herself too seriously. Worth a listen.

RATING 2/5

Seasick Steve

‘Man From Another Time’

(Warner)

YOU might have thought that the hobo-chic effortlessly practiced by Mr ‘Seasick’ Steve Wold would be wearing thin by this, his fourth album.

A self-declared “song and dance man”, Wold has carved out a decent career for himself on the strength of his hobo-blues, which draw heavily on his life experiences and utilise the most rag tag collection of instruments this side of the Mississippi.

Thankfully, the follow up to ‘I Started Out With Nothin And I Still Got Most Of It Left’ is excellent; Wold refusing to let the momentum drop from a meteoric rise in popularity that began with a by-now famed appearance on Jools Holland several years ago.

Festival appearances, tons of kudos and mucho album sales later and Wold is still singing about the everyday; his ‘Diddley Bo’, essentially a plank of wood with a coke can and a steel string, modelled in a lap-steel guitar-style, to which the opening track is devoted, sounding like Led Zeppelin covered in a broody Deep South batter and some superb drumming; ‘Big Green and Yeller’ in which Wold sings about a John Deere tractor; and the raw ‘Happy (To Have a Job)’ which is perhaps the most autobiographical song ever written - “I can’t stop what I’m doing, it’d be the death of me”.

The interesting thing about this album is that Wold takes the bulk of the songs down a notch or two and allows his impressive musicianship to come to the fore; the effortless strum of the ‘Banjo Song’ hears Wold croak and allow his voice to creak, uncaring how it sounds.

It is the truly superb ‘That’s All’ that is the centrepiece of this rich new vein of form Wold is demonstrating, the tongue-in-cheek sassiness of his earlier offerings replaced by an earnestness that is admirable.

He allows himself to cut loose, the chorus showing he can reach the high notes, while the song grooves along in a skiffle beat, Wold almost Cobain-esque in his drawl, “I wanna fly like a bird over these walls / never to be heard from again”.

Superb. RATING 4/5

MCD apply for Kilkee Cois Fharraige licence

On the Beat has learned that MCD have applied for a licence to hold Cois Fharraige in Kilkee again this year, with September 11-13 the dates being sought.

This news would bring a massive boost to the seaside town - and the Mid West region - as upwards of 15,000 people have flocked to the idyllic resort over the last two years for the three day festival.

More news when we get it, but see below for a report on last year's festival.

DESPITE predictions it might be a complete washout, somehow the return of Cois Fharraige - held in association with Sony Ericsson - to Kilkee, proved another remarkable success for the small coastal village.

A deluge of rain reaching epic proportions threatened to turn many - this reporter included - off making the short trip from Limerick last Friday.

Like many Limerick natives, Kilkee is something of a second home for me, and this festival was a keenly awaited one.

There must have been shudders in Kilkee when the rains set in on Friday, but despite this thousands of eager music fans flocked to the town, and facilities were much improved this year, with a number of camp sites available to those souls set to brave the elements.

The major feature of last year’s festival were the huge numbers of people who arrived down for the weekend with no intention of taking in the music on offer in St Senan’s GAA pitch at the top of O’Curry Street. Instead, they intended to soak up the atmosphere on offer around the town, and again, this proved the case. Pubs provided music of their own, with some going all out to capture punters.

Meanwhile, up to 6,500 ticket holders took the time to check out the likes of the Coronas, the Futureheads and the Zutons in the kayham tent on the Friday night. Conditions were soggy at best, but the Zutons in particular provided a sparkling performance, with the camera chiefly interested in attractive saxophone player Abi Harding.

Amazingly, the weather on Saturday morning was perfect - blue skies and sunshine were gently tempered by a wind that became merely a breeze as the day wore on. Entertainment was provided around the town and the main street was mobbed from an early hour. Personalities like Munster’s Paul O’Connell were more than happy to sign autographs and pose for photographs in the sunshine.

It was left to bands 28 Costumes and the Broken Family Band to contend with the lure of the Irish soccer international on Saturday evening, before Kila continued their impressive run of spirited performances as they returned for a second year.

However, one of the highlights of the weekend was the dungaree-wearing, Jack Daniels swigging, three-string guitar playing Seasick Steve Wold, who blasted out his hobo-style songs I Started Out With Nothing and I Still Got Most of It Left and Doghouse Blues.

Unfortunately laddish rock band Supergrass were not as impressive, impassively taking to the stage and blasting out six or seven new tracks with little compunction or connection with the crowd, before playing hits Moving and Richard III.

"This is a nice place you’ve got here, we’ve been here now for a few days," singer Gaz Coombes tells the crowd, before the band rush through a version of monster hit Alright - apparently a song they haven’t played in a long time.

As we file out of the tent after Pumping on your Stereo, the party continues downtown as the main street is wedged with people dancing in the street.Incredibly, Gardai later confirm that despite the huge numbers in town for the weekend, the majority are well-behaved with few public order offences.

Sunday brings the undoubted highlight of what has become a very successful weekend, for punters and businesses alike. Scottish legends Travis draw such a roar from the crowd that Fran Healy is forced to stick his fingers in his ears, and the band put on a show that liberally sprinkles classic hits with newer, edgier material such as J Smith and new single Something Anything.

Writing to Reach You, Side, Turn and Flowers in the Window are played with such joy and aplomb that people remember why they loved Travis in the first place.

And the band can hardly be heard over the roar of finale Why Does it Always Rain on Me, happily sung with gleeful irony rather than resignation.

With any luck this festival will return next year, but, if not, we always have two brilliant weekends to look back on.