No, hold on, that’s not all. This is I Don’t Bite from their latest album Barbara. Look at the shtate of ‘em! I doubt there’s a wasted sunny afternoon that wouldn’t be made better with a We Are Scientists video marathon and twelve mojitos. Proper swoonage tunage; take this as a huge personal recommendation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Post tags: Dublin gigs, we are scientists

Math-pop heroes FOALS are fresh from a triumphant appearance at Electric Picnic, and from a Mercury Music Prize nomination for second album Total Life Forever, and are only mad to rock yer pants at the Olympia on Monday 15th November. Tickets priced €23.50 went on sale TODAY at 9am, so hurry hurry. This is This Orient. Ooh, it’s just lovely!

Click here to view the embedded video.

THE NATIONAL will play the Olympia on Thursday, 2nd of December, the stirring clever bastards. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, for €28.50 or €31.50. This one will sell out quicker than Katy Perry sold out Jebus for cold hard cash, so get in there fast. Why not allow yourself to get worked up with the absolutely magnificent Bloodbuzz Ohio?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tickets for everyone’s favourite band TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB’S Irish dates went on sale yesterday, so again, skates, on, now. The lads will play Mandela Hall in Belfast on Tuesday 7th December, Tripod in Dublin on Wednesday 8th December (with a very limited amount of tickets remaining), and Black Box in Galway on Thursday 9th December, with prices ranging from €18.50 to €21.50. They’ve also just announced a headline show for Friday, 8th March 2011 at the Olympia, with under-16s invited under the stern thumb of a mammy or daddy. Isn’t that nice? Tickets for that go on sale at midday today. This here’s Undercover Martyn, because I think if I posted any more about Something Good Can Work, I’d be defenestrated. Please note that ticket price does not include bringing the boys home with you.

Click here to view the embedded video.

There was a point during Electric Picnic where I wandered past the main stage, stopped to harken at the rawk, and gawped when I realised it was THE FRAMES playing. I had been of the impression that they were, like, uncoolz. I was wrong. They’re celebrating their 20th anniversary (Jesus, I know! 20 years! Imagine how Outspan Foster feels!) at the Olympia on Sunday, December 12th. Tickets are on sale this Friday, and cost a 20th-anniversary-apppropriate €35. They’re not getting a video, though, because it would be disrespectful to post something from The Commitments, and if I can’t show you Outspan Foster, I won’t show you nawthin’. So there.

Oh, go on then. This is Dream Awake.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Post tags: Belfast gigs, Dublin gigs, electric picnic 2010, Foals, Galway gigs, Gigs, The Frames, The National, Two Door Cinema Club

- Darren

If someone were to ask me what ditties dominated my soundtrack to Electric Picnic 2010, I would have to mention the theme to The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.

Not because my weekend was filled with great artists, lesser artists, and mud-encrusted crusties, though that would work on one lazy plane or another, but because while I walked through the village of Stradbally, a small tradesman sized me up whilst Ennio Morricone’s iconic score reverberated ominously in my quivering ears. A sign in the window of his siopa advertised a phone number for natives bothered by the influx of festival heads. He leaned against his door, shifting half a wishbone from one side of his gob to the other, while I skittered past carrying half a ton of camping gear on my swiftly-bruising shoulders. He may have muttered “The Greater Good” at my back. I couldn’t get into that ruddy festival soon enough; that’s something they don’t advertise on their website.

The weekend improved from there on in, though, with a line-up featuring both proven festival favourites and new and exciting experiences; unlike many festival line-ups, more like parades of commercial big-hitters than diverse celebrations of music, there was as much to discover at Electric Picnic 2010 than to catch up with. There was always a hovering niggle that, while you bopped along in rhythmic ecstasy to your New Favourite Band, you were missing something mind-blowing/mind-fucking/mindfield-ing in the next tent over, that if you bothered to stray from your carefully scheduled schedule you’d find wondrous happenings underneath every sod. You should have a feeling, at a three-day festival, that a week would just about give you time enough to catch all worth catching, and Electric Picnic provoked that feeling, shovel-loads of it. In short? A personal triumph. In long? I don’t know, why not have a gander at my highs and lows?

SWEARY’S PICNIC PROS:

The Japanese Popstars: Was I ever glad I ditched Hot Chip, caught Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip’s arse end, and was nicely encased in the electronica faithful by the time this Norn Ireland threesome came on stage. Banging beats, infectious air-punching, otherwordly melody, and interesting runners; these boys know how to rock a hedonist’s world.

Seasick Steve: A showman, a gentleman, a hairy man, a great man. Not only did Steve treat his fans to a thrilling set, with anecdotes, short, sharp poems, and instructions for making your own musical instruments out of Morris Minor hubcaps, but he was so very clearly delighted to be at the Picnic, delighted to be sharing his songs, delighted that people were chanting his name back at him. It’s not every day you see an artist respond to his fans the way Steve did on Saturday. Very, very special.

The Food: Not a band name (yet; I bagsie). I really am talking about the grub. I could have spent three days eating. Japanese, Mexican, Spanish, Vegetarian … er, doughnuts … Electric Picnic was all about full tummies and lots of tasty choices. And the prices weren’t overly shocking (apart from at the Gala Shop, where you were expected to trade a kidney for a packet of wet ones and a bottle of Coke).

The Kids: No, really. I was very dubious about how kid-friendly the Picnic could possibly be until I went there, and I have to say, I really thought the presence of the funny, cavorting smallies in fancy dress and painted faces really made the experience that much sweeter. Maybe it’s because I have a sprog myself, who I fully intend to cart along next year.

Body and Soul: Oh, it was lovely. There was a door all on its own in the middle of a field. The main stage was in a dell. Hobbits possibly frolicked in it. It made me want to stop laughing at dreamcatchers.

The entire Mindfield line-up: See Body and Soul, except substitute hobbits for genuinely interesting people doing and saying genuinely interesting things.

The Velvet Luxury Loos: Holy shit, indeed.

Glenn Wool: I admit I only ended up in the comedy arena so I’d have somewhere to sit down while I rubbed sensation back into my welly-area, so Mr. Wool’s wide-eyed drawling of extra-loud, extra-ticklish truths was a fantastic bonus, and one of the discoveries of my weekend. There was a seemingly-quite-ill heckler in the back of the tent who kept shouting about the Twelve Apostles, though. I don’t know whether she was innocently prophesising The End Of Days or had just lost a fight with a bottle of absinthe; she shut up in the end.

The Anti-Room Panels: Biased? Yes, because I write for The Anti-Room; you may put my disclaimer in your pipe and smoke it. Still, I genuinely loved every second of Saturday’s Anti-Room debate on female stereotypes in Mindfield (I missed Sunday’s, due to being a big wet blanket and going home early); it was stimulating and funny and despite my chickening out of the proceedings due to a divil of a hangover (of more, see below), I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Showeroke: I was dubious, I’ll admit. Promoting energy efficiency, ESB sought to give Picnickers a memorable experience on a 100% sustainable stage by mixing the twin joys of hot water and loud caterwauling. With an electric shower powered entirely by bicycles and the chance for brave and drunk people to yowl along to karaoke classics, they did just that. After seeing all the festive people wandering about with their Picnic Power t-shirts, I went along and witnessed it for myself. It was beside the comedy tent, exactly where it should have been. Hi-larious.

Denise and Denise’s boyfriend: Two very much in love people who shared Culch.ie’s campsite and treated us to the most epic, passionate argument since Peggy Mitchell had it out with Pat Butcher. You’re gonna make it, you crazy kids!

David Maybury’s Jonsi Impression: I have to say that I didn’t see Sigur Rós frontman Jonsi’s performance, but I can still say, hand-on-heart, that Mr. Maybury’s impression was better. Oh yes.

And obviously, Johnny Flynn: Yes, I know, I’m as predictable as vegetable soup. He was wonderful, though, scruffy and note-perfect and bashfully alarmed at the drunk Paddies screaming along to Been Listening. “Bet he doesn’t get that in London,” giggled the fan beside me.

But where there’s a yin, there’s a complementary fuck-off of a yang.

SWEARY’S PICNIC CONS:

Missing things: Two Door Cinema Club, Stornoway, Friendly Fires. And my camera. Also my dignity at the Rave In The Woods on Friday night, which I was just informed yesterday I was at.

Insects: You can have your Great Outdoors, you know. If Electric Picnic could be held entirely in a climate-controlled bubble, I’d be very happy. There were more wazzies and spooders than there were crumpled plastic cups, and that’s saying something (you messy bastards). Also, Culchie Seán threatened to throw daddylonglegses at me, which was terrible of him.

The ticket price: It’s still prohibitively expensive. €240, added to the expenses incurred in actually being there, is a lot of money and while the Picnic experience is generally positive, how many of us can justify that kind of spending? I would have had a lot more friends there had it been just a little more accessible a treat, which might have stopped me leaving my dignity in a ditch on Friday night. For shame!

The 24-can minimum at the campsite off-licence: Yes, it’s a lot quicker and more convenient to sell in slabs, but 24 cans per transaction? What kind of damage-limitation is that (especially added to the whopping 48-can limit per person for those bringing drink into the campsite)? On top of that, what danger was there in people bringing cans from the camping areas into the arena? Glass bottles I can understand, but stopping people bringing alcohol bought on site into the main thoroughfare was nothing but mean-spirited. There seemed constant pressure to buy more alcohol with each section of the site you entered, which is hardly responsible, not to mention bloody Scrooge-ish.

But In General, Everything Was Great: I didn’t have a lot to complain about, from the bands’ giving it their all to the delicious veggie burgers on offer throughout, which is not a healthy thing for a committed curmudgeon such as myself. Obviously, the toilets were generally atrocious, but that’s to be expected when you have tens of thousands of icky tummies on site and not a dash of Motillium to be found. All in all, Electric Picnic 2010 was fantastic. See y’all next year!

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Post tags: electric picnic 2010, Glenn Wool, Johnny Flynn, Seasick Steve, The Japanese Popstars

Keane’s Tim Rice Oxley and Jesse Quin are putting on a show as MT Desolation in Belfast’s Spring & Airbrake on Thursday 9 September and Whelan’s, Dublin on Friday 10 September. The location means something to the pair, for the legend of the PR flack says hat the pair did come upon the idea in Whelan’s while well on the way for needing a taxi home, but apparently not oiled enough to be refused. The plan being two English men trying to sing like Hank Williams. They sobered up, but the germ of the idea spread and they did something about it. The album is out in October. Let me know if its a disaster.

Cork legends (sometimes for their music) Republic of Loose start their four month live residency at the Academy, Dublin – one Friday each month from September through to December on Friday September 10th. These shows will be the band’s only Dublin gigs of 2010.

After returning from the States to open for U2 in Croke Park on their 360 tour in 2009, they spent the latter half of the year writing new material for their fourth album. In May 2010 Republic of Loose flew to Baltimore in the US to begin work on their forthcoming album. Recorded in Wrightway Studios with Steve Wright who had just finished working on the new UNKLE album, the fourth Republic of Loose album is scheduled for an early October release with the lead single pencilled in for September 17th. The album marks a new direction for the Loose with Mik Pyro describing the work as more up tempo and groove orientated. Currently they have a bunch of US Hip-Hop artists shouting out for them (and not just the Baltimore crews) so expect the republic to grow.

Ryan Sheridan launches his début single Jigsaw at the Sugar Club on Thursday 9th September. Hailing from County Monaghan, as a teenager, the singer and guitarist made his tentative first steps onstage in the pubs and clubs of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. An intimidating environment where he was old enough to play but not to drink, the competitive nature of the scene and the city meant he had to get good quick or go home. From there throw in Glasgow and the Scottish circuit then back to Ireland. Cut to Dublin in 2009 when he joins forces with Polish percussionist Artur Graczykand the pair hit the streets of Dublin to perform. He plays The Sugar Club, on 9 September after hitting Spain’s Benicassim Festival and Ireland’s own Oxegen festival. Ryan Sheridan’s début single ‘Jigsaw’ will be released on 10th September.

PVT (formerly known as Pivot, and probably pronounced like that) are playing The Workman’s Club, 10 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2 on Thursday September 2. The gig is in support of the “Church with No Magic” album and you can see the video of the first single “Window” as well as download it for free at their site. Their sound is described as, ahem “an amalgam of rock synthesis, propulsive rhythms and huge melodic strength”, to me its loud pop tinged wit a bit of rock sensibility underneath all their layering. You could slip “Window” in to the Inception soundtrack and no one would notice the tonal change.

TICKETS

Canadian roots-rock band Blue Rodeo return for a pair of Irish dates in late September in support of their album The Things We Left Behind, which was released earlier this year. Blue Rodeo is among the most accomplished groups Canada has produced.  The band has won 12 Juno Awards, including a record breaking 5 Group of the Year Junos.  Blue Rodeo won the 2008 Juno for Best Group, Best Adult Alternative Album & Best Video and received a Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2009. Watch the video for Blue Rodeo’s Arizona Dust  below. The dates are Monday 27 September in Whelan’s, Dublin and Tuesday 28 September in The Errigle Inn, Belfast.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ireland’s first International Gospel Music Festival (an initiative of Metro Éireann) aims to open up gospel music to new audiences in Ireland, and also to act as a tool to promote integration. Its on Saturday 25 September in The National Convention Centre, Dublin. Chinedu Onyejelem is the coordinator of the festival encompasses choral, rap, African, church, R’n’B and other sounds of gospel. The line up will include Dublin Gospel Choir, the Discovery Gospel Choir, the Redeemed Christian Church of God Praise Choir, Gospo Remix, Alva, Shaz Oye and more.  A series of workshops will also take place.

ALSO PLAYING

BELFAST
Thursday 9 September
Villagers, Black Box, Belfast

DUBLIN
Monday 6 September
Graham Corrigan, Captains Live Blanchardstown

Tuesday 7 September
The Looks, Captains Live Blanchardstown
The Dirty 9s, Doyles, Dublin – Ruby Sessions

Thursday 9 September
Delorentos, Live Blanchardstown

Friday 10 September
Fionn Regan, The Workman’s Club, 10 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2
The Mighty Atomics, Live Blanchardstown

Saturday 11 September
Verona Riots, Captains Live Blanchardstown

SLIGO
Saturday 11 September
R.S.A.G., Temple House Festival, Sligo

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Post tags: Artur Graczykand, Blue Rodeo, Jesse Quin, Keane, MT Desolation, PVT, republic of loose, Ryan Sheridan, Tim Rice-Oxley, Whelans

See you all tomorrow!!!

© Darren for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Creator, EP, Timetable

*** Thank you for all the entries ***

*** The winner is Alan O’Connor - congratualtions ***

This is a special treat for all our Cork Culch.ie followers. Would you like an evening of exceptional flamenco performance with two of Spain’s most highly regarded artists? Read on.

This month sees the welcome return to Ireland of virtuoso composer and guitarist Juan Antonio Suárez “Cano” and award-winning dancer and choreographer Concha Jareño. Proudly presented by Peña Flamenca El Indalo, with the support of the Arts Council, the Instituto Cervantes Dublin and the Agencia Andaluza para el Desarrollo del Flamenco, this tour offers Irish audiences a unique opportunity to enjoy a level of flamenco artistry normally reserved for the stages of Spain and the more established international flamenco festivals.

The Spanish artists, who performed separately in Dublin in 2009, are returning to tour Ireland with a new production called “Seis cuerdas para dos tacones” (“Six strings for two heels”), which they premiered in June 2010 at the annual Flamenco Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Some audience members described the experience as breathtaking and many were moved to tears. If you wish to experience the same thrill and rollercoaster of emotion, all you have to do is drop an email to competition@culch.ie with your name and the subject line “Flamenco Me” and you’ll be in with the chance of seeing this great show in The Firkin Crane, Shandon, Cork tomorrow night, Thursday 2nd September.

For more information and other dates and venues, please check out www.flamencoindalo.com. Tickets for the Cork show are priced at €25, but they could be yours for free. Email me now. competition@culch.ie

Winners will be selected tomorrow morning.

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Seán Recommends:

BP FALLON: Irish legend who has been labelled muso, journalist, PR man, charlatan?… who cares what else, is giving a talk as part of the panel entitled ‘Unknown Pleasures‘ as hosted by Dave Fanning at Mindfield at EP. Check it out at Saturday 4pm at the Levithian tent. Remember ‘leccy picnic’s not ONLY about the music (although he’s doing a DJ set too).

FIGHT LIKE APES: What can I say that’s not been said before? See them and tick ‘Witness the Awesomeness’ off your festival to-do list. Sheer brilliance live; if you’re not happy I’ll refund your money.

SEASICK STEVE: He lived in a boxcar. He probably smells like shit. He plays a 3-string guitar and a wooden stomping box he named the ‘Mississippi Beat machine’. He is everything I want to be when I am his age, which let’s be honest, he’s probably forgotten at this point. Whiskey at the ready for this one.

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB: I have a soft spot for TDCC. I reckon it’s so soft that if I set up my tent there I’d probably sink into what lay below. They’re like an Irish Vampire Weekend, but less famous at the moment. They played last year as unknowns now they’re on mobile phone ads, de bleedin cheek of them. Go see em and let me know what they’re like… (wish I had a ticket because of these lads)

Eilish Recommends:

JANELLE MONAE – ‘cos she’s the best thing to happen in popular music this year: Tightrope

ROBYN - for still being good, even though she’s appeared on that graveyard for musicians Never Mind the Buzzcocks: Killing Me

FEVER RAY- for being the craziest Swede going. Can’t wait to see the moulded rubber prosthetics!: Stranger Than Kindness

Bryan Recommends:

SPILLY WALKER : This is David Kitt and his younger brother Robbie working together to produce swaying electronic beats with the catchier side of Kittser Senior’s work well intact. If you liked David Kitt’s LP The Nightsaver (and you really should have), you’ll love this.

MOUNTAIN MAN: “Hang on, who?” may be the reply now, but “They’re like a female Fleet Foxes!!” will be the words on the scenesters’ lips come the end of the festival. Sumptuous and melodious.

PATRICK KELLEHER AND HIS COLD DEAD HANDS: Critically acclaimed but commercially relatively unknown, Patrick Kelleher remains the embodiment of the exciting new wave of Irish acts to emerge in recent times. At times trippy and brooding, while at others romantic and sparse, Patrick Kelleher’s music is never anything but original, exciting and innovative. With the full band behind him, expect to be amazed by the hallucinogenic beats booming around Stradbally at 1.30am on the Sunday night in the Body and Soul stage.

DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP: Music has always relied on partnerships and while these lads may not exactly be the modern day Lennon and McCartney, there can be no doubting the synergistic wonder which arrives when beat monger Dan Le Sac and word-smith Scrobbius Pip get into sync. Wonderfully poetic lyrics, brimming with depth and intelligence, placed over rockin’ beats – what more could you ask for?

Darren Recommends:

FRIDAY: Of course, it’ll be fun catching ROXY MUSIC, but after seeing BANANARAMA at Milk, it’ll be a hard nostalgia trip to top. EELS are a band I had only fleeting daliances with when I was growing up, but in the last year, I’ve really become a fan and have had so much fun delving into their back catalogue. Bring it on. JANELLE MONAE and LAURA MARLING will be two big hits at EP, methinks, so I’ll try catch both of them. As always, I’ll make every effort to catch the awesome DUKE SPECIAL.

SATURDAY: IMELDA MAY – can’t go wrong. She’s remarkable and will be a highlight of the festival. CATHY DAVEY will be solid too (and we can only hope her bf shows up). SEASICK STEVE, STEVE EARLE, THE FRAMES, HEATHERS, THE MIGHTY STEF and maybe ROBYN- there’s plenty to choose from on Saturday.

SUNDAY: First and foremost, I am insanely excited about getting to see MASSIVE ATTACK for the first time. I’ve been a fan for… more years than I care to remember, so this is a huge treat. It’ll be cool to catch the RTE Concert Orchestra in the midst of all the random giggery and Sunday’s chillaxing will definitely include MUMFORD AND SONS. I’ll also aim to catch THE NATIONAL, BEARDYMAN, FLApes, JAMES MCMORROW, MESSIAH J, O EMPEROR and STORNOWAY.

OTHER STUFF: But there’s more than just music at Electric Picnic. I will NOT be missing DEAD CAT BOUNCE as part of the weekend’s comedy offerings. I’ll try catch PHIL JUPITUS and REG DHUNTER too. The Word stage sounds very cool and I’ll be aiming to see MICK PYRO give us some of his poetry (oh yes!). The sexy hot DAVID MAYBURY will also be … performing … as part of Poetry Ireland’s contribution to the weekend. On the Theatre Stage, I’m going to see Obama Mia! and maybe The Last Days of Judas Iscariot from the NUIG Players. With all of that plus the Art’s Council’s Literary Stage and the Hotpress Chatroom, I have no idea when I’m going to find time to have a relaxing half hour in the hot tubs. It’ll be a full fun weekend.

Sinéad Recommends:

Elaine Recommends:

THE NATIONAL: How do you follow an album as revered as ‘Boxer’? By releasing an album like ‘High Violet’, that’s how. The National are a band who consistantly make music that is nothing short of powerful – miss them at your peril.

FIGHT LIKE APES: FLApes live performances are rarely anything short of brilliant – but the impressive standard of recent release The Body of Christ and the legs of Tina Turner could take the band to a whole new level. The combination of made-for-the-stage new material along with the fan-favourite staples will make for an Electric Picnic set to remember.

JANELLE MONAE: What’s this, ANOTHER female solo artist sent to take over the world? You betcha. There is a LOT of buzz around Janelle Monáe at the moment – and justifiably so. An entire Stradbally audience shakin’ it to ‘Tightrope’ – yes please!

BITCHES WITH WOLVES: Thisispopbaby’s line-up for the Picnic is practically a festival in itself; and if anyone knows how to put on a show worth drawing your attention away from the activity on the main music stages, it’s Bitches With Wolves. I dare you not to dance yourself silly to ‘Good as Gold’.

LAURA MARLING: What’s Electric Picnic without some quality folk music? Look no further than the fabulous Ms. Marling. An incredibly talented emotive songwriter, her live shows are famed for their poignancy – prepare to be wowed.

© Sweary for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: electric picnic 2010

Because Electric Picnic isn’t just any music event. It is Ireland’s premiere boutique “arts and music festival”. Our Glastonbury. An event of important national cultural significance because…. well, because it’s not just for drunken young wans and therefore lots of media and journo types will be there, tweeting on their iPhones about Bryan Ferry’s still-luxuriant hair. And you can get a good soya milk cappuccino. And there’s a comedy tent and like, a stage, with like, political debates and shit going on.

For those who have never been before, Electric Picnic can seem like a strange place, an alien planet, if you will. Upon entry into the camping area you’ll find an atmosphere heady with excitement and anticipation, augmented by the sweet smell of pot and that whiff which can only be described as ‘eau de portaloo’. But as is often the case, it is the people who prove the most interesting. In amongst the ill-erected gazebos, chip vans, bales of hay, aggressive Glaswegian security staff and masses of drunken festival goers, you will come across certain tribes of festival goers. These tribes are notable for their particular and unique characteristics and in almost all cases should be avoided in favour of a long queue at the main stage toilets.

“Homo Parentis Hipsterus”

“Fashionistaeus Festivalus”

“Homo Scobius Confusus”

“Genus Psytranceas Maximus”

“Scriptor Musica Wannabeus”

Of all the tribes to be found at Electric Picnic the Wannabe Music Journalist (Latin name “Scriptor Musica Wannabeus”) is the only solitary creature. This is mostly due to the fact that he is chalking up “some serious posts” for his music blog and is therefore ‘working’. He spends much of his time in the Hot Press Chatroom trying to blag a backstage press pass. When this fails every day, he attends as many bands as humanly possible and keeps track of their set list in his trusty Moleskin.

For those of you going to the festival, be warned, these characters will be in front of you in the bar queue and blocking your view of the stage. Take a deep breath, restrain yourself and remember – it’s not their fault, it’s just the way they are. And anyways, you’re in Planet Picnic, get out there and have some fun! For those of you not going, enjoy the wall to wall media coverage. After all, listening to it live on 2FM is almost like being there.

Thank You: The illustrations in this post were specially drawn, at short notice by the very talented Spanish illustrator Aroa Vivancos. You can see more of her excellent work on her website www.aroavivancos.blogspot.com. Muchas Gracias Aroa!

© anspideog for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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The Cast of Cheers, who rose to prominence having made their wonderful debut album Chariots available as a free download, have announced a nationwide tour.

The terms ‘free’ and ‘quality’ are usually terms which are mutually exclusive but not so here. Chariots is a cracking debut full of taut riffs and vocals which find that perfect balance between edgy and catchy. The album is available for free download orstream HERE and is one of the best Irish albums of the year, thus far .  The Cast of Cheers are also a sight to behold live as their recent, most-pit infused, show at Whelan’s documented.

The tour will include a stop at Dublin’s Academy 2 with tickets for that one priced €13.50 and tickets for all venues are on sale now.

Catch them before they’re huge.

Wed 22 Sep DERRY, Mason’s
Fri 24 Sep BELFAST, Stiff Kitten
Thu 30 Sep DUNDALK, Spirit Store
Tue 5 Oct LIMERICK, Dolan’s
Wed 6 Oct CORK, Cyprus Avenue
Thu 7 Oct DUBLIN, Academy 2
Fri 8 Oct GALWAY, Roisin Dubh

© Bryano for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Academy 2, irish, The Cast of Cheers, Whelans

On Friday, The seventh Electric Picnic starts is Stradbally. This is a biggie and others here have already covered it, so I’ll direct you to their coverage.

Triskel Art Centre presents ‘Two Solos’ on Wednesday 1 September, not in the centre, but in the River Lee Hotel (formerly Jury’s) Western Road, Cork. The jazz soloists are Eugene Chadbourne on banjo and Paul G Smyth on piano.

Paul Melia’s  first solo live show in Dublin will take place on Wednesday 1 September in Bewley’s theatre on Grafton Street. From a piano playing seven year old two of the major influencing factors in Paul’s musical development were his somewhat aborted classical training alongside the fact that he is synaesthetic; the neurologically-based phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. Its different with most people. Sometimes the music tastes salty, or pointy, or orange. Its also surprisingly common amongst artists, writers and musicians. This is why amongst his musical influences are rainbows, stars and colours. His début album Hold Onto The Colours will be released early next year.

By way of a preview, here’s the video for the current single ‘Miss You’

Click here to view the embedded video.

TICKETING

Jay Brannan is playing another Irish date as part of this almost world tour (The US, UK and Ireland). I guess he liked his last visit here. He plays Crawdaddy at Dublin’s Old Harcourt Station on October 16. As for his style, well he has an artistic crush on Sinead O’Connor.

And what the heck, here is a preview too. As you can tell he is still recording YouTube clips in his bathroom (for the acoustics I presume)

Click here to view the embedded video.

ALSO PLAYING

Belfast
Thursday 2 September
Chief – Auntie Annies, Belfast

Dublin
Wednesday 1 September
Chief – Academy 2, Dublin

© Will for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: electric picnic, electric picnic 2010, Eugene Chadbourne, jay brannan, Paul G Smyth, Paul Melia

XBox live are showing a series of the intimate “Other Voices” gigs filmed in Dingle’s St James Church. Yes, this is a shortened version of the gigs shown on RTÉ over the years, but this is something of a test. In November Microsoft XBox team expect to see a change in the types of people sitting down in from of their XBox once the Kinect arrives. Namely that of casual gamers. Namely that of people who like music. Namely that of people who would rather dance then first person shoot.

Its been no secret that Zune didn’t quite reach the ubiquity of the iPod. They are currently in the process of re-branding Zune from an item of hardware (which was never made available in Ireland) to that of a marketplace. Buy songs or music videos off Zune instead of off the iTunes marketplace. The option to buy movies to download for a set time, or to stream had been there for a while. Heck, the sales of songs for use with Rock Band, Lips and Guitar Hero keep the games add-on market ticking over faster that the marketplace latest list can handle sometimes.

So why not make a play for streaming music. What about streaming the December gigs in Dingle live? Its small, intimate and, well, tiny. The creaking 200 year old building in the centre of Dingle only sits 70 people. Why not expand it.

Microsoft have experimented with live broadcasts before. Their 1 vs. 100 avatar based game show (now defunct) was such an experiment. One that has mixed results. The last live shows were for the launch of Kinect itself. They can draw in people if the content is interesting enough. And “Other Voices” is an interesting festival.

I can almost see Microsoft trying out a stage at next year’s South by South West (currently the line-up is in negotiation) which has morphed from a pure music A&R series of gigs, to a major interactive expo for the first week, followed by the music and games. Well, legalities aside, why not have a Microsoft Stage and transmit part of  SXSW live (or deferred) across XBox Live.

Other Voices a test of some sort. And Ireland is a self contained test market. Maybe things are going to get interesting .

The line-up for the Other Voices changes about 3pm on a Thursday for Ireland on the “Spotlight” plane, and is as follows:

Duke Special – Thursday 19th August

Elbow – Thursday 26th August

Villagers – Thursday 2nd September

Magic Numbers – Thursday 9th September

Jape – Thursday 16th September

Seasick Steve – Thursday 23rd September

Fight Like Apes – Thursday 30th September

Richard Hawley – Thursday 7th October

Peter, Bjorn and John – Thursday 14th October

Speech Debelle – Thursday 21st October

Super Furry Animals – Thursday 28th October

© Will for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dingle, Duke Special, Elbow, fight like apes, Jape, Magic Numbers, microsoft, Other Voices, Peter Bjorn and John, Richard Hawley, Seasick Steve, Speech Debelle, Super Furry Animals, Villgers, xbox, Xbox 360, XBox Live

I wrote about Lissie before. She’s a rare creature – a rockin’ sack of talent that happens to look like someone cast in a Simple ad (and my friend Fordie). This is the video for her latest song Cuckoo, which comes from debut album Catching A Tiger (though the Cuckoo EP has a rather worthy cover of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, which you can check out after the jump).

Click here to view the embedded video.

If that video doesn’t put a huge grin on your face, please paint one on with markers before I catch you and become disillusioned.

Tickets are €17 and went on sale earlier today. Hurry!

Click here to view the embedded video.

I believe that be one of them “voices” Simon Cowell’s always banging on about.

© Sweary for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dublin gigs, Lissie

Thin Lizzy is touring again. OK, obviously this is Thin Lizzy without its former very famous front man Phil Lynott. The new line-up is Scott Gorham (Guitar – Thin Lizzy), Brian Downey (Drums – Thin Lizzy), Darren Wharton (keyboards – Thin Lizzy), Vivian Campbell (Guitar – Def Leppard), Marco Mendoza (Bass Guitar – Whitesnake, Ted Nugent) and Ricky Warwick (Lead vocals/Guitar), and they are playing The Waterfront on 16 February and Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on 17 February 2011. Tickets for both concerts go on sale next Friday 27 August 2010 at 9AM from usual Ticketmaster outlets nationwide or directly from the venue box offices.

Hard Working Class Heroes have announced the 100 Irish bands to play this year’s festival in the Temple Bar area (mostly Andrews Lane Theatre, The Button Factory, The Mercantile, The Grand Social, Sweeney’s, Twisted Pepper and The Workmans Club), Dublin on Thursday 7, Friday 8 and Saturday 9 October (tickets on sale now http://www.tickets.ie). There is a 101st band, that fans pick. The line up is… At Last An Atlas / Autumn Owls / Awake Young Soldiers /  Axis Of / Bantum / Biggles Flys Again / Bitches With Wolves / Blasterbra / Bouts / Cast Of Cheeers / Cfit / Cloud Castle Lake / Colenso Parade / Conor Mason / Conor Walsh / Creatures / Dark Room Notes / Datadrip / Deaf Joe / Electric Penguins / EleventyFour / Enemies / Escape Act / Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters / Friend / Funeral Suits / Funzo / Futures Apart / GMC / Goatboy / Grand Pocket Orcherstra / Hal / Hellfire Cub / HERM / Hired Hands / Holy Innocents / House of Dolls / Ivan St John / Jefl & Hyde /  Jennifer Evans / Jogging/ John Shelly and the Creatures / Junior 85 / Keith Mullins / Kid Karate / Kill Krinkle Club/ LaFaro / Le Galaxie / Leaflog / Liz Is Evil / Lost Chord / Miracle Bell / MO-T/ Mrs Healy’s First Class Choir / New Amusement / Norabelle / Nouveaunoise / Our Little Secrets / Pearse McGloughlin / Pio / Percolator / Planet Parade / RSAG / Scared Animals / Sleep Thieves / Slumberjet / Sounds of System Breakdown / Squarehead / Strait Laces / Super Extra Bonus Party / Sweet Jane / Talulah Does The Hula / The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra / The Capitals / The Crayon Set / The Dead Flags / The Depravations / The Dirty 9s / The Eulogys / The Evening Watch / The Gorgeous Colours / The Holy Roman Army / The Loafing Heroes / The Lost Brothers / The Minutes / The obcd / The Q / Tiny Magnetic Pets / Toy Soldier / Trophy Boyfriend / Valerie Francis / Verona Riots /Vickers Vimy / We Are Losers /  We Cut Corners / We Should Be Dead/ Windings / Yeh Deadlies / Yes Cadets / Zealots.

As for the 101st, well, Bulmers Berry Facebook page is giving their likers (is that a word?) the chance to pick ‘Band 101′ who will get to perform at the festival. Full details at HWCH and the Bulmers Berry Facebook page but the votes close on 2 September.

Simple Minds Frontman Jim Kerr brings his new solo project LostBoy! Aka (yes, that is the name, complete with the !) to Dublin on Saturday 13 November for an intimate show at the Academy 2. Tickets. The album the tour promotes was produced by Jez Coad who also playedg guitars and keyboards, and features Charlie Jones on bass while drums are driven by Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds‘ drummer since 1983), however they might not be the line-up on the night. There is also an official Youtube Channel if you want to check them out in advance.

The Welshmen behind Attack! Attack! are touring the UK & Ireland in October including 9 October at The Academy 2, Dublin to promote their ‘The Latest Fashion’ 11-track album.

The Workman’s Club, at 10 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2, welcomes Damien Dempsey, for a one off intimate club date on Wednesday 15 September to open the club. Support on the night will be from Eoin Glackin. Tickets

With their new album “Invented” due to hit the shelves on 24 September, Jimmy Eat World play two Irish dates in November on Wednesday 17 at Mandela Hall, Belfast and Thursday 18 at Tripod, Dublin. Tickets. Recorded in Tempe, Arizona with Mark Trombino, the producer on the band’s previous albums, “Bleed American”, “Static Prevails” and “Clarity” from three years ago.

Brandon Flowers, usually the front man of Killers, remains stubbornly proud of his hometown, Las Vegas. he makes that clear when discussing his first solo album, Flamingo, which takes its name from a Sin City downtown street on which Sam’s Town is located. That’s where Flowers used to buy his records. “I grew up there, so it’s close to my heart,” … “I feel a responsibility to represent where I’m from, to defend it. It’s a place that a lot of people loathe. I can’t help but love it. I grew up with a lot of people who couldn’t wait to leave, and that was always strange to me. I feel a real connection to it. It’s in my blood.” He plays The Academy, Dublin on 22 September. Tickets. “Flamingo”‘s release date is 3 September, and the single “Crossfire” is out now.

Tim Robbins and The Rogues Gallery Band (yes, THAT Tim Robbins) plays at Whelans, Dublin on 26 September with their self-titled début album coming out two days earlier. Releasing your first album at the age of 51 is a curious thing to do when you’re already a global, Oscar winning star known for your work both on the screen (Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River and Bob Roberts, where you probably first heard him sing in 1992), behind it as a director of film (Dead Man Walking, Cradle Will Rock) and theatre (1984, Embedded), but not as a musician. Robbins has long written songs and performed in small venues, but has kept it under the radar – until now. “I have too much respect for music to put out something that wasn’t coming from a genuine place.” Featuring on the album are Kate St. John, Leo Abrahams, David Coulter, Roger Eno, Rory McFarlane, Andrew Newmark and Dudley Phillips. The live performances will include Kate St. John, David Coulter, Roger Eno, Rory McFarlane, Liam Bradley, Steve Jones and Jack Pinter.

ALSO PLAYING

CORK
Friday 27 August
Fight like Apes, Cyprus Avenue, Cork

Saturday 28 August
Murphy’s Little Big Nights Out presents The Vox Swap, Featuring The Frank and Walters, Fred and Slow Motion Heroes. The Cork County Cricket Club, The Mardyke, Cork. Doors 6pm

DUBLIN
Monday 23 August
Slumber Jet, Captains Live, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin

Tuesday 24 August
The Rumour, Captains Live, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin

Thursday 26 August
Fight Like Apes, Tower Records, Wicklow Street, Dublin. Live broadcast on 2FM. Doors 10.30pm. Over 16’s only.
The Barely Mob, Captains Live, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin

Friday 27 August
Fight Like Apes PA, HMV, Grafton Street, Dublin. 1pm
Key West, Captains Live, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin. Doors 8pm

Saturday 28 August
Fight Like Apes PA, HMV, Barrock Lane, Galway. 4.30pm
House Of Dolls, Captains Live, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin, Doors 8pm

GALWAY
Saturday 28 August
Fight Like Apes, Roisin Dubh, Galway.

KERRY
Saturday 28 August
R.S.A.G. – Hillgrove, Dingle

MAYO
Saturday 28 August
Mundy, The Royal Theatre, Ruby Rooms, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Doors 9pm

© Will for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Attack! Attack!, Brandon Flowers, Damien Dempsey, Eoin Glackin, hard working class heroes, hwch.net, Jim Kerr, Jimmy Eat World, Killers, Lost Boy! AKA, Simple Minds, Thin Lizzy, Tim Robbins

Megafaun, Monday August 23rd, Crawdaddy

I discovered Megafaun when watching a repeat of the RTE programme Other Voices one cold and stormy night and was completely enchanted by these beardy American folk singers. If you like Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, Band of Horses of any of that type of thing, you’ll love this. At only €13 entry it’s a cheaper and more rewarding experience than a cinema ticket and a bucket of popcorn to see some god-awful blockbuster.

Beirut, Tuesday August 24th, Tripod

I have been unhealthily obsessed by Beirut for about four years now. Zach Condon is the unnaturally talented and highly prolific main man behind the outfit and his music gets under your skin, transports you to bygone eras and pretty much blows you away with its beauty. He dropped out of high school and left his native New Mexico aged 16, trumpet in hand, to travel around Europe, leaving his music heavily tinged with French and Balkan folk influences. I’ve been dying to see them live and have only had their La Blogotheque performances on YouTube to keep my appetite sated, so I can’t wait for this show. Once again the price is reasonable at €34. Believe me, it’s worth it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bear in Heaven, Wednesday August 25th, Crawdaddy

Brooklynites Bear in Heaven have been making waves on the alt scene for a while now, helped along by the fact that their second album Beast Rest Forth Mouth was named one of Pitchfork‘s Top 50 albums of 2009. I discovered them through a music blog I subscribe to called The Blisslist (if you’re an epically huge fan of The National, the writer is probably still a bigger fan than you. Seriously, it’s bordering on disordered). Bear in Heaven are nothing like either Megafaun or Beirut, in case you felt I only listen to alternative, folk-tinged music by hairy people. Okay, they might be a bit hairy, but their music sure ‘aint. It defies definition really; a marraige of synths, insistent drums, rock guitar and distorted vocals. In a word, it’s amazing. Again at only €13 it’s SO well worth checking out, I can’t begin to explain.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Come on, come with us / We are falling straight down, so don’t lose hope /Loud and clear, before we crash into the ground”

P.S. The Bear in Heaven video above is an unofficial fan video, which I think is pretty damn impressive, no?

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Post tags: Bear In Heaven, beirut, Cheap Gigs, crawdaddy, Gigs, Tripod-

Since the inaugural event in 2004, Electric Picnic has garnered well-deserved status as Ireland’s premiere boutique festival weekender. Incorporating music, comedy, spoken word, film, circus, art, (and whatever you’re havin’ yourself!) – Electric Picnic consistently offers music fans an extravagantly eclectic programme of events from which to fill their three days in the picturesque setting of Stradbally Hall. And of course, the programme for this September’s festival is no different.

One of the most exciting aspects of the 2010 festival line-up is the calibre of the Irish acts who will be holding their own amongst such international heavyweight headliners as THE NATIONAL, MASSIVE ATTACK, ROXY MUSIC, MUMFORD & SONS and LCD SOUNDSYSTEM. To this end, I present to you (in no particular order) five home-grown acts gracing the stages of this year’s Electric Picnic who you should definitely try and squeeze into your busy Stradbally schedule…

FIGHT LIKE APES

With their sophomore album The Body Of Christ And The Legs Of Tina Turner receiving rave reviews in advance of its national release next Friday 27th August, Electric Picnic-ers should count themselves lucky – Fight Like Apes are loaded and ready to unleash their highly-anticipated new material at this year’s festival. Undeniably one of Ireland’s top acts, their shows have become the stuff of legend on the Irish gig scene – front-woman MayKay has the kind of rare stage-presence that is incomparable to anyone who’s come before her; and collectively the band just seem to naturally know how to rock a venue like no other. The combination of eagerly-awaited new songs along with fan-favourites such as ‘Digifucker’, ‘Lend Me Your Face’ and the always epic ‘Something Global’ will make for what is quite simply a must-see gig at this year’s festival. Get there early – then get ready to get raucous!

CATHY DAVEY

Arguably the finest female singer/songwriter in Ireland today, Cathy Davey descends upon Stradbally this September with a recent chart-topping album to her credit – finally, commercial success has caught up to her widespread critical acclaim. The Nameless is considered to be her finest album to date – no small accomplishment when the incredibly high standard of its two predecessors is taken into consideration. Davey’s live performances have consistently gone from strength to strength; her confidence has flourished as she has gradually become more and more comfortable in her own sound. Her ever-unique voice can mesmerise, and her ability to switch between instruments on stage never ceases to amaze. Cathy Davey is truly one of Ireland’s finest solo acts – not to be missed at this year’s Electric Picnic.

HEATHERS

Dublin twins Ellie and Louise Macnamara have been cast into the spotlight of the mainstream Irish music scene in recent months thanks to an almost meant-to-be placement of one of their hits on a Discover Ireland advertising campaign – but there is SO much more to Heathers than *that* song. They have been a firm-favourite act on the irish gigging circuit over the past few years - their 2008 debut album, Here, Not There, is filled with beautifully crafted songs which really come to life when the twins take to the live stage. With nothing but a single acoustic guitar for accompaniment, Heathers know how to wow crowd with their infectious melodies and impeccable harmonies. Definitely an act to factor into your plans for this year’s Electric Picnic.

VILLAGERS

A sold-out national tour, a chart-topping debut album which garnered critical acclaim across the board, a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Prize, and a seal of approval from a certain Mr. Holland to boot – to say that 2010 has been quite the year for Conor O’Brien is an understatement. Believe the hype, and then some – because Villagers are worth every bit of it. The absolute beauty and depth of the songs on Becoming a Jackal have the power to captivate a live audience in a very special way. One of the first acts to be announced and a major draw for this year’s festival, Villagers will attract a huge amount of attention in Stradbally this September – catch them before they take over the world.

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB

What a difference a year can make. This time last year, Bangor boys Two Door Cinema Club were relative unknowns gearing up for an arena-opening Sunday morning Electric Picnic slot; 12 months on, they look set to be one of the most popular acts at the festival. Backed by a seal of approval from BBC’s revered ‘Sound of 2010’ poll, their distinctive brand of melodic hook-laden guitar-pop – as exhibited on debut album Tourist History - has not only garnered widespread critical acclaim, but also attracted a legion of fans in the process. Loving that tune that you’re hearing on a TV ad at the moment? Chances are it’s a Two Door Cinema Club song! They’ll be sure to get Stradbally rocking – expect mass hysteria for ‘Something Good Can Work’, ‘I Can Talk’ and ‘Undercover Martyn’.

Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival takes place on 3rd, 4th & 5th September in Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois. Weekend tickets priced €240 can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.ie. Campsite opens 9am Friday 3^rd September. Full day and stage breakdown will be published in the week preceding the festival. For more information, visit the festival’s official website at www.electricpicnic.ie

© ElaineBucko for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us
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The album tells the tale of Strickland Banks, an invention of Plan B (Ben Drew) a sharply dressed soul singer for whom after falling in love everything goes wrong and ends up in prison falsely accused of a crime that wasn’t his. The concept album has driven critics wild and the Olympia gig, on Feb 28th 2011, will be the perfect chance for you to see why.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 9am, as always and will cost €33.50 inc booking fee

Here’s a video of his most recognisable tune recent single ‘She Said’ being performed on French TV.

Click here to view the embedded video.

© seanear1ey for Culch.ie, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
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