A full weekend - Sunday

A full weekend - Sunday
Gentle reader,

Every so often fate conspires to make you meet friends that you haven't seen for ages.
I met a friend that I hadn't seen for over a year at the gig on Thursday, and I dumped in to a mutual friend on Sunday.

There I was, walking along Patrick's Street minding my own business, when "You?" "You!" started.
Long time no see and soon it's going to be long time no see for a long time as he's heading to the states (Philadelphia to be exact) to study for a doctorate. He wants to build an Ivory Tower for himself.
My first thought was "you can't be old enough to have finished the bachelors" but there I go. Feeling old again. It's the kind of thing that matches with the phrase, "wait until you have kids" but my thought is "when will I have the chance!)

Anyway, on Thursday Goldbloom asked if I would go to something with him (he needed a wheel man). That something was the Cork heat of Alternative Miss Ireland (AMI).
I'm not too sure of the history of the AMI, so I'm making up something to fill space. The short version is that it's a beauty pageant for drag queens. It's not that simple, one of the winners was a drag king (she dressed up as a man) and last year (I think) the winner was a woman dressed up as a woman. I have no idea if she was playing a character, or being herself.

Anyway, Goldbloom didn't have tickets. So I ended up heading around venues with him. I suspect that was why I was asked...
You see, Goldbloom couldn't resist the opportunity to dress up. Not as a woman, but he did wear a kilt. A kilt with a 70's punk style bondage jacket. Boots with spikes up the front and wrist to elbow leather cuffs. With someone like me at the side wandering around town, I felt like the minder with the stripogram. Actually, he could have done some of that during the evening.
An I'm not allowed to say if anything was under the kilt (I didn't look).

All the pre booked tickets had gone, so off to the queue at the Half Moon Booking office. That was the second surprise of the night for Bambi Thumper was there. Thumper is a bouncer that I got to know through kickboxing and gymnastics (not that odd a combination if you think about it), and I hadn't seen her in about 11 months. Anyway, a quick chat in the freezing cold was held until the ticket agent would see us. (So no good gossip, let alone anything I could pass to you).

With the tickets in our freezing paws, we set off you the front of the Opera House. And another queue. It was freezing. Literally. And stood in front of us were a pair of little old ladies. Now, this is not the first thing I would expect to see at the Alternative Miss Ireland, so full chat mode began.
"My son, Angelique is one of the contestants." this rapping of pronouns is to be expected. Just go with it..
"We came down from Mullingar to see him perform. He's been working really hard at it with his boyfriend, Shelia."
Catherine (the LOL) and the sister arrived in to Cork about three hours before, with most of that time spent trying to find their hotel. They were freezing and patiently waiting for the doors to open. Such is family love.

Also in the queue were another group of people that I hadn't seen for about a year (they were in the same group as Dav and the Philadelphia experimenter).
"Well?"
"George is one of the contestants."
I have no doubt that George will not mind me using her real name. Yes George is female. It's on of those posts. She also happens to be a very good actress and an accomplished improviser (she is a member of Snatch). This means that her character (Virgine A. Lantic) would be a well thought out character full of subtleties.
Yeah right!

About an hour after the queue outside the Opera House began, the doors opened and freezing bodies moved inside.

The show was a mess. Not due to the presenter (Panti is a great host, and I suspect she's been doing it for a while), or the contestants, but the venue.
The Blue Angel (the top bar of the Opera House) has a wonderful view, and a great sound and is a good bar, but it is not designed for a visual medium. The bar is a long rectangle with a huge bite taken out of the middle. The 'stage' the performers were on was at the widest end, leaving most of the audience wedged into the tiny gap on the tooth marks of the bite. This standing only crowd faced a stage, six inched high. Most of the show went unseen purely due to logistics. Someone in the Opera House needs a clout over the ear for this (and there was an empty opera house stage which could have been used. Hmmmh.

To make this brief, the contestants showed up (daywear) to introduce themselves. Then followed a brief chat for a bit of background and banter (the swimwear section) followed by the talent portion of the show (the evening ware). Most of the contestants mimed and / or danced to a backing track. George a.k.a. Miss V. A. Lantic didn't do this. She read a poem, to the tune of John Lennon's Imagine, titled "Imagine there's a Hymen". The originality of the piece (I believe) meant that she won.
So I know a Miss Cork. Her boyfriend was a little shocked (and she was totally gob smacked, until the radio people showed up anyway).

I don't know if she is going to represent Cork at the Alternative Miss Ireland or not (there is something conflicting). I also suspect that I won't be in a position to find out either. Not that I'm going to cry over it. Too many late night are not good for me. besides, Goldbloom had a queue of ladies all trying to find out if he was a Scotsman or not and so I drove and dropped people home.

I still don't know, so don't ask.
Take care,
Will

A full weekend - Saturday

Saturday

Gentle reader,

Every so often you have a gentle weekend. You know. Potter around, not doing much.

Not so this weekend. To begin with, I was picking out a house for size.
At least in theory, that was what I was doing.
I've written here before that I was looking, and well, I've found something. While most of my life revolves around Cork City, I'm choosing Fermoy. It's not that bad a commute, and more importantly, I can afford a decent sized house with the few pennies I have.

Unfortunately, it doesn't exist yet. It's just a green field (well brown and full of caterpillar and JCB thread marks). I was looking at the plans and chatting with an estate agent young enough to make me feel old.
I wonder if I should have looked at property and not computers.
Oh well. I looks like things keep getting changed and altered, but I picked out a position I liked (north / south facing, Sunshine is important after all). however the contracts (with the final plans, don't exist. So a promise of a promise has been made.
Then I went home to figure out how I was going to pay for it all.

That evening was a little less fraught. I went to see Shakers. It's good. It's sort of the follow up to Bouncers in that it's an all female cast, with the main characters working as waitresses in the same club as Bouncers.
If you liked Bouncers you will like this. All I know is I now have to see Bouncers.

Take care,
Will

A full weekend - Thursday Night

A full weekend - Thursday Night

Gentle reader,

"You shouldn't be nervous. You've done stuff in the Opera House. You've had over 1,000 people watching you perform."
"Yeah, but I don't know them. It's a whole different level of nervous."

And so it is. When the idea for a band at work doing a charity gig first surfaced, it seemed like a good idea. I'm only doing two songs, not singing for the night. Not a bother. I texted friends telling them about the gig. There was a bit of buzz at work over it.

On the night, the friends showed up! A whole bunch from work was there.

Bugger.

There were bright sides of course. I hadn't seen Dav for about a year, there was a lot of catching up. It's a strange path from the higher end of the UCC English department to the lower end of the banking structure, but there he is. Biding time until he goes to Australia for a while.
"Son of the writer" was there too telling me tales of problems with the show he's in (which clashed with things of mine, so I'm not involved).
And "Goldbloom" also showed up. In addition he asked if I would be willing to play backup for something he wanted to do on Sunday (more later).

The surprise for me was someone I hadn't seen for at least 3 years. "GG". Now most of you know something about GG, he runs the Great Graphics company (hence the nickname for blog purposes of GG. I try to avoid real names unless they ask me). Meaning he produces the Whazon guide each month. The site has been completely updated since last time I looked at it, following a redesign by the new webmistress (I think it's Ruth, but it could have been Rachel).

This was about when I realised just how many people from work were there.

The flight or fight response does not kick in when only faced with a physical threat. A Major threat to your social standing makes the exit signs seem all the more appealing. Of course, flight means not being there when your names is called. Which is worse.

My time arrived.
I went up. Rob started on the guitar.
I took a deep breath.
I opened my mouth.
And sang.

Needless to say, it went well.

The night made €1,271.30 divided between Outreach Moldova and Aid Cancer Treatment.

Now there is talk of us lot doing stuff for the Christmas party.

I'm hiding now,
Will

Shakin' all over

Gentle reader,

Is it nepotism if you aren't related? That's why I'm typing about Shakers re-stirred.

I don't know if the "re-stirred" bit is part of the title.

So... Call Back Theatre Co. presents John Godber's adult comedy Shakers (Re-Stirred). John Godber wrote Bouncers. However instead of focusing on the people at the door, the play goes inside a bit, and focuses on the waitresses. The comedy is written by Godber with Jane Thornton, so I assume this means the female perspective is genuine. Fast-paced, full of observations on life and circumstance, moving and very funny.

"Every town has its local trendy cocktail bar where everyone wants to be seen, from the local check-out girls to the chinless wonders, from the yuppies to the local lads tittering at the thought of a "long comfortable screw". We are given a wickedly funny glimpse of this world by the four long-suffering waitresses who work there. Rushed off their feet, underpaid and overworked, they try to smile and help the difficult customers whilst coping with their own personal problems. A fascinating and often hilarious view of the reality which lurks behind the plastic palms and the Pina Coladas."

Marion Wyatt, directs this thrilling new version of Shakers(Re-Stirred) with a cast that includes, award winning actress Ann Dorgan, (Tally's Folly) Rosie O'Regan, most recently seen in (Torn), Alison Moore (Translations) and Cora Fenton (Eclipsed).

Cora Fenton is actually why I'm writing about it. She's someone I know and has been directly responsible, usually with the help of John Sheehy, for dragging me screaming (but not kicking) in to some of the most entertaining and downright silly things I've been involved in. The only involvement I intend to have with this one is showing up and handing over my money. I suspect that I'll be laughing too.

Not recommended for under 15's. This probably means lots of talking about it, but not getting to see it. For any given value of it.

take care,
Will

Whoops

Gentle reader,

I mentioned George Murphy being due to sing John Spillane's song on You're a Star.

Well he got voted off on Monday evening. Only found out yesterday evening.

Pity. I actually wanted to hear the song. Oh well.

take care,
Will

It's not who you know, it's who knows you

Gentle reader,

I've been getting a lot of spam. And lately most of my spam is of the virus variety.

I'm not stupid enough to open a *.pif, or a *.bat or a *.scr (all executables under MS Windows) mainly because I use at least three operating systems a day, and the virus won't work.

On the other hand there is spoofing. You know where the spam / virus is sent from an address in Florida, but marked with your own e-mail address. You only find out that someone is spoofing themselves as you when the rejected mail arrived, or the notice saying that you sent them a virus. That's the technical equivalent of getting a polite phone call from the STD clinic.

When spam arrived, you rarely know the person. In fact some of the names are randomly created. And worthy of a bad 1920's based whodunit.

But when you receive an e-mail virus (as opposed to getting one), you tend to recognise the e-mail address. This is because the virus (really a type of worm, but don't worry) invades the victims addresses book and sends copies of itself to the people on the list. The reason you know who it comes from is; they know you. With an e-mail address in the "C"s I tend to get a lot. The two things that come to mind are, how was (s)he so stupid, and in some cases, why does (s)he have my e-mail address. I've been getting virus from very interesting people and organisations. Why the Irish Times' News Desk would have my e-mail address on file is beyond me. The same goes for a rather interesting film company which makes movies sold in brown paper wrappers.

I'm looking forward to more interesting press releases!

take care,
Will

I want my RTE

Gentle reader,

You're a Star. No one seems to watch this, yet everyone knows about it. I know, personally I said that I would not write about the TV. But this does tie in with Cork. Trust me one this. And it's not the Cork contestant Jean Elliot.

Before the contest began, original songs were sent in to be considered for the contestants. These were all the usual "Eurovision Pop" style. Then George Murphy arrived with his Luke Kelly singing style (folk and trad). Needless to say, nothing submitted suited him. So RTE/Shinawil contacted the fine Cork man John Spillane for help.

If nothing else, the song is going to be different, and well, folksy.

take care,
Will

p.s. Is it just me, or is there now an Ireland only feed on MTV?

Overheard

Let me be one with my inner geek.
Ohms. Ohms... Ohms...
-- The Librarian

Have I got old news for you

Gentle reader,

Given the nature of a blog, you tend to write (hype and bull) about current events.
Someone (from the site) sent in this link.

The showband era is something that your parents, or grandparents (yup, that far back, before my time too) could tell you about.

Before television, before radio there were thousands of (village?) halls all around the country which required live music to get the young people in there buying overpriced soft drinks and cigs.

The phrase "send them home sweatin'" came from this era. Oddly some of them are still going. Joe Dolan is the best known, but Big Tom (when he wasn't that big) and The Paddy Cole band (warning, 70's fashions) are still going. Most died with, well, Radio Caroline and Punk.

The Jiveanaries site is more of less an archive. There is a Jiveanaries band still, but I have no idea what there are like.

For those who remember the era well, I'm ending on a sad note.
The funeral of Maeve Mulvany-Moore, 58, (died Saturday, Feb. 14th in Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston), wife of Butch Moore, (died in 2001) was today.

take care,
Will

And bits too easy to miss

Gentle reader,
Tonight, Daniel Kitson at 8pm in the Triskel Arts Centre.
Winner of the Perrier Award 2003, Daniel Kitson is brilliantly funny. His new show is called "lover, thinker, artist and prophet!". The "!" is his I think. Tickets €17.

And this weekend it's Anto Yau, (Saturday 21 February, 8.30pm Tickets €8.00 (€6.50 Concessions)).
He's a local boy, and I'm bloody curious about what he sounds like!

If I had out it in the Info Dump you could have missed it.

take care,
Will

Info Dump: Incoming

Gentle reader,

Another info dump for this drop (yes there have been that many e-mails). The usual rules of my personal opinion apply.

Starting with Cobh, the Sirius Arts Centre has quite a lot on.

On February 21 they have an acoustic evening of music featuring Jimmy Crowley, The Caniffe Family and Kalamazoo with additional help from local favourites Paddy Barry, JJ Frahill & John Crone; Jenny Ó’Loinsigh & Norma Stafford; Paul Edmunds, Denis McGrath and others. Tickets are €10 with the proceeds to benefit launch of the 1st Annual Cobh Maritime Song Festival in June 2004.
It's folk. You will either love it or avoid it like the plague.

In March, International Women's Day seen more than a day, it's a month for Cobh!

Women’s Worlds, an Evening of Music and Spoken Word Performances on Saturday 20 March (8pm tickets €10 / €6) by Trish Casey and Annette Buckley

Performance Poet, Trish Casey, winner of RTE’s Rattlebag Slam at the Dublin Writers Festival in 2003 has been described by crime novelist, Ken Bruen as "If Lenny Bruce were reincarnated as a feisty Irish woman, he’d strut the stage as Trish Casey." Casey writes and performs poetry, short monologues and dramatic works on interpersonal, social and political themes, incorporating movement, chanting and singing.

Cork based singer/songwriter Annette Buckley has been described as one of the finest singer/songwriters of our generation. Oh let's face it, I'm not going to write drivel to praise her, she's good. Go hear her!

Sinéad McCoole, author of "No Ordinary Women (Irish Female Activists in the Revolutionary Years 1900 – 1923)" speaks about her book and about a time when vast numbers of Irish women were politicised and imprisoned for their beliefs, with a special emphasis on one prison, Kilmainham Gaol. This talk is on Thursday 25 March at 7pm with tickets costing €6 and €4 concession.

And now to the Triskel Arts Centre, who do a very good job at keeping my in box full.
Sorry if I'm repeating thing from other info dumps.

Moving from a venue in Cobh, to an artist from there. John Leo Carter is a singer-songwriter from Cobh, Co. Cork. BLAH BLAH BLAH highly acclaimed debut album Candy Floss Girl BLAH BLAH BLAH worked with lots of known names (some of which are on the album). Blah. I know nothing about him that I would not be taking directly from a press release (and they are always glowing!). Anyway, he plays Friday 27 February, 8.00pm, €10.

The 15th Cork French Film Festival is brought to you by Triskel Arts Centre & Alliance Francaise de Cork from Monday 15 March until Sunday 28 March.

I'm not going to give a listing, but the films (sent out anyway) are...
Tais Toi! (Dir: Francis Veber, 2003),
Van Gogh (Dir: Maurice Pialat, 1991),
Kirikou & The Sorceress (Dir: Michel Ocelot, Senegal, 1998),
Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets (Dir: Nabil Ayouch, France/ RoW, 2001),
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (the sequel to the 1999 Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar, Alain Chabat, 2002)
Le Chignon d’Olga (Dir: Jerome Bonnell, 2002),
Le Cercle Rouge (Dir: Jean-Pierre Melville, 1970),
Playtime (Dir: Jacques Tati, 1967) and
Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud (Dir: Claude Sautet, 1995)

In the "this is weird" slot is "Bob Dylan & the History of Rock ‘n’
Roll", an illustrated talk by Michael Gray on Wednesday 28 April,
8.00pm, €12. There is nothing dry or academic about Gray’s talks.

Oh and the Public Practise Seminars for Artists (presented by
Triskel Arts Centre & Cork City Council) are on
from Thursday 26 February until Saturday 26 February with the
Studio 2: Artist’s Resource Room now on ending on Thursday 11 March.

That's enough learning, time to party.

Freakscene is 10 years old on Wednesday the 25th of
February. A club night rarely lasts that long (and it's outlived quite
a few clubs in Cork). €8 Doors 8pm.

The guys in charge have decided to try and do
something special; they asked some of the most popular Cork bands to play their favourite Freakscene songs. Along with that, a free drink for the first 400 to arrive and a FREE CD for everybody! Some of the live bands are Fred, Niall Connolly, Queen Kong, Shambuenos, Stanley Super 800, The Black Purple Orchestra and Paddy O'Herlihy. And there are others too. The free CD of music includes new music from Boa Morte, Fred, Waiting Room, The Shades, Stanley Super 800, Rulers of the Planet, ......and tracks from the Frank & Walters and Niall Connolly among others!

Apparently fans from as far as East Germany and Belfast are coming to the party.

I don't blame them!

A question for you... Turn play two Cork dates in March. Mar
4 - Mallow (no idea where in Mallow, I mean it's not that small. Any
ideas?) and Mar 5 - Half Moon, Cork.

take care,
Will

Info Dump : This is the News

Gentle reader,
Some news for you...

Ash are set to release their 4th full-length studio album, Meltdown, in early May 2004. It will be preceded by a download-only single "Clones" and a commercially available single provisionally pencilled in for release in April (title yet to be confirmed).

Along with a lot of tours, Bell X1 will be releasing a new single, "Alphabet Soup", in March. It is taken from their album, Music In Mouth, which is nominated for Best Irish Album at this year’s Meteor Awards (on top of the band being nominated for Best Irish Band).

Meanwhile Bell X1’s live show from this year’s Eurosonic conference will be broadcast on 2FM this Sunday 15 February.

The Chalets release their début single on new independent label Nasty Pop on 20 February. The double A-sided 7" only features "Theme From Chalets" and "Sexy Mistake" and offers a unique, quirky and gritty angle on pop. It also coincides with the band’s Irish tour. No word on Cork dates yet.

Damien Dempsey’s current album, Seize The Day (Clear Records) has shot straight back into the Irish Top 10. Some credit must be given to the hour long documentary, "It’s All Good" which was aired at the beginning of last week.

Damien has also been nominated for 4 awards in this year’s Meteor Ireland Music Awards (Best Irish Album; Best Irish Male Singer; Best Folk/Traditional Act; and Best Irish Country/Roots Artist). The Awards will be held in Dublin on 1 March.

Messiah J & The Expert will be plugging there What's Confusing You? album in the Half Moon on February 27.

The Frames are currently over in Chicago in the studio working on tracks for their forthcoming studio album. The band head back to the U.S. at the beginning of March for a tour with Damien Rice. They have also been invited to perform in China in May as part of a government cultural exchange programme. (The Frames have 3 nominations at this year’s Meteor Awards; Best Irish Band, Best Irish Album, Best Irish Male Singer)

The Mark Geary track "Suzanne" is due to be included on the next Starbucks "Hear Music" compilation in March. This effectively means that the song will be played throughout the month in every Starbucks in the world, soon including Ireland (if the Irish Times is to be believed). Apparently, no nominations.

Halite will be playing on March 3rd in An Cruisin Lan, Cork. Graham Hopkins and co are currently hiding away in Wexford recording some new material, probably since he's not going to the Meteor Awards.

Simple Kid released a brand new single, "Truck On", last Friday. Nominated for the Best Irish New Act award at this year’s Meteor Music Ireland Awards. I think I mentioned his new U.S. record deal earlier. Personally, I don't like what I've heard of his so far.

Snow Patrol’s current album Final Straw (Black Lion) has just been re-released with 2 extra tracks and has gone straight into the UK charts at No 3 (No 9 in Ireland). The current single, "Run", is still in the UK Top 10 (at No 8) and is still in the Irish Top 40 chart. Nominated in the Best Irish Band category at this year’s Meteor Awards.

Waiting Room release their début album, Catering For Headphones (Out On A Limb Records), on 13th February. No nominations that I know of.

Woodstar released a new single "Suicide Way" on Wet Clay on 6 February, coinciding with the release of the same song in the UK but under the title "Cold Cold Heart". No idea why. Nominated for the Best Irish New Act award.

And finally, nothing to do with music.
Yesterday morning Garda Traffic Watch went Nationwide. Initially established as a pilot scheme in the South Eastern Region in Nov 2001. It is now being expanded to cover the whole of the 26 counties.
Traffic Watch is an initiative established by An Garda Síochána to empower road users to play a proactive role in the enforcement of traffic legislation, it allows road users to contact the Gardai by using a lo-cost telephone number when they witness aberrant behaviour by other road users. It focuses on the traffic offences that are related to road safety such as speeding, dangerous or careless driving and driving while intoxicated.
Since the establishment of the Pilot Scheme 3800 calls have been received from the Public on the Lo-Call number 1890 205 805 in relation to driver behaviour. Of the calls received and subsequent investigations over 1000 drivers have been formally cautioned in relation to their behaviour on the roads. There have also been 30 prosecutions in the courts.

Take care,
Will,
Driving carefully and not nominated and not going to the Meteor Awards (unless someone sends me an invite (beg, beg, beg)).

Red Sea Pedestrians will promote their new six track EP "The Brighter Side" with an almost nationwide tour. Cork dates include...

February 26 Cyprus Avenue, Cork

March 6 De Barras, Clonakilty, Cork

March 11 Half Moon, Cork

March 27 Everyman Palace, Cork

April 1 Rob Roy, Cobh, Cork

Having known one another for some time, Red Sea Pedestrians was formed in 2002 and have drawn comparisons to such diverse acts as Hothouse Flowers and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

The EP is available at their site or at any of their gigs.

take care,
Will

p.s. I thought an EP only mattered for the charts. If they are selling it themselves, surely it's just a CD. Right?

Overheard

Side : So how's it going?
Kick : Terrible.
Side : Well that's a positive attitude. What if you were captain of the Titanic.
Kick : Ice cube? Abandon ship.
Side : Cowards and blagards first.

Taking it with you

Gentle reader,

Every so often work and life collide. This isn't one of them. Yet.

The article "You Can Take It With You" is about portable storage. Yawn, I know.

Portable storage means better sounding, smaller sized, larger spaced MP3 players and camera phones. And mobile phone able to have the resources to do silly things.

2005 is going to be the "Cork 2005" or the City of Culture. Well culture and Culture are not always that clear. Small "c" culture is not Opera, gallery openings and galas. Small "c" culture is things at the street level that have an impact.

New dye techniques mean that suddenly the streets get brighter with clothes in vivid red and yellow. Spell checkers mean you can read this. The internet means a myriad of news reports completely unfiltered by the media. We all know what the printing press did for books and reading, but if Phillips get e-paper working cheaply it could mean you could hook up a device to collect and store the entire Project Gutenberg archive of classics.

Or to go back to the dye techniques, clothes with moving patterns (and sea sickness bags for everyone. Sorry). There are downsides. "A two-gigabyte microdrive can hold an entire continent worth of mapping data." While that means never getting lost, it makes tracking movements possible too. Spray paint may mean scrawled graffiti for some, but the front of Prime:Time of Washington Street shows, it can mean brilliant artwork. (In both meaning of brilliant).

Small "c" culture is a changing of attitudes, and EVERYBODY being involved. Not just the elite few.

take care,
Will

Huh?

Gentle reader,

My spam has gone silly.

They are spamming me for shelves now!

take care,
Will

Who's gonna ride the red horses?

Gentle reader,

It's a Dublin gig, but a Cork band.

Originally from Cork, Rubyhorse left for Boston in 1997 and quickly found themselves swapping pleasantries with David Letterman, Conan O'Brien and the cast of Dawson's Creek.

Now based at in Ireland for half the year, the band will be supporting their album, "Goodbye To All That" by playing The Village, Dublin on March 25.

take care,
Will

A small room with a bottle of whiskey and a revolver

Gentle reader,

T'is the day before Valentines. So let us not coupling embrace the day before to point out how commercial it is.

Send a card to someone you would like to...

take care,
Will

Oook

Gentle reader,

I was rudely awoken this morning by the Librarian making geeker noises of excitement.

His MP3 player arrived.

The then realised that it had a larger hard disk than his 'baby' and his current machine at work (and his work machine is overloaded, over clocked and probably overheating).

Then the noises got louder.

take care,
Will

Shoping and rocking

Gentle reader,

Juliet Turner will be supporting her Season Of The Hurricane album with a live performance in HMV on Patrick Street at 5pm Wednesday February 18.

take care,
Will

Info dump

Gentle reader,

Another info dump for this drop. The usual rules of my personal opinion applies.

First off, in the Half Moon Theatre Booking: 021 427 00 22
4Play in Association with Red FM.

Sunday February 15 sees KC & Raymond Franklin plays the Blue Room and Nova are in the Green Room.
While on Sun February 22 KC & Raymond Franklin return to the Blue Room Beatrootz are in the Green Room.

Sunday February 29 has Eve of Mind in the Green Room, the Blue room has Andy Caldwell.
Andy has just finished his second mix CD for Inspirit, entitled The InHouse Perspectives 02. An electro-tinged bumpin' deep house mix like no other, pushing the deep house sound into 2004. Alongside the CD, Inspirit is also pleased to announce the forthcoming release of 'Pushin’. This partnership has produced a string of classic deep tracks and this is no exception. The single contains a funked up dub mix that's been rocking dance floors across the US of late.

On the night before Paddy's, Phil Hartnoll (Orbital) to plays (that's Tues 16th March).
A bandicoot promotion with tickets from Opera House and Half Moon box office.
Thirteen years since Orbital’s first single bought Top Of The Pops to a virtual standstill and six studio albums later, Orbital are working on a seventh studio album which will be released in 2004.
The making of Chime (recorded on their old man’s malfunctioning tape deck whilst various associates suggested packing it in and repairing to the pub, total cost under £1) has long been the stuff of legend. Its impact resonates to this day. In Channel Four’s acclaimed series Pump Up The Volume the arrival of Chime was singled out as a defining moment–the point when the UK scene took the Detroit basics and produced something absolutely its own. On that same programme Pete Tong explained how the Hartnoll’s took the then radical step of following Chime up with a series of albums and a career whilst Paul Daley recalled the joyous shock of seeing near–motionless men with machines appear on a Top Of The Pops still locked in the eighties performance dynamic.
Phil Hartnoll from Orbital is playing a series of DJ dates throughout 2004 to maintain contact with their audience whilst Orbital work on their next studio album. Listen carefully to the records he is playing, as there is often a new Orbital tune thrown into the mix to check the audience reaction.

The Pernice Brothers play as a three piece acoustic outfit with guests The Belles in the Half Moon on Wednesday 3rd March.
A new single ‘One Foot In The Grave’ from the album ‘Yours, Mine & Ours’ is being sent to radio soon.

And now, on to the Lobby Booking: 021 4311113

Jamie Burke Wed February 11, €7
Singer/songwriter from Co. Kerry. I really like this guy. Well worth going to see.

Ann Scott Fri February 13, €7
Dublin based singer/songwriter – ‘Poor Horse sees Ann Scott place herself firmly at the head of the pack’ 8/10 Hotpress.
Something of a touring favourite, and if she gets asked back a lot, she's probably good!

Mary Coughlan Tues February 17 and Wed February 18, €15
A twice off chance to catch the acclaimed blues singer Mary Coughlan in this intimate setting. With Bill Shanley on guitar and James Delaney on piano.
She is a legend. And the live version of "I want to be Seduced" is class.

Annette Buckley Fri February 20, €7
One of Cork’s finest vocalists. "Buckley is quickly becoming one of Cork's most accomplished singer/songwriters". The Irish Times.
Yeah she's a local girl, but that doesn't mean she's bad.

The Redbird Tour featuring Peter Mulvey, Kris Delmhorst and Jeffrey Foucault. Wed 25 February, €8.
Peter is no stranger to The Lobby and returns with two excellent musicians from the States. Kris Delmhorst recently supported Chris Smither at his last Lobby show.
Okay. I know nothing about these guys. But it sounds impressive.

And while it's not the Lobby, they are connected with this one (Lobby Promotions presents...)
Josh Ritter in the Cork Opera House on Saturday February 14. Tickets €22 from 021 4270022 (the Lobby box office that is) Doors 7.30pm .
Special guest Erin McKeown.

Well it's Josh Ritter. I can't say that much more about him.


Not always gig related at the Triskel Arts Centre (Booking : 021 4272022) we have ...

Public Practise Seminars for Artists presented by Triskel Arts Centre & Cork City Council.
This series of seminars will address the practicalities of engaging with projects in the public sphere, and aim to enable the artist to undertake projects outside the gallery domain. Seminars will be inclusive of presentations by expert speakers, case studies and ‘questions and answers’ sessions. The three day-long seminars are;
Going Public: Public Space & Public Art Thursday 26 February
Site Matters: Engaging with the Site Specific Friday 27 February
Artists in the Community & Community Art Practise Saturday 26 February
To book or for further details please contact Triskel Arts Centre at 021 4272022.

Untitled by Stephen Gunning from Friday 13 February until Thursday 11 March in gallery one.
Gunning’s work revolves around social issues and the individual’s relationship with society. He investigates how we inhabit urban situations and the relationship between the public and social confrontation. Working extensively in video, Gunning has exhibited widely internationally. This is his first solo show in Ireland.
Stephen will be gibing an artist’s talk on Friday 13 February at 1.00pm. Admission Free.

VII Manifestations: Passing by Isabela Basombrio-Hoban from Friday 13 February – Thursday 11 March in gallery two.
Originally from Peru, South America, Isabela is now living and working in Ireland. Her mixed-media installations are evocative of reliquaries, treasures and private places of adornment. The work is reminiscent of ‘low-tech’ experimental scientific object making with undercurrent themes of birth, death and re-birth.
Isabela will be giving an artist’s talk on Friday 13 February at 1.30pm. Admission Free.

The comedian Daniel Kitson appears on Thursday 19 February at 8.00pm (Tickets €17), with his new show "lover, thinker, artist and prophet!"
Winner of the Perrier Award 2003, Daniel Kitson is one of the hottest names on the comedy circuit. Warm, clever, rude and full of self-mockery, Kitson has a surprising ability to make childhood anecdotes and swear words seem original and hilarious. Brilliantly funny!
Someone I've heard about, but never seen.

Thinking Image Theatre Company Presents The Yellow WallpaperBy Charlotte Perkins Gilman, adapted and directed by Cal Duggan from Tuesday 2 March until Sunday 7 March. 8.00pm, Tickets €10.00 (€8.00 Concessions).
A young woman is left alone in an attic room by her husband, an eminent physician, to recuperate from an unspecified illness. To fend off boredom, she talks and writes to herself, however, she gradually begins to believe that she is not alone in the room. The performance of Jessica Regan, in the central role, is a tour-de-force: sensitive, powerful and compelling.

Back to music events with Strands ’04: Curated by dotdotdot music. A series of performances in showcasing performers at the foreground of contemporary improvisation practise.

John Edwards on Saturday 28 February, 8pm, Tickets €10.00
Double-bassist John Edwards is a regular player on the London improvised music scene and a frequent player on European festival stages. Expect a performance at the foreground of contemporary improvisation practise.

also Chris Burns on Saturday 3 April, 8pm, Tickets €10.00
Chris Burns is renowned for his performances of the piano music of Henry Cowell, John Cage and other contemporary composers. Burns has forged a unique style of piano playing by developing a multitude of alternative techniques, both on the keyboard and inside the instrument.

An almost sound-a-like Clive Barnes plays on Friday 6 February, 8.00pm, €10.00.
When Clive Barnes plays lap slide guitar the listener is instantly transported to the cradle of today’s popular music. Barnes, one of Ireland’s most notable and accomplished lap slide guitarists, is clearly influenced by old blues, bluegrass and jazz, and has evolved from these a distinct style of his own.
I still have to hear him having heard so much about him.

Maria Teece on Saturday 14 February, 8pm, Tickets €17.00
Maria is fast becoming a bright star on the jazz cabaret scene in Ireland. Her one-woman production "All About Love" was a sell-out success in the ESB Dublin Theatre Fringe Festival in 2002 and she will perform “All About Love” as a Valentine’s Day treat.
Personally I don't find the folksy Ritter that romantic. Teece is a little closer to my idea of an intimate evening for Valentine's night.

John Leo Carter plays on Friday 27 February, 8.00pm, €10.00
He is a singer-songwriter from Cobh, Co. Cork. His highly acclaimed debut album Candy Floss Girl has been described as poetry set to music and was launched in September 2003. John Spillane, Shanna, Edel Sullivan and former members of Seachtain are among the many musicians that made an appearance on the album and he has shared the stage with acclaimed musicians such as Kila and Ger Wolfe. John Leo Carter will perform at Triskel Arts Centre as part of it’s 2004 music programme and will be joined by very special guests on the night.

Anto Yau on Saturday 21 February 8.30pm, Tickets €8.00 (€6.50 Concessions)
Dublin born Anto Yau is a Chinese/Irish singer-songwriter, who beautifully crafts original compositions that express raw emotions through the music and the emotive lyric.
This one I have down out of curiosity. I think I briefly met him once. I suspect that his singing have greatly improved since then. I'm not going to give details until I confirm the first meeting. It will be interesting.

At the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh...

Preston Reed on Thursday 26th February 8pm, tickets €12.
Those who have witnessed the genius of guitarist Preston Reed live will know that words do little justice to his jaw-dropping originality, his dazzling technique, beautifully haunting melodies and the driving percussive rhythms he tears out of his instrument. His two hands racing up and down the fretboard in a storm of tappings, slappings and hammerings to create a rock/jazz rhythm section, melody line and chordal accompaniment simultaneously. Reed's live shows are full of contrasts, by turns explosive and sweetly lyrical. He riffs with the conviction and guts of a heavy-metal band, yet plays with the subtlety of that most delicate of jazz pianists, Bill Evans.

Saturday 13 March sees Interference at Sirius, tickets €15.
Featuring Fergus O’Farrell (vocals), Paul Tiernan (guitar) and the ever haunting combination of Benard Galen (cello) and Marja (violin).
With support set by Paul Tiernan.

Back on the road by popular demand following their magnificent appearance on ‘The Late Late show’ as well as the unprecedented success of the ‘Other Voices Songs from a Room’ album (top ten Irish album) and RTE Television Series.
Fergus O’Farrell is the charismatic voice of one of the most compelling and influential groups to emerge from the Irish music scene in the 1990s. Their live gigs and eponymous album are seminal influences on the current wave of innovative Irish singer/songwriters, a fact recognised by their inclusion by RTE.

In news, Simple Kid has just signed to the Vector label in the U.S. (making him a label mate of Damien Rice) and is already picking up some good airplay over in L.A.

take care,
Will

You know when it's....

Gentle reader,

You know when it's Valentine's Day, when you get dumped. Also applicable for Christmas and birthdays.

take care,
Will

Sticks and bones

Gentle reader,

"What are they doing?"

This was asked on the Sunday at Warpcon. The Fair Maiden and I had met one of her friends (I'm calling her the exercyclist until she picks a better name for herself. This is because she cycles around Dublin a lot, not because her head spins round a lot.) The place was the new "frontage" at the UCC student centre. It's a glass, well, front that looks out on to a courtyard.

In the courtyard were a large group of people; mixed ages from, oh, 12 to well, old enough to know much better and possibly have a fully paid off mortgage (yup, that old). Anyway the men and women, boys and girls were mostly locked in one-on-one combat with a wide variety of weapons not seen outside of a warped fantasy movie director.

Which reminds me, saw "Big Fish" with the Fair Maiden and the Librarian. It's good, if a little too long and paced for kids (take note you cruel parents bring children easily bored to what should be an adults film).

I think (hope) that these were the foam weapons I played with last year.

"They can hurt" said the Exercyclist.

"Is that from experience?" I asked.

"Well, yes." she replied "I was asked not to play this time because of all the injuries I caused last time"

take care,
Will

Righting wrongs

False: A penny dropped from the Empire State Building would kill someone below.

A few calculations tell us that a penny falling edge-on from the 1,050-foot-high observation deck on Floor 86 of the 102-story skyscraper would fall 500 feet before reaching maximum velocity: 57 miles an hour.

This is about 1/10 the speed of a low-caliber handgun bullet -- fast enough to hurt but, except in freak circumstances, not to kill.

It's a moot point anyway: Thanks to updrafts, coins tossed from the observation deck generally land on the setback roof of Floor 80.

Scratch and sniff

Gentle reader,

Warpcon is an odd beast.

"I just don't understand some of these guys.", said the fair maiden.

"What do you mean?", I asked.

"Well, it's the hygiene thing".

"What?"

"Remember..." the ex.

"Yeah."

"Well last time I came up here with him, he proudly showed me his toiletry bag."

"Yeah?"

"A toothbrush and a can of lynx."

"Travelling light then."

"No soap. He once said that he loved this weekend since it meant he didn't have to shower once for the entire weekend." I should point out that I may be misquoting her here, it might not apply to "the ex". "He would play, go to the club, crawl to the hostel sleep in his clothes and the next day. The next day he's spray himself with the can and do it all over again."

"That worked?"

"No."

Just follow your nose,
Will

Uggh

Gentle reader,

The fair maiden came up to Cork for Warpcon.

I'm using this as an excuse to go ugghhh. I'm knackered. I need my caffinne.

hopefully back soon,
Will