For the season that's in it...

Wanna buy a hearse?

No joke, it turns out that there are a few on sale on eBay (UK, the Irish one links to the UK anyway).

There is an OK one...

A cool looking (but probably not driving) 1980 Daimler DS420 hearse...

And then, there is the odd one. Why would a hearse have a siren and lights (unless it belongs to the Ghostbusters)?

take care (after dark)
Will

Murdoch clones!

Only two people in the UK can legally clone human embryos. Alison Murdoch is one of them. The things you learn in the papers.

Flood warning

Just heard from Cobh Gardi, that due to high tides at 6pm tonight they will be closing the Cobh road roughly at 5.30pm.

And due to high winds no ferries are running.

Are teenage Dreams so hard to beat

John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, better know as John Peel is dead. He was on a working holiday in the city of Cuzco with his wife Sheila when he suffered a heart attack.

He joined the BBC Radio one when it launched in 1967 and became one of the first DJs to give exposure to punk, reggae and hip-hop, before they crossed over into the mainstream. He liked the weird shit. And a lot of that weird shit became the influential stuff of each decade. He is the DJ that every presenter on night time 2FM, night time Today FM and all the presenters on Freak FM want to be if they never grow up.

And yes that includes you messers Fanning and Dunne.

If you never heard a Peel Session, go here and hear any session from January 2002 to February 2004.

Today is a day for "Teenage Kicks" and old sessions I believe.

Will

Don't try to breath while 90 feet underwater

Things I learned at lunch...

Air can get trapped under a filling.

Normally this isn't too bad (other than implying that your filling is incorrectly, well, filled). However when diving, it's...

"and the pressure was building up in there. He was screaming in agony so much that he kept forgetting to breath." Due to the pain, he wanted to get to the surface as quickly as possible. Due to the depth, the other divers had to hold him back to prevent getting the bends (no matter how painful a trapped air bubble in your tooth is, it's preferable to having air bubbles trapped in your veins).

Around 45 feet from the surface, the filling exploded. His palette is scarred, but the relief was immediate. I don't know how long he spent in A&E that evening.

Let's just say that it wasn't the typical Jazz Weekend for him.

take care,
Will

Spending a penny

Well the foundations are laid.

I'm buying a house, and since the cheapest way (and the only way I could afford it) was to buy from the plans, I did.

So I called in last weekend to take a look at it.

It's a rocky hole (the base layer was down).

There has been something of a tradition in our family to follow. So I went up to where the front door will be. Took out a cent from my pocket, and planted it in the base layer.

That way there will always be money in the house.

take care,
Will

Salam DC

Salam Pax, the Bagdad Bloger spent a week in Washington, starting with the third presendital debate, and wrote about it for the Guardian.
Read the account: day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 5, day 6 and day 7.

take care,
Will

Overheard

"Oh no. We always buy the toy . You see the food in a 'happy meal' is just grim"
"But you end up eating their food anyway."
-- Lunchtime conversation moves to other foods

incomming

A couple of things are coming up...

Skylight Productions return with another play, this time it's "Extremities" by William Mastrosimone. Set in the present-day, Extremities is every woman's worst nightmare come true - with a twist. Majorie, attacked by a serial killer who enters her home, manages to overpower him and proceeds to torture him. Her roommates arrive home and she finds herself having to defend herself once again, in an effort to convince them that an attempted rape had indeed taken place. It's showing in the Cork Arts Theatre from November 1 until November 6.

Kíla are launching Live album - Kíla 'Live in Dublin', and guess what? Yup, they're touring. They hit Cork's Vault on November 5 and 6. The Republic of Loose are due show up there earlier, on October 23. Tom Baxter is due to show up a month later, November 23.

I know I'm repeating myself on this but the Elliott Smith Tribute Night I blogged about earlier is on next Wednesday (October 27).

take care,
Will

Back again

Eoin Coughlan is back again. He's playing The Lobby on Thursday October 21.

And from the mail... Eoin Will be joined By Danny Byrt on drums and Eoghan 'reggie' Regan on guitar. Special guest for the night will be Jean Kennedy, outstanding young songwriter from Cork.

I appear to be in the minority of people who like him. I think he's a but like Damien Dempsey with a better singing voice.

oh well,
Will

The White Stripes in Cork

Not quite...

The White Stripes' Live Under Blackpool Lights concert will be screened in the Kino on Nobember 17 prior to the DVD hitting the shops.

Now that the Film Festival is over, another music related item is arriving ... "Some Kind of Monster", it could be described as an update to This is Spinal Tap, but it's documentary where the film crew followed Metallica for the better part of their 2001-2003 tour to support St. Anger.

take care,
Will

Overheard ... The first law of services

The first law of services is (S = P - E)

Or "Satisfaction = Performance minus Expectation"

The "law is also known as [Maurice] Saatchi's Law, but it's not his. It was created in the 70's by the American David Maister as part of a conference called 'Production & Operations Management'.

Sometimes the most banal things get remembered from a presentation.

Take care,
Will

It's alive I tell you

I just hope I'm not going to repeat myself in this post... because I know I'm going to be repeating parts of other posts.

First off in the Triskel Arts Centre's web site in now live. Tonight will be my first visit after the re-opening (yup it's Film Festival time again.)

The Aquarelle Guitar Quartet play there on November 5, having played the Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh on Thursday November 4. All members of the group are graduates of the Royal Northern College of Music where they were the first guitar quartet to be awarded the diploma in professional performance. Sounds interesting.

Again in the Sirius Arts Centre, Brendan & Declan Murphy, the song-writing nucleus of The Four of Us are playing an acoustic evening on Friday November 19. They are one of those groups I keep missing, so I don't know just how good (or otherwise) they are live.

The Elliott Smith Memorial Fund, takes place in The Lobby on October 27 at 9pm. Myles O’Reilly from Juno Falls, Ian Whitty, and 2FM favourites Ellison9 are just three of the acts paying homage to the late Elliott Smith. Turn's Ollie Cole will also be performing. The line-up also includes Paul O’Reilly, David Nelligan, Dave Ferriter (of Mir), John Kelly (of The Fallen), Barry Haugh (of Wonderland), and Kilter.

Moving away from music for a moment, and on to more dramatic items... Anna Weiss runs in the Cork Arts Theatre (a.k.a. the CAT Club) from Tuesday October 19 to Saturday October 30 (with the exception of the 24th October).

The play tells the story of Lynn, a girl in her twenties, who has "uncovered" repressed memories of repeated sexual abuse at the hand of her father. Her therapist, Anna, has helped reveal theses lost memories. Now, as part of her recovery, Lynn must confront her father with these allegations but he is adamant that none of these horrific acts ever took place. Who is telling the truth? I suppose plays based on regression therapy would arrive sooner or later. Staring Karen Cogan, Bernadette Galvin and James Horgan as the three protagonists.

Due to the graphic nature of the language and subject matter, the play is suitable only for an adult’s audience.

So back to music...

The Divine Comedy play the Everyman Palace Theatre on Monday (October 18). In theory I suppose the tour is in support of their / his DVD, "Live At The Palladium" coming out on October 22. The DVD will include the opportunity to download an exclusive EP via the band’s website – tracks are: "No-One Knows" (Queens of the Stone Age) – Live at the Dublin Gaiety; "Our Mutual Friend" – Live Demo (recorded in 2003); "Three Sisters" – Live at the Dublin Gaiety.

The Chalets are also on tour in Cork with a new release, "The Nightrock EP" on October 22 on the Nasty Pop label, on October 22. They play The Lobby on October 23, so I suppose you could buy the EP at the door.

Stanley Super 800 play a bunch of dates in and around Cork. On the weekend of October 23 and 24 they play in An Brog an on November 25 they are in Cypress Avenue.

Autamata are making their last single from the current album will be "Out Of This" which will be exclusively available as a free download from their website from 4 November. The song is a completely re-recorded and overhauled version and features live drums, violin, piano, Wurlitzer and Spanish guitar as well as a stunning Carol Keogh vocal. There is also a euro-tastic club re-mix by Citizen D.C. available. They play Cypress Avenue on Saturday November 13.

Alphastates play a week later, also at Cypress Avenue on Saturday November 27. They have re-jigged their touring dates, so I may have posted the wrong one before this.

take care,
Will

Cash needed (part 1)

The Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh needs your money.

You see, they have the builders in. Its a "long term plan for conservation" as opossed to just a lick of paint. "The project begins with much needed underpinning of this listed heritage building and repair of the sea wall." They point out that they are the only "major centre for arts and culture and its location in Cobh can only help support existing infrastructure in Cobh and East Cork through internationally recognised arts events, employment, tourism and community support."

The fact that they describe themsleves as "existing infrastructure" is a tad disturbing. The description of "only multidisciplinary arts centre in East Cork" is at least less torubling, and I suppose accurate.

Their "fundraising target for the first part of this plan is €500,000."

"To make donations or to discuss the possibility of making a donation in kind, contact Peggy Sue Amison, Arts Administrator at Sirius Arts Centre: (021) 481 3790 or send donations to Sirius Arts Centre, Old Yacht Club Building, Cobh, Co. Cork. You can also email us at: cohbharts@iol.ie. You can help make a difference by supporting your local arts centre!"

How true?

Sometimes the comics can seem a little too accurate.

Will

Tracey Island Love machine

Kid Shirt has a great theory as to how "Love Machine" by Girls Aloud is actually "Cyber-Insekt" by The Fall.

...The studio reconfigures itself like the living-room on Tracey Island: walls swivel round; old nicotine-stained pictures and wall-fittings disappear into alcoves; an extractor-fan removes the blue fug of smoke... Girls Aloud slide down fireman's poles in impossibly tight dresses from a hidden hatch in the ceiling as Grant Showbiz temporarily mixes out the discordant guitar overdubs, Mark's mumbled dictaphone rants and backing vocals by The Frank Chickens.

The description goes on (and on) but it's priceless.

take care,
Will

Getting rid of backlog - Info Dump vol 2

More and more backlog

The Cork Opera House has Stomp coming up, or rather coming back on October 19 - October 24. Stomp is a dance show, however it's using music and noises generated from boots to bin-lids to broom and things not beginning with the letter 'B'.

If I remember the history correctly, it was created by a bunch of out of work dancers working as builders, when they realised that their work boots worked better than tap shoes.

4.48 PSYCHOSIS by Sarah Kane opens in the Granary tonight.

The photographic exhibitions The People’s Taxi and Album are still showing in Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh. They show the physical and emotional landscape of West Belfast where the photographer McCoy lived and worked. Somehow, a photographer working as a taxi driver in West Belfast takes some guts.

Interesting things in HREF="http://www.lobby.ie/">The Lobby is Katell Keineg on October 14. And on the day before, October 13, Albert Niland plays in support of his Dirty Day album. This is the one with his rough-voiced cover of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights".

I did mention before that Josh Ritter plays the Cork Opera House on December 13 before?

Does Cypress Avenue have it's own web site yet? Athlone’s Bunny October 14.


Ross O’Donovan who recorded the Waiting Room album has set up Data Studios in Crosshaven. Email datastudios@hotmail.com for rates, bookings. I just hope he's luckier than the band.

take care,
Will

The death of Superman

Christopher Reeve, best known for his role as Superman fell into a coma on Saturday after having a heart attack at his New York home and died yesterday (Sunday), his publicist Wesley Combs said.

Wikipedia link

Will

I want to be wicked

Those kind people at the BBC have a lovely section on Bond in their science pages; they correct the Bond villain's plans to take over the world, and the gadgets which just might work.

I'll do the evil laugh later.

Since Bond was a 60's creation, those other kind people at Hack a Day are looking in to how to create your own lava lamp.

Why?
Will

Typical...

The Cork 2005 committee release the programme of events to the papers, and they don't bother adding it to their own web site. The latest news on the site in August 10th.

More more more

Things are looking faster...

Nova Networks has launched a new fixed wireless broadband service in the centre of Cork city, as well as in southern suburbs such as Bishopstown and Mahon. See the ElectricNews.net article for more information.

take care,
Will

Circular stages

Another play in the Granary, this time over the Bank Holiday / Jazz Festival Weekend. 4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane (it's showing at 8pm on October 11, 12, 13 & 21, 22 and at 12 midnight on Saturday October 23.

'4.48 PSYCHOSIS' deals with the suicide of a young girl. Kane interweaves fantasy and delusion with her
life experience, including her relationship with the psychiatrist in the mental hospital in which the play is set.

Which reminds me, Alleycats will be showing The Curious Savage, another play set in a mental hospital at the Cork Arts Centre (CAT club) in December.

Yet another play, and I'm involved in it, is Amelia by Pauline Jackson which is showing as part of the Cork Ghost Festival on October 26, 27, 28, 29 in the Vision Centre. It's the story of Mrs. Emma Bishop who murders her way in to money and her unfortunate maid Amelia. Based on a series of actual incidents in Cork.

And there is more (it's been a while since I've written about plays and such).
The Storytellers Theatre Company presents Hard to Believe (written and directed by Conall Morrison) in the Half Moon Theatre on October 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 at 8pm. Staring Sean Kearns it's just finished it's run in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

"Hard To Believe charts with dramatic intensity and humour the story of John Foster, a former counter- intelligence officer who operated dirty tricks for the British army in Northern Ireland. A professional cynic and arch political manipulator, he returns to Belfast when the last member of his family dies, where he finds himself in the family attic, free-falling through memories of a complex and contradictory life." ... "It poses the question: at the dark centre of a world of spin and stakeknife, is there anything left we can truly have faith in?"

Personally I love the term, "a world of spin and stakeknife" in relation to northern Ireland.

And in the same building... Amp Fiddler plays the Opera House. He is described as being "equal parts Prince, George Clinton and Stevie Wonder". He's playing on October 25 as part of the Jazz Festival Weekend.

Which brings be back to my first link.

take care,
Will

Openings, re-openings and on goings

The Triskel Arts Centre should be opened now...
"Doors have been made wider, windows have been opened, a café has been brought into the street, workshop spaces have been created and spaces have been made flexible." hopefully the sound system the cinema has been improved as it's one of the venues for next week's Film Festival (it's also probably the press office again too).

As part of it's opening Roddy Doyle is doing a reading tonight. Personally I'd love to see it.

And the website is due to get content soon.

A mangled e-mail arrived from the Granary Theatre. According to the e-mail a new show, a 60 minute long concert opened two days ago, which would have clashed with Terrorism a comedy by the Presnyakov Brothers. Amongst the actors involved are a gang from Snatch. They are also involved in the following production, "Mr. Kolpert" by David Gieselmann. The dates are "Terrorism" on October 4, 5, 6 & 14, 15, 16 and "Mr. Kolpert" on October 7, 8, 9 & 18, 19, 20 all at 8pm.

take care,
Will

first part of a backlog of Cork gigs

Thurs 7th October
David Kitt – UCC, Cork

Fri 8th October
James Yorkston & The Athletes – Connolly’s of Leap
Archie Bronson Outfit – Pine Lodge, Myrtleville (FREE SHOW)
Life After Modelling (w/The Walls & Iain Archer) – Half Moon, Cork
La Rocca – Cypress Avenue, Cork

Sun 10th October
James Yorkston & The Athletes – An Cruiscin Lan, Cork

Sat 16th October
Large Mound – Fred Zeppelins, Cork

Mon 18th October
The Divine Comedy – Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork

Sat 23rd October
The Chalets – The Lobby, Cork

Sun 7th November
Hal (w/The Delays) – Vault, Cork

Sun 14th November
Mundy - The Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork

Sat 27th November
Alphastates – Cypress Avenue, Cork

Mon 13th December
Josh Ritter – Opera House, Cork

Drowning or waving

I'm trying to remember if I like The Devlins.

I know I don't actively dislike them, but ... most of that I've heard of their stuff is "screen saver"ish. You know, something rather nice that you use to prevent burn in, but you don't really care enough about to prevent you from aborting the screen saver at any point.

I'm only mentioning it because They play the Half Moon on November 6.

I've given up on trying to assemble the e-mails in to a large info dump. I'm drowning in info, like a large chunk of September events I never posted. From now on I'll be posting the interesting bits as they arrive. So be prepared for me repeating myself.

So on that note...

The Chalets will be releasing “The Nightrock EP” on October 22 on the Nasty Pop label. It will include “Night Rocker”, “Kiss Chasing”, “Love Punch” and “David Boring” and was recorded with Richard Grainey and Gareth Mannix.

Juana Molina’s video for “Solo Su Voz” is available to view here

The song is taken from her Tres Cosas album (her second this year on Domino) which was released last Friday 17 September.

Snow Patrol have announced that they will be releasing a live DVD of their Somerset House show which took place in London in August. The DVD is called Snow Patrol Live 2004 –Mums And Dads Of The World Be Patient With Your Children. It will include the live show in its entirety plus a whole bagful of extras.

They are on tour in the U.S. until the middle of October when they return to Europe for (you guessed it) more touring!

Need a little Christmas?

Well that's life I suppose...

Nothing for weeks and then everything together.

Well the house is going again. Or rather, the lawyers have finally finished, and the financial go-ahead has been approved. I'm going to be in major debt, and have a bank own my property for years. yeah, I'm buying... time to start looking at property porn.

Last week Aldi had winter cycling gear. I couldn't go last week as the father of a friend of mine died and I was off to the funeral. (That's why I wasn't posting, I'll blog about it in a separate post.) I called in last weekend hoping something was left (or rather something in my size was left). Nada. however their Christmas stock had arrived. I bought Christmas cake and mince pies. (The pies didn't last the weekend, but I didn't eat all the pies.)

This trend continued over the weekend, I ended up in town. In theory I was there to get membership for, and to buy tickets for the 49th Cork Film Festival (for logistical reasons there was a 4 hour gap between when you could join and when you could buy tickets), but I ended up in Brown Thomas' Christmas department buying decorations.

Which reminds me, I'm going to have a house... I can finally have my own tree!

I guess that this year I'm skipping Hallowe'en.

Nah.

take care,
Will

It's really annoying when...

your alarm clock interupts a really good dream.