Midwinter Xmas Xtravaganza!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out for our Christmas show in Dolans. We had a ball at the Midwinter Xmas Xtravaganza on the 21st. Mulled wine and mince pies aplenty, there was indeed much merriment and singing had by all!

Thanks to Peter Delaney for playing a great set, Richie and Noel of Blackwater Salmon, Daire McCoy (Mullingar's finest) and of course the Blakes of the BPLO for pitching in more than their fair share of Christmas cheer. Stealing the show on the night were the extremely tasty mince pies and mulled wine (aplenty), of course made from a top secret age-old family recipe, and many thanks to Mum and Dad for providing this crucial ingredient!

Finally I need to proffer up much respect for Colin and Paul, one half of Walter Mitty and The Realists who provided the rhythm section for The Elective Orchestra, with more or less no rehearsal. Legends. And they don't mind playing cheesy Christmas songs, which always helps.

If you'd like to read the LEG write-up, and pretty much our first full feature, you can read the MySpace blog here, and by the by, the very fancy online edition is well worth checking out if you can't get your hands on the real thing.

www.eightball.ie

On Stephen's night, we played a support set to The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, our sister Limerick orchestra, and in true incestuous style swapped and shared members galore. It was another great night, also proceeded by more drinks into the wee hours. The only true piss-up this festive season, I have to admit. If bumping into the Brother's O'Suilleabhain on the Dock Road doesn't result in a party, well there's no justice in the world. Great laugh, if a little hazy!

Oh yes, and Happy New Year!! 2009, shit boys.

In ancient times . . .

I don't care if its blatently obvious what time I'm online posting blogs at. We played Stonehenge by Spinal Tap tonight. Oh so badly but we did it. Yes we did.

I want . . .

to go to see Cathy Davey/Adrian Crowley/Vertigo Smyth in Dolans Warehouse. What a line-up.

But no, oh no, that'd be too much fun for Nick. I have to work instead. The goose is getting fat and all that.

Gigs: Wed 10th Dec

Went to two gigs on Wednesday. Firstly, I was glad I dragged myself off the couch to go see Shane Barry and the Distractions in Baker Place. Though the set was somewhat short - due not least to the fact that there was something like six acts on the bill for the weekly ARTiculate Sessions - they were pretty fecking good. The tunes were great, 'Stop' being the highlight of the gig. They have a cool sound going on, and their album Radio Friction isn't half bad either. Nice stuff to lift ourselves out of the dreary winter/recession/midweek blues. They should be ones to watch come next summer.

The second gig consisted of the last 15min of The Dirty Epics set in Trinity Rooms, which played to a pretty packed raucous crowd in the main club. Shouty pop not really being my thing, fifteen minutes was just about enough. Some guy being oddly insulted at my refusal for him to try on my glasses and some chick planting all six inches of her high heels into my ankle, and that was enough of that. Long live the T Rooms!!

www.myspace.com/shanebarryofficial

www.myspace.com/thearticulatesessions

http://www.trinityrooms.ie/

Ruby Sessions

Blog neglect strikes again . . . oh no!
Anyhoo, last Tues we played the Ruby Sessions, upstairs in Doyles pub opposite Trinity College in Dublin's fair city. It was a great night, always a pleasure to play the Ruby Sessions, such a nice crowd, great room and sound folk running the show.
Thanks to all our 'fans' who turned up, and bought our new EP (only available at gigs so far). Happy listening!

Next stop Dolans Upstairs on the Winter Solstice (that's the 21st on the old Gregorian)!

Last Belltable Session of 2008

Last night was the last in this years Belltable Sessions. On the bill were Richie McCoy (kindly stepping in last minute to fill the line-up after Armoured Bear unfortunately had to cancel), David Hope - the big man from Shannon, brothers O'Suilleabhain - size2shoes and Windings. photo by Alan Owens

Thanks to all who played last night and over the first six months of Belltable Sessions. We look forward to keeping the sessions going into 2009.

Check out www.myspace.com/thebelltablesessions for more info.

All in a day's work . . .

What a weekend!

Friday night was a work night. We were playing a private party in Sandyford, a seriously swanky VIP bash with posh table dressings, very tasty wine and one of the fanciest 'marquees' I've ever seen. There was ballet as the first part of the after-dinner entertainment, and then us; The Controversial Allstars. After debating exactly which Christmas songs to do, how and when, we ploughed on with our usual set of soul, blues and rock and/or roll.

Halfway through the set, it emerged that among the VIP clientele at the party was one particular VVIP, noneother than Chris De Burgh, the haughtily eyebrowed man himself! He got up to sing with us, and before I knew it, I was in cheese-covered pop ballad bliss performing Lady In Red with the One And Only. Fucking hell it was hilarious. I can check that one off the list.

You may not understand the fascination if you're not privy to certain practises among a particularly sick and twisted gang of mates who take delight in singing Lady in Red at parties and various get-togethers. I think the joy is based around finding that line of complete cheesey crap where people are looking at you thinking you're completely weird losers and the point where you can't help but roar with gay abandon "I hardly know/this beauty by my side". I like to find that line between cheese and class, and then shit all over it, if I may be so crude.

I suppose at the root of it, there's no holding down a good melody. Even if you really really should.

Now don't get me wrong, the man himself is a hairy little hobbit, and about as uncool as mouldy cheddar, but I'd love to have seen my face for the first few verses of the tune. Happy as a pig in shit, playing Lady in Red with Chris De Burgh. Oh yes.

So, for posterity, in the name of all things cheesey, for every eyebrow that's gone unnoticed, and of course lest we forget, for fathers of hot daughters everywhere, I give you Lady in Red.



*in case you were wondering, yes he even whispered the 'I love you' bit at the end. What a pro.

Gigs this week

Holy shit there's some amount of great gigs on in Limerick this week. Dolans should offer a weekly pass.

Wed - 26 Nov
Duke Special
Thurs - 27 Nov
Fred
Fri - 28 Nov
Director w/Walter Mitty & The Realists (warehouse)
Jinx Lennon (upstairs)
The Swell Season - (Daghdha Space)
Sat - 29 Nov
Vesta Varro w/Walter Mitty & The Realists (busy lads)
Ronan Stone (Bakers)
Sun - 30 Nov
Gemma Hayes w/Vertigo Smyth

http://www.dolanspub.com/
www.myspace.com/gigtown

End of week catch-up

So, on Thurs night I popped into Dolans to catch a brief look at Ham Sandwich upstairs while The Saw Doctors were driving the crowds crazy down in the Warehouse. Could here them screaming out N-17 from the smoking section upstairs! Sounded like a great laugh, but alas I'm laying relatively low these days, so no madness for Nick!
Friday was the last day of painting the bedroom (and being covered in Dulux) and after a quick band meeting, popped (again) to Dolans for the Out On A Limb 5th Birthday bash. It was cool to stay Upstairs in Dolans for a late bar with some great tunes. Caught some of Windings live, looking forward to their Belltable Sessions appearance in a couple of weeks, in fact here's the flyer:

www.myspace.com/thebelltablesessions

Well Done Munster!

photo - breakingnews.ie

Well, Munster did extremely well against the All Blacks last night. Though the second half was a fairly messy affair at the best of times, and of course conceding the winning try in the last four minutes was never going to be easy, but fucking hell it was a great match. They were looking fairly shit-hot at times.
Its not very often you see both teams getting stuck in like that, and Munster really held their cool on such a momentus occasion. Very enjoyable match! And as for the army bringing the ball in by helicopter? So classy.

Thomond Park looked savage, it'll look even better when this fella's in there -

Elton John - Thomond Park June 2009

music I'm enjoying

Very much enjoying Fred's album Go God Go. Have missed loads of chance to see them live, gonna have to make it to Dolans on 27 Nov!

www.myspace.com/fredtheband

Friday: Out of Nowhere

Got a last minute call to play a support slot to Paul Heaton (of Beautiful South fame) in Dolans. Sure beats painting the bedroom!
So chuffed that I ended up having something to do of a shitty November Friday night, I then went to see Messiah J & The Expert in The Trinity Rooms, and they were absolutely savage. Put on a kick-ass show, even at the start when the crowd was lacking, completely owned it.
Don't want to do a whole "Irish rap/hip-hop" thing, so won't say any more, but you may be hearing from me again on the MJEX subject, I think they're fucking ace!
www.myspace.com/messiahjandtheexpert

Bakers Tonight

I'm playing a solo set at the ARTiculate Sessions tonight in Bakers.
Gonna try one or two new tunes, and the usual loop magic and instrument hopping.
Hope to see u there!

Herbie Hancock

Last minute jaunt down to Cork to catch Herbie Hancock in the Savoy. He's an absolute legend. Great band, great tunes, great jamming. I WANT one of those keyboard guitars or keytars!I only know the Headhunters album really well and his latest album of Joni Mitchell covers is straight-to-the-restaurant-playlist type stuff, but fucking hell when he plays a powerful solo piano improv with some major dramatics, and after rapturous applause simply drops into Canteloupe, you know you're in the prescence of a master. And so fucking cool.
Should also be noted, as the main man noted in his introduction - he's not used to introducing harmonica players - but just at the start of the solo, I was thinking to myself, harmonica? there's not much that can be done on a harmonica. Yeah, that was funny cause the harmonica dude was savage.

**rant warning** - the only complaint was these two old bags who came in about twenty minutes into the gig, pushed their way by me into a space that wasn't there, and one of them proceeded to close her eyes and girate her hips, rocking all over the place like, well, a spas. we were standing very close to the front, and this stupid bitch was making a right tit of herself. I mean I know you're old (mid 50's) and you like jazz but that doesn't give you free rein to act like a complete tosser. she tried to clap along to a tune that Herbie introduced as having seventeen beats in the bar, and was flopping around like she was trying to relive some long lost student days or something. I was thinking at the time, the only way you could be excused for that kind of shit is if you were on acid, and the wonderful prospect of being on acid at a Herbie Hancock gig notwithstanding, it was too depressing to think that she was tripping. at her age, it was just too pathetic, pissed me off no end. AND to boot, her hippie friend at one point stepped directly in front of me completely blocking my view, leaning her head in and peering around, as if there was something more to see. unbelievable idiots.

Belltable Session Tonight

The Driftwood Manor
Brendan Markham
Audrey Ryan
Seamus Fogarty

Doors 8pm, first act 8.3o.
Tickets €10

See u there!

Fleet Foxes (2 of 2): Dublin

Training it to Dublin, just not arsed to drive this time, roll on Iarnrod Eireann!
Did The Irish Times crossword in about 20 min apart from the one clue ["Of spherical, with flattened top and bottom" 6 letters, do you know it?] and was pretty chuffed with myself. I don't time myself or anything, and I'm not sure if that's good, but I was surprised to get so much done having only started it after Kildare.
A quick stroll around town, the obligatory look into Music Maker and Tower Records, a pint in the Shebeen Chic, then Enchiladas and Margaritas in Acapulco on George's Street - yum!
I was more or less keeping my mouth shut when people asked me about the London gig before we saw them in Vicar St, didn't want to pre-empt or spoil anything around the dodgy banter talk. Apparently it wasn't an issue for my mates anyway. In fairness, how could it ever be, playing to a Dublin crowd in Vicar St? They were even better than Shepherds Bush in my opinion, and Robin Pecknold going solo unplugged was pretty cool.
Ironically, I feel have to take responsibility for some of the strange but funny 'Obama being part Enya' talk. I was talking to Robin outside before the gig and we were chatting about London's gig, and I mentioned that they were talking quite a lot of politics. I then pointed out that Barack Obama has family in Moneygall. In fact I think I may have edged closer to claiming that he was Irish. They ran with it onstage, and it turned out being pretty funny, but I couldn't help feeling that I may have added fuel to the strange banter fire. No-one else really seemed too perturbed by it, so that was good.
All in all their music is amazing, and I would go to see them live again. It's strange to say, but they could probably do with taking themselves a little bit more seriously, I think their live shows would be all the more special with a bit of drama rather than chitchat. That said, twice in one week and still hooked.
www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes
[Of spherical, with flattened top and bottom - Oblate]

Off we go!

Going to London tomorrow to see Fleet Foxes on Wed. Very excited! Also seeing them again in Dublin on Friday, also excited.
Just realised that I don't know anything about them, what they look like, haven't heard any interviews or watched any YouTube ckips or anything. I think the album is too good and I don't want to spoil it, in a strange kind of way. Know what I mean?
Gonna stay with my mate Demo (no its not some strange indie nickname, he's nothing to do with music) and probably going to drink plenty of beers and walk lots, and look very confident and natural when using the Tube. Just finished reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and feeling inspired!

Halloween=Scary! (as it should be)

As usual, I wait until the last minute to get all excited about the scariness of Halloween! Wooooo!
Spent a fortune (in pound shop or '€2 shop' terms) on last minute costumes, had a few mojitos and went down to Red Cross Hall to see 3epkano performing a live original soundtrack to The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari! Scary!

[3epkano's soundtrack was so much better than that shite]
It was really cool gig/film, and SCARY!! There was even a jump in it!
The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari is credited with being the first horror movie, and I even read a YouTube comment that said it was the first movie to feature "a twist at the end, like Fight Club" - yes, exactly like Fight Club you moron. (YouTube comments are the grazing ground for some real idiots.)
Its my second time seeing 3epkano soundtrack a film, the first being Metropolis in the Dublin Film Festival last year, and that was fucking amazing.
Metropolis is credited with being the first science fiction movie, as well as having some pretty cool concepts of the future and touching on some fairly crazy issues, for example, the social crisis between workers and owners in capitalism (Wikipedia)
3epkano's Metropolis was one of the best cinema experiences and one of the best gig experiences I've ever had. Powerful stuff. So, much kudos to 3epkano! You should have a listen to their MySpace. I'd love to give it a go sometime - soundtracking silent film that is. Looks like fun.
Of course, after that highly cultural and enjoyable experience, we ended up getting fairly tanked in Mickey's (at one point I was taking a piss with The Phantom of the Opera and an eerily detailed Adolf Hitler on either side of me at the urinal). Back for more mojitos, cigars and late night begrudgery.
A fine All Hallows Eve.

http://www.myspace.com/3epkano

Rounding off the weekend

Went to see Milosh and Chequerboard in Red Cross Hall tonight. It was certainly a lovely way to round off the weekend, and its looking like Red Cross Hall is gonna work out as a sweet new venue for all sorts!

Nice to have a pint with the gang after, get the politically correct lowdown on Toronto vs Vancouver and walk home. Lovely lovely.

www.myspace.com/milosh
www.myspace.com/chequerboardmusic

DEAF 08 - Nurse with Wound

Went to the first night of DEAF tonight in Andrew's Lane Theatre. Had some confusion figuring out who exactly was onstage and what exactly we were supposed to be listening to when it was just some dude with two massive amps playing the same three chords on his guitar over and over. Oh wait, it was art I think. Soundart, the worst kind of art.

Nurse with Wound however were pretty cool.
Apparently they've been around since the Seventies, and I guess the auld lads just command a bit more respect for it. Particularly when they lash into 'My Lovely Horse' out of nowhere (obviously that's going to go down well with this particular blogger), and proceed into what we were told was a "rock'n'roll jam".
I suppose you don't have to understand it all or be able to relate to it, or however you want to describe that relationship that a listener has with a piece of music, to enjoy it. And when the dudes onstage are so clearly making these sounds for their own enjoyment, without conceit or posturing, well it makes it even easier to enjoy. Throw in a bit of Father Ted and I'm in.