Gigs & trips…

There is a whole lot going on at the moment so I’m going to throw together two quick posts:

No 1 – Gigs!

First things first – check out Music Network’s cracking new website! Swit swoo! We’re loving it!! There’s more to come too, watch this space for the lovelive:music (Ireland’s first ever national day celebrating music) website! There are a load of upcoming gigs with Tasmin Little on tour in Ireland at the moment. We’re gearing up towards our big Gala Fundraising concert on the 05 December in Dublin Castle. Tasmin will be performing works from her Naked Violin album and guests will also be entertained by Trihornophone and Fidil on the evening.

It seems there are a few events on the 05 December and Tasmin sells out you could always drop over to Ergodos Voices in the NCH. The new performing group, established by Ergodos consists of Peyee Chen, Marja Liisa Kay, Michelle O’Rourke and Robin Bier. The programme on the 5th includes works by Linda Buckley, Ben Schlepper-Connolly, Garrett Scholdice, Séan Clancy and Judith Ring.

The next Kaleidoscope takes place on Tues 01 December and will feature performances by Ergodos Voices (in case you can’t make the 5th, catch them here!), Redmond O’Toole and Yurodny. New Sound Worlds, the programme curated by composer Siobhán Cleary, takes place the same evening in the NCH so I’ll be running between the two gigs, trying to catch a bit of both!

Other performance bits

There is an amazing new group doing the rounds – they’re called Traz, they’re based in Sligo, their sound is the most fresh thing you heard on the radio in ages and…. they’re all still in school! Check out their facebook page here and they featured last week on Donal Dineen’s Fresh Air Festival. You heard it here first people, they’re gonna be big, if only because I won’t stop talking about them until everyone has heard their music!

 

 

 

Culture Notes

Just in the door from Waterworn as a part of Absolute Fringe and it was really, simply the most elegant work I have laid my eyes on. A shadow play based on a tale of sea adventure, the play revolved around one character and his day at sea, hunting whales. I haven’t seen shadow puppets since I was a child and my Dad used to make them to entertain us before we went to sleep and this was a treat and a half. On entering the darkened tent space, we passed a hunched over figure playing an out of tune piano that managed to sound charming without grating on the ears. The lights came up behind the sheet and there was an instant engagement with the silhouetted figure. There is something lonely and poignant about shadow plays that lent itself perfectly to the tale of loneliness and tragedy at sea; enhanced by the Michael Nyman-style repetitive rhythms of the piano. I went with my friend Niamh and after the play she remarked that the haphazard tuning and creaks of the old piano made perfect sense in the handmade tone of the production. If you get a chance, please see it – it made us want to run home and create our own shadow play theatre, and we might just do that yet!

I also got a chance today to drop into the Douglas Hyde at lunch for a short talk by the curatorial assistant Barry White about the current exhibition of Paki Smith works. I hadn’t actually seen the show at that point and was delighted to be introduced to some of the works within the context of Paki’s work. The show is brilliant – there’s an awful lot of work displayed, supplemented by a load of his workbooks and journals, but its well worth taking the time to see everything. I found the imagery, ideas and imagination in the work really inspiring and have a small idea for a wee craft project after spending time in the space.

I have a ticket in my pocket for the Synth Eastwood gig at the Spiegeltent tomorrow so very much looking forward to that and in particular to the spatial mc two-hour pre-show gig! Spatial mc emailed out a list  “eye-catching facts about the show”:
• Sadly this is the last year The Spiegeltent is in Dublin
• This is the best priced show in The Spiegeltent (€15!)
• Free Absolut reception!
• 5 minor Irish celebrities may be in attendance
• 6 different music styles on offer
• Multi speaker dancing is the equivalent of 2 triathlons
• Free Absolut reception!

Culture Night is only a few weeks away at this stage and because it’s taking to the road and going national this year there are a few serious decisions to be made. For the past few years it was just a matter of trying to decide which of the many, many events to attend in Dublin, however this year we’re faced with the option of heading home or to other parts of the country to sample the cultural events on offer there. I’ve decided to head for west and will be spending the night in Sligo taking in all they have to offer. More anon…

One last quick note – google give grants to arts and not-for-profit organisations looking to use their Ad Words facility. Get in touch people!

Upcoming Gigs

I’ve been away for a few weeks on an unexpected extended personal leave so have loads to catch up on. Bear with me…

This coming Monday (13 July) sees the Kronos Quartet making an appearance as guests of Louth Contemporary Music Society (LCMS). The concert in An Táin Theatre, Dundalk kicks off at 8pm and will feature the Irish premieres of Tan Dun’s Ghost Opera and Terry Riley’s Cusp of Magic. The Kronos will perform with very special guest Wu Man (site requires flash). I’m hoping to head up but still looking for a lift so if anyone is heading from Dublin drop me an email!

If you’re over on the west coast today or tomorrow then get yourself to The Model’s offsite space on Castle Street, Sligo to catch Soundtrack for a Day; a sound project by commissioned artist Karl Burke. The exhibition will be closing tomorrow evening so get there quickly.

I have a note in my diary telling me that the Irish Composers Collective are performing on Tuesday (14 July) in the National Concert Hall but I wonder now if this is a figment of my very active imagination as I can’t find a thing about it online… Anybody? I do know that the Neil Crowley Trio are performing that evening at 8pm in the NCH promoted by Note Productions. A nice bonus of that gig is a free download of the trio’s new EP for all people who purchase tickets to the NCH gig – nice!

Kinsale Arts Week starts this coming Saturday and I’m not going to get there until later in the week so will be disappointed to miss a good friend Áine Duffy supporting Imelda May this coming Monday. Not surprisingly, considering the calibre of both performers, the gig has already sold out so keep your ears open for any spare tickets floating around if you want to catch Duffy & May.

It’s a few weeks away yet but put a note in your diary to get to the National Chamber Choir performing From the Sublime to the Ridiculous in the National Gallery on Thurs 16 July, a programme of works featuring Macfarren,  Hamilton and Bryars among others. I’ll be there and will most likely post a little reminder closer to the time. I did attend the NCC’s last performance in the NGI and wanted to write about the wonderful programme but the past few crazy weeks ran away with my time!

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On an entirely different note – I dropped into the NGI on my way home from Music Network yesterday evening and saw the exquisite Harry Clarke illustrations he created in the early 1900’s for a book of Hans Christian Anderson stories. If you get a chance drop in, the illustrations are perfect in detail. Closes 23 August.

Culture Notes

Loads of quick notes for today:

Crash Ensemble are offering a part time administrative internship from September 2009 to June 2010. More information here

Music Network are taking applications for two programmes:  Deadline for applications to Making Overtures, the professional development course for musicians and composers, is Monday 15 June. The course takes place from 13-17 July and is well worth the week.  Young Musicwide 2009 is open to applications from young musicians at the beginning of their professional career. Printable application form here and deadline for applicaitons is Mondaty 6 July.

Artsounds is  a new Liffey radio show, and is looking for Irish artists to contribute to the station, in both recorded and live broadcasts. Interested parties should email lindasartsounds@hotmail.com

I meant to mention in my last post on the Leitrim Equation collaboration between Lunasa and traditional musicians from Leitrim that the residency is continue with Dervish taking over the reins from Lunasa.

New project, Dark Night of the Soul, from the hugely talented Danger Mouse is scuppered by EMI but have a listen to the album here. David Lynch on visuals!

More Music Network news: Triocca launch their new album on the Lyric Label Wed 27 May, 6.30pm in Airfield House followed by a performance by the trio.

I’m hoping to pop into the next installment of The Fold in St Audeon’s later tonight. Triple Piglet and Electronica Sensoria Band at 8pm. See you there!

A good friend of mine Aisling Jones is performing with Blind Yackety in Break for the Border tonight at 8pm. If you’re about town drop in!

Is that enough for now? a

From Knowle West to Leitrim

Last weekend was full with all sorts of performances but moving house has meant I missed a couple of choice gigs.

As mentioned earlier I did get to a Tricky gig in The Academy on Thursday night. It was  a last moment decision as I had only seen an ad for the gig that morning when Le Cool magazine dropped into my inbox. A friend introduced me to Tricky a couple of months ago so I dropped him a text about the gig and off we went. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, having only heard two albums (Knowle West Boy and Maxinquaye) but was happy to head in. The gig turned about to be one of the best yet this year and was over far too soon for my liking. From the moment the music started and Tricky stepped onto the stage with his back to the audience the whole energy of the room was sucked towards the stage. He stood still for a good five minutes with smoke billowing around his head. A lesser man would have looked hollow and pretentious in this stance but he exuded an intensity which convinced me it was all about the music. And for the next 45 minutes or so (was it really that short?) it was. Supported by a cache of individually brilliant musicians his intelligent use of effects (two mics in hand on occasion) and vocal manipulation made for a quality performance soaked his personal sexual magnetism.

After the gig we popped into the Palace Bar for a little live trad, which set the tone for the rest of the weekend. I also mentioned previously the launch of The Leitrim Equation; an album of new and established traditional tunes recorded by Lunasa in collaboration with traditional musicians from Leitrim. The album is the result of an 18-month residency organised by Leitrim County Council Arts Office as a part of their Arts Strategy. I’m a huge advocate of residencies in the arts, in particular those in which the artist works specifically with local artists in a developmental role (as separate to those which involve an artist creating stand alone work in a site-specific context, which have their own significance). I find that these residencies benefit both the local artist and the artist-in-residence, often in equal parts. The fruits of Lunasa’s Leitrim residency materialised in the CD produced at the end of the residency and in the live performances in Manorhamilton and The Button Factory. The Button Factory performance on Friday last was as fun a night out I’ve had in ages, with Kevin Crawford entertaining the audience with quips and stories about the band between excellent performances of traditional tunes. I was disappointed not to hear Maurice Lennon perform Master Shanley’s Hornpipe as this was the one tune on the CD that stood out above all the others, but was engaged for the night by Crawford, Séan Smyth and others. The Leitrim musicians ranged from experienced hands to young talents and the tunes produced were no reflection of age or experience as one young musician (whose name escapes me now – help in comments please!) performed his own tunes to the accompaniment of Lunasa. The CD is available from Claddagh Records now.