Funking up the Fubar

CONFIRMED! woo hoo! I have the Soul Jazz Sound System booked for the Fubar for Sat 3rd March, should be a cracking night. Soul Jazz are the people behind the label that has brought us the 100% Dynamite series of reggae releases and the Studio One Series alongside such gems as New Orleans Funk and Saturday Night Fish Fry. Need to know more log on to www.soundsoftheuniverse.com or www.souljazzrecords.co.uk. Soul Jazz Sound System Radio Shows on Resonance FM. The best way to hear the show is to log on to resonancefm.com. The show is broadcast every Thursday at 9.30pm- 10.30pm. The shows are themed and recent shows have included Post-Punk, Tropicalia, Gospel, Deep Jazz, Studio One. Check it out! It will be dj Pete Reilly and M.C. Ox and of course my good self cranking up the vibe on the night.

An Incredibly busy week at An Grianan Theatre

Yes as the headline would have it its an incredibly busy week at An Grianan Theatre! First up is the wartime sea Drama, Lifeboat on Tonight (Tuesday) and tomorrow night. In September 1940, a ship set sail from Liverpool for Canada carrying ninety young evacuees from the relentless bombing of Britain. Four days into the crossing the ship was torpedoed and sank, killing all but eleven of the evacuees. Two girls spent 19 terrifying hours in the water on an upturned lifeboat. They willed each other to survive. The two girls, now elderly women, remain friends to this day.
Then on Thursday its Eamonn McCann’s take on the events surrounding the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Heroes With Their Hands In The Air. Friday brings us the The Irish Pink Floyd who do exactly what they are supposed to: play Pink Floyd music perfectly, and then on Saturday it’s the David Kitt gig. Busy busy week! Sure we’ll be relieved to have Pat Shortt in the building for a whole week from the 12th! And for those who like comedy don’t forget Jason Byrne will be coming up on 22nd February....

Flight of The Earls

If you don’t know by now that its the 400th Anniversary of the Flight of The Earls you must be hiding under a rock. There was a very good documentary on it on BBC last week, which is a 3 parter, and all over the country from Kinsale to Rathmullan to Cookstown people are getting ready to celebrate it. Here’s my quick summary: Basically what happened brought about the end of Gaelic Rule and the start of what became English Rule and Law over the Northern part of Ireland. Various Irish chieftains, including Hugh O’ Neill, refused to recognise Queen Elizabeth the first’s dominion over Ireland but after 9 years of fighting, with the support of the King of Spain, and realising that their resistance was futile they left Ireland on a ship, from Rathmullan, settling in many places across Europe.
Hope I got all that right now: History was never my strong point at school! There’s loads and loads more at the Donegal County Council site at www.flightoftheearls.ie. Incidentally Brian Friel’s play about these events will be playing in many of the most relevant areas of Ulster throughout March, shipping up in Derry, Armagh, Coleraine and Cookstown after it opens in An Grianan on 14th March.

ooohhh What's Goin' On as Marvin Gaye once sang so beautifully...



David Kitt

Kittser returns to Letterkenny having had is critical career revitalised by his new album. Whether it shifts truckloads (or biteloads I suppose) remains to be seen.
He's on in the theatre on Saturday 10 February at 8pm. Kittser own brand of electronic beats fused with evocative songs and melodies has seen him garner great BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 play, a major piece in Q magazine and he also completed both a headline tour and a set of supports with the Magic Numbers. He also made the Q magazine end of year top 100 and has been nominated for two Meteor awards for Not Fade Away.check him out at http://www.davidkitt.net/ and of course he's on myspace.
Click here for Say No More

Loving this 8 piece funk band from Leeds: The Haggis Horns check them out at
http://www.myspace.com/thehaggishorns

Just finished reading Joseph O' Connor's Star of The Sea. Fab book. worth every superlative ever lavished upon it.

Daithi goes Large!!


Yes after the succesful experiment that was Daithi in the big room of the Fubar last Saturday night I'm going to continue there monthly.! And if anyone wants free passes just give me a shout...

Leviathan the political comedy people have produced a map of Ireland to be in 2016, which accurately and correctly shows the new partitioning of Ireland by the current govt, back to the days of 'beyond the pale' being a no go zone. let's face it they dont have to wait that long for Donegal to be the forbidden zone, which is why Sinn Fein look likely to take two seats in the county I suppose.

Back in my college days I hung around with a fair few media students, quelle surprise, and watched a lot of strange films, Der Toderking springs to mind. Anyway one of 'em Fyfe did the soundtrack for this short horror. Definitely not one for the squeamish! oh and there'll probably be a crap ad at the start of this..

Arts & Parts

Janet Ross Gallery

Just opened in Ramelton is the Ross Fine Art gallery with a fine display of works which are well presented in a lovely building. It makes a change to see a commercial gallery in Donegal not just taking the rack em high road and its a credit to Janet, who as an artist herself, has obviously thought about how the artists would like their work presented. With pieces by Derek Hill, Christy Keeney and others we expect the gallery to be a roaring success and we certainly hope it is. Its on the mall in Letterkenny, just two doors away from Whoriskey's shop, just at the bridge there. Tell her we sent you!

Phil Nicholl

In the world of stand up comedy there’s only one award that counts, formerly known as the perrier its now the if.comeddie and its handed out at Edinburgh every year. The list of those that have won it is legendary: Dylan Moran, Peter Kay, Eddie Izzard, etc. and this year’s winner was the Scottish Canadian Phil Nicholl with his show ‘The Naked Racist’, a timely subject given the shenanigans going on in the Big Brother house! He’s a quick thinking, quick moving kind of a guy and as an added bonus he’s bringing his three piece band with him! He’s on at An Grianan on Friday 2 Feb. Tickets can be got from the Box Office on 074 9120777 or online at www.angrianan.com

Hank Williams

Currently on at the Balor is the Hank Williams Show . The Balor CEP presents a spectacular musical biography of the rise and fall of the brash, forever young, always legendary singer-songwriter. Writers Randy and Mark Harelik have created a musical biography about an American icon of country music that is full of human understanding. Not only do they hold Williams’ music in deservedly high regard, but they also have treated his life story with great respect. His enduring songs like “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”,“Your Cheatin’ Heart”, “Hey, Good Lookin’”, and “Lovesick Blues” are given a fresh and profound resonance when set in the context of his life. This whole show really swings and rocks. The play is directed by Kieran Quinn and performed by local actors and musicians.

Music & Circus Skills Courses at the Balor

The Balor’s vision for 2007 is to become a Multi-Arts centre and to kick off the round of new opportunities available, they are offering Music Tuition Courses and a Circus Skills Training Course. If you’ve ever fancied giving a musical instrument a go, now is the time to contact the centre as they plan to run courses in Guitar (acoustic), Brass Instruments (Trombone, Trumpet, Cornet, Tuba, Baritone), Fiddle, Tin Whistle and Percussion (your chance to make a noise with a drum kit!). If, like many people at this time of year, one of your resolutions is to “try something new (or even scary!)”, why not enrol on the Balor’s Circus Skills Training Course which will include Stiltwalking, Juggling, Tightrope Walking, Uni-cycling, Platespinning and Diablo. This course is not for the faint-hearted and is sure to bring out the daredevil in you! Anyone interested in any of these courses, or simply wishing to find out what else the Balor tends to offer in the coming year, should contact the Co-ordinator, Cynthia Browne, on 9130424 or 0868034310.


What’s Hot

Derek O’ Connor’s trainers, Blogorrah, magooo.org, Pat shortt (tickets flyin’ out), Jason Byrne (ditto), Macbeth (some dead bloke apparently) and David Kitt. Yes back on the Hot list after a few years on the cold list. Its a fickle world. Ardal O Hanlon playing the Balor, fair play that man. Must be the Leeds fan in him. No I wont explain that, he is a Leeds fan, work it out yourself. Not sure I understand what I’m trying to say really...


Derek O’ Connor

I see in Friday’s Irish Times a photo of a slimmed down Derek O’ Connor, former assistant manager at Letterkenny Arts Centre and scribe of the Democrat’s film column, and his Blogorrah cohorts. Blogorrah is the Irish media sensation of 2006, a website where they basically take the hand at the media and as the media crave nothing more than attention they hype it back, confused? well check it out at www.blogorrah.com. Apparently the Sunday Tribune had Derek listed as the 28th coolest person in Ireland recently which just goes to show a/ you are only appreciated after you have left and b/ the Sunday Tribune has no idea what cool is. Talented, witty, fun, creative, borderline insane and many other things Derek may be but cool is not one of them! Having said that he’s wearing a fab pair of blue Adidas in the photo....

Web Stuff

Talking of the web some local blogsites really cranking up the creative juices are shindigrecords.blogspot.com, thoughtsetcetera.blogspot.com and www.magooo.org (that’s three o’s on the end of magoo there if you hadn’t noticed. Granted their attention is mainly on music but then often so is mine, oh and there’s me at andparts.blogspot.com.

Lifeboat

An Grianan Theatre is putting on four schools’ shows in the coming season and one that’s suitable for both National and Secondary Schools is the wonderful Lifeboat. It’s a cracking theatre show and a revival of the critically acclaimed 2006 production. On Friday the 13th of September 1940, a ship set sail from Liverpool for Canada carrying ninety young evacuees from the relentless bombing of war-torn Britain. Four days into the crossing the ship was torpedoed and sank, killing all but eleven of the evacuees. Two girls spent 19 terrifying hours in the water on an upturned lifeboat. They willed each other to survive. Lifeboat is their extraordinary true story of courage, survival and enduring friendship. It’ll have resonance particularly in coastal counties and with Donegal being so linked to the sea we expect a good take up here. For group bookings call 0749120777.

Hey D.J.

Great to see so many quality djs and bands coming to town over the last while, Voodoo broke their normal commercial cycle to put on Derry’s very talented Japanese Popstars, the Pulse through the Student’s Union had world champion dj Flip, Stiff Little Fingers are coming to the Casbah on the 8th March and the wonderful Cork band the Republic of Loose play the same venue on 8th February. An interesting side effect of the competition in town may be that people are now not just looking at the herd, long may it last. Of course for those who appreciate good music I’m still up in the Orchard every Friday and Saturday nights and despite malicious rumours it is still open! And remember Fridays are free!

One of my heroes through my teenage years and college as well was the Radical Scottish Psychaitrist and Author R D Laing, here's an extract from his wonderful book Knots, which is all about how we conduct relationships:

Once upon a time, when Jack was little,

he wanted to be with his mummy all the time

and was frightened she would go away



later, when he was a little bigger,

he wanted to be away from his mummy

and was frightened that

she wanted him to be with her all the time



when he grew up he fell in love with Jill

and he wanted to be with her all the time

and was frightened she would go away



when he was a little older,

he did not want to be with Jill all the time

he was frightened

that she wanted to be with him all the time, and

that she was frightened

that he did not want to be with her all the time



Jack frightens Jill he will leave her

because he is frightened she will leave him.

Dont know whether this lot are worse at least there's a bit of life in them...

found this on youtube.. a few questions need to asked:

Does anyone know them?

Are they this badly dressed for a laugh?

If not can Trinny and Susannah be notified?

How bad is their party? (you dont have to answer this its rhetorical...)

It's Been Quiet here...


but that's about to change! Yes been so so busy with work, life, and ableton (one of these three is true, can you guess which?). And on that subject I really need help with ableton, help me!!!!!

anyway here's an idea I really like and am going to try in a short while..

you set the camera to timer for two seconds and try to run as far away as you can in that time...



check out more of his images at http://runningfromcamera.blogspot.com/

loving this from the shindig crew, letterkenny's finest.

The legendary narty station Santa film:


SANTA FUCKS UP


Strictly over 18s only (ahem...)

confession time: I hate Christmas. But as Dorothy Parker says:

Resume

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live.

Due to work commitments (ahem or my impetuous two day break to Liverpool last week), wont be making it down to Dublin to see Dinosaur Jr this week :-(, so off to see Maeve Higgins in the Balor I guess :-) and a little birdie tells me that they have Ardal O' Hanlon for January... big coup there!

I like this :-)


Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Behind You!! (jack.jpeg)

It’s that time of Year again when its all Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, and the Arts Community starts planning its new season so there’s precious little on! This time of year you can put on a great act and nobody comes because they have a Christmas party that night so the solution at An Grianan is to concentrate on giving the schools, and families, their Christmas show. And this year its a cracker (I’d beg forgiveness for the pun but its so bad I’m just giving you a cheesy grin) Jack & The Beanstalk as written by the legendary Little john Nee and acted by five enthusiastic and talented people. Here’s the blurb... Featuring Jack the daydreaming adventurer and his exasperated Mammy, Rosa the put-upon servant girl, Scam Sharkey the con-artist and last but certainly not least Ogilvy the Giant! Join Jack on his adventures up and down the beanstalk in this gleeful new version of the classic tale. Written by well known Donegal storyteller and playwright Little John Nee, the show features a great cast of five actors. Expect lots of magic, music and mayhem! An Grianán has specially commissioned Little John Nee to write the show and you can expect a local flavour to this classic folktale as we meet ‘Jack of the Bluestacks’! Little John Nee is one of Donegal’s best loved writers and is the author of transatlantic theatre hit The Derry Boat as well as the comedies Rural Electric and Limavady, My Heart’s Delight. Starring David Gilna, Marie Claire Nolan, Rachael Devir, Russell Smith and Declan Birney. Adapted by Little John Nee. Directed by Myles Breen. The public shows are this coming Saturday at 2.30 and 7.00 pm.

Art is not just for Christmas...

What people do like to do at this time of year is have Exhibitions, sure they are great for the Chrissie Presents dont you know? so a quick round up... There’s a group exhibition in Cafe Blend curated (it means put together, its an arty term I curated once you know. Still proud of that.) by Janet Ross. There’s a group exhibition in Designer Liam Grier’s shop in Ramelton, sadly I couldnt make the opening which was apparently a fab night. He makes great clothes too if you really want to impress that special person in your life. But I digress... Artists Josephine Kelly and Samantha Fox (ouch! bet that hurt going through school...) have their work on display in the Ace Of Arts in Letterkenny. Marion Rose McFadden, painter and sculptor, is exhibiting in the Cultivate Gallery Gallery in Temple Bar in Dublin. There’s a lovely exhibition out at Edel McBride’s place in Convoy entitled ‘Midnight Oil’. Mind if you want a tip from me I’d ring Christy Keeney out in New Mills and pick up one of his fabulous ceramic sculptures, still kicking myself that I didn't when he exhibited in An Grianan Theatre. Or Redmond Herrity’s exhibition starts in An Grianan in early January so you could save your pennies for that....

2007 (makinghistory.jpg)

An Grianan’s New Season.. so what do you want to know? Pat Shortt? Brian Friel’s Making History? Jason Byrne? The Letterkenny Music and Drama Group? David Kitt? Cois Ceim Dance Theatre? The Lifford Players? the Panto? Juan Martin? The letterkenny Musical Society? And there’s more ... check it out now on www.angrianan.com or wait a couple of weeks for the brochure. I love the immediacy of new technology don’t you?

You Tube & My Space

While the kids mess around on bebo (dont even bother it will fry your brain it’s like those conversations you overhear a couple of young teenagers having on a bus that is all squeal and very few words) and handily post photos and descriptions of their debauchery for their parents to see the more mature online people are showing off their talents at myspace and flaunting videos of said talents on youtube. Even the theatre now has a myspace page http://www.myspace.com/angrianan. The handy thing about myspace is the ability to find people through others friends listings so through the theatre you will find the frames, colin Murphy, etc. The strange thing about this is that it does appear to be the actual artist themselves who reply to messages, Des Bishop being one of the best to do so. So click on an Grianan's page and then trawl your way through cyberspace... a happy few hours will open up the mysteries of myspace! With Youtube its allowed people to put up videos of anything, including lots of telly music videos etc. It’s as revolutionary as the first time RTE brought us MT USA! go to http://www.youtube.com and start from there...

Extra Revenue Charge on Northern Based Artists, Musicians, and Actors. (muppet.jpg)

Would you have expected Fianna Fail, the Republican Party to decree that people from our bordering counties in Northern Ireland are ‘foreigners’ who need an extra levy placed on their services to deter them from working here in Donegal? Well that’s exactly what they have done- levying an extra 21% VAT on any artists/ performers not resident in the 26 counties. As most Arts Organisations are not VAT registered we have no way of claiming this money back so basically the Arts Council gives with one hand and the Revenue takes back with the other. Joined up government? Don’t think so.... The main effect of this is to discourage us here in Donegal to work with people form the 6 counties, as would be normal for us, as it costs us 21% more to do so. Theatre forum have done great work in bringing this to the national media’s attention but I think it’s time our politicians here in donegal took up this issue as it effects us much more than counties down south.


Contact: this week I’ve been mainly listening to the Housemartins, takes me back! Doesn't the future FatBoySlim look cute!