January 23 - February 1st

Hi folks,

Sorry I didn't get a giglist out last week, to be honest it was pretty quiet there wasn't really anything that took my fancy... There's a nice treat or two in store now though - I have a special one I'm planning on Wednesday so I said I'd better send this out today. This might be a good time to let you know I won't be around in February so there'll be no music news from me, but I'd like to make sure yis all know that stellar cellist Steven Isserlis, a household name and by all accounts a hugely exciting performer is playing with the Irish Chamber Orchestra on February 16th - i'd say it'll definitely sell out so book a ticket on 1890 923 543! Should be every bit as exciting a Kennedy's appearance in December... I'm very disappointed to be missing out on it, though I guess it won't seem such a big thing from Macchu Picchu... You know what I think I'll make this the last one of these before I go...

Ok, so next gigs I recommend....

Wednesday 23rd
8.30pm, The Roundy This is the special one - session with an old friend of mine, Bob Loveday, and some of the best musicians I know in Cork. Bob tours in the bands of Van Morrison and Bob Geldof, has recorded with everyone from Paul McCartney and Kirsty McColl to Jeff Beck and Rachid Taha and he was a member of the Penguin Café Orchestra. He's kindofa multi-instrumentalist, mostly fiddle and mandolin and whatnot... Hopefully appearing with him in a completely unprepared session will be the following: Padraig Kelleher & Liam Lyons (traditional flute), Pius McHale (mandolin), Andrea Bonino (slide guitar), Chris Percival (guitar), Bertrand Galen (cello) and David Whitla (double bass). God knows what'll happen but it should be fun! It'll be totally acoustic and I'm not really looking for a big crowd as we're going to record and film the session with the aim of having a nice clip to put up on youtube - so hopefully it'll be a listening audience... do come up and join us! (free Cork Music Collective gig)

Thursday 24th
11.30, The Crane Lane Bob Loveday is joining Hank Wedel for his gig in the Crane Lane - that's Hank out of Hank & Ray, Open Kitchen, Princes Street etc. I'd say they'll get on pretty well should be good - also playing is Elaine Healy who's a double bass player just moved back to Cork after a long time in the States, Hank says she's great.... (also free)


Wednesday 30th
1.15pm Cork School of Music I'm really excited about this one - Mary Dullea was one of the most amazing performers I heard play in Cork in 2005 - she's so cool - looks like a real quiet normal girl but she plays contemporary music ferociously well, she's completely fearless on the piano. Anyway, she's just recorded an album with Darragh Morgan (violin), Robin Michael (cello) - they're the Fidelio trio and they're doing a tour to launch it and get this - it's a free gig! They're playing a piece by Michael Nyman, one by Donncha Dennehy (on the CD) and some Ravel for good measure. Some way to get past the hump of the week....

Thursday 31st

8pm Aula Maxima UCC The Vanbrugh Quartet have the lovely Emer McDonagh adding her flute to their team for a really cheering concert of music by Bach, Bocchierini, Mozart and Debussy definitely one you'll be walking on air after...

9pm The Roundy Lazik are a real good homegrown group, you'd probably recognise a few of the heads from Sin E - great players and they sound lovely on their myspace. www.myspace.com/lazikmuzik


Friday 1st
126 @ Meade's Wine Bar Oliver Plunket St. Ger Wolfe's the first to play in this gorgeous intimate setting - it only takes about 30 people! Perfect for his music it should be a lovely gig (you know Ger, he wrote that gorgeous Curra Road, which his on his myspace and heaps more since too) - they're doing music up there every Friday an Saturday in February and March, definitely a nice night out.You can book ahead on 021 4270475.


After that you're on your own lads I'll be off listening to the beat of condor wings, the lap of the shores of Lake Titicaca, Criolla music in downtown Lima, Andean string bands up in the clouds and hopefully not too many panpipes...