Going down in Cork this week...

Hey Cork gig-goers,

A very different week in store than last week but every bit as good... It was really nice to meet so many people at gigs during the festival at the weekend, encourages me to stay on after work this week and put another mail together tonight! I'm always happy when I'm asked to put a friend-of-a-friend on the list so don't be shy, or send folks to the online version at www.corklivemusic.blogspot.com .

We'd a great weekend of music - Saturday night was especially good - the Callinos' Schumann was gorgeous (they are sounding really really lovely, did an amazing job on a Schnittke piece last night with pianist Finghin Collins) and the T'ang's version of Mugam Sayahi was unforgettable they're dead cool - I was glad to see some friendly faces there to enjoy it... but the showstopper for me was the late-night Sunday gig when the T'angs played Gorecki's second quartet - really really special. It was a shame there weren't more in the audience but I guess 10.30pm on Easter Sunday was pretty ambitious...

Slight apologies to those who turned up to the Good Friday concert in St Mary's and found the sermonising and long religious interludes a bit much (myself included there!) - if I'd known I'd have warned ye. Hope you enjoyed the music all the same.

This week is not quite so high brow but none the worse for it...

Thursday 27th

8pm, The Whisky, Union Quay (formerly the Phoenix) - Don't be confused by the venue this ain't blues or rock - the lads at Plug'd are hosting some very sweet dreamy guitar music indeed for tonight, a chance that won't come round quickly again - headlining is James Blackwater whose minimalist 12-string guitar compositions have been lauded by The Wire magazine, The Observer, the Times and many more.... (listen to http://www.myspace.com/jamesblackshaw ). Jozef Van Wissem is a lutenist in a similar minimalist vein (http://www.myspace.com/vanwissem) ... Cian Nugent is from Dublin - a bit more melodic maybe and a nice combination all round.

Friday 28th

More fun than you can shake a stick at, bilocation would be a good trick tonight...

9pm, Spailpín Fanach Sheelanagig from Bristol are so great I just can't say it enough - they do a fantastically tight mix of ska and gypsy music with North African, jazz and Irish sounds thrown in - I defy you not to be hoppin around like a mad thing before the first song ends. A quick visit to their myspace will cheer you up right now... http://www.myspace.com/sheelanagiguk

9.30pm, Cyprus Avenue. They made the shortlist for the Choice music prize and while them feckers across the water mightn't've voted them NO.1 on the night there's no doubt there'll be a mad homecoming welcome for (and a rockin' set out of) Stanley Super 800, a Cork band to be truly proud of. http://www.myspace.com/stanleysuper800


Saturday 29th

Ridiculous amount to choose from on Saturday, I had to go and make a sandwich before I could even start listing them...

8pm Firkin Crane A night of music from India with dancing and all - 3 renowned performers from the UK for one night only - kathak dancer Amina Khayyam, sitar player Sam Randhawa with tabla player Udit Pankhania.

8pm Sláinte (the old Vineyard) The lovely girls at Ladyfest are fundraising for their upcoming festival by hosting transgender Rae Spoon from Canada with his rather delectable new cowboy folk sound - check out his myspace at http://www.myspace.com/raespoon lovely harmonica sounds and great songs.

10pm Liquid Lounge The hardworking boys at Club Ping Pong are celebrating this hugely successful alternative club night's first birthday with Liverpool's Kling Klang following the band's recent tour with Portishead - experimental electro future rock stuff... I'd say they're kicking live http://www.myspace.com/superposition

Sunday 30th

9.30pm Crane Lane Dublin's cabaret club Gypsy Hotel returns to the Crane Lane - I'd never heard of it til I happened on them just now on peoplesrepublicofcork.com but I've a sneaking suspicion it'll be a great night out - dress up wild and drink bourbon to the music of The Woodsmen http://www.myspace.com/theewoodsmen (punky folk think The Pogues) , Boom Jackson http://www.myspace.com/boomjacksonmusic (yeouch might be out for a smoke for this bit), seriously sexy Go-go girl Bella A Go-Go ( you-tube of her here ) and resident jump jive swing Dj Oona.

Monday 31st

9pm Triskel Another night of great music at what has become the home of jazz in Cork - one of Europe's key drummers Han Bennink with world-renowned Californian clarinettist Michael Moore and New York accordionist Will Holshouser. This looks like something for lovers of great jazz with the sense of playfulness it started out with - keep something in the tank on the weekend won't you? Triskel are doing a special deal too with dinner in the (DELICIOUS! I mean it - DELICIOUS!) word-of-mouth café (if you haven't eaten there yet you're in for a treat) and concert ticket for €30.


Right 2 hours later I'm ready to go home - if you can't find something in the above to tickle your fancy then that fancy of yours needs lookin' at.
But I ain't the girl to do it.

x Nicki

Last chance ticket competition!! - and music this coming week

Hello again...

I'm still in a fairly special place after last night's gamelan concert in UCC - well done to Mel and all the UCC Javanese Gamelan ensemble. Great to see a full house with audience taking up every available surface in the lovely O'Riada hall.

The big news this weekend is the East Meets West festival here in the city. The T'ang quartet arrived from Singapore on Monday and have been busily preparing and getting to know our lovely grubby city. The opening concert tomorrow night (Good Friday) is free, and will be in St. Mary's here on Pope's Quay (across the river from the Opera House) - the gorgeous Callino Quartet are playing Haydn's 'Seven Last Words' which floored a standing-room-only audience in the same venue in 2005. I'll be working for the whole of the festival so please come to a gig or two and say hello!

This afternoon I'll make the draw for a pair of tickets to what will be an amazing closing concert on Monday night - I can't say I'm not disappointed with my grand total of two entrants so far, but I guess it's kind of nice for them knowing they're in with a good chance! so LAST CHANCE TO ENTER (please do!) - follow this LINK to leave a comment (anything you like!) - anyone who does will go into the draw and if you want to change the tickets to another night you can.

Also it's your last few days to catch Coradorca's new production (running til Saturday 22nd) in the Cork Arts Theatre - see www.corcadorca.com for more!


Thursday 20th

9pm Utopia Nation (head shop on Barrack Street) I haven't yet mentioned the Thursday night open mic night here so I might as well today. I've been up once - good craic, very mixed bag the night I went but the tumblers of wine they serve are HUGE - should set you up well for a dry Good Friday...

12am, Crane Lane Dance your socks off with the Roaring Forties in the Crane Lane tonight.


Friday 21st

8pm St Mary's, Popes Quay Callino Quartet plays the jaw-droppingly beautiful (and totally, totally unique) Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross by Haydn - the first (and only?) set of seven adagios, it lasts about an hour and you won't forget it. This is really meaty and not at all boring I promise - last time the church had a load of people from Shandon and around who had just come to worship, they had never been to a classical concert before and were stunned, really really enjoyed it. It's FREE too!


Saturday 22nd

12pm Cork School of Music A coffee concert showcasing 2 exceptional young musicians - horn player Conor Palliser and pianist Sophie Cashel, along with the viola players of the T'ang and Callino Quartets along with Callino's second violinist and cellist - they'll play Mozart, Beethoven and liszt.

8pm Cork School of Music First chance to hear the T'ang and Callino quartets join forces to play Shostakovich's Two pieces for String Quartet - the Callinos will also play a Schumann Quartet and a Mozart quintet (with the T'ang's violist). And the T'ang Quartet will play the EXTRAORDINARY piece Mugam Sajahi by Franzis Ali-Zadeh - this this is a dead sexy piece (literally) I've only ever heard women playing it so I'm looking forward to hearing this exceptionally talented male quartet's interpretation.

8.30pm Cyprus Avenue Declan O'Rourke is a bloody good songwriter in fairness to him and he has a lovely voice. Nice. http://www.myspace.com/declanorourke



Sunday 23rd (Easter Sunday)

8pm Cork School of Music The T'angs treat us to Dvorak's American quartet (I bought their recording of it a couple of years ago - it's gorgeous, they make it really fresh) and another by Dohnanyi who i won't pretend I've heard of but it's described as 'dramatic'. The Callinos open the concert with one of Haydn's gorgeous quartets, 'Fifths'.

9pm Cyprus Avenue Fight Like Apes from Dublin are playing - one of the big new rock breakthrough acts in the last couple of years http://www.myspace.com/fightlikeapesmusic good for jumping around to.

10.30 Cork School of Music T'ang quartet - Gorecki's 2nd quartet, Quasi una Fantasia - life-changing stuff - very very beautiful, the kind of stuff Donal Dineen would hit you with when he really wants to give you something special.


Monday 24th


12pm Cork School of Music You know the way family members have a really special bond when playing together? The Cashell piano trio are a young Irish family of 2 sisters and a brother and they play exceptionally well together. They are all extraordinarily talented - Sophie just won some BBC 2 Classical Star programme... they're playing Debussy and Brahms.


8pm Cork School of Music The big finale - another octet from the combined forces of the T'ang and Callino Quartets playihng a piece by Svendsen that everyone's banging on about and the T'angs play Haydn and the Callino's Schnittke (ugly, scary name, yes - but beautiful, beautiful music - this, his most famous chamber piece, was written in memory of his mother).



Tuesday 25th

12am Crane Lane A chance to hear the fablulous Polskadots do their gorgeous Eastern/Northern European and beyond folk thing they're brilliant - http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=174413840


Finally, I'm all excited that Sheelanagig from Bristol are back in Cork next Friday - a racy mix of Ska and Gypsy (and lots more besides) they are fantastically tight and more fun than you can shake anything at - I have played their album to death since the last time I saw them... they'll be upstairs in the Spailpin - put it in your diary but I'll remind ye next week.

x N

Another week's music in Cork and a ticket competition!

Hallo everyone,

Great to be back in Cork - last night's concert from Lunfardía at the Triskel was excellent (far more impressive music from South America than I heard on my travels last month I'm afraid). Great to see another sell-out concert too! Speaking of sell-outs there was a queue outside Pro-Musica on Monday morning for superstar guitarist John William's concert on April 24th so you'd want to get moving if you want to hear him play. Word has it that he'll be giving some kind of seminar for guitarists - I'm not sure what the craic is but if you're a guitarist and would like to go let me know and I'll try and put you in touch with the right people.

This week there's a good choice of music - from straight-up classical to experimental improv, blues (the good kind) to singer-songwriter stuff so get the hat and gloves on and get into town...

Nearly forgot the competition! Easter weekend sees a brilliant festival courtesy of West Cork Music, East Meets West - 2 sexy quartets are in town to meet each other and play - the all-male T'ang quartet from Singapore (I saw them a couple of years ago and they really are damn cool) and the all-female Callino quartet from Britain/Ireland and there'll be other performers too. There's six concerts in total over the weekend and I've blagged 2 tickets (worth €40) to the closing concert on Easter Monday at 8pm for one lucky winner at which you can see both quartets play individually before the grand finale of an uplifting octet where the two groups join forces. More info to come next week, and if you're not available on the Monday I can change the tickets for another concert in the festival. To enter leave a comment, any comment and I'll pick the winner out of a hat on Friday week. (yes it is an odd way to hold a competition but I'm hoping it will help the blog go up the Google search thing if I get a few comments on it!).

but for now...



Thursday 13th

1.10pm Crawford Art Gallery Two of Cork's most established and talented classical musicians, violinist Ruxandra Petcu-Colan (who begat the amazing Ioana) and pianist Gabriela Mayer will play violin sonatas by Schubert and Szymanowski. Tickets are €10/7.

8pm Cork School of Music I'll be at the National Symphony Orchestra checking out their performance with young violin soloist Alina Pogostina - a gorgeous programme of Bruch and Beethoven and opening with that popular chestnut, Wagner's overture to Tannhauser.

9.30ish Ziggy's (opposite the Oval) Andrea Bonino who brought you last year's big news Hadasha has an as yet unnamed new blues band with Eoin O'Regan and Jerome Rimson - they've only done 2 gigs but word has it something very special is happening already - won't cost you anything to find out! Can I do the Symphony Orchestra and this in one night? Course I can! Can you?

9pm Roundy Cormac O Caoimh is one of Cork's best singer-songwriters - I still haven't actually heard him but I know it's true, I just know it.



Friday 14th

9pm Bodega (White Room) STeT Lab Cork's most exciting experimental music event plays takes place for the last time in this plush and intimate venue before moving somewhere bigger - it's attracting big crowds of hip musos and is always an adventure for the ears. I'll be lazy and quote Han - "The event will feature Lone Monad (A.K.A. Don Malone) on electronics with Jesse Ronneau on double bass. Emeritus professor of Composition and Electronic Music at Roosevelt University, Chicago, Don Malone is a true pioneer of electronic music and improvisation."

Saturday 15th

10.30 Liquid Lounge Ping Pong needs little plugging from me anymore I gather but it's still a good place to hang with the hip cats - this week it hosts Plug'd Records' 4th birthday and Felix Kubin, a dadaist electro artist from Hamburg who cites Stockhausen, Ligeti & Kraftwerk as influences. There's always the roofgarden if it's too much for ya!

Sunday 16th

3pm Charlie's I don't say it often enough, if you've nothing to do of a Sunday afternoon there really is no better way to spend it than with a rake of Beamishes at the trad session. It's fun, it's messy and the music's usually great.

Monday 17th

9pm Cyprus Ave It'll be hot n sweaty and great craic altogether (and there's feck all else on of note) ....the St Patrick's Day Céilí Mór - gwanyabiya!


Wednesday 19th

8pm UCC Music Dept (O'Riada Hall) Once a year something very special happens - Mel Mercier and the UCC gang let the rest of us in to share in the music of the Javanese Gamelan. The traditional orchestra of metal pots, gongs and xylophones is perfectly normal in Indonesia, but this is the only one in the Republic of Ireland. It plays extraordinary, other worldly music - as they play a melody kind of floats out that is not carried by any one person, it really is magic. Gamelan music had a major effect on Western compaosers and visionaries in the twentieth century. Be warned - get there really early as this always fills...


That's it for now x

Back from Peru

Hi all,

Sorry for my prolonged silence. I'm now back from Peru but straight into residential training while still battling jetlag so incapable of posting properly. Got a 'networking dinner' (arrgh) in an hour and really need to chill out a bit!

For those of you in need though top tips for the moments are: (Just follow the links for details and promise to get back into it properly for my next post.)

Pianist Vasselin Stanev Thursday 6th March 8pm School of Music will be spectacular I'd say

or Somadrome at Triskel as part of the French Film Festival the same night for the more adventurous

and next week

Lunfardia (click on the music button from this link) are making their first tour together but are made up of some of the most exciting musicians in Ireland today (Ioana Petcu-Colan, Malachy Robinson, Ariel Hernandez and more) - they'll be in Triskel on Tuesday 11th, they're offering a special supper/concert deal (who's running the cafe now? I'm out of date!)

and the National Symphony Orchestra are playing Beethoven's Pastoral Symph next Thursday13th and hosting the lovely Alina Pogostkina who'll be playing a Bruch violin concerto with Wagner's Tannheuser overture thrown in for good measure.

So put me out of my misery and tell me how Steven Isserlis was! And did anyone get up to see Arvo Part in Louth or Dublin?

Nicki