detritus, anglegrinders and chamber music

It's taking a real effort to get comfortable for my first night in in ages. There's stuff everywhere to be relocated, machines full of the wet and dirty detritus of everyday living, dog hair and wrappings, half-finished food and jobs weighing on my mind. Need to have the place clear before I head west for the WCCM festival.

If you're interested in a little appetite-whetting, you'll find my own review of last year's right here .

How's your Midsummer Festival been going? Braakland and Super Stan were unlikely bedfellows for my Friday night but it somehow flew and could probably only have worked so well in the the company of a Desmond, whose fancy dress put my lack of to shame. Rockin stuff.
Faust were everything promised and more, damn near blew my head off and even when I awoke with my ears ringing the next day, I still knew it was worth it. Wondered on my only trip to Germany where Beethoven and Bach's legacy laid given the drivel served up in bars and beyond there, but I was looking in the wrong places (btw, chain saws and angle grinders music not just publicity stunt). Please bring em back!

Corcadorca's The Hairy Ape was superb last night in the preview, if it hasn't sold out yet (it has a a mercifully long run at least) do yourself a favour. And I really enjoyed You've got to Love Dancing Dancing to Stick with It but that's over, though you can catch it again in Kinsale or Bray next month.

Outside of Midsummer fest I fell for Joan as Policewoman Sunday, she somehow transcended the horrific hired keyboard, playing to a shamefully small but devoted and pin-drop quiet crowd.

No tips this week, I won't be here so I can't be bothered. Going to watch Flight of the Conchords instead.

You have received this week's mailing in a new fashion, direct from my blog. All the cutting and pasting was becoming a drag, I was forever letting the mailing list be copied to everyone and, most important of all, I wanted to give ye the chance to opt out. I'll try not to be offended, I know there's a few people reading it so it won't put me off I'm sure! There'll be some opt-in/opt-out clause thing when you get this.

Give me a shout if you plan to come to Bantry. A simple tip - One of the late night and one of the big Bach Brandenburg coffee concerts would be an interesting alternative to (and only a couple of quid more than) a single main concert. So you could go out after work in the evening, eat in Bantry, stay a night, hear a concert and be back by, well maybe 3 the next day if you had to. Oh jaysus the carbon though...


CRAP! Nearly forgot. Right when I get back I'm putting on a gig - it's Saturday 12th July in Cyprus Avenue and if you can come I'd love to see ya and catch up a bit. Nothing too demanding, nice entertaining music and people, good vibes, some people you haven't heard or met before... read about it here

school Tunick

Ah lads I want to write even though I'm tired and dazed like perhaps only someone who with only 1 hour's sleep at 2am gets up, drives to Blarney picking up 3 hitchers on the way, sits in the cold dark in a field for several hours with 1,100 others til the sun rises enough when they all strip quite naked and follow megaphone directions for the guts of an hour, have some fine laughs, admire tatoos and whatnot and slowly freeze (beyond what a mild day's office work and 1 hour bass lesson can cure), to create something which media footage suggests might end up a little special... RTE did a nice item on the Telly news but it's impossible to link to, stupid javascript I haven't a clue how to deal with it.

I especially want to write since a few people said as how I hadn't sent out a mail last week and I felt a bit bold. I've been out plenty of course... that's why the no mail. Lots of trad, some jamming with a cool group of ladies and a Vivaldi Gloria we've started on in choir - not much in the way of concerts except the great Belcea Quartet opener of the IIB Music in Great Irish Houses thing who were exceptional but I was overtired for. To be honest I'm kind of pacing myself and cleaning my palette in advance of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival when I'll be spoilt rotten - coaxed, dragged, flattered and hollered through every emotion under the sun (if past programmes are anything to go by) thanks to the wealth of music left by composers of the last few centuries and the dedication and inspiration of great performers to take me there. And 10-hour work days with usually 4 full concerts each. The programme is a bit daunting online so if anyone wants personal recommendations mail me back.

To be honest as far as things coming up in the city are concerned, well this isn't really a time for music specifically. The Cork Midsummer Festival is officially swinging (I swear I still have periodic shivers as i write to remind me) and the theatre and spectacles they've lined up is bloody amazing. Be wild, try something you mightn't normally as the scope of entertainment and provocation is like nothing else year-round. My plans include:

Braakland and Super Stan Goes Country on Friday

Faust on Saturday,

Corcadorca's The Hairy Ape which opens tomorrow (Wednesday) but I won't get to see til next week, Wednesday I think

Sensazione and Hammergrin's K: The Iowa Project at some stage

Scullion if the gods allow

that's a tiny sample of what's on offer, it just is too, too much - chart your own course at www.corkmidsummer.com

In fairness though there's a few other things going on that more than bear mentioning, they demand attention:


Wednesday 18th

9pm Utopia Nation Noizepod



Friday 20th

1.15pm Cork School of Music - GUARANTEED to be one jazz-abiders will be boasting of in the future - KARL ROONEY perhaps our most accomplished jazz talent at the outset of a professional career making his his MA degree performance in his own quintet. They'll be playing the music of the legendary Wayne Shorter; come and enjoy what will no doubt be an electric performance and support Karl on the big day, it's free but don't go if you can't stay for the whole thing as he's being examined and nothing should disturb the performance.


Wednesday 25th

11pm The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at the new Pavillion Theatre which if you haven't checked out could make this a must-go, info at http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com/~peoplesr/forums//showthread.php?t=132251 Boban Markovich Orkestar they ain't but it will be a blast of a night out I'd say.

That's it, I have to sleep,

Come to Bantry x
--
What's going on?
http://corklivemusic.blogspot.com

PS The clock on my computer's 3 hours slow, anyone know how I can reset it?

pant pant pant

I thought I'd filled you up for tips for this week already but a few crackers have come in so I could resist.

Had a great week myself, enjoyed some of the blues session in Nancy's on Thursday night after tag rugby where there was a big gang joining the two core lads - before heading down to catch the end of another great set from the Critters at their weekly session in the Gables on Douglas Street. Saturday night brought a high octane trad session at Foley's near Inch beach in Kerry where the tunes carried on in various camper vans outside til the birds were singing. Headed home to Cork on Sunday with the head spinning to a couple of sets in the Sin E where another trad session was in full flight but had an early night. Up at seven Monday to spend the day racing round the marathon course where the music went down a treat. The African Gospel Choir blessed the runners with soul on the first leg of their gruelling trip as they passed Blackpool church, Dave Henessy's trio gave them another lift in the morning sun with some cracking tunes as they headed east along the North Quays. Patrick Naughton's drummers drove them out the Lee Tunnel and kept the hearts pounding as they weaved back across Mahon and Blackrock and across past the Lough right to the western city limits before returning home to Pana and the Barrack Street Brass Band ... we had a total of 20 groups of performers to keep them going through the blazing sun, with loads of support from people gathered all along the way to shout encouragement. Really positive atmoshere.

I'm just out this evening from the opening night of the new production of Disco Pigs in The Everyman Theatre - in fairness it does a fabulous script proud. I was lucky enough to somehow find my way to corcadorca's original production when I was in college and had my mind blown by it and I suspect someone coming to this one for the first time would be the same - great performance and a more elaborate and cleverly conceived set with the added bonus of a great soundtrack from Irene Buckley.

So what do I have to add to my tips from last week that I just couldn't keep to myself? See below (I have included the original tips in a lighter colour so you have the full story biy...)

Wednesday 4th
9pm Utopianation, Barrack Street Andrea Bonino's latest project is Noizepod a "jam-based night of experimental music, free improvisation, noize, & hullabaloo..
(featuring andrea bonino & francis heery + eoin callery & friends, and more)" it's free in and should be worth checking out for those inspired to partake or open to share the exploration...


Thursday 5th

is as usual a stupidly full trough at which to gorge, starting at the

Crawford Gallery 1.10 pm when composer/pianist John Gibson peforms a programme of his own work with some of Cork's very finest musicians: Amanda Neary, soprano; Ciara Glasheen,cor anglais; Ruxandra Petcu & Eithne Willis, violins, Tomas McCarthy, viola; Joan Scannell, cello - there's bad weather forecast so it'll be shelter a world away from whatever's falling from the sky outside

9pm An Spailpín Fanac A mighty session that I would have said was unmissable if it didn't have such competition at the Roundy - Seamus Creagh with Aidan Coffey and Mick Daly should be serious craic. There's another band on from Newfoundland on and all....

9pm The Roundy The Polskadots have old friend Lucia Comnes as guest, a very special occasion and definitely one for the diary lads and from 5-7 Lucia will be giving an open workshop in Eastern European singing at the Glucksman Gallery in UCC, all welcome. And I've since realised it's Lucia Comnes rather wonderful combo from San Fran that'll be playing the Roundy with the Polskadots ... www.myspace.com/luciacomnes


9pm Triskel Jazz harmonica player Ray Preston is clearly a master and well respected by the looks of one enthusiastic expert (http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/jazz_harmonica.htm)
this gig with his quaret should be meaty - hear him here http://harmonica.co.uk/music/Ray_Preston_Making_Whoopee.wma


Saturday 7th

8pm Cork Opera House I'm well ticked off I'll be away for Rufus Wainwright, though he might be sold out already... www.rufuswainwright.com

That's it... I can't take any more.......... xx