Great ticket competition and some good tips too

Oh dear I hope I'm not too late for feedburner to drop this into your inboxes and tell ye about Dog Tail Soup tonight (Friday 12th) in de Crane Lane. Our Cork-by-association cellist friend Bertrand will be in the line-up, probably Marja too, so there'll be every reason to get there early and enjoy the kind of atmosphere that only happens with rare and treasured gigs. Fergus O'Farrell's (whose band Interference's CD Gold is one I sorely regret leaving in the lobby of the Town Hall theatre in Galway) project will also feature a new bass player from up North who they're excited about by the name of Gareth Hughes.

Ger Wolfe (who might be kind enough to put some more tracks on his myspace? I know, I know, buy the album...) is on in the Pavillion on Sunday 14th round 9 with the Skylarks in a Christmas special that really will be.

The Skatalites are on in the Pavillion on Wednesday 17th the tickets are in Plug'd records.

WHICH REMINDS ME! I think it's time I gave our exciting new project at work a well-deserved plug. It's Culture Vouchers man. (You, ahem, might have seen them mentioned in the Irish Times or the Evening Echo?). A gift voucher good for all the shows and gigs and everything else we do at Civic Trust House and with each voucher comes a beautiful calendar-diary jobbie designed by the rather brilliant Robin Foley of Sponge Design. They're available from me or Plugd records or the Crawford Gallery Cafe or the 12 Days of Christmas fair in the Bodega which opens on Saturday for guess-how-long, looks to be chocka and very good fun. I'll be in there selling from time to time...

and I have 2 tickets to give away for I concert I'm looking forward to on Sunday 21st, my last day in Cork before I head off to family christmas zone! The National Chamber Choir, I think our only true professional choir in the country, (though I may be wrong, I hope I am) they're singing Britten's Ceremony of carols, his music is often really beautiful but interesting too and folk-carol settings too. It'll be a nice seasonal treat I can assure. Mail me at nickiffrench@gmail.com if you want to go in a draw - it's not until Sunday 21st at 1pm in the Schol of Music so there's plenty of time, but I'll make the draw probably Monay afternoon so you have time to make arrangements.