Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

February in Casa Rebelde

Posted in Music on February 1, 2011| 3 Comments »

February will be an exciting month for alternative, electronic music in the city.

The basement of Murray’s on O’Connell Street will be turned into a somewhat Temporary Autonomous Zone, called Casa Rebelde, as four different crews get together to put on four fantastic gigs.

First up on February 4, our close pal Antrophe will be bringing flying the SoundTracksForThem flag again, taking it away from the laptop screen and into your friday night life. He’s got Yeah Buzz (Dublin), Kid Kongo (Galway) and DJ Rodfather (Dublin) all lined up to give you a bass workout. Facebook event here.

Feb 4, Casa Rebelde.

Next up on February 11, we have long running club night Game Pak who are dedicated to bringing “quality game-related tunage, with game-inspired visuals and classic console games to enjoy on bigscreens” to each gig. They’re bringing over Doshy, “one of Berlin’s most innovative experimental beats-and-bleeps-artists” with support from UBEE (Galway) and GamePak residents xYme and CsixtyForce. Facebook event here.

Feb 11, Casa Rebelde.

On February 18, Ghettoquietly will be launching the new EP from Lady Grew, US/Irelands deadliest female voice in the bass scene. Support on the night comes from Karl Kong (who is flying over from Berlin), Das Bluefood and Sixfoot Apprentice! (Kaboogie). Facebook event here.

Feb 18, Casa Rebelde.

Last but not least, we have the Punky Reggae Party on February 25. The baby of yours truly and DFallon. For starters we have DFallon who will be warming up the crowd with a classic mix of Trojan ska, first wave British punk and floor shaking Northern Soul and then I’ll be breaking out my 45s collection to play some classic Motown, Stax, reggae and Dublin New Wave. For main course, we have Stealin’ Gately, the DJ formerly known as Oshroom, who cut his teeth with Redrum and Bangers n Mash and who will be heating things up with a badman selection of Dancehall, Ragga and Jungle.

Our pièce de résistance is The Dirty Dubsters, our biggest booking yet. With over 2,700 followers on Sound Cloud and 77,000 youtube hits, the duo DJ OBese and Jay SHARP have taken the scene by storm and are set to rock the basement with their very special mashup of bassy ragga jungle, ska house reggae, ragga hip-hop and all things Dub related.

Dirty Dubsters Feat. Bass Nacho Mr. Brown boot by DirtyDubsters

Facebook event here.

Feb 25, Casa Rebelde.

Read Full Post »

4. Classic Dublin music videos: Rod Stewart – Sailing (1975)

Posted in Music on January 31, 2011| 3 Comments »

Dublin captured by BBC’s Nationwide when Rod Stewart visited in the mid 1970s. They used the footage to publicise his single Sailing and broadcast it on Top Of The Tops in September 1975. Scenes of Moore Street can be seen from about 2:33 minutes in.

The actual music video for the song was filmed in New York harbour.

(Thanks to John F. for telling me about the video)

Read Full Post »

The King Blues announce Dublin date

Posted in Music on January 27, 2011| 2 Comments »

Just found out that that London ska/punk  band The King Blues are playing in Dublin (The Academy) on Saturday, March 26. Nice one. Have been into this band for a while now. Their first two albums Under The Fog (2006) and Save The World, Get The Girl (2008) represent some of the best pop-tastic reggae/punk with a sprinkling of politics to come out of the English capital for some years.

Tickets are priced €16.00 inclusive of booking fee and are available at Ticketmaster.

The King Blues – My Boulder from Ascension Productions on Vimeo.

Read Full Post »

3. Classic Dublin music videos: Bagatelle – Summer in Dublin (1980)

Posted in Dublin History, Music on January 26, 2011| 9 Comments »

Though we’re still riding out a cold January, it wouldn’t be fair to exclude this chart-topping radio-friendly rock ballad just because of its title.

I’m not sure what the story is with the video though. While the single came out in 1980 the video has live footage from 1985 and it would seem near impossible to date the opening scenes of the city. My guess would be mid 80s.

The first minute and a half features Grafton Street, Suffolk Street, Ha’Penny Bridge, College Green and the quays. How dated do the green buses look!

Damien Corless, in a piece last year entitled ‘I remember that summer in Dublin. . . and it was bloody awful’, deflated the idea that Dublin in 1980 was a care free, wonderful place and took issue with Bagatelle’s single.

Read Full Post »

“The Smiths, proclaimed An Phoblacht, were very good indeed”

Posted in Music, Politics, tagged , , , on January 26, 2011| 8 Comments »

On Monday night I popped along to the launch of ‘Why Pamper Life’s Complexities?’, a book of essays on The Smiths edited by Seam Campbell and Colin Coulter. The launch took place in the lovely Workman’s Club on a cold Monday in January. A warm fire and that view over the Liffey really makes the upstairs of the Workman’s a great little venue.

I’d just finished the book recently and thought it a very interesting look at a band we so often forget had second generation Irish blood in their veins. I’ve seen Morrissey here in Dublin before, but of course am more likely to see Jim Corr in the Dáil than ever catch The Smiths here.

The book examines issues like class, regional identity (Who did put the ‘M’ in Manchester?) , sexuality, the lyrics of the band, the emigrant experience and more besides.

We’ve a fascination with left-wing publications here at Come Here To Me, from obscure student produced pamphlets of the late 60s and 70s to the more common names, political weeklies like The United Irishman, An Phoblacht and the like. Imagine my surprise then when reading ‘Why Pamper Life’s Complexities’ to find this piece in Sean Campbell’s excellent chapter ‘Ambivalence, Unease and The Smiths’, relating to Morrissey’s infamous comments in light of the Brighton bombing which almost killed Margaret Thatcher. His comments were made on the eve of a visit to the north by the band.

The bands anxiousness about the trip increased when they were handed a copy of the Irish Republican newspaper An Phoblacht by an IRA-affiliated individual in Manchester. The paper, whose pages were usually taken up with ‘war news’, praised Morrissey for his Brighton bomb comments (which it reprinted in full) and laid stress on The Smith’s Irish provenance: ‘with names like that who could doubt their antecedents?’ The news-sheet-not known for its interest in rock- also praised The Smith’s anti-establishment ethos and concern for the ‘dispossessed’, before offering a ringing endorsement: The Smiths, proclaimed An Phoblacht, were ‘very good indeed’.

Wow.

Well done to Sean and Colin on producing such an excellent work, Smiths fanatics (there are no ‘fans’) can pick a copy up over on Amazon.

Read Full Post »

Asher Roth meets House of Pain?

Posted in Music on January 24, 2011| 6 Comments »

Nearly 20 years since Jump Around and Top o’ the Morning to Ya were released, it’s interesting to see another North American rap group trying to express what it means to be of Irish descent in 2011.

The video reminds me of Baltimore based The Wire (wake scene), a hint of the Boston Irish depicted in The Departed/The Town, Chicago Dropkick Murphy sound-a-likes The Tossers and even a sprinkle of Japan Pogues fans The Cherry Bombs.

First generation born
Toast to those that made it on a boat to New York
And when the English came the colonizer came
They filled up bottles of gasoline, turned ’em into balls of flame
And hurled ’em to protect what’s ours
Don’t touch these lucky charms
Whole bunch of Irish screaming “Fuck the London Guard”
I’m kidding, not dissin’ London, this bloody war
But go against the Irish and get a bloody jaw
Preaching nonviolence but reminds of the scars
And the bias, put a pint up everybody sing a song

From New England to New Brunswick
All the way to Dublin
A rebellious nation of freckled face hustlers
Hard blue collared workers and family
My heritage, proud to be a Haggerty

It should be noted that he’s not just trying to cash in on the Irish roots either, Seattle based Macklemore has released a number of well received mix tapes and EPs.

Read Full Post »

City Discs to close

Posted in Miscellaneous, Music on January 24, 2011| 3 Comments »

Sad news.

Though I can’t say I was a regular customer, I did my best to pop in now and again and memorably bought my bus ticket here for the Celtek rave back in 2008.

Best wishes to the owners with any future endeavors.

The excellent Dublin record shop City Discs is unfortunately closing down. All stock on sale, €3 an item. Big up Craig, Gerry and all the gang who’ve been supplying tunes to so many people the last 8 years.

Photo credit - 3artes

Read Full Post »

2. Classic Dublin music videos: The Blades – The Bride Wore White (1982)

Posted in Dublin History, Music on January 24, 2011| 4 Comments »

Directed by the late Bob Collins (1945 – 2000), who also had a hand in the production of the video for Phil Lynott’s Old Town, The Blades’ Bride Wore White captures great street scenes of a grey, 1980s Dublin.

In the Hotpress National Poll of 1982, The Bride Wore White was voted best single while The Blades were voted ‘the most promising act in Ireland’ and Paul Cleary ‘best Irish songwriter’.

Note: Your able to buy The Blades two album boxset, Those Were The Days, here at the Reekus Records website.

Read Full Post »

1. Classic Dublin music videos: Phil Lynott – Old Town (1982)

Posted in Dublin History, Music on January 23, 2011| 13 Comments »

It’s one of those great Dublin pub quiz questions. What links the bandstand in Herbert Park and the Long Hall on South Great George’s Street?

Well, both feature heavily in the video to Phill Lynott’s classic 1982 single Old Town. The video was produced by Dave Heffernan and stars the actress Fiona McKenna.

The Dublin locations are as follows:

– Opening scene on Ha’Penny bridge
– Ringsend
– Grafton Street
– The Long Hall
– Bandstand (Herbert Park)
– Ringsend Pier

Read Full Post »

Stand Down Cowen

Posted in Music on January 20, 2011| 1 Comment »

Dublin’s hardest working ska/reggae band The Bionic Rats re-work The Beat’s classic Stand Down Margaret.

 

Read Full Post »

Get down to Whelan’s. Two nights down, but two nights left.

Posted in Music on January 14, 2011| 1 Comment »

We popped down to Whelan’s last night for the Ones to Watch 2011 Festival.

Five quid on the door, you get a free pint of piss (Heineken) for your efforts, but you’re not there for that in fairness. The line up was stellar. We went along mainly to check out the excellent Hunter-Gatherer, but Toby Kaar was undoubtedly the find of the night. County Cork electronica had the room upstairs dancing away.

Bread by TobyKaar

Were I not working early in the morning (very early in the morning), I’d be there again tonight. Get on it.

FRIDAY JAN 14TH
Whelans Main Room (Doors – 7:30pm)
Squarehead
Shouting At Planes
Grand Pocket Orchestra
Miracle Bell

Whelans Upstairs (Doors – 11.30pm)
Strait Laces
Hired Hands
Alarmist
Lost Chord

SATURDAY JAN 15TH
Whelans Upstairs (Doors – 7:30pm)
No Monster Club
Bill Coleman
TBC

Whelans Main Room (Doors – 7:30pm)
Heroes In Hiding
The Danger Is
The Casanova Wave

The Village (Doors – 7:30pm)
Planet Parade
This Club (Hoarsebox)
Cashier No 9
TBC

Read Full Post »

This Is Not A Love Song

Posted in Events, Music on January 10, 2011| 1 Comment »

Playlist – Nouvelle Vague by Itubaina Radio Retro

My first ‘ticketmaster.ie gig’ (basically any gig that involves paying for it before arriving at the venue door) of the year is an exciting one. Nouvelle Vague are a truly exciting act, taking on new wave, punk and classic indie tracks with vigour, even reworking The Specials in a way that didn’t make purists like me cringe (If that’s what you’re looking for, I suggest Lily Allen and Blank Expression).

Debut album Nouvelle Vague is a tribute to new wave period classics, and in this house is played to bits. Bande à Part and 3 broadened the scope, with everyone from Echo and the Bunnymen to Soft Cell getting the honour of a Nouvelle Vague reworking.

They roll into town on the 21st, a Friday night (Saturday morning) affair at Tripod . Incredibly, I’ve yet to see them in Dublin.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »