Author: Webmaster

"Saving J prove themselves diligent students of the golden age of 90’s US Pop … The Prefect Remedy for doom laden recession Talk: Unstoppable Euphoric Pop" – Hot Press

Saving J
THIS CITY STREET
Out 11-09-09 on Can Can Recordings
www.myspace.com/savingjmusic
Kilkenny-based purveyors of power-pop release their debut album produced by Martin Quinn. Known as a singles band, they decided to make their debut long-player due to the overwhelming feedback from their growing fanbase. Featuring all their singles to date: BUS STOP, INDICATION STREET, VALENTINE, KICK OFF, & ABC plus new single EVERYBODY. The band continues to tour the country non-stop winning the musical hearts of all and bouncing all over the radio waves with their blitz of infectious tunes. Doing it the good old-fashioned way by hitting the road & releasing a steady flow of brilliant singles, their live following has grown to impressive numbers. Definitely one to watch!

Upcoming SAVING J Live Dates:

24.09 – Baker Place, Limerick
25.09 – Langton’s Theatre, Kilkenny Launch
26.09 – Electric Avenue, Waterford
02.10 – Greystones Arts Theatre
More to be announced; check

www.myspace.com/savingjmusic

new music::new Ireland, an international initiative of The Contemporary Music Centre Ireland, visits London for the first time with two exciting concerts of new music in October and November 2009.

With new talent emerging on the contemporary music scene all the time, these events showcase Irish composers and performers in vibrant, cutting-edge programmes.

The concerts, which are linked but contrasting, present two facets of new Irish music for violin and piano and are part of the Out Hear Monday night series at King’s Place, London.

In Solos and Duos for Violin and Piano: 1 (12 October, 8.00-9.00pm), new music specialists Darragh Morgan (violin) and Mary Dullea (piano) play cutting-edge contemporary Irish music. In addition to a piece by well-known composer Gerald Barry, their programme includes three premieres and ranges across the styles and generations.

Available on 3ú Records

www.thecoronas.net

The CORONAS ::: LIVE ::: The Olympia Theatre ~ Friday 11th December

Tickets are €25.00 including booking fee on sale from Ticketmaster.ie

The Coronas are back. Their debut LP – 2007’s Heroes or Ghosts – achieved platinum sales in Ireland, and spawned massive singles such as “Grace, Don’t Wait!”, “Heroes or Ghosts” and especially “San Diego Song” which became an anthem in clubs and radio stations all across the country.

The Dublin quartet quickly followed its’ release with sell-out shows nationwide, two meteor award nominations and a spellbinding set on the main stage at Oxegen. All this along with tours in the U.S., UK and Asia, has enabled the Coronas to establish themselves as one of Irelands’ biggest new bands.

“We’ve worked really hard for the last two years but taking a break never really occurred to us”, says lead singer Danny O’Reilly. “We wanted to continue to build on what we had going and we knew the only way to do that was to go into the studio and record an album that we felt blew Heroes (or Ghosts) out of the water”.

“We were quite young when we recorded Heroes or Ghosts”, concurs guitarist Dave McPhillips (indeed they had all just turned 21). “And, although we were so proud of it, we really didn’t expect it to do as well as it did. The last couple of years on the road, constantly gigging and developing our sound, left us with a better idea of the album we wanted to make”

Indeed anyone who has become accustomed to the Coronas own brand of pop-rock tunes will have plenty of reason to cheer when it comes to their new album, Tony Was An Ex-Con, recorded over 6 weeks in the prestigious Sawmills studio in Cornwall. This time round the guys teamed up with esteemed producer John Cornfield (Muse, Razorlight, Oasis). “Working with John in the mill (Sawmills) was an amazing experience”, says bassist Knoxy. “We thought that, with his resume, he’d be telling us exactly what to do but he was really cool and just let us do our thing. It was a really chilled-out, productive atmosphere.”

The title track comes from an incredible story about the lads on tour in America, involving a psychotic bus driver who left the entire entourage fearing for their lives. “It’s funny looking back at it now, but at the time it was really quite scary”, says drummer Conor Egan. McPhillips: “The song was one of the first new songs that set us off on the writing spree that led to the entire record so it felt like the right title”

In Tony Was An Ex-Con, The Coronas’ fans will once again be reminded of the endearing spirit that made Heroes or Ghosts a true word-of-mouth success, while many will be impressed by how far they’ve come musically.

“We’re so proud of this record”, says O’Reilly. “We realised along time ago that it’s impossible to try to impress everyone. You can only make music that you believe in yourself – be it pop, rock, indie, rap, whatever. Hopefully the tunes will speak for themselves”

Music55-7 in association with Smalltown America and Tennents announce the ‘City Of Song Festival 2009’ line up and events. The line up includes the cream of talent from Ireland and further afield, in what promises to be Northern Irelands music event of the year.

City of Song is a festival that celebrates Derry’s reputation as just that, a city of song. Home to the Undertones, Joseph Locke, Phil Coulter, Peter Cunnah, Nadine Coyle… the City of Derry is Northern Ireland’s cultural capital and a city full of music. This year you can hear the best of up and coming talent in the Tennent’s Trail, go clubbing with D:Ream, be there for the world premier of the River Sings – making music out of the ebb and flow of the River Foyle and dust off your tonsils to sing in the Festival Chorus. Derry has always something to sing about – see you there!

Line Up
D:Ream
The River Sings
OTC Festival Chorus
Autorickshaw
Valerie Francis
Faduda
T-Model Ford
A Pocket Promise
Clown Parlour
Daveit Ferris
Donal Scullion
Gentry Morris
Jackson Cage
Johanna Fagan
Johnny Black
Matt McGinn
Mel Wiggins
Paul Casey
Paul Herron
Pixie Saytar
Rachel Austin
Ray Dunne
Shauna Tohill
Tom McShane
Aaron Shanley
Kevin Nash
Little Hooks
Mickey Herron
Martin Smyth&Joe Francis
John Shelly&The Creatures
Kitty&TheCan Openers
Amy Joyce
Kathryn O Callaghan

Thursday 24 September
9 onwards @ Bound for Boston Festival Opening Party
‘Oblique Strategies’ – Ferris vs McCauley
A titanic dj showdown between Stephen McAuley of BBC Radio Foyle and
Andrew Ferris of Smalltown America, Be there to see the ship sink!
Admission free

Friday 25 September
10-5 @ Void Gallery The River Sings – World Premier
Who would have thought you could make music from the ebb and flow of
the River Foyle….hear it first at City of Song (running throughout the
festival)
Admission free

5-8 @ Various Venues Tennent’s Trail (as per schedule)

8pm @ Playhouse Autorickshaw
contemporary jazz and funk rub shoulders with the classical and popular
music of India.
£10/028 7126 8027/120mins
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/57298

10 @ Upstairs Gweedore D:REAM
Recently reformed and coming home to their roots – Peter Cunnah’s first
ever gig was at the Gweedore. They will have just played Ibiza in the
Summer – this will be a club night to remember.
£10/028 7126 4455/http://www.wegottickets.com/120mins

11-1 @ Various Venues Tennent’s Trail (as per schedule)

Saturday 26 September
10-5 @ Void Gallery The River Sings – World Premier
2-4 @ Nerve Centre NIMIC songwriter and industry workshop
Featuring Keith Harris a music industry leader who amongst many other
things represents the legendry Stevie Wonder. Come and get some music
industry therapy.
5-8 @ Various Venues Tennent’s Trail (as per schedule)

8-10 @ Playhouse Celtic Music & Song
A traditional evening featuring the dynamic band Faduda & Guests
£10/028 7126 8027/http://www.wegottickets.com/120mins

11-1 @ Various Venues Tennent’s Trail (as per schedule)

Sunday 27 September
10-5 @ Void Gallery The River Sings – World Premier
10-5 @ Foyle Arts OTC Festival Chorus
For singers of all ages and backgrounds – work with members of Tenebrae
and Opera Theatre Company and sing in the final festival concert
£10/ 028 7137 5550

7.30 @ Christ Church Festival Chorus Finale
Join the Festival Chorus, the University of Ulster Choir, OTC and Codetta
for a choral concert to remember.
£5/028 7126 4455 5550/http://www.wegottickets.com/60mins

9pm @ Sandinos T-Model Ford, The Bonnevilles, Skip Moses plus Beatnik Soul Dj’s

One of the last living Mississippi Blues Legends brings City of Song to a
close. In association with Savage Kick Festival
£8 on the door

Festival Office info – Tel: +44(0)28 71 375550 | Email: info@nullmusic55-7.com 

The IMRO Showcase Tour 2009 Best of show.

SATURDAY 2ND MAY, THE VILLAGE, DUBLIN

Doors: 7:00pm (first act on stage at 7:45pm)

Angel Pier – Yes Cadets – The Looks – Disconnect 4 – Heathers – 8 Ball

MC Dave Fanning RTE 2FM

Forty-five bands have rocked venues the length and breadth of Ireland during the IMRO Showcase Tour 2009. With packed venues along the way, the showcase tour culminates in the BEST OF TOUR 2009, at the Village in Dublin this Saturday – 2nd May.

***** We have a limited number of guest list places available for this showcase. Please email name(s) to showcase@nullimro.ie immediately if you would like to attend! *****

The talk lasts approx. 45 minutes, followed by time for questions and answers. His first review of the project took place in Boston College USA in September 2005 and since then he has given many presentations in libraries and art venues throughout Ireland.

Anyone wishing to reserve a place at this event should send an email to david.wilkinson@nullimro.ie to reserve a seat. (limited availability – no admission charge – booking essential)

"Ballads, Traditional Songs and Accidental Hit Singles"…. an IMRO workshop with Christy Moore

Dear fellow members of IMRO…… not all songs are written for chart success or airplay domination. The songs that have lasted the test of time were all written aeons ago. To me, the ultimate accolade for a song is when its popularity long outlasts the memory of its author. I am delighted to host this workshop for IMRO. We will hear each others songs and ideas and encourage each other to keep the songs coming. Christy Moore.

Workshop Date: Saturday 10th October 2009
Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2

*** IMPORTANT ***

If you would like to be in with a chance to attend this event please send an email to keith.johnson@nullimro.ie by Friday 4th September. As the number of places available is strictly limited to 30 people IMRO will conduct as random draw of names submitted in order to allocate places for this workshop. Successful applicants will be notified in the second week of September.

All conquering post punk pugilists Fighting With Wire wax lyrical about finally getting some recognition at home, South by South West, their breakout year and writing novelty songs about Dracula. By Edwin McFee

"The last year has been madness,” begins Fighting With Wire mainman Cahir O’Doherty, who’s taking a well earned break in his native Derry. “We’ve just got back from SXSW, we released ‘Sugar’ from Man Vs Monster and that album campaign is now over and done with and we’re moving onto the next record. We’re deep in writing at the moment for the next album and we plan to record in June so we’re really excited about getting some new material up and rockin’.”

Cahir has every reason to enjoy his time off. You see, about a yearand-a-half ago the band signed the deal of their lives with Atlantic Records and since then it’s been nationwide radio play, non-stop tours, huge festival slots and generally living the rock star lifestyle. Not bad going for a band who were going to call it quits in Christmas ’07.

“The mood in the band is amazing right now,” smiles Cahir. “South by South West was just phenomenal. We’ve never played it before, so we did ten shows in three days which was intense. I lost my voice for the very last show (laughs) but we just wanted to make up for all the years we didn’t get to go, so we tried to play as many gigs as we could. It was amazing, it was really hard work and we were completely wrecked afterwards. We only got one day to enjoy Austin on the Sunday, so it meant flying home with the most horrendous hangover of my life. But on all the other days we were very professional, so it was worth it.”

Ever since FWW first arrived on the scene in 2003, the three-piece have been on an all-consuming omission to decapitate their audience en masse with their guitars. Contrary to the opinions of some misinformed journos, no-one can ever say they’re an over-night success, as Cahir (who also plays in the mighty Jetplane Landing) and co. have been almost constantly on the road for years before Atlantic came a-calling.

“Some of the touring was a nightmare and some of it was absolutely life changing,” he enthuses. “In the last two years we got to play in Europe, America and all across the world. The big thing for us last year was to play more in the south of Ireland though. I really wanted to play there as much as possible to let people know we exist, because we’re an Irish band and it’s important to me that we keep going back and back and push it as much as possible. It seems to have worked as Oxegen (‘08) was a real highlight for me. That tent was fuckin’ rammed. I couldn’t believe it and I was so happy to see it all coming together because this is our home and we should be better known here. So yeah, that was the best part of touring for me last year – making an impact in the south of Ireland.”

It’s a particular point of pride for Cahir to get recognition in his home country, as beforehand the post punks had to resort to crossing the Irish Sea to get some gigs. “When we first started out we used to play in places like Cork and get no-one showing up so we focused on England instead and it really kicked off. It had kind of annoyed me because I wanted us to make a name for ourselves at home first. People used to say, ‘I’m sure you guys are massive back home’ and we’d be like, ‘Well, in Northern Ireland we pull a few heads, but in the south noone wants to know.’”

Thankfully that’s all starting to change and with the help of the rock behemoth that is their debut album Man Vs Monster, FWW are finally getting some richly deserved recognition, which comes in handy as they’re just about to start work on their second record. “It’s all going great. We’ve 26 ideas already. We want to write as much as possible because we don’t want to be in danger of making a shit second album. We’re going to try and avoid that ‘difficult second album’ cliché and want it to be as good, if not better, than Man Vs Monster. We’ve always prided ourselves on making strong songs with no filler.”

Followers of their MySpace page (www.myspace.com/fightingwithwire) have already been treated to some of the new stuff in the form of the online video for ‘Dracula’s Castle’, which features Cahir and Craig (McKean, bass) wearing Hallowe’en masks and generally acting the eejit. Don’t worry though, they’re not really planning on going goth for the second album. “’Dracula’s Castle’ was just us taking the piss,” laughs Cahir. “It may indeed make a guest appearance on the new record as a secret track or something though. Don’t you worry, there’s plenty more where
that came from.”

In an era of insipid singer-songwriters, smack addled pop stars and sexist rappers, it’s reassuring to know that Fighting With Wire are flying the flag for hook-laden, head-spinning riffola. What’s even better is that the band are willing to put all of their experience back into the scene and are eager to help everyone else succeed. Not only does Cahir volunteer in Derry’s Nerve Centre, he’s also taken instrumental punk upstarts And So I Watch You From Afar under his wing too. Indeed, he’s keen to give some advice to any new Irish band out there in need of some help.

“The best piece of advice I can give anyone is be the biggest thing in your hometown,” concludes the singer/guitarist. “Rather than trying to ‘get it,’ ‘it’ will come to you. Loads of bands think they have to move to London or Dublin or whatever but that’s bullshit. If you’re the biggest band in Galway or Sligo or wherever, then everyone will come looking for you. Write good songs, be tight as hell, blow everyone else away and just enjoy it. There are so many acts out there who are doing it but aren’t enjoying it. They just sit there with big fuckin’ faces on them and it’s like, c’mon, rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be fun! So that’s my advice: enjoy yourself.”