Momentum’s hitting full-tilt as The Music Show draws close and twenty bands are asking you to hop on board and help by voting them to play the Live Stage!
I’ve some great photo-memories of live performances in the RDS, from The Immediate in 2006 and last year’s legendary spell from Doug Wimbish, bassist of Living Colour. Along with a packed schedule of live music, the weekend also encompasses a wide array of information and retail stalls,workshops and seminars…of one, Secrets of Rock Photography, I’ll be speaking at on Sunday.
*chomps nails*
One thing for sure, I can tell you how to handle dirty rockers and random locations, and how not to stage-rush and get thrown out of venues….
So if you’re feeling charitable and fancy giving these guys a shot at thousands’ euro of Sennheiser booty, the bands are:
Irish lad Marcus from My Woolly Hat made a remix of Reckoner, the latest Radiohead song to be released as a free download for fans to remix and repost against efforts of big hitters. Marcus’ version, called The Stone The Builders Rejected, is currently riding at #4 in the top ten, sandwiched between James Holden and Diplo!
Massive stuff…go, listen, vote! – It’s simple too, just click the ‘+’ and you’re done. That’s right, no registering, no email, no spam. Just you and your karma….
HP today announced IMRO‘s plans to celebrate the country’s favourite venues in a new awards initiative to take place at the RDS during The Music Show on 4 and 5 October. Four regional and one overall winner will be judged by IMRO on six factors: “staging, sound/lighting, diversity of music programmed at venue, professionalism in their dealings with performers and promotion/PR activities utilised by the venue to promote performances”.
Where are the bog standards to sort the broken latches and embarrassing toilet attendants out?!
This has been an interesting one to watch and read! Over at Entertainment.ie they’ve been tracking the progress of the downloads chart and so far The Revellions are top dogs. They’ve maintained a lead of almost 100 points for the last week though Class of 1984 are creeping up with a quiet cackle.
Holding strong at 10 are Tiger Empire with Everyone vs Everyone while lucky 13 goes to Robotnik. I expected Chequerboard and SEBP to score higher but it’s good to see The Hot Sprockets got a look-in too. Not that it’s a competition or owt: the top twenty most-downloaded artists will feature on a special Hard Working Class Heroes compilation CD to coincide with the September event.
On a side note, you’re a hard-nosed bunch of Joe Publics in the bands’ comment boxes: I’ve never seen such ascerbic remarks in my life! Check out your favourite bands’ pages to see what people really think of Ireland’s finest…
Each act will be judged on performance, songwriting, professionalism, and crowd reaction/response. The act with the highest score from each night will be invited to showcase at INDIE WEEK TORONTO 2008.
Get in there and show your support for your favourite bands. Your cheers are needed!
As Wednesday’s daylight waxes, scared eyes line dark alleys of the web, all but hidden with a heavy hood of anti-expectation. Joy and song once pealed like bells, now only grim mutters break the silence, afraid to voice a fear consumed by the torrid wake of mayhem in recent weeks : is the end nigh? Are we set to bid adieu to another beloved band? Are Dry County calling it a day?
Speculation is rife. As reported, hints suggest tomorrow night’s ClubAC30 gig with The Eclectic and Cars In Walls at Whelans might be the effervescent Dubliners’ final performance. Rumours have spread across MySpace like wildfire, fuelled by audacious bulletins from the band itself. Yet an interview with Drop-D magazine last week claimed plans for album #2 were already underway.
It’s been a heady year: a stint in New York and the Tripod frenzy at HardWorkingClassHeroes were followed with debut album Unexpected Falls‘ nomination for the esteemed Choice Music Prize in February. Fairly frequent giggers, the band have proved a huge success on the live scene thanks to energetic, left-of-centre performances (gas masks = instant cool) and staunch support from fellow musicians (Belfast’s Cashier no.9 produced a great remix of Lost Now for the album).
All is not Lost yet! If I may make a curmudgeonly, boring point: lads, go ahead and stir up the hype, by all means. Nothing like than a few wagging tongues to sell a gig! The massive outpouring of bewildered comments prove you’re loved and will definitely contribute to the numbers. Just…clear the calendar next time. Bit of a giveaway, that :p
The wonderful, witchy Cauls at Club AC30 Dublin has offered two pairs of guestlist for tomorrow night’s gig to none other than you. *nods* All you gotta do to get your mitts on ‘em? Email rockeroffher[at]gmail[dot]com before 3 pm tomorrow (Thursday) with your suggestions of an alternate Dry County career, the funnier and punnier the better. I’ve already offered mine…think you can do better than banana plantation owners? You know what to do….
Congratulations to Balcony TV on a smashing ceremony on Friday night in which a new batch of winners were announced at the second Music Video Awards. The web-based channel broadcasts fresh music content every day on YouTube, updating via their website and blog. It’s proved a popular format for musicians and fans alike and a second channel was established in Hamburg, Germany, in late 2007.
Ascending another step of the pop scene ladder with a win on Friday were The Script who walked away with Best Band, beating off heavy competition from The Coronas and The Flaws. It’s looking rosy for the Dublin trio who’ve gone into orbit from obscurity (check out their MySpace calendar boasting serious festival activity) with the release of We Cry, their first single from August’s self-titled debut album on the RCA label Phonogenic.
Irish music takes a bow tonight at the Sugar Club as Balcony TV’s2008 Music Video Awards commemorate the best live performances of the year. The Kinetiks, Royseven, Readers’ Wives and six others will set the stage for the winning announcements, which along with the usual Best Male/Female/International categories include Best Show and Best Band. 2007 winners Royseven hand over their crown tonight and Camogie Lovers and Readers’ Wives face a fierce fight for the title from The Script, The Coronas and The Flaws.
Best of all, ADMISSION and BEER are FREE
Shakefest this weekend should be a barrell-bellydance of laughs! A small, global-themed celebration of dance and culture besieges Charleville Castle in Tullamore, home also to hugely popular Castle Palooza. Leanne Hart and Lauren Guillery head a Peace Concert to raise awareness for International Day of Peace on 31 May and all proceeds over the weekend go directly to an Ethiopian NGO for women and children.
The nice organisers have this morning offered a pair of tickets to the three-day fest so if you fancy brushing up on your b-boi skillz or burlesque thrills this June bank holiday, give this a bash:
Which Irish singer recently recorded a haunting video at Charleville Castle?
As it’s Thursday and the weekend’s fast approaching, I’ll leave this comp to run until 10:30pm tonight send your answers to rockeroffher[at]gmail[dot]com.
