Monday, April 27, 2009

In Hairier Times...

Behind the scenes footage of Ireland's first feature length movie motion picture, Six Semesters, has surfaced. The film was written, produced and edited in DCU over a two year period.

Aside from the footage itself being pretty hilarious, it's crazy to see how much the cast and crew have grown up since the project began. Collectively, they've shed enough hair to make a village of follically challenged Barbies very happy.








Posted with the kind permission of the film's director, John McKeown.

Little Boots 'New In Town' Video




From the forthcoming album 'Hands'

(via Popjustice)

Taking Flash Mobbing To Extremes...



Great idea. They're promoting a chewing gum apparently.

Incidentally, I met a girl in a communion dress on Saturday night that was actually called Beyoncé. Unfortunate.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Barometer of Judgement

Love It:

Imogen Heap - She's documented the drawn-out process of assembling her third album in a series of vblogs but now it seems we might finally get to hear the end product. She recently revealed on Twitter that the album is called 'Ellipse' and is scheduled for an August release.

IYT Festival of New Writing - Dublin's only youth-run youth theatre staged a fantastic festival this week. If you missed it, shame on you. Don't beat yourself up too much though because you'll have another chance to witness the talents of IYT during the upcoming Gay Theatre Festival. 'Killed By Curriculum' is written by emerging playwright Shaun Dunne and runs from 4th to 6th May in Teachers' Club Parnell Square. Tickets can be booked here.

New Look
- I always thought it was just for women. Turns out they've got a H&M worthy men's collection. Summer Ball outfit: sourced.

Britney in Dublin
- June 19th is the date Britney's Circus rolls into town. Tickets start at €86 though, which is a bit steep for the worst seats in the house. Tempting all the same...

MTV Sessions - Whoever's responsible for these is clearly pretty clued in as the roster of artists, performing pared down live versions of their tracks, reads like a who's who of 'next big thing' contenders.


Shove it:


The Long Goodbye
- I've started bracing myself to say goodbye to DCU all over again. Mixed feelings about it, to be honest. As eager as I am to move on to the next stage of my life, I've had a lot of fun the past few weeks and it's a bit depressing seeing things set up for a time when I won't be here.

Bills, Bills, Bills
- TV licences are a load of pox. I completely empathise with the people in those patronising ads who go to great lengths to avoid paying them.

Demolition of Andrews Lane Theatre - Apparently it's been on the cards for over a year but they've now officially started advertising the office spaces in the replacement building. Apparently the new complex will include a theatre but God knows how long it's going to take for the construction to take.

Calvin Harris' Latest Stuff - I wanted to like it but have come to the conclusion that it's absolute parp. Other people seem to be lapping it up though because 'I'm Not Alone' is his first ever UK Number One. Let them eat cake.

Lorraine Keane Off The Tellybox- As if losing The Seoige Sisters wasn't traumatic enough, Lorraine Keane has finished up on TV3's 'Xpose'. Who's going to tell us when Kylie launches a new brand of perfume now?!

Giveaway

I've been given a free ticket to the Jeffrey Lewis gig in Crawdaddy this coming Wednesday, the 29th of April. Unfortunately, I've already made plans for that night. If you want it, e-mail me on thebubbleboyblog@gmail.com.

[Image: Myspace]

All A Flutter

Earlier this week, the obscenely talented Natasha Khan and her band appeared on Later with Jools Holland, arguably the greatest music programme on television these days. I had suspicions that her music might not translate all that well to a live setting but these were completely unfounded apparently.

Currently the performance I'm most looking forward to at Electric Picnic this year.

[Image: BBC]


Saturday, April 25, 2009

Soundtrack To My Week

The Hundred in The Hands - Dressed in Dresden (free download)

Metronomy - Heartbreaker (Kris Menace Remix)

Lykke Li - Time Flies

Goldsmith - Starry Eyed (free download)

Kosheen - Cruelty

Hockey - Too Fake

Chew Lips - Solo (free download)

(several of the above tracks discovered via The Recommender)

[Image: Eugenio Recuenco]

Autotune The News





[via Why That's Delightful]

Stars In Your Eyes

The Gospel According To Neon Gold have an exclusive download of the utterly gorgeous 'Starry Eyed' by Goldsmith (the collaborative project of singer Ellie Goulding and up-and-coming producer Starsmith).

If this pair continue to play their cards right, Goulding could potentially feature alongside Little Boots, Florence and the Machine, Polly Scattergood, Elly Jackson and Marina in the contenders for this year's pop princess crown.

[Image: Myspace]

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

R.S.A.G. Interview

Despite the fact he’s Rarely Seen Above Ground, I managed to track down Jeremy Hickey ahead of his DCU gig.

Hi Jeremy. You were involved in Kilkenny-based band Blue Ghost before R.S.A.G. What prompted you to go solo?

Blue Ghost actually started out as my own project in the mid-nineties before I met the others and we formed the band. We haven’t done anything for a few years now and the others are doing the own thing. One of the guys actually mixed the R.S.A.G. album.

The R.S.A.G. album 'Organic Sampler' is difficult to describe in terms of conventional genres. Were you worried that people wouldn’t know what to make of it?


I never really thought of it in those terms. A far as I was concerned, I was really happy with the album and just wanted to get it out there. I’ve been really surprised by the positive response to the album. I never expected it.

Your performance as one of the nominees for the Choice Music Prize last month in Vicar Street was well received. Do you think a live setting is the best platform for your music to be enjoyed?


Personally, I think so, yeah. It’s more fun for me and I think there’s a bit more energy in the live performances, especially because it’s my first album. It can be disappointing when you go to see bands and find they don’t sound as good as they do on their records. I always wanted to play Vicar Street so it was great to have the chance. They have a really good system there.

Do you think the Choice Music Prize will ever be held in the same esteem as the Mercury Prize?

I’m not sure if it will ever be seen as an Irish equivalent to the Mercury Prize because Ireland is relatively small. I think it’s great that all the artists nominated benefit from some exposure. I definitely did.

Visuals play a huge part in your live sets. How much time do you devote to that aspect of the performance?

R.S.A.G. is a collaboration between me and a guy called Paul Mahon, who does the visuals. Putting together the visuals is a lot like the recording process. The footage has to be filmed and then edited. We spent about two weeks matching up the visuals to the musical arrangements.

What’s next for R.S.A.G.?


I’m beginning a nationwide tour on 20th of April and I’m gonna play a couple of European festivals over the Summer. For now, I’m focusing on promotion.

[Image: Nialler9]

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Crown Jewel

Marina & The Diamonds confirmed that she's paying Eclectic Fishness in a response to my comment on her blog. I have reason to believe this is a bit of an exclusive.

Things just keep getting better for EP '09. Dare I ask for Röyksopp to be added to the list? Too much?

Meanwhile, Nialler9 has a download of Marina's track 'The Shampain Sleeper' in this post. A gem of a tune.

[Image: Marina's Blog]

Awkward

Lady Gaga's interview with Jonathan Ross last night on BBC turned into something of a showdown...



It wouldn't really have fit with the Gaga persona if she had made light of herself though, would it? I suspect she's far more clued in that she'd like us to think she is.

Part two...

Slightly brilliant performance of 'Pokerface'...

Olympia Bound

The DCU Drama production of 'Rent', for which I was costume manager, has been granted a week-long run in The Olympia, Dublin, beginning 15th of June. If you're a musical fan and missed this production first around, you have no excuse to miss it next time around.

Tickets will be available from here from some point in the next few days.




[Images: John Donnelly]

Queen of Leon

The beautiful Natasha Khan has covered the Kings of Leon track 'Use Somebody'. I prefer her version, to be honest.

But I would, wouldn't I?

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Mundy Interview

(Published in this week's Campus Magazine)Mundy’s duet with Sharon Shannon ‘Galway Girl’ was the most downloaded Irish track of 2007. Remarkably, the song went on to repeat that same achievement in 2008. Songs as big as that sometimes threaten to eclipse the careers of the artists responsible but Offaly man Mundy has returned to show there are even better songs in his arsenal than ‘That Song From The Bulmers Ad’.

Hi Mundy. Congratulations, I hear you’ve a new addition to your family.

Yeah, my daughter was born a couple of weeks ago. She only came home from the hospital yesterday. The whole experience is very new to me.

Your track with Sharon Shannon, ‘Galway Girl’, has been pretty much inescapable the past eighteen months. Are you sick of the song?

No, I’m not sick of it. What was weird about ‘Galway Girl’ was that it was around for a while and nobody really heard it and then suddenly it was everywhere. I think some of the stuff I’ve done for the new album is better than ‘Galway Girl’ though. It’s a little bit fresher.

What can we expect from your new album ‘Strawberry Blood’?

The stuff is quite indie-pop in the vein of the stuff on ’24 Star Hotel’. There’s a great variety of stuff on there. I tried to cut it down from fourteen tracks but I couldn’t choose between them so I left them all in the end.

One of the album’s tracks, ‘The Corn & The Orange Sun’, has an interesting history. Can you tell me about that?

I had the opening lines of this song when I wrote my first album. I finished it a few years later but it didn’t really fit on the last studio album. It was just a matter of finding the right home for the song.

There are a few collaborations on the album, including one with Gemma Hayes. How did this come about?

I know Gemma anyway but Joe Chester, who produced the album, plays in her band, so we got her in last minute to sing on the track. It’s a pity we couldn’t get her on a couple more of the tracks but she’s based in America a lot of the time so that makes things awkward.

Your first album was released on a major label? Do you think you’d go back down that route?

I wouldn’t rule it out. I was dropped by that record company around the time of the millennium but the singer-songwriter thing kinda took off shortly after that so maybe it was a bad call for them. The music industry’s in a funny place now but I think the percentage you get back is probably better if you release it yourself.

Your song 'To You I Bestow' was on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo and Juliet'. How did that come about?

Baz Luhrman had recruited Nellee Hooper, from the band Soul II Soul, to look after the soundtrack and he selected my song. I never met Baz but apparently all decisions go through him so he must have approved of the track. They album sold 11 million copies so it was huge exposure. They actually released a 10th anniversary edition recently but they credited a broadway composer, James R, Mundy, instead of me. I'm still trying to figure out if some of my royalties have gone astray.

Mundy’s ‘Strawberry Blood’ is out 17th of April. He plays Whelan’s from 23rd – 25th of April.

[Image: Myspace]

Too Good To Be Troux


I'm positively salivating at the prospect of the La Roux album after hearing their latest track 'I'm Not Your Toy'. Also, isn't the sleeve for their equally amazing forthcoming single just wonderful?

Check out 'I'm Not Your Toy':



Yum.

Crush Crush Crush

My current obsession is Parisian quartet Phoenix, whose album 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' is due in May.

Their sound reminds me of two of my current favourites, The Whitest Boy Alive and Friendly Fires. The buzz building suggests that Phoenix are going to surpass the success of both those bands in the coming months however.

Their considerably amazing track '1901' is available as a free download from their official website. Do yourself a favour.

[Image: We Are Phoenix]

Bizarre Looking Man. Brilliant Pop Song.

Meet Erik Hassel, a 21-year-old Swede whose single 'Hurtful' is attracting quite a bit of attention and, by rights, will be a substantial radio hit. If Popjustice and Marina are to be believed, he's set to follow up this track with an album loaded with hit potential.

What may prove a hindrance to Hassel in his quest for superstardom is that, without wanting to be mean, he doesn't really look like a popstar. But hey, if Mick Hucknall can carve out a career in the public domain, there's hope for us all, right?




Verdict?

[Image: Myspace]

Marinawatch

My favourite popstar Marina and the Diamonds has set up a blog. Check it out for some interesting musings on boobs, Lady Gaga and homosexual cartoon characters.

A new demo has also surfaced on her Myspace. It's called 'Jealousy' and warrants just as many superlatives as the other tracks in her aresnal.

I'm disappointed Marina didn't feature on the Electric Picnic lineup but I suspect she may crop up either at The Picnic or Oxegen. Watch this space.
[Image: Myspace]

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Get Excited: Electric Picnic Line-Up


(via Nialler 9)

Orbital
Flaming Lips
Basement Jaxx
Madness
MGMT
Fleet Foxes
Klaxons
BellX1
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Chic - first ever Irish apperance
Seasick Steve
2 Many DJs
Explosions in the Sky
Lisa Hannigan
Alabama 3
Zero 7
The Sugarhill Gang
Erol Alkan
Roots Manuva
Billy Bragg
Bat for Lashes
Damien Dempsey
Lykke Li
Imelda May
Echo & The Bunnymen
ABC
Magazine
ESG
Moderat
Four Tet
Magnetic Man (Skream & Benga)
Simian Mobile Disco
Heartbreak
Halfset
Noze
Chris Cunnigham - A 55 minute performance, combining original and remixed music and film.
Okkervil River
Magnolia Electric Company
The Low Anthem
Villagers
Tunng
Jape
Efterklang
Micachu and the Shapes
The Whitest Boy Alive
The Walkmen
Michael Nyman - with a mini-orchestra,
Dublin Gospel Choir
Quantic Soul Orchestra
Jazzanova
Wavemachines

Monday, April 13, 2009

Peachy Peachy Pear Plum

The consitently amazing and blush-inducingly vulgar Peaches has a new album 'I Feel Cream' on the way and snippets of it have begun turning up on the web.

The first single from the album is 'Talk To Me' and has an electro-rock vibe that's like a poppier Yeah Yeah Yeahs.



Sorta stonkin', innit?

I also remembered this today.



Makes me smile every time.

I'll tell it once, one time because it deserves to be told, and then never again...

I realise posts have been few and far between of late. This isn't the place to go in to details as to why this has happened but let's just say I've been otherwise engaged.

As I knuckle down to college work and thesis (oh lord) I'll probably become a little more prolific. There's one last distraction before that happens though... Bash.

Against my better judgement, I took on directing a show in my final semester in DCU. 'Bash: Latterday Plays' is written by Neil LaBute and sees four seemingly harmless, 'ordinary' people invite you to lend an ear as they reveal murky secrets and patch together twisted tales.

Despite all that's gone on in recent weeks, and thanks to trojan efforts by the cast, the show miraculously came together in time for a performance last Friday in Limerick as part of the Irish Student Drama Association's annual festival.

I've been to the ISDA Festival five times and, during that time, DCU Drama won just one award and was nominated in a further two categories. Incredibly, 'Bash' managed to scoop two awards: 'Best Actress' for Megan O' Riordan and 'Best Director' for yours truly. We even clinched a further two nominations for 'Best Overall Production' and, ahem, 'Best Lighting Design'.

The show has a run in DCU this week, Tuesday and Wednesday @ 7:30 in The Venue.

Come see it if you can!

Get Your Festival Fix

Independent Youth Theatre's 'Festival of New Writing' kicks off this Wednesday.

If you're free a couple of evenings over the next fortnight, I'd definitely recommend heading along to the Clarendon House Basement and check out the abundance of talents on display. Exact details of times and dates for the shows can be seen here.

In the meantime, here's some preview shots from the shows to whet your appetite:






Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Michelle Doherty Interview

When TV3 took over ailing television channel Channel 6 last year, many were outraged by the decision to drop the ‘Night Shift’ music show, fronted by Donegal woman Michelle Doherty. I caught up with the former model to see what she’s up to these days.

Is it true you were once an air stewardess?

I was an Air Stewardess for nearly 11 years. I even kept it on while I was presenting ‘Nightshift’ on Channel 6. When I got a job presenting on Phantom FM, it was too much to juggle three jobs. So, I took the leap and thankfully have no regrets.

How did you wind up working on 'Night Shift'?

I happened to mention to my agent that I would like to try presenting, specifically music presenting. Two months later, she heard that Channel 6 were looking for a music presenter so I went along for a screen test and the rest, as they say, is history.

How do you think Channel 6 fared as a project before being taken over by TV3 and rebranded as 3e?

It was tough going starting off as a new channel but I thought It was a great station. It catered for the 18-35 year old market. It was very upsetting that it just didn't get the break it deserved.

How did you feel about the decision to cancel 'Night Shift'?

I was absolutely devastated. My producer Elton and I loved our jobs. We put our heart and soul into the show so, when it came to recording the last show, it felt like we had lost something really special. The backlash from the public to the decision to cut the show meant the world to us. It was only then we realised how important the show had been to our viewers and to the Irish bands it had provided an outlet for.

There's an old clichĂ© about having 'a face for the radio'. Isn’t your beautiful visage somewhat wasted behind the mic at Phantom FM?

Oh God, don't embarrass me, I don't think about that at all. As long as people enjoy the show, that’s all that matters to me.

How did it feel to be named ‘Best Radio DJ’ in the recent Hot Press readers’ poll?

It was better than winning The Lotto. I only started with Phantom at the end of July. I was so terrified as I had never done radio presenting before. To be named ‘Best Radio DJ’ was amazing, and for once I felt proud of myself.

Which bands, Irish or otherwise, should we be keeping an eye on over the next few months?

I really like Villagers, Conor O Brien’s new baby. His new E.P called ‘Hollow Kind ‘is definitely worth checking out and you should go see him live if you get the chance.

Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

There’s always something going on but, for now, I’m really enjoying my job in Phantom.

Michelle’s show ‘Finest Worksongs’ is broadcast from 10:00-1300, weekday afternoons on Phantom 105.2 FM.

Published in the current issue of DCU's Campus Magazine

[Image: Kip Carroll]

Monday, April 06, 2009

Right Here's Where You Start Paying. In Sweat...

...forward slash millions of Hollywood dollars.



Hasn't got a patch on this really, does it?



[via movies.ie]

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

49% Tragic, 51% Brilliant

Mouthy English rapper Lady Sovereign was apparently dropped from Def Jam Records last year because she called Timbaland a 'septic c*nt'. Lovely.

Obviously not deterred too much by this setback, she's returned with a new album, released on independent label 'Midget Records' and the track causing the biggest kerfuffle is this here one:



I suspect fans of The Cure will despise this but I think that it's slightly whopper.

[Image: Mooky Chick]

Catchy... Like Lolcats. But Not Stupid... Like Lolcats

Cat Face Episode 13 - The Saga Continues:

La Roux To You Too

La Roux continue to deliver decidedly killer tracks. The wonderful 'In For The Kill' is currently storming the charts and has become their first bona fide hit. The follow-up single, 'Bulletproof' has now materialised and it's fairly brilliant.

The stuff I heard from the pair prior to this has been great but not exactly varied. This track is different enough to suggest that La Roux are no one-trick-pony. It's not due out for a couple of months but I can see this being a Summer hit and a half.

Ch-ch-check it out:



[Image: Myspace]