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  • R.I.P. Amy Winehouse

    It’s with great sadness today that we learn of the death of Amy Winehouse.  So talented and just 27.  Unfortunately she joins a list of musical greats who died at that age. Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix. Amy was a phenomenal singer and songwriter and had well documented problems with drugs and alcohol.  She also suffered from emphysema.

    It’s haunting that ‘Back to Black’ features a funeral cortege and well, ‘Rehab’ speaks for itself. Let’s remember her for the talent she was. When she was on form, she was on fire.

  • Riverdance: Live At The Gaiety Review

    RiverdanceSince Riverdance appeared as the Eurovision interval act in 1994, it became synonymous with Ireland  and how the country was represented abroad. I had seen the show on video but never live and I was delighted when I was asked to go to the opening night of the summer season in The Gaiety.

    When we think of Riverdance we think of a line of dancers across the front of the stage, tapping in time leading to a dramatic ending. However The Gaiety doesn’t have the size of a stage so I was wondering how it would pan out.

    It’s taken me a while to write this purely because I wasn’t sure if I should but I have to be honest. The show just didn’t have me in awe like I thought it would. The size of the stage did obviously limit how many dancers were on stage but it didn’t take away from the high standard of dancing. While the audience were clapping and showing their appreciation, (a previous lead dancer sitting beside), there were little things in the production that didn’t sit comfortably with me. (more…)

  • Benjamin Francis Leftwich: Live at Whelan’s, Dublin Review

    Ben at WhelansThe past few weeks have gone pretty well for Benjamin Francis Leftwich. His debut album ‘Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm’ entered the Top 40 UK album charts and it was announced that a remix E.P would be released on September 4th. No, that’s not enough ‘Atlas Hands’ has been given the once over by The Street’s Mike Skinner and was given the title of Hottest Record in The World on Zane Lowe’s radio show.

    July 20th saw Benjamin take in a Dublin show on his tour. By the time he was to come to the upstairs stage in Whelan’s, the crowd had pushed right up to the front. It’s not the best venue to get a vantage point if there’s a crowd but from where I was, it was as good as being a winner of Benjamin’s live in your living room gig competitions that he’s been running on his site.

    As Ben’s roadie sorts out the stage for him, something catches my eye. Instead of a set list written on a piece of paper, the artist has his set list in a notebook. This is kinda cute, it’s like each gig for him is one to cherish.  (more…)

  • Tune of The Week 22/07/2011: Foster The People

    I’ve been listening to this all week and getting a nice laid back summer vibe from it, even though the weather is more like winter. No wonder though, as Foster the People are from Los Angeles. Their album ‘Torches’ was released in May this year and ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ was originally released as a single last year. Enjoy!