EMR – It’s Getting Close To Christmas (Old Rouge Fire)
They don’t make Christmas songs like they used to? Think again.
EMR is singer/songwriter Eimear O’Sullivan (top) from Skerries, County Dublin, and Conor King‘s video sees her skipping joyfully around the capital brimful of festive cheer.
From hanging a Santa hat on Oscar Wilde’s statue to leaving gifts on St Stephen’s Green, this is a quirky, warm-hearted promo that sets the Christmas mood perfectly.
Nick says: Alive, alive, ho ho ho.
Bobbi Arlo – Berries
Do you like juicy fruits?
Then you’re going to love Dubliner Bobbi Arlo’s new single, which delights in listing all the succulent berries nature has provided.
This is feelgood playful pop with a mischievous smile on its face.
Bobbi (top) says of the video:
“I shot it with director Bobby Zithelo and producer Louis Maxwell. It was such a fun shoot. I invited a bunch of my friends to Lou’s studio and we just messed around for a few hours and the result was the ‘Berries’ video. A lot of the shots were improvised, and it came out great! The video was edited by my golden girl Niamh Bryson, who did an amazing job.”
Nick says: Raspberry fields forever.
Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois
This afternoon.
Avril Stanley, founder of the Body & Soul Festival, announced on Twitter:
After 10 years as an independent festival, we have decided to step back from our presence and 16-year partnership with Electric Picnic so that we can refocus all of our attention to what the central idea behind Body & Soul.
Creating an intimate and collaborative festival of the future; one that can embrace social change in a hugely positive way while celebrating an important and ancient Irish feast in our own unique, stand-alone style.
We want to work towards bringing back a fresh energy and perspective to Body & Soul at the Summer Solstice Festival in Ballinlough and for our new winter festival ÉRIU (December 2020).
We are adding a new sense of purpose to our festival pillars of sustainability, well-being, creativity, culture and family and we hope to focus all of our efforts in bringing something different to the landscape of Irish festivals into the next ten years.
The Body & Soul family celebrates all the incredible and unforgettable moments in our first festival home and wishes the Electric Picnic every success in the future.
Body & Soul will no longer feature at Electric Picnic (Nialler 9)
Top pic: Aerial.ie
Ho. Ho. Hello!
Greetings of the season to all Broadsheet readers. Who fancies winning a delightfully festive €25 Golden Discs voucher?
Simply tell me below what your favourite Christmas song is?
The winner will be chosen by my elf.
Lines MUST close at 6am Saturday.
Please include video links if possible.
Nick says: Good luck!
Earlier: Last week’s winning entry
In Galway?
If you’re looking to spend an enchanted evening listening to mesmerising minimalist piano music, then the place to be is piano virtuoso Úna Keane’s concert in the Black Gate Cultural Centre in Francis Street, Galway, this Sunday at 8pm
Una will be playing compositions from her wonderful sophomore album In The Deep.
Support on the night comes from Lowli who will also be duetting with Una.
Nick says: Don’t shoot the piano player.
David Keenan – Unholy Ghosts
A hAon, a do, a tri…
So begins the new single from Dundalk troubadour David Keenan (top), who rounds off a busy year with a rousing celebration of the hobos he meets on his travels.
David says:
“I wrote this song on a train from Amsterdam [Netherlands] to Cologne [Germany], finished it as the train ceased to move, brought it in me to a Chapel in Cologne, sang it for the first time, left the Chapel with a liberated German bible under my arm as a souvenir.
“Reconciling my act of theft with the thought that it would be a useful reference for a line or two at a later date, and that the greater good must prevail…”
David’s debut album A Beginner’s Guide To Bravery drops on January 10.
Nick says: Keen on Keenan.
Last week, with hearty €25.Golden Discs voucher on offer, I asked you to name your favourite song which has a person’s name in the title and why?
You answered in your tens.
But there could be only one winner.
Third place:
The Modern Lovers – Pablo Picasso
Smith writes:
“Well some people try to pick up girls And get called assholes. This never happened to Pablo Picasso”
Nothing else to add!
Runner-up:
KIm Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes
F Lawless
I can’t put my finger on why someone who sounds like they’re suffering from a bad case of laryngitis would sound so appealing and emotive – maybe because it sounds like how your voice might go when you’re consumed with emotion, not sure.
Winner:
Elvis Costello – Alison
Tea and Brexits writes:
Great emotion expressed so simply and cleverly. Partly punk, part ballad, a little country, a bit of pop, some rock n roll; it’s all heart.
Thanks all.
Last week: Win Nick’s Voucher
Lisa McHugh – Home With A Heartbeat
You can never have too many Christmas piano ballads.
Lisa McHugh adds to the canon with this sentimental ditty co-written with Nashville-based Australian artist Katrina Burgoyne.
Lisa says:
“I wanted to write a song that described a traditional Christmas Day, that most people whether they are 5 or 95 could relate to.
“I wanted a warm, feel-good song but also one that captures the excitement and everything else that goes with Christmas at home and we’re both delighted with end result.”
Lisa can be seen live at the New Year’s Eve countdown concert in Dublin with Ash and Walking On Cars.
Nick says: Home is where the art is.
The EU flag pole snapped in the GPO today. pic.twitter.com/IPCee5bvbr
— 1916 Walking Tour (@1916walkingtour) December 5, 2019
This afternoon.
O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.
High winds or deliberately snapped in two by a patriot?
We may never know.
Meanwhile…
EU; You will submit to our will…..
GPO; Hold my pint! https://t.co/IT5zrLltE0
— IrishFreeSpeechParty (@EireFreeSpeech) December 5, 2019
Fight!
Billy Woods – The Girl From My Hometown
It’s that time of the year when emigrants return to their tinseltown in the rain.
Hailing from Kells, County Meath, singer/songwriter Billy Woods has penned a festive love song to twang the heart strings.
Billy says:
“When I spent Christmas in Kells and saw all the young people out having festive fun, it sparked off the idea of falling in love with a girl and the romantic feeling of being in love and hence the song The Girl From My Hometown was born.”
Nick says: Go down to the Woods.
