Author Archives: Nick Kelly

This evening.

Just ‘dropped’.

Sabrina Sheehan writes:

EAlive and MCD Productions are delighted to announce special guest vocalist Lisa Hannigan with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra for the spectacular new live experience, Our Planet Live in Concert at the 3Arena

The production will reimagine the Emmy Award®-winning series as a live experience, combining highlights from the series with some brand new arrangements to create an immersive journey across Our Planet.

Composer Steven Price’s Emmy®-nominated score has been reworked for an epic two-hour performance and will be performed by the RTE National Symphony Orchestra with Lisa singing alongside the 66-strong orchestra as music and special effects are delivered through 250 speakers to create a complete surround sound experience for the audience, allowing them to be further immersed in the production

Our Planet Live in Concert at 3Arena on January 21, 2022.

Tickets here


Ali Comerford – Knots

A is for anxiety.

Classically trained musician and singer/songwriter Ali Comerford (top) has penned a heartfelt pick-me-up for those in need of reassurance.

And props to the beautifully illustrated lyric video.

Knots is the second single and title track from Ali’s debut album, due on July 29.

Kilkenny-based Ali writes:

“Knots is a song I wrote about anxiety, something we all struggle with at one time or another. At the time, I was going through a stage of intense anxiety. I worried about the fact that I hadn’t released any music, about whether people would enjoy my songs or not and also over-analysed every little thing I had ever done wrong. I wasn’t sleeping properly and found I was lying awake at night replaying old conversations and feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

“Anxiety is an extremely isolating thing because when you’re in it, you believe that you are the only person who feels like this. I think it’s powerful when people can speak about their own struggles and maybe eventually it will help us all feel less alone.”

Nick says: Empathy for the bedevilled.

Ali Comerford

Elaine Mai featuring Ailbhe Reddy – Still Feel

Together in electro dreams.

Elaine (top right) and Ailbhe (left) – Two doyennes of the Irish indie scene – join forces in this live performance of their new single from Trinity College’s Science Gallery on Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

The video was directed, filmed and edited by Ciaran O’Brien.

Elaine says:

“Spaces like The Science Gallery which inspire, educate, and excite are so important. Their ‘Sound Check’ exhibition in 2017 gave me the opportunity to experiment with Moog Sound lab, which was incredible and made me want to explore analog synthesizers in a deeper way. Returning here to play ‘Still Feel’ live using my Moog Grandmother for the first time, therefore feels quite fitting.”

Nick says: Mai the force be with you.

Elaine Mai

Ailbhe Reddy

The White Plague by Frank Herbert (1982)

‘…It is inevitable that some commentators will draw comparisons to the COVID-19 situation, though the plague in Frank Herbert’s work annihilates and decimates without mercy. Whilst the real world “pandemic” is far more about social, behavioural, algorithmic and psychological conditioning than it is about the “containment” of a virus, it is testament to how a cynical misuse of technology and the inability of humanity to hold it to account can lead to irreversibly disastrous consequences and “resets”.

This can certainly be regarded as having wavelengths with the eagerness of many talking heads in the “scientific community” to instill what Aldous Huxley described as the “pharmalogical method of making people love their servitude”.

Given the presence of Ireland today as a proverbial Airstrip One for tax avoidant pharmaceutical companies worldwide, and the cultural deification we see given to “vaccine tsars” such as Anthony Fauci, Luke O’Neill and Bill Gates such a parallel is hardly surprising…’

The White Plague; Frank Herbert’s Novel About A Pandemic In Ireland (Excuse The Blood)

The White Plague by Frank Herbert (1982)

Tanoki featuring Farah Elle – Let Go

Up in the air.

Stunning visuals accompany the new single from Kilkenny-based virtuoso Paul Mahon (top left) aka Tanoki.

Filmed and edited by Tanoki himself, he also played bass, guitar, keyboards and synth as well as recording, producing and arranging the song, which is taken from the forthcoming album File New.

Libyan/Irish singer Farah Elle (top right) adds her distinctive lyrics, vocals and keyboards.

Farah writes:

“More than coming of age, the song is when you suddenly decide you want to live a life that’s aligned with your values and what you believe in, based on what you see in the world.

“The ‘senses are tingling’ line is when your empathy receptors are turned right up and you can really feel everything, and realizing the potential and power in that.”

Nick says: Tanoki dokey.

Tanoki


T. Cole – Sipping Not Tripping

If don’t mean a thing if don’t have that Afroswing.

Soulful R’n’B newcomer Tunolase Margaret Cole (top) aka T. Cole, from Drogheda, County Louth, impresses with this tale of clubbing, drinking and heartache.

T. Cole writes:

“It’s about missing someone. I wrote it about one of those moments in time. When you’re out with friends, and you think, ‘Oh, this person would love this’, or ‘I wish this person were here right now.’

“It could be a love interest, or a best friend. It’s thinking about how I wish we were enjoying this moment together. Doing this together.”

Nick says: Cole star.

T. Cole

This afternoon.

Meanwhile….

Dionne Gesink, a professor of epidemiology at University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health recommends daters be selective about meeting up with potential paramours.

However, Gesink advises against subjecting matches to a pre-date intake form of personal health questions. Rather, she encourages people to broach conversations about COVID-19 prevention and vaccination as part of the “getting to know you” process.

“You might want to approach it from a more philosophical view of, where do you stand on this stuff,” she says. “That will give you a lot more information … and a better sense of the person.”

‘Vaxxed and waxed, baby!’: Summer heats up for single-dosed singles (Toronto Star)

Thank Flahavan it’s Friday.

To celebrate a glorious summer weekend, would you be partial to another music competition?

This week the theme comes courtesy of our highly esteemed columnist Slightly Bemused who suggests your favourite song that puts a smile on your face.

Here’s mine.

Reply below to be in with a chance of bagging yourself a €50 Golden Discs voucher redeemable in any Golden Discs store.

The winner will be chosen by my next door neighbour’s Yorkshire Terrier.

Lines MUST close on Saturday at 1pm.

Last week’s winner here.

Nick says: Good luck!

Meanwhile…

….Bodger writes:

Further to queries last week, I am attending to the important backlog of winners who have yet to receive a voucher. You will be contacted over the weekend. I am very sorry for the delay.

Golden Discs

After two decades, Pamela Joyce (top) will be replacing Paul McLoone’s alternative music show on Today FM with a top 30 hit-based format

Eugene Connolly writes:

Just thought I’d bring your attention to the issue of Paul McLoone’s abrupt sacking at Today FM. He presented a two hour nightly show of music, indie I guess would be the general category. He was our modern day John Peel or even the Dave Fanning of decades past. Paul is also the long time replacement for Fergal Sharkey in The Undertones.

The new owners choose to go a more bland route.

Paul was there for 18 years as researcher, producer and presenter. Every programme he had a hand in was sure to be good.

Weekend shows were 3 hours long. Essential listening and he always supported new bands.

A big Bowie fan, his all-time favourite song was ‘Ceremony’ by Joy Division. The opening lines seem poignant:

‘This is why events unnerve me
They find it all the same old story’

I suggest there should be an ‘Indie uprising’, take to the streets to march against corporate broadcasting blandness. Who’s with me?

TodayFM/Paul McLoone

Update: