Above: A picture from a rabble party for Culture Night in one of the city’s out of the way spaces, Jigsaw. Dancing in a restaurant this weekend? Listening to techno in a gallery at 6pm? Afraid your venue will get shut by Garda tonight? Ireland’s much-vaunted after-hours scene is indeed great, but it’s worth reiterating that it’s the upshot of a draconian licensing regime. Beggars and Beardy chatted to folk … Read More
Monkey Magic.
Guerilla Studios stakes a claim to be the studio for underground bands in Dublin. Bit Thompson caught up with John ‘Spud’ Murphy and asked why they set up a recording studio when the arse has fallen out of the industry. Well, how’s it going? So tell me how youse got started in the recording business? Well it started when I was in a band called Ilya K and we’d … Read More
Two F-ing Bs
Open any encyclopaedia on Ireland and invariably you will find two of Dublin’s finest wordweavers, Samuel Beckett and Brendan Behan, either on the same page or opposite pages eyeballing one another. Alan O’Brien takes a look at two Dubliners whose backgrounds couldn’t contrast any more entirely.
Beckett spent his childhood in the sleepy-affluent and sheltered area of Foxrock. Behan, had his formative years in the overcrowded Dublin metropolis of the 1920s and hungry 30s. Beckett’s education was of the highest standard a well-to-do Protestant family could expect; attending Miss Elsners Academy, the Royal Portora, Enniskillen and Trinners. While Behan’s education was of the highest standard a working-class family with Irish-republican politics (that was as much of a staple diet as tea, bread and margarine) could expect; attending William Street Convent, St. Canices Christian Brothers, Bolton Street Tech and Jail.
How The Irish Went Protest Mad.
It feels like a lifetime ago that Brian Cowen slurred his words on the radio, the IMF landed and Bertie got collared outside the Dail signalling the booting they were about to get. Well it’s not been a lifetime, but it has been an “electoral cycle” as they call it. In this review of the Fine Gael-led coalition, Shane Ragbags takes us through how the Irish eventually learnt to hate the regime.
Too Many Men.
In many ways Ireland punches above its weight when it comes to dance music. Struggling against restrictive licensing laws, exorbitant rents, harsh drug policies and a general ignorance of electronic music and clubbing by those in officialdom, the scene is still kicking. However, you could go out every weekend and never see a woman djing.
Beggars chats to two collectives changing all of that.
Something For The Weekend.
It’s all about that lunch time menu this weekend.
The Out To Lunch Weekender is finally upon us and we are extremely excited. A selection of the best DJs around at the moment, both at home and abroad. Plus, nearly all of them playing decent length sets.
A lot of the DJs such as Traxx, Mr. Ties and Laurel Halo were top quality when they graced the Out To Lunch parties previously so we’ve high expectations. Those who haven’t, Ben UFO, Lena Willikens and Mark Ernestus would command big audiences in their own right. So, get lunch. Go out.
Racist Politician.
Activists from Monaghan are attempting to put pressure on an independent councilor after recent remarks in a Monaghan municipal district meeting. Councillor Seamus Treanor stated that 98% of Muslims who came to Ireland “never worked and did not want to work” and that “they all want to come here but show absolutely no respect for our laws or culture.” The councillor has form, previously claiming on local and national radio … Read More
Something For The Weekend.
We’re taking it slow this week after bank holiday, but there’s still some great events to keep you busy.
Flipside and Tengu welcome back XDB to Dublin, and the Dave Hargadon half of Slowburn will be on support. It’s nice and cheap and there’s tunes from early on so make sure to drop in.
Something For The Weekend.
It’s Beatyard time of year in Dún Laoghaire and there’s a jam-packed party schedule for the bank holiday weekend.
Dialogue crew have Jake Hodgkinson over from Bristol tonight with the usual high calibre support. It’s the place to be in Belfast according to The Guardian, but don’t let that put you off. Kicking off the long weekend down in Dublin tonight are Answer Code Request in Hangar and Dynamo Dresden in Tengu.
Talking To G.O.D.
Investigative journalist Gemma O’Doherty has garnered a reputation as a tenacious old-school reporter. She’s currently championing the case of Mary Boyle, a six-year-old Donegal girl missing since 1977. Rashers Tierney caught up with O’Doherty after her appearance at the Journalism In Crisis conference in the University Of Limerick back in April.