Swear I'm not Paul: 29/06/2008

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Friday, July 4, 2008

Album News: The Verve - Forth

The cover art for the new Verve record, Forth was released today. And my God is it amazing:

The Verve Forth Album Cover

Setlist: Paul Simon, Live at the Marquee, 3 July 2008

Oh I was so raging when I saw that Paul Simon was playing Cork midweek. I knew I couldn't get the time off, and hoped that he'd play Dublin. Alas it wasn't to be, but nonetheless he was said to have put on a great performance:

Setlist:
Gumboots
Boy in the Bubble
Outrageous
Mystery Train (Elvis) >>
Mrs. Robinson
How Can You Live in the Northeast
Slip Slidin Away
Me and Julio Down By The School Yard
Spirit Voices
You're the One
Duncan
Train in the Distance
The Teacher
The Sound of Silence
The Cool, Cool River
The Only Living Boy in New York
Graceland
Father and Daughter
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
----
Still Crazy After All These Years
You Can Call Me Al
That was your mother
----
The Boxer
Late in the Evening

Here's 'Outrageous' from Paul's excellent album Surprise:

Live Review: Laura Marling at Whelan's, 1 July 2008

A day later than expected, I finally have gotten around to writing about the best Tuesday night I've had in ages.

We arrived at Whelan's at around a quarter to eight on Monday night, the doors to the venue weren't open and only a few dozen people were in the bar itself. I wondered what I was after dragging my lovely girlfriend to. Would it be another disaster of a show, like that time we saw Jens Lekman? So instead of standing around like chumps until the venue doors opened we went down to the shop. By the time we got back, around five past eight, a queue had formed outside the door. This was more like it!

We seated ourselves upstairs overlooking the stage (one of the benefits of Whelan's). The first support act (yes there were two!) introduced himself as Marcus from a band called Mumford & Sons, who sadly couldn't be there. They had probably over-exerted themselves at Glastonbury I'm thinking. But if the band are as good as or better than Marcus solo, they are definitely ones to look out for. He gave a wonderful performance, playing a variety of instruments and impressing every member of a packed Whelan's. There was only one negative point about his set, it was far too brief. 'Little Lying Man' was definitely a standout.

Next up was Dublin's own Robotnik. Sadly there was no sign of a blue hedgehog. Just like the way in Sonic that Dr Robotnik starts off small and gets bigger and badder until the final showdown, Robotnik started off slow with some folky numbers before introducing the rest of his band: Toshiba, his laptop. What came next was definitely not something a lot of the crowd expected. His techno-folk and bizarre lyrics ('I Found Jesus In The Year 2027' is a case in point), as well as his showmanship (getting up on tables and giving out sweets), were nothing if not entertaining. I'd recommend checking him out at Crawdaddy in two or three weeks. He's a nutjob.

While these two acts were playing, there was a group of English people, of which only half seemed interested. A tall blonde girl was chatting and giggling as both artists played. I pointed out that it was Laura Marling standing near me. The accent matched. She was talking to a guy at the bar when cheers came up from downstairs. I was wrong, it wasn't her. Mortified. I'm glad I didn't attempt to talk to her.

The waifish singer downstairs was just as good as her album Alas I Cannot Swim indicates. She played some of her better known songs at the beginning of the set, 'Ghosts', 'My Manic and I', and 'You're No God' were standout tunes, all coming one after the other. Marling live is a much more intimate experience than on the record, as it is a sparse cut-back approach. She was joined by Marcus Mumford on many of the tracks, and he seems to be able to play everything. His xylophone on 'Ghosts' was especially pretty.

Marling then played some new songs, a great sign of what's to come from this young singer, none of which seemed below the standard of what's gone before. One of these songs she even admitted to only having written the night before. That's confidence for you! One of these new tunes, 'Made A Maid', is one to look out for (I've included a live version of it down below).

'Cross Your Fingers' into 'Crawled Out of the Sea' was damn near perfect, and was followed by a rousing version of 'Alas I Cannot Swim'. Marcus and Laura left the stage to rapturous applause, but were forced to return for a one-song encore 'I'm A Fly'. It's a pity the show couldn't have gone on longer, but there's damn curfews in place. Even still, it was a truly marvellous show, and when she returns to town, I'll definitely go again.

'Made a Maid' live in England someplace:

Live Recommendations: 4-6 July 2008

Independence Day weekend is traditionally the day a huge box-office smash is released in the US. It's also the weekend that most people go to the cinema. Last year's film was Transformers, a Michael Bay spectacle which brought many of us back to a lost childhood. It also made the t-shirts cool again.

This year's July 4 film is Will Smith's new vehicle, Hancock, a movie about a waster superhero who comes good, or something like that. I'll probably end up going to see this this weekend, as not one band playing in town takes my fancy. They're probably all resting before the first ever three-day Oxegen festival anyway.

On that note, if you are an act playing some venue and want it to appear in the Gigs section, you can email details to swearimnotpaul@gmail.com and we'll do our best to highlight your gig.

This Weekend's Gigs: 4-6 July 2008

Friday, 04 July 2008


Adrian Crowley
Crawdaddy

20:00€14-€17
Gallie
Whelan's
20:00€7
Goo Goo Dolls
Ambassador Theatre

20:00€33.60
G'n'R
The Village

20:00€15
Lines Drawing Circles
Whelan's Upstairs

20:00€7

Saturday, 05 July 2008


China Crisis
The Button Factory
19:30
€22
Codes
The Academy
20:00 €11.80
Tommy Emmanuel
Tripod
20:00 €36
More Tidy Giants
Whelan's 20:00
€7
The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock
Whelan's Upstairs
21:00
€10

Sunday, 06 July 2008

Kevin Burke
Whelan's
20:00
€26
Tom McShane
Whelan's Upstairs
20:00 €8

Setlist: The Goo Goo Dolls, Ambassador Theatre, 3 July 2008

Yes, they do have other songs from 'Iris'. 'Slide' is a great song. They even have more than one album. Although I must say I was tempted just to post a one-song setlist and say that's all they have. However I'm not that mean. I must admit I did listed to their hit record a few times back in the day, whenever I didn't have Matchbox Twenty on repeat.

Naked
Slide
Feel the Silence
Black Balloon
January Friend
Tucked Away
Dizzy
here is gone
Cuz You're Gone
Name
Before It's Too Late
Stay With You
Smash
Slave Girl
Better Days
Let Love In
Acoustic #3
Iris
Real
Broadway

Setlist: The Bangles, Vicar Street, 2 July 2008

It was just another Manic Wednesday at Vicar Street when The Bangles came over and treated the fans to many of their greatest hits.

Hazy
All About You
Live
Manic Monday
Different Light image
If She Knew
Restless
Some Dreams Come True
Stealing Rosemary
Be With You
September Gurls
Going Down To Liverpool
Eternal Flame
Single By Choice
Watching The Sky
Ride The Ride
In Your Room
Hero Takes A Fall
--
Pushin' Too Hard

Here's a fan video of Susanna Hoffs and Co. playing the classic 'Manic Monday':

Album News: Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping


After last year's stellar Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, Of Montreal add another record to their already vasy discography with the release of Skeletal Lamping on October 7th. Expect an Irish release date of October 3rd so.

The band's frontman, Kevin Barnes had a lot to say about the record: "It is possible to view this album as one long composition, with lots of different movements, or just as a collection of pop songs. I wanted to make an album that was unpredictable and, at times, startling, yet always hummable and catchy. some of the transitions are intentionally awkward. I did this to keep the listener off guard and to dismantle people's perception of how an album is supposed to be constructed."

Sounds weird, right? Also sounds like it's going to be brilliant. And as for that album title: "His record is my attempt to bring all of my puzzling, contradicting, disturbing, humorous...fantasies, ruminations and observations to the surface, so that I can better dissect and understand their reason for being in my head. Hence the title, Skeletal Lamping. Lamping is the name of a rather dreadful hunting technique where, hunters go into the forest at night, flood an area in light, then shoot, or capture, the animals as they panic and run from their hiding places. This album is my attempt at doing this to my proverbial skeletons. I haven't yet decided if I should shoot or just capture them though."

Live: Oxegen 2008 previews in today's broadsheets


As soon as you mention the words "Oxegen festival", someone will tell you to go and see such a band: "make sure you see the Ting Tings" or whatever. It's bound to happen. Unfortunately you can't see every artist. Nor would you want to see every artist. For the casual music fna, knowing who to see is often a challenge. You might waste your time listening to some run-of-the-mill rock, while the Next Big Thing are onstage in the Green Room.

Always around this time, the major publications release their own special previews. Expect Hot Press to have a special Oxegen 2008 issue just in time for next week. Today the madness starts with previews in the supplements of both the Irish Times and Irish Independent. But is either worth buying? Should you save you cash and wait for Swear I'm Not Paul's special coverage next week?

First off, the Irish Independent has advertised its preview everywhere. It even came in the Oxegen Official Newsletter! Must be some backhanders going on there. The special ooh-ahh-wonderful section on Oxegen isn't all that special, and I wouldn't recommend investing in the Indo just for that reason. There is an interview with Craig Finn from The Hold Steady (which you can read freely online), as well as a nice site map for the venue, as well as the critics' suggested acts to see. As usual, the misguided-Ed Power has chosen someone as awful as his music writing: the Sugababes! Power is the same guy who did a live review for Neil Young at Malahide during the week, but spent more time discussing Neil Young's choice of outfit and where the name Chrome Dreams II came from rather than talk about the music. You can find some of the Independent's coverage freely available here, as well as that Craig Finn interview:
http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/day-and-night/

The Irish Times, on the other hand, has a great write-up on the festival. Instead of the pretty pictures and cute layouts the Independent went with, they have a full preview from their rock critic, Jim Carroll (a fine writer - I'm usually able to pick which reviews he writes in a particular name just because of the artist involved, he's got a cool image to protect after all, but amazingly he only gave Wolf Parade's At Mount Zoomer a paltry two!). Carroll talks about all of the bands and gives his opinions on whether they're worth seeing. It's definitely worth checking out, and you can read it all for free here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2008/0704/1215054782218.html

Oh and I hope to get a copy of that nice little map and put it up here. But being lost at Oxegen is fun too!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Setlist: Boyzone, RDS Arena, 28 June 2008

The most requested Setlist so far, no, not Clapton or Young or even Saving J, but Boyzone at the RDS. Their fans have an insatiable appetite. My other half kind of regrets not going now, as she was a big fan back in her formative years. Every girl I've spoken to who was present swears it was the best concert they ever saw. They could've been right. I bet if I was there I would've known a lot of the words. 'Words'. See what I did there? Yeah, I just lost ten cool points, but Ronan is a great shinger, don't fight it!

Setlist:
Picture of You
One Kiss at a Time
Isn't it a wonder
All That I Need
And I
Words
Father and Son
Love Me For a Reason
Bright Eyes
Jackson 5/MJ Medley: I Want You Back/Don't Stop Til Ya Get Enough/Billie Jean/Bad/The Way You Make Me Feel/Black or White
When You Say Nothing At All
When the Goin Gets Tough
Baby Can I Hold You
You Needed Me
I Love the Way You Love Me
We Can't Stop Thinking About You
Life is a Rollercoaster
A Different Beat
No Matter What
Melting Pot

And here's a video of that Jackson medley for all of you who don't believe how brilliant the Boyz are:

Album News: Oxford Collapse - Bits



Not news as such, just the cover of the new Oxford Collapse record, Bits, which is due August 5th, probably the 1st here. So just a month to go for us Irishers!

I really like this album art. And I am one to judge a book by its cover.

Album News: Lambchop - OH (Ohio)

That's OH as in Ohio, not Oh as in the groan the couple on the album cover could be making. I risk not posting the cover for fear of wrath from those who browse while at their desks, but if you want to see it, here it is: http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/8919/lambchopohohioalbumartvq2.jpg (Be warned, there's drawings of nudie parts!)

No release date has been confirmed yet. Browsing around the internet for information is a tough experience, as the band may possibly have the worst internet presence I have ever seen. Ah their live shows speak for themselves, who needs websites and forums?

One of the tracks is titled 'National Talk Like a Pirate Day', which I must say sounds absolutely genius! Other tentative titles are 'Popeye' and 'Slipped Dissolved And Loosed'. And there will be eight other songs on it. Kurt Wagner you are a strange but talented man.

Album News: Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul


Anyone who has bought a copy of this month's Mojo Magazine (that includes yours truly), will have seen the lovely write-up on the Gallagher brothers' latest release. In this modern age when people don't even bother paying for stuff - did you know that the Irish Times is now free to read online? - why would anyone buy music magazines? Something to read on a commute maybe? That's probably the only reason, because any news in them has been on the internet for weeks before publication. Well, there is another reason - to read exclusive interviews with the artists.

But what if someone (say Tom from stoptheclocks.org) scanned in the particular interview? Yeah, you would probably just read that online too. So as I'm all for free speech...
http://i31.tinypic.com/1196plv.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/34fk850.jpg
http://i26.tinypic.com/2usd5w3.jpg

Enjoy. And thanks Tom!

Setlist: Lou Reed, Live at the Marquee, Cork, 23 June 2008

Some of our avid readers have been requesting the setlist for Lou Reed's Berlin Tour in Cork. So here you go! He returns to our shores on July 18th to play Dublin! If anyone has a setlist from a recent gig that doesn't appear on here, please email it to swearimnotpaul@gmail.com

Sad Song Overture
Berlin
Lady Day
Men Of Good Fortune
Caroline Says I
How Do You Think It Feels?
Oh, Jim
Caroline Says II
The Kids
The Bed
Sad Song
----
Rock and Roll
Satellite of Love
The Power of the Heart

Setlist: Siouxsie, Tripod, Dublin, 1 July 2008

With the "Sioux" part of her name gone, many fans thought Siouxsie would belt out some new tunes at her Dublin show in Tripod. This was not to be, and fans were treated to a lot of classic material. Which is never a complaint!

Setlist:
They Follow You
About to Happen
Here Comes That Day
Right Now
Hong Kong Garden
Night Shift
Drone Zone
If it Doesn't Kill You
Sea of Tranquility
One Mile Below
Into a Swan
Israel
Arabian Nights
Christine
Happy House
Kiss Them for Me
Cish Cash

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Setlist: Laura Marling, Whelan's, 1 July 2008



So, it's obvious I was there last night. So expect a review tomorrow. I always need a day to digest how good a gig was.

Here's the setlist to keep you occupied til then. Also, email me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com with any corrections you have, cause I have no idea what these new songs are called. Laura, if you fancy dropping me a line to do some shameless publicity, feel free. I'd love to do an interview or something!

Setlist:
Shine
Rebecca
Ghosts
My Manic and I
You're No God
Week Need to Be Led (maybe called Vulnerable/Rambling Man)
Made a Maid
All Of This Can Be Broken/I Am Your Keeper
Blackberry Stone
Cross Your Fingers >
Crawled Out Of The Sea
Alas I Cannot Swim >
Alas I Cannot Swim Reprise (quite rousing version)
----
I'm A Fly

Thanks to Chris Hall for emailing me some corrections for song titles.

Setlist: Robotnik, Whelan's, 1 July 2008

One word: nuts. Craziest musician ever. Plus he's a Dubliner! he released his debut album Pleasant Square on May 9th. Get it, if your ears can handle it. Also, is he named after the Sonic villain?

Setlist:
You're the One that I Loved
True Love Will Find You In The End (Daniel Johnston cover)
Weird Road
I Found Jesus In The Year 2027
People Walk Away
Super Duper Scientific Experiment
PuddleStarter


Check out this absolutely bizarre video, promoting his upcoming show at CrawDaddy on 25 July:

Setlist: Marcus Mumford (from Mumford and Sons), Whelan's, 1 July 2008

Mumford and Sons release their new EP, Lend Me Your Eyes next Monday in the UK. If I can get this in any shop in Ireland I will be a happy man. I had never heard of Mumford & Sons, nor of Marcus Mumford himself, but after seeing him support Laura Marling (minus the "Sons"), as well as perform one-man backing band duties for the singer herself, I have to say I'm a huge fan.

Bear in mind I'm not sure if these are the proper titles. I noted them on my phone.

Setlist:
My Heart Has Gone Away
White Blank Page
Little Lying Man
Darkness

You can download Mumford & Sons' 'Roll Away Your Stone' here:
http://thedailygrowl.blogspot.com/2008/06/mumford-and-sons.html

Album News: The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed


Yes, Mike Skinner still makes music. While everyone was fawning over Lily Allen (me included), Skinner was on the slippery slope to has-been land. His first two albums, Original Pirate Material and A Grand Don't Come For Free, were excellent takes on urban life in modern Britain. His third, The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living was, well, did anyone actually buy it and listen to it? 'Never Went to Church' was its most succesful single, charting at number 8 in the UK, and 26 in Ireland. The album itself fared much better at 1 and 3 respectively, but sales do not equal greatness, and it was a huge disappointment.

Everything is Borrowed is, essentially, his comeback album. Skinner himself said in a recent blogpost that he hated the last album, and this new one is his "peaceful coming to terms" record. It's expected to be much lighter than Hardest Way, and hopefully we'll be all the better because of it.

His first two records are modern classics, so hopefully he can return to form when Everything is Borrowed is released in August.

Album News: Zach De La Rocha - One Day As A Lion EP


Apart from headlining this year's Oxegen festival with his old band, Rage Against the Machine, Zach De la Rocha has teamed up with drummer Jon Theodore to form side-project One Day As A Lion. They release their debut EP, a self-titled cut, on July 22nd.

On their website, they declare that ODAAL is: "A defiant affirmation of the possibilities that exist in the space between kick and snare. It's a sonic reflection of the visceral tension between a picturesque fabricated cultural landscape, and the brutal socioeconomic realities it attempts to mask. One Day As A Lion is a recorded interaction between Zack de la Rocha and Jon Theodore from Los Angeles, California."

"The name taken from the infamous 1970 black and white, captured by legendary Chicano photographer George Rodriguez featuring a center framed tag on a white wall in an unspecified section of Boyle Heights. It reads: 'It's better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb.' This record is a stripped down attempt to realize this sentiment in sound."

Tracklist:
1. Wild International
2. Ocean View
3. Last Letter
4. If You Fear Dying
5. One Day As A Lion

Setlist: Jay-Z RDS, Dublin, 26 June 2008

One of our loyal readers, Robert Kelly, has just emailed me the setlist from Jay-Z's stellar performance at the RDS in Dublin last week. Thanks very much!

Hi To The Bad Guy/Hello Brooklyn Intro
Roc Boys
U Dont Know
Is That Your Bitch (Over Prodigy "Smack My Bitch Up)
Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Linkin Park Version)
Excuse Me Miss
H to The Izzo
Public Service Announcement
Hard Knock Life
Mundian Te Bach (Beware of The Boys) Remix
Show Me What You Got
Can I get A?
Freestyle over Estelle "American Boy"
Verse from Remix to Amy Winehouse "Rehab"
Freestyle over Lil Wayne "A Millie"
Minority Report Acapella
Blue Magic
I Jus Wanna Love You
Aint No Love (Over Bloody Sunday)
Encore

Live: Oxegen 2008 Stage Times Announced

The full timetable and schedule has been announced for this year's mudfest, Oxegen 2008.

Friday, 11 July 2008

MAIN STAGE:
23:30 KINGS OF LEON
21:55 INTERPOL
20:25 EDITORS
19:05 PADDY CASEY
18:00 THE CORONAS
17:00 AMY MACDONALD

THE O2 STAGE:
23:35 GROOVE ARMADA
22:00 GO!TEAM
20:45 BEN FOLDS
19:30 DEUS
18:15 SUGABABES
17:00 FUTURE KINGS OF SPAIN

GREEN ROOM:
23:40 BELL X1
22:10 MUNDY
20:45 ASLAN
19:30 THE SAWDOCTORS
18:15 THE KINETIKS
17:00 DIRTY EPICS

PET SOUNDS:
23:50 CAT POWER
21:50 APHEX TWIN
20:25 TRICKY
19:10 BATTLES
18:05 CAPTAIN
17:00 GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT

2FM NEW BAND STAGE / FUTURES:
00:30 WHITE DENIM
23:30 THE RASCALS
22:30 FRIENDLY FIRES
21:35 THE METROS
20:40 NOAH & THE WHALE
19:45 BRYN CHRISTOPHER
18:50 LIAM FINN
17:55 SPARKADIA
17:00 LEOPOLD

DANCE STAGE:
23:50 CALVIN HARRIS
22:00 UNKLE
21:05 ANNIE MAC
20:10 MSTRKRFT
19:20 KOZE
18:30 KOSHEEN
17:45 SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM
17:00 BURNS

Saturday, 12 July 2008

MAIN STAGE:
23:40 THE VERVE
21:50 REM
20:15 STEREOPHONICS
18:45 AMY WINEHOUSE
17:15 COUNTING CROWS
16:00 NEWTON FAULKNER
14:45 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS
13:30 BOWLING FOR SOUP

THE O2 STAGE:
00:00 THE PRODIGY
22:25 THE ZUTONS
21:05 FEEDER
19:50 PANIC AT THE DISCO
18:35 THE ENEMY
17:30 THE HOOSIERS
16:25 THE WOMBATS
15:20 POWDERFINGER
14:25 ONE NIGHT ONLY
13:30 LITTLE MAN TATE

GREEN ROOM:
23:50 MANIC STREET PREACHERS
22:20 THE CHARLATANS
21:00 PENDULUM
19:45 ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
18:35 VAMPIRE WEEKEND
17:30 BRITISH SEA POWER
16:25 THE TING TINGS
15:20 BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
14:25 DELAYS
13:30 CONCERTO FOR CONSTANTINE

PET SOUNDS:
23:45 THE NATIONAL
22:15 HOT CHIP
20:45 RICHARD HAWLEY
19:40 SEASICK STEVE
18:30 DECLAN O'ROURKE
17:15 PAUL HEATON
16:10 MY MORNING JACKET
15:15 THE MUSIC
14:25 CAMILLE O'SULLIVAN
13:30 JACK McMANUS

2FM NEW BAND STAGE/FUTURES:
00:15 ELLIOT MINOR
23:15 ROYWORLD
22:15 JOE LEAN & THE JING JANG JONG
21:10 BLACK KIDS
20:15 ALPHABEAT
19:15 IDA MARIA
18:15 YEASAYER
17:10 HOLY FUCK
16:15 MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE
15:20 GENERAL FIASCO
14:25 OFFSHORE
13:30 KILL CITY DEFECTORS

IMRO NEW SOUNDS STAGE:
22:15 BLOOD RED SHOES
21:15 CODES
20:15 GARY GO
19:15 OPPENHEIMER
18:15 SOND OF ALBION
17:15 NEW AMUSEMENT
16:15 THE GOLDEN SILVERS
15:20 THE CADES
14:20 THE RED LABELS
13:30 FUTURE CHASER

DANCE STAGE:
23:45 JUSTICE
21:45 BOYZNOISE
19:45 SLAM
17:45 MICHAEL MAYER
16:30 STREETLIFE DJ'S
15:30 KAVINSKY
14:30 JAPANESE POPSTARS
13:30 CHEMISTRY DJ's

Sunday, 13 July 2008

MAIN STAGE:
22:35 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
20:45 KAISER CHIEFS
19:10 THE FRATELLIS
17:35 THE KOOKS
16:00 THE BLIZZARDS
14:45 THE FEELING
13:30 EDDY GRANT

THE O2 STAGE:
22:30 CHEMICAL BROS
21:00 THE RACONTEURS
19:35 REPUBLIC OF LOOSE
18:20 KATE NASH
17:05 PIGEON DETECTIVES
15:50 WE ARE SCIENTISTS
14:40 THE COURTEENERS
13:30 THE SUBWAYS

THE GREEN ROOM:
22:50 IAN BROWN
21:20 THE POGUES
20:05 TOM BAXTER
18:55 REVEREND & THE MAKERS
17:50 JACK PENATE
16:40 ALABAMA 3
15:25 THE STRANGLERS
14:20 THE HOLD STEADY
13:30 THE WHIGS

PET SOUNDS:
22:45 THE SWELL SEASON
21:15 ROISIN MURPHY
19:45 BAND OF HORSES
18:30 MGMT
17:15 DELORENTOS
16:00 LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION
14:45 DAVID JORDAN
13:30 RYAN BINGHAM

2FM NEW BAND STAGE/FUTURES:
23:20 LOS CAMPESINOS!
22:20 CAJUN DANCE PARTY
21:20 FLOGGING MOLLY
20:20 FIGHT LIKE APES
19:20 GLASVEGAS
18:20 THE SCRIPT
17:20 TWISTED WHEEL
16:25 IN CASE OF FIRE
15:25 JAGUAR LOVE
14:30 WHITE LIES
13:30 SCHMACKEY AND THE SALADS

IMRO NEW SOUNDS STAGE:
22:15 DRY COUNTY
21:15 TEAM WATER POLO
20:15 HALVES
19:15 CRAYONSMITH
18:15 THE ROCKET SUMMER
17:15 BROTHERS MOVEMENT
16:15 THE HAZY JANES
15:15 FIGHTING WITH WIRE
14:20 ARNO CARSTENS
13:30 THE TELEVISION ROOM

DANCE STAGE:
23:00 DAVID GUETTA
21:00 LUCIANO
19:00 MYLO
17:30 CARL CRAIG
16:30 CROOKERS
15:30 RADIOSLAVE
14:30 DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH?
13:30 QUIET VILLAGE

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Live Review: Neil Young and The Frames, Malahide Castle

What a beautiful evening it was on Sunday for an outdoor concert. No doubt Oxegen will be waterlogged as usual, but Neil Young could not have asked for a better Irish summer's evening than we had at Malahide Castle. This was the first time I had ever been at the castle, and I must say getting in and out of the venue was a joy. There were special Dart trains put on for the concert, and although ours was packed (with happy Dublin fans after the match as well as concertgoers), not one person fainted! The trek home wasn't as smooth, as the train left about fifteen minutes late, but the adrenaline distracted me from looking at my watch.

So, onto the show itself. I only caught the end of the first act, Everest, who did impress me from what little I heard. Their version of the Bob Dylan/Byrds classic 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere' (which Glen Hansard has covered on occassion) made me wish I had gotten there earlier to see them in full stride. We sat down on the grass and ate ice-creams while we waited for The Frames to come on stage. Not too often you can say that at a gig, is it?

The Frames were wonderful. I didn't expect them to be as on-form as they were. Marketa Irglova makes a great addition to the band, and her harmonies are beautiful. Colm Mac Con Iomaire was his usual splendid self and is surely the most underrated musician on this island. They opened with 'Redchord' and played a host of crowd-pleasing tunes. Glen Hansard only told a handful of anecdotes, none of which were particularly new. One, however, was quite bizarre. He invited us to sing along with the chorus on 'Happiness', but then told people who weren't feeling it (or something along those lines), not to sing at all. A very strange man indeed.

In fact, 'Happiness' was the low point of the set. It followed 'Santa Maria' which is a cracking tune which builds and builds up to fantastic proportions. However I felt many of the people in attendance weren't as into the song as they should be, probably because they were there for Neil, and maybe hadn't heard it on the radio. The radio tunes were excellent, and Glen has really grown in confidence as the years have passed.

But nothing could have prepared the crowd for the man himself. As soon as a glimpse of his paint-stained white shirt and pants were seen, a huge roar went up in north Dublin. The one and only Neil Young. Kids, cherish this day. He opened with a very long version of ' Love and Only Love' which I felt was a bit of a disappointment. He didn't seem on form, and his solo was a little jarring. 'I've Been Waiting for You' was a vast improvement, but I still wondered would this be a set of songs that only half the crowd knew. However, any fears I had that this would be one of the biggest disappointments of the year totally disappeared when he tore into 'Mr Soul'.

'Spirit Road' and 'Powderfinger' were wonderful. And it was only during 'Powderfinger' that I noticed each song was accompanied by a lovely little painting at the right-hand side of the stage. A neat effect, and also a way to make every fan there seem like they knew every song. The guy beside me bellowed out "I bet this is Too Far Gone", which impressed the rest of his posse. I was in on the act though. He couldn't fool me. He wasn't even singing along. 'My My Hey Hey' was truly a highpoint, and the only song that was on the recent 2FM advertisments that he actually played live! The crowd belted out the chorus, perhaps even loud enough to drown out Neil himself.

'Oh Lonesome Me' was also excellent, and the band had some downtime and a little sitdown during the so-so 'Mother Earth'. They got back into the swing of things with 'The Needle and the Damage Done'. Oh what a song! The next trio of tunes were similarly brilliant, 'Unknown Legend', 'Old Man' (oh yeah!), and 'Get Back to the Country'. 'Words' was much better than the performance Boyzone gave of the same song the previous night.

'No Hidden Path' went on very, very long. About half an hour I think. I actually noticed some people leaving at this point, probably to beat the traffic and catch the bus back into town. The encore was the same as the last few shows this tour, and after studying setlists before the show, I wasn't one of the many claiming disappointment with a one-song-encore. Young's take on 'A Day In the Life' is definitely up there with the original, and caused another superb singalong, sending the crowd home on a high.

A night we'll all remember. And a night to tell the grandkids about. Although guessing by the ages of some of the audience present, some grandkids have already been told.

'Hey Hey, My My':

Download: The Verve, full set, Live at Glastonbury


See the White of My Eyes? No you can't, you don't even know what I look like. But that aforementioned blog has posted the full set (ripped from the BBC radio recording) of The Verve's stunning comeback set at Glastonbury.

This is surely a treat for all of us eagerly anticipating Forth this August.

Info on the download here:
http://seethewhiteofmyeyes.blogspot.com/

Full setlist thanks to The Spagetti Incident:
This Is Music
Sonnet
Space And Time
Sit And Wonder
History
Life’s An Ocean
Velvet Morning
Rolling People
Drugs Don’t Work
Lucky Man
Bitter Sweet Symphony
Love Is Noise

Download: Kings of Leon ' Manhattan' Live at Glastonbury


This blog here has a recording of the Kings of Leon's rousing performance of 'Manhattan' as co-headliners at this year's Glastonbury festival:

Link Removed

'Manhattan' will feature on their upcoming album 'Only By The Night', which is being released in September.

See, didn't they look better with the beards? It's a well known equation, Beards = Rock.

This Week's Gigs: 1 July - 3 July

Tuesday, 1 July 2008



Erykah Badu
Vicar Street
20:00€46.20
Laura Marling
Whelan's
20:00€16
Siouxsie
Tripod
19:30€34.50-€42.50

Wednesday, 2 July 2008


The Bangles
Vicar Street
20:00 €31.50
Kid Sister
Crawdaddy xx:xx Cancelled
David Turpin
Whelan's Upstairs
20:00 €10

Thursday, 3 July 2008


Jesse Cook
Crawdaddy
20:00 €17.50
The Goo Goo Dolls
Ambassador
20:00 €33.60
Conor McKeon
National Concert Hall
20:00 €15-€40
Declan O'Rourke
The Academy
20:00 €30

Setlist: Neil Young, Live at The Marquee, Cork, 30 June 2008

Neil had a more varied setlist down south, pulling out the classics 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' and 'Heart of Gold' as well as a cover of Bob Dylan's 'All Along the Watchtower' (That's right, it's not a Hendrix original!)

Love And Only Love
Hey Hey, My My
Everybody knows This Is Nowhere
Spirit Road
I've Been Waiting For You
All Along The Watchtower
Oh, Lonesome Me
Mother Earth
The Needle And The Damage Done
Unknown Legend
Heart Of Gold
Get Back To The Country
Words
No Hidden Path
----
A Day In The Life

Monday, June 30, 2008

Download: The Verve 'Mover'

You can download the non-album track 'Mover' (which didn't make it onto A Northern Soul, nor does it appear on Forth) for free from:
http://www.vervedownload.com/

Get it now. It's free!

The song is available from here for one week only.

Watch: Glastonbury highlights and live sets


While not an Irish festival by any means, there was a large irish contingent not at neil Young yesterday, and instead were getting a tan at a surprisingly sunny Glastonbvury festival. The BBC covered most of the event over the weekend, and if you decided to stay in you may have seen some of these already. But for those of you who didn't, you can check out clips from everyone from Jay-Z to Foals, Duffy to Kings of Leon, Amy Winehouse to the Fratellis. So lots and lots to watch on the BBC's Glastonbury page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2008/videos/

Setlist: The Frames, Malahide Castle, 29 June 2008

In support of Neil Young. Forget winning Oscars and all that jazz, supporting Neil Young has to be the highlight of anyone's life!

Redchord
Seven Day Mile
The Moon
When Your Mind's Made Up
The Stars Are Underground >
Revelate
Santa Maria
Happiness
Fitcarraldo

Here's a video from Peter Nagle of 'The Moon':

Setlist: Neil Young, Malahide Castle, 29 June 2008

Just back from a great show. Expect a full review tomorrow.

Love And Only Love
I've Been Waiting For You
Mr. Soul
Spirit Road
Powderfinger
Hey Hey, My My
Too Far Gone
Oh, Lonesome Me
Mother Earth
The Needle And The Damage Done
Unknown Legend
Old Man
Get Back To The Country
Words
No Hidden Path
----
A Day In The Life

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Setlist: Morrissey, Royal Hopsital Grounds, Kilmainham, 28 June 2008

Morriseey continued his Irish visit with a stellar show at the Royal Hospital Grounds in Kilmainham last night. Who needs Glastonbury?

Irish Blood, English Heart
Ask
First Of The Gang To Die
That's How People Grow Up
Sister, I'm A Poet
All You Need Is Me
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
What She Said
Billy Budd
The Loop
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
Mama Lay Me Softly On The Riverbed
Stretch Out And Wait
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Death Of A Disco Dancer
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?
You Say You Don't Love Me
One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
Vicar In A Tutu
Life Is A Pigsty
How Soon Is Now?
Last Of The Famous International Playboys

Here's a video of his new song 'I'm Wrapping My Hands Around Paris' recorded at Kilmainham last night.

Setlist: Morrissey, Marquee Cork, 26 June 2008

Morrrissey played a great show at the Marquee in Cork, which featured a mix of solo material and some Smiths classics. He also played a cover of the Buzzcocks' 'You Don't Love Me'

All You Need Is Me
Ask
First of the Gang to Die
That's How People Grow Up
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
Vicar In A Tutu
Mama Lay Me Softly On The Riverbed
Sister, I'm A Poet
Something Is Squeezing My Skull
The World Is Full of Crashing Bores
Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Billy Budd
One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
Death of a Disco Dancer
You Don't Love Me
Stretch Out And Wait
The Loop
Life Is A Pigsty
How Soon Is Now?
What She Said
Irish Blood, English Heart