Josh Ritter : So Runs The World Away 8 Feb 2010, 10:39 am

So Runs The World Away, the new album from renowned singer-songwriter Josh Ritter, will be released on 23 April on Independent Records Ireland. This is the fifth full-length recording from Ritter, who has been widely heralded by critics and fans alike. Of the Idaho native, Paste magazine declares: “Put simply, Ritter is the most gifted interpreter of Americana, as an arranger and a lyricist, working today.”

Recorded over 15 months at the Great North Sound Society in Maine, with additional recording at Brooklyn’s Saltlands Studio, So Runs The World Away continues Ritter’s longtime collaboration with producer and keyboard player Sam Kassirer. Additionally, the album features the return of Ritter’s core line-up of touring bandmates: Zack Hickman, Austin Nevins and Liam Hurley.

Of the record, Ritter says, “I think of the songs on So Runs the World Away like pictures painted in oil on large canvasses. It’s a record preoccupied with the extremes of scale, from infinitesimal particles to the nearly incomprehensible distances between the head of a pin and a nebula.

Where the songs felt large to me, I wanted them to be huge, both musically and lyrically. I wanted them to feel like the steel hulls of massive ships sliding by deeply from below. Where they were small, I concentrated on the smallest details that I could and we tried to make the music and the words work together. I love writing, and this is the most fulfilling record I’ve written yet.”

A nationwide Irish full-band tour coincides with the release of the record which is available in Ireland before it’s US release date on 4 May. Additional details will be announced shortly.

JOSH RITTER
SO RUNS THE WORLD AWAY new album out 23rd April 2010
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band
With special guest Joe Pug (except Kilkenny)

Live Dates

Saturday 24th April –The Live Lounge @ The Radisson Hotel, Galway
Tickets €30 from www.roisindubh.net/tickets.php
Sunday 25th April – Dolans, Limerick
Tickets from www.dolanspub.com or 061 314483 and Ticketmaster outlets nationwide Priced €29 + booking
Tuesday 27th April – Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin
Tickets €36 (incl.booking fee) from www.ticketmaster.ie
Thursday 29th April – Festival Marquee at CQAF, Belfast (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival)
Tickets from Friday 26th February www.cqaf.com
Friday 30th April – Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny (Kilkenny Rythym & Roots festival)
Tickets €30 from from Rollercoaster records, 0567763669

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• Josh Ritter
• Josh Ritter : Vicar Street

Chemical Brothers Announce Tour 8 Feb 2010, 6:23 am

The Chemical Brothers are set to play their first gigs in nearly eighteen months with the announcement of two headline shows at London’s Roundhouse (May 20th and 21st) and a Saturday night headline gig at Sonar in Barcelona (June 19th).

The Chemical Brothers return to the Roundhouse will be the latest in a long line of heroic shows, from playing to the largest crowd at Glastonbury ever assembled (2000), a historic sell out show at London’s Olympia (2008) and in 2007 becoming the first electronic act ever to play Trafalgar Square, Tom & Ed’s live shows have never been anything less than staggering. This time around, with the promise of something very special up their collective sleeve, get ready for The Chemical Brothers’ most incredible gigs yet.

LIVE DATES

Tickets are available from Friday 12th February @ 9am from www.gigsandtours.com

MAY
20th Roundhouse, London
21st Roundhouse, London

JUNE
19th Sonar Festival, Barcelona

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Snow Patrol : Band of Horse & General Fiasco 8 Feb 2010, 4:39 am

Band of Horses and General Fiasco have just been added as supports to Snow Patrol at Ward Park, Bangor on Saturday 5th June (subject to licence). Snow Patrol’s massive show at Ward Park in 2007 saw a sell-out crowd of 30,000 adoring fans welcome the band home in true Northern Irish fashion. This summer’s concert promises to be even bigger and better and it will be Snow Patrol’s only Irish concert of 2010.

Released in March of 2006, Band of Horses’ debut Everything All the Time made good on the promise hinted at in their early shows and demos. The band went from early shows opening for friends Iron & Wine, to playing on The Late Show with David Letterman by July, and being nominated as one of ten finalists (along with Joanna Newsom, Beirut, Tom Waits, and, the eventual winner, Cat Power) for the Shortlist Music Prize for that same year. Band of Horses released their follow-up album Cease To Begin in 2007 and the record was very well received critically with celebratory press world-wide. The band are putting the finishing touches to their new album and will hit the airwaves again this spring.

General Fiasco release a brand new single ‘Ever So Shy’ on 8th March and have recently played the first ever MTV Presents show in Belfast. Their debut album ‘Buildings’ will be released on 22nd March. 2009 saw the band release their first single for Infectious Music. ‘We Are The Foolish’ received plays on Radio 1, XFM, MTV2 and NME TV – it was described by Rock Sound as having “rip-roaring verses and (a) catchy as hell chorus”. General Fiasco have toured up and down the country several times, wooing fans with their punchy concoction of smashing rock’n’roll. They played Download and Glastonbury Festivals, the CMJ in New York, headlined the Ulster Hall in Belfast, and toured with The Enemy and The Answer at the end of 2009.

More acts will be announced shortly. The summer never sounded so good!

Tickets £44 including booking fee.
On sale now
In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
From Ticketmaster By Telephone (24 Hour):
Northern Ireland – 0844 277 44 55, ROI – 0818 719 300
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie

GENERAL FIASCO start the new decade with a brand new single, their debut album and playing their biggest headline dates so far. ‘Ever So Shy’ is released on 8th March (and has just been added to the Radio 1 playlist) and the album ‘Buildings’ follows on the 22nd March. The record was produced by Neal Calderwood and Arctic Monkeys and The Enemy cohort Barny Barnicott was on mixing duties – it melds rock and pop with their inimitable energy and kick-ass choruses and produces a thrilling 36 minute explosion of guitar-led cracking tunes.

As well as their own UK shows, the band will be playing a free show at the ‘Skins House’ in Bristol at the end of January – this is a collection of free gigs being put on by E4 in conjuction with the TV series Skins – more details at http://www.e4.com/skins/skins-house/introduction.html . They will also be playing at the HMV Next Big Thing Festival alongside the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, You Me At Six, Ellie Goulding and Hadouken! In February. After the UK tour the band head straight out to the US to play the Belfast Rocks party at the SXSW Festival in Austin.

The Northern Irish trio spent 2009 on the road playing both headline shows, support tours with the likes of The Enemy and The Answer, performing at the CMJ in New York, festivals such as Download and Glastonbury and generally anywhere with a stage they could plug into! They also signed to Infectious Music and released their first single ‘We Are The Foolish’ for them which was played on Radio 1, XFM, MTV 2 and NME TV. They also played their biggest show at home in Ireland on Halloween when they headlined the 1300 capacity Ulster Hall in Belfast. General Fiasco kicked off 2010 by playing the first ever MTV presents show in Belfast on the 13th January confirming this year will be just as busy.

New single ‘EVER SO SHY’ 8 March 2010
New album ‘BUILDINGS’ 22 March 2010

Live:

27 January BRISTOL, The Old Firestation – Skins House
(with Goldhawks and Morning Parade)
12 February LONDON, Relentless Garage – HMV Next Big Thing Festival
(with Band of Skulls and Birds of Tokyo) SOLD OUT
16 February ZURICH, Mascotte**
17 February ST.GALLEN, Grabenhalle**
18 February LAUSANNE, Bleu Lezard**
19 February SOLOTHURN, Kofmehl**
21 February BERLIN, Magnet**
22 February STUTTGART, Zwoelfzehn**
23 February MUNICH, Atomic Café**
24 February HAMBURG, Molotow**
27 February ROTTERDAM, Rowtown**
1 March AMSTERDAM, Paradiso**
3 March NIJMEGAN, Merleyn**
8 March MANCHESTER, Sound Control 0161 832 1111
10 March LONDON, Islington O2 Bar Academy 0844 477 2000
11 March SOUTHAMPTON, Joiners 0870 264 3333
13 March BIRMINGHAM, O2 Academy 3 0844 477 2000
14 March York, Fibbers 0844 477 1000
15 March GLASGOW, King Tuts 0844 499 9990

17 March AUSTIN US, Lattitude 30 – SXSW Festival

** Supporting Black Box Revelation

Tickets for the March shows are priced £6 except London £7.50 and are for aged 14+

Links:

www.snowpatrol.com

www.bandofhorses.com

www.generalfiasco.co.uk

Related :

• MTV Presents : General Fiasco
• General Fiasco: We are Foolish
• Snow Patrol – Reworked
• Oxegen Update
• Rock the Hall

Strait Laces Support Band of Skulls 6 Feb 2010, 2:51 pm

Strait Laces are made up of 3 young feisty lads making spiky-rock-pop, they always pack a punch with their music. Formed in early 2008 Strait Laces are considered to be a relatively new on the scene but are already wreaking havoc and delighting audiences all across Ireland and the UK.

2009 saw them playing Trans, Euro-cultured and Liverpool Sound City Festivals and they’ve also supported the likes of Texan outfit White Denim and local heroes General Fiasco.With a Radio One session already under their belt and spot plays on both Rory McConnell and Huw Stephens shows, Strait Laces are already being tipped as ‘ones to watch’ in 2010.

Along with contemporaries And So I Watch You From Afar, Panama Kings and Ed Zealous, Strait Laces continue to prove that Northern Ireland is a hot-bed of musical activity. Strait Laces support Band Of Skulls in Auntie Annies on Wednesday 17th February, tickets available at www.cdcleisure.com

Venue: Auntie Annies Attic
Date: Wednesday 17th February 2010
Ticket Price: £8.00 inc booking fee
Doors: 8:00pm
TICKET DETAILS
In person: From 22 Ticketmaster outlets province wide (Including Easons) / Katy Daly’s Bar
24hr hotlines: Tel: (NI) 0844 277 44 55 (ROI) 0818 719 300
Buy online: www.cdcleisure.com

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The Courteeners : Belfast 5 Feb 2010, 12:51 pm

Manchester indie rockers The Courteeners return with new album ‘Falcon’ on 22nd February and will play the Speakeasy as part of the tour on Wednesday 31st March. The album is the follow up to the UK Top 5 album ‘St. Jude.’ New single ‘You Ovedid It Doll’ is released on February 15th and has been receiving substantial radio support and the album has been met with critical acclaim.

2009 was a huge year for the band. They toured the US with their hero Morrissey for 18 dates and performed on the main stage of the Coachella Festival in California. In December they played a massive 10,000 capacity soldout homecoming show at Manchester Central. The band are set to see their star rise further throughout 2010 with a full UK Tour planned in support of ‘Falcon’ and festival appearances scheduled throughout the summer.

Speakeasy, Belfast
Wednesday 31st March
Doors: 8pm
Tickets: £15
Tickets on sale at 9am Saturday 6th February from Queens Students Union, Ticketmaster and www.qubsu-ents.com

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Killing Bono Continues in Belfast 5 Feb 2010, 12:47 pm

Production has started on Nick Hamm’s comedy Killing Bono based on Neil McCormick’s autobiography, being sold by Salt. Ben Barnes (Dorian Gray, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Easy Virtue) and Robert Sheehan (Season of the Witch, Cherrybomb, The Misfits) are hapless brothers Neil and Ivan McCormick who set up a band in Dublin in the late 70’s. Sadly for them, so did their classmates and rivals, who go on to become U2. Eternal optimism continually wins out over cold harsh reality in a celebration of the glory of failure.

Additional cast are Krysten Ritter (She’s Out of My League, 27 Dresses), Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead, Couples Retreat), Stanley Townsend (Happy-Go-Lucky, Omagh), Ralph Brown (The Boat that Rocked) with Pete Postlethwaite. Also appearing is Martin McCann (Clash of the Titans) as teenage Bono.

Killing Bono is shooting on location in Northern Ireland with additional photography in Dublin and London. The film is financed through the Northern Ireland Screen Fund supported by Invest NI and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund

Director is Nick Hamm (Martha Meets Frank, Daniel and Lawrence, The Hole and Godsend). Producers are Ian Flooks (Confetti) for Wasted Talent, Nick Hamm for Greenroom Entertainment, Mark Huffam (Mamma Mia!) for Generator Entertainment and Piers Tempest (Like Minds) for The Salt Company,

Script is written by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais (The Commitments, The Bank Job) with Simon Maxwell. The music is provided by the massively talented Joe Echo.

The film is backed by Isotope Films, Matador Pictures, Cinema Three, Regent Capital, Molinare, Silver Reel, Sony Music Entertainment UK who will release the soundtrack worldwide and Northern Ireland Screen.

Links:
FlixelPix Photos
Northern Ireland Screen

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• Eilidh Patterson Album Release
• Top U2 Songs Ever !
• The first album I ever bought……
• Profile : Joe Echo

James Vincent McMorrow : Belfast 3 Feb 2010, 12:13 pm

James Vincent Mc Morrow is a songwriter from Dublin. His writing and vocal talents attracted the attention of EMI resulting in a publishing deal in 2008. He released his debut EP Sparrow and the Wolf late that year, a collection of demo recordings he’d made while living in London. While not the finished product by any means, it was very much the sound of someone experimenting with words and melody, figuring out a direction and vision that he’d carry with him into the recording of his first album.

James has racked up some amazing support slots and guest appearances over the last 18 months, with the likes of Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, the Dodos, Al Green, and Nathalie Merchant all inviting him to play shows. James also supported Tracy Chapman on her European tour last year. Early in the Morning is James debut album due for release on the 26th February 2010. James will be playing 8 dates across Ireland in support of his album release, which includes Auntie Annies, Belfast on Friday 19th March 2010. Tickets are priced £5 plus booking fee and are available at www.cdcleisure.com

Venue: Auntie Annies
Date: Friday 19th March 2010
Ticket Price: £5.00 + Booking Fee
Doors: 9pm
Support: To Be Confirmed
TICKET DETAILS
In person: From 22 Ticketmaster outlets province wide (Including Easons) / Katy Daly’s Bar
24hr hotlines: Tel: (NI) 0844 277 44 55 (ROI) 0818 719 300
Buy online: www.cdcleisure.com

Recorded in an isolated house by the sea, Early in the Morning is a completely self-produced and self played affair. It was recorded with one mic, a room full of beat up instruments, very little engineering knowledge, and a good amount of patience.

His song, taken from the album, We Don’t Eat has just been included on One Tree Hill series, and the track Follow You Down To The Red Oak Tree will featured as part of the children’s charity Barnardos TV campaign.

“It really feels like this album finally says exactly what I’ve always wanted to say, sounds exactly like I’ve always wanted to sound. I’ve taken a lot of interesting turns in the last 2 years, had some amazing experiences, made some amazing mistakes. One day I stopped, sat down, thought about what I truly wanted to be as a musician, and this album just arrived. It’s indelibly me, it makes me happy, and whatever happens to it beyond that, it is all good” -James Vincent Mc Morrow

Single: This Old Dark Machine is out Feb 19th 2010
Album: Early in the Morning is out Feb 26th 2010

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Slash Releases Solo Album 3 Feb 2010, 12:07 pm

In what will be his first true solo album, rock icon Slash announced today his album, “Slash”, will be released in the UK on the 10th May 2010 through Roadrunner Records. The album features an all-star roster of guest musicians including Ian Astbury, Chris Cornell, Rocco DeLuca, Fergie, Dave Grohl, Myles Kennedy, Kid Rock, Lemmy Kilmister, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Duff McKagan, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, and Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother.

A major undertaking for Slash, he enlisted services of producing partner Eric Valentine (Queens of Stone Age, The All-American Rejects) and compiled a rhythm section of bassist Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and drummer Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails). Slash handled the majority of arranging and songwriting duties and hand-picked each guest artist. The album’s guests worked collaboratively with Slash to round out the song.

“The idea was really simple in the beginning,” said Slash. “These are all artists I wanted to work with – that I thought it would be amazing to do something creative and collaborative. And I was so impressed with what everyone brought to the table. They were all so committed to doing a good job. And we had a lot of fun making these songs.”

In the UK “Slash” will also see Roadrunner Records enter into a unique and innovative association with a U.K. media partner – the special-interest media group, Future. In a brand new concept in record distribution the standard album release will be preceded by a “fan pack”, in which the Roadrunner Records album will be bundled together with a highly-collectable special issue of Future Publishing’s Classic Rock magazine dedicated to Slash’s career. The Slash “Fan Pack” featuring his debut solo album from Roadrunner Records, along with a 132-page “Classic Rock Presents: Slash” special will have a cover
price of £14.99 and will be available on magazine newsstands nationwide, in over 3000 non conventional music retail outlets such as WHSmith, all supermarket chains and many independent high street newsagents

Slash is widely considered one of the greatest rock guitar players of all time. He has received countless accolades and awards including a 2007 star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame alongside his idols Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. An original member of iconic rock band Guns N’ Roses, Slash helped the band create signature sounds like the
guitar riff of #1 hit “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Welcome To The Jungle.” The band dominated the 1980’s and 90’s music scene selling more than 100 million albums worldwide and ushered in a decade of hard charging rock music. After the band’s break-up, Slash went on to critical acclaim in his personal project Slash’s Snakepit, and global success with supergroup Velvet Revolver. He has been widely sought after by the biggest musicians of all time, performing with everyone from Michael Jackson to Stevie Wonder to Ray Charles. Slash is one of the marquee playable characters in Guitar Hero III, has two signature Gibson guitars in his name, and authored his own top-selling biography Slash in 2007.

“Slash” album track listing

1. Ghost (Ian Astbury)
2. Beautiful Dangerous (Fergie)
3. Nothing To Say (M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold)
4. Crucify The Dead (Ozzy Osbourne)
5. Promise (Chris Cornell)
6. By The Sword (Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother)
7. Doctor Alibi (Lemmy Kilmister)
8. Saint Is A Sinner Too (Rocco De Luca)
9. Watch This (Dave Grohl/Duff McKagan)
10. I Hold On (Kid Rock)
11. Gotten (Adam Levine)
12. We’re All Gonna Die (Iggy Pop)
13. Starlight (Myles Kennedy)

Classic Rock Presents: Slash “Fan pack” will have above tracklisting and also feature two exclusive bonus tracks

“Fan pack” only bonus track: Baby Can’t Drive (Alice Cooper/Nicole Scherzinger)
“Fan pack” only bonus track: Paradise City (Fergie/Cypress Hill)

Links:
www.slashonline.com

“Slash” is released in the UK through Roadrunner Records on the 10th May 2010
Classic Rock Presents: Slash “Fan pack” is released on the 7th April 2010

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Mika : Waterfront Hall 2 Feb 2010, 12:39 pm

Mika plays a Belfast headliner at The Waterfront Hall as part of the UK and Irish leg of a lengthy Spring touring schedule. The flamboyant singer has promised that “it will be a show and a half”, saying “I have always tried to make my shows theatrical. I don’t know how to do anything by half.”

Mega-hit, Grace Kelly, propelled Mika’s 2007 debut, Life In Cartoon Motion, to sell six million copies around the world.
Mika’s second studio album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, is just released and has already gone top 10 all over Europe. It was largely recorded in Los Angeles with producer and musician Greg Wells, who also produced the debut, and includes the huge hit single We Are Golden.

MIKA
SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2010
WATERFRONT HALL, BELFAST

Doors 7.00pm. Tickets – Seated and Standing – are £27.50 inclusive of booking fee from Waterfront Hall Box Office on 028 9033 4455 or at www.waterfront.co.uk . Tickets also available from all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ie , and on their 24 hour booking line on 0844 277 4455 (sales may be subject to credit card charges and the commissions of agents).

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Ellie Goulding : Belfast 2 Feb 2010, 11:05 am

Hereford born singer–songwriter and guitarist Ellie Goulding has been writing her own folk-inspired music since the age of fifteen. Later exposed to electronic music, she developed her sound with the help of electropop artist Frankmusik .
Debut single “Under the Sheets” has gained massive airplay since it’s Autumn release.

Ellie Goulding is a complicated thing in a seemingly simple package. On first hearing, she’s a bright and shiny 22 year old singer-songwriter, with her fingers on her guitar, her feet in a night-club and her head in the heavens. But very few singer-songwriters, young or old, can flip between dance-til-you-drop euphoria (“Starry Eyed”) and wistful, journeying space-folk (“Guns and Horses”), between lyrics that talk obliquely about sleeping around (“Under The Sheets”) and those that pin-point the love-hate relationship every leaver has about their home town (“Wish I Stayed”).

Very few can do all that and leave us, the listeners, with enchantment, curious romance and, somehow, a sense of vastness, of travel, of space and time. It’s pop, Jim, but not as we know it.

Live, Ellie has moved on from her talent show debut: she gives her gigs her all, as those who saw her mesmerising performance on Later will testify. But she doesn’t like to speak between songs.

“Perhaps I should just hold up cards saying, Thank you so much for coming, because I am grateful,” she laughs. “It’s just that I want the music to do the talking. I don’t want to detract from the songs. I don’t want to break the spell.” And we don’t want her to, either. It’s lovely to have Ellie’s magic wafted over you, wonderful to be caught up in her enchantment. Spell-bound indeed.

In October 2009 she toured the UK supporting Little Boots, and on 30 October 2009 performed Under the Sheets and Guns + Horses as a guest on Later… with Jools Holland.

Goulding is tipped for a huge 2010, having topped the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, which showcases the critics, broadcasters and music industry insiders’ top choices for rising stars and artists for the coming year. She also won the Critics’ Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards.

Goulding’s debut album, entitled Lights, will be released through Polydor on 1 March 2010, preceded by its second single, Starry Eyed, due out 22 February 2010

ELLIE GOULDING
SPRING AND AIRBRAKE BELFAST
MONDAY 15 MARCH 2010

Doors 8.00pm. Tickets £14.00 + booking fee and are available across the counter from all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ie , and on their 24 hour booking line on 0870 243 4455. (sales may be subject to credit card charges and the commissions of Ticketmaster agents). Also available from Katy Dalys nett of booking fee.

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ASIWYFA : Live and Signing at HMV 1 Feb 2010, 1:03 pm

HMV is delighted to welcome And So I Watch You From Afar to HMV Donegall Arcade on Monday February 15th at 5.00pm. The band will be promoting their new EP, ‘The Letters’, in its week of release.

This self made instrumental juggernaut has been razing Belfast to the ground with their remarkable live performances which have been described by the press as stunning and unmissable.

After selling out of their much anticipated debut EP in just 6 weeks, they have been tipped by all the Irish and Northern Irish press, had high praise from Kerrang! and become a firm favourite on BBC Radio 1.

They have just been shortlisted for the prestigious Choice Music Prize & the XFM New Music Award for their self titled debut album. Their new EP, The Letters, features four tracks and will be released on 8 February.

HMV Donegall Arcade manager James Rider said, “It is great to have And So I Watch You From Afar playing at the store. They have a huge local following and have played some of Belfast’s most memorable gigs of late. They have been going from strength to strength and this is a great chance to welcome a local band destined for big things.”

Who: And So I Watch You From Afar
Where: HMV Donegall Arcade
When: Monday February 15th, 5.00pm

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Duke Special : A Book, The Stage & Silver Screen 1 Feb 2010, 11:27 am

Multifaceted artist Duke Special returns at the end of February with a brand new project: A Book, The Stage & The Silver Screen, a triple CD set, which will also be released as single CD’s.

The Stage is a reference to the album Mother Courage and Her Children, the Duke Special written music from a new production of Bertolt Brecht’s classic anti-war play, which ran in the National Theatre in London in the latter part of 2009. The production was directed by Deborah Warner and starred Fiona Shaw in the lead role of Mother Courage. It was Shaw who brought Duke Special on board the project, having first heard the Duke in 2007, performing at ‘The Oscar Wildes’, an annual Irish film awards held in Los Angeles.

The stage spectacle is based around the music and performances of Duke Special and his band, who are an integral part of the entire play. The show was seen by over 100,000 people and garnered an overwhelming collection of positive reviews, many of which singled out Duke Special and the music as a highlight of the production. This album features twelve songs from the stage production.

A Book refers to Huckleberry Finn, a five track mini album which is the first ever recording of an unfinished musical written by Kurt Weill based on the Mark Twain classic. Weill died in 1950 before he and lyricist Maxwell Anderson were able to complete the play. The recordings come with a firm seal of approval from the Kurt Weill Foundation, who listened to the finished songs and wrote to Duke Special saying that they were delighted with the songs and that his interpretations retained the spirit of Weill.

The Silver Screen refers to the album The Silent World of Hector Mann, based on The Book of Illusions by contemporary American author Paul Auster. The album was recorded in Chicago by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, The Stooges) and features songs performed by Duke Special and written by many artists including Duke Special, Neil Hannon, Ed Harcourt, Thomas Truax and Paul Wilkinson.

The Duke first encountered the actor Hector Mann in Auster’s The Book of Illusions and was intrigued by the fact that he had only ever made twelve obscure silent movies. Deciding to base his new music project on Mann’s movie appearances, the Duke sent a copy of The Book of Illusions and one film title to a number of artist friends, asking each to write a song based on their given film title in a pre rock ‘n’ roll style.

The results are featured on The Silent World of Hector Mann. When completed, Duke sent the recordings to Auster himself and received the reply: “He (Auster) enjoyed it immensely and was particularly thrilled by Mr. Nobody, Jockey Club, and Tango Tangle. He gives his blessing wholeheartedly to you and the project.”

Duke Special self releases this collection, having raised capital through a unique fan funding model called Pledge Music (www.pledgemusic.com), whereby artists offer all sorts of one off experiences and interesting materials and fans pledge varying amounts of money for these, enabling independent artists to raise capital without having to rely on traditional methods such as record company advances.

One of the key offerings on Duke Special’s Pledge Music page is three intimate concerts, one each in Dublin, Belfast and London, where Duke Special will perform one off, intimate and exclusive Pledge Music shows celebrating the release of The Stage, A Book & The Silver Screen. The performances will be in three parts, representing each of the albums and the Duke will be accompanied by Dublin pianist Cian Boylan and the Matador Ben Castle. Tickets for each show are only available at www.pledgemusic.com and the venues and dates are: Friday February 19, Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin; Saturday February 20, May Street Church, Belfast; Thursday February 25 Hoxton Hall, London.

THE STAGE, A BOOK & THE SILVER SCREEN
Releasing Friday February 26th, 2010, as a 3CD box set and separate CDs

Mother Courage and Her Children
Album of the music written and performed by Duke Special for the new production of the Bertolt Brecht classic play, translated by Tony Kushner and staged at the National Theatre in London over two months in 2009 and starring Fiona Shaw. Huckleberry Finn An unfinished musical by Kurt Weill based on the Mark Twain classic
The Silent World of Hector Mann An album based on Paul Auster’s classic ‘The Book of Illusions’ featuring songs written by Duke Special, Neil Hannon, Ed Harcourt and many more…

PLUS EXCLUSIVE DUKE SPECIAL PLEDGE MUSIC GIG AT
SMOCK ALLEY THEATRE, DUBLIN ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19

Links:
www.dukespecial.com

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Top 10 Love Films of all Time 1 Feb 2010, 10:56 am

This year in the run up to Valentine’s Day  hmv.com invited its online customers to nominate their all-time favourite love film. This annual survey of top-fifty romantic movies attracted over 25,000 votes. In previous years, films such as Romeo + Juliet, which came top in 2008, and Casablanca, have tended to dominated, but this time round the top two positions were filled by Patrick Swayze offerings – Ghost and Dirty Dancing.

We have listed the Top 10 films listed and would love to know what you think of the rankings or if you think a particular film should be on the list.

1. Ghost (1990) share of vote 8.7%
Young stockbroker (Patrick Swayze) and girlfriend (Demi Moore) move into a Manhattan loft and look forward to a wonderful life together. But their dreams are cut short when Sam is killed in an apparently motiveless attack. The newly bereft Molly goes into a deep depression… but Sam’s a lot closer than she realizes. With the help of a ’psychic’ (Whoopi Goldberg), Sam’s ghost must convince a sceptical Molly that he was, in fact, murdered by a work colleague, and protect her from impending danger.

2. Dirty Dancing 8.4%
It’s summer, 1963. Frances, seventeen and innocent, is on holiday with her parents in the Catskills. She meets Johnny, the hotel dance instructor, and is mesmerised by him and his dance style. She soon becomes his prize pupil, in dance and in love. The film that launched Patrick Swayze’s acting career.

3. The Notebook (2004) 7.8%
As teenagers, Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) begin a whirlwind courtship that soon blossoms into tender intimacy, but the couple are separated by Allie’s upper-class parents, who insist that Noah isn’t right for her. Several years pass, and, when they meet again, their passion is rekindled, forcing Allie to choose between her soul mate and class order. This tale has a special meaning to older gentleman (James Garner) who reads the love story to his ageing companion (Gena Rowlands).

4. Titanic (1997) 6.8%
A fortune hunter searching for a lost diamond near the wreck of the Titanic brings something else to the surface… a story from the past in which an unlikely romance between a beautiful English socialite and a streetwise Irish lad in steerage is fated to end before it has really begun… The Oscar-laden film that launched the careers of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

5. Pretty Woman (1990) 6.3%
In a ‘Cinderella’ story that made Julia Roberts a star, an LA corporate raider, played by Richard Gere, hires a hooker to pose as his girlfriend for a week… and unwittingly falls in love.

Meanwhile, she wonders if the straight life – with him – might be her dream coming true.

6. Love Actually (2003) 6.1%
Christmas is approaching, and a group of people connected in some way, find themselves surrounded by love. The cast includes Hugh Grant as a prime minister who falls for a staff member, Liam Neeson as a widower counselling his son in the ways of love, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman as a couple faced with infidelity, and Colin Firth as a writer who can’t resist the charms of his Portuguese maid.

7. Romeo + Juliet (1996) 4.6%
Shakespeare’s immortal tale of star-crossed young lovers gets an MTV-style updating from Baz Luhrmann in this hip, Florida-set adaptation featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the doomed teenaged children of rival industrialists. Visually stunning and a wonderful soundtrack, which includes the famous ‘balcony’ scene.

8. An ) 3.3%
Desperately hoping to earn a naval commission, an ambitious young man, played by Richard Gere, enters officer candidate school. The local factory girls dream of being rescued from their mundane lives by marrying the recruits once they become officers, but are always cruelly discarded after they’ve had their fun with them. Will Zack Mayo’s relationship with Paula Pokrifki be any different?

9. Moulin Rouge (2001) 3.2%
Cross ‘La Boheme’ with ‘Cabaret’, throw in a little bit of ‘Rent’, and you might almost begin to describe Baz Luhrmann’s visually opulent, fast-paced, funny, heartrending ‘Moulin Rouge’. Set in 1890’s Paris at the notorious Montmartre club, the movie stars Nicole Kidman as the high-kicking courtesan, Satine and Ewan McGregor as the sensitive poet, Christian.

10. Amelie (2001) 3.0%
Cinema magic from beginning to end, Amelie is an uplifting experience that will soften the hardest of hearts. Amelie works in a Parisian coffee shop, and inhabits a fantasy world. One day she realises how good it is to make people happy and sets out to change the lives of those around her, though it’s Amelie who needs the most help as she’s fallen in love with a man who collects discarded photo booth pictures and the two become obsessed with a strange phantom man who keeps appearing in the photos.

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Pilotlight : The Post War Musical 31 Jan 2010, 5:03 pm

Irelands very own Pilotlight are proud to announce the release of their debut Album ‘The Post War Musical’ which is due for release on February 19th 2010. The Album was recorded in France with well known producer David Odlum who works with artists such as The Frames and Gemma Hayes. The Album has already been described by one music journalist as “a work of art”

Dubliners Pilotlight were conceived with the premise of creating an escapism through music that the listener could soundtrack their daily lives to. Pilotlight’s use of perspective, tonality, and dynamic have allowed them to pioneer their own style of despondent alternative rock. Their music deals with love, loss and the beauty & frailty that is human existence.

Sharing in enjoyment of the cathartic process of listening to a sad song (“Love Will Tear Us Apart” – Joy Division, “Switching Off” – Elbow, “Motion Picture Soundtrack” – Radiohead, “Last Goodbye” – Jeff Buckley) and influenced by aspects of George Orwell’s observations of society, Francis Bacon’s use of colour & violent resolve, and, Michel Gondry’s use of neosurrealism to explore the nature of relationships; when four friends found a creative refuge in each other’s company, Pilotlight was born.

The Post War Musical, a project introduced by the British government after the Second World War in order to boost morale, brought hope to a landscape devastated by loss. The Post War Musical was recorded with David Odlum in Black Box Studios, a converted stables in the quiet secluded surrounds of Noyant La Gravoyere, France over a 2 week period in 2008. This is the result.

Release Date: 19/02/10 Format: CD/DD Runtime: 44 Min 20 Sec Tracks: 12
Track list:

1. All Purpose Underneath
2. Pulling On Doors That Say Push
3. They Had Names
4. Bringing Flowers To The Black Banks
5. Health And Safety
6. Bite Your Nails
7. Bells
8. Afraid Of Heights
9. South
10. Music To Cross The Road
11. Letting Balloons Go
12. The Shortest Route To Happiness Is A Straight Line

Purchase the CD (from 19th February).

Links:
www.pilotlightmusic.com

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Amuze on Twitter And Facebook 30 Jan 2010, 7:11 am

In a bizarre twist of fate we have had to change our twitter account. The great news is as well as Twitter you can now follow us on Facebook. Our new twitter account is @amuzeni we would really appreciate the follow and if you could give us a mention to help get us started again it would be great.

Our Facebook page can be found here. Slow beginnings but we really do consider the Amuze site to be a community so please interact with the Facebook page and we will try and mention as many events, gigs and releases as we can.

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