Ok, this is pretty similar to the last gig update, other than.... Julian Cope! Wow, i've oftern wondered what he would be like live. I've heard that he's as mental as you would expect. I haven't bought his last four or five albums, but i guess that doesn't really matter.

I'm sure he'll be doing his typical druid inspired show, with lots of dancing around and casting of positive love spells and the like. I can only imagine.

Maybe he'll come out and won't talk to the crowd at all, and play his songs, but i doubt it!

Scott Mathews, Fionn Regan, Willy Mason, Low, Cat Power ( i hear she's sober this weather, so she won't be as shocked as she was last time at Whelans, sounded an odd gig!). They're all relatively miserable, so I might go to Peter, Bjorn and John to kick off on a happy vibe. I'd say they'll be great at Tripod (where i've yet to see a bad gig!).
Besnard Lakes have been recommended to me, so i'll have to investigate before the gig. El-P also sounds interesting, but don't kow a lot about him.

12/4/07 Scott Mathews - Village Thurs
13/4/07 Amusement parks on fire - Whelans Friday
14/4/07 Joanna Newsome - Olympia - Sat --- Sold out
14/4/07 Peter, Bjorn and John - Tripod - Sat
15/4/07 El-P - Crawdaddy - Sunday
19/4/07 Fionn Regan - Whelans - Thurs
20/4/07 Fionn Regan - Crawdaddy Friday
21/4/07 Cansei De Ser Sexy- Ambass Sat
24/4/07 Cold War Kids - Whelans Tues
2/5/07 65 days of static - TBMC Wednesday
3/5/07 Jesse Malin - TBMC Thurs
9/5/07 Low - Village Wed
24/5/07 Julian Cope - Tripod Thurs
26/5/07 Willy Mason - TBMC Sat
10/5/07 Suburban Kids with ... - Whelans Thurs
10/05/07 Cat Power Tripod Thu
20/5/07 The Besnard Lakes - Whelans Sunday
23/5/07 Simple Kid - Village Wednesday26/5/07 Nouvelle Vague Tripod Saturday.

Sunday in the park

As Morrissey himself once said 'Every day is like Sunday, everyday is cloudy and grey'.
One of my friends once told me 'Organise your Sundays, you can leave ever other day to chance, but organise your Sundays'. Wise words indeed, as there is something inherently crappy about them. its like you just sit there waiting for Monday, and its world of pain to arrive.
I generally just go to the movies on a sunday, but for once, there was nothing i could enjoy on any level on. So, when coming up with a list of cheap days out in dublin on a Sunday, what would you suggest?

A walk in the park? Window shopping in Brown Thomas? (who exactly can afford to buy junk there!) Picking on the junkies on Talbot street? Dodging the pools of vomit from last nights stag/ hen parties in Temple bar?
Last sunday, I went to the Hugh Lane, for one in a series of concerts they've been having every sunday at midday. Admittedly, it is very poorly advertised, and even the guy on the front desk didn't seem to know what was on. I thought it would be a string quartet, and i might just slip away after the first movement/ song or whatever!

I was pleasantly surprised. The emphasis was on contempary and folk music. The first part was a solo violin, which was played wonderfully. The second was a dodgy poet, who has poems about crackling chestnuts on an open fire, that i really shouldn't mention in this sequence, anyway, they were short! The third was a guy playing middle eastern folk music on a lute and saz (strange shaped guitars to most).

Afterwards, I continued to wander through the various exhibitions. Tacita Dean's two video pieces, at one hour and forty five minutes respectively, killed another few hours. There was also a lecture on, on her work. There have been various lectures over the last few weeks, on a variety of topics. Admittedly, these are only for the hard core amongst you! Anyway, check it, chek it out....

Any other ideas for Sundays?

Shake it, shake it, shake it, Salome

This production of the Oscar Wilde play has been adapted to feature the feel of the decadent 20's in America. The style and clothes of the actors correspond to that. It is a reprisal of the Stephen Berkoff version from around 10 years ago, which is often mentioned in hushed tones, and featured the late dice man as the executioner.

Some other members of the cast have also changed, most notably Salome herself, as the new actress (Fiona O'Shaughnessy) is somewhat of a weak link in the piece. Her voice grates, and sounds like a children's tv presenter, but she does look the part, and moves with the grace that you would expect.

Generally well acted, especially by Alan Stanford (not an actor i generally enjoy) and Barbara Brennan. The the set, while being somewhat barren, and the music that is played through add to the silent movie or mime feel of the whole play. The minor characters form a chorus at the back of the stage, singing or repeating lines that the main characters have already spoken. This device works better than you would imagine, and adds to the drama of the piece.

I wasn't in any way familiar with the play before seeing it, and it is a pity to see it first time, in the re-constructed staging that is evident in this, but having said that, it did work. While i would be somewhat reserved about my recommendation of the play, mainly due to Salome herself, it is still a worthwhile event, and deservig of your time.

3/5

Current Exhibitions

IMMA is back to full speed at the moment, with three exhibitions recently opened, and according to the curator, has had some of its largest attendances ever, in the last couple of weeks. This is down to the quality of the shows on display, and long may it continue. It may be on the outskirts of town, but is well worth a visit at the moment.
Thomas Demand - This is an exhibition of photographer Thomas Demand, showing work from various stages of his career. These gigantic works, show a world not unlike our own, but obviously something is different. If you look quickly at the work, it would appear nothing different from an office scene or apartment block, but it is only when you take your time to view in detail what it is showing, that it begins to reveal itself.

He creates models of the world to photograph, but they have subtle differences from reality. Phones appear without buttons, doors without knobs, the complexity of every situation has somehow been removed, to focus on the form and the long fluid lines, that he is fascinated by. Even the photo of a clearing in a forest is somehow unreal, and it is almost impossible to tell what is real and what he has created.

IMMA

Alex Katz - This was the least interesting of the three shows, in my opinion, but still had something of value within. They are naive painting of people, sometimes poets and friends, sometimes group scenes of everyday life. Largely with a solid black or grey background, so you can focus on the individual and not on what is around them. They almost seem to float, living in a void, and removed from their every day life.
He is at his best, in the few scenes he paints of people and their surroundings, which are very evocative of a period and a location. (One of stockbrokers in New York in the 80's particularly stands out). I was slightly disappointed, due to the reputation that proceeded this artists work, but still did enjoy some of it.

IMMA

Georgia O'Keefe - A small collection of the artists work, including paintings and sculpture. A few commentators have suggested that her painting of flowers were actually that of a females body, and that seemed evident to me. He has a strong understanding of colour, and at their best, they are quite beautiful

Hugh Lane -
Tacita Dean - This is a collection of video art, paintings and sculpture by the English contemporary artist, and turner award nominee, Tacita Dean. The few that really caught my imagination were two video pieces, one of a plant producing camera film. It dwells on the strange machinery and processes involved in the production process. Sometimes, the reams of glowing film seem almost like abstract paintings, as the shimmer and glow, almost rainbow like, sometimes it focus on the rugged machinery, and its arms, wheels and cogs.

The other video piece is of a convent in Cork, and in contrast to the other piece, focuses on how slow and steady life is in these places. The long corridors at sunset, set alight as the sun comes through the stain glass windows, and other images to capture the mood of their life styles. It reminded me of the 'into the silence' film, currently showing in the IFI.

Dorothy Cross

Ok, I'll nail my colours to the mast, I'm a fan! Her work is haunting, it probes at something deep with us, and can cause feelings of unease and discomfort. Her images stay with you for long after you've left the gallery. As one of the very few Irish artists to be recognised internationally, she definitely deserves your time. Her recent show in IMMA, which featured pieces such as the virgin shroud (on loan from the Tate modern), was the highlight of the year for me.

She pokes around at the Irish psyche, on ideas deep within us around religion and our views on feminity and sexuality. Some of her work can be a little hit and miss, but when she gets it right, there's few better.

Some of my favourite of her images include an old bible core drilled through the centre, the virgin shroud, a statue of the virgin Mary covered in cow hide, with a crown made of udders, which looks like something from a Japanese horror movie, as it looms in the corner of the room.

Another of her pieces 'Ghost Ship', she covered a disused boat in Dun Laoghaire harbour with luminous paint and then shown an intense light on it. When the light was extinguished, the boat glowed in the bay. Something i'm annoyed i missed.

Her new show in the Kerlin gallery opens today. Go have a peek, it should be one of the more interesting shows in town.

Kerlin gallery includes images and biography

There's also Brigid Flannery in the Cross gallery at the moment, with some beautiful abstract pieces. I've only seen them on the net yet, but was very impressed! Its a good time for the ladies!

Cross Gallery

This is not a theatre blog!

Honest.

It just seems that way.
Hmm.
Maybe i've found a niche. The four people that go to the theatre in dublin, when its not disney on ice or Mama Mia can visit this site regularly to find out what i liked and didn't like.
I think its working like this. I go to the cinema loads too, but i'm always behind the times. I'm aiming to go to inland empire this week, and i'm going this week as i think it finishes on thursday! Its always the same, i go to things with panic for fear that they'll close before i see them.
I buy a decent amount of music also, but its generally being posted from Hong Kong, or somewhere, so by the time its arrived, the critics have already all had their say, and it all seems old hat. I guess i need to convince to give me stuff for free before it comes out. That should be easy enough!
With the theatre, i'm just being cheap. Previews are cheaper, so I go to them. Then when i'm thinking of what to chat about on this site, it always seems obvious enough.
Anyway, here's a review of things i've generally liked in the last while, but haven't mentioned as they're hopelessly out of date!
Music

Fionn Regan - Yep, he arrived. They're lovely songs, very melodic and just canter away, with great plucked guitars. I'm not sure i'm completely convinced by his lyrics. Maybe i'm just being stoopid, but things like 'I have become, an aerial view of a coastal town, that you once knew' just dont' mean a lot to me. Is he trying to suggest that he's become a distant image as he fades from her world, or... god only knows. Anyway, I've a nagging doubt that they're just lyrics, words, that don't have huge meaning. Anyway, i'm enjoying it none the less, just slightly less than i though i would! 3.5/5

Arcade Fire - Another small let down. It all sounds like I've heard them before. Even the lyrics seem strangely familiar, i'll have to research it better, but i think they're covering at least one of their older songs, or maybe i just heard it on the internet somewhere before i got it!
They've made their sound slightly bigger, using church organs and choirs and the like, which does seem quite impressive. The slow songs lose me completely though. There's more than enough on it, to make me happy i bought it, just a few too many songs i skip, if i'm near the cd player! 3/5.

Kristin Hersh - Ok, if you've ten or twelve albums from her already, this will not shock you! Its got some interesting arrangements, with strings in almost every song., Violin and Cello to augment the three piece rock band of 50ft wave! Its definitely the best album of her last few in my mind, and varies between fast and slow songs to give the album some variation and depth. 3/5.

Cinema
Venus - I like that he's a horrible nasty character, not a sweet gentle old man. I real old Lech, who is disgusted that he can't pull like he once did. Its well acted throughout, but there's a lull after an initial high. It starts incredibly, but loses its pace and humour slightly after the initial half hour or so, and falls away. The end is slightly sentimental, but still, made me laugh more than once and is worth it for the performances alone. 3/5

Kicking a dead horse

Kicking a Dead Horse at the Peacock

By Sam Shepard

Its a real pleasure to see something of this standard on in Dublin. The complete run is almost sold out, other than for some of the matinees, and i'd recommend anyone that can, to get one of the last tickets.
Although, having said that, it isn't for everyone. A few of the people I went with, had mixed feelings about it. It is quite cerebral, and as most monologues do, lacks movement or a dynamic on the stage.
The play starts with the main character digging a hole for his horse, in the middle of an unknown desert! The Horse has died near the start of his soul searching trip through the land he knew as a young man. He searching for 'Authenticity'.
It has the feel of a Beckett play and deals with some similar subject matter. Indeed, some of the plot devices used in 'waiting for godot' can be seen in this. Stephen Rea is great throughout. To hold the attention of an audience in a monologue such as this, must be difficult, but there was never a moment he wasn't commanding on the stage.
I'm off to London tomorrow, and don't expect to see anything better than this on the stage over there! Nice to see Sam Shepard at the back of the theatre at the end of the show also. He seems to have put a lot of time and effort into this production, and it shows!
4/5

Don Carlos - Rough Magic - The Project.
This staging of the Schiller play has a great feel of size and power about it! As you enter the theatre you are met by an actor playing a bouncer, who stops you and only lets you in, in fours and fives. You are then let inside and one of the actors takes you to a seat. A small touch, but a nice one.
The theatre itself is set up with seats on all four sides, with doors set up at each corner. This allows the actors to leave the stage and one side and emerge at another! It gives the play good movement and you're never sure which door will be flung open or who is listening from what side of the stage.

The ensemble cast of 13 characters, some bit parts, but many more important to the script, were in general impressive with Darragh Kelly (as the malevolent voice of Rome) and Fergan McElherron (as Don Carlos' closest advisor) particularly standing out .
The script itself felt slightly convoluted and you did have to pay attention to follow who knew of who's letters and how was on who's side! At three hours, it was slightly long, and there was no comic relief or sub plot to break up the flow. The plot took many twists and turns, with Don Carlos struggling for truth and an idealistic better world against his tyrannical realist father, and also, with his impossible love for his step mother the Queen, who had been his childhood sweet heart.

It is a tough, long night, but quite rewarding
4 / 5

Project

The Gods of Football are tired!

Well, another round of the Champions League has passed, and Arsenal are the team that most are surprised to see being knocked out. It does raise one question though. How exactly the Gods of football work? It was the most predictable occurence in the world that once Brazilian defender Alex, having scored an own goal, would then head up the end of the pitch and head one in at other end of the pitch.
'Oh, from villain to hero in minutes' says the commentator.
I'm not claiming to be some kind of a soothsayer, but I did actually say exactly that before the free kick he scored was taken. 'Bet Alex gets his head on this'. Its not even unusual, I can remember five or siz instances of it, off the top of my head. I think Niall Quinn did something ridiculous like score at each end and save a penatly at one point in his career, i'm sure he's alone on that stat!
Football's gods are a predictable bunch. Actually it rarely has more surprises than the wrestling, If a player leaves a club, especially when there is some bad circumstances over his departure, he will then score every time he plays that team from then on! This is the one fundamental rule.
If a teenager makes his debut, he'll always score the winner, even if it goes in off his butt or arm, with him having absolutely no knowledge of the event. The same thing stands for an expensive import on their debut, but if they do happen not to score, they'll then go on a 15 game streak where they won't score.
I guess the script writers need to work 'outside the box' so to speak. It really is becoming far too predictable...

I am not a number, I am a free man

A Number - Peacock Theatre

The London version of this play had Michael Gambon and Daniel Craig. One version in America had Sam Shepard playing the father. Unfortunately, in Ireland, we got two relatively unknowns. This was not always meant to be the case. In fact, Tom Hickey was meant to play the father, but after 'artistic differences' with the director, pulled out with two weeks to go. I'm sure this lead to a huge amount of panic, and meant that the guy they did end up with, was unfortuately, someone who was not working at this time. I think this may have been with good reason. He was a plank!
The other actor involved was much more up to speed. He had the more difficult role of the two, having to play three differect characters in the one piece. Each as clones of the other, each fundamentally different from the other!
There did seem to be some basic quality in the writing, but it barely escaped from what was on stage. The main device, used throughout the play, is of having one actor finish the other's sentences for them. It showed how under rehearsed the play was, as there was clear gaps between when one stopped and when the other actor started talking! There was be a brief pause from when one stopped talking before the other picked up on the thread, which felt bizarre, like dead air on the radio!
It was a pity as the play may have been good, but with this leaden performance, was never destined to make the grade. The night I went to it, there was a secondary school year at it. I'm sure they got reduced price or free tickets to fill up the space. The Peacock will have to do a heck of a lot better before the crowds will come back to its doors.

Will be interesting to see how Sam Shepard does with his new play. Going next week. Should be fun anyway....