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On The Record

Jim Carroll

Music, Life and everything else

Monthly Archives: August 2008

Day two flashback

Good morning campers! Today’s Daily Ticket, reporting on events at the Electric Picnic yesterday, is here (P 1), here (P 2 & 3) and here. My Saturday highlights? Absolutely peachy new songs from Franz Ferdinand. The Body & Soul stage, …

Deadlines? What deadlines?

Day one flashback

The Daily Ticket, as in our Electric Picnic supplement produced in a 16′ x 8′ shed, is here. My own highlights from yesterday? The Lucent Dossier circus/cabaret/leaping and jumping on a replica pirate ship with water splashing everywhere. So good …

Strangest thing we have seen so far today?

A cage of live chickens which the Yard Dogs Road Show demanded on their rider for the show. Not so sure what they’re going to do with them, though.

Traffic report from Stradbally

There are already delays and bottlenecks on all roads to Stradbally so be patient. Traffic is moving, albeit slowly. There’s a two-lane one-way system in operation on the main approach road and Gardai are directing traffic into first available car-parks. …

Electric picks

It has probably not escaped your attention that there’s a big music and arts bash on in Co Laois this weekend. Here’s On The Record’s YouTube guide to the 10 musical acts you really should see at the Electric Picnic.

Etc (Electric Picnic special)

You can use this post to tip or plug any acts playing at the Picnic this weekend. As you all know by now, the full line-up with stage times and all that jazz can be found here. There will be …

A Tower of strength for a decade-and-a-half

Anyone for a good news story from the music retail sector? While the Tower Records brand may have disappeared from American streets and malls in the last few years, the Dublin store trading under that name celebrates 15 years of …

Clearly not a foggy notion

With promoters finding it difficult to shift tickets for more and more shows, expect the “unforseen circumstances” excuse to make a lot of appearances in the coming months to explain away why shows are cancelled. Maybe the answer to punter …

First impressions

Look on all ye who have sold your tickets and despair! Here’s the real story from within the Electric Picnic world. (1) The sun in shining in Stradbally. It’s lovely and hot. Bring sun-cream. I’m serious. You’ll thank me for …

Let the games commence

Electric Picnic – the countdown has begun

(1) Check out our Electric Picnic special which features videos from Lisa Hannigan and will be where you will find the Daily Ticket on Saturday and Sunday plus a host of other news and updates over the weekend. (2) How …

10 reasons why the Electric Picnic timetable is not yet on their website

(1) We’re trying to put Public Image Limited back together again for the weekend, OK? Body & Soul area, first thing Sunday morning. Just don’t tell anyone (2) One of the POD bookers has discovered that they’ve booked all the …

Modern Dublin, part 1012

Electric Picnic line-ups, stages and times

First couple of proper line-ups are now beginning to appear on the Electric Picnic site Here are line-ups for the three stages located in the Body & Soul area: Chill stage (main stage) Merka Bar stage POD stage Want to …

The return of the Daily Ticket to the Electric Picnic

Yep, we’re producing a daily supplement from a shed in the middle of a field in Co Laois for the second year in a row The Daily Ticket will be published on Saturday and Sunday at the Electric Picnic in …

The re-up – from Belem to bedlam

(1) Who killed Sam Sparro? Well, it was certainly not the Lovebox people who had him on the bill for Marlay Park last weeked on their website from the get-go. So, lets try to get this straight. Sparro was announced …

Brazilian acts learning to DIY or call it a day

Think of Brazil and music comes to mind almost as quickly as football. Samba and bossa-nova may be the marquee sounds that dominate the landscape, but Brazil’s musical smarts are as wide and deep as the country itself.

Etc

You can use the weekly Etc post to plug and recommend gigs, new releases, TV shows, headache remedies and ways to get from A to B. Please be polite and declare an interest where relevant (or I’ll do it for …

JNLR FM
  • Media
  • August 21, 2008, 18:47

The latest JNLR report is out and I am sure the spinning has begun. As always happens every few months when a fresh batch of listenership figures are released, radio executives head to their boardrooms and start working out how …

All change at Today FM
  • Media
  • August 20, 2008, 23:30

Tom Dunne is leaving the Today FM fold to take up the 9am-noon slot with Newstalk (who just happen to be moving in downstairs in the same building as Today FM). Just as it will be interesting to see who …

Help! Have you seen this survey?

Quick question – did a survey appear in the last year/few years claiming that Irish audiences went to more live shows (or spent more money on live music) than anywhere else in Europe? I’ve definitely seen this statistic turn up …

On The Record na estrada em Brasil – parte uma

Taking off from Sao Paulo’s Congonhas airport is one hell of an adrenalin rush as you wonder if you’ll actually scrape the buildings which surround the runway. Of course, it doesn’t help when one of your travelling companions points out …

On The Record in Brazil

Greetings from Brazil. I’m here with the Brasil Música & Artes, the Brazilian music export group, taking part in their Comprador & Imagem Project. This involves a group of international music industry folks representing all aspects of the business travelling …

Ronnie Drew RIP

Another unique voice gone. Ronnie Drew died today (which also happens to be the 31st anniversary of Elvis’s death) in Dublin after a long illness.

All eyes on next U2 album after poor reissue sales
  • U2
  • August 15, 2008, 04:13

That sound you can hear in the background is the sound of the U2 machine cranking up.

Grotto get good buzz in US and gigs at home

The Guggenheim Grotto are a Dublin-based trio who have flexed most of their promotional muscles to date in the United States. Aside from hugely positive reviews from the US print media for their Waltzing Alone debut album, the band have …

The Skinny indie cometh

There’s always room in the live music bed for independent promoters. The Skinny Wolves crew have been putting on “art-rocking music you can dance to” shows for quite some time in the capital, including Effi Briest, No Age, Numbers, Aeriel …

Etc

Ten Speed Racer’s Pat Barrett is now operating as The Hedge Schools and releases the Joe Chester-produced “Never Leave Anywhere” album on October 10. Fiddle-player with The Frames and Swell Season, Colm Mac Con Iomaire releases his lovely debut solo …

The return of No Age and Times New Viking to Dublin

Big thanks to On The Record reader flynnduism for pointing this one out. The fabulous No Age, the equally magnificent Times New Viking and the mighty fine Los Campesinos play Dublin’s Whelan’s on October 17. Tickets will be a recession-busting …

Tune of the Week – “Need U Bad”

Once upon a time….

Fionn Regan, Dublin, November

One-off gig from Fionn Regan to mark Vicar Street’s 10th birthday. He should be playing tunes from his new album (due in 2009) at the venue on November 28. Tickets, at a recession-busting €19 a pop, go on sale on …

Electric Picnic day-by-day breakdown

It’s all here, people I don’t think there are any more acts to be added so that makes it 129 acts and one pantomine turn over six stages. Plus, of course, the acts on the Bodytonic stages (the three stages …

Wolf Parade, Dublin, November

Wolf Parade play Dublin’s Andrew’s Lane Theatre on November 29. Tickets for this will be €17.45 and go on sale later in the month.

On The Record on The Wire – weeks 2 & 3

Right, where were we? As regular readers know, we’re blogging the final season of The Wire as it unfolds on TG4 (Mondays, 10.30pm). Yes, we know loads of you have already seen it, but we’re going with the schedule as …

When you’ve heard it all before
  • Media
  • August 11, 2008, 14:37

Shane, our former colleague on the ever-growing Irish Times blogging bench and a fellow Bruce fan, is in a bit of pickle. He wrote a piece in the paper on Saturday giving out about the lack of new music which …

On the Road – Josh Ritter in Maine

He’s back. The latest installment of the summer tour diary comes from Maine, where there’s a report from the Shangri La Festival. Josh Ritter plays the Electric Picnic on August 30 and the live album, “Live At The 9.30 Club”, …

Isaac Hayes RIP

The mighty Ike died in Memphis, Tennessee today. He was 65 years of age. Full obituary here. Hayes suffered a stroke in 2006 and had been in poor health since. I saw him last year at a Stax Records 50th …

Another festival feels the squeeze of slow ticket sales

The summer festival season has claimed another victim. The Dysart Festival, initially scheduled this weekend for Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, has been forced to significantly downsize its plans and move to a smaller, indoor venue because of poor ticket sales.

Fresh hip-hop clobber for the streets of Dublin

Hip-hop fans have become used to seeing leading US rappers such as Jay-Z and P Diddy launching clothing offshoots like Rocawear and Sean John to help promote their brands and boost their bank accounts. This month, Irish hip-hop crew The …

Cyprus hits the big five

A number of Irish venues have significant birthdays coming up. Dublin’s Vicar Street marks a decade in the live music and comedy business this autumn, while Dundalk’s excellent Spirit Store also reaches the 10-year mark in 2009. Cork’s Cyprus Avenue …

Etc

You can use this weekly Etc post to plug and recommend gigs, new releases, TV shows, recipes and exotic fruit. Please be polite and declare an interest where relevant. This weekend’s Irish Green Gathering festival features Jinx Lennon, Giveamanakick (video …

Great discussions of our time

It never fails to amaze me how some threads on this here blog keep on going and going and going long after we’ve moved onto a new page. For instance, even though many of us have completely forgotten about it, …

The latest band set to play The 02?

A huge thanks to our man or woman TS Ed who has worked out that Counting Crows will be playing The 02 on December 20. Be still, our beating hearts, be still. We’re only plugging this because our readers got …

The annual On The Record outdoor shows and festivals census

We did this last year with huge help from Nialler and Pedro so it’s time to do it again. The aim is simple – to keep track of all the outdoor summer shows and festivals (or shows in tents – …

State magazine stick hot Swedish band on cover of new issue
  • Media
  • August 6, 2008, 10:38

Can’t wait to see Hot Press’s Mamma Mia cover as a spoiler for this. Or maybe Hot Press will just scratch their heads (like we did when we saw it) and go “Abba? State have put Abba on the cover? …

Orchestra Baobab, Dublin, October 18

Old-school Senegalese stars Orchestra Baobab play at Dublin’s Vicar Street on October 18. Tickets are €30 and go on sale on Thursday. It’s an Improvised Music Company joint, the same people who brought you the Farmleigh Affair.

Life goes on after Crazy Ol’ Tom

(1) Our good friend Crazy Ol’ Tom may have left town with a very large cheque in his back-pocket, but the chatter is still going on. I reckon it will still be going on until he comes back next year …

Phantom FM playlist, Saturday August 2

As played on Phantom FM, Saturday August 2, 10pm-midnight The bank holiday weekend block party session (and one of those shows I really wish I had remembered to tape) Grandmaster Flash “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels Of …

The latest casualty of the Irish festival season?

That would appear to be Dysart, the festival which was supposed to be happening in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny on August 9 and 10. Per Ken McGuire (and also via Twitter), organisers have been explaining to KCLR FM what the hell …

Something for the weekend? How about a new muxtape?

Yes, the second On The Record muxtape is now live. If you’re looking for more tunes, check out the radio show tomorrow night 10pm to midnight (it will be a bank holiday weekend block party special). If you’re looking for …

The sky is falling – so do something about it

Will the record industry, as we know it, still exist in 2018?

Get thee indoors

Despite the fact that there are still at least a dozen outdoor festivals and shows to come, the list of indoor autumn and winter shows continues to grow. Crystal Castles make their third Irish visit in 2008 with shows at …

Preaching music

It’s 27 years since David Byrne and Brian Eno released their innovative My Life in the Bush of Ghosts album (video for “America Is Waiting” from that album below) It’s a long time to wait for a follow-up, but the …

Etc

From this week on, you can use this weekly Etc post to go random with plugs, recommendations and stuff. Just make sure you declare an interest where relevant. You’re Only Massive and Queen Kong launch their collaborative album Dot-Dash at …