Jim Carroll

• The Far Side
• December 30, 2009, 15:17

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, Tuesday December 29, 10pm-midnight Seeing as Spotify have opened the free-use doors to Irish music fans once again, you’ll find a playlist based around last night’s show, which was a valiant attempt …

• Randomiser
• December 23, 2009, 11:46

It is time. Time to unplug the machines. Time to give in to the seasonal spirit. Time to make for the door with a tin of chocolate Kimberleys, a box of finest mince pies and the turkey I won in …

• The Far Side
• December 23, 2009, 10:42

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, December 22, 10pm-midnight. Julian Casablancas “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” (Rough Trade) Can “Silent Night” (Mute) Ike & Tina Turner “Merry Christmas Baby” (Harmony) Soul Saints Orchestra “Santa’s Got A Bag …

• Media
• December 22, 2009, 11:31

New 2fm boss John McMahon has finished kicking the tyres and has made his first changes at the station. Let’s start with the Monday to Friday schedule. No changes on the breakfast or mid-morning shifts – that would be Colm …

• Randomiser
• December 21, 2009, 10:56

And lo, Rage Against the Machine take the Christmas Number One slot in the UK. There will be much rejoicing amongst older music fans (ie the ones who probably haven’t purchased a single, and especially not a Christmas Number One …

• Plug The Ticket
• December 18, 2009, 10:11

In The Ticket today, three Irish Times’ music writers do their end-of-year music exams, British film director Sam Taylor-Wood talks about her film on John Lennon, Speech Debelle fights back and why Sony Music are the big winners in the …

• Live music
• December 17, 2009, 18:44

What a superb line-up! Nico Muhly (who played in Dublin during the Fringe Festival), Sam Amidon (who was quite brilliant when I saw him perform at SXSW last March), Ben Frost and Valgeir Sigurðsson perform at Dublin’s National Concert Hall …

• Tune of the Week
• December 17, 2009, 13:15

This one may stop you in your tracks. Matias Aguayo has come up with the WTF? release of the year: his new album “Ay Ay Ay” is an a capella release on cooler-than-you German minimal electronic label, Kompakt. It shouldn’t …

• Media
• December 17, 2009, 10:26

As one late-night Irish music TV show, Under the Ether, clocks off after its six week run, another one, Ceol Ar An Imeall, is limbering up on the sidelines. Ceol Ar An Imeall is a new 10 part music show …

• Live music
• December 16, 2009, 13:44

Musician and artist Daniel Johnston plays Dublin’s Vicar Street on April 3 with The BEAM Orchestra. The show will also feature an exhibition of his drawings, early tape covers and single sleeves from 1981 to 2006. Tickets go on sale …

• The Far Side
• December 16, 2009, 10:27

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, December 15, 10pm-midnight. Next week, it’s the annual Far Side of Christmas, two hours of Xmas-rated music to have you scratching your head and staring in disbelief/horror at what’s coming from your …

• Retail
• December 15, 2009, 10:39

It’s that time of the year when OTR turns into Pricewatch for a few days – hey, Pricewatch turned into OTR for a few memorable days earlier this year – and ask the OTR readers and bargain hunters to tell …

• Live music
• December 14, 2009, 15:28

Brendan Benson, whose “Lapalco” album made the now infamous Irish Times Top 20 Albums of the Decade list, plays Dublin’s Button Factory on March 2. Tickets go on sale on Friday at €17 a pop. Four Irish shows next April …

• Politics
• December 14, 2009, 10:30

There must have been much mirth in the Fianna Fail ranks last Friday night when Paul Gogarty TD decided to use his Dail speaking privileges to plug the campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to Number One in the …

• Lists
• December 11, 2009, 09:38

Yes, it’s another blooming list. And why not? We all love a list and there is no better time than the end of a year – and a decade – to go list crazy. My Top 20 for 2009 and …

• Plug The Ticket
• December 11, 2009, 09:32

In The Ticket today, it’s the Review of the Year as Ticket writers (and readers) round up the films, music moments and albums of the year. We also talk to Spike Jonze about Where the Wild Things Are and examine …

• Guest post
• December 10, 2009, 12:59

Our man in Dingle, Tony Clayton-Lea, sums up the action on the final day of the Other Voices hullabaloo. Big thanks to Tony for the guest blogs and food tips during the week. That’s us done with Co Kerry until …

• News
• December 10, 2009, 10:43

Nialler9 wants you! Well, your votes at any rate. It’s his annual Irish albums and songs of the year poll. Voting has already started (and runs until December 16 at noon) so make your voice count, Coronas fans! For those …

• Guest post
• December 9, 2009, 17:56

Tony Clayton-Lea is still eating, drinking and gigging his way around Dingle at the Other Voices extravaganza. Today, he finds the best latte in Co Kerry. And some bands. Tough job, you know….

• Media
• December 9, 2009, 15:18

Today is a great opportunity for any Irish organisation or company to get some bad news off their chest and out of the way without anyone paying a blind bit of notice because all media eyes are on Budget Brian …

• Music business Retail
• December 9, 2009, 13:33

If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad must get in his truck and go to the mountain. Report from the LA Times about how Universal Music are planning to send a bunch of music trucks to a dozen spots …

• The Far Side
• December 9, 2009, 10:03

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, December 8, 10pm-midnight. Tip o’ the hat to Ian Thrill Pier for pointing me towards the new Burywood album. Burywood “Things Which Give Us Pause” (Tasty Wallpaper) Phantogram “Bloody Palms” (BBE) Tempo …

• Legal
• December 8, 2009, 17:36

Full report here from Mary Carolan on today’s proceedings in the case taken by MCD to recover some €1.6 million damages over the cancellation of Prince’s mooted gig at Dublin’s Croke Park in June 2008. Per agents William Morris, Prince …

• New releases
• December 8, 2009, 17:06

Listen to the title track from Sade’s forthcoming new album (her first in nearly 10 years) here.

• Guest post
• December 8, 2009, 15:08

We sent Tony Clayton-Lea to Dingle to see some bands at the Other Voices gigs-for-TV hooley, but he seems to be tucking into the grub with as much relish and considering getting a tattoo. For more on this, we join …

• Reviews
• December 8, 2009, 10:52

All year long, I’ve kept coming back again and again to two albums. There’s “Merriweather Post Pavilion” by Animal Collective, an album released at the start of the year which never stopped producing thrills and spills. And there’s “Lungs” from …

• Fuming
• December 7, 2009, 17:34

It had to happen sooner or later: OTR’s first ever mention of opera. Naturally, it involves some fuming, slow handclaps and boos from the stalls. Per Paul Cullen’s report in today’s paper, there was trouble long before the chubby lass …

• Guest post
• December 7, 2009, 13:45

My Ticket colleague Tony Clayton-Lea is in Dingle all this week for the annual Other Voices mini-fest. Here’s his first report from deepest Co Kerry as proceedings get underway. What is is about unusual environments and rock stars? You’d think …

• Randomiser
• December 7, 2009, 10:48

Question for Roger Federer: are you next, dude? Venuewatch (1): while Eamon Doran’s has been shuttered since the summer, the financial losses incurred by the venue have now come out in the wash. The company behind the Temple Bar, Dublin …

• RIP
• December 5, 2009, 11:38

Legendary folk singer Liam Clancy died yesterday evening after a long illness. More reading: Donald Clarke’s interview with him from September (to tie-in with the release of The Yellow Bittern, Alan Gilsenan’s film on Clancy’s life and times), Siobhan Long’s …

• Plug The Ticket
• December 4, 2009, 10:32

In The Ticket this week, we share some horchata with Vampire Weekend, talk back-story with The Antlers, come up with some sequels which might – might – be better than the original flick, get all boxed-up for Christmas and round …

• Festivals
• December 3, 2009, 10:47

Four Irish acts will play the annual Eurosonic festival in Groningen in Holland in January. The festival, which began initially as an European Broadcasting Union outing called Eurorock over 20 years ago, now attracts festival bookers and radio programmers from …

• Banter
• December 2, 2009, 16:20

The Beatyard is an all-day music expo taking place at the Twisted Pepper (Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1) this Saturday (December 5). Organised by Bodytonic Music, The Beatyard will feature a ton of music, art and multimedia workshops, talks and …

• The Far Side
• December 2, 2009, 10:43

As played on The Far Side, Phantom 105.2, December 1, 10pm-midnight. Tempo No Tempo “Get Down Stay Down” (Double Negative) Dark Room Notes “Each & Every One Of Us” (Gonzo) Two Door Cinema Club “Come Back Home” (Kitsune) Yacht “Psychic …

• Film
• December 1, 2009, 18:19

My blogging and Ticket colleague Donald Clarke is a sensible man. He filed his Top 20 Movies of the Decade, chuckled, called a cab and scarpered for the airport. As Clarkey is currently sitting in a jacuzzi in an eight-star …

• Polls
• December 1, 2009, 10:53

The full list is here, topped by Arcade Fire’s 2005 opus “Funeral”. The list was selected from the votes of Lauren Murphy, Tony Clayton-Lea and myself. Let the fuming begin! And for the film buffs, Donald Clarke’s Top 20 of …