Present Tense »

• Bruce Springsteen

  May 26, 2008 @ 9:22 am | by Shane Hegarty

  Jim has a fine round up on his blog, but I’m too pumped up not to say a few things about Bruce’s Dublin gigs too.

  - Highlights for me? Badlands was great, and Livin’ in the Future (as Jim has said this morning) is settling in as a classic. But Jungleland on Friday was just glorious. (Neil agrees. His review his here.)

  - I saw Clarence Clemmons get into a car on Friday night. He really is the biggest man you’ve ever seen.

  - It’s getting to the stage now where of the 10 best gigs I’ve ever seen, at least six of them are Springsteen shows.

  - Most heard comment of the weekend: “Jaysus, he’s in fine shape. isn’t he.”

  - Overheard conversation:
  “Paddy was here last night and he says he didn’t even play Born in the USA”
  “Really? What about I’m On Fire?”
  “No.”
  “Ah, Jesus.”

  - When the introductory carnival music struck up on Friday night, there was a distraction in front of me as someone tried to jump into the wristband-only circle, and he got chucked out. He desperate pleas were ignored. He was probably drunk, but it seemed to be a harsh penalty.

  - Well done to the two stewards who were acting as clapping, dancing cheerleaders to those sitting in Block H. Made a refreshing change form the stewards asking people to sit down.

  - It occured to me that becoming a Bruce fan makes you an obsessive because, as each show is different, you become a collector of songs and moments and rarities. You never know what you’re going to find each time you go to see him. But you always know it’s going to be great.

• Some weekend reading and listening

  May 23, 2008 @ 4:15 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  Have a good weekend, everyone.

  What would the universe look like in time ran backwards, asks Scientific American.

  Slate.com on the perils of running for US President if you have an unusual name.

  While climate change litigation be the class action of the future?

  The New York Times looks at the book 1001 Books To Read Before You Die and suggests that “death might come as a relief”.

  The blog Positive Boredom has some fine ideas. None of which succeed, but he shouldn’t let that put him off.

  I had meant to link to the Sky One Lost Initiative podcast earlier in the week. It really is top class. You can subscribe to it through the website here.

  Here’s some White Denim.
  

• THIS is how to make an arts show

  May 1, 2008 @ 4:07 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  I was griping with someone earlier about how dry The View is – the only regular arts programme on RTE television, and not worth staying up for – and how BBC2′s Late Review has become of a caricature of itself. And I was reminded of how fresh and ambitious the BBC’s Culture Show can be, and specifically how this piece on skiffle music, by Mark Kermode, was one of the best packages I’ve seen on television over the last couple of years.

  Top moment: Kermode giving a piece to camera while playing double bass with his skiffle band.

  

• The albums to fall back on

  February 27, 2008 @ 2:40 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  On the way in to work this morning, I was listening to Jonny Greenwood’s really excellent score for There Will Be Blood. But it really wasn’t suiting my mood, and, while I’ve been getting my kicks from Vampire Weekend, British Sea Power, Robots in Disguise and Holy Fuck of late, I had one of those occassional moments when I didn’t have the appetite for anything new or too recent. One of those mornings when I was a bit bored of music.

  Which meant it was time for that vital component of any collection: the fall-back album.

  A fall-back album is one you can always rely on; that never lets you down; that’s always waiting for you to come back even after you’ve spent months running around with fancy-pants new music.

  This morning, that fall-back album was Rage Against The Machine’s first album. And months since I last bothered to give it any attention, it was as brutally brilliant as ever. (And, of course, infused me with anti-establishment rage for, oh, at least 43 seconds.)

  It could have been any of three Wedding Present albums, or Wilco’s Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, or Mogwai’s Government Commissions, or Springsteen’s Born To Run, or Ride’s Going Blank Again, or Sigur Ros’s Takk, or The Stone Roses’s first, or anything at all by Radiohead, or Vitalic’s OK Cowboy or … well, you get the message.

  Maybe these are albums you’d run from rather than rely on, but what are your fall-back albums for when you just get a bit bored of everything else?

• Arvo Pärt comes to town

  February 15, 2008 @ 8:04 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  Those of you lucky enough to be going to any of the Arvo Pärt events in Dublin this weekend are in for a treat. I was in Dundalk’s St Patrick’s Cathedral last night for the performance of several of his choral and instrumental works, including a new work which was premiered in Drogheda on Wednesday night. It was probably as good as anything I’ll get to see for the rest of the year, with the real thrill coming in the fact that Pärt was at the event – and that I went all fanboy and got him to sign my programme.

  For those of you who haven’t yet listened to Pärt’s works, don’t be at all put off by the fact that he’s a modern classical composer out of Estonia. He writes beautiful, accessible music. As a primer in his orchestral work, I’d recommend this collection, or look for Spiegel Im Spiegel. For choral works, try De Profundis. You won’t regret it.

• Selection Box

  January 17, 2008 @ 9:19 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  - If there can be a Math Rock then there can be Grammar Rock. Here’s Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend.

  - Cloverfield is out in the States, and critics say it’s brilliant/rubbish.

  - Complaints about the UK press rose 31 per cent in 2007

  - McDonald’s drops plans to advertise on the front of school report cards

  - Are you just a brain floating in space?

  - RTÉ’s tradition for dodgy comedy goes back a long way. Here’s a 1970 Christmas Special, which packs two stunning punchlines into the first minute. Then skip forward to three minutes to see Dickie Rock’s comedy masterclass.
  

• Cracking video

  January 9, 2008 @ 8:39 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  The Little Ones “Ordinary Song”, as seen on the blog of an obscure writer featured in late night RTÉ profile this week.

  

• BBC censors Fairytale of New York

  December 18, 2007 @ 12:40 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  Latest news from the world of dumb censorship: BBC Radio 1 is going to edit out the word “faggot” every time it plays Fairytale of New York. It’s also censoring “old slut on junk”. But, good news for filth fans, “scumbag” stays.

  According to the BBC’s own report:

  The BBC said: “We are playing an edited version because some members of the audience might find it offensive.”

  A Radio 1 spokeswoman said the station’s management had met on Tuesday morning to discuss the issue.

  She said they “had made their decision” and would not be going back on it.

  But the ban does not apply across the BBC. Radio 2 said it would be playing the full version of the track.

  For starters, Kirsty McColl is NOT calling Shane McGowan “gay”, so this is utter nonsense.

  Secondly, anyone offended by it deserves to be offended, so the BBC should turn up the volume specifically for those words.

  Thirdly, Ronan Keating started all this when his attempt to destroy the song forever included chaning the line to “you’re cheap and your haggard”. Now that was offensive. In fact, they should bleep all the offensive elements of songs by people like Ronan Keating, so that in future his lyrics would be as follows:

  We ***** ***
  ** **** **** **
  **** ** * ***********
  **** ***** ride **

• Bruce, Belfast and a bridge

  December 17, 2007 @ 1:25 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  Like Jim, I was at Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band in Belfast on Saturday night. Afterwards, I met a couple of locals who were a bit let down by the show. “They’ll probably never do Belfast again, so he should have played a few of the older hits.”

  You can’t please everyone, I suppose. Springsteen is not a heritage act, churning out 30 year old hits as a reminder of how good he was several decades ago (I’m looking at you, Rolling Stones). The new songs fit neatly into a varied set, while songs from The Rising are reminders of how newer songs have already become minor classics. Only one song, the 35-year-old Kitty’s Back, fell flat for me. But the final run in – Born To Run, Dancing in the Dark, American Land and Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – made you glad to be alive.

  As for the venue, it reminded you that an arena doesn’t have to a big shed. When Springsteen played the Point during the Devils and Dust tour you could actually hear the rain bouncing off the roof during one song.

  Plus, staff handed out tickets as souvenirs, which was a nice touch – even if it’s not been quite so good for the collection since Ticketmaster made all tickets look the same. My tip for anyone travelling to a gig at the Odyssey, though, is to make sure to book a restaurant in advance to avoid the queues. The Indian Ocean looked good.

  By the way, the ferris wheel looks good on the skyline. So what if it’s aping the London Eye – a good idea is a good idea (although there have been complaints that it’s in the wrong spot).

  We got lost looking for the Odyssey, of course, and as a barman was showing us the way a car full of frazzled Limerick folk arrived having got lost too. It took no time to get there and back, though, thanks to the wonders of Southern engineering. Thank you EU structural fund.

  On which note, is there a more beautiful man-made structure in the State than the Boyne Bridge at night? It’s a glorious sight on the M1 at 1am, bathed in soft blues, greens and reds. The Spire, with its 20-watt bulbs, is nothing in comparison.

  

• My most played tracks in 2007

  December 14, 2007 @ 1:21 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  Because technology doesn’t lie, here are my most listened to tracks this year according to my iPod.

  1. No Need - The Chemical Brothers
  2. Jupiter Room (Erol Alkan Edit) – Digitalism
  3. North American Scum (Dunproofin’s Not From England Either Mix) – LCD Soundsystem
  4. GDMFSOB (UNKLE remix feat. Roots Manuva) – DJ Shadow
  5. Ankle injuries - Fujiya & Miyagi
  6. Bodysnatchers – Radiohead
  7. Total Terror Mix – Reverse Engineering
  8. You and I – Graham Coxon
  9. Atlas - Battles
  10. Wham City – Dan Deacon
  11. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi – Radiohead
  12. All I Need – Radiohead
  13. Overpowered - Róisín Murphy
  14. Black Mirror – Arcade Fire
  15. Pives and Flarinet – Podington Bear
  16. Black Wave – Arcade Fire
  17. Who Is It (Vitalic Mix) – Bjork
  18. Electronic Battle Weapon 8 – The Chemical Brothers
  19. Radio Protector – 65 Days of Static
  20. Airliner – Podington Bear

  Which goes to show that, like the blog says, I prefer the obscure remix.

• Tom Waits: start buying now

  @ 11:26 am | by Shane Hegarty

  This blog endorses Adam Maguire’s campaign to make Tom Waits Ireland’s number one this Christmas.

  Sales are registered from today. Go the site for the list of where you can buy Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis online. Buy early. Buy often.

• The Wedding Present plays ‘George Best’

  November 22, 2007 @ 6:41 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  If anybody is looking for me on Friday night, they’ll find me in 1987.

• Reading

  November 16, 2007 @ 11:16 am | by Shane Hegarty

  Having been promising to read more contemporary sci-fi, I picked up Alastair Reynolds latest selection of short stories, Galactic North, and it is cracking. Writing of a future in which humanity is spread across space, he wields grand ideas (refugees fleeing into the future, decades-long journeys) and knows his science thanks to a career with the European Space Agency, but neither is allowed to get in the way of the humanity at the centre of each story. The stories are both gripping and affecting. Very much recommended.

  And, as a soundtrack for any sci-fi, I’d recommend Reverse Engineering’s absurdly sinister Total Terror Mix – it is the Mars Attacks of rap tunes (hat tip to Nialler9 who got me hooked on this a while back).

• Scene from the Arcade Fire big top

  October 24, 2007 @ 2:50 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  Four girls, 20-ish, gradually pushing themselves up the queue to the bar at Arcade Fire.

  Girl 1: “Jack Daniels and Calpol is wild, apparently.”
  Girl 2: “What?”
  Girl 1: “Jack Daniels and Calpol. Wild.”
  Girl 2: “It’s the Calpol that would worry me.”
  Girl 1: “College is crazy.”

  They keep shoving forward slowly, but deliberately. One of them elbows a woman in the back, who asks them not to push. Much bitchy, “do you hear her?”, whispering between the four girls follows.

  Girl 3: “Beer or wine?”
  Girl 4: “What?”
  Girl 3: “Beer or wine? Which makes you drunker? They have both.”
  Girl 4: “Wine. We’ll get wine. And some beers.”

  They continue to elbow their way through the other patient punters in the queue. Yards from the bar, a big bouncer stops them, asks them for ID and when they don’t produce an official card, chucks them out of the queue.

• Arcade Fire

  @ 8:20 am | by Shane Hegarty

  The Arcade Fire last night: brilliant. A perfect balance between fervour and control; so good that they managed to overcome the severe dodginess of the sound. During the first two songs in particular it sounded like the drums had been replaced with bubble wrap. The tent was more impressive from the outside than within, and anyone going to tonight’s gig should prepare for a mighty queue for the bar. And because a big tent needs big pillars, there are several obstructed views. But it was easy to get in and out of, with far better transport than the Point ever has had. Nevertheless, as a venue, it might be handier for the punters than the acts, because it didn’t really do justice to the Arcade Fire – that they rose above it to such a degree proved just how good they are.

  As an aside, thank you to the nice woman who found my wallet on the seat of the bus back into town. She handed it back without taking any of the contents: a small amount of cash, work swipecard, credit card and Laser cards and a small Fabergé egg. Much appreciated.

• Hanging up on Ireland’s Call

  September 20, 2007 @ 3:19 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  The debate over what has gone wrong with Irish rugby has today focussed on giving Ireland’s Call a good kicking. In this paper, Trevor Brennan went in fists flying:

  Ireland’s Call is weak and wouldn’t even fire up the Barnhall under-12s

  Frank McNally’s Irishman’s Diary is on the topic too:

  Ireland’s Call was and remains an honest attempt to solve a real problem: the fact that Amhrán na bhFiann does not represent the whole island. It was also written – or so I suspect – to suit the limited vocal register of the typical rugby supporter. And as a song to unify Ireland’s two communities, it has succeeded well, if only because music-loving Catholics and Protestants seem to hate it equally.

  (more…)

• Economic catastrophe? It’s time to bring back Scary Éire

  September 19, 2007 @ 5:16 pm | by Shane Hegarty

  With uncanny timing, and just in time to catch the economic downturn, pre-boom rappers Scary Éire will play the Village on October 10th.

  They’ll perform such old-world favourites as ‘Rev It Up’ and ‘Dole Q’. What’s a dole Q, you ask? You’ll learn soon enough.

  Listen to some tracks on their MySpace page here. And here’s a Mongrel interview from earlier in the year. Turns out that two of them are investment bankers, one of them is the youngest captain in the history of Foxrock Golf Club and the MC is now treasurer of the Progressive Democrats.

  Only joking.

• The Disposable Heroine of Craphoprisy

  @ 9:59 am | by Shane Hegarty

  The previous post linked to an article on “History Rock”. Nat King Coleslaw went and found Sinead O’Connor’s Famine. He’s still in shock, the poor man:

  Great GOD ALMIGHTY.

  http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3ChbaAc1Q

  I’m off to redefine “ghastly”. It’ll take a while, because I’ve already gnawed off my knuckles.

• That’s my morning made…

  September 6, 2007 @ 9:10 am | by Shane Hegarty

  Two tickets for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast. 131 of the queen’s pounds. As usual, though, it appears to have sold out in a time measured only by atomic clocks.

• Rock ‘n’ roll deaths: vaccine on the way

  September 4, 2007 @ 9:26 am | by Shane Hegarty

  Research has concluded that, in the first five years after chart success, rock n’ roll stars have a mortality rate three times higher than the ordinary person. European rockers who die young do so, on average, at 35 years old (seven years to go for Pete Doherty). US rockers wait until they’re 42. (more…)

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