Using their imaginaire

We're not getting off the tour bus until they take down the shamrock. Here's why we're in the middle of a field in the middle of France. To our right is Le Cirque night club, where tonight's presentation is La Soiree Irlandaise - a special showcase of Irish rock music featuring Aslan, The Frames and Lir. There's a lot of fuss and nonsense surrounding anything Irish in France at the moment because of the whole L'Imaginaire Irlandais vibe, but the line has got to be drawn somewhere and we're drawing it at the use of cheap, vulgar and tacky bunches of shamrock. Succeeding generations will thank us for our efforts.

Tonight's showcase is one of the main features of the Printemps de Bourges festival, which is sort of a French version of Glastonbury - headlining acts include (spit) Sting, Everything But The Girl, Blur and Cypress Hill - but there's also a massive big trade fair thrown in for good measure and, because of the year that's in it, everything is coming up Irish.

Back to the gig and good to see that Aslan, The Frames and Lir all give it 100 per cent and win over a lot of new industry support. We asked Christy Dignam from Aslan what's it all about. "Basically, we're here to raise our profile in Europe," he says. "Because of the success of bands like Therapy? who did it through Europe, there is a much more independent feel over here and they don't slavishly follow British musical fashion trends. The whole industry thing is important, because the people who book the acts for other festivals like the ones in Copenhagen and Madrid [both of which Aslan are playing] are here, and there's also the chance to build up a name for your band in the country, so when your record is released here they'll already have heard of you." The situation with Aslan now is that they are signed to the Grapevine/ Solid label and are halfway through their new album, which is being produced by Declan Sinnott.

Over to annoy Glen Hansard from The Frames, who's just finished telling live French television that, no, The Frames have nothing to do with The Commitments and, no, he doesn't mind answering that question for the eight millionth time. "You can only gig in Dublin so much," says Glen. "You have to get out to other places and show them what you're made of. Festivals like this are important because you have to chance to impress the people who come to your gigs and you also have the chance to impress the behind the scenes industry people." Now signed to the ZZT label (part of the Warner empire), The Frames are busying themselves working with famed producer, Trevor Horn.

The point of all of this (as if you need one) is that the next stop for the very huge and impressive trade fair is in Dublin next week as part of The Green Energy Festival (May 3rd to 5th in venues all around Dublin). Headlining acts are Lou Reed, the awesome Jungle star Goldie, and Orbital. Irish bands on the bill include Rollerskate Skinny, Sack, Liquid Wheel, Wormhole and Sewing Room, amongst others, who will be playing in a variety of venues around town, ranging from The Point to The Mean Fiddler to The Attic. The trade fair end of things (they're not as boring as they sound, honest) takes place in the rock'n'roll environs of The Civic Offices in Fishamble Street. No shamrock please.

UP to Paris to be greeted from most every shop window by the face of Divine Comedy. Regular readers will know we're more than a bit on the partial side to young Neil Hannon's brand of musical composition, and the reason why he's gaping out at us is because he's on the front cover of France's version of Q magazine, Les Inrockuptibles. Why wasn't Divine Comedy booked in for the Bourges festival? We need to know ... Also inside Les Inrockuptibles there is a "gosh, this is really magnifique" highly superlative review for Rollerskate Skinny's Horsedrawn Wishes album. Why weren't they booked in, etc?

NORMAL service will probably, but we're not guaranteeing anything, resume next week.