Jim Carrollon music
Marquee at the museum joins tipi in the park
MCD and POD Concerts both now plan to host music shows in large tents in October. It's a remarkable coincidence that both promoters had the idea of putting a tent in Dublin 8 at the same time.
The question is which came first: the POD tent in the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) or the MCD tent in the Phoenix Park (mentioned in On the Record last week)?
This move to temporary structures is partly to compensate for the closure of the Point Depot for 18 months, as the builders transform the dockside venue into a 15,000-capacity arena. Many alternative capital-city venues can be expected in 2008 as promoters try out various large sheds and unlikely venues for shows.
Both POD and MCD are playing their cards close to their chests about which bands they wish to put under canvas. According to a number of booking agents contacted by On the Record, Arcade Fire, White Stripes, Kings Of Leon, AC/DC, Tiesto, Chemical Brothers and Chic are among the acts the promoters are thought to be considering. A bidding war has already broken out for some of these.
However, a number of details have emerged about Some Days Never End, the week-long music and art festival which POD are seeking to run in the meadows next to IMMA in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.
Besides the tent where the live acts would perform, the promoters intend to hold music-related art exhibitions in a second, smaller tent and around the grounds.
For Some Days Never End, POD are working with the Model Arts and Niland Gallery in Sligo on an installation from Andy Warhol's Silver Factory to the mark the 20th anniversary of the artist's death. This installation will more than likely feature Warhol's photo booth series, screen tests, audio samples, films and various printed material.
The promoters are also hoping to feature the Panic Attack! Art in the Punk Years exhibition on punk and post-punk art which is currently running in London's Barbican. This features the work of 30 artists including Jamie Reid, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nan Goldin, Derek Jarman and Raymond Pettibon.
An electrifying win
Kudos galore to veteran Irish composer Roger Doyle. The godfather of Irish electronica won the Magisterium Award at the Bourges International Electro-acoustic Music Competition in France.
The prize, which is awarded to composers with at least 25 years of professional experience, highlights works that might become milestones in the history of electro-acoustic music.
Doyle, who has produced music in Ireland since the release of his 1978 album, Thalia, won the accolade for his work The Ninth Set.
Lyric FM will profile Doyle and celebrate his Magisterium win on Sunday next at 8pm.
No halting CD sales slump
It really seems as if every week brings more bad news for the record industry. The closure of UK record chain Fopp, with the loss of 700 jobs, coincided with the publication of figures showing a slump in CD sales for the seventh consecutive year.
In 2006, total music sales worldwide were down 5 per cent on the previous year, according to IFPI, a record label lobby group.
"We hoped that the decline in physical sales would be offset by the increase in digital sales," said IFPI chairman John Kennedy. "But while digital sales have grown as expected, physical sales have fallen by more than expected."
Predictably, IFPI fingered piracy and online illegal filesharing for this downturn.
A few labels must be hoping last weekend's Diana bland-fest at Wembley Stadium or this weekend's Live Earth smugathon will change that scenario.
Happy campers?
It's Oxegen time again, and 80,000 Irish music fans will be invading Punchestown Racecourse in Co Kildare this weekend. In next week's Ticket, Jim Carroll will report from Ireland's biggest music festival.
We'd like to hear about your experiences at Oxegen. Go to www.ireland.com/blogs/ ontherecord to let us know what you thought of this year's event, and we'll print comments next week. Happy camping!
