The Indie Hour

Yes, yes. It’s a fashion moment.

We were joined on the show last night by Halves, the four piece who morph into a seven piece for their live performances. And they gave me a bag. Chuffed was I. It was stressed by the band that this bag is a supremely limited edition affair, and so I would suggest that you head down to their EP launch in Whelan’s next Saturday the 17th of May to get your bear paws on one.

Halves joined us last year, almost exactly to the day, to talk about their first EP, and so it was nice to have them back this time around for an update of their musical journey in the last year.

We listened to Medals and In The Sorrow, In The Fire from their new EP Haunt Me When I’m Drowsy, and the lads treated us to a live version of Amberscene, which I have to say sounds very lush indeed.  They told us about recording this EP in various locations around the country, about their upcoming slot at The Transmission Festival in Austria, and their future plans to keep growing in a live capacity.  As well as their plans to create a fashion moment with the Halves bag.  Actually, that last bit was my idea.

We started the show with The Vinny Club’s It’s Not You It’s Of taken from his forthcoming album Rocky IV Reckyrd which is to be released on the 31st May with a shindig in Andrew’s Lane Theatre in Dublin.  Head to The Artist Formerly Known As Vince’s myspace to cop a listen of a few other tracks.

We also listened to People Walk Away from Robotnik’s album Pleasant Square, which will be launched into the musical stratosphere this Saturday night upstairs in Whelan’s.   I know we’ve heard this song quite a lot over the last month on the show, but I like it.  It’s kind of hard not to.

Nialler9 recommended the deliriously giddy Rabbit Pushing Mower from Toy, which featured on nialler’s Summer Sunburn Mixtape.  I shall now hold nialler personally responsible for the weather breaking today.  He should never have announced the summer like that.  He’s ruined it for everyone.  Still, the Summer mixtape works with the rain, so it’s not all bad.  Head here to download it for yourself.  And apologies, I think I called this track Rabbit Pushing Motor on the show - couldn’t read my own writing.

And so here it is - download away!

MP3

Halves Thursday 8th May 2008

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Join us at the usual time and place - 9pm on 103.2 Dublin City FM - when we shall be joined in studio by the lovely Halves, who will be telling us all about their latest EP.

The mp3 of the entire show will be up on the blog shortly if you miss us on the wireless…

Oooh Dan Le Sac VS Scroobius Pip!

They’re playing tomorrow night Wednesday 7th May in The Button Factory in Dublin, and courtesy of Shock we have two pairs of tickets to give away.

I saw them last year in Crawdaddy and they were ace. It’s a gig not to be missed. This is their third time in Dublin, so if you haven’t seen them before now’s your chance.

All you have to do to get a pair of tickets is send me an email to maffimushkalla[at]hotmail[dot]com before 2pm Wednesday 7th May and the indie hour will pop your name down on the door.

Robotnik by Ian Oliver

Yeeps!  This has been the laziest of blog postings yet.  As those of you on the emerald isle will surely agree, when our three days of summer finally arrive the last place you want to be is in front of a PC.  I am a bit sunburnt after the weekend and man, does it feel good.

Okay, so sunbathing doesn’t really excuse the late posting of our Robotnik interview from Thursday 24th of April, but I tried.

Robotnik a.k.a. Chris Morrin is probably our most regular guest visitor, as I think he’s been on the show about four or five times in our four years of broadcasting on Dublin City Fm.  He came on to talk about his debut album Pleasant Square, for which there will be an album launch party upstairs in Whelan’s this Saturday the 10th of May.

On the show, we listened to Puddlestarter and People Walk Away, Chris played a live version of I Found Jesus in The Year 2027, and we had a bit of a chat about stalkers, Amy Winehouse making tea, leaping from the singer-songwriter world in to the electronic world like an elastic band, and the bold move of putting 15 tracks on to a debut album.

Also on the show, we spoke to Simon from Hefty Horse about the So Cow gig in Anseo of Camden Street last Sunday  27th of April.  Hefty Horse have quite a few gigs upstairs in Anseo on the gig calender, so head to their myspace for details of who will be playing.  We listened to Casablanca from So Cow’s These Truly Are End Times.  I haven’t heard his new album I’m Siding With My Captors yet, but will report back when I do!

We started the show with The Vowels Part 2 from Why?s Alopecia album.  I saw Why? down in Andrew’s Lane Theatre a few weeks back, and as nialler and Thrill Pier said, it was one of the best gigs so far this year.  I know it’s only just May but it was great.  If you haven’t heard Alopecia yet, get a copy asap.  I haven’t heard their older album Elephant Eyelash but I intend to get my teeth (or should that be ears?) stuck into it shortly.

Nialler9 recommended Lykke Li’s Little Bit - check out nialler’s blog for the live performance of the track on Jools Holland’s Later programme.

We also spoke to Sorcha from pop punksters The Amazing Few about the release of their Russian Girls single, with which we finished the show.

And here it is for download.  Hope you enjoy it, and see you down in Whelan’s this Saturday 10th of May for the release of Robotnik’s Pleasant Square album!

MP3

Robotnik Thursday 24th April 2008

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The April nialler9 podcast is up and ready for download.  As you may or may not know, I do the mouthy-words part of the podcast.  It’s fun, and if I do say so myself, this podcast is one of our best yet.

Apologies for the delay in the Robotnik mp3 from last week, I’ll get it up as soon as I can.

Here is the April nialler9 podcast for you downloading pleasure…

MP3

April nialler9 podcast

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Right, Sinead.  Here’s my meme.  Apparently this is what all the cool bloggers did way back in 2005.  Here are six random facts about me. Me. ME.

1 - I love country music.  My dad brought me to Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee when I was nine years old and it had a lasting affect on me.  We went to the Grand Old Opry and Graceland.  It was the best trip I’ve ever been on.

2 - I have a scar on my forehead which came about after a car accident in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, about three months before the Tennessee trip. My dad had to bring me to the prison where the man who crashed in to us was being held the day after the accident.  It was my dad’s decision as to whether the man was to be freed or not.  The police kept saying to my dad that I was ruined now because my face was scarred.  They argued that it would be difficult for him to find me a husband.  I cried because I didn’t want the man to be kept in the horrible prison.  My dad had the man released immediately.

3 - I really like The Eagles.

4 - I love swimming.

5 - I will eat pesto or peanut butter with anything.  But I will not eat pesto and peanut butter together.  That would be crazy.

6 - I wrote a song called Laura which made it to the shortlist of The USA Songwriting Competition in 2006.  You can listen to it on the chocolate teapot myspace.  But you don’t have to.

I am now tagging Mr New(ish), Little Bird Eats, Deb the Housewife, Sabrina Dent, Darragh on the Compost Heap, and Rapture Ponies.

Here are the rules, as stated by Sigla:

Link to the person that tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about you in a blog post.
Tag six people in your post.
Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Let the taggee know your entry is up.

Actually, Sinead…that was fun. 

Fouad al-Farhan, the Saudi blogger who was imprisoned in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia back in December 2007, was released on 26th of April, after five months in prison.  I wrote about Fouad and Saudi censorship in general here.

To quote the Arab News from 27th of April:

“Al-Farhan was detained in December for “violating regulations,” according to official statements that made it clear that charges against him had nothing to do with national security concerns. No charges were ever pressed or outlined. The Interior Ministry issued no statements about the release yesterday.”

I’d like to take this opportunity to send my best wishes to Al-Farhan, and his family and friends who supported him throughout his ordeal in the hands of a regime which has no respect for human rights or freedom of speech.

Saudi Jeans is a blog written by Ahmed, a friend of Fouad’s, who showed courage by publicly supporting Fouad throughout his imprisonment.  Something that we very often take for granted in Ireland is being able to speak our mind, and to stand up for what we think is right.  This is taken to another level on the interent, where we can hide behind blog identities and names like phaserkid89.  It’s annoying when the anonymity of leaving a comment sometimes leads to senseless negativity, but for the most part, the internet does give an on-line voice to people who have something to say outside of the mainstream media.

In Saudi, freedom of speech is not a given, even on the internet.  I think by not being bullied into silence, Ahmed and his blogging colleagues deserve our admiration.

Saudi Jeans posted links to his top ten Saudi blogs last year.  The blogs listed from 1-5 are in Arabic, but the blogs from 6-10 are in English.  Enjoy.

I’m hot.  You’re not.

From the 1989 classic Teen Witch.  Class!

Hope you’re having a good Monday…

Robotnik on the indie hour in April 2007

Do tune in this evening to Dublin City 103.2 FM from 9 to 10pm tonight, when we will be joined by our old friend in indieness, Robotnik.  He’ll be playing a few live tunes and we’ll be hearing a few tracks from his debut album Pleasant Square.

We’ll also be talking to The Amazing Few, as well as the organisers of Hefty Horse, who are putting on So Cow in Anseo this Sunday.  Hurrah!

If you miss the show tonight, do keep an eye on this blog as the mp3 will be up in a few days…

Dip and a blurry Jurgen from The Jimmy Cake last night at The Button Factory by nialler9

There were at least four gigs that I wanted to go to last night - I made it to two in the end which was good enough going. As I mentioned in the earlier post, I missed Mumblin’ Deaf Ro and The Spook of The 13th Lock. I also didn’t make it to The Holy Roman Army upstairs in Whelan’s, but I hope to catch them either on the 1st of May in The Blue Note or on the 4th of May in Anseo.

I started the night off in The Sugar Club at the IMRO showcase to catch Reader’s Wives, who visited us three weeks ago. It was my first time seeing Reader’s Wives in their current incarnation and it was a full on energetic set. The Sugar Club, despite its loveliness, has the unforgivable flaw of being the scariest place to dance in the world. By getting up to dance, you feel like you’re on stage as well. Not comfortable. However, myself and two friends braved the embarrassment and had a dance to Sexually Attracted to Myself. It had to be done.

As I left The Sugar Club, my old favourites Hybrasil were just taking to the stage. It was very tempting to stay but The Jimmy Cake were beckoning in The Button Factory. I arrived in the old Temple Bar Music Centre to squeeze in to the packed out venue and found some comfortable dancing space right at the front.

Difficult dancing seemed to be the theme of the night. Myself and my good friend Bluebottle Farm were doing our best to keep up with the 12/8 time signatures and whatnot of The Jimmy Cake, and in the end resorted to what I will now christen The Jimmy Cake Dance. It’s a sort of lurching, head down, body swaying type thing. Probably wouldn’t win us a slot on America’s Best Dancers reality TV show, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable all the same.

I caught the last four songs, which in fairness was a good 40 minutes. The stage was packed - the string quartet and extra brass players squeezed into the right hand corner, with guitarist Mike subtley conducting them thus acting like a halfway point between the classical and experimental elements of this fine, fine band.

Lisa on clarinet, Parx on trumpet and Alex on saxophone were holding court on a raised level to the back of the stage, Paul on keys and Jurgen on the accordian were centre stage facing each other, Vinnie was in the middle and drummer John was to the left. Dip the bass player had the most commanding presence on stage, which was no mean feat, as all players were quite captivating. Dip had the upper hand because of his incredible bass stance. He looked like a giant. See photo below.

I heard Red Tony, the performance of which was a deeply emotional one. When The Jimmy Cake first visited us back in October, Vinnie explained that the song was dedicated to his late uncle, ‘a belligerant but thoroughly lovable character’ and last night it seemed that the band were very conscious of the man while playing the tribute to him. They played two more before the ‘pretend last song’ (to quote Vinnie again) of the night which was Jetta’s Palace, getting a great reaction from the crowd, and rightly so.

The band came on for an encore and finished the night with a track from Dublin Gone. Everybody Dead. I was explaining to a friend that although I still have my much loved copy of Dublin Gone. Everybody Dead. I unfortunately lost the cd case and inlay card years ago. So I don’t know any of the names of the tracks. But the one they finished with is the one that goes ‘Duh duh duh. Duh duh. Duh Duh Duh. DUH.’ You know the one.

From what I saw, it was a triumphant return for The Jimmy Cake, and a performance which equaled the quality of the record Spectre & Crown, bringing it to an even more intense level of musical achievement. I still don’t know how they manage to co-ordinate it all. It’s my opinion that they are probably the best band in Ireland. Is that over the top? I think not.

Below is the mp3 of the chat with Parx and Paul G. Smyth from the other night on the indie hour. We started this show with Cut Killer’s Nique La Police, the mp3 of which I found thanks to our good friend nialler9. I watched Mathieu Kassovitz’s La Haine again last week and was reminded of that track and the amazing scene it comes from. I tried to find it on the net, and when I failed I asked nialler to work his internet magic (lol). He managed to find it and posted it on his blog last week. And that is the story of the indie hour and nique la police.

We heard Giveamanakick’s Borrowed Time from their album Welcome To The Cusp, which they are releasing in Whelan’s tonight with support from the mighty Adebisi Shank. Doors are at 8pm and it’s €12.50 in.

Nialler9 recommended M83’s Kim & Jessie from their album Saturdays=Youth. M83 are playing in Andrew’s Lane Theatre on 25 April with support from Crayonsmith. Crayonsmith is also playing tonight in The Academy in Dublin, launching his latest album White Wonder. It’s the bargain price of €5 (on the show last night I mistakenly said it was €19 - sorry) and support comes from the respectively excellent Cap Pas Cap and BATS.

The subsequent forty minutes of the show were all about The Jimmy Cake, starting with Jetta’s Palace, then onto my favourite The Day The Arms That Came Out of The Wall and finishing up with the raucous Hugs for Buddy.

And so for your downloading pleasure, here is the mp3 of the show. Enjoy.

MP3

The Jimmy Cake April 17th

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