The Indie Hour

Apologies for the delayed blog of last Thursday’s indie hour. It took me a few days to recover from the antics of Life in Gort, Co Galway over the weekend. A lot of fun was had – or so I’ve been told. I can’t really remember much. I’d love to write lots of details and tell you about all the great music I heard, but apart from a memorable set by Super Extra Bonus Party, it’s a bit of a Buckfast fuelled blur. Apparently I was dancing vigorously to Dreadzone so I must have been having a rather good time. When I wasn’t talking to semi-clad hippies down at the swimming area on the lovely lake, attempting to dance to relentless psytrance at a day-glo stage, or hanging out at the coolest tree I’ve ever seen…

…I was checking out the bands at the Mantua stage, and thus am looking even more forward to The State of Mantua festival in Roscommon on the 13th and 14th of July. I think I’ll forego the Buckfast down in Ballaghadereen so that I actually eh see some music. Kate Moss would be proud.

NC Lawlor visited us on the indie hour last Thursday the 14th of June. The first time I came across Niall was when I saw him play in The Purty Kitchen about three years ago. I was mesmerized by his playing. I know mesmerized sounds a bit silly but I can’t think of a more appropriate word for it. I’ve seen him quite a few times over the years – if not busking on Grafton Street, on recordings with Gavin Glass and The Holy Shakers, or at a Ruby Session – and he has always blown me away.

And so I was really delighted when Niall said he’d come down to the Anna Livia studio and play a few tunes. Most people would recognize him from Grafton Street (he’s the dude with the slide guitar and the cowboy hat) or possibly Whelan’s on a Sunday afternoon. He has a playing skill that has him out on his own in Dublin – I like to think of him as our own Kelly Joe Phelps.

Last Thursday, as you may remember, was a miserable bloody night, and so I would hope that people listening at home would be somewhat comforted by Niall’s music coming through the wireless.

Niall is an outstanding talent, and he is a very humble musician. There’s a melancholy honesty in his lyrics, which, combined with his particular style of country-blues picking, takes you away and has the power to instantly change the mood of a room.

As Niall admits himself in this interview, there isn’t a lot of information about NC Lawlor on the internet. Rest assured though, as you will no doubt see him busking on Grafton Street, or you can find him in the front lounge of Whelan’s every Sunday late afternoon.

Also on the show we heard The Radio’s One of Two Ways from their album Charm Offensive, Highs and Lows from The Laundry Shop, Hybrasil’s single God Bless The Devil which they will release in The Village on Friday the 22nd of June, and nialler9 recommended See a Penny Pick It Up from the excellent album I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real from Yacht. In anticipation of Life Festival, we finished up the show with Rónán Ó Snodaigh’s Bhi me Ann from his 2004 album Tonnta Ro.

By the way, the comic book obsession continues – this week it’s Warren Ellis’ Transmetropolitan series, starring mentalist and anti-hero journalist Spider Jerusalum.

This comic book obsession is really the fault of my temporary flatmate, who is a big nerd. I’ll be a bit blue when the time comes for him to move out upon the return of my real flatmate, as I will miss his Star Wars and original Star Trek boxsets and comic books IN THEIR ORIGINAL BOOK COVER. Or whatever comic books come in. And I guess I’ll miss having him around too (insert smiley emoticon here – they look really stupid so I’ll just have you imagine one if that’s ok)

Anyway. Here is last week’s show for your downloading pleasure. Apologies again for the delay. I fell off that detox bandwagon with a hard thud. And the wagon hadn’t even left the driveway. Bah.

MP3

NC Lawlor Thursday 14th June 2007

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