Daily Archives: May 25, 2010

Competition Closed: Keith Barry at The Olympia

  By Sinead Keogh | May 25, 2010 - 11:10 pm | Competitions, Events, Performance Art
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**Competition Closed. Winners will be contacted** He’s a trickster, a fast talker and an entertainer (whether you can bring yourself to believe in his talents or not) and Keith Barry is bringing his new show, The Asylum, to the Olympia Theatre next month. It kicks off for a 20-night run on June 30th and finishes July 25th and promises to leave you ‘Shocked! Astounded! Mind boggled! Disturbed! Confused!’ The man who’s escaped from being tied up in a burning shed and impressed audiences with mind reading and sleight of hand hasn’t revealed quite what the new show will involve but if the ‘unsuitable for children’ warning and the advice that audience participation will feature heavily is anything to go by, it sounds like Barry’s going to be up to his old tricks.

Get Caught Up In … The Joy Formidable!

  By Lisa McInerney | May 25, 2010 - 10:04 pm | Gigs, Music
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Now that is a title suggesting serious exhilaration, and from a seriously infectious band, and all. The Joy Formidable play rock n’ roll bolstered by monster hooks and tempered by frontwoman Ritzy’s dreamy vocals - like floating on a stormy sea. They’re going to be massive. Oh, yes. Think Pretty Girls Make Graves. Think Howling Bells. Even think Garbage, seeing as Shirley Manson’s such a huge fan. If these girl-fronted rawk comparisons strike you as being a bit obvious, or hardly inspirational, just give new single Popinjay a listen. Head-boinking, no? Popinjay comes ahead of the as-yet-untitled debut album which is due for release later this summer, though The Joy Formidable are no new conception, no band of green types blinking in the light of sudden exposure. Their very impressive eight-track collection, A Balloon Called Moaning, has already earned palpable respect for this gang of gorgeous workhorses. I’ve been listening … There’s more →

The Purple Nokia Winner

  By Darren Byrne | May 25, 2010 - 4:22 pm | Competitions, Site News, The Culch
6 Comments

No! It’s not Barney the bloody Dinosaur. It’s not a plum with a face drawn on it (great answer, btw). It’s not Elmo and it’s not a Smiley bar (hungry now!!!). It’s not a jelly baby or a robot dog or a toilet seat. It’s certainly not Prince (that made me laugh). It’s not a one eyed, one horned, flying purple people eater, although I’m tempted to give Jenny a prize for that suggestion. It’s not Nemo and it’s not a Purple Baby Bear (sorry Chris). It’s not a toothbrush, Sex and the City shoes or a facecloth and it’s definitely not a hedgehog painted purple (the clue was soft and smiley!!!). So what was in the box? Niall finally got on the right lines with a “purple smiley pair of knickers”, but there were a few more people on his heels suggesting boxers and briefs with smiley faces. No, … There’s more →

Ad Nauseam: Who’s more sexist – Hunky Dorys or Guinness?

  By Éilish Burke | May 25, 2010 - 2:15 pm | Adverts, The Culch, TV
5 Comments

Hey Culchies, please welcome our newest contributor, Eilish, to the mix. I hope you make her feel very welcome and I think she’ll be a great addition to the team. As part of a regular column, Eilish is looking at Irish ads. Looking forward to reading more. - Darren Hello readers and welcome to this brand spanking new series of posts all about the lovely world of advertising. Yes, I’m talking about those annoying bits that we all try to avoid in between programmes on the telly and radio. It follow us around everywhere, advertising - you can’t even go to the jacks in your local pub without being confronted with posters trying to sell you thrush cream or urging you to check your testicles. But I kinda love ads. Ads can be great, ads can be crap, ads can be entertaining and ads can be cheesy. Sometimes ads can … There’s more →

Competition Closed: Clockwork Apple Presents Sleep Thieves, Crayonsmith & Silhouette

  By Darren Byrne | May 25, 2010 - 9:00 am | Competitions, Gigs, Music, Site News, The Culch
1 Comment

Clockwork Apple has been going for over a year now, it’s a monthly night upstairs in Whelans, usually 3 bands with a bit of personality. They’ve had some great acts including Heathers, We Cut Corners, Yes Cadets, Holy Roman Army, Hooray for Humans, House of Cosy Cushions, Zealots, Little Xs For Eyes, 8 Ball and now the lovely Crayonsmith and Sleep Thieves. Clockwork Apple also gives non-Dublin bands the opportunity a chance to play a Dublin gig where they’re they’re looked after well. This Friday, 28th May, Clockwork Apple plays host to Sleep Thieves, Crayonsmith and Silhouette, and we have a great prize of tickets and goodies to give away. Since the release of their debut EP It Was Only A Satellite last June and follow up single City Lights in October, electro pop trio Sleep Thieves have steadily built themselves a loyal fan base. They were named one of … There’s more →