PERFECT 10
HERE’S OUR TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORK THIS WEEK
MIDGE URE TO BRING ‘THE GIFT’ OF MUSIC TO THE CORK OPERA HOUSE
ONE of rock music’s great unsung heroes, veteran singer/songwriter Midge Ure will being his ‘Something from Everything’ tour to the Cork Opera House tonight (Thursday).
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Ure has moved seamlessly from his ‘pop’ beginnings to almost joining the Sex Pistols, his ground breaking electronic work with Visage, his mainstream success with Ultravox and a hugely successful solo career. Along with Bob Geldof he also helped organise Live Aid in 1985. His Irish tour sees Ure crossing genres and performing tracks spanning his entire carer. Tickets from the Opera House box office on 021 427 0022 priced at €36.
CONTEMPO QUARTET BACK AT THE TRISKEL WITH ‘BARTOK PROJECT’
THE RTE Contempo Quartet will play then fifth performance in their six-part ‘Bartok Project’ tonight (Thursday) at the Triskel Christchurch Arts Centre.
The six quartets of Béla Bartók written between 1908 and 1939 form the cornerstone of the Quartet’s 2016/17 season, complemented by Haydn’s Op 76 Quartets (1-6).
The series has also featured six new works by contemporary Irish composers, including four new RTÉ commissions which received their premières during the series.
Tonight’s programme will feature a new work by Irish composer David Coonan.
Tickets from the venue on 021 427 2022, priced at €15/12.
AUGUST WELLS RETURN TO CORK ON THE DOUBLE WITH NEW ALBUM
SEMINAL New York collective August Wells will be back in Cork next week for two gigs at Coughlan’s Live celebrating the release of their new album ‘Madness in the Mercy’.
A musical project formed in the Big Apple, August Wells was inspired by Ken Griffin and John Rauchenberger, both of who are veterans of the city’s vibrant music scene.
August Wells combine the rich deep lilt of Griffin’s voice with the sublime sound of Rauchenberger’s piano arrangements to create distinctive chamber music injected with the heart and passion of the late Lou Reed.
Tickets €10 from www.coughlans.ie.
ATLANTIC SONGBOOK SESSIONS AT THE CRANE LANE THEATRE
THE Crane Lane Theatre’s ‘Atlantic Songbook Sessions’ series will continue this week with no less than four free late-night gigs over the coming days.
Tonight (Thursday) indie/jazz band Tanya Louise and the Jam Masters will play the venue, with Cork singer Hank Wedel set to perform tracks from his 30-year career on Sunday evening.
Popular Cork singer Tony Milner will play an acoustic set of covers and original songs on Monday night, with Wexford based, Cork-born singer Lynda Cullen set to showcase tracks from her eagerly awaited second album, which is due out this year, on Wednesday night.
The series of gigs offers music lovers a welcome opportunity to sample music by an eclectic mix of established and upcoming Irish artists free of charge.
BACK TO THE EIGHTIES WITH ‘DIRTY DANCING’ STAGE SHOW AT THE INEC
THE acclaimed ‘Dirty Dancing’ stage show will make a welcome return to the INEC in Killarney for a run of six performances form next Tuesday night.
Based on the cult film of the same name, the show is rip-roaring experience packed with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion and sensationally sexy dancing.
The story of Baby and Johnny who come from different sides of the road, the show features 35 instantly recognisable hit songs including ‘Hungry Heart’, ‘Hey Baby’, ‘Do You Love Me’ and the signature tune ‘I’ve Had the Time of My Life.”
Tickets for the performances, priced from €39.05 to €58.65, from the INEC box office on 064 667 1555.
ALL WILL BE ROSEY TONIGHT AT DE BARRA’S FOLK CLUB IN CLON
HAVING recently returned from a sell-out tour Down Under, Irish singer/songwriter Rosey will play De Barra’s Folk Club in Clonakilty tonight (Thursday).
The gig, part of Rosey’s latest Irish tour, will feature a selection of old favourites and new material currently being recorded and due for release later on this year.
The highly-anticipated new album is a joint project between Rosey and Una Molloy of the Turning Pirate agency who has previously worked with such musical luminaries as Lisa Hannigan, the Young Folk and Wallis Bird.
Admission in the door €10.
FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS WITH JASON BYRNE
ONE of Ireland’s finest contemporary comedians, the inimitable Jason Byrne will back back-to-back gigs at the Everyman Palace Theatre on Friday and Saturday night.
Byrne, who has carved a successful TV career both at home and in the UK, returns to his stand-up roots with his new show that has everything fans have come to expect from the man dubbed by the Irish Times as “The Outright King of Live comedy.”
From ducks, to false chins, to portable igloos and bewildered owls. Byrne takes audiences on a whirlwind trip through the sublime to the downright ridiculous in a show that will delight his fans.
Tickets from the venue on 021 450 1673 priced at €27.
DOWDALL AND HANRAHAN TO LET GO AT THE SIRIUS ARTS CENTRE
FOLLOWING the release of their version of Anthony and the Johnsons haunting song ‘You Are My Sister’, Leslie Dowdall and Mike Hanrahan will play the Sirius Arts in Cobh on Friday night.
Dowdall is the voice and songwriter behind the sound that was In Tua Nua, while Hanrahan cut his teeth as the vocalist and lyricist with Stockton’s Wing.
The pair have toured intermittently together over recent years, with ‘You Are My Sister’ their first joint release since ‘Learning To Let Go’ a number of years ago.
The Cobh gig, part of a national tour, will see Dowdall on vocals, keyboards and guitar and Hanrahan on guitars and vocals.
Tickets from the venue on 021 481 3790 priced at €18.
A NIGHT OF SISTERLY REVELRY AT THE BALLYMALOE GRAINSTORE
THE ever popular Casey/Ní Chathasaigh Sisters will bring their acclaimed ‘Sibling Revelry’ show to the stage of the Ballymaloe Grainstore on Saturday night.
Singer and fiddle player Nollaig Casey has graced two seminal bands in Planxty and Coolfin, harpist Márie Ní Chathasaigh was the 2016 Live Ireland ‘Musician of the Year and Mairéad Ní Chathasaigh is an master of the Sliabh Luachra fiddle repertoire .
As a trio they have just released their debut album, which has already been described by the Daily Telegraph as being one of the folk albums of the year.
Tickets from the venue on 021 465 2531 priced at €23.
JON AND MARY TO BRING JOHN B’S TD TO LIFE AT THE GLEN THEATRE
THE Glen theatre in Banteer will host a performance of John B Keane’s hilarious political farce ‘ The Successful TD’, starring Jon Kenny and Mary McEvoy, tonight (Thursday).
Based on Keane’s ‘ The Letters of a Successful TD’ and’ An Irish Minister for State’ the play follows the trials, tribulations and madcap antics of Till McAdoo as he seeks re-election to the Dail in the ‘October Elections’.
Although written five-decades ago, the play displays an edge for humour and satire that is uncomfortably close to today’s political landscape and will have the audience laughing at the antics of its eccentric cast of characters.
Tickets for the show from the venue on 029 56239.