PERFECT 10
HERE’S OUR TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORK THIS WEEK
UPTEMPO FOLK AND ROCK WITH HERMITAGE GREEN
LIMERICK’S finest, Hermitage Green, will play a gig amid the intimate surroundings of the INEC Acoustic Club on Friday evening.
Since coming together in 2010 as the result of a spontaneous jam session between friends, the band subsequently signed to Sony Music going onto release a number of recordings under the label.
However, it is on the live stage that their explosive brand of acoustic folk/rock really comes to life, with the band captivating audiences across the globe with their high-octane and enigmatic shows.
Their unique arrangement of instruments includes the bodhrán, djembe, rhythmic guitar and banjo, which sets them apart as a truly original offering of Irish music.
Tickets for the concert from www.ticketmaster. ie priced at €22.90.
MUSICAL LOVE LETTERS AT THE IONAD CULTÚRTHA
AN intriguing evening of classical music performed by the PRISM musical ensemble will take place at the Ionad Cultúrtha in Baile Mhuirne this coming Sunday afternoon at 3pm.
Entitled ‘Musical Love Letters’, the performance will explore the intriguing love triangle between composers Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms and Schumann’s wife Clara through letters and music.
Narrated by Aodhán O Murchú, the performance will feature an afternoon gorgeous music performed by the ensemble of award-winning professional musicians, including excerpts from Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio and Brahms’ Piano Quartet.
Tickets for the performance from the venue on 026 45733.
FESTIVE MUSIC AND CRAIC WITH JOHN SPILLANE
FOR the past two-decades Cork’s favourite musical son, the inimitable John Spillane, has made an annual pilgrimage to his native city for a festive gig at the Everyman Palace Theatre.
This year the Meteor award winning singer/ songwriter, who has sold more than 100,000 albums and seen his songs covered by a host of Irish folk luminaries will return to the venue for an enjoyable night of craic agus ceoil on Sunday, December 17.
Spillane said his Cork Christmas concert is always one of the highlights of his year, promising his fans a great night of music, stories and good old-fashioned banter in the company of some very special mystery guests.
Tickets for the concert, priced at €25, from the venue on 021 450 1673 or at www.everymancork.com.
RTÉ CONTEMPO QUARTET AT THE TRISKEL CENTRE
THE RTÉ Contempo Quartet will play the fourth instalment of its Complete Beethoven Cycle at the Triskel Christchurch Arts Centre on Saturday evening at 6.30pm.
Since its formation in 1995 the Quartet has performed over 1400 concerts world-wide including at such as St Martin-in-the-Fields, Berliner Philharmonie, Palazzo del Quirinale Rome, Carnegie Hall and the Opera House Tel-Aviv.
The concert, entitled ‘ Beethoven for a Later Age’ will feature performances of three of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 4 (OP 18 in C) and his String Quartet No.10 (OP 74 in E’flat) in addition to a new work by Deirdre McKay commission by RTÉ.
Admission at the door €10/€12.
JOIN THE NAILDRIVERS FOR A GIG DOWN THE LANE
THE superbly monikered Pontious Pilate and the Naildrivers will play a free gig at the Crane Lane theatre on Sunday night.
The band, which has been playing together for the past decade, have shared the stage with such luminaries as Bad Manners, The Selecter and The Undertones.
Their energetic original songs fit seamlessly with note perfect covers by bands such as The Jam, The Clash, The Specials, Madness and The Beat making every life show an experience not to be missed.
Whether you describe their music as punk, ska or rock is irrelevant because at the end of the day it sets toes tapping, and hearts racing, leaving bringing audiences to a frenzy of unfettered musical bliss.
MARC O’REILLY WITH NEW TRACKS AT COUGHLAN’S
IRISH folk/blues troubadour Marc O’Reilly will be play a full band show at Coughlan’s Live on Douglas Street tonight (Thursday).
The gig will mark the release of his latest single, ‘Enemy Of ’, a track taken from his eagerly awaited new album ‘L’etre Politique’, which is due for release next February.
While his roots may lie in Waterford and France, O’Reilly’s sound rests somewhere between the American-influenced folk blues of Peter Green and contemporary acts such as Ray LaMontagne and Gomez.
He has enjoyed international success with his track ‘Bleed’ streamed more than 1.5 million times on Spotify and featured on the soundtrack to the movie ‘Whatever Happens’.
Tickets €12 from www.coughlans.ie.
BLISTERING BLUES AT THE WHITE HORSE IN B/COLLIG
CORK-based blues four piece The Watermelons will play a free late-night gig at The White Horse in Ballincollig on Saturday night.
With a line up, consisting of drums, bass, guitar and sax, the band boasts some of Corks finest musicians.
Their live sets alternate between pure Chicago blues and blues rock, with blistering covers of tracks made famous by legendary musical figures including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf , The Allman Brothers, Junior Wells , Fleetwood Mac and Jimi Hendrix.
The audience can expect wailing guitar and sax solos driven by a a formidable rhythm section.
STAND -UP WITH COLIN MURPHY AT CITY LIMITS
COMEDIAN Colin Murphy will play a special festive night of stand-up at the City Limits Comedy Club on Saturday night in the company of Ross Browne and guests.
In addition to selling out shows at some of the world’s biggest comedy festivals, Murphy has been an almost permanent fixture on our TV screens in show including ‘ The Panel’, ‘ The Blizzard of Odd’, and ‘ The Blame Game’’ as well as numerous radio shows.
Murphy is also an accomplished actor, starring in the award winning drama ‘Holy Cross and the BAFTA nominated ‘People Like Us’
His easy going, observational brand of standup has endeared Murphy to audiences and critics alike.
Tickets from www.tickets.ie.
SUGAR COATED SOUNDS WITH THE 4 OF US
VETERAN rockers The 4 of Us will perform tracks from their more than three-decade career when they play ‘Live at St Luke’s on Saturday night with special guest Cormac O’Caoimh.
Formed and fronted by Newry-born brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy, the band has developed a unique musical identity, which has produced original and award-winning recordings and earned them a large and loyal fan base.
Their most recent album, ‘Sugar Island’, saw the Murphy’s in a reflective mood, with its 12 tracks reflecting on their childhood growing up in a border town at the height of the Troubles.
Expect some beautiful songs, stunning interplay and great stories from the road.
Tickets for the gig from www.uticket.ie priced at €25 plus booking fee.
INNOCENT BYSTANDERS PLAYING ZEVON IN CLON
VETERAN Cork singer/songwriter Eugene Brosnan will play a free gig at De Barra’s Folk Club in Clonakilty on Saturday night with his band the Innocent Bystanders.
When Brosnan moved back to Cork in 2015 after touring the globe for 18-years, he contacted bassist Martin Kingston with the idea of forming a band as a vehicle for the songs of their late, great idol Warren Zevon.
After assembling a group of like-minded musicians the Innocent Bystander project was born, with the band playing at sold-out venues and festivals across the country over the past 18-months.
Over that time their sets have expanded to include original material that sits snugly alongside Zevon’s tales of Excitable Boy’s, Headless Thompson Gunners and Desperados Under the Eaves.