PERFECT 10 HERE’S OUR TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORK THIS WEEK
‘SHAWLIES’ RECAL COAL QUAY’S GOLDEN ERA
A FASCINATING play currently running at The Everyman Palace Theatre takes a fictional and colourful look at what life was like during the ‘glory days’ of Cork’s vibrant Coal Quay.
Entitled ‘Shawlies’, after the nickname given to the women street traders who worked there, the play celebrates the very heart, spirit, soul and humour of tone of one Cork’s favourite streets during its heyday.
The cast, under the direction of Marion Wyatt, combine the use of words and old Cork songs to create a rich kaleidoscope of sound and vision transporting audiences back into a bygone era that defined the beautiful city by the Lee.
The final two performances of ‘Shawlies’ at the Everyman Palace will take place tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow at 8pm.
Tickets from the venue on 021 450 1673 priced at €27.
SORDID TALES FROM THE STREETS OF CORK
THE Cork Arts Theatre will host three nightly performances of Cork playwright Liam Heylin’s new play ‘Lex Talionis (A Tale of Vengeance and Feathers)’ from tonight following its sold out run at the Cork Midsummer Festival.
Hugh is an older rook with chicks on the way, Mooney is a younger rook whose new friend Max is not what she seems and Dónie is a magpie - and he is bad news.
When someone is murdered all hell breaks loose. There will be vengeance. That’s what the weird Latin title is about – the law of retaliation, an eye for an eye.
This is another play from the seriously funny Liam Heylin about ‘savage craic’ on the streets of Cork City.
Tickets from the Cork Arts Theatre 021 450 5624, priced at €15.
TWO NIGHTS WITH ALBERT HAMMOND
ONE of the world’s greatest living songwriters, the incomparable Albert Hammond, will play two veritable ‘greatest hits’ concerts at the Cork Opera House on Friday and Saturday night.
During a career spanning more than five-decades, Hammond has penned hit song after hit song, beginning with his first ‘Little Arrows’ in 1968, which he followed with by a catalogue of classics including ‘ The Air That I Breathe’, ‘ To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before’ and ‘One Moment In Time’.
Over the years his songs have been covered by a huge range of artists including Johnny Cash, Elton John, Joe Cocker and Diana Ross, racking up more than 30 chart-topping singles and sales of more than 360 million records.
Hammond’s Cork gigs will offer music fans a welcome opportunity to hear many of his songs played in their original form.
Tickets from www.corkoperahouse.ie priced at €32/€35.
ONE HORSE PONY LIVE AT CRANE LANE THEATRE
HARD driving Cork-based acoustic blues band One horse Pony will play a free late-night gig at the Crane Lane Theatre next Tuesday night.
The four-piece band, which features members from Ireland France and the US, boasts a unique line-up of guitars, harmonica, cello, bodhrán and low whistle inspiring a fresh and innovative take on the blues.
Their combination of original material and energetic live performances has won the band fans across the world and made them staples on the local festival scene.
OHP combine superb musicianship, five-piece harmonies and ‘fire ‘n’ brimstone’ lyrics with an uncompromising drive, delivering their signature fusion of acoustic blues, Irish trad and classical styles.
THE OTHER SIDE OF BLUE LIVE
BRITISH singer/songwriter Tom Baxter will bring his ‘ The Other Side of Blue’ Irish tour, celebrating the release of his latest album, to the stage of the intimate De Barra’s Folk Club in Clonakilty on Saturday night.
Baxter first shot to prominence in 2008 following the release of his self-funded second album ‘Skybound’, which spawned the global hit ‘Better’ and the singles’ Almost There’ and ‘Day in Verona’.
‘ The Other Side of Blue’ is another deeply personal album, once again underscoring Baxter’s infectious intensity and innate ability to pen searing and soulful tracks that have marked him out as one of the UK’s finest contemporary musicians.
Tickets €20 from www.debarra.ie.
MEMORY ORCHESTRA TO PLAY SCHOOL OF MUSIC
THE Irish Memory Orchestra, the innovative creation of visionary artistic director Dave Flynn will play a concert in the CIT School of Music Curtis Auditorium at 8pm on Saturday evening.
The first and only orchestra in the western world to play exclusively from memory its members, a selection of Ireland’s foremost traditional, classical and jazz musicians, combine to create a kaleidoscopic sound around Dave Flynn’s original music.
The orchestra’s heady mix of a string section infused with harps and Irish fiddles, a haunting wind section, guitars and a dynamic rhythm section create an infectious sound that has won the ensemble global acclaim and numerous awards.
Admission to Saturday’s 8pm performance, which will include a guest appearance by master accordion player and composer Máirtín Ó Connor, will be €15 at the door.
COMEDY CAVERN IN COUGHLAN’S
THE popular ‘Comedy Cavern’ will make a welcome return to Coughlan’s on Douglas Street this coming Friday evening, with stand-up performances by London-based comedian Will Franklin and Tralee’s Shane Clifford.
Renowned for his high-speed, quick character change comedy with a heavy emphasis on politically incorrect satire, Franklin has featured on TV and radio on both sides of the Atlantic.
His erudite wit and highly developed sense of the absurd has earned him widespread critical acclaim and the respect of comedic peers include the late Robin Williams, Matt Lucas, Stewart Lee and Eddie Izzard.
Described by The Rubberbandits as “the best comedian in Ireland”, Shane Clifford has sold out venues across the country and appeared on RTE’s ‘Alison Spittles Culchie Club’.
Tickets from www.coughlans. ie priced at €11.
UK INDIE BAND TO MAKE WAVES AT CYPRUS AVE
BRITISH indie/pop band Pale Waves will play Cork’s Cyprus Avenue on Saturday evening.
Formed in 2014, the band cut their teeth playing clubs and venues in their native Manchester, before signing a record deal with Dirty Hits last year and releasing the critically acclaimed singles ‘ There’s A Honey’ and ‘ Television Romance’.
Having released their debut EP ‘All The Thing’s I Never Said’ in February, Pale Waves were ranked a creditable fifth in the BBC Sound of 2018 poll and won the prestigious Under the Radar gong at this year’s NME awards.
Earlier this month the band released their eagerly anticipated debut album ‘My Mind Makes noises’, which immediately went to number eight in the official UK album charts.
Tickets www.eventbrite.ie priced at €16.
FANDANGO DUO TO PLAY SIRIUS
THE supper series at Cobh’s Sirius Arts Centre will continue on Friday night with an evening combining sumptuous locally produced food and music in the company of the Fandango Duo.
The duo of multi-award winning classical guitarists David Keating and Colin McLean bring their infectious blend of fun, energetic and soulful music to the live stage though a genre spanning repertoire.
Whether it be the relentlessly rhythmic tangos of Astor Piazzolla, the fiery Spanish dances of de Falla, or the fascinating chord combinations and pop sensibilities of the Beatles, Fandango Duo strive to make every live performance a memorable event.
Tickets for the evening, which will include a pre-performance evening meal provided by Cornida, €20 from www.siriusartscentre.ie.
SPOTLIGHT CHAMBER SERIES AT THE TRISKEL
THE second concert in the Triskel Art Centres hugely popular2018 Spotlight Chamber Music Series will take place on Saturday at 1.10pm.
The series will feature four concerts based on the principle of bringing together some of Ireland’s most distinguished musician to play together in small ensembles.
Saturday’s offering will feature the combined talents of Katherine Hunka (violin), Cian Ó Dúill (viola), Aoife Nic Athlaoich (cello) and John Forde (clarinet).
They will perform an exciting programme featuring Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet (K.581), Dvorak’s ‘ Terzetto’ (Op.74) and Sam Perkin’s Moto Perpetuo for String Quartet.
For full details of the series and ticket details visit www.triskelPale artscentre.ie.