PERFECT 10
HERE’S OUR TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORK THIS WEEK
FESTIVE CONCERT WITH THE EARLSFORT BRASS
THE Earlsfort Brass Quintet will ‘ring out the brass for Christmas’ during a festive themed concert tonight (Thursday) at the CIT School of Music’s Curtis Auditorium.
The ensemble consists of award-winning musicians Colin Byrne and David Collins (trumpets), Cormac Ó hAodáin (horn) Mick Marshall (trombone) and Francis Magee (Tuba), each of whom have carved out successful careers in their own right.
Tonight’s recital, hosted by the Cork Orchestral Society, will feature an eclectic programme including well-known and popular seasonal gems to fire up the Christmas spirit as well as music by JS Bach, Leonard Bernstein, Kurt Weill, Michael Kamen and Jim Parker.
Admission to what promises to be a very special evening of music will be €20 (general admission), with concessions for Cork Orchestral Society members.
SEASONAL CELLULOID MAGIC AT THE TRISKEL
The Triskel Christchurch Art Centre’s annual ‘Christmas Movies’ mini-season will kick off on Sunday evening and feature screenings of three classic seasonal celluloid favourites over the following week.
Each afternoon at 4.15pm up until Sunday, December 23 the venue will screen ‘ The Muppet’s Christmas Carol’ - the retelling of Dickens classic tale that has universal appeal to both adults and children.
This will be followed each night at 6pm by Frank Capra’s masterpiece ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, the classic tale of a desperate man who finds salvation through his guardian angel.
The pace will quicken somewhat with 8.30pm screenings of ‘Die Hard’ - the high octane action movie starring Bruce Willis on December 20,21,22 & 23.
Tickets for the screenings from the Triskel on 021 427 2022.
HARD DRIVING BLUES WITH ONE HORSE PONY
HARD driving Cork-based acoustic blues band One Horse Pony will play a free late-night gig at Coughlan’s Live on Douglas Street this coming Saturday in support of their debut EP ‘Hot One’
The four-piece band, which features members from Ireland France and the US, boasts a unique line-up of guitars, harmonica, cello, bodhran 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 Irish festival scene.
OHP combine superb musicianship, fivepiece harmonies and ‘fire ‘n’ brimstone’ lyrics with an uncompromising drive, delivering their signature fusion of acoustic blues, Irish trad and classical styles.
TOP IRISH COMEDY DUO AT DE BARRA’S IN CLON
TWO of Ireland’s top comedic talents, Bernard Casey and Fred Cooke will bring their ‘ The Shape of Two’ live show to the stage of De Barra’s Folk Club in Clonakilty tonight (Thursday).
Casey took the internet by storm when he received millions of views for his videos including The Polish/Irish Accent, the French Oral and The Irish Listening Test, with his quick-witted oldschool style of Irish storytelling making him a hugely popular figure on the Irish comedy circuit.
Described by Hot Press as being in “the Premier League of Irish funny-men”, Fred Cooke delivers a unique brand of comedy through his musical prowess and wild crafted physical story telling.
His musical sketches are a constant hilarious success with his Republic of Telly Hidden Camera Prank reaching over 1.5 million hits on Youtube.
Tickets from the www.tickets.ie priced at €15 (plus booking fee).
KINGS OF KUDOS AT THE CRANE LANE THEATRE
THE hugely popular Kings of Kudos will play a free late-night gig at the Crane Lane Theatre tonight (Thursday).
Their story starts more than a decade ago when Stephen Housden (guitar/vocals), who has played and recorded with musicians including Warren Zevon, Dr John and Glenn Frey and drummer Les Sampson (drums) joined forces.
After playing together with Noel Reading (formerly of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) the duo set up their own band as a vehicle for their original music.
After various line-up changes the ‘Kings’ were born with the permanent addition of Mike Geaney (Eric Bell Band) on bass.
While firmly rooted in psychedelic rock, their eclectic and exciting blend of music straddles different genres, with their live shows experiences to satisfy even the most jaded of musical palates.
FESTIVE MUSIC AND CRAIC WITH JOHN SPILLANE
FOR than 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 a night of craic agus ceoil this coming Sunday evening.
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 the great man and a cast of very special mystery guests and friends.
Tickets for the concert, priced at €25, from the venue on 021 450 1673 or at www.everymancork.com.
SEAN-NÓS WITH SEAN KEANE IN BALLYVOURNEY
POPULAR Irish singer and musician Seán Keane will play a concert at the Ionad Cultúrtha in Ballyvourney in the company of Pat Coyne and Fergus Feely on Friday evening.
Known for his distinctive sean-nós style, Keane’s voice is truly unique with his songs also encompassing a mixture of trad, pop, blues and country.
The Galway native was born into a musical family that included his renowned sister Dolores and he was a founder member of the band Arcady.
Keane has won numerous awards and the London Independent described him as “the greatest Irish musical find of the 90’s”.
The concert will feature tracks from Keane’s latest album ‘ Gratitude’ along with many of his well known hits.
Pre-booking is advised at 026 45733
THE HIGH KINGS LINED UP TO PLAY THE INEC
DUBBED ‘ the true heirs of Ireland folk heritage’, the popular trad quartet The High Kings will bring their electric live show to the stage of Killarney’s INEC on Saturday night.
The band members, Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey and Darren Holden, grew up in households steeped in the Irish musical tradition, witnessing at first hand the power trad Irish music holds over audiences.
Since their formation in 2008, the band has recorded seven studio, live and compilation albums, earning a rich reputation for their high-octane live shows, selling out venues in Ireland and across the US.
During their INEC show fans can expect to hear popular Irish songs from the groups repertoire with audience participation a must.
Tickets for the show from the venue on 066 667 1555 priced at €31.
PANTO TIME AT THE RIVERSIDE PARK HOTEL
THE first of three performances of the Lee Valley Enterprise Board’s panto ‘Where’s Santa??’ will take place on Sunday evening at The Riverside Park Hotel in Macroom.
Santa has been kidnapped in Macroom and keen to ‘save Christmas’ Mrs Claus sends her helpers Tinkerbelle and Tingle to the town from the North Pole to find Santa’s friends Nonie and Donie.
Together, they search for Santa in a bid to find him before Christmas Eve so he can deliver presents to the girls and boys.
Featuring a cast of more than 100 in a fresh, new and exciting take on the classical entertainment format incorporating plenty of popular Christmas songs and other melodies.
Tickets Sunday’s 2.30pm show and next weekend’s final two performances from the box office at South Square, Macroom or 087 166 3395 priced at €10/€15.
EMMA DORAN LIVE AND UNLEASHED IN CORK
COMEDIAN, blogger and self-confessed ‘chancer’ Emma Doran will bring her stand-up show to Black Sheep Comedy Club at the White Horse in Ballincollig on Friday night.
Doran’s stand-up and sketches have racked up tens of thousands of hits on some of Ireland’s most popular online sites and she was also a regular on RTE’s Republic of Telly as well as appearing on many other TV shows including The Today Show with Daithi and Maura and Right This Minute in the US.
A woman with her finger on the pulse of society, she has a wry and wickedly funny sense of humour with her live shows poking fun at the absurdity’s of modern life.
She will be supported on the night by Irish comedians Mr Hennessey and Shane Clifford.
Tickets from www.eventbrite.ie priced €10 (plus booking fee).