After the gruelling toil of single-handedly making a Christmas dinner for eight people (three of whom are vegetarian), I felt like I deserved a break. Honey-glazing an uncooked ham, roasting a turkey, kneading a potato stuffing, boiling vegetables, making gravy, mashing spuds, creating pastry for mince pies can take it out of you. Continue reading Pitch Perfect: The 3 pubs of Limerick
Today is the shortest day of the year. The winter solstice. The day that the pagan Vikings threw their almighty winter bash to lift their depleted spirits, during this grimmest time of the year. The time of year into which the Christians installed Christmas – to replace the winter solstice. After all when you are replacing one set of beliefs for another, you need to make damned sure you keep the fun parts of the old traditions, or your new superstitions won’t be greeted with open arms.
Seeing as the day today is so short I may as well make use of the candlelight to write another year end list. This time for your reading delectation – the list of theatrical extravaganzas I have attended, written or participated in this year. Continue reading Listicles: Theatre Times
Every evening I arrive in town, after my trek from the wastelands. I alight at O’Connell Street – the nation’s main thoroughfare – which is suddenly looking lovely, after the removal of the tram works and the festive decorations bedazzling the street. When the weather is mild I will take a left on North Earl Street and wander down Talbot Street on my way home. The denizens of Talbot Street are an eclectic mix – from tourist, to shopper, to office worker, to street entrepreneur. The main trade done by the latter, is the buying, selling and consumption of illegal substances – blueys and yellows in the main. These fine ladies and gentleman of industry are not the focus of today’s blog however. That dubious honour goes to the beggar-woman of North Earl Street. Continue reading The beggar-woman of North Earl Street, and my dilemma
Did I want to see the Happy Mondays? Well certainly. But not enough to buy a ticket when they went on sale. It may seem that I am a gadfly when it comes to gigs, fluttering about like a deranged Christmas bauble, attending the opening of an envelop. The reality is different. I tend to be selective in my attendance at events. Were I to be present at everything I wanted to see then I would have been bankrupt long ago. Continue reading Joyous Friday with the Happy Mondays
As the end of the year approaches, I am getting a touch obsessive compulsive, and making lot of lists. No practical lists involving gifts, or household appliances, or ingredients for extravagant dishes that I will daydream about making, before buying the ready made version. Those lists are scary. My lists involve more pleasant subjects. Books that I have read in 2017. Plays that I have attended. Concerts that I have been to.
I will post about the others soon. But for today’s blog, my focus shall be on the live music I have witnessed this year.
Why bother you may ask? Well why not? These are memories that will inevitably fade over time. If I have made a written record of the experiences then it creates a stamp of reality for them.
So avid readers of this blog (my audience may be a select number but all are choice cuts of human loveliness); in chronological order here is my live music record for 2017.
1. Panti – March 25th, Ballymaloe Grain Store, Cork. Not exactly a concert – more a one man, stand up show. For the purposes of this blog I am including it in this post. My take on it is HERE. )
2. Lindsey Stirling – April 5th, Vicar Street, Dublin. My atheist awakening at a free concert (See HERE.)
3. ‘A night in the key of 8’ – April 23rd, Olympia Theatre, Dublin. A benefit gig to raise funds for the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment to the Irish constitution, which bans abortion. Interesting line-up HERE.
4. The Cranberries – May 18th, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin. A spot of hometown glory and nostalgia with my old school friends. Hope they return again – my story is HERE
5. Fleet Foxes – July 13th, Iveagh Gardens, Dublin. The start of my summer holidays and a most wonderful weekend (as told HERE. )
6. Limerick Pride – July 14th, Dolans’ Warehouse, Limerick. Not a gig per se. But as live music was involved I am including it. A glorious experience detailed HERE.
7. Hothouse Flowers – August 12th, Ballymaloe Grainstore, Cork. No account has been written of this gig. That’s not like me. Enjoyed it very much though.
8. Manchester Pride – August 26th, a car park, Manchester. Not exactly a gig – more of a weekend away, Melanie C of the Spice Girls played a ninety minute set however, so that counts as a concert – despite not having bought a ticket specifically for it. Read about it HERE
9. Pet Shop Boys – September 6th, Bord Gais Energy Theatre. A most wonderful show – described HERE. )
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – September 21st, The 3 Arena, Dublin. Despite the years’ long wait between ticket purchase and event, and the subsequent expectation, this was a disappointment. Read all about it HERE
11. Alison Moyet – October 28th, Olympia Theatre, Dublin. The concert of the year. Absolutely loved this gig. Adore the venue. My account of it is HERE
12. Kathy Griffin – November 8th, Vicar Street, Dublin. Stand up show by the fainting American – read all about it HERE. )
13. Steps – November 13th, 3 Arena, Dublin. While Alison Moyet gave my favourite concert of the year, I engaged in a touch of gay hyperbole by declaring THIS show, ‘the most electrifying night in the history of showbusiness.’ Continue reading Live Nation
I miss the days when politicians were allowed to be ugly, and unpolished. Before social media was invented. Continue reading You won’t fool the children of the revolution.
Every few months (on a day close to pay day) I will go on a concert ticket buying binge. I will look at the schedule for the coming twelve months; purchase any that look promising – which are not outrageously expensive or sold out; mark the date in my diary and forget about them. Until that handy little reminder pops up a few days in advance to warn of the impending event.
So it was with Patrick Wolf, whom I saw in the Sugar Club last night. I had seen him previously in the Melkweg (Milky Way) in Amsterdam in April 2011. I can remember this date as while at that concert a friend was in the audience (of which I was not aware) took a picture of me from a height, looking very moody and artistic. Having a healthy ego, I have used this picture as a Facebook profile picture, which serves as a precise reminder of when I saw the gig. Continue reading What’s the time Mr. Wolf?
So the dental appointment yesterday was non-eventful. I had been warned that I needed a root canal procedure on a back tooth, and a crown placed on that same tooth. Yesterday’s appointment was to discuss my ‘plan’. In addition to the two aforementioned procedures I also require an ‘onlay’ on a different tooth (whatever that means?).
I blanched in horror when she told me the price – not exactly a steal at 2,150 euro (€650 for the root canal; €850 for the crown and €650 for the onlay). I know that I can claim 20% of this back through tax; and my health insurance with work will cover another €500. But that’s still an outlay (as opposed to an onlay) of the entire amount before waiting a year to claim some back. Continue reading Dental tourism in Poland
I am feeling tired and emotional after my trek to work this morning. I am not using ‘tired and emotional’ as a euphemism for being drunk in this instance. I am actually tired and emotional after my two and a half hour journey. Continue reading The never-ending journey
The show is over. Last night the cast took their final bow, and bid farewell to the theatre. Continue reading That’s all folks
