Tama the station master cat via Anthony McG
This cat is the station master at Kishi Station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In lieu of a salary, the railway provides Tama with free cat food. Of course there’s the hat as well. Passenger numbers are actually up for the station.
In January 2008, Tama was promoted to “super station master” in a ceremony attended by the president of the company and the mayor; as a result of her promotion, she is “the only female in a managerial position” in the company.
Ya gotta love the Japanese.
More on...... The Hours - The Underground, Dublin via Anthony McG
The Hours are one of my favourite bands at the moment. Tuesday night was their first gig in Ireland following the release of the debut album ‘Narcissus Road’. I actually booked the tickets while I was in the US and was really looking forward it. The band didn’t disappoint. While the crowd may have been a bit sparse, each tune was bashed out with vigour. The new tunes, especially ‘Think Again’, sounded great and the new album sounds like a winner. If you enjoy indie rock then I’d advise you to check them out on: their official site and MySpace.... IWA 2008 via Anthony McG
The inaugural (love that word) Irish Web Awards were on Saturday night in the Radisson SAS in town. Powered by Mulley © they were sure to be a great occasion and turned out to nothing less. I arrived into town earlyish to pickup food and then head across to Golden Lane. Upon arrival I hooked up with Darragh, Niamh, Rick, RP and the Kilkenny Massive. I was also introduced to the guys from Dublin Streets but promptly lost them (much to the chagrin of Darragh).
The ceremony itself flew by. Our work site, dublin.ie picked up ‘Best Council’ site which was wholey unexpected. When you work with a site day in and day out you can get quite used to it so it’s great to have it validated by an award like this. My acceptance speech was fairly rubbish but I should have mentioned... Burn After Reading via Anthony McG
I caught this in the States on the night before we left. I’d been intrigued by the plot in that it all seems to snowball from the discovery of a data disc with confidential data on it. Two hapless eejits played by Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt try to blackmail John Malkovich’s character and in doing so set off a bizarre series of events. Pitt and Clooney get the best parts but there isn’t one actor miscast in the entire film. I’d recommend seeing it here when it comes out in a week or...... Daniel Johnston and Friends via nialler9
Photo from Flickr by kaotage.
I was aware that two special shows were to take place in Whelans and were to feature Daniel Johnston, Mark Linous of Sparklehorse, Scout Niblett, James McNew of Yo La Tengo, Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub and Jad Fair and Bob Sluggett of Half Japanese. When Daniel played Vicar Street last year, I was wary of going. I had just seen The Devil and Daniel Johnston months previous so although I was fascinated by his story, his unique and sometimes painfully simple songs but I decided I wouldn’t go. Was I going to gawk at some fucked-up guy from that movie or did I genuinely think he was some kind of god? Neither. Afterwards, I remember hearing reports that people were laughing at him so I was glad I didn’t experience it.
When tickets returned on... The Dark Knight via Anthony McG
Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moon light?
If there’s one line from Tim Burton’s Batman that has stuck with me over the years then it’s that. Uttered by the Jack Nicholson’s Joker it epitomised the character in one line. Fast forward to 2008. After Christopher Nolan’s first foray into Gotham City with Batman Begins, the sequel has been anticipated like no other this year (bar Indiana Jones). The PR job has been fantastic and the film opened last week in the States with a record breaking 3 day tally.
So what did I make of it? As I mentioned last week, I took the time to catch up with Begins and I’m glad I did. The universe that Nolan has shaped is so expansive that you multiple viewings reveal details that would slip past you normally.... Wall-E via Anthony McG
Last night, courtesy of the good people at Movies.ie (sign up now, there’s free stuff and they’re sound), I saw Wall-E. Anybody who’s a regular reader here (all two of you) know that I was really keen to see this. I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve loved every movie that Pixar have produced and have them all on DVD. You may think that that has coloured my review of Wall-E but, as excited as I was to get tickets, I tried to be as objective as possible.
The film opens on an earth strewn with rubbish. Wall-E has been tasked with cleaning it up (along with hundreds of other such models) but alas he is the only one left of his kind. There is precious little “dialogue” in the first twenty minutes as Wall-E explores the rubbish piles and picks out... Oxegen & Rage Against the Machine via nialler9
A couple of years ago, I promised myself I wouldn’t return to Oxegen after a frankly crap year in 2005 and a horrible one-day experience in 2006. This year I returned under different circumstances as part of the State team with the proviso what we would review as many bands as we could over the weekend. It was actually a great experience plus, I got to avoid the campsites and head home to my parents house every night for a real bed and a shower. In the morning, as web editor, I collated everyone’s reviews and James Goulden (above) and Shawna Scott’s excellent photos into our reviews of the previous days. It was a gratifying job.
There were some clear highlights for me: most I have written about for State such as Aphex Twin, Vampire Weekend, Pendulum and Holy Fuck.... Donkey Punch via Anthony McG
Went to see this last night courtesy of Movies.ie. Ze plot:
After meeting at a nightclub in a Mediterranean resort, seven young adults decide to continue partying aboard a luxury yacht in the middle of the ocean. But when one of them dies in a freak accident the others argue about what to do, leading to a ruthless fight for survival.
This film was brutal, in terms of violence that is. The tension when things start to go wrong is palpable. There’s a real sense of manic decision making for the characters as they lose confidence in each other. I won’t go into too much detail but I’d recommend this one. If your in the mood for a thriller, this is a great. The trailer is attached below:... Look. At. The. Fucking. Moon. via nialler9
As the Future Days draws to a close, I wonder how successful it was for the promoters? Last night’s Vicar Street show was far from full and people told me there was free tickets being handed out left, right and centre. In fact I have 5 free tickets left for Metronomy tonight if anyone lives near D6W…
In the end, the double header of Dan Deacon and Jape relegated the crowd attendance to a distant memory. It was my third time seeing Dan and I wondered how he would cope with such a large venue. There was no need to worry as the opening Deacon-led warm-up got everybody hyped for what was to follow. The atmosphere became something more closely associated with playground antics than a concert as Dan commanded us to run circles around the venue in a swirling whirlpool of giddy... Fight Like Apes - ‘Something Global’ (First Listen) via nialler9
An exclusive first listen (in progressive streaming format, formatphiles!) to the new, new Fight Like Apes single ‘Something Global’ which is released on July 11th for digital download and on limited edition CD of 1500 numbered copies a week later. The single will also feature ‘Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues’, (a McClusky cover) and ‘Knucklehead’ and is taken from the forthcoming untitled album due on September 26th on Model Citizen which was recorded in Seattle in May with John Goodmanson (producer of Death Cab For Cutie, Bikini Kill, Pavement) and the artwork is by the one and only Loreana Rushe.
So what of the song? ‘Something Global’ is a 3 minute stomper. Flapes version 1.1, just tweaked to sound cleaner and shinier but with a large... Primavera Roundup via nialler9
Lars and the Real Girl via Anthony McG
Wow, I don’t know what I was expecting from this film but it really suprised me. Lars is a socially awkward young man who lives in his brother’s garage. He doesn’t enjoy spending time with people and has a real problem with being touched. Lars finds out about real dolls and orders Bianca. I won’t go through the whole story but this film is by turns suprising, heartbreaking and very funny. Ryan Gosling is a really gifted actor and makes you understand how Lars has come to this point in his life. I’d recommend this film wholeheartedly. It’s not the usual fare but I really enjoyed it.... Public Enemy - Don’t Look Back via nialler9
My virgin attendance at a Public Enemy gig and I probably picked the best possible one to open my account with. PE performing one of my first and favourite rap albums It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.. in its entirey as part of the Don’t Look Back concert series, well I had expectations but didn’t expect them to be matched.
How wrong I was. 21 years after the fact and the PE machine is still very much in effect. Chuck D and Flava Flav are legends, no matter how many times their pre-show hype men repeatedly remind us, it still rings true. They are looking older now, no doubt. Chuck is 48, Flava is 49 but both of them have the energy of two six year olds.
The run through of the album is prefaced by an uplifting set from a clearly tired Cadence Weapon his third... M83, Why? - Andrew’s Lane Theatre via nialler9
So after all the furore about me “disliking all music“, I recovered enough from my emotional injuries and bruised ego to make two more shows in Andrew’s Lane Theatre. Friday for M83, Saturday for Why?. In short - I missed the first 20 minutes of the M83 gig as I was at a wedding in Monaghan. We did walk into the venue when ‘Kim and Jessie’ kicked in which brought a smile to my face. The rest of the set was (apparently) a lot more upbeat than the first half and when the focus shifted from shimmering shoegaze to more electronic energy, it was all the better for it. The closer, ‘Coleurs’ was superb.
Saturday’s event was one I was relishing all week as I’m totally absorbed in Why’s new album Alopecia. It seems judging by the... Mystery Jets are go! via nialler9
Barry tells us about the Mystery Jets latest album.
Twenty One is the second album from London band Mystery Jets. This time around it sees them meet some of the potential touted a few years back, after what I felt was an ambitious but ultimately patchy debut in Making Dens.
This time around, with the help of producer/DJ Erol Alkan, the results are a lot more coherent and tight while still maintaining their eccentricity and peculiarity. It is not easy to pigeon hole them into what has become a fairly bland UK indie scene with most bands sounding like bad tributes to the Libertines and Arctic Monkeys. Their wide range of influences are evident but never allows one to take over and bind them. There are many instantly catchy tunes such as ‘Young Love’ with folk singer Laura Marling... Guilty Simpson - The Rap Producers’ Rapper via nialler9
Guilty Simpson has been featured on Stone Throw productions for the last five years and has been a regular on Detroit’s hip-hop circuit for longer than that. After appearances on cuts from J Dilla, Dabrye, Madlib and Percee P, he has finally released a debut entitled Ode to the Ghetto, his showcase album. Guilty is a rapper who focuses on inner-city life with a smattering of male hormones. I’m not entirely convinced by his skills but I am enamoured by the productions on the album from hip-hop beatniks Madlib, Mr. Porter, Oh No, J Dilla, Black Milk, DJ Babu and Konnie Ross. There-in lies the problem, the production far outshines the clichéd rapping, so much so, that you may not even notice how average Guilty is to begin with. After a couple more spins, songs like ‘She... Antics at the disco with El Guincho via nialler9
I set myself a challenge yesterday. A small one. I promised myself I would stay out long enough for El Guincho’s debut Irish show in Crawdaddy which was to start last night at 1am. I was already out at the Electric Picnic launch at 7pm, so after that it was upstairs in Whelans, where Adrian Crowley was playing the last night of his residency. I met Loreana, Storkboy and friends who told me they were refused entry to El Guincho for lack of ID. Yeh, it was that kind of club that those comfortably in their mid-20’s who had forgotten how vital ID once was, were superceded by all the giddy youngsters with IDs at the ready.
For those who are unaware, Antics on a Wednesday night in Crawdaddy is a student indie night, who frequently put on decent live acts. It’s cheap... My new toy: iPod Touch 32Gb via anthonymcg.com
I’ve been waiting to write this post as I wanted to get familiar with the player before giving my opinion. I’ve had it about two weeks now and I absolutely love it. It’s hands down the best bit of kit I’ve ever bought. It’s quite a lengthy post so I’ve stuck it in an extended entry. Click through for more:
Background:
I had been using an iRiver H120 (20Gb) for the past five years and it never gave me a days trouble. The principle niggles I had with it were folder management and the monochrome screen. It had served its purpose well though and I liked the crocodile clip remote which I stuck on my jacket. However with the iPhone launching last year I began to think about upgrading my player. A few problems with the iPhone (lack of 3G, crappy camera in... America Unchained via anthonymcg.com
Watched Dave Gorman’s “America Unchained” documentary this evening. The premise was to go on a coast-to-coast road trip without giving money to “the man”. I’m generally a fan of Dave’s stuff so I was raging to have missed it last month when it was originally aired. I also had an added interest in the fact that I’m undertaking a similar trip (geography wise) in September. A full post is coming on that soon btw.
Anyway, back to the documentary and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I won’t spoil too much of the detail but I’m surprised that he was able to do such a trip. It’s opened my eyes to the amount of small ‘Mom & Pop’ businesses still littered throughout the US and I hope to find a few of them myself.... Edan and Dagha @ Tivoli Theatre via nialler9
Photos by Dolan.
Belated Happy Paddy’s Day y’all! I spent the weekend off my tits on Guinness and recuperating from said-stout sessions in between bouts of SXSW updates and update-driven jealousy. I spent Paddy’s Day in the Guinness Storehouse for fucks sake! That place was the whirlpool of “Éire” over the weekend with shamrock-wearing tourists and pissed up Paddy booze hounds in Leprechaun hats mingling on seven floors of hops-encrusted revelry. It was actually good fun and I caught Jenny Lindfors, Ben Kritikos, Ham Sandwich and the amazing 215-piece strong Auburn University Marching Band (Amazing, I tell you! ) performing.
The big draw for me over the weekend was the Edan/Dagha show in the Tivoli Theatre. I’d heard such great things about his... Eurogamer’s Wii review roundup via anthonymcg.com
Eurogamer have put together a few reviews of Wii games that have been released over the past while. On page 5 they review ‘Game Party’. This is the end of the review:
According to the back of the box, Game Party is “The Ultimate Party Experience”. No it isn’t. The Ultimate Party Experience would involve fun and laughter and everyone you’ve ever wanted to get off with turning up and offering to buy you a drink, even though they’re free. The Game Party experience is like going to a party where there’s nothing to drink but Tesco Value brandy and there are only four other guests and they’re all racist and then your ex turns up and gets off with a Danish supermodel. Would you pay GBP 19.99 to go to that party?
It got 1/10.... Super Extra Choice Music Party via nialler9
Super Extra Bonus Party win the Choice Music Prize 2007.
I’m still in absolute shock. I woke up this morning to hear it all over the radio and see it in the papers which reminded me it actually happened.These lads are my best mates. I’m absolutely delighted for them obviously. A mate of mine and the band, Ciaran, said to me last night that he had a feeling that yesterday was a special day for all of us as friends (for numerous reasons) and bought a few bottles of champagne. None of the band thought that far ahead because it just wasn’t an issue. There was no talk of winning, just of the performance and the general buzz of a nomination. When Jim announced the winner, I freaked out (You can see it below); it all seemed so incredulous. I ended up running downstairs and... DIFF: The Escapist via anthonymcg.com
With the lights dimming in the Savoy Screen 1 this afternoon a packed auditorium awaited the surprise film at the DIFF. I had no idea what it would be, nor was I particularly pushed in guessing. The production titles revealed the title: ‘The Escapist’. Disappointment at it not being Indiana Jones faded and the film proper began. Frank Perry (played by Brian Cox) is a lifer: in prison for the rest of his natural-born days. And he’s been perfectly willing to accept his fate until a letter arrives, his first in 14 years.
What unfolds in the following 99 minutes is a fresh take on the standard prison movie. I don’t wanna say too much about the actual way it works but Brian Cox is excellent in the titular role. I was surprised to see Joseph Fiennes as the muscles... DIFF: El Orfanato (The Orphanage) via anthonymcg.com
Went to this tonight with Dar and what a great thriller it is. The story revolves around a woman (Laura) who, after being a former orphan, decides to take care of a number of children in her own home. The children will join her adopted son Simón in the house but it all turns a bit Shining when Simón disappears. The cinematography is top notch and the skill with which the tense moments are dealt with is astonishing. I’d thoroughly recommend seeing this when it gets a release where you...... Queens Of The (Motherfuckin) Stoneage: via Life Without Toast - Sibling Rivalry
I went to see QOTSA last night in Dublin's teeny tiny Ambassador Theatre. I love that place purely because even if you are dead late (which we were) and you are far back, you are still not really all that far back. We moved to the front fairly quickly but bot before purchasing a lovely t-shirt which was only 8!!! I am assuming it was an end of line one as they only had size small ones left which suited me grand and the rest of the tee's were about 25, but I had gotten in for free so it was like a free t-shirt too in a way. I went with my friend Rob and about 10 of his friends, I was being well minded as they were all about a foot taller than me, it did make actually seeing the gig a different story though until one of them very kindly hooshed me up onto his shoulders which...
Holy Fuck remix MIA’s “Paper Planes” via nialler9
Full credit to Gorilla vs. Bear for this one. I stole it because it’s so good.
Holy Fuck remixes MIA. I love it cos it appropriates MIA into the Holy Fuck sound and thus, becomes like a new offering from the band. Really looking forward to the gig!
MP3
MIA - Paper Planes (Holy Fuck Remix)... Glass Books of the Dream Eaters via wyvernfriend
by G W DahlquistAs there are reserves on this thing I pushed it to the top of the pile. I've seen reviews of it where people love and hate it. And I understand the why. It's a book that had me both loving and hating it as well. I also get the problem people had about too many words. Some of the lovers of this book have ranted on Amazon etc about how the problem with the words are literacy issues. This simplifies the issue. It's not the volume of words, it's the fact that some of them feel superfluous. There are flow issues with this story. Yes reading the story from a few viewpoints is interesting but sometimes it just ruins the flow. This is all not to say that it isn't a good read. It just stops it from being a great read and while I liked it, I honestly I won't be buying it...
Atonement via anthonymcg.com
What a fantastic film. Just finished watching it now. James McEvoy and Kiera Knightly are as good as you’ve come to expect in any film which bears their names. The famous steadicam shot is an astonishing achievement considering the length and complexity involved. Having not seen Joe Wright’s version of Pride & Prejudice, I’m going to seek it out. I’d be suprised if this doesn’t win......