Her gig last night at Tripod was unbelievable (props to Michael for the guestlist.) It was just one of those gigs where the audience became a part of what was happening on stage. You could tell she was pretty overwhelmed. Tripod was SO roasting though. They obviously turn off the air conditioning for quiet gigs because it's too loud and the place just became a sweat box. Amazing, amazing gig though. I have some photees and videos I'll upload later.
After myself and Stephen went to the Clarendon to meet Lainey and her merry band of mojitos. Randomly, we ended up in Capital for Marie's birthday and cosmos. Then I went to Chicken Hut.
Bit of a mistake to stay out late last night though because I was pretty wrecked getting ready for the Picnic today.
Right now, I'm in party central with YoCo waiting for Lili to call up and Mr Dunphy to arrive with our carriage. Yaysies!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
ELECTRIC PICNIC
This weekend. Say no more. I have taken a buffer zone of four days around the weekend off, so I won't be blogging much from here on in, but presume that I am "wrecking it like Rebecca" (TM Joycer). And maybe Miss Lili might be so kind as to live blog in my presence, so check out her blog for that kind of action.
Everyone who is heading down, have fun, say hello, help me put up my tent PLEASE (and by 'my' tent, I mean the eight-man one YoCo is scamming from Anthony's Ma) and drive carefully. AND don't forget to check out some quality Irish acts that this blog loves while you're down there; Halves, Oppenheimer, Fight Like Apes, Delorentos and Super Extra Bonus Party.
Above all....... ROCK!
Una
Haiko Hebig
I know I linked this site below in the articles of the day post (I found it on Boing Boing) but it's worth a post of it's own. I just love these photographs. I've been looking at them for ages. I think this is my favourite, because it's like a Hopper painting or something. 
UnaRocks articles of the day
The real problem with rap - The Guardian
Organic sales go through the roof in Britain
Shiseido to 'de-Westernise' their advertising - International Herald Tribune
Britney Spears' comeback single announced - NME
Christian Bale: the great obsessive - New York Magazine
The Larry Craig police report - Slate
New U2 album 'making itself'
Industrial and Industrial Heritage photography (amazing) - Haiko Hebig
Organic sales go through the roof in Britain
Shiseido to 'de-Westernise' their advertising - International Herald Tribune
Britney Spears' comeback single announced - NME
Christian Bale: the great obsessive - New York Magazine
The Larry Craig police report - Slate
New U2 album 'making itself'
Industrial and Industrial Heritage photography (amazing) - Haiko Hebig
Perez Hilton answered his phone
I interviewed Perez Hilton recently for the Sunday Tribune ...
Mario Lavandeira, aka Perez Hilton, is sitting in a car in Washington DC on the way to the airport to board a plane that will bring him back to LA. Last night he hosted an event, “a radio party slash concert.” It’s a busy day. Rumours that photos exist of Lindsay Lohan out and about near her rehab retreat in Utah have set the large gossip blog contingent of the Internet abuzz. Paris Hilton is frolicking on a beach in Malibu with Vince from ‘Entourage’. Britney Spears... well, God knows where she is. God, that is, and Perez Hilton.
His blog, PerezHilton.com now clocks up in and around 8 million visits a day. Early in 2005, Perez set up a blog called PageSixSixSix.com, a reference to the New York Post’s infamous ‘Page Six’ gossip column. Within months, it was named by celebrity gossip TV programme ‘The Insider’ as Hollywood’s most hated website. After that, his popularity - or rather exposure - went stellar, leading Perez himself to become almost as famous as many of the celebrities he blogs about. It is, as Perez would say himself, some crazy shizz.
The blog is simple. Perez up to the minute photos of celebrities and scrawls insults on them in white. The photos are coupled with celebrity gossip. It is no holds barred stuff. He consistently outs celebrities who in his eyes refuse to come out of the closet (Jodie Foster, Wentworth Millar from ‘Prison Break’, Hugh Jackman and ‘American Idol’ presenter Ryan Seacrest are frequent targets), most of his celeb fodder are given rather insulting nicknames, but most importantly, Perez doesn’t do PR. His attitude towards celebrity gossip has enraged the agents and PR honchos of Hollywood. If Perez gets information, he prints it. And unlike the strict libel laws that newspapers adhere to making journalists great dinner party gossip guests, but unable to print the whole truth, the grey area of online defamation law has given him license to say what he wants. And the world loves it.
If an A-lister has spent the weekend in Vegas shoving various narcotics up their nose, Perez will have the scoop on Monday morning. An army of fans and tipsters send other gossip, which is printed alongside a compendium of celebrity news from other sources. The accessibility of the site, Perez’s bluntness, humour and occasional cruelty, and endless salacious material that a few years ago would be firewalled by celebrity minders has made it a one-stop shop for modern celebrity culture.
“It was,” Perez begins adding a long pause, “it was like I went to a music shop, picked up a nice Irish bag pipe and discovered that it was fun and became naturally to me,” he says about his beginnings in blogging. Before apologising for the rather strange metaphor. “I’m trying to give you fun answers. I just discovered blogging. And t seemed easy. I’m a tech idiot. If it was difficult or complicated I probably wouldn’t be doing it. I’m the left brain. I used to be an actor.”
Born in Miami 29 years ago, Perez left his family home and his Cuban parents to study acting at New York University. Then came LA, where he made a stab at acting before writing a little for gay publications. He started blogging when he was fired from Star Magazine.
“The first time that my little blog got me on television. I realised wow, my little blog got me on TV,” he drawls, in an insanely camp voice with such drama that you can’t help but erupt in laughter. “They were doing this segment on the most hated websites and said ‘how would you feel about being number one’. I was like, I don’t agree with it, but let’s do it. I’ll make it my slogan. I’ll put it on t-shirts!” Perez, in case you haven’t guessed, doesn’t care what other people think. “In a way I’m kind of like the Simon Cowell of the Internet. He was just saying what everybody was thinking but may not verbalise. I’m doing the same thing on the Internet.”
Perez is partly responsible for a complete change around in American paparazzi culture. American paparazzos used to scoff at the British press’ harsh methods of chasing around their subjects, but nobody has anything on the America tabloid press now. At the heart of it are TMZ.com and Perez. Perez for printing rumour as trumour (he defends his factual track record by saying, “I take myself seriously. I pride myself on my accuracy.”) and TMZ for more or less inventing the paparazzi video on their Star Catcher series.
With this new vigorousness with which celebrities are being pursued, it’s probably not much of a coincidence that 2007 has been the year of the starlet meltdown. Paris Hilton (Perez’s namesake and friend) was locked up; Lindsay Lohan was done for drunk driving twice, not to mention endless claims and arrests for drug possession; Nicole Richie, now pregnant, is heading to prison; Britney Spears shaved her head, left her husband and embodied the celebrity car crash. Perez is unsympathetic. “Britney loves it. Lindsay loves it. Nicole loves it. It’s a game for them. They love the attention. Sometimes they play the game, sometimes the game comes and bites them in the butt. Sometimes they play it better than others. Sometimes they don’t.” The fact that they’re all women is easily dissected by the man who lives and breathes celebrity. “The most talked about people in celebrity magazines are female because females sell the magazines because fashion and beauty products are predominantly the main advertisers. It’s all ‘look at this person looking great at a premier, look at this person looking awful’. Because the girls sell the magazines, the girls are the ones being talked about the most. They’re Followed the most and people are interested in them and they love the attention.”
Perez then goes on a hilarious rant about how much he misses Lindsay Lohan’s hard partying ways. “Life has been sad with Lindsay in rehab. I feel like a piece of me has died and I’m in intensive care and, like, I’m waiting for her to come back out and play and then I’ll be alive.”
Whatever about documenting the lives of the rich and famous with the panache and tact of a ‘Sunset Beach’ script writer, there occasionally is something a little unsavoury about Perez’s blog. Namely, his view that children of celebrities are a target. Along with drawing alien antenna on Suri Holmes-Cruise’s head, he has attributed the nicknames of Tater Tot and Small Fry to Britney Spears’ children. He’s not open to criticism on this subject. “She’s [Spears] whoring her kids out,” he yells. “Kevin [Federline, her ex-husband], you never see them photographed with him, they’re only photographed with her. Kevin has the paparazzi following him too. And he spends time with his kids, but they’re never photographed with him.” Who’d have thought he would end up being the good half of that relationship? “Not me! The worst thing he’s doing is smoking a little marijuana, but compared to her he’s a saint.”
His tendency to rub celebrities the wrong way is getting a little risky given that he’s bumping into them in real life. Numerous celebs have confronted him. “Yeah, a bunch of times; Nicole Richie, Courtney Cox. It happened with Tara Reid, Jesse Metcalfe. Then you have the celebs that have sense of humour, that get it, don’t take themselves that seriously, like a lot of people; Mika, Amy [Winehouse], Beth Ditto, Paris Hilton, Fergie, Courtney Love, Tori Spelling, Anne Hathaway, Michael Buble. They get it.” The popularity of Perez’s ruthless take on celebrity reporting has heralded an end to celebrity PR. Why would people want to read a glossy bland interview in Vanity Fair when they could read up on what’s really going on online?
“Obviously they’re going to be upset,” he says of star agents who are out for his head (Perez also faces numerous lawsuits over copyright issues of photographs) “because I’ve changed the way they have to do business. Before, they had a lot more time to manipulate story and get information out the way they wanted to. Now because of internet and websites like mine, it’s immediate. Publicists cant spin things anymore. People from the PR agencies hear about what their clients are doing from my site. And there has definitely been a big shift in media with regards to the fact that that celebrity news is now mainstream news and that’s because it’s so profitable. Everybody realises if they have their Britney Spears story, that section of newscast will have higher ratings. People have an insatiable appetite for it.”
And with that, and a plug for his new TV programme starting soon on VH1, Perez switches over to another call, and briefly returns to tell me that he has to end the interview. His assistant gets him to take all of his calls in a car so he can definitely get to answer them. Yeah, Perez Hilton has an assistant. How long before someone else starts a blog covering his escapades?
c. Sunday Tribune
Mario Lavandeira, aka Perez Hilton, is sitting in a car in Washington DC on the way to the airport to board a plane that will bring him back to LA. Last night he hosted an event, “a radio party slash concert.” It’s a busy day. Rumours that photos exist of Lindsay Lohan out and about near her rehab retreat in Utah have set the large gossip blog contingent of the Internet abuzz. Paris Hilton is frolicking on a beach in Malibu with Vince from ‘Entourage’. Britney Spears... well, God knows where she is. God, that is, and Perez Hilton.
His blog, PerezHilton.com now clocks up in and around 8 million visits a day. Early in 2005, Perez set up a blog called PageSixSixSix.com, a reference to the New York Post’s infamous ‘Page Six’ gossip column. Within months, it was named by celebrity gossip TV programme ‘The Insider’ as Hollywood’s most hated website. After that, his popularity - or rather exposure - went stellar, leading Perez himself to become almost as famous as many of the celebrities he blogs about. It is, as Perez would say himself, some crazy shizz.
The blog is simple. Perez up to the minute photos of celebrities and scrawls insults on them in white. The photos are coupled with celebrity gossip. It is no holds barred stuff. He consistently outs celebrities who in his eyes refuse to come out of the closet (Jodie Foster, Wentworth Millar from ‘Prison Break’, Hugh Jackman and ‘American Idol’ presenter Ryan Seacrest are frequent targets), most of his celeb fodder are given rather insulting nicknames, but most importantly, Perez doesn’t do PR. His attitude towards celebrity gossip has enraged the agents and PR honchos of Hollywood. If Perez gets information, he prints it. And unlike the strict libel laws that newspapers adhere to making journalists great dinner party gossip guests, but unable to print the whole truth, the grey area of online defamation law has given him license to say what he wants. And the world loves it.
If an A-lister has spent the weekend in Vegas shoving various narcotics up their nose, Perez will have the scoop on Monday morning. An army of fans and tipsters send other gossip, which is printed alongside a compendium of celebrity news from other sources. The accessibility of the site, Perez’s bluntness, humour and occasional cruelty, and endless salacious material that a few years ago would be firewalled by celebrity minders has made it a one-stop shop for modern celebrity culture.
“It was,” Perez begins adding a long pause, “it was like I went to a music shop, picked up a nice Irish bag pipe and discovered that it was fun and became naturally to me,” he says about his beginnings in blogging. Before apologising for the rather strange metaphor. “I’m trying to give you fun answers. I just discovered blogging. And t seemed easy. I’m a tech idiot. If it was difficult or complicated I probably wouldn’t be doing it. I’m the left brain. I used to be an actor.”
Born in Miami 29 years ago, Perez left his family home and his Cuban parents to study acting at New York University. Then came LA, where he made a stab at acting before writing a little for gay publications. He started blogging when he was fired from Star Magazine.
“The first time that my little blog got me on television. I realised wow, my little blog got me on TV,” he drawls, in an insanely camp voice with such drama that you can’t help but erupt in laughter. “They were doing this segment on the most hated websites and said ‘how would you feel about being number one’. I was like, I don’t agree with it, but let’s do it. I’ll make it my slogan. I’ll put it on t-shirts!” Perez, in case you haven’t guessed, doesn’t care what other people think. “In a way I’m kind of like the Simon Cowell of the Internet. He was just saying what everybody was thinking but may not verbalise. I’m doing the same thing on the Internet.”
Perez is partly responsible for a complete change around in American paparazzi culture. American paparazzos used to scoff at the British press’ harsh methods of chasing around their subjects, but nobody has anything on the America tabloid press now. At the heart of it are TMZ.com and Perez. Perez for printing rumour as trumour (he defends his factual track record by saying, “I take myself seriously. I pride myself on my accuracy.”) and TMZ for more or less inventing the paparazzi video on their Star Catcher series.
With this new vigorousness with which celebrities are being pursued, it’s probably not much of a coincidence that 2007 has been the year of the starlet meltdown. Paris Hilton (Perez’s namesake and friend) was locked up; Lindsay Lohan was done for drunk driving twice, not to mention endless claims and arrests for drug possession; Nicole Richie, now pregnant, is heading to prison; Britney Spears shaved her head, left her husband and embodied the celebrity car crash. Perez is unsympathetic. “Britney loves it. Lindsay loves it. Nicole loves it. It’s a game for them. They love the attention. Sometimes they play the game, sometimes the game comes and bites them in the butt. Sometimes they play it better than others. Sometimes they don’t.” The fact that they’re all women is easily dissected by the man who lives and breathes celebrity. “The most talked about people in celebrity magazines are female because females sell the magazines because fashion and beauty products are predominantly the main advertisers. It’s all ‘look at this person looking great at a premier, look at this person looking awful’. Because the girls sell the magazines, the girls are the ones being talked about the most. They’re Followed the most and people are interested in them and they love the attention.”
Perez then goes on a hilarious rant about how much he misses Lindsay Lohan’s hard partying ways. “Life has been sad with Lindsay in rehab. I feel like a piece of me has died and I’m in intensive care and, like, I’m waiting for her to come back out and play and then I’ll be alive.”
Whatever about documenting the lives of the rich and famous with the panache and tact of a ‘Sunset Beach’ script writer, there occasionally is something a little unsavoury about Perez’s blog. Namely, his view that children of celebrities are a target. Along with drawing alien antenna on Suri Holmes-Cruise’s head, he has attributed the nicknames of Tater Tot and Small Fry to Britney Spears’ children. He’s not open to criticism on this subject. “She’s [Spears] whoring her kids out,” he yells. “Kevin [Federline, her ex-husband], you never see them photographed with him, they’re only photographed with her. Kevin has the paparazzi following him too. And he spends time with his kids, but they’re never photographed with him.” Who’d have thought he would end up being the good half of that relationship? “Not me! The worst thing he’s doing is smoking a little marijuana, but compared to her he’s a saint.”
His tendency to rub celebrities the wrong way is getting a little risky given that he’s bumping into them in real life. Numerous celebs have confronted him. “Yeah, a bunch of times; Nicole Richie, Courtney Cox. It happened with Tara Reid, Jesse Metcalfe. Then you have the celebs that have sense of humour, that get it, don’t take themselves that seriously, like a lot of people; Mika, Amy [Winehouse], Beth Ditto, Paris Hilton, Fergie, Courtney Love, Tori Spelling, Anne Hathaway, Michael Buble. They get it.” The popularity of Perez’s ruthless take on celebrity reporting has heralded an end to celebrity PR. Why would people want to read a glossy bland interview in Vanity Fair when they could read up on what’s really going on online?
“Obviously they’re going to be upset,” he says of star agents who are out for his head (Perez also faces numerous lawsuits over copyright issues of photographs) “because I’ve changed the way they have to do business. Before, they had a lot more time to manipulate story and get information out the way they wanted to. Now because of internet and websites like mine, it’s immediate. Publicists cant spin things anymore. People from the PR agencies hear about what their clients are doing from my site. And there has definitely been a big shift in media with regards to the fact that that celebrity news is now mainstream news and that’s because it’s so profitable. Everybody realises if they have their Britney Spears story, that section of newscast will have higher ratings. People have an insatiable appetite for it.”
And with that, and a plug for his new TV programme starting soon on VH1, Perez switches over to another call, and briefly returns to tell me that he has to end the interview. His assistant gets him to take all of his calls in a car so he can definitely get to answer them. Yeah, Perez Hilton has an assistant. How long before someone else starts a blog covering his escapades?
c. Sunday Tribune
UnaRocks video of the day
Inspired by Emmet mentioning the mantra 'be excellent to each other', here's a clip from one of my favourite films ever, 'Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure'
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Cyanide and Happiness
Homegirl Rachel from Newstalk just emailed me a bunch of these. Pretty funny shit. (click to enlarge)
Introducing: Le Galaxie
Thee band formerly known as 66e return with a new name and new tunes. Sounds good.
Le Galaxie on MySpace
Le Galaxie on MySpace
Electric Picnic forecast
Just got my tickets in my hands a few minutes ago, so I am officially excited. Even though I'm working down there, there will still be some fun to be had. No 'cyder with a y' allowed this time I think, though. Best not.
So, the BBC weather site - which is the most reliable forecast IMO - says that in Birr (which I think is the nearest place to Stradbally they have listed), it's going to be 16 degrees on Friday and 17 degrees on Saturday, which isn't bad. Although it will be cloudy. But as long as it doesn't rain, I'm happy. We're owed good weather and POD have had exceptional luck this summer with the Mr Sun (Garden Party and Lovebox - sunny, sunny), so going by that record, we should be ok. Woohoo!
UnaRocks articles of the day
Keith Richards eats a cigarette - NME
War on Terror cocktails
People are still wearing Crocs for some reason - Brand Channel
The Gonzales Files - Slate
The Big Mac is 40 - Forbes
Obese Dad can't adopt baby - Kansas City Channel
Yahoo faces human rights lawsuit - RTE
War on Terror cocktails
People are still wearing Crocs for some reason - Brand Channel
The Gonzales Files - Slate
The Big Mac is 40 - Forbes
Obese Dad can't adopt baby - Kansas City Channel
Yahoo faces human rights lawsuit - RTE
Ze Weekend
One is supposed to take it easy the weekend before Electric Picnic.
*cough*
On Friday I met up with Evil and we went to Grogans and then to Ham Sandwich in the Sugar Club with Roisin and the Lili. So much funsies, they were awesome, even when non-plugged in. After that we went to the G, which is far better than Corina and Lili who ended up in COPPER FACE JACKS, public shaming needed girlies, I'm sorry.
On Saturday, me, Tiger, Mary-Ann and Simone buzzed out to the Festival of World Cultures in Fun Laoghaire. It was really chilled, just sitting around with a few beers listening to the Mr Whippy Soundsystem (blokes DJing out of an ice-cream truck.) Then me and Tiger went back to Castleknock and watched X-Factor and Trump Card, which is truly the most hilarious thing on TV if you're in the right mindset.
Sunday it was Anthony's birthday dindins (HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTO!!!!) in Pintxos which was yum. Ridiculously, I didn't have my camera for ANY of this, so I have no photees, so here's one of me, Corina and Mackers having fun with the Fiat Cunto on Tuesday. I look wasted in this picture but I actually wasn't.
Serious pre-Electric Picnic detox now in operation. Apart from going to the launch of Green Synergy tomorrow in Solas. And Regina Spektor on Thursday. Damn.
Una
drinking: Capri Sun
eating: nothing yet
reading: the Irish Times
listening to: St Vincent - 'Marry Me'
*cough*
On Friday I met up with Evil and we went to Grogans and then to Ham Sandwich in the Sugar Club with Roisin and the Lili. So much funsies, they were awesome, even when non-plugged in. After that we went to the G, which is far better than Corina and Lili who ended up in COPPER FACE JACKS, public shaming needed girlies, I'm sorry.
On Saturday, me, Tiger, Mary-Ann and Simone buzzed out to the Festival of World Cultures in Fun Laoghaire. It was really chilled, just sitting around with a few beers listening to the Mr Whippy Soundsystem (blokes DJing out of an ice-cream truck.) Then me and Tiger went back to Castleknock and watched X-Factor and Trump Card, which is truly the most hilarious thing on TV if you're in the right mindset.
Sunday it was Anthony's birthday dindins (HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTO!!!!) in Pintxos which was yum. Ridiculously, I didn't have my camera for ANY of this, so I have no photees, so here's one of me, Corina and Mackers having fun with the Fiat Cunto on Tuesday. I look wasted in this picture but I actually wasn't.
Serious pre-Electric Picnic detox now in operation. Apart from going to the launch of Green Synergy tomorrow in Solas. And Regina Spektor on Thursday. Damn.
Una
drinking: Capri Sun
eating: nothing yet
reading: the Irish Times
listening to: St Vincent - 'Marry Me'
Friday, August 24, 2007
Save Amy
TMZ has loads of pictures of the injuries sustained by Amy Winehouse and her husband during their latest argument. It's all kind of scary.
Another weekend where we're spoiled for choice for good music
If you're looking for something to do this weekend, you don't have to look very far.
Tonight, Ham Sandwich perform an accoustic set at the Sugar Club, DeVotchKa play Crawdaddy, Battles play in Tripod and Maximum Joy in Kennedy's has a brilliant line-up that includes You're Only Massive, Mock & Toof (who have just signed to DFA) and Jenny and the Deadites.
Don't forget that this weekend is the Festival of World Cultures in Dun Laoghaire with some great music including Rhythms of Uzbekistan, Choice Cuts, North Strand Klezmer Band, Vieux Farka Toure, Kila, Children of Soweto Gospel Choir, Rachid Taha, the Tassel Club, and so much more, so check it out if you're in the area from today until Sunday.
Tomorrow night, Starlittlething, Noise Control and DJ Tu-Ki hit the Tivoli.
On Sunday Gatsby play Crawdaddy and Kaiser Chiefs and Ash play Marlay Park.
Anything I'm missing?
Tonight, Ham Sandwich perform an accoustic set at the Sugar Club, DeVotchKa play Crawdaddy, Battles play in Tripod and Maximum Joy in Kennedy's has a brilliant line-up that includes You're Only Massive, Mock & Toof (who have just signed to DFA) and Jenny and the Deadites.
Don't forget that this weekend is the Festival of World Cultures in Dun Laoghaire with some great music including Rhythms of Uzbekistan, Choice Cuts, North Strand Klezmer Band, Vieux Farka Toure, Kila, Children of Soweto Gospel Choir, Rachid Taha, the Tassel Club, and so much more, so check it out if you're in the area from today until Sunday.
Tomorrow night, Starlittlething, Noise Control and DJ Tu-Ki hit the Tivoli.
On Sunday Gatsby play Crawdaddy and Kaiser Chiefs and Ash play Marlay Park.
Anything I'm missing?
Phantom: Dublin's fastest growing radio station
From the Phantom dudes:
"Phantom 105.2, Dublin’s newest station, today has been confirmed as Dublin’s fastest growing radio station! The latest listenership figures released this afternoon confirm that here at Phantom we have increased our daily audience by over 10% while the established stations FM104 and 98FM have both seen their audiences drop.
Thank you to all our Phans for confirming Quality Sounds Only is what you want!
“We are delighted to be on target and today’s figures confirm our expectations. We are now looking forward to building on this success and bringing the station to the next level” said Peter Vamos, Phantom’s Programme Director, “We will be announcing a number of innovative programming initiatives bringing further diversity to the Dublin radio market.”
Phantom 105.2 plays the best in indie and modern rock and is available in Dublin on 105.2FM, DAB Digital Radio and online at www.phantom.ie"
"Phantom 105.2, Dublin’s newest station, today has been confirmed as Dublin’s fastest growing radio station! The latest listenership figures released this afternoon confirm that here at Phantom we have increased our daily audience by over 10% while the established stations FM104 and 98FM have both seen their audiences drop.
Thank you to all our Phans for confirming Quality Sounds Only is what you want!
“We are delighted to be on target and today’s figures confirm our expectations. We are now looking forward to building on this success and bringing the station to the next level” said Peter Vamos, Phantom’s Programme Director, “We will be announcing a number of innovative programming initiatives bringing further diversity to the Dublin radio market.”
Phantom 105.2 plays the best in indie and modern rock and is available in Dublin on 105.2FM, DAB Digital Radio and online at www.phantom.ie"
UnaRocks articles of the day
Amy Winehouse's text messages to Perez Hilton - Perez Hilton
US soldiers write an op-ed - New York Times
Scientists induce out of body experiences - BBC
The Mentos intern: is viral viable? - Businessweek
The dark side of toys in China - International Herald Tribune
Nobody puts baby in a copyright situation - RTE
Are reality TV stars professional actors? - Slate
NME tour moves Stateside - NME
Pigeon droppings cited in bridge collapse - Associated Press
Live coverage from Reading and Leeds festivals - the Guardian
US soldiers write an op-ed - New York Times
Scientists induce out of body experiences - BBC
The Mentos intern: is viral viable? - Businessweek
The dark side of toys in China - International Herald Tribune
Nobody puts baby in a copyright situation - RTE
Are reality TV stars professional actors? - Slate
NME tour moves Stateside - NME
Pigeon droppings cited in bridge collapse - Associated Press
Live coverage from Reading and Leeds festivals - the Guardian
Pat Smear, back with the Foos?
People (Mr Dunphy) are telling me that Pat Smear was playing with the Foo Fighters at the Marlay Park gig on Wednesday night. I did not know he had rejoined the band. Am I just being really slow, or is this some kind of news?
Revealed: the Fiat Cunto
I blogged about Ragin Spice's excellent car name-changing abilities earlier this week, and here it is: from Punto to Cunto.
Keep an eye out for the Cunto on the streets of Dublin!
(Ragin, you're a ledgebag)
Keep an eye out for the Cunto on the streets of Dublin!
(Ragin, you're a ledgebag)
Mojitos, jeans, Ali G
Went to the launch of This Is Wanted last night in the South William. Props to the Thinkhouse homies who have taught me their secret handshake which should be useful if I'm ever in some launch-related hostage situation or something.
Lili was taking the social photees and bumped into Arsheen, Becks TV3 and Phil too. There was a jeans amnesty where you could trade your old jeans for new, but I was wearing ones I wanted to keep so no new jeans for me.
Just had a couple of mojitos and then home to do some work until Ali G: In Da House came on and for some reason I watched it.
Una
listening to: MIA: Kala
reading: The Ticket
watching: Trading Spouses (will never stop being amazing)
eating: nuffink
drinking: Robinsons summer fruit thingy
Lili was taking the social photees and bumped into Arsheen, Becks TV3 and Phil too. There was a jeans amnesty where you could trade your old jeans for new, but I was wearing ones I wanted to keep so no new jeans for me.
Just had a couple of mojitos and then home to do some work until Ali G: In Da House came on and for some reason I watched it.
Una
listening to: MIA: Kala
reading: The Ticket
watching: Trading Spouses (will never stop being amazing)
eating: nuffink
drinking: Robinsons summer fruit thingy
Electric Picnic gets greener
"Electric Picnic is introducing the most ecologically-sound cup system available at the bars this year. The system replaces pint-sized plastic or paper cups with polypropylene hard plastic cups which can be used over 100 times before being fully recycled. Compared to alternative cups which are produced then disposed or recycled after one use, Eco Cups offer the minimum impact on the environment.
Customers purchasing a half-litre sized drink at any of the bars pay a €3 deposit for the Eco-Cup on top of the drink cost for only their first drink
When buying further drinks the customer exchanges their old cup for a new one at no extra cost
At the end of the night people have a choice of either a full refund or taking the cup home with them.
There are a number of special commemorative Electric Picnic pint cups; if you are lucky enough to receive one please feel free to keep it! You can bring it back next year if you wish when we can exchange it for a brand new one!"
(I know it's good for the environment, but wouldn't your fourth or fifth drink taste a bit manky after being poured into the same cup?)Thursday, August 23, 2007
THIS IS WANTED details announced
This is Wanted comes to Dublin
A Wrangler weekend of fashion, music, art and film
Wrangler announces This Is Wanted weekend, a fusion of fashion, music, art and film events from 4th-7th Oct. A host of top international acts as well as hot Irish talent will descend on Dublin for an assault of urban culture.
The musical line up for the weekend includes multiple Grammy Award winners De La Soul. Their first show in Dublin for 4 years, De La Soul will be supported by Messiah J & the Expert. MOS DEF, who has never played in Ireland before will be in the Village while in Crawdaddy, Irish band Starlittlething will be launching their debut album. MADLIB, regarded by many as the most prolific producer of the last 10 years will make his debut Irish appearance in the Tivoli and on the same night, James Chance & The French Contortions, supported by Cap Pas Cap will play The Sugar Club.
As well as this top notch line up, a series of activities will take place across the city including:
A Wrangler weekend of fashion, music, art and film
Wrangler announces This Is Wanted weekend, a fusion of fashion, music, art and film events from 4th-7th Oct. A host of top international acts as well as hot Irish talent will descend on Dublin for an assault of urban culture.
The musical line up for the weekend includes multiple Grammy Award winners De La Soul. Their first show in Dublin for 4 years, De La Soul will be supported by Messiah J & the Expert. MOS DEF, who has never played in Ireland before will be in the Village while in Crawdaddy, Irish band Starlittlething will be launching their debut album. MADLIB, regarded by many as the most prolific producer of the last 10 years will make his debut Irish appearance in the Tivoli and on the same night, James Chance & The French Contortions, supported by Cap Pas Cap will play The Sugar Club.
As well as this top notch line up, a series of activities will take place across the city including:
DJ Bar Sessions: The South William, Anseo & Hogan’s
Art Grafitti Exhibition: Work from Maser and Jor, all weekend in Filmbase
Music Documentaries: Two per day in Filmbase including the premiere of Mochilla
Vinyl Fair: All day Saturday in Filmbase
Clubs: Maximum Joy Club & Choice Cuts
All Day Turntable Party: All day Saturday in The Globe
A surprise fashion showcase with a twist will kickstart the weekend, displaying new direction Wrangler collections to crave. This season sees a new line added to the Wrangler repertoire, Blue Bella Story, a premium range with artistic collaborations, which will be launched at the This Is Wanted weekend.
For more information, full line up and stage times etc log onto http://www.thisiswanted.eu/.
This is wanted launches tonight at the South William. See yiz there.
Clubs: Maximum Joy Club & Choice Cuts
All Day Turntable Party: All day Saturday in The Globe
A surprise fashion showcase with a twist will kickstart the weekend, displaying new direction Wrangler collections to crave. This season sees a new line added to the Wrangler repertoire, Blue Bella Story, a premium range with artistic collaborations, which will be launched at the This Is Wanted weekend.
For more information, full line up and stage times etc log onto http://www.thisiswanted.eu/.
This is wanted launches tonight at the South William. See yiz there.
UnaRocks HWCH band watch #2
You're Only Massive are Maebh and Megan from Waterford who make clubby hip-hop amazingness. There are loads of tour dates up on their MySpace linked above, along with a few more tracks.
mp3: Sugar Shake The Cool Away
#1: Grand Pocket Orchestra
mp3: Sugar Shake The Cool Away
#1: Grand Pocket Orchestra
Mmmmm cake
I hope her new perfume smells as good as the Mariah Carey cup cakes we just got delivered to Tribune Towers taste. Mmmmmm. Cake.
So.
Good.
In other diva-related news Rick has the new Madonna track. I think it sounds kind of lame. Verdict?
... and in a further update, Perez has the new Britney track. Eek.
So.
Good.
In other diva-related news Rick has the new Madonna track. I think it sounds kind of lame. Verdict?
... and in a further update, Perez has the new Britney track. Eek.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
shut up, shut up, SHUT UP
Can somebody PLEASE dispose of the saxophone guy on Baggot Street? He has been playing the same song for two hours.
You forget how annoying buskers can be sometimes. I remember working on Grafton Street one summer and just really learning to hate them all. Especially keyboard lady and loud Beatles guitar duo. Die.
Beth Ditto: Ledgebag*
"I think, as a radical queer, there's never anybody I can 100% trust in politics. It's a fucking joke to even call it a debate with the idea that we [haven't yet treated] human beings like they are on the same par with everyone else, from homos to immigrants. It's two-thousand-fucking-seven, get with the program, you know? There's so many candidates and it's like the worst of two evils -- not that I think they're necessarily evil, but I do think that George Bush was absolutely a fascist piece of shit. So I don't think that they're on the same par as him, but there are things I don't trust, because when money is involved, it changes everything. You can't trust people to be in charge of a lot of people when there's that much money at stake."
Read the rest of Beth Ditto's interview in The Advocate here
(photee taken backstage at Oxegen 07 by Lili)
*c. Nialler9
Read the rest of Beth Ditto's interview in The Advocate here
(photee taken backstage at Oxegen 07 by Lili)
*c. Nialler9
Girls just wanna have fun?
If you weren't in the Front Lounge last night then you missed my awful rendition of 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' during kareoke. Truly dire. At least Corina and Helen cheered. Kind of.
Before that, myself and Mackers had gone for a cocktail in South William and then to the launch of Pintxo - a new tapas place in Temple Bar. We drank a lot of pink Cava.
Probably the best moment of last night was Ragin rolling up in her Fiat Punto, having changed the silver sign on it to read not 'Punto' but 'Cunto'. Genius.
After, myself and Helen went to Glitz until I bailed after realising that I have a job and have to get up in the morning. So annoying.
Before that, myself and Mackers had gone for a cocktail in South William and then to the launch of Pintxo - a new tapas place in Temple Bar. We drank a lot of pink Cava.
Probably the best moment of last night was Ragin rolling up in her Fiat Punto, having changed the silver sign on it to read not 'Punto' but 'Cunto'. Genius.
After, myself and Helen went to Glitz until I bailed after realising that I have a job and have to get up in the morning. So annoying.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
New albums I got today/recently
MIA
Kala
XL
Mum
go go smear the poison ivy
Fat Cat Records
Pinback
Autumn of the Seraphs
Touch and Go Records
The Twilight Sad
Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
Fat Cat Records
St Vincent
Marry Me
Beggars Banquet Records
Laurent Garnier
Public Out Burst
Pias
Kid Acne
Romance Ain't Dead
Sony
Rob da Bank
The A-Z of Bestival
Sunday Best Recordings
Beat Konducta
Vol 3-4: In India
Stones Throw
Gravenhurst
The Western Lands
Warp
Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam
Domino
Josh Ritter
The Historical Conquests Of...
Independent Records
land of Talk
Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
Maple Music Recordings
Patrick Watson
Close To Paradise
Secret City
Kala
XL
Mum
go go smear the poison ivy
Fat Cat Records
Pinback
Autumn of the Seraphs
Touch and Go Records
The Twilight Sad
Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
Fat Cat Records
St Vincent
Marry Me
Beggars Banquet Records
Laurent Garnier
Public Out Burst
Pias
Kid Acne
Romance Ain't Dead
Sony
Rob da Bank
The A-Z of Bestival
Sunday Best Recordings
Beat Konducta
Vol 3-4: In India
Stones Throw
Gravenhurst
The Western Lands
Warp
Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam
Domino
Josh Ritter
The Historical Conquests Of...
Independent Records
land of Talk
Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
Maple Music Recordings
Patrick Watson
Close To Paradise
Secret City
UnaRocks articles of the day
CDs face retirement - International Herald Tribune
Steve Coogan on Tony Wilson - The Guardian
Brand You - Fast Company
Sikhs criticise Garda decision on turbans - RTE
Foreign policy? No experience required - Slate
Free Babyshambles single - NME
Global warming and hurricane Dean - Huffington Post
Steve Coogan on Tony Wilson - The Guardian
Brand You - Fast Company
Sikhs criticise Garda decision on turbans - RTE
Foreign policy? No experience required - Slate
Free Babyshambles single - NME
Global warming and hurricane Dean - Huffington Post
Shins on the radio
Tune into Phantom 105.2 from 12pm to 2pm today on the awesome LLC's show to hear The Shins performing live in studio.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Complete Electric Picnic line-up revealed
(Meadzer, Me, Anthony, YoCo and Adrian backstage at EP '05)
Running order will be released next Wednesday.
Beastie Boys
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Erasure
Dub Pistols & Terry Hall
Sonic Youth
Bjork
Hot Chip
Iggy & The Stooges
Easy Allstars
The Undertones
Chemical Brothers
Kieran Hebden & Steven Reid
Manic Street Preachers
Horace Andy
UNKLE
Mixmaster Mike
Kila
Ladytron
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Fionn Regan
Soul II Soul
Magic Numbers
The Good, The Bad and the Queen
Damien Dempsey
The Go! Team
Nouvelle Vague
DHOL Foundation
The Fall
Rilo Kiley
Malajube
MIA
Fujiya & Miyagi
Paul Hartnoll Band
Modest Mouse
Serena Maneesh
Warlords of Pez
Final Fantasy
The Jimmy Cake
Bat for Lashes
Camera Obscura
Sons & Daughters
Dave Couse
Duke Special
Marlena Shaw & Orchestra
Primal Scream
Electrelane
Apparat
Oppenheimer
Two Gallants
Simple Kid
Dublin Gospel Choir
Patrick Wolf
Skream
The Aliens
Jarvis Cocker
Kissaway Trail
My Brightest Diamond
Dave Geraghty
Aim
The Flaws
Ukelele Orchestra of GB
Polyphonic Spree
Stephen Fretwell
Dans le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip
Halves
Craig Armstrong
Rahzel
Ratatat
!!!
LCD Soundsystem
Deerhoof
Red Kid
Scott Matthews
Shychild
Si Schroeder
Good Shoes
Acoustic Mainlines
Spritualized
Lonely Dear
The Company
Architecture in Helsinki
Spilly Walker
Channel One
Delorentos
Candi Payne
The Field
Fight Like Apes
Angus & Julia Stone
Luisito Quintero
The Little Ones
65 Days of Static
Music Ireland '07 - what is the point of this?
"Paddy Casey is among the first batch of acts announced for Music Ireland '07.
He will be joined by The Frank & Walters, The Walls, Neosupervital, The Flaws and Royseven for the Hot Press-supported event, which takes place between October 5 and 7 in Dublin's RDS.
Along with the all-ages gigs they’re playing, the programme of events includes a public interview with Rough Trade supremo Geoff Travis, and a wide range of panel discussions featuring legendary producer Stephen Street, manager Ann-Marie Shields, musicians John Spillane, Jinx Lennon and Nick Kelly, RTÉ’s Laura Woods, Rubyworks’ Roger Quail, the PPI’s Clive Lacey, Entertainment Architects’ Aileen Galvin, The Star’s Tanya Sweeney, Pulse Recordings’ Tony Perry, EMI’s Nick Younger."
What is the point of this exercise? I just don't understand it...
He will be joined by The Frank & Walters, The Walls, Neosupervital, The Flaws and Royseven for the Hot Press-supported event, which takes place between October 5 and 7 in Dublin's RDS.
Along with the all-ages gigs they’re playing, the programme of events includes a public interview with Rough Trade supremo Geoff Travis, and a wide range of panel discussions featuring legendary producer Stephen Street, manager Ann-Marie Shields, musicians John Spillane, Jinx Lennon and Nick Kelly, RTÉ’s Laura Woods, Rubyworks’ Roger Quail, the PPI’s Clive Lacey, Entertainment Architects’ Aileen Galvin, The Star’s Tanya Sweeney, Pulse Recordings’ Tony Perry, EMI’s Nick Younger."
What is the point of this exercise? I just don't understand it...
'Conspiracy of Two', by David Amsden
Check out David Amsden's latest article for New York Magazine. It's about Jeremy Blake and Theresa Duncan, whose double suicide has been written about extensively since the young artists took their own lives last July. As usual, Amsden's take on things reaffirms his position as the most talented long-form journalist of this generation.
I've blogged about his stuff before here, here etc. Check out his article archive if you want to read more of his stuff. And you do.
I've blogged about his stuff before here, here etc. Check out his article archive if you want to read more of his stuff. And you do.
UnaRocks articles of the day
Chick-friendly cigarettes pissing people off - CNN
Couple wants to call their kid '@' - RTE
'Sophisticated' McDonalds, a European success - International Herald Tribune
Pirate attacks rise - Sky News
Hip Hop millionaires - Forbes
Pete Doherty arrested again - NME
Mumblecore - the hit 20-something movie genre - Village Voice
CIA edits Wikipedia - BBC
How the war on tobacco got out of hand - Slate
Couple wants to call their kid '@' - RTE
'Sophisticated' McDonalds, a European success - International Herald Tribune
Pirate attacks rise - Sky News
Hip Hop millionaires - Forbes
Pete Doherty arrested again - NME
Mumblecore - the hit 20-something movie genre - Village Voice
CIA edits Wikipedia - BBC
How the war on tobacco got out of hand - Slate
Arrrr! That be tha Spiegeltent
The Spiegeltent is back soon for the Fringe Festival, and one of the best nights looks set to be Pirate Sounds on September 13th at 10pm.
"An evening of pirate collaborations will bring together some of Ireland's grooviest, funkiest, smartest, sassiest, sweetest musicians, singers and dj’s to make new versions of old things and old versions of new things. Some of Irelands best known artists and least likely combinations will be brought together for an evening that is set to clash styles, blow horns, bang your drum in a way that will have both dance floor and stage dancing to a whole new beat.
Egos walk the plank in a musical mash-up night that celebrates having fun through the medium of dance!
Come with your pirate dancing shoes to music provided by a bunch of buccaneers, a gang of n'er do wells, a motley crew of all-sorts indeed but not a captain hook in sight.
Artists involved include the likes of Cathy Davey, Lisa Hannigan, Dara Mulhern, Donal Dineen, James Mc Morrow, Mikki Dee, Neosupervital, Pete Pamf, Rhob Cunningham, Mundy, Sophie Merry, Tomo Osander and The Walls., with lots more to be announced! Keep your beady eyes on myspace.com/turningpirate for line-up additions and sneak preview videos."
Em... AWESOME!!! I'm not going to lie to you, I fucking love pirates. I dress as a pirate for most Hallowe'ens. Once, my amazing pirate costume nearly got me arrested for 'resisting arrest' (I'm a pirate, what am I supposed to do?) when me and the birds went to Salem, Massachusetts for Hallowe'en a few years ago, and there ended up being this unbelievable surreal riot-type incident with a police line on horses and then a dueling line opposite them of people in amazing costumes. It was brilliant. Except when me and Meadzer (dressed as a hot viking) lost RoRo (hot Egyption queen) and Izzy (a combination of 50s movie stars). So I will DEFINATELY be at this gig in full costume, like this:
Tickets are €18 from fringefest.com or from the box offices in Temple Bar (Essex st) or George's Dock.
Go here for more info on the night.
"An evening of pirate collaborations will bring together some of Ireland's grooviest, funkiest, smartest, sassiest, sweetest musicians, singers and dj’s to make new versions of old things and old versions of new things. Some of Irelands best known artists and least likely combinations will be brought together for an evening that is set to clash styles, blow horns, bang your drum in a way that will have both dance floor and stage dancing to a whole new beat.
Egos walk the plank in a musical mash-up night that celebrates having fun through the medium of dance!
Come with your pirate dancing shoes to music provided by a bunch of buccaneers, a gang of n'er do wells, a motley crew of all-sorts indeed but not a captain hook in sight.
Artists involved include the likes of Cathy Davey, Lisa Hannigan, Dara Mulhern, Donal Dineen, James Mc Morrow, Mikki Dee, Neosupervital, Pete Pamf, Rhob Cunningham, Mundy, Sophie Merry, Tomo Osander and The Walls., with lots more to be announced! Keep your beady eyes on myspace.com/turningpirate for line-up additions and sneak preview videos."
Em... AWESOME!!! I'm not going to lie to you, I fucking love pirates. I dress as a pirate for most Hallowe'ens. Once, my amazing pirate costume nearly got me arrested for 'resisting arrest' (I'm a pirate, what am I supposed to do?) when me and the birds went to Salem, Massachusetts for Hallowe'en a few years ago, and there ended up being this unbelievable surreal riot-type incident with a police line on horses and then a dueling line opposite them of people in amazing costumes. It was brilliant. Except when me and Meadzer (dressed as a hot viking) lost RoRo (hot Egyption queen) and Izzy (a combination of 50s movie stars). So I will DEFINATELY be at this gig in full costume, like this:
Tickets are €18 from fringefest.com or from the box offices in Temple Bar (Essex st) or George's Dock.
Go here for more info on the night.
Skateboarding Accident # 1,739
I fell off my dumb skateboard again yesterday evening. Me, Anthony, Lili (aka Minky Von Fabragé) and Iano were drinking on my roof, and I was trying to beat a trick Iano had pulled and I went flying. Cut my hand and knee and somehow managed to punch myself in the chest as well. So I'm all bruisey this morning. My right wrist and my left shoulder are in bits. I'm such an idiot.
Before the fall, I helped out on Lili and Corina's shoot with The Kinetics yesterday morning. They are such nice guys. After we wandered around town trying to find somewhere to go and chill and couldn't find anywhere, so that's how we ended up on my roof.
Then we went to Whelan's. It was jammers.
Una
listening to: Day One - 'Probably Art'
reading: a Swatch catalogue
watching: the Rose of Tralee tonight yay!
drinking: lucozade
eating: nothing yet
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Saturday evening in work...
Late shifts are always kind of... quiet. Unless something explodes or something. So I'm spending my time listening back to the Indie Hour, the one with Fight Like Apes on it because I can't go see them play in Smithfield. FLApes are playing for free in an hour - leave your house now! Go see them!. Maybe Lili can phone it in for me or something.
The Indie Hour is an amazing indie radio programme that's on Anna Livia 103.2fm in Dublin every Thursday from 9pm to 10pm. If you visit their blog (linked above) you can check out the greatness.
The X-Factor starts again tonight. I'm quite excited.
Una
The Indie Hour is an amazing indie radio programme that's on Anna Livia 103.2fm in Dublin every Thursday from 9pm to 10pm. If you visit their blog (linked above) you can check out the greatness.
The X-Factor starts again tonight. I'm quite excited.
Una
Dirty Dozen: Vol 72
1. Electrelane - 'Five'
2. Sigur Ros - 'Olsen Olsen'
3. Explosions In The Sky - 'Welcome Ghosts'
4. The Organ - 'Brother' (from Missing Toof)
5. MIA V Timbaland - 'Come Around'
half a dozen. Justice - 'The Party' (from the Yellow Stereo)
7. Joy Division - 'Decades'
8. Jackson C Frank - 'Dialogue'
9. Kathleen Edwards - 'In State'
10. Great Lake Swimmers - 'Moving Pictures Silent Films'
11. Justin Timberlake - 'Lovestoned' (Justice remix)
dozen. Mono - 'The Flames Beyond The Cold Mountain'
2. Sigur Ros - 'Olsen Olsen'
3. Explosions In The Sky - 'Welcome Ghosts'
4. The Organ - 'Brother' (from Missing Toof)
5. MIA V Timbaland - 'Come Around'
half a dozen. Justice - 'The Party' (from the Yellow Stereo)
7. Joy Division - 'Decades'
8. Jackson C Frank - 'Dialogue'
9. Kathleen Edwards - 'In State'
10. Great Lake Swimmers - 'Moving Pictures Silent Films'
11. Justin Timberlake - 'Lovestoned' (Justice remix)
dozen. Mono - 'The Flames Beyond The Cold Mountain'
Delorentos for Electric Picnic
The Delos (pictured here with me pretending to be Nial) will play Electric Picnic on the second day of the festival (that's a Saturday). A preliminary day by day schedule thingy is up on the Electric Picnic site.
A Rolling Stone, Sweet Jane, vodka tonics.
Myself and Lili went for a drink in the Front Lounge yesterday evening. There were loads of people out the back, and when we went out to survey the commotion, we found Ronnie Wood, which was quite random. Lili took some photees, including this one.
After a few beers we went to Doran's for a slice of pizza and then to see Stagger Lee (big up to Donna for the guestlist). One of the support bands, Sweet Jane, was awesome. Really good stuff, would like to hear them again. Grum tells me it's some of the guys from Mainline and a couple of other peeps. They're playing tonight at the Magical Girl gig in the Boom Boom Room, which I will be at if I ever get out of work.
Stagger Lee were great as usual. Dee and YoCo came down and we drank some vodka.
I had to get up Early McGinty this morning to do the Kiosk in Phantom and then a fucking prick tried to steal my bag on Pearse Street. I punched him with my phone. There were two guys standing RIGHT beside me when the incident occured and they didn't do anything. I was so angry.
Una
eating: almond pastry thing
drinking: water
listening to: Rilo Kiley - 'Under the Blacklight'
watching: nothing
reading: the Irish Times magazine
After a few beers we went to Doran's for a slice of pizza and then to see Stagger Lee (big up to Donna for the guestlist). One of the support bands, Sweet Jane, was awesome. Really good stuff, would like to hear them again. Grum tells me it's some of the guys from Mainline and a couple of other peeps. They're playing tonight at the Magical Girl gig in the Boom Boom Room, which I will be at if I ever get out of work.
Stagger Lee were great as usual. Dee and YoCo came down and we drank some vodka.
I had to get up Early McGinty this morning to do the Kiosk in Phantom and then a fucking prick tried to steal my bag on Pearse Street. I punched him with my phone. There were two guys standing RIGHT beside me when the incident occured and they didn't do anything. I was so angry.
Una
eating: almond pastry thing
drinking: water
listening to: Rilo Kiley - 'Under the Blacklight'
watching: nothing
reading: the Irish Times magazine
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Weekend: sure where wouldja be goin?
Hark, the weekend is near. So after you tune in to Ryan Tubridy tomorrow morning to listen to me talk about something, you can take yizzerselves off to WOBBLE III @ Traffic. MUNDO will be playing alongside my homeboy Redmonk.
And on Saturday, after you tune in to the Kiosk on Phantom to hear me talk about something else, Das Wanderlust and Estel hit up the Boom Boom Room for a Magical Girl gig of awesomeness.
And on Saturday, after you tune in to the Kiosk on Phantom to hear me talk about something else, Das Wanderlust and Estel hit up the Boom Boom Room for a Magical Girl gig of awesomeness.
N-JoY!
UnaRocks articles of the day
The rise and fall of plastic - Radar
Paris Hilton is a genius - London Times
Trapped in the closet - New York Magazine
Amy says no no no - NME
Mob art for sale - Village Voice
Paris Hilton is a genius - London Times
Trapped in the closet - New York Magazine
Amy says no no no - NME
Mob art for sale - Village Voice
So we didn't win
Half Tribune Half Biscuit got pretty much bate at the Phantom Table Quiz grand final last night. We came joint sixth. Hats off to Robot Rock for the win. Also hats off to Mr Neil Hannon, who didn't recognise the backwards intro to Robbie Williams' 'No Regrets'. Quite an amusing moment.
Roll on the Christmas Quiz!
Roll on the Christmas Quiz!
Comments *updated*
It feels weird to do this, because by and large, this is a fun blog. But it’s not a public forum; it’s my blog, so I’m not going to let myself get pissed off about people using the comment facility to vent whatever foolish spleen they have anymore.
- All comments will be subjected to moderation.
- Libellous remarks will be deleted.
- Personal attacks and insults will be deleted.
- Homophobic, sexist or racist comments will not be tolerated and will be deleted.
- Repeat offenders will be barred from commenting.
Thanks to everyone who emailed me with constructive suggestions on how to moderate comments, and also for people’s general thoughts and support. Rock on.
- All comments will be subjected to moderation.
- Libellous remarks will be deleted.
- Personal attacks and insults will be deleted.
- Homophobic, sexist or racist comments will not be tolerated and will be deleted.
- Repeat offenders will be barred from commenting.
Thanks to everyone who emailed me with constructive suggestions on how to moderate comments, and also for people’s general thoughts and support. Rock on.
Comments
Hello anyone who reads this blog. I'm turning comments off for the moment because I'm kind of sick of having to monitor them, and couldn't really be arsed putting up with offensive, insulting or smart-arsed remarks directed at either myself personally, or at anything else that people feel the need to vent about.
I might put them back on in the next few days when I have time to decide how I'm going to monitor them in the future.
For anyone who doesn't dig this, well, it's my blog and I can do what I want, surprisingly.
I know some other blogs have problems with this kind of thing, so if anyone has any suggestions about comments etc feel free to email me at jacksgraff@hotmail.com
Una
PS: saw the Bourne Ultimatum this morning, it's awesome, check it out.
I might put them back on in the next few days when I have time to decide how I'm going to monitor them in the future.
For anyone who doesn't dig this, well, it's my blog and I can do what I want, surprisingly.
I know some other blogs have problems with this kind of thing, so if anyone has any suggestions about comments etc feel free to email me at jacksgraff@hotmail.com
Una
PS: saw the Bourne Ultimatum this morning, it's awesome, check it out.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
'Wanted' comes to Dublin
Something called 'This Is Wanted', which seems to be a Wrangler sponsored weekend of fashion, art, music and film comes to Dublin in October - the 4th to the 7th to be exact.
The launch party is on in the South William next Thursday and there's music from Tu-Ki, David Kitt, Maximum Joy DJs and Choice Cuts heads.
The launch party is on in the South William next Thursday and there's music from Tu-Ki, David Kitt, Maximum Joy DJs and Choice Cuts heads.
Mandy Moore - queen of the universe
Personally, I don't need another reason to love Mandy Moore. But if I did, then I would watch her brilliant cover of 'Umbrella'
I love lamp
Myself and Roisin somehow managed to stay up FOREVER last night, so I'm tired today. This is probably because we were discussing the meaning of life over white wine spritzers, and then started drinking cans and watching Anchorman and deciding which cast members relate to the news team at Phantom, and then eating brownie cookies and listening to Ham Sandwich and Joan As Police Woman.
Tonight, it's D-Day / D-Night. Because, my furry friends, it's the grand final of the Phantom Music Quiz in the Sugar Club, which my glorious team Half Tribune Half Biscuit is going to win. As Johnny Drama says in Entourage... VICTORY!
Una
listening to: PJ Harvey - 'White Chalk'
reading: the RTE Guide
watching: Nanny 911
eating: nothing yet
drinking: Diet Coke
Tonight, it's D-Day / D-Night. Because, my furry friends, it's the grand final of the Phantom Music Quiz in the Sugar Club, which my glorious team Half Tribune Half Biscuit is going to win. As Johnny Drama says in Entourage... VICTORY!
Una
listening to: PJ Harvey - 'White Chalk'
reading: the RTE Guide
watching: Nanny 911
eating: nothing yet
drinking: Diet Coke
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
UnaRocks video of the day
I love this song SO MUCH. Every time it comes on Phantom I dance around the place and punch the sky and what not. It's called 'The A Tune' and it's by an awesome band called Sickboy, who rawk.
UnaRocks HWCH band watch #1
Grand Pocket Orchestra describe themselves as "the lovechild of Pavement and Liza Minelli." Fair enough. Their songs, however are best described as the aural equivalent of a three-legged race; fast, unbalanced, giggly, youthful and mostly, good fun. From the blink and it's over 'Radio', to the harmonica-driven thumping 'Bang on the Floor', it's party music. So listen to them (at their MySpace, linked above), and dance.
(PS: this is the first in a series of profiling the bands playing at this years Hard Working Class Heroes Festival)
UnaRocks articles of the day
Brand Elvis - AFP
Born to make porn - Village Voice
Where from here for the Playboy brand? - BBC
Social Networks: the advertising Wild West - International Herald Tribune
Glossy magazine industry struggles - the Observer
Karl Rove's next job - Slate
the Surf Prince of Long Beach - New York Magazine
Born to make porn - Village Voice
Where from here for the Playboy brand? - BBC
Social Networks: the advertising Wild West - International Herald Tribune
Glossy magazine industry struggles - the Observer
Karl Rove's next job - Slate
the Surf Prince of Long Beach - New York Magazine
Course code: JRPR101
Great post by Shane about a new journalism course set up by a bunch of PR heads. Positively guffawed at his suggested lecture names.
Like, OMFG, Bebo is now the UK's most popular social networking site
ComScore Data, released yesterday, officially confirmed that Bebo has surpassed MySpace as the UK’s leading social networking website.
According to the statistics, in July, Bebo registered a total of 10.7m unique users ahead of MySpace which has 10.1m and Facebook with 7.6m.
Bebo is also ranked as the second most engaging website in the UK with 8.7b page views - only just behind Google which received 8.8b.
According to the statistics, in July, Bebo registered a total of 10.7m unique users ahead of MySpace which has 10.1m and Facebook with 7.6m.
Bebo is also ranked as the second most engaging website in the UK with 8.7b page views - only just behind Google which received 8.8b.
Modeselektor - Dublin live details announced
Monday, August 13, 2007
Tapas!
Me, lili, Corina and anthony are so hungry so we are ordering Loads of food at Pintxo in temple bar.
Hunter S. Thompson: The Other Side of Gonzo
Roger Cambria has written this article for Harp Magazine. It's mainly an interview with Hunter's wife, Anita. Sometimes I find it hard to read stuff about HST because, to he honest, I'm still in mourning. I know that sounds kind of weird, but I get so sad reading articles about him. So I stick to what he wrote. But this isn't a bad piece, so check it out.
UnaRocks articles of the day
Victoria's Secret - not just knickers - Reuters
Why Germany loves Japanese pop culture - Deutsche Welle
Amy Winehouse: chasing the dragon - the Sun
Kanye West and Takashi Murakami hook up - New York Magazine
School girl: 'if you aint got Prada, you aint shit' - Russia IC
Americans want Giuliani for Pres - Gallup
Avril Lavigne being a fuckwit - Observer
'Swimming' by T. Cooper - the New Yorker
Do Republicans get the Web? - Slate (video)
Why Germany loves Japanese pop culture - Deutsche Welle
Amy Winehouse: chasing the dragon - the Sun
Kanye West and Takashi Murakami hook up - New York Magazine
School girl: 'if you aint got Prada, you aint shit' - Russia IC
Americans want Giuliani for Pres - Gallup
Avril Lavigne being a fuckwit - Observer
'Swimming' by T. Cooper - the New Yorker
Do Republicans get the Web? - Slate (video)
UnaRocks: video of the day
MAJOR props to C from Super Extra Bonus Party for alerting me to this amazingly serious video from Hungarian rapper 'Speak'.
CODES confirm single release date and gigs
One of my favourite bands - Codes - will release the single Edith (with cover art by Miss Lili) on September 21st. The single (which I haven't heard yet and am so excited about) will be followed by gigs in Cork, Galway and Dublin. Check these guys out live, they are so awesome and LOUD.
Universal buys V2
UMG To Acquire V2 From Morgan Stanley
August 10, 2007
By Ed Christman, N.Y.
The Universal Music Group has reached an agreement to acquire the V2 Music Group from Morgan Stanley. Terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, have not been disclosed.
"V2 is recognized as a pioneer in independent music with a diverse artist roster that spans many musical genres," Lucian Grainge, Universal Music International chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "By applying our expertise in artist development and in the digital space, we'll be able to maximize and enhance the opportunities for its artists even further."
V2's roster includes Stereophonics, Paul Weller, Anais, Isabelle Boulay and Henri Salvador. In addition, V2 owns and operates Co-Operative Music, its in-house licensing organization that includes such independent labels as Bella Union, City Slang and Wichita Recordings, and such artists as Bloc Party, Peter Bjorn and John, and the Go Team!.
V2 was founded by Richard Branson in 1996, but Morgan Stanley, which provided financing for the company, ultimately wound up owning a 95% stake in the label.
Along the way, V2 sold off its V2 North American operation to Sheridan Square. Universal has been distributing the label in Ireland and the U.K. since July 2006.
August 10, 2007
By Ed Christman, N.Y.
The Universal Music Group has reached an agreement to acquire the V2 Music Group from Morgan Stanley. Terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, have not been disclosed.
"V2 is recognized as a pioneer in independent music with a diverse artist roster that spans many musical genres," Lucian Grainge, Universal Music International chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "By applying our expertise in artist development and in the digital space, we'll be able to maximize and enhance the opportunities for its artists even further."
V2's roster includes Stereophonics, Paul Weller, Anais, Isabelle Boulay and Henri Salvador. In addition, V2 owns and operates Co-Operative Music, its in-house licensing organization that includes such independent labels as Bella Union, City Slang and Wichita Recordings, and such artists as Bloc Party, Peter Bjorn and John, and the Go Team!.
V2 was founded by Richard Branson in 1996, but Morgan Stanley, which provided financing for the company, ultimately wound up owning a 95% stake in the label.
Along the way, V2 sold off its V2 North American operation to Sheridan Square. Universal has been distributing the label in Ireland and the U.K. since July 2006.
Gigs this week
Tuesday
Gavin Glass & the Holy Shakers @ Doyles (€5)
T.Bone Tender & The Philips @ the Hub
Thursday
Down I Go, Bats, Terrordactly, Solen @ Boom Boom Room
Army of Flying Robots, Threads, Lungs, Erode You @ Lower Deck (€7)
Friday
Wobble 3: Jason Mundo, Redmonk, Richie Kaboogie, A-Force, T-Woc @ Traffic (€8)*
Dan Deacon, So Cow, DJ Kool Drool @ Crawdaddy (€15)
Boss Volenti @ the Village (€10)
The Chakras, Invocation, Cloud Castle Lake, The Merciful Hour @ the Hub
Saturday
Slint @ Tripod (€26)
Napalm Death @ Voodoo (€22)
Das Wanderlust, Estel, Sweet Jane @ Boom Boom Room*
* = UnaRocks recommends
Gavin Glass & the Holy Shakers @ Doyles (€5)
T.Bone Tender & The Philips @ the Hub
Thursday
Down I Go, Bats, Terrordactly, Solen @ Boom Boom Room
Army of Flying Robots, Threads, Lungs, Erode You @ Lower Deck (€7)
Friday
Wobble 3: Jason Mundo, Redmonk, Richie Kaboogie, A-Force, T-Woc @ Traffic (€8)*
Dan Deacon, So Cow, DJ Kool Drool @ Crawdaddy (€15)
Boss Volenti @ the Village (€10)
The Chakras, Invocation, Cloud Castle Lake, The Merciful Hour @ the Hub
Saturday
Slint @ Tripod (€26)
Napalm Death @ Voodoo (€22)
Das Wanderlust, Estel, Sweet Jane @ Boom Boom Room*
* = UnaRocks recommends
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Woohooo night + diesies morning
Super Extra Bonus Party was AWESOME last night. Such a good vibe in Voodoo and loads of fun. Apologies to anyone I spoke to and made no sense (namely Nialler and Vinny) because I was kind of wasted after going for drinkies with Stephen (+ every single person who works for INN and Newstalk it seemed) on Baggot Street early enough in the evening.
Anywhoo, Adebisi Shank were great too. It was the first time I'd seen them play and I've been listening to their EP all morning. It was also the first time I'd seen Vinny since we ran around Brixton and Camden after a Nine Inch Nails gig earlier this year.
Me and Corina and Lili and Stevo had loads of fun, pizza and red bull. Got some good JacksGraff photees too, which I shall upload later. Now I have to go to lunch in Unicorn. Laters!
Una
Anywhoo, Adebisi Shank were great too. It was the first time I'd seen them play and I've been listening to their EP all morning. It was also the first time I'd seen Vinny since we ran around Brixton and Camden after a Nine Inch Nails gig earlier this year.
Me and Corina and Lili and Stevo had loads of fun, pizza and red bull. Got some good JacksGraff photees too, which I shall upload later. Now I have to go to lunch in Unicorn. Laters!
Una
Friday, August 10, 2007
Hard Working Class Heroes line-up announced
boo-ya
Aleko*
Alphastates
Angel Pier
Autumn Owls
The Black Tokens
The Blonde Majority
Channel One
chrome horse
Colenso parade
The Chakras
Chicks
Cry Yuma
rhob cunningham
Dark Room Notes*
DALI
Cathy Davey
Declan de Barra
Dirty Epics
Disfunkional
Distractors
Dry County*
Mick Duffy
The Elliots
Elspeth
evil harrissons
fifteen minutes
Fight Like Apes*
The Flaws*
Floyd Soul and the Wolf
Paula Flynn
Valerie Francis
Gavin Glass
The Ghostwood Project
Grand Pocket Orchestra*
Green Lights*
Halves*
Ham Sandwich*
hassle merchants
Ray Heffernan
Herm
Hooray for Humans
Miriam Ingram*
Walter Mitty & The Realists
Jaded Sun
JODAVINO
kill city defectors*
The Keds
Michael Knight
The Kybosh
The Laundry Shop
Les Bien*
Leanbh
Jenny Lindfors*
Loko Parentis
Los Langeros
MIGALINX
The Minutes
My Brother Woody
The Negative Way
New Amusements
Not Men But Giants
Offshore
OMB and the Furious Tree
One Day International
Panda Kopanda*
Paranoid Visions
Push Borders
Queen Kong*
The Radio*
gavin ryan
seeping into cinemas
The Sensors
Stoat
Straglers
Sub Rosa
Super Extra Bonus Party*
Ten Past Seven
The Terribles
tidal district
Twinkranes
We Should be dead
White Noise
Youre Only Massive*
* - UnaRocks recommends
Impressions:
#1 Chicks are back. Haven't seen them since they were booed off stage at the SFX supporting Ash
#2 YoureOnlyMassive are an intruiging bunch / duo
#3 Betamax Format's new single is awesome - heard it on Edel's show the other day
#4 Halves, FLApes, Ham Sandwich, Super Extra Bonus Party, Kill City Defectors: woohoo!
The festival takes place at the Pod complex on Harcourt Street in Dublin on Friday 28th, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th of September.
(above photee part of Lili's HWCH shoot '06)
UnaRocks articles of the day
Arcade Fire: Jim Carroll dons Joe Duffy cap - On The Record
Louis Vuitton is art - USA Today
No porn please, it's Web 2.0 - Wired
Drag artist pisses off stupid people - GCN
Courtney Love, nekkid - Perez Hilton
The Pentagon's new toys - Slate
'We need another 9/11' - Philadelphia Daily News
Democrats woo gay voters - Huffington Post
Reverend and the Makers interview - The Guardian
Louis Vuitton is art - USA Today
No porn please, it's Web 2.0 - Wired
Drag artist pisses off stupid people - GCN
Courtney Love, nekkid - Perez Hilton
The Pentagon's new toys - Slate
'We need another 9/11' - Philadelphia Daily News
Democrats woo gay voters - Huffington Post
Reverend and the Makers interview - The Guardian
Lily Allen cancels gigs, posts doctor's note on MySpace
"Hello everybody ,Ive have literally been around the whole world in two weeks from London to Japan around Australia and then to LA and Vegas then back to LA for a 17 hour video shoot , and now I'm back in London eating my mums chicken soup cause im afraid the travelling has caught up with me . I've got sinusitis and strep throat ( i don't even know what that is ) and have been advised to take a couple of weeks off by a doctor in LA and a doctor here .Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans I want to apologise and say how sorry I am , but I cant risk causing any permanent damage . I hope people can understand and arent too angry .
The cancelled gigs are as follows;
Oya Festival - Norway
Way Out West Festival - Gothenburg -Sweden
Sagres - Portugal
Lowlands Festival - Biddinghuizen -Holland
I should be better by V festival so once again I'm sorry and I'll see you at V"
Arcade Fire sells out in quarter of a micro-second
No surprises there, then.
But who else is playing the Phoenix Park? It's a bit mad that one of the dates has sold out before there's any mention at all of the other gigs. Ian Brown will definately be playing support to another act, but who else will be on the chilly Big Top bills?
For the time being, one imagines the promoters are being kept busy with trying to sell tickets to the Kaiser Chiefs and Foo Fighters gigs that have yet to sell out. The advertising of these gigs has reached an unprecedented level; with TV, radio and press pushing the hell out of the Marlay Park dates. Still, you can hardly lose money when a gigantic beer company is footing the bill now, can you?
In other news, Rihanna will be available for blame in person when she plays the RDS on December 2nd. Might have stopped raining by then.
Una
drinking: Capri Sun
eating: sausage roll
reading: Billie Piper - 'Growing Pains' (updated)
listening to: Euros Child - 'The Miracle Inn'
But who else is playing the Phoenix Park? It's a bit mad that one of the dates has sold out before there's any mention at all of the other gigs. Ian Brown will definately be playing support to another act, but who else will be on the chilly Big Top bills?
For the time being, one imagines the promoters are being kept busy with trying to sell tickets to the Kaiser Chiefs and Foo Fighters gigs that have yet to sell out. The advertising of these gigs has reached an unprecedented level; with TV, radio and press pushing the hell out of the Marlay Park dates. Still, you can hardly lose money when a gigantic beer company is footing the bill now, can you?
In other news, Rihanna will be available for blame in person when she plays the RDS on December 2nd. Might have stopped raining by then.
Una
drinking: Capri Sun
eating: sausage roll
reading: Billie Piper - 'Growing Pains' (updated)
listening to: Euros Child - 'The Miracle Inn'
Thursday, August 09, 2007
More Electric Picnic additions; Simple Kid, Architecture in Helsinki etc
Southern Comfort Crawdaddy Stage
Modest Mouse
Spiritualized
Duke Special
Ladytron
Damien Dempsey
The Undertones
Fionn Regan
Simple Kid
How I Became The Bomb
Two Gallants
Rilo Kiley
Kila
The Fall
Patrick Wolf
Warlords Of Pez
Nokia Trends Lab Stage
65 Days of Static
DHOL Foundation
Dub Pistols & Terry Hall
Good Shoes
Halves
Kieran Hebden & Steven Reid
Kissaway Trail
My Brightest Diamond
Nouvelle Vague
Oppenheimer
Red Kid
Sons & Daughters
Stephen Fretwell
The Aliens
The Field
The Little Ones
The Ting Tings
White Rabbits
Modest Mouse
Spiritualized
Duke Special
Ladytron
Damien Dempsey
The Undertones
Fionn Regan
Simple Kid
How I Became The Bomb
Two Gallants
Rilo Kiley
Kila
The Fall
Patrick Wolf
Warlords Of Pez
Nokia Trends Lab Stage
65 Days of Static
DHOL Foundation
Dub Pistols & Terry Hall
Good Shoes
Halves
Kieran Hebden & Steven Reid
Kissaway Trail
My Brightest Diamond
Nouvelle Vague
Oppenheimer
Red Kid
Sons & Daughters
Stephen Fretwell
The Aliens
The Field
The Little Ones
The Ting Tings
White Rabbits
UnaRocks articles of the day
Jenna's ode to licorice - Pulp and Circumstance
America's worst blog names - Slate
Julie Delpy's dirty mind - New York Magazine
The power of 'Windorphins' - Courant.com
RIP Weekly World News - Washington Post
Blogger Jerome Armstrong settles law suit - Watching The Watchers
Man sneaks monkey on to plane - San Francisco Chronicle
Bush Snr & Jr - Huffington Post
Amy Winehouse ODs - NME
America's worst blog names - Slate
Julie Delpy's dirty mind - New York Magazine
The power of 'Windorphins' - Courant.com
RIP Weekly World News - Washington Post
Blogger Jerome Armstrong settles law suit - Watching The Watchers
Man sneaks monkey on to plane - San Francisco Chronicle
Bush Snr & Jr - Huffington Post
Amy Winehouse ODs - NME
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