The Life Magazine photo archive

It's here and it's awesome. There are over 10 million photos online, but if you want to just look at narrower topics than merely trawling through all of those, check out the Jezebel 'the way we were' features, which document women in the 1950s, 1940s and 1930s.

Thomas Read Group in big, big, trouble

Via the Irish Times:

AN INTERIM examiner has been appointed by the High Court to the Thomas Read group of companies, which operate some of Dublin's best-known bars and restaurants. The firms have combined debts of more than €26 million and employ in excess of 400 people.

Mr Justice Brian McGovern yesterday appointed Kieran McCarthy of Hughes Blake accountants as interim examiner to Sharmane Ltd and 14 related companies, known as the Thomas Read group of companies. The petition for examinership was brought by Guerneville Ltd, the parent company of the group.

The Thomas Read group of companies operate 22 bars and restaurants in Dublin city, Dublin airport and Dún Laoghaire.

All the talk at the moment in town is about how the landscape of pubbing and clubbing will be dramatically different this time next year. Jim wrote a piece in the Ticket yesterday flagging the inevitable closure of some venues. Rumours are flying around the city about various places that are going to close.

Of course it's already happening. Apart from this latest very troubling news about the Thomas Read Group (which own eight bars in the airport, the Bailey on Duke Street, Searsons on Baggot Street, the Winding Stair, the Globe and Ri Ra the Harbourmaster Bar, Thomas Reads on Parliament Street, Pravda, Floridita on Abbey Street, the Dawson Lounge and Ron Black's, Thomas Reads in Smithfield, The Lincoln's Inn on Lincoln Place and Bodega in Dún Laoghaire) at least one bar, pub or club is closing every month in town. I wrote a piece about it last month in the Tribune. This rate is accelerating now. Hard times.

Poolbeg time-lapse awesomeness

Via the Chancer, an awesome Fergal Brennan video for Sasparilla - 'The Count':

Blinded By Trouble

Last night Lucy aka Google was pointing out the similarities between The Streets 'Blinded By The Lights' and Britney Spears 'Trouble'. It's a similar synth sound alright and vaguely similar tempo. But is it a rip off?

You judge

The Streets:

(Do you know what's weird? This is my favourite Streets track, yet I've never seen the video until now)

Britney:

WHY IS NOBODY SINGING EVERYTIME??

From the NME:

Britney Spears is set to appear on The X Factor tonight (November 29) to perform her current single 'Womanizer'.

The singer has jetted in for a special appearance which will also the five remaining finalists cover one of her songs.

Eoghan Quigg will perform 'Sometimes', 'Ruth Lorenzo' will sing 'I Love Rock 'N' Roll', Diana Vickers will cover 'I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman' and JLS will do a take on 'Baby One More Time'.

Miley Cyrus is also due to appear on the show which this year has seen Take That, Mariah Carey and Girls Aloud all perform.

Unless Alexandra is singing it, then they are all mad not to have picked it. I only got one of my predictions right, with Eoghan singing 'Sometimes'. Still, I did get three of the songs picked right. Go me.

Ended up not going to Q&A last night because I was so tired, so just hung out in Niamh's gaff with the crew watching the Toy Show, eating chicken wings, drinking beer (Lainey has won the bet that I couldn't stay off beer for all of Movember) and playing Mario Kart, which I ruled at, but seriously let myself down on Wii bowling. Can't win 'em all.

Happy Weekend y'all

After watching what should hopefully be the highlight of the year - the Late Late Late Toy Show - tonight, I'm a gonna hit Q&A @ ALT. There's a feature in this month's State featuring a picture of my pretty friend Zac Efron Brian. Then, tomorrow night, it's Pantibar's 1st birthday.

Rock.

wantsies

Introducing The Slanket. Best. Blanket. Ever.

Thanks to Ragin Spice for the headzup.

she's back

Britney performed for the first time since falling around the place at the VMA's last night at something called the Bambi Awards in Germany. Perez points out that the outfit she is wearing is almost identical to one Madonna is wearing on her Sticky & Sweet tour. Brit's new album 'Circus' is very Madonna-tinged, actually. In fact, it could be an album made by Madge herself. The best song on the record, in my opinion? A bonus track called 'Trouble', which was left off 'Blackout'.



Oh, I just found 'Trouble' on Hype Machine there, here yiz go: 'Trouble' MP3. Such a great song.

and the blogger DJ deathmatch champ is...

click here to see who won this major title at a rocking SoundCheck last night.

See y'all at soundcheck tonight

Blogger Deathmatch at Souncheck tonight.. Awesome tunes, 2-4-1 cocktails, and all round funtimes!!






























( Spotted just a few short moments ago Elvis leaving the building and heading to Soundcheck)

Famine & Byrne

Check out this awesome piece Will and Maser have done at the Bernard Shaw. It's based on Will's previous Famine & Byrne piece. I love it. You can buy a limited edition print of Famine & Byrne for €20 at the mo. Good Xmas present, no?

Rahm Emanuel's Thanksgiving card

Seriously.

(via Gawker)

The Wrestler

Can't WAIT to see this

an interview with Lili

My homegirl Lili aka Minky Von Fabrege aka joint champion of Mario Kart is interviewed by Game Ball here along with the eclectic cast of Bressie from the Blizzards and rugby legend Jonah Lomu.

Go to the 7.25 mark to see Lili's interview.

Mo, mo, mo, mo, mo, mo, mo, mo

I went to the Movember party last night and it was a very fun and surreal experience - there were Mos EVERYWHERE and everyone was dressed up, which was really cool. I was with my Mo Bro Conor Le Shark who was a cowboy and I was a composite of hats and things.

Big ups to the Movember people and Thinkhouse, as they've raised €100,000 in Ireland alone this Movember. Also, bravo to Chewy as thanks to his drag dressing Mo antics, he managed to win both the Miss Movember and Man of Movember awards.

too busy to blog today

Apart from to say James & Bitches With Wolves were AMAZING last night.



(Photee stolen from Facebook)

mid-week activities

If you're at a loose end tonight, why not check out T.A.C. a new club night kicking off on the Button Factory tonight. Bitches With Wolves are taking to the stage, so it should be pretty funsies! The Bitches will be DJing alongside The Vinny Club and many more at the SoundCheck Crimbo on December 18th.

Movember is drawing to a close (you can go to Team SoundCheck here and donate money to Action Prostate Cancer) and the Movember Gala is on Wednesday night in the Button Factory.

And, of course, SoundCheck hits Spy on Thursday.

I'll be hitting all three.

serious guilty pleasure

I really like this song. I'd post the actual music video, but you can't embed it because Sony BMG ANNOYINGLY don't allow that kind of anarchy.

SoundCheck blogger DJ deathmatch this Thursday

There will be blood.

More details on the SoundCheck blog.

Facebook event here

UnaRocks articles of the day

Beyonce, Sasha Fierce and poppelgangers - Slate

30 things you never knew about The Killers - NME

The Box: the most sordid club in NYC - New York Magazine

Is there a future for black republicans? - Time

Peter Saville on porn - SuperTouch

Jay Z to join Coldplay on tour - Pitchfork

How much do pet monkeys really cost? - Vanity Fair

Where's Obama's birth certificate? - World Net Daily

Origami turkey dinner - Creative Techs

The rise of luxury rehab - New Yorker

Jet-packs! - Gawker

Obama: Drop It Like A Sock

Thanks to RoRo for the headzup on this.

Erol comp now closed

Congrats to the winners of passes to see Erol Alkan @ ATL on December 5th - you have been notified by email. I got a huge response to this competition, so hard luck to anyone who didn't win passes, but there are plenty more competitions coming up so keep the faith!

Rock.

Pantibar is the 4th best gay club of 2008 in Britain and Ireland

So says Attitude magazine. Go Panti! In the top ten, there are six London venues, two Manchester venues, and one Glasgow venue, so it's great to see a Dublin spot in there.

I like Pantibar because it offers something different; from the various stuff that goes down each night like Make & Do, Live in Her Living Room and the movie runs etc, to the general chilled atmosphere and mixed crowd. It's also the cheapest gay bar in Dublin. Along with the Front Lounge, Pantibar the only decent gay venue in town. Panti's blog is also a must-read.

This accolade comes just in time for Pantibar's first birthday celebration this Saturday.

You can't fire me because I quit

Apprentice shocker: What was Shane thinking last night?! First I thought he was trying to double-bluff the panel and getting Bill to convince him stay, and tell him he's great. But maybe he is trying to save face. Maybe he doesn't want to be the dude who got fired. I picked Shane to win from the start, though. I think he made a big mistake. Orla would have got fired anyway, I reckon, because I think Bill always liked Shane before he starting the randomness last night about how he doesn't want to be in something he can't win.

Once again, Brenda came out strong, and Stuart bumbled and bluffed his way through the task. I'd say he'll go next week. At this point, I reckon Nicky will win the whole thing.

some Choice Music Prize '09 deets announced

The fourth Choice Music Prize will be announced at a live show in Vicar Street on March 4th next year. A shortlist of ten Irish album released in 2008 chosen by 12 Irish music meeja pros will be announced on Wednesday 14 January. The website will launch next Monday.

Previous winners:
2005 Julie Feeney – 13 Songs
2006 The Divine Comedy – Victory For The Comic Muse
2007 Super Extra Bonus Party – Super Extra Bonus Party

Who will win? Fight Like Apes? Jape? eh, The Script?

It has been a brilliant year for albums from artists who happen to be Irish, so there are plenty to choose from.

Top Four Musical Sighs

For some reason, sighing in music has always entertained me. Some of my favourite songs have sighs. So I've decided to compile my top four favourite musical sighs. Thanks to The Chancer for helping me when I couldn't think of some due to not ingesting enough coffee so far today.

Please add your favourite musical sighs in the comment section so we can make the list big together.

4. 'I Didn't Understand' - Elliott Smith

Aaahhhhhhhh. It could be argued that this song is just one big long sigh. Certainly, the backing 'aaahhhhs' are several long sighs. The emphasis on breathing is pretty heavy in this track, with the mic tuned to every intake of breath Smith takes as he gently spits the achingly negative lyrics, "Because my feelings never change a bit / I always feel like shit / I don't know why, I guess that I just do." Sigh.

3. 'Summer Nights' - the cast of Grease

The 'ohw' towards the end of the song by John Travolta is instantly recognisable and constantly repeatable. Yes, it's exaggerated and almost cartoonish, but somehow, the drama works because it adds to the crescendo of the final drawn out 'niiiiights'. I love it. But... ohw.

2. 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night?' - Nirvana's version
Huddie Ledbetter aka Lead Belly was one of Kurt Cobain's favourite musicians, and the tone of his dirty and desperate folk blues seemed to fit into the context of the Nirvana's MTV Unplugged recording, a session that was to become both a wake and an epitaph for Kurt Cobain. The song is belted out by Cobain, and during a pause near the end of the track, Cobain almost breaks, composing himself with a breathy sigh. It's all in there - the fact that he's slightly overcome, desperation, maybe he's really stretched, or maybe pissed off that he can't nail the song just right. It's sad, and beautiful.

1. 'Hallelujah' - Jeff Buckley's version
Another cover, this time of a Leonard Cohen track. With 'Hallelujah', Buckley created what is one of the most memerable covers ever, a beautifuly executed vision of how he thought the track should sound. Buckley's version has a clarity and tenderness that far exceeds the quality of the original. Right at the start, there's a breathy intake or outtake. It's unusual - a mistake? But it works, and almost acts as a starting gun for the amazing vocal performance that follows.

Villagers video duo

To talk like Chandler Bing for a second, could a band BE more promising? Things from the ashes of The Immediate are bound to be awesome. Missed them w/Halves at the weekend, totally forgot the gig was on. Major D'oh.

Pieces live @ Whelan's


Villagers on MySpace.

On A Sunlit Stage @ Twisted Pepper

No Doubt to tour in '09

I love the way they announced the tour. Cutesies.

Shoot me: I'm a No Doubt fan. Didn't EVERYONE have a copy of 'Tragic Kingdom'. I saw them at Witnness, and they were great and Stefani is an amazing frontwoman.

The 90s are the new 80s, etc.

Britney week on X-Factor this Saturday

Are you excited? I am.

I'm glad Rachel went because she didn't really have any diversity to her range, but I REALLY want Ruth to go this week because she annoys me so much. I can't believe she's still in the competition and Laura isn't.

ANYWAY.

Myself, Tainer Bang, Lainey, Ro, Michelle, Anthony, Tiger and YoCo were discussing what songs the contestants should sing. Anthony is right in saying that anyone who sings 'Everytime' will have it made. It's Britney's best song.

So, here's what I think should happen:

Diana - Everytime
Ruth - Stronger
Eoghan - Sometimes or Born To Make You Happy
JLS - I Love Rock and Roll
Alexandra - I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman

If I Were A Boy

I like the melody, but what a screwed up message!



How Beyonce lost her voice - my rant about it in the Tribune.

And here is my review of the album.

UnaRocks articles of the day

Richey Edwards officially dead - NME

Milk and Prop 8 - New York Times

Can Clinton disagree with Obama? - Slate

Is urban loneliness a myth? - New York Magazine

Adebisi Shank show why they are one of the best bands in the country - Guesslist

Interesting piece on young heroin users and dealers in Fairfax... - Washington Post

... which Gawker questions - Gawker

Florida boy arrested for farting - The Smoking Gun

Someone left a piano in the woods - CNN

Flying Lotus and the atomisation of hip-hop - New Yorker

The 9 most disturbingly misogynistic old print ads - Blog of Hilarity

Ze weekend

It's cold this morning, innit? On Friday, myself, YoCo and Jane dropped into the Tommy Hilfiger launch on Grafton St. It's a nice shop. Smells like a drawing room. Tommy Hilfiger seemed nice too. He's wrinklier than I thought. I mainly went to see if his daughter Ally was there, but alas she was not. Remember Rich Girls? I maintain Rich Girls is a seriously underlooked reality TV programme. It was basically the precursor to The Simple Life, The Hills, Living On The Edge, maybe even shades of Gossip Girl. It was great TV while it lasted.




After that, myself and YoCo had to go and play Mario Kart, obviously, and Tiger and Lili called up too for a nailbiting series of team tournaments which Lili and I eventually won. Tough stuff though, quite stressful. While we were playing, we missed Pat Kenny's shitfit on the Late Late Show. If you missed it too, then here it is:



On Saturday night, it was time for the HRT party, aka Helena's Replacement Therapy because Triona is moving to Oz. Crysies. You had to dress up as something beginning with H or T, so I went as a humblebee, which was basically a bumblebee who was quite humble. There were transformers, Tina Turners, homophobes, toddlers, toy gun soldiers, TV presenters, Top Gun, hos, hostages, Twister, Her Highness the Homosexual Housewife (that was Ragin), Thomas the Tank Engine, trannies, teddybears and more. It was loads of fun, and even more fun being completely sober (me) and watching everyone get hammered. I just wish I brought a video camera.







On Sunday, I made breakfast for everyone and then went to see Body Of Lies. It's not great. Bad, cliche-riddled script, a rather simplistic action-man view of the war in Iraq and no real point. Put watchable of an early Sunday evening. I watched Survivors on BBC One last night, which I enjoyed even though if it was a bit slow. Will defo tune in on Tuesday, though despite its predictability.

Now I'm in work listening to Day & Age.

?uestlove writes about The Roots' crazy bus crash

Here

Kanye West - Heartless

Chinese Democracy

I'm listening to the MySpace stream right now. Are you?

No record can be worth all that moolah.

Competition time: Erol Alkan @ ALT

The awesomeness that is Erol Alkan hits Andrew Lane Theatre (ALT) on December 5th, and I've got two double passes to give away.

To win tickets to what will be a savage night, just email your answer to this question to jacksgraff@hotmail.com with EROL as the subject line.

As per the t-shirt, what does E.R.O.L. do?

(a) Meets kids parents

(b) Keeps kids dancing

(c) Beeps kids swearing

(Winners will be chosen at random using a blind kitten with a laser pen and will be notified by email on Monday.)

UnaRocks articles of the day

Teen kills self on Justin.tv - Wired

The rise of extreme beer - New Yorker

25 things you never knew about the Strokes - NME

Gender is not black and white, but a colour wheel - Jezebel

Twilight is silly but gorgeous - Slate

Blacks, gays, and Prop 8 - Advocate

Why JFK is still the king of conspiracies - Vanity Fair

Obama's cabinet picks reviewed - New York Magazine

Good TV on the Radio article - The Fader

not acceptable in the 80s, not acceptable now - State

Twilight star's Letterman disaster - Gawker

Chick monkeys talk more than dude monkeys - New Scientist

what LastFM says about the music I listen to

I love Last FM's stat machine. I'm always surprised to see the songs and artists I listen to over and over. I think I like one artist or song over another and then I look at the graph of what I actually listen to, and it's different.

According to Last FM, the artists I have listened to most often in the last 3 months are (in reverse order)

10 - Super Extra Bonus Party

9 - Pony Club

8 - MeNoFemBo

7 - Snow Patrol

6 - Dido

5 - Lovvers

4 - Uh Huh Her

3 - The Constantines

2 - Gang Gang Dance

1 - Fight Like Apes

(Some of this is skewed by listening to music in work for reviewing purposes. aka Dido is on the list, don't punch me.)

And my most listened to tracks overall are:

10 - Delorentos - Stop

9 - Fight Like Apes - Battlestations

8 - MeNoFemBo - Bodies

7 - Tegan & Sara - The Con

6 - Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

5 - Bat For Lashes - Prescilla

4 - Kate Nash - Foundations

3 - Fight Like Apes - Lumpy Dough

2 - Fight Like Apes - Snore Bore Whore

1 - Fight Like Apes - Do You Karate

is it just me, or....

+ = twinsies

... does the Totally Dublin site look more or less the same as the State magazine site?

Jus' sayin'.

SoundCheck tonight!

I shall see y'all @ Spy on South Williamsburg Street from 7pm for SoundCheck check check. It's free in be-fo 11pm, and Le Cirque and even more SoundCheck kicks off after that. €5 in - one building, four bars, two club nights, millions of fun.

If you're heading to the swop-shop, then drop into SoundCheck for a nice cocktail... did I mention they are two-for-one? Screw you, Mr Recession!

Tonight, we got Miss Sarah June Fox, my bad self, The Kidneys Kickin' KidneyCheck, Conor Le Shark throwing down some Altern80s, Ed Mackey and YoCo.

Hit it!

(Rihanna + small boy making their way to SoundCheck just a few short moments ago)

Carrie Brownstein gives Wii Music a go

"One summer, when I was elementary-school age, my neighbors and I built guitars and keyboards out of scrap wood, painted them in bright colors, and formed the cover band Lil' "D" Duran Duran. We didn't make our own noise or even pretend to play our fake instruments. We merely had props to stand in for the real thing; it gave us something to do with our arms. We made no effort to look like the members of Duran Duran or to emulate their glamorous pop-star world. Instead, with mutts and thumb-sucking siblings as our audience, we jumped and pranced around to their songs as they emanated from a boombox in the backyard. "

More Right hurrrr.

I love Sushi King

Sushi King on Baggot St is my favourite place to get lunch. The staff are so nice and helpful, and will always accomodate you if you want something awkward (like me and Tainer Bang today wanting a chicken katsu with no rice and a chicken katsu with Penang sauce, for example.)

I just thought I'd give them some love today because I'm eating my katsu and it's so yumsies.

Swopsies

The amazing Rough Gem homies are holding their first swop-shop in the Loft in Powerscourt Centre this evening. It should be loads of funsies. It's all sold out, so I hope y'all have a ticket. I've got a few nice things to swop (Marc Jacobs blazer, a very amazing Barack Obama t-shirt and a few more things) so I'm looking forward to getting some new threads.

Myself and Dublin Streets are DJing at it, yay! And afterwards, the official afterparty is at the almighty SoundCheck. I think I'm going to wear my bumble bee dress.

See yiz there!

wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

So, my Mario Kart addiction is worsening. If only I was getting better. After grabbing a bite to eat in the Port House and a mocktail in the Front Lounge, myself and Tainer Bang joined Anthony and YoCo for a tournament blitz and biscuits. I did terribly in the first one, but that was because I was in the Wild Wing kart, which has good speed, but bad control. I did a lot better as Mario and Diddy Kong in the Standard kart. There were moments of tension, joy, devastation and fury. I *heart* Mario Kart so much.

New Sarah Haskins vids!

Target Women: The View


Target Women: Cars

UnaRocks articles of the day

Sony cock up an almost certain #1 for Leona Lewis - NME

Why is Obama obsessed with reforming college football? - Slate

Some female comedians are feminists, shocker: the mainsteam media picks up on Sarah Haskins - The Guardian

Remembering Harvey Milk - Advocate

The race to dress Michelle Obama - New York Magazine

Why aren't there any good hoaxes anymore? - Gawker

Obama's FCC transition team mad into World of Warcraft - GigaOM

'Where The Wild Things Are' film mightn't be that bad - Wired

Transvestism 'no longer a disease' in Sweden - The Local

Douchebag says he's not a douchebag - The Smoking Gun

Gaelick has a "DANA WAS GAY" funeral moment - Gaelick

Quality of YouTube submissions questioned (via Cybercom)

You think you know, but you have no idea...

This is the diary of Bill Cullen's secretary.

(via Rick)

Actually, what ever happened to the Diary of... series on MTV? That was pretty good.

Crysies

Chipped tooth a couple of months ago. Had a bit of a toothache at the weekend. Woke up this morning with V bad toothache. After practically ODing on painkillers, ring 7 dentists in town - nobody will see me. Throw strop. Ring Tainer Bang to complain. Convince FionnTimes to give me his codeine. Torment colleagues with moaning. Ring sister. Ring sister's dentist/surgeon/maxo-something-complicated/doctor husband. Go to dental hospital. Worrying tapping on tooth, hmmming, x-rays, poking around, forms, and remarks including "you have very big tonsils."

Finally they breezily say I have to get root canal McGinty horror-fest done in the morning.

CRYSIES.

60 Second Expert battle on RED

I had loads of fun doing this with Damon and Stephen last week. Mucho ad lib! They are both so funny, and RED is a pretty cool, innovative show. The YouTube channel is here.

SoundCheck this Thursday

It's shaping up to be quite the night, what with Conor Le Shark's altern80s set, as he aims to trump the Dublin Streets 90s fest, AdoFemBo's rocking tunes, Ed Mackey, YoCo - who has been rocking Gossip @ Spy of late, my bad self, Sarah June Fox, Le Cirque upstairs, the Swop Shop @ the Loft afterparty and a special guest DJ appearance of The Kidneys - motto: there's always one spare - featuring FionnTimes' hisies/byesies' drinks, Eoghan, and the elusive (not really) Tainer Bang.

So, we gots dem two-fo-one cocktails, free cakes and treats, €10 pitchers of beer, free in before €11, fiver after with loads of drink specials, movies, dressing up, fun times, good people, and awesome tunes. That's your Thursday sorted then, innit?

The blog is here, the Facebook event is there.

NYC photees

FionnTimes is back in the aul sod (although not for long) and has uploaded some photees from our time in NYC. He took some awesome ones, here are just a few.