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Month: May 2011

Ham Sandwich-‘Models’

New Single 'MODELS'
Out 17/06/11 on The Route 109A Recording Co.
www.hamsandwichmusic.com

 
"Models" is the follow-up single to "Ants", "The Naturist" & "Oh-Oh" from the band’s critically acclaimed album White Fox. Featuring Niamh Farrell's subtle lead vocal contrasting with her previously brassy approach on "Ants", the band changes direction yet again in what has become a sonic rollercoaster gently driven home by Sarah Lynch's masterful violin work. Ham Sandwich have become one of the most consistent acts in the country in regards to producing a steady diet of pop-tinged melodic songs with a twist.
 
Gradually brushing off their ‘guitar-indie band’ tag, Ham Sandwich’s fan base continues to grow steadily as the band pushes the boundaries with their song writing, instrumentation, & arrangements. Now regarded as one of the best drawing live acts in Ireland, the band's live shows have consistantly garnered excellent reviews. With the album "White Fox" consistantly in the charts & their singles gaining regular radio play across the country, 2011 has now become the year of the Ham Sandwich!
 
White Fox is Produced by Karl Odlum & mastered in Abbey Road Studios by Peter Mew (David Bowie, Beatles, ELO, Bob Marley)
 
"There isn’t a duff tune here, which makes it that very rare thing: an album you can listen to all the way through without being tempted to press fastforward"
~ Tony Clayton-Lea THE IRISH TIMES (The Ticket – Review of "White Fox")
 
::: Upcoming Ham Sandwich Shows :::
June 4th – FORBIDDEN FRUIT FESTIVAL, IMMA, Dublin
June 5th – Leixlip Festival
June 10th – Douglas, East Village
June 11th – Helium Festival, Longford
June 17th – No Place like Dome, Sligo
June 19th – London Feis Festival, Finsbury Park, London UK
June 24th – Sea Sessions, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
June 25th – Ballybunion Co Kerry
July 16th – Gig for Derek Nally, Whelans, Dublin -Tribute Show for Ham Sandwich's late manager
July 17th – Prawn Festival, Clogherhead
July 23rd – Boyle Arts Festival
July 29th – Le Cheile Festival, Oldcastle co Meath
July 30th – Indiependence Festival, Mitchelstown Cork
July 31st – Rockstock Music Festival, Gorey, Wexford
More dates to be added! Check hamsandwichmusic.com for updates.
 
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional CDs:
Stevo Berube / Berube Communications info(at)berubecommunications.com or +353 (0)87 244 2695
 
Spotlight

TKO

'Keystone EP featuring lead single The Busker'

Avalanche Records
 
*"One of the best live bands in the country" Hot Press*
*"Well constructed songs and a great live act" Metro*
*"These songs show why they are earning such a strong reputation as a live group" Drop-D magazine*

IN the blue corner with their Dukes up and ready to leave their mark all over 2011 are serious musical contenders *TKO*. Since forming two years ago the Dublin-based sextet have been punching well above their weight opening shows for heavyweights such as The Frames, The Wailers, The Waterboys, Martha Wainwright, Mercury Rev and Damien Dempsey. They have also made countless festival appearances including Temple House, Sea Sessions, Festivals of World Culture and Cork X Southwest, played numerous sell out shows at Whelan's in Dublin, secured a Top 40 Irish single, won the vote to play Castlepalooza by the readers of Hot Press, and reached the finals of the 'Our Thursdays' Guinness competition and performed at Arthur's Day 2010.

Having pummelled  audiences across the country into submission over hundreds of gigs, TKO have built a well-deserved reputation for their uplifting live shows, blending rock, jazz, funk and folk into a deadly and euphoric assault. The Dublin outfit were even hailed by Irish music bible Hot Press as "one of the best live bands in the country".
 
TKO will now bob and weave their way across the nation to deliver the killer blow with their sure-footed *'Keystone EP'* featuring the infectious lead single *'The Busker', *released on March 18th. Prepare to be floored!

*For media enquiries contact Alan Jacques at Flagship PR.*
 
TKO Tour dates:
Sunday 5th June
West Fest,
Aghamore, Co. Mayo
Playing with Imelda May, Republic Of Loose, Damien Dempsey and more
 
Saturday 11th June
Temple House Festival,
Temple House, Co. Sligo
Playing with Ash, Lisa Hannigan, Stand and many more
 
Friday 17th June
Sandinos,
Water St, Co. Derry
 
Saturday 16th July
Seabreeze Festival,
Arklow, Co. Wicklow
 
Sunday 24th July
Buncrana Music Festival,
Buncrana, Co. Donegal
Playing with Toto, Shadowplay, Mark Black and more
 
Saturday 31st July
Waterford Music Festival,
Waterford Regional Sports Centre, Co. Waterford Also playing 50 Cent!
 
Spotlight

In Valour-Into The Light

IN VALOUR is the product of a musical alliance between Cork songstress Valerie Hely and Sydney based electronica artist howard. They work from opposite ends of the globe to create their own unique sound, forged from a blend of cultures, styles, tastes and experience.
 

Their single ‘Into the Light’ is available as a free download on http://invalour.bandcamp.com/ and was mixed by Dublin music producer Stephen Shannon (Strands). Live shows are facilitated by Sean Breathnach who takes over laptop duties, as well as backing vocals for howard.
 

IN VALOUR have been tipped as one of ‘The Acts to Watch in 2011’ by Dan Hegarty, 2fm on Heinekenmusic.ie Here’s what he had to say about them;
 

“You could say that In Valour are a geographically challenged band….However, the thousands of miles between them hasn't obstructed their creative chemistry. They've concocted a sound that fans of
Cocteau Twins, Sigur Ros and Glasser will adore… beautiful stuff!”
 

Tracks to check out: 'Higher' and 'Into The Light'
 

"Sultry post- dance floor pop." Jim Carroll, (The Ticket) Irish Times
 

"Love 'Higher'. The songs remind me a bit of Cocteau Twins. This is a good thing." Cian Ó Cíobháin, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
 

"Hely’s ultra-tuneful voice floats atop a swathe of dreamy synthy washes." Jackie Hayden, Hot Press Magazine
 

“In Valour have a really interesting origin and produce some beautiful music” 2uibestow (music blog)
 

“Listen to these songs, you’ll love them like I do! They’re only starting out, but what a start.” Dan Hegarty, RTE 2fm
 

Demos/videos/photos
www.myspace.com/invalour

www.invalour.com

www.youtube.com/invalour

Spotlight

Bell X1-Facebook Building

Bell X1 played a gig on the rooftop of the Dublin Facebook building on Friday and to everyone's surprise, Mark Zuckerberg was in the audience. The band chatted to him after the performance and gave him a copy of their new album Bloodless Coup.

Tour dates
25th June – Sea Sessions, Bundoran
1st July – Live at the Marquee, Cork
16th July – Galway Arts Festival
6th August – Marlay Park, Dublin (special guests Editors)

Bell X1 Live at Facebook from Bell X1 on Vimeo.

Latest News

Neelie Kroes To Open World Copyright Summit

Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Digital Agenda, will open the World Copyright Summit on 7 June 2011

European Commissioner Neelie Kroes will present her vision of the new digital ecosystem in Europe and the role of creative industries in Europe’s Digital Agenda during the upcoming World Copyright Summit, organised in Brussels by CISAC on 7 and 8 June 2011.

Stressing her tremendous ambition for the European digital future, Neelie Kroes said in a viewpoint provided for the Summit that she wanted to focus her intervention at the Summit on the need for creative industries, especially music, to fully embrace the digital era. She said: “We've got an amazing asset in the [European] single market – I like to call it our crown jewel – and I want to help the music industry find every way to benefit from it.”

Kroes added that she also wanted the creative communities of Europe to fully embrace the new information and communication technologies. “It is not something that happens to the creative world – it's something you can bend and shape and improve if you want to. The Digital Agenda for Europe is your chance to join that movement. Whether in making or viewing or using art, we all have a stake in how our culture and the digital world interact,” she added (for the complete viewpoint, click here).

Another European Commissioner, Michel Barnier, in charge of Internal Market and Services, will close the Summit and give his view on collective management. Barnier works on new proposed guidelines for collective management and this keynote address will be widely anticipated by Summit delegates.

Neelie Kroes will open the World Copyright Summit on Tuesday June 7 at 8.40am.

Michel Barnier will close the World Copyright Summit on Wednesday June 8 at 5.30pm, just before the official closing by CISAC’s President Robin Gibb.

Latest News

The Boys Are Back In Town

It’s not often that a Lord Mayor actively supports the Rock Community, but in Dublin 2011, that’s exactly what’s happening! Dublin City Council is working with local street arts group MaSamba, to create a new pageant for Dublin City – ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’

‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ is based on the life and work of Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy, and will take the form of a street pageant through the centre of Dublin. This year is a big year for all things Thin Lizzy, and in tough financial times, it is heartening to see the local authority backing a project honouring a Dublin icon and a great band.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Gerry Breen says “I am very happy to be supporting this gig which will commemorate one of Dublin’s favourite musicians.  I encourage the people of Dublin to come to Grafton Street on 20th August to support MaSamba and remember Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy.”

"Twenty-five years after his death, Phil Lynott still holds a special place in the hearts of Dubliners, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to honour him and his work on the very streets where Phil once busked, as a struggling musician" enthused Simeon Smith, MaSamba’s Creative Director.

MaSamba has chosen some of the better-known Thin Lizzy songs, and designed costumes and choreography to represent them. For example, a group of Celtic warriors will perform the song ‘Emerald’, and a group of stylised heavy metal fans will represent the song ‘The Rocker’, complete with leather jackets, patches and electric guitars!

These costumes are currently being produced especially for the project in Sao Paulo, Brasil, and will bring the colour and exhuberance of Brasilian Carnival to the Streets of Dublin.

In terms of performers, this pageant will be a collaboration of several partners. The musicians will be MaSamba members but the dancers will come from a range of different places. Masamba will continue their long-standing partnership with the Brasilian community in Dublin, under the direction of main dancer, Kelly Baldonado.
We will also be working with young people from the Smithfield and Darndale areas of Dublin, through the local youth services and some excellent dance and drama facilitators.

While the offer of funding from Dublin City Council is seen as a huge vote of confidence, and support for one of Dublin’s best known sons, MaSamba still needs considerable funding to complete this ambitious project. They will be placing the project on the innovative Fund:it website in coming days in the hopes of getting public support to make ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ a truly memorable event.

The performance is set to take place on Phil Lynott’s birthday, which is Saturday, August 20th. We will set out from South King Street, outside the Gaiety Theatre, parade down and back up Grafton Street, finishing at the Phil Lynott statue.
 

Latest News

World Copyright Summit Update

The World Copyright Summit announces the participation of world renowned creators and industry leaders for event 7 & 8 June

NEW keynote speakers recently confirmed include:

Javed Akhtar, scriptwriter, lyricist, poet and human rights activist;

Carlo d’Asaro Biondo, Vice-President, EMEA, Google;

Jean-Michel Jarre, composer, lyricist and UNESCO ambassador;

Frank Stella, painter and sculptor

With one week to go before the third edition of the World Copyright Summit on 7 & 8 June 2011 in Brussels, more than 550 participants have already confirmed their attendance to this biennial event. Creators, policy-makers and all stakeholders involved in the creation, production, licensing, distribution and dissemination of creative works will meet to exchange ideas and debate the future of intellectual property and creative content such as music, books, movies, and visual arts in the digital environment.

 To check the upcoming programme, please click here.

 More than100 speakers — including creators and European Union policy-makers — will share their vision and exchange views during the Summit.

 As of today, 2011 Keynote Speakers confirmed include:

  • Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services (video message)
  • Carlo d'Asaro Biondo, President, Southern and Eastern Europe, EMEA, Google
  • Hervé Di Rosa, French visual artist and CISAC Vice-President
  • Jonathan Faull, European Commission Director General of DG Internal Market and Services
  • Robin Gibb, legendary singer and songwriter of the Bee Gees and CISAC President
  • Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General (World Intellectual Property Organization)
  • Márcia Regina Vicente Barbosa, Director of Intellectual Property Rights, representing Ana de Hollanda, Minister of Culture of Brazil 
  • Jean-Michel Jarre, author, composer and performer
  • Ivo Josipović, President of Croatia and music composer
  • Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Digital Agenda
  • Robert Levine,author of “Free Ride – How Digital Parasites are Destroying the Culture Business, and How the Culture Business Can Fight Back”
  • Arnaud Nourry, Hachette Livre Chairman and CEO
  • Jean-Paul Philippot, Administrator General, RTBF and President of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU/UER)
  • Frank Stella, painter and sculptor / Chair of CISAC’ International Council of Creators of Graphic, Plastic and Photographic Arts(CIAGP)

 For more information about the main speakers, please, click here.

 The panellists at the Summit will come from the creative, media and IT sectors and will represent such diverse companies and organisations as, among others: Access Copyright; ADAGP; ALCS; APRA/AMCOS; ARTISJUS; ASCAP; Authors Guild; BEUC; Bloomsbury Publishing; BMI; BPK Photo Agency; Childnet International; CIAM; CIADLV; Copyright Alliance; Cristina Mora Literary & Film Agency; DACS; Danish Consumer Group, Deezer; Downtown Music Publishing; Eircom; EMI Music Publishing; Europa Media Group; European Broadcasting Union; European Commission; European Composer & Songwriter Alliance; European Parliament; First Music Publishing; GEMA; Google; Hachette Livre; IFPI; IMPALA; Marc Chagall Estate; Motion Picture Association; Music Publisher Association; OCLC; Pearson; PRS for Music; RAO; SABAM; SACD; SACEM; SGAE; SGDL; SOCAN; SODRAC; Songwriter Association of Canada; Sotheby’s; Sony/ATV Music Publishing; Nokia; peermusic; STIM; TEOSTO; UNI-MEI; Universal Music Group; Warner/Chappell Music; WIPO; ZDF; and 7digital.

 The 2011 World Copyright Summit is organised by CISAC and supported by numerous organisations on the partner and advisory committees, which represent every sector of the intellectual property industry.

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Share The Stage With Your Idol

Irish People on stage with their idols thanks to MTV and Corona Extra


If your dream is singing with your favorite singer and feeling the thrill of being on stage, you could do it thanks to Corona Extra and MTV.
 
A contest in five countries (Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Austria), whose citizens can participate through an application integrated in Corona Facebook page, where online users can explain the “extraordinary experience” that they would like, using 100 characters.
 
From all the proposed experiences, 10 will go to the final, and one will be a winner: the 10 finalist contestants will win a trip to Ibiza with accommodation included, while the winner will have the opportunity to life a real extraordinary experience that will be filmed and broadcasted on MTV. Surprising a young dj with the gig of his life, giving a taxi driver in Rome is dream cab ride, put an amateur rock band on the main stage of Rock in Rio are just the dreams fulfilled last year.
 
What about this year? Becoming a star may no longer be just a dream!
 
Latest News

Pete Holidai-The Devil’s Guitar

Radiator from Space delivers exotic cinematic space age pop.
 
Pete Holidai has consistently explored the margins of pop music. From his pivotal role in Ireland's punk
movement to his guidance of other Irish mavericks he has preferred the shadowy paths to the well travelled
highways.
 
Pete Holidai has always roared down the path least travelled. Determination and innovation have earmarked
the career of the legendary punk guitarist who launched his career with Dublin's Radiators From Space. The
band challenged conservative Ireland during the seventies, opening the door for other mavericks rejecting the
status quo. They were the first band in Ireland to declare their kinship with the 'new wave' bursting from
London and New York in 1976-77. Their pioneering spirit saw them nurture acts like The Undertones and Stiff
Little Fingers who supported them in their early careers.
 
“They were Ireland's first punk band” according to Bono, one of the musicians influenced by the band. Their
sound encouraged him to perform: “not only can we play it but this is the kind of shit I like”. When future
Pogue Phil Chevron threatened to 'smash my Telecaster through the television screen' the instrument was
wielded by Pete Holidai.
 
Holidai recalls the sheer bewilderment of some Irish audiences to their high octane guitar-charged rebel rock.
At one early gig in the West of Ireland the band were confronted with a non-responsive audience. After the
show young attendees approached them saying they liked the music but “didn't know how to dance to it.” In
a country where conservative showbands held a near monopoly on youth entertainment original acts like The
Radiators were a rare species.
 
They were equal parts Gene Vincent and Johnny Rotten; as much James Joyce as Joe Strummer. Holidai's
dexterity gave the Radiators a guitar attack that was new to Ireland. Commercial success often eludes the
path finders, so it was with The Radiators, but not before they presented the acclaimed 'Ghostown' album
produced by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers). It is an album still
acknowledged by many including HotPress magazine as one of the best Irish albums of all time.
 
Their work from the ‘Ghostown’ era retains an icy poignancy today. The songs are filled with shadows, secrets,
contenders, strangers, ghosts and lonely rebel souls. The characters were witnessing the “monochrome
snapshot” yet desiring the “Kodachrome dream”.
 
Their desire for freedom proved too much for the punk audience which had become less adventurous. The
Radiators left a lot of unfinished business. Some of this was revisited by the critically acclaimed (2006)
'Trouble Pilgrim' album.
 
Holidai continued mentoring and guiding the careers of young Irish musicians when the Radiators faded from
view. He honed his production, management and playing skills with Light A Big Fire and Engine Alley and
many others. This was publicly acknowledged with the Smithwicks/HotPress Producer award 1991
Yet a personal project was fermenting at the back of his mind.
 
Holidai researched extensively the esoteric 1950s lounge and exotica albums by leaders like Martin Denny, Les
Baxter and Enoch Light All Stars. He decided to bring his rebel rocker persona to this lush orchestrated groovy
sound. The result is 2011's The Devil's Guitar. It is an album imprinted with lost and lonely souls. The “secret
thinkers” from his early work are alive in the back-streets of European bohemia.
 
Holidai's take on exotica hints at a shadowy narrative. In The Devil's Guitar a character called Johnny stalks
the back-streets of bohemian European cities. The equally mysterious Lunar Girl's destiny seems entwined
with the rebel hero. The mood is captured by Holidai's guitar and exotic percussion. At times the sound pulses
like Peter Gunn lost in a Mediterranean dream.
 
When The Radiators sang: “it's the story of the movie: but they never made the movie” it seemed like an
adventurous generation had been forgotten. With 'The Devil's Guitar' that unmade movie may at least have
the soundtrack it deserves.
 
Spotlight

IMRO Artist Development | Production Seminar

Artist Development | Production Seminar with Ken Mc Hugh (AKA Autamata)

Date: Saturday 11th June
Time: 11am – 5pm
Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Dublin 2

Ken has been active in the music production business since early 2000. After graduating from Pulse Recording college he set up his own recording studio where his clients included Jon Bon Jovi, Cathy Davey, Mundy, Celine Dion, The Blizzards, Moya Brennan, Juno Falls, Jerry Fish and David Kitt. Ken has also worked with EMI and Warner records developing artists.

He released three critically acclaimed albums under the name "AUTAMATA". This original and innovative music caught the attention of TV/FILM executives around the world and he has worked on adverts, films and TV shows for a broad cross section of clients including Mitsubishi North America, Kaiser Permanente Healthcare USA, Yoplait, Birds Eye, 3 Mobile, Middlesex Bank, Greenflag, C.S.I. Miami, MTV, Setanta Sports, Channel 4 and RTE.

He has also created music for the Golden Globe nominated film Match Point as well as Tara Road, Standing Still, Swing State, Bickford Bchmeckler's Cool Ideas, The Actor's, Parked and Saltwater.

In the past year Ken produced and recorded the gold selling album "Doing Their Thing" for the Dublin Gospel Choir along with hotly tipped indie acts Hoarsebox, Dirty Epics and The Danger is, as well as releasing a new album of his own original compositions under the name WE SAW HEAVEN.

He is currently putting the finishing touches to the fourth Autamata album which will be released later this year.
Aside from all of this production work he has toured extensively with Autamata, runs his own record label, creates his own websites, music videos and album artwork.

Ken is running a DIY artist development week long workshop in various venues around Dublin in July. Check out www.musicacademy360.com for more info.

This IMRO seminar will be a daylong snapshot version of the workshop.

BOOK NOW!

IMRO members looking to reserve a place at this seminar should send an email to membership@nullimro.ie
(limited availability – no admission charge)
 

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