july
MAMMA MIA!
Preview
STEVE BATTS: ECHO ECHO DANCE THEATRE COMPANY
SWELL FEST 2015
Interview
Preview
Plus
paddy nash
Dead Heroes Club Preview, Exhibitions, Listings, Theatre... and much more
hi!
So we are now entering music festival season, this month being Swell, next month Stendhal - hopefully the weather stays half decent... who am I trying to kid, that’s part and parcel of festivals isn’t it? Wellies, mud but somehow at the same time you end up sunburnt! Either way, good or bad, it isn’t the weather that makes the festival, but primarily the lineup and both Swell and Standhal have a great one. Elsewhere in the city we have summer camps a plenty such as The Echo Echo Dance Theatre ad also The Playhouse, so there’s no reason for the kids to “I’m borrrrrred” this summer. The smash hit that is Mamma Mia! also returns to the city, and I know that a lot of you have been looking forward to it... the show continues to attract the audiences from all around the world and it shows no sign of halting. Whatever you’re up to this month, make sure to check out the website for all the latest listings which are updated to daily so you don’t miss out! Ed
LINEUP
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july 2015
Interview
PADDY NASH
pages 4,5,6 & 7
Theatre
HOME
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Contents
Preview
SWELL FESTIVAL
Interview
STEVE BATTS: ECHO ECHO pages 18,19,20 & 21
Music
pages 12 & 13
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
pages 8 & 9
Theatre
MAMMA MIA! pages 24 & 25
4,5,6 & 7 Paddy Nash interview 8 & 9 Swell Festival 2015 preview and schedule 10 & 11 Country Comes to City preview 12 & 13 Warriors of the Dystotheque feature 14 Dead Heroes Club gig preview 15 This month’s Pub and Club highlights 16 & 17 This month’live music listings 18,19,20 & 21 Steve Batts, Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company Interview 22,23 Kevin Bridges preview 24,25 Mamma Mia! preview 26,27 Home preview 28,29 This month’s theatre listings 31 This month’s exhibition listings
WARRIORS OF THE DYSTOTHEQUE
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#MusicCity #DerryLive
Interview:
paddy P
& The Happy
addy Nash is what you would call a local music legend. From many years ago as a member of the ‘Whole Tribe Sings’ through to recent years as leading man of Paddy Nash & the Happy Enchiladas, Paddy has been a regular on the music scene and much loved by fans and musicians alike. I read that growing up you were influenced by a lot genres in your household. Do you purposely want to incorporate various genres in your music, or is it simply organic? Totally organic. When I sit down to write a song I have no idea what style
His toe tapping, multi genre, thought provoking tunes have been a constant hit through the years and his latest album titled ‘Laughter & Love’ which was released in May of this year is no different. We caught up with Paddy to talk music and Enchiladas, and get a snippet of the band’s future plans.
will come out. I love all types of music, even the cringy Pop my sisters force fed me as a child.
We’ll steal ideas from Hank Williams to Queen and from Thin Lizzy to The Clash. We’re not fussy.
How would you best describe the music of the Enchiladas? Folk Rock Country Pop Punk Blues!
The Enchiladas always look like they there having great craic on stage and that you personally seem to be
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y nash
y Enchiladas really enjoying your music at the minute. How important is that to you, and your ability to write great tunes? They all look happy because I have a big book with all their secrets haha. Springsteen once said that when you’re on stage you have to play like there’s nothing else in the world. I try to do that. I love playing music, I hate the setting up and hanging about but when you have a good band and you’re feeling the energy it’s the best feeling therefore playing
is really enjoyable. We once played for 6 hours straight, that’s our record. It was some craic. I never worry about writing great tunes, some people would say they’re average tunes at best, some would say they’re rubbish. I try to do the best I can for a song when I’m creating it. I write the kind of songs that suit my taste. You hear a lot of artists saying things like ‘I never listen to my music after I record it’ They’re liars, you have to like the music you make, why would you make it
otherwise? Your latest album, ‘Laughter & Love’ has had a great reception, what would you say has been the album’s overall influence, or influences? The 70’s! I had been listening to a lot of Creedence, Stealers Wheel, Warren Zevon in the run up to picking and writing the songs. So there’s a 70’s vibe running throughout that’s intentional. When I explained this to the band they came up with ideas for Queen/Eagles-esque
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#MusicCity #DerryLive
harmonies and Thin Lizzy influenced double solos. Also, like the 2 albums before there’s a mixture of personal, political and paradoxical songs. ‘Paddy’s 3 P’s’ as Diane calls it. The thing that I personally love about your music is the social commentary and stories that the songs tell. Do you purposely try to make the listener think while they are tapping their toes to your music? Sometimes I’ll write about things that make me angry like injustice, inequality or whatever. I’m Left Wing but I’m not part of the Anti Fun Brigade. Why can’t we laugh and sing and dance our way to the revolution and make it part of our protest and activism? Most artists in this country shy away from politics because all we’ve really known is the Green and Orange rhetoric that still tries to divide us. I also write about whatever moves me, friends, family and their situations and stories. I believe that if you have to fill a melody with words then why not try and tell a story. Do you think N. I’s music scene is in a healthy place at the minute? To be honest I don’t think it’s ever been in a healthy place. Ask any artist who’s out there doing their own music can they sustain a career through gigging and CD/Download sales. Most will tell you no.
How many bands have signed the big deal only to end up touring 8 months a year for petrol money? What happens is they burn themselves out and end up hating the business. Too many middle men means the last to get paid is the name on the poster. And let’s face it, local Councils aren’t very good at supporting local artists. They overpay out of town acts and pay pittance to the people that they have on their placards celebrating a so-called ‘Music City’. Skim off the top, bump up the bottom that’s what I say. But there’s a few shining lights in the Dystopia. Glasgowbury left a great legacy for how to run a festival. The folks at Stendhal have it spot on as well. There’s great local music out there. SOAK, Paul Casey, The Wood Burning Savages, Malojian, The Clameens. They’re all flying at the minute. And with young upstarts like Rebecca Mulhern coming through we might just survive. What is the bands schedule for the summer months? We’re doing a few parties, a few festivals and a lot of relaxing. Our hard work doesn’t really start until September. We have a big show in The Empire on September 11th with Malojian and we’re also back in the studio to record our Christmas single ‘The Wow Wah’ which is a send up of The X Factor. I’m hoping it’s going to be Number 1 so I can retire ;)
To keep posted on what Paddy and the band are up to, you can log on to paddynash.com, or on facebook.com/paddynashandthehappyenchiladas. You can also buy a copy of the album ‘Laughter & Love’ through his website.
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#MusicCity #DerryLive
Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July Derry band The Ports will play the festival this year
It ‘TIS SWELL
O
ff the coast of Donegal via a ferry crossing from the mainland you will find the Swell Music and Arts Festival. Arranmore Holiday Village which is about 1km from the ferry port, will welcome festival goers for a weekend of music and arts this summer. Now in its second year, the festival is run by a collective on a not for profit basis, so the Swell festival is unique in many ways. With many people in Derry due to get make the trip across Donegal, they will also be joined by a host of our bands as well. And what a great line-up it is. With music from Natty Wailer and Reggae Vibes, PĂ˜RTS, In their Thousands, The Wood Burning Savages, The Clameens, Our Krypton Son, John Deery & The Heads and The Pox Men to name a few, the festival also boosts a massive selection of
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John Deery & the Heads will play the main stage on Saturday
FRIDAY 11TH JULY
SWELL OPENING PARTY
BEACH OPENING CEREMONY FOLLOWED BY… DJS / CALAMITY GIN / LEILA KEENEY / RUNABAY / KAREN & SIMON / ROBOCOBRA QUARTET SAT 11TH JULY
THE DAVE MULDOWNEY STAGE
Natty Wailer And The Reggae Vibes In Their Thousands Our Native State Gerard i2 Mark Black & The Trips Plain Zebra The Pox Men Thumper Green Monkey The Other Breed Paul Tully Romie The Oaken Monsoon Season Hvmming Byrd Joel Harkin
BLUESTACKS JAMCLUB OPEN MIC ALL DAY
KINNEGAR STAGE
LIVE SESSIONS ALL DAY
STÁITSE NA SPIORAD SPÉARTHA
poetry, spoken word, live art, DJs and Sound baths all of which will be located on the Arts stage. The festival is built upon a green ethos, a grassroots festival that can showcase the talents of Donegal and beyond. A voice for the locals to come together and celebrate the Arts. We are no strangers to seeing independent festivals take flight with the likes of Stendhal and Glasgowbury being very well received through the years, so it will be fascinating to see the Swell Music and Arts Festival grow year on year. With the visual arts element of the festival already due to be larger this year, there will be plenty of things to check out. With the weather now seeming to take shape, the weekend will surely be a scorcher. With camping available also, it would be a no brainer so why not make a weekend of it and call Arranmore home at least for one weekend this year.
DJs Dusty Tonez Groove Shake Ninja Tips SEISIÚN TRÁTHNONA BUNOSCIONN performing TRAD SIDE OF THE MOON Karen Kelly Maryann Mc Donnell Deirdre McLaughlin NYT BLOOMER Remedy HIP HOP Mugsy The Juck (ft. Paula Mc Groarty) HC Collie The Collective Eireboy Boss Level Phat Kidzz SPÁS ÓIGE Megan Nic Ruairí Lauren Bird Ronan Friel Eilís Cusack Ciaran Bennett
Swell Children’s Choir Alternative Arts Dance Workshop Hark !! A Hat !! Flash hat making session Sound Meditation SUN 12TH JULY
THE DAVE MULDOWNEY STAGE
Pørts Color//Sound John Deery & The Heads The Wood Burning Savages Clanns The Clameens Rosie Carney Captain A and the Commercial Monsters For Foresters Makings Kate O Callaghan Simon McCafferty Our Krypton Son TADGH Aisling Jarvis Inishowen Gospel Choir BLUESTACKS JAMCLUB OPEN MIC ALL DAY
KINNEGAR STAGE
LIVE SESSIONS ALL DAY
STÁITSE NA SPIORAD SPÉARTHA DJs Shammen Delly Lisa Wright Twisted Loyalties SEISIÚN TRÁTHNÓNA Barry Krishna Twin Headed Wolf Ukeladies Joe Slyde Halla an Bhaird Twisted Sisters Stephen Murphy Barbed Barry Mack Deirdre Hines Brendan Mc Glynn Elizabeth Mc Geown Alan Norris Micheal Wilson Declan & Ruairí Mary Scally Shauna Mc Daid Pauric Gallagher Abby Oliviera Gemma Walker Alternative Arts Dance Workshop Hark !! A Hat !! Meditation with Sound
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country comes to city Lisa McHugh
s
Derek Ryan
et within the picturesque surroundings of Ebrington Square, ‘Country comes to City’ this month and celebrates the 4th of July in style with a day jammed packed with country music. With a great lineup of local and national country music stars, it is sure to be a great day of singing and dancing. Headlining the event will be Derek Ryan who is no stranger to performing at large events. Derek first came to the nations attention as part of Irish Boyband D-Side, where he spent much of his late teens and early twenties. Since 2006 however, he has been performing solo with a change in genre to
that of Irish Country music. Having grown up around Irish traditional music and also competing in the All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil (where he won two titles), Derek developed a love for music. Now performing throughout the UK, Ireland and further afield, the Carlow man has developed a great reputation amongst country music fans and has also collaborated with writers in Nashville, the home of country music. Joining Derek on the bill is Lisa McHugh, who has been tipped as Ireland’s next Queen of Country. Originally from Glasgow, Lisa has been living in Ireland since June 2010, and has gained a legion of fans since turning professional
while also appearing on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 2011 as a guest of the legendary Gene Watson. Ireland’s answer to Garth Brooks, Jason Hughes will also take to the stage. Jason’s tribute act has been in high demand worldwide, taking him throughout Europe, America, Scotland and Ireland. The ‘Country comes to City’ event has been organised to raise funds for Institute Football Club, so what better way to help the club out for the new season than to get your dancing shoes on and get those toes tapping. >> Country comes to City on 4th July at Ebrington from 5pm – 11pm with tickets priced at £19.00
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T
#MusicCity #DerryLive
his month an exciting new project from M-Capio, aka Jonny Mac, will be unleashed through London’s Tigre Fair Records. ‘Warriors of the Dystotheque’ is the brain child of Northern Irish DJ Jonny Mac and the result of an international collaboration involving Sean Toulon from France and New York instrumentalists ‘The Brothers Nylon’, Mike and Nick Rufolo. Jonny himself is no stranger to the DJ scene having spent the past fifteen years performing across
the globe alongside names such as Phil Hartnoll form Orbital and Leeroy from the Prodigy. Surviving two tours with Shaun Rider and Bez of the Happy Mondays, which is a feat in itself, Jonny was a regular on the festival circuit as well as promoting club nights and warehouse parties. He also had a residency at the V Festival and held several weekly residencies in Ibiza at Bar M Coastline Savannah’s and the Boom Room at Lashed in Eden. Coming back home to North-
ern Ireland in 2011 he decided to shelve Jonny Mac and spent a few years away from the scene. Then, in 2013, Jonny was back and reformed as M-Capio while also developing the ‘Warriors of the Dystotheque’ which is an “anti social network love of lo-fi music and electronic Dj culture between artists spread across Ireland France and New York”, is how Jonny describes it. The Derry based DJ has been busy behind the scenes for the past two years, but in that time
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has managed to amass sixteen releases and his Arenula Ep on Proud Runs Deep released last month which spent three weeks in the Deep house Chart top 10 on Beatport, while his latest track ‘I Groove Up In My Sleep’ has just been released on the 22nd June and also on Beatport. The Warriors of the Dystotheque ‘The Future Is Ours’ debut EP is due for release later this month on Tigre Fair Records, with their combined backgrounds of those who they have toured
and collaborated with reading as a who’s who of the industry. Acclaimed artists from such as Orbital, The Prodigy, The Happy Mondays, Pop Will Eat Itself, EMF, Shawn Lee while their current work brings together other such talents as 90’s Indie Dance icons Graham Crabb of ‘Pop Will Eat Itself’ & James Atkin of ‘EMF’. For more information you can follow the guys on: facebook. com/ warriosofthedystotheque, twitter. com/Dysto_Warriors or soundcloud.com/w-o-d-1
The new ‘Warriors of the Dystotheque’ EP released through London’s Tigre Fair Records will be available to purchase later this month.
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Preview:
dead heroes club t he Dead Heroes Club will make a welcome return to their hometown this month by rocking it up at the Playhouse. The progressive rock band have a reputation for powerful live shows and have gained a following worldwide. The band are made up of Liam Campbell on lead vocals, Mickey Gallagher on drums Wilson Graham on Bass, Gerry McGerigle on electric guitar and finally, Chris Norby on keyboards. Their most recent album’
Everything is Connected’ has earned rave reviews and airplay throughout the world, while the band have been hailed as Ireland’s only prog rock band. As Classic Rock magazine put it: “Ireland has a progressive rock band of its own and one to be mentioned in the same breath as modern proggers Spock’s Beard, The Flower Kings, Glass Hammer and Porcupine Tree”. High praise indeed, and totally justified. Now with three critically acclaimed studio albums under
their belt, the others being the self titled ‘Dead Heroes Club’ which was released in 2004 and ‘Time of Shadow’ in 2009, the DHC have an impressive back catalogue. With a philosophy of ‘allowing the songwriting to lead the music’ the Dead Heroes Club stay true to their prog rock roots while xxxx in harmony with their superb lyrics. >>The Dead Heroes Club will be performing at the Playhouse on Friday 10th July at 8pm, with tickets costing £10.
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HIGHLIGHTS: CLUB NITES THIS MONTH JIKA JIKA!
PAOLO MOJO’S BIRTHDAY BASH @ VENUE 2.0
Saturday, 11 July - 9.30pm Pre party, 3pm. Tickets: £10/5 DJ’S INCLUDING : Jika Jika! residents : Ryan Monaghan & John Morrison Noise residents : Brendan Tracey & Andrew Devine Plus : Jay Quigley & Adrian Morrison.
There’s not much this man hasn’t done, he’s released a string of amazing mixes for the likes of Balance & Renaissance and he continues to Jet across the world playing every corner of the planet. Paolo will play a free outdoor party before headlining the The Venue alongside Stephen Porter. He will be joined by a selection of Derry’s finest DJ’s throughout the day. The daytime party is FREE admission,first come first served. Anyone who attends will only have to pay £5 on the door for entry to the nightclub. Otherwise it’s £10 on the door.
NTWRK PRESENTS
BODDIKA
@ THE NERRVE CENTRE
Saturday, 4 July - 9.pm Tickets: £13.20
Electro? Techno? Old? New? Al Green has a habit of both reinventing himself and pushing boundaries. As one half of Instra:mental he helped develop a diverse and unique sound that crossed a range of styles and tempos within the drum and bass / electronica sphere. Now as Boddika he has created a raw, energetic and driving perso-
na that instantly garnered support from DJ’s as varied as Skream, Loefah, Dixon, Tale of Us, Cosmin TRG, DJ Stingray, Martyn, Pearson Sound, Ben UFO, Ryan Elliot, Joy Orbison, Scuba and Deetron. Boddika is inspired by Machine Music and influenced by a range of genres from old school hip hop and electro to Chicago house and Detroit techno and even taking in a bit of 80’s / 90’s dance.
IN THE PUBS & CLUBS: BENTLEY
MONDAY Jamie Noonan TUESDAY Audrey WEDNESDAY Conka’s Quiz and Disco THURSDAY DJ Conka FRIDAY DJ Joe SATURDAY DJ John Henderson Main bar & Ricky Nixon- Linen Room SUNDAY DJ Joe
METRO BAR
MONDAYS - The Mindbenders TUESDAYS - Hard to Handle WEDNESDAY - The Real Thing THURSDAY - With DJ Smitty. New cocktail menu and drink promos FRIDAY - DJ Jim Healy @ The Metro SUNDAY - Jim Healy @ The Metro
ENVY NIGHTCLUB
TUESDAY - Skint Student Night Drink Promotions. 9pm-2am Free entry WEDNESDAY - Karaoke Live THURSDAY - All Inclusive Thirsty Thursday Doors 10pm-2am £12 admission (includes drinks) FRIDAY - Play Your Cards Right With Drink Promotions, £1 drink promos until 11pm, music until 2.30am. Free admission SATURDAY - Just Dance Playing all the best in high energy, Top 40, Dance and Classic hits. Drink promos untill 11pm. Admission:Free Doors:9pm
BENNIGANS BAR
MONDAY - Open Mic Night TUESDAY - Bennigans Introducing: Night of local musicians. Admission:Free Time:10pm FRIDAY - Original Fridays Admission:Free Time:10.30pm SATURDAY - Jazz legend Gay McIntyre every saturday afternoon, 5-7pm. Free entry. Saturday night Live Music: Admission:Free Time:10.30pm SUNDAY - Jazz at Bennigans, includes complimentary food. Admission:£5 Time:9pm >> For a full weekly schedule o whats on in our pubs and clubs, check out our website www.derrylivelist.com
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Country Comes to City Ebrington
Fyre & Reign Sandinos
Thursday, 09 July Tickets: £5
Saturday, 04 July Time:5pm - 11pm Tickets:£19
Bagatelle City Hotel
Tuesday, 02 June Time: 9.30pm Tickets: £19.50
Irish music legends Bagatelle return to the Corinthian Ballroom to play their hits such as “Second Violin”, “Summer In Dublin” and “Leeson Street Lady”.
Country Comes to City 2015 in Ebrington Square. Derek Ryan, Lisa McHugh, Ireland’s Garth Brooks Jason Hughes. Special guests include DJ Stephen Doherty from Elite Country Radio.This is a fundraising event for Institute FC.
Dead Heroes Club The Playhouse Friday, 10 July
Time:8pm Tickets:£10 Fan of Pink Floyd, Rush or Marillion? Don’t miss Dead Heroes Club: Hailed as Ireland’s only Progressive Rock band, Dead Heroes Club bring their dynamic live show to the Derry Playhouse. With 3 critically acclaimed studio albums and
Jazz Supper Club: Stevie Blues Encore Brasserie, Millennium Forum
The Fureys City Hotel
Friday, 17 July Tickets:£19.50 Time:9.30pm
Friday, 10 July
Time: 9pm Tickets: £25
a reputation for powerful live shows including a headline show at London’s prestigious House of Progression - this is a performance not to be missed. “Dead Heroes Club give us Prog rock with heart, blood and soul” (Martin Dambeck: Empire Magazine, Germany) “The blood of Genesis, Pink Floyd and others floods their veins” (Craig Hartranft US Rock critic)
Jazz Supper Club: Ursula & Linley Hamilton Encore Brasserie, Millennium Forum Friday, 31 July
Time: 9pm Tickets: £25
Live Jazz Music at the Encore Brasserie with Stevie Blues. Price includes live jazz music and a three course meal with wine.
The Fureys return to the Corinthian Balroom at the City Hotel for what is expected to be another sell out event.
Live Jazz Music at the Encore Brasserie with Ursula & Linley Hamilton. Price includes live jazz music and a three course meal with wine.
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gigs to look out for next month
Ulster Youth Jazz Supper Club: Voice & Verse Orchestra Summer Encore Brasserie, Millennium Forum Friday, 14 August
Time: 9pm Tickets: £25
Concert
The Guildhall Friday, 21 August
Time:7pm Tickets:£13/ £6 conc
The Ulster Youth Orchestra, Northern Ireland’s acclaimed national youth orchestra, plays colourful music by Liszt and a romantic and heroic vision of Lough Neagh by Stanford. Young local organist Donal McCann, bringing the Guildhall Organ to life, joins the UYO for the popular Organ Symphony by Saint-Saëns. A spectacular ending to a great evening. Live Jazz Music at the Encore Brasserie with Voice & Verse. Price includes live jazz music and a three course meal with wine.
Club MTV DJ Special Ebrington
Saturday, 15 August Time:4pm Tickets:£24.50
Club MTV returns to Ebrington this month for what is sure to be another great day of music. Headlining the event are electronic dance music’s first sisters - Mim and
Jazz Supper Club: Mark Bradley Encore Brasserie, Millennium Forum Friday, 28 August
Time: 9pm Tickets: £25
Live Jazz Music at the Encore Brasserie with Mark Bradley. Price includes live jazz music and a three course meal with wine.
#Contempo
Millennium Forum Saturday, 22 August Time:8pm Tickets:£14
Following their recent success on Britain’s Got Talent, Innova Irish Dance Company presents a fresh version of their sell-out debut show. ‘Contempo’ celebrates Irish dancing in all its diversity, incorporating a mix of traditional, modern and alternative pieces enlivened with Innova’s unique twist. The 45 strong cast will once again collaborate with hugely popular Celtic Italian band, The SIDH. It’s new, it’s exciting, it’s contemporary. It’s Irish dancing but not as you might know it! Liv Nervo of NERVO - the all-time, top-ranking female DJs in the world and No. 21 on DJ Magazine’s influential 2014 ‘Top 100 DJs’ poll. Also on the bill are Galantis, the Swedish electronic music production and songwriting duo consisting of Christian “Bloodshy” Karlsson, and Linus Eklöw aka Style of Eye Philip George who landed a No.2 on the UK chart with his debut single ‘Wish You Were Mine’ earlier this year will also be performing.
Blue Street Preachers
Waterside Theatre
The Wolfe Tone in concert
Saturday, 29 August Tickets:£8.50 Time:8pm
plus support
Millennium Forum Saturday, 29 August Time:8pm Tickets:£21
The legendary Wolfe Tones have recently celebrated an unbelievable 50th Anniversary Year. One of Ireland’s most iconic and best loved groups, they return to perform some of their greatest hits as well as material taken from their extensive career.
Blues Street Preachers are a collective of musicians that play and who are inspired mainly by the pre war or prohibition era blues of the 1920’s and 30s. Artists like Big Bill Broonzy, Casey Bill Weldon, Blind Willie McTell and Robert Johnson. Their set features a variety of styles, from down home and up tempo blues through to ragtime and hokum styles and featuring the odd gospel number.
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#DerryLive #LoveTheArts Ludo Lusi Lusum
19 focus on
echo echo dance theatre company Steve Batts Photo courtesy of Eugene Titov
E
cho Echo Dance Theatre Company has called Derry its home for the past 18 years and in that time it has grown to become Northern Ireland’s leading dance company as well as a key player in the development of dance throughout the whole of Ireland, both north and south. The company itself was established in 1991 by Steve Batts and Ursula Laeubli in Amsterdam, and subsequently toured their performances throughout Europe before deciding to relocate to Northern Ireland in 1997. I had the pleasure of watching the final performance of their popular family show ‘Ludo Lusi Lusum’, during its most recent run. The piece, performed by the Echo Echo Ensemble and directed by Associate Artistic Director, Ayesha Mailey, is full of energy and humour, as the audience is transported to magical world where the dancers are transformed into animals through movement and sound. The piece captivates both kids and adults alike, and is full of fun and mischief. Afterwards I met up with co-founder and Artistic Director, Steve Batts and
his passion for dance and his passion for dance and for the company was evident and in abundance. I started by asking Steve how the concept for the theatre was born. “It was based on the idea that we would be committed on working together creatively on a long term basis rather than just a project to project basis which is the usual way most dance companies operate. We wanted to set up an organisation where we could establish longer term creative relationships with people. The company worked out of Amsterdam, a lot in Germany, former Soviet Union countries and also in Eastern Europe for about 6 or 7 years but we didn’t really have a base or a home. We also toured Ireland. I had always come back here because this is where I grew up and I had always kept a connection through teaching and performing. We were touring one year in 1996 and had performed at the Playhouse, but in a surprise gesture we were asked by Pauline Ross, the theatre’s director ‘why don’t you stay here for a while?’ As we were actually looking for a base
at the time, we said yes. We were based at the Playhouse for 6-7 years and then the Waterside Theatre, but in all that time myself and Ursula had two things that we had wanted to do with the company. First, to establish the Ensemble model, so in a way establishing the long term commitment that we wanted in working with the same people at a deeper level over a sustained time. We also wanted a place which we could call home for the company. Now those two things have happened as in 2013 we had the opportunity to open this building. Sadly Ursula was not around to see it happen as she died in 2011, but it was clear even then, that our home was going to become a reality. We had established the Ensemble, who are still with us now, around 2009. They are a mixture of people who have mainly worked or trained with Echo Echo in some way, then maybe have gone away to university and have come back. So it’s people who are committed to a long term connection with the town and with each other and this is an unusual model in a sense.”
20 theatre,dance & verbal arts
#DerryLive #LoveTheArts Ludo Lusi Lusum
Give us an idea of what kind of work goes on within the theatre… “Our work is very broad, it ranges from professional productions which go to small and medium scale venues, touring, playing festivals right through to participatory projects with older people and children, and also those with disabilities. The thing that keeps it all coherent, and we are rather unusual in this way, is that we approach dance as an art form; we think in a very broad way that dancing is about poetic movement. The equivalent of what people may do with language in poetry, it’s more about meaning and content, composition and grammar and a bit less to do with bodies and shapes.
So we are unusual in a number of ways, unusual because we have our own home, unusual because we work as an Ensemble and we are unusual because our approach to dancing is quite outside the mainstream. We are very lucky because, marginally, we actually have the strongest annual support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. It’s unusual to be not mainstream yet in a way, a leading client of the Arts Council.” Steve went on to tell me about what the theatre offers; “we have a lot of international connections too. Students often come from abroad and we even have colleagues here at the minute from Tuscany in Italy who we are developing a 3 year European
project with. We will be collaborating with them and also some people from Moldova. We also run an International Festival of Dance and Movement which happens each November so we have quite a broad range of work. Echo Echo is really focussed on creating an accessible programme and offering a comfortable place to come to, a warm and easy going kind of thing, but at the same time maintaining high expectations of people. In our programme we have kids classes every Saturday where children of different ages come along. We also have the Summer Scheme which will be starting soon. We also work a lot with schools too.”
21 The Echo Echo Ensemble. Photo courtesy of Living Witness Productions
The Echo Echo Ensemble
In speaking with Steve it’s clear to me that we are very fortunate as a city to have someone so passionate about dance as the leader of an organisation who are at the forefront of their field and so well respected internationally. They are not only a credit and an inspiration to Derry, but to Northern Ireland. “The dance world is designed in a way for people who have no connections” Steve went on to tell me when asked about what makes the Echo Echo so different. “They’ll train, they’ll go from project to project, a little bit like actors but worse. So you tend not to get the sensitivities of, for example, people who have families. What we try to do here is to make it
friendly to people’s real lives, but at the same time we have a very high level of expectation of what is possible for people. What we do with our participation projects generally is not in a way outreach and education, but an invitation to join in. Saying there is this magical world of mystery and imagination and creativity in movement, actually, if you want to come there you can. The depths of marvelousness you can get out of that is connected with the amount of effort that you are willing to put in.” Coming up this month will be the beginning of Echo Echo’s Summer Schemes. Two programmes of dance, movement, music, martial arts and
creativity for kids aged 5 - 11 years with the Echo Echo Ensemble Artists and guests are on offer. Kicking off on the 6-10 July, with a second week running from 10-14 August, the course costs £60 for 1 week, £100 for 2 weeks, and will run from 10am - 3pm daily. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the kids to learn from such highly experienced dancers, and in keeping with Echo Echo’s desire to make dance accessible for all, reductions for families, and daily rates are available. If you’re interested in the Summer Scheme, or indeed any other courses or events the Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company offer, you can check out their website www.echoechodance. com or give them a call on 7130 8883.
22 comedy
#DerryLive #lol
23 Preview:
H
e is still only a young pup, at the tender age of 28, but it like Kevin Bridges is a veteran of the comedy circuit as he has been about for so long. Probably the main reason for which is the fact that he is forever on our TV screens performing in Stand Up or as part of a comedy panel show. But in order to have longevity in the comedy game it boils down to one thing, and one thing only – how funny you are, and it’s safe to say Kevin Bridges is a very funny guy. The glaswegian’s form of working class observation comedy has been embraced by audiences throughout the UK and Ireland since first starting out at the age of 17. His accent has slightly changed though as he has had to slow his Glaswegian tang considerably for the benefit of his English audience. He actually made a joke of that fact during his ‘The Story So Far’ tour when speaking about the English not understanding what he was saying, in particular someone from Leamington Spa telling him, “I don’t quite understand everything your saying… you’ve got a really think Scotch accent” delivered in a fantastically posh Leamington Spa accent. When myself, my wife and the kids made a road trip through England a few years ago during the summer holidays, we stopped by Leamington just because of his gag about the town, and I can honestly say that the accent is spot on. It’s obvious Kevin is a complete natural and born for the stage, and is at home whether talking about his childhood going up in Scotland, first hand observational tales or even about whats currently hitting the news. His career has gone from strength to strength, selling out the SEC Hydro in Glasgow to a record breaking 100,000 fans and last year releasing his autobiography… yes his autobiography at the age of 28. However, just like his live shows his book has earned rave reviews also. As Kevin says, “I’m a big deal these days” and he certainly is. Kevin Bridges will play five nights at the Millennium Forum from Friday, 17th to Tuesday 21st July, at 8pm with tickets costing £26.
24 theatre
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MAMMA MIA! T
he global smash hit that is Mamma Mia will make its way to Derry this month. The timeless classic has been entertaining audiences for years and will continue to do so for many more years to come. Based on the songs by ABBA, former band members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus were involved in the development of the show from the beginning with over 54 million people having seen the show worldwide. From the West End to the Philippines, the show has been captivating audiences since debuting in 1999. It is believed that on any given day, there are at least seven performances of Mamma Mia being
performed around the globe and is one of only five musicals to have run for more than 10 years both on Broadway and in the West End. The current show has been touring internationally playing in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Liverpool and South Africa before visiting us here in Ireland. The musical follows the story of a daughter and her quest to find the identity of her father, all unfolding on a beautiful Greek island on the eve of her wedding day. A story of past experiences, family and love all sandwiched between the fantastic songs of ABBA What’s the best thing about Mamma Mia coming to Derry you may ask? It is the fact that the hit
show will be performed in our very own intimate theatre, the Millennium Forum. I must admit, the first time I saw Mamma Mia was in the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, and to be honest the vast expanse of the arena made the show lose its intimacy and power, but that’s only natural in an arena its size which had primarily been built to house an ice hockey team. So it will be a welcome return for the show at the Millennium Forum. With shows playing over four days, the Forum as always will be a great setting. >> The show will be running from Tuesday 7th July to Sunday 12th July 2015, with tickets from £24.50.
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26 theatre
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HOME
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S
ince premiering at the Jo Makin Theatre in Liverpool’s John Moores University in June, ‘Home’ has been met with great audience responses and critical acclaim. Created by AnNua, written by Paul Moore and directed by Paula Simms, the play is funny yet sad at times as it examines the plight of refugees who are forced to leave their home, with clashes of cultures, racism and struggles often being associated with immigration. Included are sounds and images which have been gathered from Ireland, Liverpool and Australia with
composition by Brian Bridges and music from Gay McIntyre, Lorna McLaughlin (The Henry Girls), Cara Park and Marti Coyle (The Balkan Alien Sound). AnNua, who are a registered charity based in Derry and Donegal, were formed in 2009 when a small group of artists came together to create a contemporary Irish theatre with the aim of drawing on traditional Irish forms which would be linked to world theatre and new technologies. In this performance, the group carries on their ethos of combined script, strong performance and composition with the use of light and
imagery to tell a story of identity and land with the use of words of Irish migrants, immigrants to Ireland and refugees from across the world. Tackling issues such as belonging and migration, it also tackles police brutality and state reaction to refugees. The play is based on Paul Moore’s own experiences as he himself had emigrated from Ireland to Australia during The Troubles. ‘Home’ will now call the Waterside Theatre its home this month – at least for a short while – from Wednesday 1st July to 4th July at 8pm with tickets costing £10/£5 concession.
28 theatre,dance & verbal arts
#DerryLive #LoveTheArts
Home
Waterside Theatre
Wed, 01 July - Sat, 04 July Tickets:Preview £5, £10/£5conc Time:8pm
A funny and furious tale of Irish migration, Home includes the voices of migrants and refugees from around the world. AnNua have gathered sounds and images in Ireland, Liverpool and Australia creating an exciting audio/visual design moving through these and many imaginary landscapes while considering the fate of those forced to leave home and to seek another. Home features composition by Brian Bridges and includes music from Gay McIntyre, Lorna McLaughlin (The Henry Girls), Cara Park and Marti Coyle (The Balkan Alien Sound).
Echo Echo’s Summer Scheme
Echo Echo Dance Theatre Monday, 06 July - Friday, 10 July
£60 for 1 week/ £100 for 2 weeks Time:10am - 3pm daily
Two weeks of dance, movement, music, martial arts and creativity for kids aged 5 - 11 years with Echo Echo Ensemble Artists and guests Reductions for families and daily rates available Free refreshments and snacks daily. For more info: 028 713 08883 www.echoechodance.com
Mamma Mia!
MAMMA MIA! is the ultimate feel-good musical! Set on a Greek island paradise, a story of love, friendship and identity is cleverly told through the timeless songs of ABBA. Sophie’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings her mother face to face with three men from her distant romantic past on the eve of a wed-
Millennium Forum
Tues, 07 July to Sat, 11 July Tickets:from £24.50
ding they’ll never forget! This irresistible, sunny tale has been thrilling audiences all over the world, and now the party will continue at the Millennium Forum Theatre & Conference Centre, Derry, so there’s never been a better time to see this unforgettable musical. Whatever age you are, you can’t help but have the time of your life at MAMMA MIA!
Star Camp
Millennium Forum
Tues, 14 July - Sat, 18 July From £70 Time: 9:30am - 2:30pm
STARCAMP has won numerous awards and successfully secured backing on Dragons’ Den. Open to ALL BOYS & GIRLS AGED 4-13 of all levels and abilities with a New ADVANCED PROGRAM for 9-13
year olds. Whether the shy and less confident type or born for the stage we have something for everyone. Garda Vetted, qualified or trainee teachers, music professionals, choreographers and drama coaches are amongst Starcamp’s talented instructors. There will be a short Friday Showcase at collection time where all children will get to sing and dance! Every child received a Starcamp T-Shirt, a Starcamp wristband and a special star award.
comedy
KEVIN BRIDGES:
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A Whole Different StoryCrowd Tickler in concert
Millennium Forum
Bridges, dubbed as “brilliant” by one of his comedy idols, Billy Connolly has had an astonishing rise to success. His 2012 tour, Kevin Bridges – The Story Continues… smashed box office records selling a staggering 45,000 tickets on the first day.
Fri, 17 July 2015 to Tues, 21 July Time: 8pm Tickets:£26
Kevin Bridges returns to the road with a brand new show A Whole Different Story… Scotland’s biggest export, Kevin
shows to look out for over the next few months...
La Traviata
Millennium Forum
Fri, 07 August - Sat, 08 August Tickets:from £14.50 Time:7.30pm
Funny Bones - An Imbecile’s Guide to First Aid (The Studio) Millennium Forum Tuesday, 08 September
Invasion Derry
Tickets: £13/£11 Time:7.30pm
Millennium Forum
Sat, 12 Sep - Sun, 13 September Tickets:£6.50 Time: 9am - 5:30pm
The intensely passionate and tragic, ‘La Traviata’ (The Fallen Woman) remains one of the most popular operas of all time! It is heartbreaking and simply unforgettable, appealing directlyto the emotions; it is an opera beloved by every generation. Violetta, a glamorous Parisian courtesan with a scandalous past, falls in love with a young admirer, Alfredo. Violetta chooses love over moneyand leaves her past behind herfleeing to the countryside to live with her new lover.
Join Tony Sutcliffe in this hilarious new comedy show based on his experiences of over 20 years as a first aid trainer. You will be invited into a world of medical mayhem and mirth, with Tony trying to impart his vast but somewhat suspect knowledge of subjects ranging from CPR to childbirth. Using accounts from real-life training courses and with help from audience volunteers he ploughs through the first aid manual like a bull in an operating theatre.
INVASION comes to the North West. Ireland’s premier Star Wars costuming club, The Emerald Garrison, will be Invading Derry for the first time. It includes a line-up of talks, and fun interactive activities as well as the Emerald Garrison’s hugely popular props and replicas. Visitors of all ages will love meeting and posing with over 40 costumed characters including legions of Storm Troopers, Jedi Knights, Bounty Hunters, Clone Troopers, Darth Vader, Wookies and many, many more. Fans have the opportunity to meet actors from the original movies during Lecture Theatre talks and signings. Please note that the actors charge a fee for photographs and autographs.
50 Shades of Red, White & Blue Millennium Forum Thursday, 24 September Tickets:from £12.50 Time:8pm
Her Facebook postings had Northern Ireland in fits of laughter last summer. It all started as a joke when Leesa Harker wrote a Belfast-based spoof
of Fifty Shades of Grey. Very soon it went viral and had 29,000 followers! Fifty Shades of Red, White and Blue tells the story of loveable Maggie Muff and her search for love, featuring laugh-out-loud characters such as big Sally Ann, Sinead the Greener and of course, the mysterious Mr Red White and Blue himself.
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31 art exhibitions & projects coming up in july #DerryLive #LoveTheArts
Anna Ådahl: Common Patterns
Derry Print Workshop Exhibition
CCA Derry-L’Derry Sat, 06 June - Sat, 25 July
Still on display at the CCA Derry-Londonderry is Common Patterns. An exhibition by Swedish artist Anna Adahl, Common Patters examines the conditions of the ‘mass ornament’, a concept by Siegfried Kracauer in which he created theoretical methods of analysing circuses, photography, films, advertising, tourism, city layout, and dance.
The Social Gallery, Shipquay Street Thursday, 09 July £:Free Entry
exhibitions still running
The members of the Derry Print Workshop are due to hold an exhibition this month at the Social Studios and gallery to showcase members work.
‘Out of Truth’: Art Installation by artist Sue Morris
Second Skin The Playhouse
Mon, 08 June - Thur, 16 July £:Free Entry
Lisa Kelly: ‘Creating Contradictions’ The Craft Village
Verbal Arts Centre
Sun, 19 June - Fri, 03 July
Mon, 01 June - Wed, 01 July
£:Free Entry
£:Free Entry
‘Out of Truth’, an installation by artist Sue Morris. The exhibition comprises approximately 30-40 A5 text pieces hung in a grid format and typeset in English, Estonian and Russian; a series of photographs of the museum’s extraordinary interior, much of which remains untouched since its former days as a factory; The East-West border is always wandering and To write more, reproduced by kind permission of Jaan Kaplinski; and a reconstruction of The Lost Project.
art
‘Second Skin’ is one of the core touring exhibitions developed for the Year of Irish Design 2015 by the Design and Craft Council of Ireland. To date the exhibition has toured to the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny and to City Hall in London. Second Skin posed a challenge to four Irish fashion labels - Jennifer Rothwell, Joanne Hynes, Natalie Coleman and Lennon Courtney - to design, source and produce a garment or range of clothing on the island of Ireland and to document the opportunities and challenges in doing so.
‘Creating Contradictions’ is the first Solo Exhibition from Lisa Kelly. Since graduating from Liverpool Hope University in 2014 with a BA Hons in Fine Art, Lisa moved back home to Derry to setup her own studio and begin working on a whole new body of work. This exhibition explores the nature of human nature and our tendencies to create contradictions. With themes of time, lust and absence becoming recurring features.