TN2 Issue 1

British Sea Power’s slow steady ascent

Tassel Club burlesque Trashy summer reads John C Reilly Little black dress Steve McQueen ttn2 tn 2

September SSe ept pteem mbe b r 30 0–O October ctob ct o er 1133 ob

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Calendar of fun

tn2’s pick of the most exciting things to do in Dublin this coming fortnight

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Wednesday

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Monday

30 Metamorphosis opened yesterday as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Looks rather good.

Olympia Theatre, 7.30 p.m., €23 - €38.

1 Crystal Castles play tonight. These Gameboy-twiddling electro merchants are on the ascent.

The Academy, 8 p.m., €21.

2 Cats and Cats and Cats, Hooray For Humans and Qi play a Righter Collective night.

Lower Deck, 1 Portobello Harbour, Dublin 8, €10.

3 How to Lose Friends and Alienate People looks good, just don’t expect anything as good as Hot Fuzz or Spaced.

Cinemas nationwide.

4 Telepathe play tonight.

So as not to lose any cool points this evening, remember that’s tell-ehpath-ee. You idiot.

Upstairs at Whelans, 8 p.m., €14.

5 Creative dance workshop in conjunction with new show Dodgems.

Coiscéim Studio, 14 Sackville Place, Dublin 1, 11am-12.30pm ,€15..

6 First Love begins its Dublin Theatre Festival run.

Project Cube, 39 East Essex Street, Dublin 2, 7.45 p.m., €22 - €25.

7 Bon Iver plays tonight.

Things are going to get contemplative.

Tripod, Old Harcourt Street Train Station, Dublin 2, 8 p.m., €22.50 €27.50

8 This evening, why not take a lovely bath? Go on, you deserve it, so you do!

9 Today is the seventeenth anniversary of Ecuador’s acceptance of the Berne Convention Copyright Treaty. Need I say more?

10 Barry Levinson’s new movie What Just Happened? turns a satirical eye on Hollywood. Think the smarter older brother of Tropic Thunder.

Cinemas nationwide.

11 Last chance to check out world premiere run of Brian Friel’s new version of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler.

Gate Theatre, Parnell Square, Dublin 1, 3 p.m./8 p.m., €27 - €32.

12 Last chance to see Dodgems.

O’Reilly Theatre, Belvedere College, Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1, 3 p.m., €20 - €33.

13 Remember when The Stranglers were good?

I certainly don’t, as I was minus three-years-old.

Ambassador Theatre, 7.30 p.m., €33.60.

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September 30 – October 13 tn2

Hello friends,

Contents John C. Reilly shares a few words about Will Ferrell and jumpers

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Michael Armstrong feels the love for the upcoming film release schedule

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Eglé Zinuté guides you around Dublin’s film scene

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Conway Savage attempts to talk Bad Seeds

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Funeral For A Friend, jaegermeister & concussions

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Adebisi Shank fresh from Japan

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Caroline O’Leary’s run-down of Dublin’s galleries

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Steve McQueen, Turner prize winner turned Cannes darling British Sea Power talk to Tim Smyth

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Rainy reads

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Mícheál de Barra talks pilgrimage

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Fashion’s holy grail: The LBD

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Term-by-term fashion in Trinity

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Further advice for incoming fashionistas

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Burlesque

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A guide to the Dublin Theatre Festival

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Watering holes in Dublin

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Reviews

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Issue

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So, here we are, then, another year, another volume of tn2, another opportunity for a relatively small group of students to impose their fervent, not to mention unwelcome, opinions on the greater student body. Welcome to issue one, then.

In an unprecedented and controversial move, we’ve decided to aim this first issue at freshers. So, you’ll find all sorts of articles inside informing you how to dress, where to go drinking, how to think etc. etc. Take note, little ones, as we are probably the coolest people on campus (if you wanted to hang out with us, though, y’know, that would be cool or whatever… I mean, it’s not like we’re short on friends or something, it’s just… oh God, I get so lonely).

We’ve also got some pretty excellent interviews this issue – Tim Smyth spoke to British Sea Power, Jean Morley got herself a few words with writer Mícheál de Barra and Catriona Gray had a bit of a natter with John C. Reilly. Also, check out that Adebisi Shank interview that Steven Lydon wrote; they’re pretty much the greatest band in the world ever.

Non-freshers may notice a number of changes in tn2 this year.

We’ve played around with the layout a little bit, expanded the odd section here and there, gone all-colour and, perhaps most excitingly, had the pages stapled together.

Unfortunately, we’ve had to make a few cuts too. That means no ‘hot/not’ column and no Mrs. Fix-it. We’ve also cut the sex column, primarily because it was found to be rarely titillating enough for our readers’ taste. Never fear, though, as editor, I’ve taken it upon myself to make this regular little editorial here as sexually explicit as possible. Unfortunately, I appear to have run out of space this time.

Rats.

Yours insatiably,

Hugh Editor

Interweb news The daily tn2 blog gets going on Monday 6 October. Yes, that’s right, I said daily. How will we find something interesting to write about every day? Well, you’re really asking two questions there.

The point is, check out www.trinitynews.ie.

tn2

September 30 – October 13

Win a pair of tickets to Metamorphosis and Dodgems With original music by Nick Cave and a “gravity-defying split level set,” Metamorphosis is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the Dublin Theatre Festival. To win a pair of tickets for Friday 3 October at 19:00, just email something amusing (picture/joke/whatever) to metamorphosis@trinitynews.ie by 12:00 on Friday. Make sure you include your mobile number.

We’ve also got two pairs of tickets to Dodgems, CoisCéim Dance Company’s funfair-inspired piece set on an actual bumper track, for Tuesday 7 October at 19:30. Amusing emails to dodgems@trinitynews.ie by 12:00 on Friday.

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The life of Reilly Actor John C. Reilly took some time out on his recent trip to the Phil to discuss his life, his work and his Aran jumper with Catriona Gray

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ohn C. Reilly has the kind of face that is instantly recognisable but hard to place. Although his name may not have the same kind of fame that his mug does, John C. Reilly is one of the hardest-working actors around. He has appeared as a background actor in well over 50 films over the last twenty years and possesses an unquenchable passion for his profession, which came across very clearly during his recent visit to Trinity during the summer, to speak at the Philosophical Society.

The 43 year-old actor is currently best known for his collaborations with Will Ferrell, first in Talladega Nights and now in Step Brothers. Reilly said, “we’re good friends, Will and I. We met about six years before we did Talladega and we’ve been working together since then. I love the guy.”

Step Brothers features Ferrell and Reilly as two forty-ish, dysfunctional men who have yet to get a job or leave home and whose lives are completely uprooted when their parents marry and they find themselves having to share a room as step brothers.

Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, there is one thing has been consistently mentioned and that’s how well Ferrell and Reilly play off each other.

The idea for the film came from a story written by Ferrell, Reilly and the screenwriter Adam McKay. Describing how they came to write the story, Reilly said that “the three of us came to that technique from three very different walks of life… it was three different approaches to the same thing.” The actor has certainly spent a lot of time working

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with Will Ferrell recently, but when asked if he was worried about getting typecast as a result of his recent comedy collaborations with the Anchorman star, Reilly joked that “with a face like this, it’s hard to get cast in the first place, let alone typecast.”

Reilly has just finished work on the film Cirque de Freak, where he stars as ginger haired vampire Larten Crepsley. The film,

challenging roles. He spoke at length about the versatility that actors enjoy playing minor characters and the fact that their parts tend to be more eccentric and entertaining compared to those of the principals. He de-

My Dad was from the very North… but who knows if even that’s true? He was full of little mythologies directed by Paul Weitz and also starring Salma Hayek as a bearded lady, is based on the series of children’s books of the same name

by Darren Shan. The film is set in a travelling freak show filled with monstrous creatures and promises to be one of the strangest things to hit our screens next year.

The sheer diversity of the characters that Reilly has played over the years is fascinating. From playing a racing car pit crew member in Days of Thunder to Renée Zellweger’s husband in the musical Chicago, the actor has consistently looked for different and

Speaking of unusual roles, a little known fact about John C. Reilly is his work with Tenacious D. He appeared in an episode of their short-lived TV show as “Sasquatch” and later put in an appearance in the 2006 film Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny as the same character. Reilly played the part in a particularly impressive yeti costume and is completely unrecognisable. Luckily there are clips of it readily available on YouTube – “Sasquatch is my Papa,” featuring Jack Black riding through the clouds on Reilly’s back in a bizarre, drug-induced, father-son sasquatch bonding experience, is most certainly worth a look. If Reilly likes playing eccentric characters, then he definitely struck gold with this one. f his performance as a yeti trying to play the drums is anything to go by, John C. Reilly is a man of many talents. He has recently made use of his singing abilities in the 2007 film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, which features Reilly as fictional musician Dewey Cox in a plot that is undeniably heavily inspired by Walk the Line. Walk Hard parodies the biopic genre as it follows the life of a singer whose quest for stardom is motivated by an understandably overwhelming sense of guilt, caused by accidentally cutting his brother in half with a machete. Quite a strange base for a film billed as a comedy, but it does give Reilly ample occasion to showcase his singing abilities.

Although Walk Hard was the film which drew the most attention to Reilly’s impressive voice, it’s not the first time the actor has turned musician. He sung on the 2006

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Reilly with Will Ferrel in Step Brothers... scribed the disappointment he experienced when playing a conventional protagonist for the first time, back in his college days, and felt that that was when he realised that he preferred playing more off-beat roles, saying that he’s “always looking for a character with some contradiction.”

September 30 – October 13 tn2

Reilly relaxes in his Aran sweater on his visit to Trinity in August.

Photo: Martin McKenna

compilation entitled Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys, which was masterminded by Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp and featured the likes of Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker and Bono. Reilly also performed a cabaret number in Chicago, when he played Roxy Hart’s (Renée Zellweger) neglected husband, Amos. Discussing the topic, Reilly admitted to having thought about pursuing his musical career further and releasing an album, since music has always been a passion of his. espite his interest in music, what comes across very strongly is Reilly’s need to act. He seemed a little nervous as he introduced himself to the assembled audience at the Phil and he commented “the reason I find it so difficult to speak as myself and give speeches is that I don’t really know who I am.” He then went on to describe how he takes on a lot of acting work, as he “never feels so lost” in terms of his own identity as when he’s not working.

Acting seems to be more than just a job for Reilly, it seems a vital element to his character.

Despite his willingness to take on apparently any role, there are limits to what Reilly will stand for. In 2005, he famously gave up his role in the film Manderlay in protest after a donkey was killed on set for dramatic purposes. Although the scene was later deleted from the film, Reilly still refuses to comment on the episode.

When asked about the notoriously tough nature of his profession and whether he ini-

tially encountered any opposition from his family, Reilly replied, “My dad wanted me to do something more practical. He thought that I was taking business at DePaul University: my mother didn’t tell him that I was re-

With a face like this, it’s hard to get cast in the first place, let alone typecast

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September 30 – October 13

that he’d provide me with an education and healthcare and that the rest was up to me.”

Fortunately Reilly’s dedication and incredible work ethic paid off. Not only is he slowly winning more and more recognition as an actor but he has also been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his part in Chicago and twice for a Golden Globe Award.

Reilly also has connections with Ireland;

... and in Talladega Nights. ally at the conservatory of acting.”

Growing up in Chicago, with its strong theatrical and musical tradition, meant that from an early age, Reilly was determined to act: “I grew up in a family of six kids, so by the time I reached 18 I was really desperate to get out of the house. My father told me

his father was Irish and emigrated to Chicago, where he established a linen supply company. In a novel tribute to his heritage, the actor arrived at Trinity wearing a new Aran sweater, despite the August sunshine, explaining that he’d bought it as a replacement for one that his father had brought over from Ireland to the States and had later given to him. When asked if he was planning to try to find his roots whilst he was here, Reilly seemed a little sketchy about the details, explaining that “my dad was from the very North… but who knows if even that’s true? He was full of little mythologies.”

Although the precise location of his Irish heritage still eludes him, Reilly nevertheless expressed enthusiasm at returning to the

land of his forefathers. Trinity, in particular, seemed to strike him, and he mentioned that it was the main place that he wanted to see on his Dublin sightseeing list (although perhaps he was just being tactful). He also seemed flattered at receiving the University Philosophical Society’s Honorary Patron’s Medal and joked that the Phil was the only thing that could conceivably link Bram Stoker, Helen Mirren, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and himself. ince the actor is in the middle of a gruelling work schedule, he hadn’t had much time to look around the rest of Dublin. According to Reilly, the best way to discover a place is to work there and he seemed eager to spend some more time in Ireland. Reilly visited the Gate Theatre, where he hopes to work sometime soon. He also met with the director John Carney, who directed the Irish films Once and On The Edge and said that he would be interested in working with him in the future.

When asked to give some advice to budding young actors, Reilly said “if you want to be an actor, choose to go somewhere where you can work as an actor, not work as a waiter and call yourself an actor. New York and LA are incredibly competitive places for actors, so I would say find somewhere like Chicago, where there’s 250 theatres and you can always find acting work. You may not be earning a lot of money, but at least you’re always working.”

Cirque du Freak is in post-production and will be released in 2009

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Over the rainbow With a global recession looming, escapism never felt so good, says Michael Armstrong.

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t is a little known fact that in times of economic hardship, cinema owners everywhere rub their hands with glee at the prospect of millions of customers flocking to the multiplexes to escape into fantasy. Indeed, other than the Tony Sopranos of this world, or possibly Barack Obama’s hope-tastic change wagon, filmmakers and distributors may be the only ones immune to the impending economic doom we keep hearing about.

This past summer provides ample evidence of the silver lining to our woes being found on the silver screen. The Dark Knight wrapped all the complex issues of terrorism and chaos into one handy package, delivered with aplomb by a magnetic Heath Ledger.

His Joker, and all he was made to represent, was left hanging by the end of the film, overcome in as little time as it took the adorable Wall-E to fix both global pollution and humanity’s slovenly ways. While this eco-fable marked a return to form for Pixar, the rush to sugarcoat complex issues weighed down the otherwise charming boy-meets-iPod romance.

The summer also saw a triumphant return of the blockbuster for women, in the joyful Mamma Mia! and the proto-fascist Sex and the City. Escapism wasn’t just for

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the boys as we were inspired by Pierce Brosnan’s dogged determination to sing a note and reminded that, at the end of the day, anyone can make it in New York. Provided you don’t happen to be black, Mexican or an adopted (then quickly replaced) Chinese child that is. Here’s hoping that the next female blockbuster on the horizon, The Women, steers more towards the all-inclusive Abba hit than Sarah Jessica Parker’s shameless cash-in.

In a world where John McCain’s all-American heroism may not be enough to get him elected over that guy from 24, disconcerted punters can get their alpha-male kicks from the opaquely titled Quantum of Solace, or the remake of classic kids’ infomercial G.I. Joe. The next Bond film could cement the status of rising French star Mathieu Almaric, who gave a poignant and memorable performance in last year’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. G.I. Joe on the other hand stars Sienna Miller, Dennis Quaid and Marlon Wayans, who have made a fair number of rubbish movies between them over the years. Still, nothing looks quite as bad as the upcoming Mark Wahlberg vehicle Max Payne. If ever there was a review contained within the film’s title, this could be it.

Unless Tom Cruise gets his career back

for Christmas and we finally get to see his Nazi pilot flick Valkyrie, the holiday cinema rush looks set to be dominated by The Day the Earth Stood Still. This sci-fi epic, which stars Keanu Reeves as an alien from outer

Nothing looks quite as bad as Mark Wahlberg vehicle Max Payne. If ever there was a review contained within the film’s title, this could be it. space, is another ingenious career move for the most famous failed bassist in the world, as once again he avoids having to portray realistic human emotions through a plot contrivance. As producers strive to bring back franchises from a simpler time, don’t be surprised if Reeves’ next outing is in Bill and Ted 3: What Happened to Bill?

But with the sixth Harry Potter film pushed back to next year, and Guillermo Del Toro’s interpretation of The Hobbit scheduled for around 2011, true fantasy

lovers may have to settle for Watchmen, the latest graphic novel adaptation from Zack Snyder, creator of sandals-and-sixpacks hit 300. With a plot that combines relevant themes with compelling characters, Watchmen could emulate the success of The Dark Knight. Unfortunately, the initial signs are that Snyder may have gone for style over substance. Had original director Paul Greengrass stayed on the project, this would-be epic would have had a better chance of equalling Christopher Nolan’s success with the Batman franchise.

In such a dynamic Presidential election year, however, many may end up wanting less spandex-clad portrayals of the problems of the world, and their solutions.

Frost/Nixon could remind us that once upon a time there was a President worse than Bush, while for a light-hearted take on the C.I.A., the Coen Brothers’ new film Burn After Reading promises more of their unique brand of black humour. Last year the Coen’s Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men was praised as a faithful adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel, but for cinemagoers seeking elation, it may be best to avoid The Road. This post-apocalyptic tale, again based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning story by McCarthy, stars Viggo Mortensen as a father travelling across a shattered America with his son. Those looking for belly-laughs at the cinema may be better off waiting for Jim Carrey’s Yes Man, or Steve Coogan’s Hamlet 2. Or, of course, Max Payne.

September 30– October 13 tn2

The Dublin film scene

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is the equivalent of time-travel ST STEPHENS in homeKEentertainment.

Getting a film GREEN VIN ST CUFFE ST from any decade, and from any region SO UT H in the world is far less trouble here than anywhere else save perhaps amazon. com. Renting here is cheap and worthwhile for a number of reasons. Thanks to this place, classic films and world HA T C H S U PR R H A T C H ST L cinema can continue to have a placeTin our homes.

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Filmbase is the national resource centre for filmmakers and has played T H O cinema M A S S for the T a steady in Irish TRE E Epart ET T R S pat two decades. It provides a variety of services, from equipment rental to hosting talks byRAINSFORD various fiSTgures in the national film world, to holding courses E in scriptwriting, lighting, sound, A N screen E L N acting, directing, editing and much, O B much more. Even an actor looking for work can drop in and try their luck. At €50 a year for membership, you can avail of an enviable local resource and T E Irish film indusengage actively in the E DO try, while having R a lot of Nfun in the process.

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RT The Savoy: Second only to Cineworld A D in terms of size and number of screens, MOUNTJOY SQUARE L this spot arguably has an extra measure L I of the-olden-days-of-cinema atmoH R sphere. From the plush scarlet curtains E M cascading down to veil the screen preM S U T to the more formal uniforms of show, REE T TT S O T M the staff, the ambiance is conducive to ER E AC D E NM rendering a visit here an exciting outSEA ing. In the place of an unlimited pass, C O NoffNersOfamily L L Ydeals, again all the Savoy T R A very cosy. The price bracket matches D that of Cineworld’s quite closely, howSHERRIF B U Sever, A Rthe A Sstudent rates are not T quite F E E R T OT S B L A as reasonable as those of its Parnell T I FStreet S C competitor.

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Cineworld multiplex in the city, this is where you have the widest choice of films to watch, due to the large number Aof screens. Cineworld is very much U an Gestablishment whereby what you H R I M you get – a cinema of inO X see is what M A ternationalS standard, T R the promise of N EE T T and all the mainO comfortable seating W N stream R movies that ever come out.

O A Ticket prices here are relatively exD D YR pensive. However, DAif you plan to see LLI A H a lot of films during the year, you can avail of the annual unlimited pass, which works out at around twentyN L HIL A R B O and U R can quid per month be a real saving, depending on the user.

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L U R C I C G H R R T A O Cinemas: As the biggest N N G

The IFI takes us to the south side of Dublin, and perhaps that’s why it’s often seen exclusively as a place for film buffs and snobs. This is not the case, EC C The however.

U P place L E IFI may be the best S S T your art house kicks in Dublin to get RE ET but there’s generally a fairly laid-back vibe here. The additional attraction is the relative cheapness of cinema here, particularly if you join as a member for fifteen quid a year. The attached bar also serves as a nice spot for lunch or dinner.

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For quite a number of years now, Ireland has had the highest annual number of cinema admissions per capita in the EU. Eglé Zinkuté points out some places you can get your cinematic kicks in the city this year.

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Another bad seed Catriona Gray grabs a few words with the inimitable Conway Savage

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Savage performing in Victoria.

Photo: John Carney

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ick Cave and the Bad Seeds are legendary, not only for being the kind of band that other bands listen to, but also for each member’s impressive individual output. Conway Savage, pianist, organist and backing vocalist, is no exception to this rule, and has been turning out solo work throughout his time with the Bad Seeds. His latest album, Quickie for Ducky, was released last year, and, as he is about to embark on a six date tour of Ireland, his albums are available in record shops for the first time in this country. Despite his relatively low international profile, Conway Savage is an integral part of the Australian music scene, having worked on countless collaborations spanning almost three decades.

Talking to Conway Savage is an experience in itself. He describes, in his slurred, softly-spoken drawl, how he taught himself how to play the piano, and later the organ, by ear, having never received any classical training. He has been playing with Nick Cave since 1990, when he joined the band for their Good Son tour: ‘I knew Nick for a few years before that,’ he says, ‘we had mutual friends, but I think the first time I played with Nick was at a wedding reception. We played some Elvis songs together.’

Nick Cave has released fourteen albums under the name Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, so it is hardly surprising that the band have got music-making down to a fine art.

‘Most of us live in different cities, so when we come together we get down to business’ says Savage, who goes on to say that touring also gives them a lot of time to rehearse new songs: ‘It’s intense on tour. We’re together every day.’

There is a very perceptible difference between the music that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds produce and what Conway Savage

turns out. Savage’s music is not as experimental in nature – it is very contemplative and reflective, and has a blues-y, melancholy tone, reminiscent of artists like Willie Nelson. When asked if he finds it difficult to make time for his solo work with his commitments to the Bad Seeds, Savage replies ‘not at all: there’s plenty of time for solo work and, anyway, Nick is a very inspiring person to work with.’

Savage has played a lot of gigs in Ireland over the years. Last year, he spent some time in Tumbleweed Studios in Dundalk, recording some tracks. When asked why he chose Ireland, he explains ‘I was staying with a friend who lived near Dundalk and they were doing up a studio so we just went

Talking to Conway Savage is an experience in itself over there one evening to play some songs.

It was just convenient, really.’ Convenient or not, he plans to return there during his October tour to put some finishing touches to his next album, which will be out early next year.

When asked what he would do if he couldn’t be a musician, Conway jokes ‘I’d be a bass player.’ When he recovers from laughing he continues, ‘I’d probably have a crack at being an artist. I’ve been doing some sketches recently.’ Despite further questioning, he refused to give away anything else.

Conway Savage plays Crawdaddy on 10 October. Check out myspace.com/conwaysavage for further details.

September 30 – October 13 tn2

Funeral for a frontman Funeral For A Friend’s Darran Smith talks to Catriona Gray

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uneral For A Friend are back with a new album, Memory and Humanity, and a new change to their lineup. Earlier this month, it was announced on their MySpace page that bass player and backing vocalist Gareth Davies had left the band and had been replaced with Gavin Burrough. When asked why Davies had left, guitarist Darran Smith explained: “Gareth wanted to bow out, his situation and circumstance had changed a lot, he’d got married to his girlfriend, who was from Vegas, so he was commuting back and forth from there. Then, when we were writing and recording the record, he was spending months and months away from home and… he just found it a bit of a strain really, and decided that he was ready to call it quits at that point.”

The band seems to be fine with the change. Smith said that Burrough “is an old friend of ours, someone we’ve played shows with, been good friends with, we’re from the same area, same sort of sense of humour.

He’s a great player and a great singer: he’s slotted in perfectly. We’ve been rehearsing with him and we’re sounding great, I think, stronger than ever.”

FFAF have had a turbulent year: as if losing Davies wasn’t enough, they also left their record label, Atlantic Records, decid-

Matt Davies stays clear of trailers during Wakestock 2008. Photo: James Gray King

ing instead to go it alone. “We didn’t leave on bad terms or anything, the fact was that the music industry was changing and developing and major labels were losing a lot of money on CD sales because the download

market had become so strong” said Smith.

“It was just one of those situations where they wanted us to do it [renegotiate], but the contract they were offering didn’t fit right for us, so we just decided to leave it

there and give our own label idea a crack. It’s quite an exciting situation and we’re looking forward to seeing how that pans out…..

It gives us a lot more control, obviously it’s a bit more time-consuming, but it’s not as difficult or as daunting a task as you might think.”

To coincide with the release of the new album, FFAF are embarking on another UK tour. “We’re looking forward to coming to Ireland, we always include Ireland when we’re doing our UK tours” says Smith.

“We’ve got amazing fans over there and the Irish shows are always really excellent, so we’re pretty excited.”

With any luck, frontman Matt Davies will have a couple of drinks while in Dublin. “Matt very, very rarely drinks” explains Smith, “but when we were in Omaha, he decided to have a few Jaegermeisters. Seven or eight shots later, he’s totally lost his mind and is just running around the carpark outside and our tour manager’s chasing him, trying to get him back on the bus. In the end, he runs into the back of a trailer and knocks himself out, and our tour manager proceeds to carry him back into the tour bus, almost unconscious.” Sounds less like Funeral For A Friend and more like Funeral For A Frontman.

FFaF play the Academy on 14th October.

This is an interview with a band called Adebisi Shank If you have yet to listen to Adebisi Shank, you should do something about that very soon, says Steven Lydon

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ost people have the impression that the majority of Irish bands are crap. This viewpoint is sadly perpetuated by the wellintentioned ramblings of Hotpress and Phantom FM. Adebisi Shank are Irish, but fortunately have nothing to do with acoustic guitars, J1 summers or stadium rock anthems. They’re also pretty damn good, and not only by national standards. We caught up with Dublin’s finest experimental dancerock trio shortly after their return from touring Japan, where they, no doubt, had to tear themselves away from legions of adoring female fans. Bastards.

“I still find it strange that people like our music,” says guitarist Lars, “seeing as we write pretty much for ourselves first. We just try to have fun with it and hope that tn2

September 30 – October 13

I still find it strange that people like our music, seeing as we write pretty much for ourselves first. We just try to have fun with it and hope that people can dance to it after.

people can dance to it after.” There’s obviously a strong work ethic behind all this fun though – in addition to having Japanese and European tours under their belts they play regularly to a growing fan base across the country.

“Ireland is becoming a great place for instrumental bands. We get a much better response here and in Europe than we do in England. It’s also great to play to new crowds on tour, though it’s more of a challenge.”

Sceptical of the large promotion companies based here, the band release and promote their material through the new Irish independent label The Richter Collective.

It seems like the band is picking up momentum on the back of the music and their live show alone, having gone criminally unmentioned by our own press. Adebisi

court musical complexity without a hint of pretentiousness. This is achieved without needing to sacrifice the dance-ability so crucial to the success of bands like Foals and Battles today. Intricate guitar loops, time signature changes and jagged stop-start dynamics collide face first with dancing on tables, diving into the crowd, and lots of impassioned, sweaty rocking. It’s all totally absurd, and it’s glorious. “I’d say the songs are more intact on record, but I think it’s really important to have fun on stage and give a good performance. It’s what we’d like to see a band doing if we were watching.”

Adebisi Shank’s first album This is the Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank can be picked up in Dublin from Road Records, City Discs and other stores across the country. Make sure you give these guys a listen.

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Gallery Number One on Castle Street.

Photo: Dominique English

A gallery guide Caroline O’Leary takes you on a tour of Dublins’ finest art galleries

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or returning students and Freshers alike, the commencement of the new college term is the signal for escape from home life, much social interaction, some little study and usually plenty of drinking. Many do not bother to venture from the gates of the university, shamelessly ignoring all that the Dublin cultural and arts scene has to offer, particularly the ever-growing art scene. Galleries are ideally suited for students with free admission and even free alcohol at many openings. Dublin is home to an ever-growing number and variety of galleries, with something to cater to all artistic tastes and personalities, just as long as you know where to go.

The first stop for art in Dublin is the National Gallery of Ireland, located in both the original buildings on Merrion Square West and the modern extensions that face onto Clare Street. A five minute walk from Trinity, the Gallery houses over 13,000 works ranging from paintings by artists such as Titian and Caravaggio, to sculpture, prints and objects d’art. The NGI offers something for everyone, with an enormous permanent collection and regular exhibitions, which in the last year have included showings of Jack Butler Yeats’ “circus themed” works and an amazing collection of beautiful classic and complex modern Polish works. Especially worth viewing is the famous Caravaggio painting “The Taking of Christ” and Vermeer’s “Lady writing a Letter with her

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Maid”. A personal favorite in this gallery is William Fredrick Burton’s beautiful and emotional “Meeting on the Turret Stairs”, which is only available to view by appointment, but which is well worth seeing if the opportunity arises.

The Hugh Lane Gallery, also known as the Dublin City Gallery, contains over 2,000 of Ireland’s most impressive modern and contemporary works. The Gallery has a rich history behind it, with founder Sir Hugh Lane originally establishing it in 1908 as Ireland’s first Municipal Gallery of Modern Art to house his own immense collection. This came in the wake of government refusal to fund a National Gallery, which prompted W.B Yeats to write his famous poem “September 1913” as a response and condemnation. Now housed in Charlemont House on Parnell Square North, the Gallery boasts works from the 1900s to the modern day, ranging from such illustrious artists as Manet, Degas, Renoir and Monet, to contemporary works such Julian Opie’s “Walking on O’Connell Street” light installations, featured on O’Connell Street for the past several months. Especially significant to this Gallery is the reconstruction of Francis Bacon’s studio, which was bequeathed to the Gallery after the artist’s death. The room contains everything from paint tubes to utensils, sticks of pastel, cans of spray paint and roller sponges, as well as pieces of corduroy trousers and cashmere jumpers

used by the artist to add textures to paintings. This room offers an amazing insight into Bacon as an artist, an innovator and a character and is well worth the visit, even if only to see the amazing chaos for yourself.

A far more recent addition to the Irish art scene is the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), which only opened in 1991 but has rapidly grown to contain over 4,500 works.

Located in Kilmainham (near Heuston Station), the gallery requires a little bit of travel to reach but is well worth the visit. Unlike the NGI or the Hugh Lane, IMMA features only works created after the 1940’s and, as well as modern paintings and sculpture, also features more interactive exhibits such as video installations, stained glass and large scale constructions by acclaimed artists such as Damien Hirst, Dorothy Cross and Gilbert and George. The sheer scale, complexity and original quality of the works are dazzling and stimulate the viewer to think about the diversity of modern art and how far it has evolved from simple painting and sculpture (even if you don’t always understand exactly what the artist is trying to convey).

As well as the major galleries, Dublin offers a multitude of smaller and more select galleries all over the city. These galleries tend to be more specific, a little funkier and a little more fun than their larger counterparts. Gallery Number One, located on Castle Street, focuses on more diverse

modern areas such as pop culture, satirical cartoons and has just wrapped up a fascinating exhibition by Patty Herst, former wife of both Beatle George Harrison and singer Eric Clapton, whose photographs featured both these spouses as well as other famous contemporises, in addition to capturing the 60s and 70s music scene in all its revolutionary glory.

In contrast, the Bad Art Gallery on Francis Street features particularly eclectic and fun, colourful works, such as the new exhibition by Lucy Doyle, whose work features vivid bright colours and intricate designs that are inspired by fairy tales such as “The Princess and the Pea” and “Bluebeard”. Just down the road from this on Francis Street is the Monster Truck Gallery, which again caters to another niche by displaying installations and conceptual constructions that vary from the beautiful to the bizarre but are always intriguing.

It is even possible to enjoy art without leaving the college grounds. Trinity College’s own Douglas Hyde Gallery is located just off the arts block and features hugely varied but select works from artists as acclaimed as Martin Creed, winner of the 2001 Turner Prize.

No matter what your interests, then, or how far you are willing to walk, Dublin has something to cater to all. It’s just a matter of putting the can of Bavaria down and venturing out beyond the Pav. September 30– October 13 tn2

The great hunger political awareness of the masses, and this, in turn, led them to see the cinematographic capacity for documenting reproduction of processes taking place in a real space-time continuum as the essentially characteristic new possibilities of film within the context of a generally transformed conception of art.”

Steve McQueen, an English artist, has been making films since 1994. It was the film Prey which was displayed at the Tate when

ate of Chelsea, Goldsmiths and the Tisch School of Arts in New York in 1994, his star was in the ascendancy when he picked up the prestigious ICA Futures award in 1996.

To complement his Turner, he was awarded an OBE in 2002 cementing his position as part of both the cultural and indeed political establishment. McQueen has represented Britain twice at Documenta art show in Kassel. Achieving all this before he was thirty five years of age, McQueen may have been wondering what was left to achieve.

Since the early experimental work of Catch in 1994, where the artist tosses a running video camera back and forth between himself and his sister, his work has become increasingly sophisticated. Alongside Catch, the 16mm film Just above my head investigates the relationship between the repre-

for discovery by alien species, the mission’s payload included audio recordings of a phenomenon known as glassolalia, or speaking in tongues. McQueen’s 1999 Prey seems to reflect this mission, with his own message for the heavens and its own equally indecipherable soundtrack.

By 2002 McQueen had produced two works which seem to indicate a movement to more documenatary form and subject matter. In the South African mines McQueen shot Western Deep, a meditation on the black workers and their conditions of work in a notoriously cruel environment.

Carrib’s Leap, shot in Grenada - where McQueen’s family come from - depicts falling bodies to represent the suicides of the indigenous people when faced with capture by the invading colonial French.

he won the Turner prize in 1999. It would seem oxymoronic then that McQueen walked away from Cannes this year with an award for best new director, for Hunger his portrait of the IRA hunger strikes of the early 1980s. The truth is, however, that “art” films and mainstream cinema have become so divorced, that a film aimed at the general population is an entirely different animal from any film, even award winning ones, projected in an art museum or gallery.

Reviewing McQueen’s career to date, it is possible to trace a development which, in hindsight, makes his move to a full scale cinematic format seem inevitable. A gradu-

sentation of physical activity, the framing of subject matter and its presentation – all fundamental questions of the cinematic form.

1999’s Prey depicts a tape recorder ascending to the sky attached to a white balloon. A soundtrack of tap dancing feet plays directly from the tape recorder and as the balloon ascends the sound becomes increasingly distant. The piece seems to make sense in the context of another of McQueens works from 2002 , Once upon a time, where he projects a series of 116 images which were sent into space aboard the Voyager II spacecraft in the 1970s. Intended

In turning his hand to mainstream commercial cinema, McQueen attempts to transform art in a political manner, and cinema moves closer to the ambitions of its pioneers. In the light of his continued success at the forefront of British and international art and as a young black man with an OBE, Steve McQueen’s choice of Bobby Sands hunger strike as filmic subject seems a sublimely inspired choice. The critics agree. Alongside his Camera D’or from Cannes, the film has picked up the Sydney Film Festival prize and the press award at the Toronto Film Festival.

Hunger is in cinemas from 31 October.

Since winning a Turner, Steve McQueen has successfully moved himself from art to the mainstream, says Conor O’Kelly

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s long as there have been moving pictures, there have been artists using the form in their practice.

Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, Dali, Andy Warhol and Matthew Barney are some of the standout names, but in truth many of the most influential artists of the 20th century at one point or another used film or video in their work. In recent times, these works have often been discussed in the context of their “sculptural” qualities - a term

Steve McQueen (second from right)

which provides a frame of reference for film within the traditional plastic arts and also one appropriate to the three dimensional qualities of filmic images.

It was not always this way. As Benjamin H.D. Buchloch notes in his discussion of that titan of American art, Richard Serra, the early champions of cinema saw film as a medium which could transform art itself: “The truly revolutionary film artists of the period, such as Les Kuleshov and Dziga Vertov, saw the purpose and promise of the new medium not primarily in aesthetic, let alone in sculptural terms, but in its potential as an enlightening instrument in educating the

The National Gallery A series of free talks on Irish and European artists. All talks take place in the Lecture Theatre, on Tuesdays at 10.30am and Sundays at 3.00pm. Log on to www.nationalgallery.ie for topics.

Lucy Doyle Solo show of the artist’s works at the Bad Art Gallery, Francis Street (until 9 October).

The Diary tn2

September 30– October 13

Jack B. Yeats in the National Gallery Highlights of some of the artists from The Model Arts and Niland Gallery in Sligo (until 30 November 2008).

David Godbold Art, Drugs and Prayer exhibition at the Kerlin Gallery, South Anne Street (until the 18 September).

Verne Dawson The Paradise, 5 new works by the artist in Trinity College’s Douglas Hyde Gallery (until 18 September).

Stained Glass Room Exhibition of the Hugh Lane Gallery’s collection of stained glass artwork including Harry Clarke’s The Eve of St Agnes (continues until 19 December 2008).

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The ascent of British Sea Power British Sea Power’s Noble (Martin to his mum) discusses festival curation, new material from the band and giant fish with Tim Smyth

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bout a fortnight before the winner of the Mercury Prize is announced, British Sea Power’s Noble has other things on his mind. Though the maverick pastoral-rockers are among the favourites for the gong, the multi-instrumentalist has a festival to run. However, given BSP’s interest in all things bucolic and surreal, it promises to make Electric Picnic seem little more than a cider-fuelled sing-along by a campfire.

“Yeah, really what we’re doing at the moment is getting things together for our own little festival,” he enthuses. “It’s called ‘Sing Ye From the Hillsides’ and it’s a mixture of music and general activities – there’s going to be husky-racing and falconry and it’s happening at the tallest pub in England [Tan Hill, Yorkshire, which is 1,732 above sea level]. One of the barmen was in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the loudest human voice, so what we’re probably going to do is have him judge a loudest voice competition where everyone goes up a hill and literally sings ‘Ye’ from the hillsides.

We’ll be playing three shows at it – the first night’ll be a mellow one, then we’ll do a proper one on Saturday. Sunday we’re playing the live soundtrack to a documentary made in the 1930s called Man of Aran.

Well, it’s not really a documentary, because most of it was made up. I mean there’s this massive scene where these fishermen are bashing up a basking shark, even though they hadn’t fished for them for about fifty

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years. About half the stuff we’ll be playing is new music and for the shark scene we’ve got this 12-minute jam with whale noises on the guitar. It’s like ‘Sister Ray’ but with a giant fish.”

I see. Is it a headache getting all these things together for it? “Well, it’s mainly a

We wanted to show that anything can be rock music – not just skulls and dice

headache for our manager, really.” It should hopefully be clear by this point that BSP are not like most other bands – and they’ve been that way from the start. The wrenching guitars, Shakespeare-quoting lyrics and heart-on-sleeve sincerity of 2003’s debut The Decline of British Sea Power made virtually everything else that year look positively anaemic. Elsewhere, earth-shattering live

shows – complete with crowd invasions, marauding bears and the 20-minute “Rock in A” – quickly cemented their reputation as a band to watch. However, Noble looks back on the earlier shows as being somewhat incomplete.

“I suppose part of it’s because I get kind of panicky when there’s loads of guitar and our first album was really driven by a guitarheavy sound. I mean we had one song – ‘The Lonely’ – which I think we played about six times in total up to about this year because we had e-bows and pianos and loads of extras on the record, whereas the whole thing came across a bit thin live. Now that we’ve got Philly (Phil Sumner, cornet and keyboards) and Abi (Fry, violist and sometime musician with Bat for Lashes) to fill things out, we’re all just so much more pleased with how it sounds on stage.

It’s not just their live sound that’s been souped up. This year’s spellbinding third offering Do You Like Rock Music? is a roaring return to origins. 2005’s sophomore LP Open Season was a streamlined and glossy affair and, while unanimously hailed by critics, it drew fire from some fans for being too polished. Things got even more difficult when US radio banned single “Please Stand Up” and when keyboardist Eamon departed to give more time to his own project, Brakes.

Perhaps all of these trials and tribulations are what lend Do You Like Rock Music? its raucous sense of urgency and defiance.

From the blitz attack of opener “Lights Out

For Darker Skies” to the soaring, sweeping pro-immigration anthem “Waving Flags,” it’s a raw, life-affirming cacophony of an album. At the time they were recording it, though, it felt, to a great extent, like business as usual.

“Well, I mean, all we did was get all the bits together that you have and try to make the best of it,” he answers when I ask him if the band felt they were on to something special with this set of songs. “Our producer Graham Sutton really deserves the credit for bringing it all together. We were consciously going for something more raucous, something with a more live feel to it. I suppose the biggest innovation was having Phil in the studio. He just puts his cornet through all these effects and it just comes out sounding massive. I suppose it’s a bit like Brian Wilson mashing together all those instruments on Pet Sounds and coming out with something entirely new. As for the material... well, really we just stole the best bits.

For instance there’s one part on ‘The Great Skua’ I nicked from Bach...”

On the level of songwriting, DYLRM? is a much more collaborative effort. Though the main duties are shared between brothers Yan (Scott Wilkinson, vocals and guitar) and Hamilton (Neil Wilkinson, bass and guitar), Yan’s cuts have taken up most of the tracks on their previous two albums. Here, though, Hamilton’s voice dominates.

“I suppose it can look that way on the surface,” Noble concedes, “but if you look at all September 30– October 13 tn2

of our songs – including the ones not on any of the albums – you’ll notice that it’s been about 50/50 between both of them. One had less pressure on him because he was used to it and then the other was just rising to the challenge.”

Given the sheer number of musical templates the band draw on, it’s not surprising to learn that they’ve done a lot of moving about in the last year. Known for taking live shows to odd locations (including underground to Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall), they carried the same principle to recording.

“You see, we were just so sick of recording in London,” he reveals. “We’d done that for the last two albums and really it’s just such an impersonal experience. You just go to the studio all day and record, then you’re back to your hotel in the evening. You never feel like you’re actually in a place. So basically we took ourselves off to a cottage in the New Forest, a water tower in Sussex and a place called Fort Trentangle in Cornwall.

There wasn’t really a whole lot done – it was a bit of cheap fun and a holiday to be out of London. We got ‘Canvey Island’ in the bag – we all wrote a bit – but that was all. We did a bit in the Czech Republic, too, but things really took off when we got to Montréal. Partly we wanted to go there because of what we’d heard coming out of Hotel 2 Tango (Harold Bilerman and Godspeed mainman Efrim Menuck’s recording studio) and partly because we wanted to take in what was going tn2

September 30– October 13

on in the scene over there.”

Since getting out of the studio, the touring has been both relentless and rewarding, with the band scoring slots in the TV with David Letterman, Jools Holland and, er, Countryfile. Presumably they saved their enthusiasm about Colonel Montgomery and marine birdlife for the latter, though.

But other than taking time off to record video diaries for rural interest programmes, they’re not a band to stay still for very long.

“We had a US tour there a few months ago – went really well, I have to say, but this thing of breaking America is a bit of a misnomer. You don’t really go over there to do that. You head over more to build a profile than anything else. It’s like starting over again, so it takes a while to establish a base.

It’s the same as when we were getting going in the UK. It took about four or five tours before anyone knew who we were. But it was fun anyway – we played so many different places. I’m really looking forward to the next leg of the tour as well. The songs are coming together great in rehearsal. We’re coming back to Ireland again this year and we always have a great time when we head there. I mean we sort of unpack, decide to go for a drink and, well, that’s about it really.

I think the first time we played there about fifteen people turned up...”

When the touring’s out of the way, there’s already talk of another set of recording sessions. “Yeah, everyone’s just gagging to get back into the studio with all their little bits.

We’re trying to find a good place in Sussex to do a bit there. We’re hoping to spend about six months in our own studio, and this time we’ll go for a completely different approach.

There’ll be a lot more studio layering, and probably less of a live feel to it all. Yan loves to blend loads of things to white noise – he

Yan comes up with these massive cacophonies that are like nothing I’ve ever heard before. We’ll probably do a lot more of those on the next album

just comes up with these massive cacophonies that are like nothing I’ve ever heard before. We’ll probably do a lot more of those on the next album.”

Joking aside, though, both the music and lyrics reveal a band who takes its work seriously. The out-and-out force of its title and the lengthy manifesto in its liner notes only underline that fact.

“I suppose we do take it seriously on one level, because you want what you write to mean something. It’s sort of about translating those intense experiences you get on your own to a group setting, without it all ending up sounding like you’re just dicking around with your mates. You just wind up coming across like Goldie Lookin Chain that way.

I guess the title sums up what we’re about on this record more than anything.

I mean, before now we still tried not to include things that you wouldn’t find in your average, clichéd rock song, but we took it a bit further this time. We wanted our record to provoke people into asking themselves, ‘what is rock music?’ and then show them how it can be so much more than it is. We wanted to show that anything can be rock music – not just skulls and dice.

In lots of ways, it’s the record I’m the most proud of, and it’s probably the record that relates most to the present day. There’s a lot of dark stuff going on at the moment, but there’s a lot to be hopeful about too. It’s about seeing both those and still managing to celebrate what’s ‘rock music’ about it all.”

Deep stuff, but no-one says it with as much unpretentious passion as British Sea Power.

As Yan sings on “Atom”, “I’ll be the first to admit this is a bright but haunted age.” Do I like rock music? As long as BSP are involved, oh, yes, I do.

British Sea Power play Belfast’s Mandela Hall tonight.

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The best reads of a bad summer Rebecca Long on some of the summer’s literary highlights

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think it was Henry James who once remarked that the two most beautiful words in the English language were ‘summer afternoon.’ Well, yes, he may have had a point, but it all depends on the weather now, doesn’t it? Here’s what we’ve been reading over the break, on those aforementioned ‘beautiful’ summer afternoons and, indeed, the rainy ones that so very nearly outnumbered them.

Travel book slash food bible ‘Hungry for Paris’ by Alexander Lobrano certainly satisfied our eyes if not our stomachs, it being the ‘ultimate guide’ to the city’s 102 best restaurants. In ‘Hamburger America,’ which, surprisingly, was more than an homage to the hot sandwich of the title, diner proprietor Joe Meers told us ‘happy cows taste better.’

Quite.

Political book ‘The Race Card’ by Stanford law professor Richard Thompson explored why the post civilrights situation is such a highly charged one and proved extremely relevant in a summer which saw race become a major part of the American presidential race.

In the realm of thrillers, ‘Chasing Darkness’ by Robert Crais stood out from the crowd with its insightful, gritty descriptions of modern L.A. ‘Out,’ Natsuo Kirino’s tale of

four Tokyo housewives who band together when one of them murders her abusive husband, guaranteed that you’ll never look at a plate of curry in the same way again.

In Don Robertson’s reissued 1960s classic ‘The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread,’ 9 year old Morris Bird III set out on a walk across Cleveland to visit his best friend with a dollar, a jar of peanut butter, an alarm clock, a map, a compass and - to his great annoyance – his little sister Sandra.

Things got distinctly metafictional in Melanie Watt’s ‘Chester,’ with the red felt tipped marker-wielding cat of the title driv-

Natsuo Kirino’s ‘Out’ guaranteed that you’ll never look at a plate of curry in the same way again. ing his owner to the point of distraction, editing her manuscript about the life of a mouse with often hilarious results. In a similar vein, ‘Who Can Save Us Now?’ saw superheroes old and new climb down from billboards and abandon the silver screen to tell editors Owen King and John McNally their humorous, eerie, dark and oddly enough joyful stories.

So, it was a summer of superheroes, cats, food and good books, then. Oh yes, and rain as well, of course.

A sort of book Rebecca Long revisits Tove Jansson’s ‘The Summer Book’

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ove Jansson may be best known for the Scandinavian surrealism of her Moomin books but, with this poignant and evocative account of summers spent in the Gulf of Finland, she established herself as a principal writer of fiction. ‘The Summer Book’ has never been out of print in Scandinavia since 1972 and was her favourite of the books she wrote for adults. For a people who spend so much of the year in the dark, its allure is obvious.

The structure of the novel itself echoes the passing of the months of summer during the years spent by the main characters – Sophia, her father and her grandmother – on their small island home. The intricate, understated way in which they get along become the basis for a series of insightful

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observations on youth, old age, memory, nature and the delicate balance between life and death.

The microcosmic world of the island becomes all the more vivid and authentic when we realise that it is based on a real island discovered by Jansson and her brother in 1947. They built a house on it, to which Jansson would return until she was 71.

In the novel, she finds inspiration in the bare rock of the island; her surroundings become the setting for a series of endearing, thought-provoking episodes. The night Sophia spends alone in her father’s tent provokes her grandmother’s memories of her own youth and leads her to question the relevance and meaning of her experiences in a world that has changed so much. Dur-

The microcosmic world of the island becomes all the more vivid and authentic when we realise that it is based on a real island discovered

by Jansson and her brother in 1947.

ing the salvage operation that takes place on Midsummer Eve nothing is ‘simply lost’ and we realise that the core meaning of the novel speaks towards a harmony and a peace which even Grandmother herself can only barely recognize.

The relationship between Sophia and her grandmother lies at the heart of the book, with the older woman’s brusque, gruff humour illuminating the self contained world the girl inhabits. They share a fierce yet understated love and it is their respect for each other’s desire for independence which ultimately draws them so close. Jansson tells a deeply life-affirming story which speaks of an understanding and a love that not only encompasses the island but somehow originates within it.

September 30 – October 13 tn2

A more progressive pilgrim Jean Morley talks to award-winning Irish writer Mícheál de Barra

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uying ‘An Bóthar go Santiago’ felt strange. It was two years since I had read my last Irish book; a dogeared volume on the morning of my Leaving Cert. paper two Irish exam.

Even stranger was the concept of a guidebook. Sure, I could deal with the Irish, scanning a page for familiar-looking words. But relying on the language to guide me up a mountain? Ní dóigh liom é.

Luckily, Mícheál de Barra uses easy vocab and enjoyable subject matter to create the unimaginable – a great summer read in Irish.

His mixture of guidebook and diary form has proved a winning formula. Since publication last year, the book has been shortlisted for the Oireachtas Leabhar na Bliana Prize and The Glen Dimplex New Writers Award, winning the Irish language category in the latter. Remaining in bestseller lists for eight months after publication, it gained considerable media attention in the process. But his greatest achievement of all, perhaps, is that de Barra keeps things simple.

Out are swan-children and banshees in favour of a personal narrative to which people can relate. An “ordinary Joe Soap” approaching his sixties, Mícheál writes about walking the Camino. The 800km trek stretches across Northern Spain and has long been associated with pilgrimage. But before you mention Paolo Coelho and start muttering incantations, de Barra keeps things real. “I try not to write confessional stuff really. I’m a very private person.”

The result is a depersonalised diary which, instead of penetrating one man’s mind, invites the reader to explore his environment. By choosing to write in the present tense, de Barra pushes us into the moment.

Individual actions are rigorously described, each small experience recounted. “Bualim….cloisim…tugaim …” We can experience the Camino, the mountains, the hostels, the baggage, without a sense of judgement on

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September 30 – October 13

Mícheál crossing the bridge at Hosptial de Óbrigo

de Barra’s part.

What’s most inviting about the book is the writer’s treatment of language – he criticises all things flowery. “It’s fine in Mills and Boon, but, really, I think it’s quite offputting”. He goes on to laugh at one famous writer, who was fervent that really good Irish shouldn’t be understood. “I don’t like that kind of thing. It’s as if writers throw in every word they know, deliberately making things complicated.” In fact, de Barra suggests, there is too much emphasis on poetry.

“If you go into an Irish-language bookshop, most of the books involve poems. There’s a huge need for a cookery book, a guidebook or a simple novel that someone will read from start to finish”.

Inspired by this desire to make Irish functional, de Barra constructed his book as a guide. Broken down into daily stages and displaying a kilometre grid at the start of each day, it’s a handy reference for walkers.

It includes a glossary of Spanish terms and a section with practical advice.

But for a man so focused on practicality, why write in Irish at all? Surely being a writer is difficult enough, without choosing a minority language? If I’m expecting a typical Gaeilgeoir rant, his reply is disappointingly simple. “Languages are muscles which dry up and die, but I wanted to keep up the language. As I’m not a native speaker, writing Irish forced me to think.” De Barra used a diary dictaphone abroad, collecting snippets in Irish, Spanish and English. It was only the act of writing up the ideas when he got home, in addition to his wife’s advice, which prompted him to consider having it published. “I didn’t set out with purposes of financial gain, so it was a shock to have such success”.

This admiration of knowledge for knowledge’s sake is what drives de Barra to write.

The book was an opportunity to delve into

history, documenting late-medieval pilgrimage to the present day. But, the confessed ‘lover of facts’ never loses the reader.

Injecting piety with humour and finding an Irish connection, his Father-Ted technique makes reading fun. Although creating an interesting oversight of Irish-Spanish relations, including the mass emigration following the Battle of Kinsale, De Barra’s individual stories are priceless.

Even Trinity College has Camino credentials. Not only is it built on the site of a medieval pilgrimage hostel, it was also home to a true Camino eccentric. Walter Starkie was Trinity’s fist Professor of Spanish and was famous for his gypsy lifestyle. He walked the route at least three times between 1920 and 1950, a time when very few people were interested in the walk.

But pilgrimage is not a matter of historical trivia; it’s a universal concept in which people still believe. Although not dominated by visions of hell, thousands walk the route each year. De Barra suggest that it’s an increasing fad and I’m prompted to ask him why. “No matter what year you decide to look at, there’s a sense of metaphor at work. For many, the journey of a pilgrim stands for the journey of life. But still,” de Barra laughs, “I could never go back to the past. No, I wouldn’t even have liked to live in Dickensian times, in spite of the Christmas-card scenes. Cities were dirty, people got sick and the lower classes were less than slaves.”

Mícheál de Barra is a writer for now, then.

He’s making Irish useful in contemporary life and, in doing so, leading an Irish literary renaissance.

De Barra’s next book, ‘Gaeil i dTír na nGaucho: Scéal na nÉireannach san Airgintín (1522-1983)’ – an insightful look at the Irish influence in Argentina, including that of Mr Chè-Guevara Lynch – is currently undergoing publication.

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The little black dress From Hepburn to housewives, the LBD is astonishingly versatile. In fact, it may well be the fashion holy grail, suggests Bridget English

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he must have piece, the one item of clothing that will carry you through every occasion, be it a night you may not remember in a Temple Bar hovel, a dinner with family or a day of lectures: the ultimate fashion fall-back. No such piece you say? The fable of the college wardrobe? Have faith dear freshers, it’s not a myth.

A little over a year ago, in preparation for what was sure to be the most fun, most exciting but most daunting year of my young life, I threw away the no-thought uniform which had carried me through six years of Loreto days, and began to plot the “college wardrobe.”

While many of those “it” pieces lie abandoned at the back of my closet, and many have failed to venture into the light of day, a few have carried me through all of the above situations.

It may be a cliché but trust me when I say that Holly Golightly had the right idea - the Little Black Dress is the tried and tested must-have piece season after season. Mine, a Topshop purchase that is undoubtedly one of my favourite ever finds, has become the staple of my college existence. Satin, high necked, and seductively backless, it can be dressed down with flats, tights and a fitted blazer (menswear is where it’s at for Autumn/Winter) or teamed with heels and some eye-catching jewellery for the aforementioned Temple Bar adventure. It has been carted around Dublin and back, and has never failed to make me feel flirty, feminine and fabulous.

It may be twelve months later but I still have big plans for my LBD – this season it is the perfect blank canvas to the statement accessories we saw on catwalks from Paris to New York. Think feature necklaces (goth-

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like at Givenchy or a little more reserved at Philip Lim), vintage brooches (60s demure à la Mad Men) and jewel toned tights (Proenza Schuler did it best with mustards, pinks and purples).

For Autumn/Winter ‘08, the LBD is all about lace. Whether you are following the goth trend or just hoping for something a little sophisticated and understated, this latest incarnation of the little black dress is flexible, while remaining classic, and is sure to be something you’ll wear with pride for seasons to come.

Mine, a Topshop purchase that is undoubtedly one of my favourite ever finds, has become the staple of my college existence.

Nobody understands more than a Trinity fashionista how hard it is to walk down Grafton Street without a quick detour into BT, Ted Baker or A-wear. Trust me when I say that many of your lecture-free hours will be lost to such pursuits, and while I am certainly no Baz Luhrmann, if I had one piece of advice (sunscreen aside) this season, and every season, it would be to pick your pieces carefully.

Look for pieces that are timeless, wellmade and versatile. Pick something you know you’ll happily wear years later and won’t make you cringe when pictures of

your college days are still flittering around Facebook. If you’re shopping on the high street (and I think it’s safe to assume that most of us students are) you’re bound to run into at least one person who has the same jeans/shoes/top, or most vexing of all, the same dress. The trick is to make it your own outfit; be it with cute accessories, a few alterations or maybe just a killer attitude, make sure to carry it with a healthy dose of originality!

Whilst it will certainly be one of your most daunting challenges to come up with something charming and different every single day (and even more than that – as even Citi Bar deserves a night time look), and there will inevitably be days when it is tempting to throw on some O’Neills, a hoodie and forget you’ve ever even read a copy of Vogue, this daily routine is also one of the most fun opportunities to show your new class mates who you are. Self expression has never looked so good!

September 30 – October 13 tn2

Fashion for Freshers Starting your first year of college is going to present a number of challenges, and fashion is no exception, writes Ana Kinsella

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hether or not you’ve spent the last six years in uniform, the prospect of choosing the clothes in which to parade yourself in front of legions of strangers is definitely a daunting one, but here are some quick pointers to help you find your feet.

Work with shapes and silhouettes that you are comfortable with and that suit you – for example, skinny jeans with a belted trench coat, or pencil skirts with a chunky jumper. This means you can spend less time choosing your outfit in the morning.

Invest in a good coat for the winter. This doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive, as shops like Topshop, H&M and Zara will be filled with coats in a host of shapes and colours. Look for a neutral colour in good quality material and make sure the fit allows you to wear layers underneath it without looking overly bulky.

If this is your first time in Dublin, make sure to look past the range of basic high street apparel. Look out for occasional jumble sales or vintage clothes events, details of which can be found in event listings or online. Cows Lane Market in Temple Bar, as

well as various markets in the suburbs, can be great opportunities to pick up unique items at low prices.

If you’re going to blow your money on one thing, make it a good quality, large bag for your books and gear for college. On the high street, Urban Outfitters and Topshop consistently have a good selection of large, durable bags at reasonable prices whilst Brown Thomas stocks more upscale bags from the likes of Marc Jacobs, Prada and Miu Miu, all of which have a great range of college-size bags on offer this season.

If you’re rushing out of the house in the morning or just have a bit of a sore head after the night before, grab some cute accessories to add a splash of individuality to an otherwise generic outfit. Look for hair bands, bows, chunky necklaces, vintage belts or a colourful ribbon, and there’s no need to play down shoes and bags – essential needn’t mean boring.

Personally, my back-to-school musthaves are a leather bomber, a Miu Miu satchel, pencil skirts & tights and a pair of sturdy Chanel motorcycle boots – well, a girl can dream, right?

Trinity Fashion Almanac Now that you’re free from the sartorial straitjacket that is a school uniform, it’s time for you to prepare your wardrobe for the fun-filled year ahead, says Tara O’Connor

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September 30 – October 13

Michaelmas Term

Hilary Term

Trinity Term

Start Trinity Ball dress shopping now: Over eager as it may seem, the best bargains are to be had now. Keep an eagle eye on the end of summer sale racks for classic, simple formal dresses that can be dressed up with on-trend accessories for summer 2009. Not only will you save a packet but you’ll avoid seeing your dress on somebody else on the night.

Best foot forward: Spring-time brings some seriously slippery cobbles, so keep heels low and with plenty of grip. Ballet pumps would seem like the obvious choice but from my experience, by the end of the day they are like Newcastlewest on a bad day – flooded. Invoke the current folk trend and pair cute fringed boots with some trusty Wolfords.

Get your study on: With exams looming, have your library threads at the ready. However, this does not mean borrowing your boyfriend’s grey Canterbury sweat pants. If you want a first in the fashion stakes, stick to boyfriend-style jeans and some layered tank tops for this term.

In the Bag: Finally, you can throw away that awful Jansport backpack with your friends’ names written all over it in TippEx, and get yourself something stylish and functional. A good bag will be your most important investment this year. The trick is to combine style with practicality, so look out for A4-sized totes and shoppers with zip tops to keep your notes dry (Orla Kiely does some great patent printed versions).

Try splashing out on a classic leather bag in brown or black, which will only look better when a little worn-in and will last for years; or pick up a few snazzy, patterned or bright bargains on the high street – matching bag with outfit is so Victoria Beckham, and will make those who lug the same bag around every day blend into the background.

Wrap up warm: Following your mother’s advice to wrap up warm may keep you snug in the dungeon-like libraries but will inevitably leave you doing a sweaty strip-tease in front of the whole lecture theatre each morning after your dash from the Luas. So to keep cool and comfortable, avoid cheap synthetic knits and layer natural fibres like cotton or cashmere (if you’re feeling flush) instead. A combo of vest-top, t-shirt, cardigan and scarf will have you mastering the layered look – plus adding and taking away can give you a whole new morning-to-afternoon-to-evening-at-the-Pav look. Fingerless gloves are a must too; they may not be the most toasty of garments but they make finding change in your purse a considerably less stressful experience.

Have a Ball: The Trinity Ball is the biggest event of the term and the year. Unfortunately, it requires a certain amount of thought to combine formal dressing with being in what is effectively a music festival. There’s a lot of walking and dancing involved, so whatever shoes you wear, make sure that they’re comfortable. If you’re a guy, it’s probably best to hire a tuxedo, it’s works out a lot cheaper than buying an expensive tux and with the amount of people waving lit cigarettes and pints of beer about, the chances of it surviving the evening unscathed are slim. The most important thing to remember is this: it’s the Trinity Ball, Europe’s biggest private party. No-one else can go, so make the most of it. Dress up, look stylish, but don’t break the bank over your outfit.

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Burlesque: exploitation or empowerment?

Kathy Clarke talks to Sara Colohan of The Tassel Club

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urlesque is back (well, actually it’s been back for a few years now, I’m just not sure we noticed). The new burlesque, while parading and shimmying around in the guise of the old style introduced by performers such as Lydia Thompson and Pauline Markham in the 1860s and 70s, is reported to be remarkably different and closer to performance art than it is to striptease.

The sine qua non of this new subversive form is the idea that the focus should be on the tease as opposed to the strip. According to its proponents, this performance of sexuality and the self-awareness of the performer that goes with it, mean that the burlesque artist can no longer be seen as an object for male fantasy; rather, she is liberated and empowered through the expression of her sexuality – a sexuality independent of men.

Neoburlesque, as it is called, has become extremely popular all over the world, demonstrated by the rise of stars like Dita Von Teese. The Tassel Club, founded by Sara Colohan in 2003, is the leading club in Ireland. According to Sara it is almost entirely made up of bored a n d

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frustrated office workers who like to let loose and do something creative at the weekend. When asked if she thought burlesque to be empowering for women, she described how performers at the club come off stage feeling “charged” by the experience of performing to a live audience. They find it very liberating to remove the restrictions and boundaries of society (perhaps represented by clothing).

While some might find it liberating to let loose and bare all, how is burlesque – even in its new form – any different from stripping?

Colohan argues that it is almost impossible to compare the two, one being about money and an exchange of power, the other being simply an expression of female sexuality, a female sexuality that has been treated like a dark horse in the past and been somewhat sidelined by the feminist agenda. Strippers are interchangeable while neo-burlesque performers possess individuality and a voice, infusing political satire and gender commentary into their performances.

Feminist opposition to Colohan’s view, that state of dress should have no bearing whatsoever on one’s feminist stance, is grounded in the idea that half-naked women will not be seen as thinking human beings.

Their point is not a weak one – how often do we see men dancing around in their undies, claiming power? While the audience of burlesque may have changed – both women and men alike attend Tassel Club shows – the performers are still generally female. At a time when men still primarily hold positions of economic and political power in society and women are the only ones running around in their skivvies, it is difficult for the latter to claim to have any real power.

Sexual freedom is only one kind of freedom, and it’s not the only women’s issue worth our attention. By all means shake it, but it doesn’t mean you’re free. In a country where abortion remains illegal and pay inequality still exists, there’s still plenty of ground to gain.

Details of coming events by The Tassel Club at www.thetasselclub.com.

Photo: James Blakely

September 30 – October 13 tn2

The Dublin Theatre Festival 2008 Oonagh Murphy picks out some of the highlights of the upcoming festival

Black Watch is based on interviews with soldiers who served in Iraq. Photo: Manuel Harlan

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hen attempting a run-down of what to see at the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival, the highlights are so abundant that it could prove more constructive to write about what not to see. The programme of what is fast being recognised as one of the leading theatre festivals in Europe reads like a Michelin-star menu of theatrical titbits and sensory sweetbreads.

And, like the exclusivity of a Michelin-star restaurant, the most often-uttered complaint in relation to the festival is not the quality but the price. Tickets can be expensive, but of course costs cover not only high production values, but also the cost of bringing such shows to a sea-locked nation often for their European premiere.

Perhaps the best way, then, to decide what to see in the coming two weeks, is to focus on things you might never see again.

That’s not to say that home-grown theatre should be ignored. Some of the best shows listed below are from Irish theatre companies, but more than likely these shows will tour or play for longer in Dublin theatres. If your budget stretches to just a few shows, then rather than lament the effect of the credit crunch on your travel plans, see the

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September 30 – October 13

best of international theatre in Dublin now.

The start of your journey should be Isango/Portobello Theatre Company’s production of The Magic Flute, which relocates Mozart’s magical and mysterious kingdom to colourful South Africa. The iconic opera proved popular this season with revivals by the D.I.T. Conservatory of Music and Drama and by Lyric Opera at the National Concert Hall. This production consciously draws on the magic and music of the township setting, swaying seamlessly between Vienna and Cape Town. Such a mixture of Western and African musical traditions will no doubt provoke debate and critical acclaim and judging by its reception on London stages earlier this year and its Lawrence Olivier Award 2008 for Best Musical Revival and the Theatre Goers Choice Award, The Magic Flute is a must-see.

Another revival of a classic text is Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis which is presented

by Vesturport Theatre of Iceland and Lyric Hammersmith. The theatrically explosive tale of a boy who turns into a dung beetle requires new measures each time to justify its restaging. It is Borkur Jonsson’s gravity defying split-level set which promises to provide a new vertigo-inducing lens for

the dizzying surrealist tale. With an original score by musician and lyricist Nick Cave, the production will no doubt bring the necessary poignancy and humour to one of the most enduring tales of the alienation of modern man.

Belgian company Victoria and Tim Etchells’ collaborative piece, That Night Follows Day, stands out in the programme for its clear, uncomplicated manifesto. The blurb describes the piece as one for adults featuring children between the ages of eight and fourteen that examines systems of parenting, care and welfare. A simple and poetic piece of theatre, it may well stand out for originality, form and poetry; as the Scotsman articulates, “simply breathtaking”.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, by U.K. theatre company 1927, was one of the hits of the Edinburgh Fringe 2007. When the show arrives in Dublin, tickets will be like gold dust. For those of us who are lucky enough to see it, the production combines 1920s cabaret, live music and performance with impossibly glamorous movies and hilarious animation. Shows like this don’t sit comfortably in the category of theatre but straddle genres somewhere between late night entertainment, cinema, stand-up and

avant garde performance art.

Of course, the four shows mentioned are just a minor sample of what the festival offers, selected for reasons of “blink-andyou’ll-miss-it-ness,” if you will. The festival boasts a multitude of Irish productions that hold their own among international heavy weights. Coiscéim premiere their show Dodgems, the Gate Theatre produces Brian Friel’s adaptation of Hedda Gabler, Corn Exchange take up Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Fishamble presents new play Rank.

Similarly U.K. based companies boast an exciting line-up. Happy Days by the National Theatre of Great Britain featuring Fiona Shaw and Tim Potter, the National Theatre of Scotland’s critically acclaimed Black Watch, News From Nowhere’s England and the National Theatre of Great Britain’s Waves. Each of these productions present an opportunity, to escape, to be entertained, to ponder, to be provoked, to laugh, to cry, to broaden one’s understanding of what theatre is and can be in 2008 and, as the Festival advertising promises, to feel.

An exciting programme of events, then.

The only limit is your bank balance. www.dublintheatrefestival.com

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Dublin’s night lights Melanie O’Reilly takes to the streets of Dublin in search of some quality watering holes

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t’s that time of year again. The stripy shirts and jeans and the LBDs are surfacing once more as we prepare to start a whole new academic year. Dublin may be small in comparison to other major capitals, but, when it comes to bars, pubs and clubs, we have more than enough quality establishments to compete with the best. The question is: where to go?

One watering hole definitely worth a look is Café en Seine on Dawson Street (if only for the décor and sympathetic lighting). Do not be fooled by the simple exterior; once you go beyond the door, you enter a whole new world. It is lavish and fanciful, the people range from Trinity students and alumni to the aprés work crowd. For an evening with a difference, why not try Salsa Tuesdays with Dr. Rumba? The music varies from pop to motown, with many genres in between. Unfortunately drinks here run fairly standard when it comes to price. So bear in mind, it is not somewhere to go on a cheap night out.

The cocktails are quite good, but not Dublin’s finest.

Another bar, even closer to the Trinity campus, is the Porterhouse on Nassau St. It is a great place to go for a sneaky afternoon drink, post-lectures, of course, and in the evening, the atmosphere really picks up. Also, if you are hungry, they serve some great nibbles. What is fantastic about the Porterhouse is their absolutely amazing range of beers, lagers, stouts and cocktail – you name it, they probably serve it. Their frozen strawberry daiquiris are among the best in the city centre, and quite frankly, their mojitos are the best I have been served in Dublin. The Porterhouse is the kind of place you go to hang out and have a few drinks with friends. If you are looking to light up the dance floor, then, I would suggest going elsewhere.

Now for the interesting part: a small introduction to working the tiles of Dublin’s dance floors. One place that is definitely worth a few visits is Club M in Temple Bar. It has a fantastic cocktail bar, comfortable and intimate seating area, and an interesting dance floor. Just remember to print out a flyer for Tuesday to Thursday as admission is free. There are some great drink promos on during the week and the music is lively, so if you like to dance then give Club M a try.

Wednesday nights can be fun, as Sex on the Beach is only €5 all night and they play summer hits all night long. Therapy Monday also offers all drinks at €3 – check it out.

Another Temple Bar pub/club worth a look is The Viper Room. It opens late and fills up as the night goes on. Downstairs is where you go to dance and sit around in the

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leather armchairs. The crowd tends to vary hugely, but I have never had a bad night in there, and the bouncers are very friendly (to ladies, that is).

Spreading the canvas just a little bit further, head down to South George’s Street and enjoy any night of the week in Capitol.

Every night has different drinks promotions and admission is always free. Two nights that are definitely not to be missed Monday – with 2 for 1 promos all night, cheap cocktail of the week, shot promos and a DJ – and Thursday – champagne cocktails only €5 all night and any cocktail until midnight for €5 (also available on other nights). Long Island Iced Tea? Moving a little further afield, head to Harcourt Street and try Copper Face Jacks aka Coppers (or, perhaps more appropriately, the meat market). Coppers is lively and always draws in a big crowd, the new quiet leather seating area on the ground floor is a great place to escape for a moment and the smoking area is always buzzing.

it’s an over 19s club. It is open Wednesday to Sunday and the beer garden is something else. The people would tend to be of the SoCoDu variety, as well as the aprés work crowd from the Harcourt area, so bear in mind the dress code will be smart.

If you are looking for somewhere to go on a Thursday night, as a warm up to the weekend, why not try Fibber Magees on Parnell St? It is a very well known pub/ live music venue, and on a Thursday night there is quite a good vibe, as well as cheap drink. Just don’t wear your Sunday best, it’s a distinctly crusty venue.

Watch this space for more on Dublin’s best pubs and clubs.

Coppers is just one of the places that every student must visit – it is a rite of passage. The music varies widely, but you can always rely on a few classics to come on that really get the crowd going. The only downside is that sometimes it can take a while to get served (early in the night use the bar by the smoking area, it will save you time and effort).

Across the street, DTwo promises to give you a good night with great promos on a Wednesday night, but remember

September 29 – October 12 tn2

CD Reviews

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Maison Kitsuné

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Without sounding too much like my mother, it occurred to me recently that times are certainly changing fast these days. You go away for a few weeks and when you come back, there’s a whole new face to the music industry. After seven weeks in India this summer, I was looking forward to my return home.

This is mainly because India is a country in which the most flesh you see on TV is the tiny sliver of torso between the top and skirt of Shilpa Shetty’s sari as she presents India’s highly censored version of Big Brother, Bigg Boss (yes, the one in which Jade Goody was informed that she had cervical cancer in the diary room - truly gripping television).

Once safely back on the Emerald Isle, I turned on the VMAs in the hope of seeing some good old-fashioned Western raunch – perhaps the Pussycat Dolls writhing in far too little clothing or even Justin “they don’t call me Trousersnake for nothing” Timberlake crooning along sexily, with maybe a few added pelvic thrusts. Instead, I was met with three so-fresh-faced-it’s-slightly-creepy

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September 30 – October 13

www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy

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beats with a flavour of indie and a little bit of harder techno so that even those of you who take dance music far too seriously (ask anyone on the guestlist for the Button Factory on a Friday night for further details) can’t complain.

If I was pressed, I’d have to say that the Crookers’ Wow mix of the cheesybut-you-love-it Chemical Brothers’ Salmon Dance is the high point of the album. It marks the point when even the most timid, uncoordinated or, indeed, drunk of us can’t resist a cheeky shuffle to the heavy bass of this tune on the dancefloor.

Follow that swiftly with an AutoKratz remix of Fischerspooner, a spot of In Flagranti – Business Acumen and the unique electro-funk stylings of Canadian duo Chromeo (who absolutely blew me away at this year’s Electric Picnic) and you’ve got yourself a party.

A perfect record for Freshers’ Week, then. Throw this on during the next few days’ celebrations and make yourself look really cool. Go on, you might even like it. Maeve Storey

CSS came crashing onto the music scene just two years ago, riding the crest of the wave of indie-electro bands that have since taken over both our airwaves and our nightclubs. In July, the Brazilian quintet finally released their second album.

Anticipation levels, needless to say, were quite high for this one. After taking their debut on a highly repetitive tour of hyperactive performances and badly tuned guitars, performing the same set over and over again, CSS fans across the globe had been itching for something new. In fact, such outrageous flogging of a single album has not been seen since Damien Rice re-released O for the six millionth time (figures used in this article may be slightly exaggerated to express the writer’s intense dislike for a certain acclaimed singer/songwriter – sorry Damian).

Unfortunately for CSS, try as they might, this second offering lacks the untamed, low-budget, “we-don’t-evenreally-know-how-to-play-guitar-properly-but-hell-we’re-gonna-try” charm

that hundreds of us bopped to in a packed out tent at 2007’s Trinity Ball.

It seems that CSS no longer want to be the fun, feisty pseudo-rock band we’ve all come to know and love; instead, the album takes a far more serious tone and comes laced with more try-hard angst than a Transition Year creative writing class at a My Chemical Romance gig.

All is not lost though; the album does come with a few saving graces with tracks like Believe Achieve and Move, where the band manage to blend a more mature sound with some heavy eighties influences to create some moments of pure electro-pop bliss.

Overall, CSS deliver a disappointing second album which bravely but unwisely strays just that little bit too far away from what captured our hearts in the first place. Let’s just hope they stick around long enough to redeem themselves with album number three.

Although in an industry as fickle as the music business, they’d want to pull something fairly impressive out next time around. Maeve Storey

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One glorious day, not too long ago, in the exquisite French capital of Paris, renowned Daft Punk art-director Gildas Loaec met a young Japanese architect called Masaya Kuroki. At that moment, one of the most important alliances in the short history of the recent dance music revival was born.

Combining music, visual art and fashion, the two men created Maison Kitsuné, a series of collaborative projects which have resulted in the pair now controlling not only one of the most popular clothing lines in France but also one of the most influential record labels in dance music. And they certainly know their dance.

With artists like Digitalism, AutoKratz and Cazals under their wing, these guys are what one might call hot shit right now. It’s not surprising, then, that when the two get together to DJ themselves it’s not just good, it’s very, very good.

The Kitsuné boys mix together fifteen heart-stopping tracks on this album, merging buckets full of heavy electro

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young men wearing abstinence bands belting out infuriatingly quaint power pop and speaking out against sex before marriage.

The Jonas Brothers, it seems, have been taking the music scene by storm while I’ve been away, and having achieved unbridled success with their first two albums - It’s About Time and Jonas Brothers - in America, Europe is now the target audience for album number three, A Little Bit Longer. There’s really not much to be said for this album of disposable pop which includes a torrent of nauseating tracks like their new fauxfunky single Burnin’ Up and the title track A Little Bit Longer which (I kid you not) is about Nick Jonas’ discovery that he has a diabetes. The track Video Girl has fast become a favourite with fans of the brothers as the three lash out against superficial girls who only want fame and money. “You know it’s bad when your mamma doesn’t like her,” sings Kevin Jonas. No Kevin, you know it’s bad when the group you’re listening to still use the term “mamma.” Maeve Storey

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Film reviews

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100 minutes

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When actors move behind the camera they take a massive gamble. The results can either reignite public interest, as with Mel Gibson’s Braveheart or more recently Apocalypto, or derail their career and undermine their reputation, as demonstrated by, well, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Helen Hunt’s directorial debut Then She Found Me doesn’t quite hit the heights of the best work of her What Women Want co-star, but neither is it as self-indulgent as his worst.

It is an odd film, flawed but ultimately endearing.

Hunt casts herself in the lead role as April Epner, a schoolteacher adopted as an infant by a Jewish family. After many unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant, her husband, played by Matthew Broderick, abandons her. While recovering, she meets Colin Firth, a damaged divorcee parent, and Bette Midler, a chat show host and, as it transpires, her long lost birth mother. The film also features cameos from Edie Falco, Tim Robbins and, perhaps strangest of all, Salman Rushdie as an obstetrician/gynaecologist.

It would be fair to say that I am not exactly the target audience of this film, but I like to think that a good story should have universal appeal. Unfortunately for Hunt, the early set-up in her directorial debut distances the viewer from

Tropic Thunder

director

Ben Stiller

students

Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Steve Coogan

running time

106 minutes

the characters, providing little for the actors to work with. This is the fatal flaw of Then She Found Me, as the film barely recovers from a clunky and, at times, clichéd script.

That it does recover is a credit to the individual performances as well as Hunt’s direction. It is an encouraging debut and she makes excellent use of New York as a back-drop to evoke a melancholy tone. Her naturalistic style does suffer from the odd lighting error and overused musical cue, but these are forgivable in a film that, for the most part, is assured and intelligent.

Hunt also shines in the lead role, using her unique ability to portray both strength and vulnerability. This inner grace is contrasted with Broderick’s ineffectual man-child, a character that becomes ever more shameful as we recognize our own flaws in him.

As usual, Firth excels as Mr. Right, but never really sells the darker aspects of his character. This lack of depth also stunts Midler’s otherwise refreshing performance, so that, by the end, only one scene stays in the memory, a powerful confrontation between her and Hunt. The stark emotional impact of this moment stands out in a story in which you sympathise with the characters, but never really care about them.

Michael Armstrong

Attempting comic satire, loaded with crude jokes, is a dangerous venture – unless you can show at the same time that there is something cerebral at the heart of proceedings. With Ben Stiller acting, and directing (in addition to coproducing and co-scripting) a bunch of Hollywood crazies including Frat Pack buddy Jack Black, as well as Tom Cruise in an inspired role, Tropic Thunder has a lot going for it.

A fading star, Tugg Speedman (Stiller) is desperate to rescue his career by playing the part of Vietnam veteran Four Leaf Tayback in the eponymous war movie. Soon, the entire cast of bigshot actors is thrust into the thick of the jungle by their director (Steve Coogan, further squandering his talent), eager to finish the behind-schedule, big-budget thriller. True terror and emotion, it is hoped, will come forth in guerilla-style filming, but a series of freak accidents causes the cast to run into a local poppy-harvesting gang called the Flaming Dragon.

When the group’s child-leader Tran captures Speedman, the film’s hot-headed producer, Les Grossman (Cruise), refuses to pay the ransom, in favour of raking up the insurance money. Cue a frenzied rescue attempt by the rest of the cast, complete with special effects, explosives, guns and lots and lots of

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The film’s slapstick and, at times, crude humor references a wide range of topical issues, from adoption, to drugs, to panda bears. Unnecessary, perhaps even overdone, as some of the more grotesque jokes may be, they’re pulled off by the endearing Stiller, Black and Downey, Jr. The film is spot-on with its mockery of Hollywood and the world of showbiz.

Yet we can all think of good movies that have already dealt well with the same subject matter, so clever cinematic referencing is not what scores Tropic Thunder its main points. It’s not just a big budget blockbuster, the boys are clearly enjoying themselves quite a bit.

So, despite the, by turns, inventive and ridiculous characterization, the viewer is, more significantly, watching Stiller, Black and Downey, Jr. having a ball on camera together. This is the chief source of entertainment in the film, combined with satire that begins to have greater political significance as the movie progresses.

So, forget political correctness for an hour or two – this film has things to say. Some of its more potentially offensive scenes serve more as triggers for thought than mere shock tactics, and the content of Tropic Thunder justifies its form. Eglé Zinkuté

September 30 – October 13 tn2

Restaurant reviews

Unit 1-2 Castleknock Village Centre, Dublin 15

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Though not exactly in the city centre, Akasaka is only a short bus ride away, so there is absolutely no excuse for Trinity students to miss out on this very authentic, Japanese culinary experience. For any of you unfamiliar with Castleknock, just hop on the 37 bus, which leaves from Dame Street, right in front of Ulster Bank, and it will take you directly to Akasaka (ask the driver to let you know when you are at the stop nearest to Myos pub). The restaurant’s exterior is unassuming, with a traditional Japanese window display of the treats that await. The décor is charming, and a lot more appealing than most Japanese restaurants in Dublin.

The great thing about Akasaka is that the food is still of a superb standard after a year in the area – bucking the somewhat alarming trend followed by many new restaurants which tend to flag a little once they pass their first year. I would recommend the Menu B option; at 38€ per person, it is a great initiation into Japanese cuisine, and positively delectable. The portions are surprisingly filling and a world away from nouvelle cuisine.

I was pleasantly surprised with the main beef dish on the menu as it was, quite simply, the most tender, succulent beef I have ever tasted in my life. The dish exquisitely combines tender meat and crunchy vegetables, bringing them together in gastronomic harmony with a wonderfully zingy sauce. The whole party agreed that the beef was a surprise favourite, even managing to outshine the delightful teriyaki duck breast. Had we larger stomachs, we may well have ordered seconds.

The Sushi platter is fantastic, and probably the best I have had in Dublin to

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Salamanca

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Tapas Restaurant

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1 St. Andrews Street, Dublin 2

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01 677 4779

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date. Just remember not to skip on the ginger sheets and wasabi. There is also a great deal on offer for vegetarians, with some great tofu dishes. The agedashi tofu starter is worthy of special note. For once, the vegetarian in our party had no complaints – just an enormous smile.

The waitresses are very friendly, helpful and competent – no faults when it comes to service. However, it has to be said that the music may not be to everyone’s taste. There is a fine selection of wines and Japanese drinks. We chose Kirin Japanese beer, which complimented the dishes quite well, and was relatively inexpensive at €4.80 a bottle. The only compromise on traditional Japanese cuisine is the serving of miso soup at the beginning of the meal – hardly a bad thing.

One word of warning: be prepared to use chopsticks. Despite our increasingly cosmopolitan nature here in Ireland, mastery of their use still eludes a high proportion of people. It is actually quite surprising how easy it is to learn how to use chopsticks, but, then again, we were hungry.

Desserts are not really a feature of Japanese cuisine, but a Japanese green tea hits the spot, in addition to aiding digestion. Remember, though, that Japanese green tea has more depth to its flavour than the Chinese mainstream variety.

A fantastic restaurant, then, and one that remains affordable in comparison with its Chinese counterparts. Once you try it, you will understand why it has such a great reputation. Those willing to make the short trip out to Castleknock will be rewarded most generously. To put it simply: this restaurant is a musttry. Melanie O’Reilly

This Spanish-style restaurant offers a vast selection of tapas, and is conveniently located in the heart of the city centre on St. Andrews Street. The décor is bright and inviting, with warm terracotta and lemon walls, and charming chandeliers. The staff are a mixed bunch, but, on the whole, adequate.

There is a bustling vibe in the restaurant on weekend evenings, and if you arrive early they do tend to serve you quite quickly, however, not to the extent that you feel rushed.

It is a handy spot to go and get a nice bite to eat before a night out, or to go for a meal with friends – get a jug of sangria to add to the Spanish flavour. The menu really is quite extensive, and it can take some time to choose what you want.

The best recommendation is to order a combination, and share them around.

A word of warning to the hungry, though: do not order the patatas croquetas, as you only get about four. On the other hand, do try the patatas con chorizo. The baby potatoes go down a treat with the chorizo, and a glass of white wine. The pollo al ajillo is charming with a great texture to the ajillo sauce, and just the right amount for the chicken fillet. The empanada de pollo is a delightful mixture of crisp puff pastry and the creaminess of the chicken in a Bravas sauce.

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For the vegetarians there is plenty of choice, and the berenjena gratinada is highly recommended for the flavoursome combination of aubergine, goats’ cheese, and breadcrumbs. The pan Catalan is also nice to use for “saucing,” it is a kind of fried tomato bread that is rather tasty.

The dessert section is limited, but of a good standard. The Crema Catalana, was not fantastic, but the consistency of the crema was perfect. Sadly, the brulee was indeed burnt, overly so. Such a shame considering a little more brown sugar on top and it really would have been great.

The presentation of food is not Michelin star, but the food is full of flavour, and the atmosphere within the restaurant is lively. Most importantly, eating here won’t break the bank. Meat dishes vary in price from €8.95 to €39.95 (paella de casa for four people); the fish dishes range from €5.95 to €14.95 (lemon sole or scallops); and the vegetarian options start at €4.95 (bear in mind, that’s for mixed olives – hardly for the hungry) and go up to €11.95 (cheese platter). €30 per person will get you a bottle of wine, food and dessert – if you’re lucky, you might even get a digestif in.

Salamanca, then, is an affordable and pleasant restaurant, that is within the means of students. Melanie O’Reilly

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September 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; October 13 tn2