Bitta HA HA!

It was announced today that the Carlsberg Comedy Festival in the Iveagh Gardens, Dublin will return this July. Happy days! A host of Irish and International acts will perform over 4 days and I am not sure but I think there will be Carlsberg there. But still not sure. Check out Paddy C. Courtney. Looking forward to it! Oh and if it rains it doesnt matter because its all inside those tents pictured! Those exact tents!

Slainte to Arthur

As Guinness celebrates its 250th birthday...it has been announced that on Sept 24th there will be a worldwide music series to celebrate Arthur himself! At 5.59pm concerts will kick off all around the world so I am pretty sure they will make sure they start on time! Acts currently confirmed to play at the Dublin leg on Sept. 24 include Estelle, Kasabian, Noah & the Whale, the Wombats, the Enemy, Soul II Soul, the Undertones, D'Banj, Reverend & the Makers, Mongrel, Mystery Jets, Johnny Flynn and DJ and producer David Holmes, with further artists to be announced. I can feel the hangover already! Slainte! Oh and I believe in the photo...

More acts announced for Electric Picnic 2009

Some additions to the EP line up include...Brian Wilson, The Wailers, Royksopp, Amadou & Mariam, Fionn Regan, Mundy, James Murphy & Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem, A Flock Of Seagulls, Bell Orchestre, The Field, Jeffrey Lewis, Marina & The Diamonds and Richmond Fontaine. Tickets are still on sale!

Tubbers the new Late Late Show host!

RTE announced today that Ryan Tubridy will take over from Pat Kenny starting in September. God love us all. But looking at the potential hosts its clear to see that whoever it would have been we would have been disappointed. But maybe its something different thats needed. Then again I think I said that when Steve Staunton got the Ireland job. Jaysus!

Bon Iver only plays Galway this year

Which means I can mark him off my 'to go see list' at this years Electric Picnic. A shame really I was hoping to go for a world record of seeing one act as many times as possible over a one year period!

U2 release new video

U2 have released on U2.com their new video for Magnificent which is out now. The video was shot in Morocco and directed by Alex Courtes. Check it out on U2.com

Oasis announce support acts for Slane

Doing the honours of opening up will be already announced The Prodigy and new confirmed acts Kasabian, Glasvegas (who also support U2 in Croke Park) and The Blizzards. Tickets are sold out but hopefully there will be some floating around because I am hoping to go! Gates at 3pm and lets hope that the fecking rain stays off unlike when The Rolling Stones played. *Pictured is a lovely hand painted portrait of Noel, Lord Henry and Gem*

Heathers announce US dates

Irish Musicians, Heathers, have announced an East Coast US Tour this summer with Ghost Mice. They play cities such as Chicago, New York and Obamas new residence state. Check out www.myspace.com/heatherswhatsyourdamage for more information and updates.

Mundy wants to see you play live!

Mundy who recently released his new album "Strawberry Blood" has asked people on his MySpace blog to stop sending requests to be his support act. Mundy Management issued the statement today saying that although Mundy likes to give support slots to new bands that the overwhelming requests have left him with no other choice than to say Feck Off! Ok I said that but they would politely (I am sure) ask not to send requests through MySpace or Facebook but rather go out and play their own gigs and make a name for themselves on their own which seems to be the way these days. The statement ends with something along the lines of that when you make a name for yourself Mundy himself will come along and see you play. Well thats what I took from it anyway. Everyone to themselves.

Recommended - Lykke Li

On a recent return trip back home to Dublin, I was sitting waiting to board my flight in JFK. Three hours before the flight takes off I find myself checked in and already through security. As I sigh a breath of relief that I didn't wear holey socks, I sit and put my shoes back on and belt and pretty much everything else I had on back to its usual position. I had three hours to use up before the long flight back through the night. I sat waiting as I watched an ad for Larry King on CNN who's guests included Ashton Kutcher and a woman who I had read about in some newspapers. A woman named Susan Boyle. A week on from her appearance on a talent show and shes big news stateside. I mean its Larry King. I think Bono even begs to go on that show. But anyway the thought of watching such an interview made me turn to my Ipod. Thank god I did. I wanted to listen to something new and one name I had heard mentioned a lot over here was Lykke Li. Plus she had just been added to the Electric Picnic line up so maybe I was a fan in the making. I chose wisely. From the first song to the last I thoroughly enjoyed the whole album and even find myself listening to it still. Which I never normally do. I can just see her live performance now at EP 2009. Ill be there with bells on! But if you are in New York she plays on June 1st in the Highline Ballroom (great venue). Check out her album "Youth Novels" and let me know what you think.

So you think your autographed Beatles photo is real?

Yours may be real - but a signed photograph sold at auction with the fab fours signatures apparently all came from one man - George. In 1960 he got word that a 16 year old girl was terminally ill so instead of waiting around for the other three chaps he signed all four signatures. The photograph was donated by the girls father and all money raised went towards leukaemia research at the University of East Anglia.

Dublin seems to be the friendliest city!

Thats right! Dubliners are nice people. According to a survey anyway! Basically London seems to be the most expensive, worst dressed and dirtiest city of them all! Paris won the category of least friendliest people which I am sure they have held for a number of years now. And last but not least the most boring cities...Brussels and Zurich! So well done Dublin. Oh wait, did they visit the outside of Tara St station or the boardwalk along the Liffey? Im guessing not.

Iggy Pop ad banned

Iggy Pop's adverts for an insurance company breached industry rules because musicians were not covered by the policy.

At the time the advert was shown, Swiftcover excluded people working in the entertainment industry from taking out its insurance.

But during the television commercial the rock star declared: "I got it Swiftcovered. I got insurance on my insurance!"

But good aul Iggy hasnt got insurance with them and he probably never even heard of them until they came knocking with a big check for him. Apparently they chose him because he lives life to the full!

Lily Allen Secret Gig in London

Lily Allen will play a "secret gig" (they tell you where it is a few days before hand) in London on May 11th. If the New York "secret gig" is anything to go by you would probably want to start Qing the day before. The photo is of Lily in The Bowery Ballroom NY. Keep on checking MySpace Secret Shows for the venue.

IMRO Showcase Tour 2009 Best Of

Tomorrow night Saturday May 2nd sees the Best Of from all the acts which performed at this years IMRO Showcase Tour. The acts are... Angel Pier, 8 Ball, Heathers, Disconnect 4, The Looks and Yes Cadets. The Village Doors open at 7pm and the first act kicks off at 7.45 pm! MC on the night is Dave Fanning and I do believe if you email the following address immediately that you can be put on a guestlist. Very nice... showcase@imro.ie Be sure to put your name/s in the email otherwise theres just no point bothering! Enjoy!

NBC Free Concert Series

Today kicked off the first of many free early morning concerts in New York City. Over the summer the Today Show on NBC NY will present some of the mighty finest artists on the planet. None of them seem to be whiped out from the swine flu so here is the schedule so far:

Today- No Doubt ( already happened so youtube is your only outlet)

May 8th - NKOTB ( who cares )
May 15 - Jennifer Hudson ( a fine set of lungs )
May 22nd - Fall Out Boy ( and yes the name is from The Simpsons and the goggles really dont do anything )
May 25th - Rock of Ages
May 29th - Taylor Swift
June 5th - Dave Matthews Band
June 12th - Black Eyed Peas ( maybe she pisses herself early in the morning aswell )

June 19th - Jonas Brothers ( Barbara Walters was right...they wont be around forever )
June 26th - The Fray
July 3rd - Rob Thomas ( Thought he was a one hit wonder with Carlos Santana, maybe not! )
July 10th - Rascal Flatts
July 17th - The All-American Rejects
July 24th - Katy Perry
July 31st - Kings of Leon
Aug 7th - Jason Mraz
Aug 14th - Flo Rida
Aug 21st - Natasha Bedingfield

Some shite acts and some great acts but they all start at different times in the morning but it is advised to be in Rockerfeller Plaza by 6am. Whatever happened to pre recorded at a decent hour!

Oh and incase you didnt believe me Fergie does actually piss herself on stage! Look at the photo

Coldplay and their free albums

FREE LIVE ALBUM AT SHOWS AND ONLINE

Coldplay will be giving away a live CD, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, at every remaining live show in 2009 (apart from festival shows). Every fan attending a show will be given a free copy of the nine-track CD. Also on May 15th, LeftRightLeftRightLeft will be made available as a free download from Coldplay.com, for fans everywhere. The Phoenix Park is counted as a festival is it?

Congratulations to Ciaran Hinds

Congrats all round to Irish Actor Ciaran Hinds on winning Best Actor in this years Tribeca Film Festival in New York. The film in question is "The Eclipse" and is directed by Conor Mc Pherson. Keep an eye out nearing the end of 2009 for its showing on RTE one. To be honest Hinds will always be The Coach to me in Veronica Guerin.

A Lazarus Soul Live June 5th

In just over a months time A Lazarus Soul will play live in Whelans, Dublin on June 5th. Support comes from Johnny Barrett and Hulk. Tickets 10 Euro and I do believe they are on sale now. Check out www.myspace.com/alazarussoul for more information leading up to the night! Recommended! TBV

New U2 single released this Monday May 4th

Just a reminder that 'Magnificent', the second single taken from 'No Line On The Horizon', will be released in the UK on May 4th.

The new single will be released on 7" single and will also be available digitally. The 7" will be a limited edition, featuring on the a-side 'Magnificent' (Edit), and on the b-side, 'Breathe', taken from a recent live show recorded at the Somerville Theatre in Boston, USA.

Take a look at their performance on Letterman in March

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcvOWunC4N8

The Baritone Voice has started...

For hundreds of years now I have been told how much of a Baritone Voice I have so I have decided to use it as much as I can.

I hope to bring news on music, gigs, festivals and basically everything else I can put my voice to.

So enjoy...

TBV