Ian Whitty was on the Cyprus Avenue stage at the Indiependence Festival in Mitchelstown last weekend.  We had just arrived at the mudfest where the festival was located this year when we heard Ian playing so we ambled over to the tent housing the Cyprus Avenue stage.  The crowds had yet to appear at this stage of the afternoon but Ian and his band put on a great show for those present.  His second album from last year ‘Lucky Caller No 9′ is still one of my favourites and has a special place on my mp3 player.

I have a few more photos in the full set on Flickr.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• September 20, 2008 -- The Blizzards at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)
• August 7, 2008 -- Fred at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)
• September 3, 2009 -- Frank and Walters at Indiependence (0)

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• April 18, 2008 -- IMRO Showcase CD Free with The Star Today (0)

The irreverent New Yorker Hamell on Trial came to town back in February and is always a must-see.  I hadn’t seen him since the days of the long-gone Lobby where I had been warned by friends not to sit up the front if you didn’t want to get a mouthful of Hamell sweat!  Not much has changed although in Cyprus Avenue Hamell was that much further back from the crowd.  Ed Hamell is one of those singers who can spin tales just as well as everything else on stage.  If you ever get the chance to see this guy, grab it with both hands, but remember, keep a safe distance.

There’s a whole bunch of photos in the full set on Flickr.  Also, see photos from support act Honest Spud Leonard.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• August 10, 2008 -- Fight Like Apes at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (1)
• August 7, 2008 -- Fred at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)
• June 28, 2008 -- Aaron Dillon at The Spiegeltent (3)

One of Cork’s finest, Honest Spud Leonard, opened up for Hamell on Trial back in February for Hamell on Trial.  Sweet gig to get, especially as he had made the trip to London to see Hamell play on the same tour!  There’s no show like a Leonard show, his quirky over-sized ukulele or under-sized guitar as much a feature as his long rambling stories.  He did get the crowd going at the end of his set, but only to get some cred from Hamell.  Honest Spud Leonard plays regularly in Cork, most recently in Sláinte, so keep an eye for him.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• October 26, 2008 -- Mick Flannery at the Lodge in Mallow (0)
• April 25, 2008 -- Hamell on Trial at Cyprus Avenue (0)
• April 20, 2008 -- Elk at Cyprus Avenue (1)

Polish duo Skinny Patrini (be warned, some photos on their MySpace are NSFW but then who gets away with MySpace at work???) played Cyprus Avenue at the start of April with Elk opening up the night. I’m not too into electronica music but their stuff is pretty cool. Coupled with their space age outfits (young people these days, huh!), they put on an entertaining show.

Lighting was pretty tough so I didn’t get too many photos but there are another couple in the full set on Flickr.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• April 25, 2008 -- Hamell on Trial at Cyprus Avenue (0)
• August 10, 2008 -- Fight Like Apes at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (1)
• August 7, 2008 -- Fred at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)

Cork band Elk played in Cyprus Avenue back on April 1st as part of the Melting Pot series of gigs.  They’re a bit heavy for my liking but they know how to put on a good show all the same.  They seem to be playing fairly regularly around Cork at the moment so check them out!

Some more photos over in the full set on Flickr.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• October 26, 2008 -- Mick Flannery at the Lodge in Mallow (0)
• September 20, 2008 -- The Blizzards at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)
• August 7, 2008 -- Fred at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)

Cork band Ladydoll were the second band to go through to the next stage of the NSMA competition this year following their performance in Cyprus Avenue last week.  I hadn’t seen them play before but had always seen their name mentioned on gig listings so it was good to finally see them live.  They play in The Village next month so best of luck to them and Philtre who also went through.  The gig in Dublin should be a cracking affair if the quality of bands here is anything to go by.

A couple of more photos are over in the full set on Flickr.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• March 23, 2008 -- Philtre at Cyprus Avenue – NSMA 2008 (5)
• August 9, 2009 -- Ian Whitty at Indiependence (2)
• October 26, 2008 -- Mick Flannery at the Lodge in Mallow (0)

Reasons to be Beautiful were the third act up at Cyprus Avenue last week for the NSMA after Sonus and Philtre.  Nay has a good write-up on all the acts on the night and some great photos to boot.

See some more photos in the full set.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• March 23, 2008 -- Philtre at Cyprus Avenue – NSMA 2008 (5)
• March 22, 2008 -- Sonus at Cyprus Avenue – NSMA 2008 (1)
• November 11, 2009 -- Julie Feeney at The Pavilion (0)

Philtre were the second band vying for a spot in the next round of the NSMA band competition this year.  I’ve seen these lads quite a few times in Cyprus Avenue so I knew what to expect but they have a new band member (pictured below) who, to put it mildly, doesn’t lack stage presence.  They have also changed the arrangements of some of the tracks so it sounded a lot tighter this time around.  While the gig for the NSMA was short to fit in 4 competing bands, a listen to their MySpace also points to the introduction of piano into at least one of their tracks (One Step Ahead).  This is an interesting departure as they have been mainly guitar-driven up until now.  If you want to make up your own mind on them, go and listen to Took the Time which I think is their stand out track.  I’m glad to say that Philtre made it onto the next stage so keep an eye out for them if you’re in Dublin on April 24th in The Village.

There are a few more photos in the full set but what do you think of the new border and watermark I’ve added?  I’ve been meaning to do something like this for ages.  I’m aware that it would be simple to crop out the website name but I’d rather not watermark the image itself.  I’m starting to use Gimp for my photo editing more and more these days.   Anybody care to tell me how to create a macro to run through the creation of borders and watermarks?

Previous Philtre gigs I’ve photographed:

• Drop-D Showcase
• Philtre in An Brog
• Philtre in Cyprus Avenue

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• September 20, 2008 -- The Blizzards at Indie-Pendence in Mitchelstown (0)
• July 5, 2008 -- Ian Whitty and The Exchange at The Spiegeltent (4)
• April 20, 2008 -- Elk at Cyprus Avenue (1)

Sonus kicked off the NSMA night in Cyprus Avenue this week where four bands were battling it out to go through to the next stage.  Unfortunately for Sonus they didn’t get through on this occasion but they put on an electric performance so are sure to be around for quite a while.  They play in An Cruiscin on Douglas Street tomorrow at 2pm according to their MySpace.

There are a few more photos in the full set but the blue low light made it very hard to get any kinda photo.  Nay was at the gig too so look out for some photos from her.

Related Posts on www.donal.ie

• March 25, 2008 -- Reasons to be Beautiful at Cyprus Avenue – NSMA 2008 (0)
• March 23, 2008 -- Philtre at Cyprus Avenue – NSMA 2008 (5)
• November 11, 2009 -- Julie Feeney at The Pavilion (0)