Si's Sights And Sounds

Rapidly rising stars Little Bear lead an all-star musical cast in Cool Discs

The good vibrations carried over from, well, Good Vibrations seem to have passed into Derry-Londonderry's sole remaining independent record store on Record Store Day. Even before the bands have arrived, punters are browsing through the CDs, DVDs, vinyl and memorabilia in Lee Mason's Cool Discs with curious, intrigued and even excitable looks on their faces. Whether they're contemplating their next purchase, chatting about music or catching up with a friend, they are quite clearly revelling in an atmosphere that's no longer taken for granted in the age of a recession and digital music revolution.

Can they trust the five bands on show to make their day an even more memorable one?

STRENGTH

Perhaps the best word one can use to describe Rory Moore and Strength is "experimental". They're a three-piece, or on this occasion, a two-piece that you can't quite pigeonhole. They've a sound reminiscent of Talking Heads, with sprinklings of Joy Division and The Style Council, minus the drums.

On the whole, it creates a bizarrely retro effect which comes off more positively at the beginning of the set than at the end of it. Moore's depressing keyboard electronica is tougher to warm to than his jazzy, groovy and sometimes funky bass solos, despite the overall consistency of his powerful, echoing vocals. But it's versatile and admirable nonetheless, a performance just about worthy of the band's name.

THE CLAMEENS

From the moment you hear a very Paul Casey-esque guitar riff as a warm up to the set, you know you are going to hear something very different from what fans of The Clameens were used to in their previous incarnation.

I was fortunate enough to be present at what was deemed to be their final gig in Derry's Bentley Bar in December 2011. I likened what I heard at the time to The Kinks and Snow Patrol, commending both lead singer Sean Breslin's "smooth diction" and the band's guitar playing. Well, Breslin's diction certainly remains intact, and the guitars - enhanced by the arrival of new bassist Ryan McGaughey - are stronger and tighter than ever before. But nothing here will remind us of Ray Davies or Gary Lightbody. It is as if the band have undergone a literal regeneration.

The determined Hayden Diver repeatedly hits a cajon box, creating a convincing "drum effect", while Breslin, McGaughey and fellow guitar man Ethan Diver are extremely in sync with one another. It's like watching The Rockettes play guitar, except it is classy rather than unnerving.

"Every song that we do normally involves a lot of heavy tuning", says Breslin as the set draws to a close. With those words, and the punters' positive reactions, the band's general commitment and genial presence are not in doubt. It really would seem that the only way is up for this Derry-Londonderry quartet.

SULLIVAN & GOLD

Sullivan & Gold may not really be called Sullivan & Gold - in reality, their names are Adam Montgomery and Ben Robinson - but in every other way, their names are not deceptive. For their harmonies are extremely reminiscent of possibly the most famous "S & G" of all - yes, you guessed it, Simon & Garfunkel. Even Robinson's demeanour can be likened to Paul Simon's in the video for "You Can Call Me Al".

Their tried and trusted melodies create a mellow effect which evokes memories of The Beautiful South, albeit minus the extremely edgy lyrics, and Crowded House. It gives one the feeling of enjoying a cup of herbal tea, and in an atmosphere mainly dominated by electric guitar, that's not a bad thing at all.

OUR KRYPTON SON

There's little to say about Chris McConaghy - aka Our Krypton Son - that hasn't already been said by both pundits and locals. He plays with such calmness, coolness and confidence that you regret he can't play more than four songs today.

What's particularly noticeable this time, especially in signature tunes "Sunlight In The Ashes" and "Catalonian Love Song" is his strong musicianship. His tunes are extremely well suited to electric guitar, and, like Ocean Colour Scene, he shifts effortlessly between acoustic and full band sets. Imagine the acoustic and original versions of OCS's 1990's hit "The Circle" side by side - different-sounding, yet just as effective as each other - and you get the idea of his overall effectiveness.

McConaghy finishes the set on a humorous and poignant note, inviting Sullivan & Gold to join him for his Roy Orbison tribute, "How Long Must I Dream". If he was still alive, "The Big O" would surely have been pleased to hear it.

LITTLE BEAR

When Little Bear crowd into the corner of Cool Discs, it's near impossible to move in the store.

With due respect to Two Door Cinema Club, Little Bear's appearance on the Glassworks stage at Other Voices Derry in their place did and continues to do wonders for the Derry-based band. They have since performed at Other Voices in London, and will feature at the Indiependence and Groove festivals later this year, amongst other things.

That they've packed the shop to the rafters is no surprise whatsoever, for those who saw them at the Glassworks earlier this year will know that they did more than support the "three gods" they were on stage with that night; they complemented them.

Today, Little Bear seem less experimental and more assured. Right from the start, McCool is making easily relatable jokes about the cost of switching cell phone networks, before using the band's own smartphones to create a very country & western, "whistling" effect that wouldn't sound out of place in a Sergio Leone movie. Shades of heavy angst creep into both "The Devil's The Songbird" and "I'd Let You Win", aspects of which could come across as slightly depressing in other hands. But in the hands and voices of McCool, Mark O'Doherty, Ryan Griffiths and Conor Mason, the tunes are really rich, varied and singable.

From "Night Dries Like Ink" onwards, the band relax and raise the mood and tempo of the set up a notch. But the overall strength and tightness of the band's sound remains, creating the most positive effect of the day. It's a fitting conclusion to the day's music, and another interesting chapter in the musical lives of these no-longer-so-little bears.

And... hang on, what's this? SOAK has crept to the back of the store to congratulate them! Now that's a tight-knit musical community for you...

The Grand Old "Duke" Of Belfast delivers the goods in front of an attentive Empire crowd

To these eyes and ears, it is somewhat ironic that one of Belfast-born Peter Wilson's - alright, Duke Special's - best known tunes should be "I Let You Down", for the reality is that he does anything but let his audience down. Every single time he performs, he is guaranteed value for money, a cornucopia of high energy, laughs, and infectious verses & choruses. In other words, loony tunes and merry melodies.

But the first questions we find ourselves asking in the Empire on a very wet night are: what's this harp doing in the middle of the stage, and who's the lady that's stepping forward to play it?

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that Kate Bush has donned a costume circa "Baboushka" and travelled from afar to entertain us. Actually, it's Belfast-based Ursula Burns, a singer-songwriter and seasoned accompanist with an operatic voice and an outlandish, yet easily identifiable, sense of humour.

Like the "acoustic-comedy-punk-folk" of Hattie Hatstar, Burns' music and manner bemuses, amuses and entertains in one go. It's another successful chapter in her recently acclaimed re-invention as a humourist.

Burns' brand of comedy, and a jokingly earnest introduction by the BT Head Of Marketing - "Hello Belfast - I'm Duke Special!" - is exactly the sort of thing we need to warm us up for the main act. It's his recent assocation with BT - "Sweet, Sweet Kisses" is being used by BT themselves for advertising - that brings "The Duke" to the Empire tonight. And as always, he and his ensemble are determined to make the most of the occasion.

An exceptionally tight and confident opening - the mere sound of the Duke playing piano to signify "Sweet, Sweet Kisses" inspires cheers from the Empire crowd - immediately re-establishes Wilson's unflappable persona. If those dreadlocks of his get caught in his microphone by the time he gets to "Applejack", he's so lost in the jaunty catchiness of the song that he doesn't seem to care, and neither does everyone else. "Everyone else", not just being the audience, of course, but his numerous accompanists, particularly guitarist Paul Pilot, clarinet player Ben Castle and the multi-talented Temperance Society "Chip" Bailey.

The Duke's traditionally upbeat showmanship is everywhere, most memorably in his mimicry during the delightfully amusing, Neil Hannon-penned "Wanda, Darling Of The Jockey Club" (listen below) and also in "Diggin' An Early Grave" which has to be one of the most upbeat-sounding "downers" this writer has ever heard. The sight of three girls in the front row "digging" away during the chorus of said song is definitely something to remember.

As is usually the case with Duke Special gigs, there's so much happening both on stage and in every other corner of the venue that it's sometimes really hard to keep track of everything. Knowing this, the Duke and his band include carefully timed "breathers" in the form of a calm rendition of "Last Night I Nearly Died", an exceptionally melancholy take on his masterpiece "No Cover Up" and the epic, sonic, lyrical storytelling of "Condition", and the calypso-like "Snakes In The Grass". Throw in a few reassuringly familiar singalongs (although "Freewheel" is unfortunately absent) and you have a well-structured set with music to satisfy all tastes. If some renditions are a bit too sorrowful and stretched out for this writer's liking, and the relentless energy is sometimes exhausting, the liberating nature of the gig allows one to overlook this.

The night doesn't quite end as one might expect. Taking a leaf out of Burns' book, the Duke closes things with an improvised song about where numerous members of the audience are from, in a manner akin to most stand-up comics. It's totally out of the blue, but both flattering and amusing; and the more one thinks about it, the more in keeping with the Duke's unorthodox nature it appears to be.

In other words, Typical Duke. And what more could his fans ask for?

Jon Favreau hands the director's chair to Shane Black for the third (and final?) instalment in the Iron Man series, and the result is pretty much interchangeable. All three Iron Man films have an Ocean's trilogy vibe to them; one never truly believes our comrades are in danger, so it's left for the film to get by on the strength of the villain(s) and the coolness of Robert Downey Jr. Fortunately, the film succeeds in both areas, with the added benefit of some clever cameos and (alright, Sir) Ben Kingsley clearly having the most fun he's had in years. Typically of just about every Avengers film, there's not enough heart and soul, but plenty of flash and bang for your buck. (Though we're still waiting for the first film post-Avatar that will put 3-D to good use... expect headaches if you decide to don the plastic glasses again.)

The 12th City Of Derry Jazz Festival is almost upon us

In just a couple of days, the opening notes will sound to usher in the 12th City Of Derry Jazz Festival.

Pubs and clubs all over Derry will be throwing open their doors to the thousands of revellers making their way along the Jazz trail over the weekend. From jazz to jump, from soul to swing, there isn't a box unticked when it comes to music.

Speaking ahead of the festival, which kicks off on Thursday May 2, Mayor Of Derry Cllr Kevin Campbell urged everyone to jump on the jazz bandwagon and enjoy the entertainment.

"If there's one thing people in Derry love, it's music,” he said. "And this weekend is the perfect excuse to get out there and take a musical tour of the city.

"We will be welcoming thousands of visitors to our streets to enjoy all Derry has to offer when it comes to entertainment, and it's a great opportunity to remind the world why we are the current City Of Culture.

"I would like everyone to get out there and support the festival, and do so in a responsible and exemplary way. Let us be ambassadors for our city and be proud of all that we have to offer."

Over eighty venues are included in this year’s Jazz Trail which is sponsored by Guinness, and over 200 events will take place over the course of the four day Bank Holiday Weekend.

The fun begins on Thursday evening with the Mayor's Charity Event in aid of Foyle Search & Rescue, featuring Derry Soulseekers, The Red Stripe Band and of course the Jive Aces (above, featuring Holby City's Rebecca Grant), setting the tone for the rest of what promises to be an amazing festival weekend.

Among the highlights this year are of course the sensational Overtones, making their first visit to the city amidst much critical acclaim. And, for the first time, the city's newest concert arena, The Venue at Ebrington, will be hosting a Grand Vintage Ball on Saturday evening with music by the Puppini Sisters, for fashionistas with soul.

But also look out for The Dark Energy Trio, David Lyttle & Jason Rebello, Brass Impact Big Band, Dana Masters Band, Ben Klock (Celtronic), Beverley Craven, Neil Cowley Trio, Pink Martini, The Stars From The Commitments plus so much more!

Local talent will as always be out in force with performances by some of the city's finest musicians, including local jazz icon Gay McIntyre, who celebrated his 80th birthday at the weekend, and over 60 years in the business. He is joined by son Paul McIntyre, as well as the Derry Soulseekers, The Foyle Showband, Ursula McHugh, John Leighton and a whole host of local bands.

Over 90% of the performances are free thanks to sponsors Guinness, and a full jazz programme is available at www.cityofderryjazzfestival.com.

To find out all the latest festival gossip over the weekend check out City Of Derry Jazz Festival on Facebook.

Well-performed laughs eclipse the trite plot in a popular play

Slightly anaemic but generally amiable, Alan Haslett's production of Sam Cree's Widows' Paradise is tailor made for the Give My Head Peace crowd – and your mileage may definitely vary there.

Stripped to its bare bones, Widows' Paradise (watch a teaser for the St. Patrick's Drama Group production of the play below) is a feature-length sitcom in a Portrush caravan, laden with pratfalls and visual gags. Not surprising, really, considering that Cree wrote for the Carry On films and George Formby. While its admirably fast pace offers plenty of opportunities for genial and knowing laughter, it prevents us from truly caring about anyone in the play. It's due to the convincing acting on stage, particularly from Chris McIvor and David Haslett, that we feel any real urge to go along with it. And go along with it we do.

To the tune of Cliff Richard’s "Summer Holiday", which bookends both acts one and two, five women – fiery Ruby (McIvor), her timid daughter Sylvia (Jenny Patton), "special case" Rachel (Nonie O'Sullivan), worn down Lucy (Mary Conlan) and pompous Vanessa (Caroline Barker) arrive in "The Port" for an "escape from men" holiday weekend. They've all been badly treated by the men in their lives, so Ruby sees this as remedy. "Men think we women can't do without them - but we will prove them wrong." Is it spoiling much to say that she is proved wrong?

Clichéd feminist banter flies rapidly between this not-so-Fab Five, with a sprinkling of admittedly amusing lines repeatedly inspiring raucous laughter from the Waterside Theatre audience. That would be all very well, if it didn't drown out the dialogue several times, making one suspect and possibly fear that this play will have to live or die on its so far not-very-promising comedy.

Fortunately, the comedy and the situation get better for the audience, if not necessarily the five ladies. Soon, our "heroines" find out they've camped in the wrong caravan, a la Father Ted and Dougal in that famous "holiday" episode of Father Ted. Cue the arrival of three (gasp!) men – fiery Harry (David Haslett), his son Alan (Jason Barr), and "special case" Ernie (Jim Gallagher) – and a forced living arrangement that rather predictably leads to further discomfort, a "battle of the sexes" and each of these guys eventually ending up with their would-be soul mate.

Widows' Paradise is laden with locally oriented, sometimes innuendo ridden laughs, with a little heart (at the end of the second act, thanks to a tender moment between Ruby and Harry). Highlights include a literal "Iron Curtain" between the lads and ladies in the caravan, which inspires Harry to fire off some of his most pointedly inventive insults at the fairer sex, and a priceless scene where Rachel hypnotises Ernie into falling for her, but he remembers nothing about it later.

Barker, wisely retaining her English accent, clearly relishes her role as the faux classy Vanessa. It's hard not to be amused when Vanessa tries charming a couple of potential suitors in the area only to find that one, Ken Canning's Wilfred, is not as rich as he claims to be, and the other, Trevor McGarrigle's Yorkshire-accented John, has twelve kids. The mid-play revelation that Wilfred is in fact Lucy’s ex-husband raises chuckles too.

Yet you're left longing for something more. Sylvia and Alan, and later Vanessa and Wilfred, disappear for long periods; a transparent way to make room for Ruby and Harry's verbal sparring and the Benny Hill-esque antics of Rachel and Ernie. This would be fine if the individuals were well drawn, but they're not. Hence Widows' Paradise works best as an ensemble piece, a group farce.

While the audience seem well into the swing of it all, right on the eve of another swinging event (the four day City Of Derry Jazz Festival) this viewer finds Widows' Paradise a decidedly mixed bag. See it for the performances and remember it for the humour that works, but don't expect anything ground-breaking.

Day One of Derry-Londonderry's 2013 jazz extravaganza is filled with sparkling soul, a cure for the blues and lots of room for dancing shoes

The more things change, the more they stay the same. With 2013 came a City Of Culture honour, but the City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival remains a musical mainstay of the Derry-Londonderry calendar no matter how cultured a city is made out to be during the course of the year. And as usual, the programme promises a host of swinging soloists, energising ensembles, bluesy brass bands and much, much more.

Now what does Day One have in store?

The Soul Rebels, an eight-piece band all the way from New Orleans, Louisana, USA, have built a reputation on adopting the most unlikely of musical genres into a brassy family – soul, jazz, funk, hip-hop, rock and pop. All six genres can be heard in an extremely tight knit set that transforms a merely expectant Nerve Centre crowd into a buzzing one. One can't help but surrender to the band's extremely funky raps, beats and audience rapport – when it's time to clap, we clap, when we hear a recognisable tune, we sing, and when the band march along to the beat of their own drums, so do we. Their rhythmic movements, Who would have thought that Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams", let alone Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner", could sound so groovy and effervescent? Toss in elements of Snoop Dogg and Bob Marley and you've got De La Soul with extra soul, something slightly suffocating but rather awesome overall.

Once upon a very recent time, a Seattle doctor prescribed the music video of the Jive Aces' Bring Me Sunshine as a "cure for the winter blues" (Don't believe me? Check this out). By the time I arrive at Da Vinci's Hotel, Ian Clarkson and his swinging septet - yes, septet, if you rightly include the radiant Rebecca Grant of Holby City fame - have not only cured the hotel's blues, but made everyone feel like they've dancing shoes. There appears to be more emphasis on the "jive" in the band's name this year, for as good as their performance is - and it's very good, especially when they take on famous numbers from "Kiss Me Kate" and of course "The Jungle Book" - it's feels less about the music and more about the people. The sparkling, authentic dance floor movements of married couple Sue and Gary Caley, from Washington DC, are as memorable, if not more so, than the band they're dancing to.

Catch up with the latest gossip from the City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival on Facebook.

Eclecticism and efficiency are the watchwords on an enjoyable jazzy evening in Derry-Londonderry

The hip-hop and soul that lit up Derry-Londonderry's Playhouse Theatre when David Lyttle, his family and some of his best collaborators arrived at last year's festival is nowhere to be seen this year. Rather than an urban interlude, the Waringstown-born drummer is treating us to an extremely varied instrumental interlude, one that spans more than a handful of genres. And a very good one it is too, with famed pianist Jason Rebello and in-demand Aussie bassist Damian Evans adding an extra touch of class to the proceedings.

This largely mid-tempo set has a luxurious, retro feel to it, smoothly alternating between music you can drift to and music you can groove to. Pleasant grins are as frequent as nodding heads in the theatre this evening, with Rebello's hypnotic tinkling of the ivories as attention-grabbing as Lyttle's numerous drumming styles. The smooth, dominant (but, importantly, not overbearing) sound of Rebello and Evans dovetails neatly with the versatile movement of Lyttle in an extremely solid performance.

Credit Lyttle, too, for establishing a strong rapport with the sizeable audience - "I'm just checking there's people here... Ah, there's more than one. Thank you!" - in addition to showing off his, and the band's, skills as unexpectedly macabre storytellers and all around entertainers. His Dark Tales, inspired by Charles Dickens and Edgar Allen Poe, lend an aura of coolness and haunting mystery to the surroundings, while a cover of the 'Allo 'Allo! theme tune, led expertly by Rebello, cannot help but raise smiles. It's like being in a jazz club, jazz disco, evening ball and music hall all at once, an eclectic and winning combination.

A decidedly French flavour dominates the downstairs area of the City Hotel as Les Swingin' Lovers (watch a video of their performance in the Guildhall Square from two years ago below) arrive to put on their set. Although to these ears, they seem more Rolling Stones-esque, with the lead singer repeatedly making, or at least trying to make, his presence felt, both on stage and in the audience. It's sort of difficult for the band to make a mark in such a cramped area, and being so late and night, the sing-alongs don't really come off. But to their credit, they give it a game try, and their efficient use of trombones, drums, bongos, electric guitar, sax, double bass, flute and encouraging vocals is commendable.

Catch up with the latest gossip from the City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival on Facebook.

Ska, boogie, rock, electronica, brass, drums, piano, you name it: absolutely every taste is catered for on a hugely enjoyable jazz Saturday

As I stroll through the front doors of Bound For Boston, I immediately hear the strains of Madness' "My Girl". It's the clearest indication possible of what to expect from Middlesbrough based musicians The Ska Beats and their wild front man. They're like Madness on stage and madness off it, a hugely welcome and satisfying injection of funk, energy and charismatic showmanship. If only there was more room to dance!

Outside Cafe Del Mondo, the sun has come out for Greggi G & His Crazy Gang and their own, easily recognisable blend of jive and boogie. Mixing elements of Johnny Cash, Elvis, John Lee Hooker, Jerry Lee Lewis and even Paddy Nash, they create a fine concoction of lively, easy-going swing, a kind of Enchantment Under The Sea dance in the 2013 sunlight. Meanwhile, the "rock band" crowd are being catered for up in Mason's, where the Oisin Cannon Band are performing songs by the Beatles, Paul Simon, The Kinks, The Who, The Rolling Stones and much, much more.

Next stop, Sandinos' Back Bar, for one of the best musicians I have heard all weekend - trumpet man Linley Hamilton. His medium tempo brass solos are simply irresistible, giving you the refreshing feeling of slipping into a comfortable bathrobe. Along with drummer Dominic Mullan, bassist Damian Evans and keyboard player Johnny Taylor, he provides a smooth, soothing series of notes, the perfect calm before the Neil Cowley storm.

And what a storm it is. After the one-strap, gentle electronica of Derry-based GRIM, aka Laurence McDaid, pianist Neil Cowley and the rest of his jazz trio - bassist Rex Horan and drummer Evan Jenkins - step onto the Nerve Centre stage to be greeted by rapturous applause. The sight of a dinosaur toy - a model raptor, to be exact - on Cowley's piano (later revealed to be a mascot) is the earliest hint that this will be no ordinary jazz set. It will be more like the Rapturous Raptor Rap, except with instruments only and - thankfully - no Robin Williams in sight.

The UK City Of Culture's musician in residence, and his band, provide a thunderous euphony of contrasting jazz styles. Jenkins' drumming is loud, clear and consistent. Horan's bass reminds one of some of the best film music there is. On the early evidence, one could do much, much worse than hire these guys to compose a movie.

It's pretty clear why Cowley feels so comfortable in these surroundings. As he himself puts it, Derry-Londonderry "feels like home... you don't know how much I've been affected by it. I've got a whole new vocabulary!" And said vocabulary extends to not just the slang he has been using, but the music he plays. By the time he plays "Hug The Greyhound" the overall effect is near phenomenal, with Cowley banging the piano keys like a man possessed while Jenkins tries out a series of unexpected, delectable drum beats. Cowley may not quite have the musical reputation of Billy Joel, Bruce Hornsby and Sir Elton John, to name but a few, but his tempo, commitment and humility exceed them all.

Quite simply, the whole gig is a joy to watch, with Cowley and the band's modest sense of humour equally as appreciative as the full, real and epic sound they are presenting. It's like watching three forces of nature descend on you at once, a tenacious, inventive and persistent performance that is definitely worth experiencing again at Music City later this year.

As my day concludes, I wander over to the Derby Bar and wonder - how can Fiona Trotter possibly live up to what I've seen? Well, live up to it she does, albeit in a very different, lower-key manner. The best of George and Ira Gershwin, and more, gets an impressive vocal workout in the corner of the bar, while drummer Rebecca Montgomery (read our interview with her here) effectively displays her ease with all kinds of speed, movement and rhythm required. In short, Trotter and her band are very good sports, and hearing them is a fine way to round off a hugely enjoyable night.

Catch up with the latest news from the City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival on Facebook.

Our fourth and final jazzy day in Derry-Londonderry features two touches of class: one soulful, one cinematic (more on that elsewhere...)

As was the case in last year's festival, the spine-tingling sax solos of Gay McIntyre - the best sax player in the city bar none, on this evidence - are the ideal tonic for both body and souls, some tired, some not-so-tired, on a pleasant afternoon in the Playhouse Theatre. Listening to this man, along with his son Paul on the piano, Paul Fleming on bass, Myles Drennan on drums (and later piano) and, in McIntyre's opinion, "one of the best guitar players in the world", Mr. Louis Stewart, is akin to tasting and enjoying a rich Sunday dinner with no bad after effects. Indeed, the only after effects one feels from this set list - highlighted by McIntyre Jr's efficient piano-playing (second only to Neil Cowley's as the best of the weekend), Drennan's drumming, and guest star Richie Buckley's high tempo tenor sax (which either overshadows or compliments McIntyre Sr, take your pick) - are positive one. The applause McIntyre Sr receives throughout the set, which allows every musician in the ensembles to enjoy their moment in the spotlight, is as worthy an 80th birthday present for him as his music is a gift to us.

But the real gift to the City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival is yet to come...

* * * * *

At this point in time, we would like to take a quick breather and announce the following - the Si's Sights And Sounds City Of Derry Jazz And Big Festival Awards 2013!

Best Pianist: Neil Cowley
(Honourable mentions: Jason Rebello, Paul McIntyre)
Best Guitarist: Louis Stewart
Best Saxophonist: Gay McIntyre
(Honourable mentions: Richie Buckley, Erion Williams)
Best Bass Player: Rex Horan
(Honourable mentions: Damian Evans, Dave Fleming)
Best Trumpeteer: Linley Hamilton
(Honourable mentions: Julian Gosin, Marcus Hubbard)
Best Drummer: David Lyttle
(Honourable mentions: Rebecca Montgomery, Myles Drennan, Evan Jenkins, Dominic Mullan)
Best Leading Lady: China Forbes
(Honourable mentions: Rebecca Grant, Fiona Trotter)

Best All Round Ensemble: Pink Martini
(Honourable mentions: Neil Cowley Trio, The Soul Rebels, The Ska Beats and The Jive Aces)

Feel free to comment if you agree or disagree, of course.

The cinematically-oriented rhythm and all around groove of the US-based band give a large Derry-Londonderry audience something special to remember

An impressive and hugely inviting set up greets my eyes the very moment I stroll into the stalls of Derry-Londonderry's Millennium Forum. The large amount of instruments on stage - a violin, a grand piano, an upright bass, a guitar, a cello, jazz drums, conga drums and numerous percussion instruments - sit there, bathed in appealing, fluorescent light, waiting to be played. It's the first hint that the internationally renowned Pink Martini's reputation is well deserved.

Back in mid-1990's America, Thomas Lauderdale, a then-aspiring politician from Portland in Oregon, had the idea of coming up with a more "beautiful" and "inclusive" musical alternative to the lacklustre tunes he had heard at political fundraisers. Hence Pink Martini were born. And one year after starting out as a "little orchestra", Lauderdale recruited Massachusetts-based China Forbes, the band began to write songs themselves.

Since then, the only way has been up, with the band's diverse, multi-lingual urban sound filling houses all over the world, including famous venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. In the band's words, we are promised an "musical travelogue", a show that will transport us all over the world. We certainly get that tonight, right from the start of the band's first ever visit to the Maiden City.

Forbes, slinking onto the stage in an extremely eye-catching green dress, is immediately greeted by loud applause. The ensemble, the lighting, the sound and her booming voice instantly light up and fill up the Forum, converting the atmosphere into that of a Mediterranean Cabaret. It's one of many locations the band will seek to "take" us to through countless musical and lyrical languages.

Listening to "Sympathique" (above) gives you the feeling of sitting at a street cafe in France; "Congratulations", sounds like something from Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona; "Praeludium & Allegro", played by Nicholas Crosa, is as good a tune as any you'd hear at a Viennese concert; while "Una Notta On Napoli" (listen above) makes one think of Italy, naturally.

But to these eyes, Pink Martini are more than excellent musicians and energetic tour guides; they are cinematic and televisual musical storytellers.

Forbes herself enjoys the way music and imagery, not just words, can be used to tell a story on screen, and her passion for silent cinema successfully transfers itself to the stage. It's a boon for nostalgic movie-goers and those who want more from a concert-going experience than simply the tunes themselves. It's more than real music; it's reel music, spanning all kinds of filmic, harmonic and melodic genres.

Time after time, we are treated to epic and varied orchestrations, in the midst of a sweet, powerful and ingenuous singing voice. If it doesn't read and sound like a gym circuits class with a lovely voice and musical instruments, it's like Adele's "Skyfall" in a more versatile and easy-going arena. One reckons that if Forbes was offered the chance to sing a James Bond theme, she'd pull it off, though her and the band's repertoire goes well beyond that.

The performance is like experiencing a gangster movie, romance, musical, drama and comedy all at once, with our imaginations, voices and limbs being extended into uncharted territory every step of the way by the multi-lingual vocals, countless rhythms and catchy instrumentals. When the band are not paying tribute to Peter Gunn or referencing amusing sources as diverse as "Clementine", Monty Python or even Inspector Gadget, they're successfully exhibiting their humourous and frivolous capacity with tunes like "Hang On Little Tomato" and "Hey Eugene" (listen below).

Even if the occasional vocal harmony or instrumental doesn't quite have the same effect as it does when Forbes' voice leads the way, the overall impression is irresistibly charming and delightfully congenial. No more so than when Forbes and the band welcome a fan called Francis onto stage to help them "remember the lyrics" to a song - which he does - and help with percussion. Or when the entire band meets fans, both current and new, to sign CDs in the foyer.

When we near the end of the night, the Pink Martini effect has been so positive that nearly everyone in the stalls wants to conga in the aisles of the Forum - a sight to behold. No one seems to mind that this isn't strictly jazz - they've been too lost in the music, and rightly so. Because Derry-Londonderry has truly been honoured to host such an upbeat and harmonious gig. The headquarters of the famous Fringe Festival have something really special waiting for them when Forbes, Lauderdale and their hugely gifted ensemble descend on Edinburgh tomorrow night.

Check out Pink Martini's official site at www.pinkmartini.com.

The second film in this rebooted Star Trek universe is a rapid assault on both the mind and the senses, but there's no real spark to be found

It's Trek, Jim, but not as we would really like to know it. JJ Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness - hereafter Into Darkness - boldly goes where so many other films in the famous series, and beyond, have gone before. When Abrams is not pandering to the zeitgeist with an extremely unsubtle post-9/11 scenario, he's playing to the fans; when he's not trying to remake The Dark Knight, he's soullessly and unimaginably plagiarising the past. The movie should really be called No Spark Trek; good performances and extremely well-paced directing can't compensate for a distinct lack of heart.

At its essence, Into Darkness is an all-too-familiar parable for our times, a simple story of both the USS Enterprise crew and Starfleet facing, and trying to stop, an extremely dangerous rebel from within their ranks, Benedict Cumberbatch's John Harrison. The irony being that if Harrison himself is indeed a nod to a famous sea-voyaging pioneer, there's nothing pioneering at all about either his character (he's essentially a generic terrorist) or Into Darkness itself. It's not much more than a collection of recycled moments from Trek lore, mixed in with some admittedly sharp quickfire dialogue, well used 3-D, too-clever references and, Abrams being Abrams, lens flares. One can at least be grateful that the Enterprise itself feels cinematic in the movie.

To be frank, the whole idea of rebooting Star Trek, especially with so many nods to the original universe, was a problematic one to begin with. The chemistry between the new crew has never been in doubt - Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Karl Urban have truly nailed Kirk, Spock and Bones, respectively, and Simon Pegg's Scotty is a hoot - but you never truly feel that any of the "original seven" are in danger, because you know they must prosper, if not necessarily live long, for Paramount's cash co... ahem, flagship series, to exist. Even Cumberbatch's performance suffers when one realises his character is little more than a pale imitation of better villains - like Tom Hardy in Star Trek: Nemesis, he's an excellent actor shoehorned into an unremarkable role. Peter Weller, Robocop himself, is far more intimidating as Fleet Admiral Marcus.

JJ Abrams has built a successful career out of elevating the familiar in his own unique fashion - see his first Star Trek movie - but he can't elevate anything here, however earnestly he tries. After the surprising humanity and emotional honesty of Super 8, Into Darkness can only be seen as a major step backwards. Like Iron Man 3, it's a serviceable but empty summer spectacle.

Gary Mitchell's latest work is less about rock and more about reconciliation

When we arrive at Derry-Londonderry's Playhouse Theatre, one hopes that the "punk rock play" we're about to see, Re-Energize, will be as ceaselessly alternative as the weather outside appears to be. And it looks like playwright Gary Mitchell and director Conall Morrison have a tough task on their hands, for "rock" is an exceptionally tough genre to innovate both cinematically and theatrically.

Most rock stories fall into the bracket of "sticking it to the man", "triumphing against the odds" or "falling in love" while several catchy tunes allow viewers to gloss over the triteness. But recent filmed efforts such as Killing Bono and Good Vibrations have pushed the envelope a little bit, offering the opportunity for exploring the very fine line between the true stars, the has beens and the wannabes.

Re-Energize retains the tone of these efforts, making the music a side note to what is really happening on stage: a gripping battle of internalised conflict. It also contains elements of The Full Monty and School Of Rock, with the characters taking precedence over the music, but feels less commercially calculated and more homely than either.

The play is a sequel to 1999's Energy, where a wannabe punk band rehearsed, argued amongst one another and tried to sort themselves out in time for their all important first gig. It all ended in tears. Thirty years later, the band members, all split up, in their fifties and living in the Rathcoole housing estate, are still trying to sort themselves out, in the hope that they will be able to re-form for another shot.

The lives of Dave (Chris Corrigan, returning from the original production), his brother Humper (Andy Moore, likewise), his housemate Pete (Michael Liebmann) and his lost love Alison (Jo Donnelly) are occupied by drugs, debt and depression; and in Humper and Alison's case, wayward teenage children, Benji (Gavin Peden) and AJ (Niomi Liberante, soon to appear in the BBC's 6Degrees) respectively.

Mitchell's script is cliche-laden, but this is no detriment to the play. Sure, it features angst-ridden songwriters penning lyrics around their loved ones; alcohol dependent wannabe rockers; lots of swearing; naïve, hormonal teens; absent and/or incapable fathers; and a clearly defined villain, the debt-collecting Young Cecil (James Doran), who earns that name from following in the footsteps of his father, Old Cecil. But what's commendable here is the delight and conviction Mitchell, Morrison and the cast show in playing with and sometimes subverting these cliches.

Young Cecil, for example, is fun to watch, one of those Horrible Bosses who walks, talks and acts like Colin Farrell's character in the similarly titled Seth Gordon film. He takes great pride in the power he holds over our protagonists. Even as you understand his position, he milks it so heavily that you can't help but wish for his comeuppance.

Also interesting is the play's illustration of its paternal and maternal relationships. Notably, Benji holds so low an opinion of Humper that he sees playing music with his two "uncles" - yes, he feels that Pete is family to him, too - as a better alternative to spending time with his real father. Yet neither Benji nor Humper initially realise how similar to one another they actually are. Both are music lovers, and neither has any idea of what they want to do with their lives, nor do they want to face up to their own problems. It's an equally tough, if not tougher, situation between Alison and AJ, particularly when Alison is told to work for Young Cecil, and has to face the dilemma of holding down a job even though it may mean alienating those nearest and dearest to her.

But family does not necessarily conquer all. While one could certainly argue that the children's cleverness sparks the adults into literally re-energizing themselves, the adults must surely be smart enough to realise that re-inventing the band cannot and will not be the answer to everything. Mitchell has successfully tapped into a strong theme from Good Vibrations here: music may give you an energy rush, but it isn't the solution to all your problems. More importantly, getting bogged down in one's love of music can really be a hindrance sometimes: as Benji says about Dave and Pete, "They talk and dream, but they never actually do anything." Until near the end, that is...

Re-Energize largely resembles Eastenders in Rathcoole, with both the children and adults in the play repeatedly arguing and turning the tables on one another at a relentless pace. Except here, there is at least the possibility of a happy ending.

What one likes most about Re-Energize is that even though Dave, Pete and company improve as musicians as the play goes on, in very Once-like fashion, it is less about the band and more about the bond. By show's end, the sound of the revitalised punk, written by The Undertones' John & Damien O'Neill and performed by every character barring Young Cecil, will almost certainly leave everyone with a massive smile on their face. But we are even more elated to see a hint of Dave and Alison reconciling, Pete putting aside his differences, Humper bonding with Benji and AJ getting in on the act. And while we feel confident that the kids will be alright, we are happier at seeing the adults get what they always wanted: a second chance.

Re-Energize runs in Derry's Playhouse Theatre until Saturday May 18, and will tour to Belfast's Lyric Theatre from September 9 to September 23. For more information, and a full gallery of images, click here. All photos courtesy of GC Photographics.

On the eve of One Big Weekend's return to Derry-Londonderry, Si's Sights And Sounds looks back at its first visit... and provides some words of wisdom for up-and-coming journos

(Photo: Getty Images)

I still remember it vividly.

Around 3 am on Friday April 16, 2004, I stood huddled in a long queue featuring numerous sleepy twenty somethings and countless hyperactive teenagers. The queue had begun at the Guildhall Square and ended up on Waterloo Street. There was no big screen down in the square below, and no one thought about the multi-million pound foot and cycle bridge that would become a 21st century Derry-Londonderry landmark, or anything called Ebrington Square.

These were the days when merely having a colour screen on your "cell phone" (how ancient does that sound today?) and a broadband connection were enough to make you feel hip. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube had yet to appear, let alone take over our lives. Long before smart phones had become commonplace, long before Derry-Londonderry had even applied for the City Of Culture award, our little city had something to prove. We needed something to truly raise our profile as a cultural hub. And in the One Big Weekend experience of 2004, we found it.

Back then, ordering free tickets via the internet wasn't an option (it would be another two years before the online lottery system was brought in). No, if you wanted a free ticket for One Big Weekend that year, you had to queue outdoors. You had to wait until you arrived at a special ticket booth in the Guildhall Square. Once you reached your destination, either Colin Murray (in his pre-Match Of The Day 2 days) or Edith Bowman, if you were lucky, would give you your ticket; your free pass to a feast of musical fun in the Prehen Playing Fields.

Of course, with the event running over two days – one for dance, one for live artists and bands – there had to be two ticket collection times. The tickets me and my friends were looking for, the "artists and bands" tickets, weren't due to be distributed until 8 am that Friday morning; hence why so many were already out queuing for the 10,000 tickets at 3 am, if not earlier.

But no one cared how early in the morning it was. Hearts and minds seemed solely concentrated on the possibility of a free ticket for one of the biggest musical events in the BBC's calendar year. The tantalising sight and sound of either Murray or Bowman with a ticket in their hand, at the end of the queue, was motivation enough in itself.

There were slight fears of not getting a ticket; even in a city as small as Derry-Londonderry, you would be surprised at how quickly freebies are snapped up. But you didn't really have time to feel fearful, because everyone else in the queue made you feel so at ease. For students like me, it was a welcome break from the pressures of their forthcoming exams; a chance to enjoy the company of people who loved music as much as they did. Better still, the weather was dry. The time of day – or night, take your pick – was irrelevant when there was so much goodwill in the air.

At least until the ticket booth opened.

From then on, comfort turned to commotion. The rush to get through a securely-guarded barrier and onto the pathway leading to the booth almost felt like being a packed sardine. My feet were briefly hoisted off the ground as I became trapped in a tight, excitable huddle. To date, I like to think that the firmness of that small crowd of people – tight, but not suffocating – kept us safe, as did the watching security guards. Still, I was thankful to be let through the barrier sooner rather than later.

Before I knew it, me and several others were walking freely, safe in the knowledge that the tickets we craved would be waiting for us. While I can't quite remember picking up my ticket, I do remember the sound of Bowman’s speaking voice and the recorded sound of her fellow Scot Fran Healy. "Sing... sing... sing..." sang the loudspeakers near the Guildhall. Well, sing I did, very loudly. And I don't even like Travis. And I didn't want to leave, for the buzz in the air that morning was unrecyclable. I couldn't recall an event of this magnitude coming to Derry before; and I did wonder whether the Prehen Playing Fields would be big enough for it.

Fortunately, such fears were unfounded on the day itself, Sunday April 25. The long walk down Victoria Road didn't feel like a long walk at all. You were in the company of so many friendly people that it couldn't be anything else but enjoyable.

And this was before a multitude of musical memories were made inside a Tardis of a tent in a field by the River Foyle.

(Photo: BBC)

We sang and swayed to Keane's music when it was still a novelty to us and not processed piano pop. We jumped up and down to Alex Kapranos and company long before the thinness of their debut album became apparent. We marvelled at Kelis' stage presence. We rejoiced as Tim Wheeler, Mark Hamilton, Rick McMurray and Charlotte Hatherley nearly brought the house down. We were overjoyed at the sight of Avril Lavigne performing on stage in Derry-Londonderry.

For a dreamy teenager or twenty something student, this was near heaven.

But the more pessimistic thirty something sitting here today cannot help but recall AU Magazine's comments about the Sk8er Girl's performance:

"I always thought Avril Lavigne only existed in a marketing man's wet dream. But today, there she is on stage. Kinda. The pint-sized pop princess is having trouble filling the tent with her presence. And she doesn't seem to have the songs to compensate for this lack of impact. Tunes like Sk8er Boi... get lost in their own indifference... Only the crowd, who are almost determined to like Avril, stop this from being a complete run through the motions. But even they are beginning to see the cracks at the end. If you're going to go through the motions, do it in a recording studio rather than in front of thousands of people."

Nowadays, I have a sneaking feeling that had Lavigne performed her bubblegum pop in a similar manner in the United States, or near her home town, audiences would have been disappointed. It’s quite probable that her set at One Big Weekend set attained gravitas it didn’t deserve because we were all amazed that a city as small as Derry-Londonderry could attract such a high-profile name.

It's not just about Lavigne, of course. I disagreed with punters who called Pixie Lott's performance at last year's Peace One Day concert "mediocre". But was she really as vibrant and radiant as I had made her out to be, or was I just carried away in the atmosphere of a city made to feel important by a full house and the appearance of stars such Jude Law?

I don't mean to demean 2004's event or Peace One Day. Nor do I mean to bring a dampener on the excitement surrounding 2013’s event. But, after years of reviewing, I have learnt that when surrounded by huge uplift and celebrity names, the fine line between critic and PR machine is a very easy one to cross.

Hence I will be viewing One Big Weekend 2013 through more cynical eyes. As appealing as waxing lyrical about the mere presence of Biffy Clyro, Ellie Goulding or Bruno Mars in Derry-Londonderry might be, it is the reviewer's job to keep their head screwed on and appraise them as performers. This, if anything, is a major step in the evolution of an arts critic.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Then again, if they really do put on a great show, I could be wrong...

If Australia is Baz Luhrmann's Titanic, The Great Gatsby is his Avatar; a reduction of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel to gaudy, obvious visual melodrama centred around The White Man's Burden. Well-paced, rarely boring but generally stale and heavy-handed, the film doesn't have much to really recommend it beyond another remarkable turn from Leonardo Di Caprio as Gatsby himself (when he doesn't overdo the intensity, that is). One could marvel at the flow of the narrative, the evocative 1920s production design, the occasionally clever use of music - Jack White's cover of "Love Is Blindness" (listen in the trailer below) is a highlight - and Di Caprio's maturity as a performer, but every other actor on screen is a cipher in this piece of overblown showmanship. Tobey Maguire's Nick Carraway is thankfully deprived of his Peter Parker smirk, but is given little to do apart from narrate the novel back at us. Joel Edgerton's Tom is an obvious Cal Hockley expy. Carey Mulligan has her work cut out trying to imbue the sad, lustful object of Gatsby's affection with any depth; she gives it a good go, but one wonders if we'll ever see her play a part like Sally Sparrow again. All that's left to do when the credits roll is ponder what this adaptation actually has to say: myths are there to be broken, you can only trade on being "great" for so long, and falling in love can change one's plans. But these are things we know all too well, nothing that Luhrmann seems to give one iota about in his baroque extravaganzas. Still, if you liked Avatar, you'll like this, although, as Gatsby himself might say, one should surely expect more from a great book, ol' sport?

The long awaited restoration of Derry-Londonderry's premier building is complete – and with it will come a newly engaging and interactive historical experience

One feels like a new beginning is on the cards the very moment he or she steps inside the Guildhall in Derry-Londonderry.

There is a real buzz everywhere in this old-new building, the centrepiece of the Maiden City. Project team members, contractors and city representatives have gathered to preview the restoration of the iconic structure ahead of its official re-opening to the public in less than two weeks' time.

A classical version of Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" is among a series of tunes heard from a quartet of violinists prior to a succession of speeches from numerous dignitaries. It's a suitably soothing and uplifting atmosphere for the end of one project, this three year, £9.5 million development, and the beginning of another.

For many a surprise awaits us when we step outside the main hall. To our left lies the new council chamber, which features a slightly-frosted glass window view overlooking The Peace Bridge. It’s a sight to behold. I am also informed that the old council chamber downstairs has been transformed into a small exhibition room, with the former mayor’s parlour almost resembling a designated tourist information point. ("Almost", in that its interactive 3-D map of the city is not yet in situ, but when installed, it will be a welcome orientation tool for visitors and tourists.)

What has happened to Derry-Londonderry's most famous building? What, indeed?

Five years ago, Derry City Council had decided that the Guildhall needed "recapturing". In their words, it needed a "bit of TLC". The chance to re-orientate the building as a function to serve both the people and the tourists was too good an opportunity to miss.

"What we’ve really tried to do", says Derry City Council's Heritage & Museum Service's Education Officer, Margaret Edwards, "is put the Guildhall back at the heart of the city."

The idea is that the Guildhall will now take its place as a key historic and civic building that will have something to offer for everyone, tourists or residents. For a long time, the Guildhall had been seen simply as a function room, a place for registering a birth, booking a marriage or holding a council meeting. But perhaps now, the building can return to what it used to be, especially in cultural terms.

"Back in the 1980s, the Field Day company were established here, and the Londonderry Amateur Operatic Society (now Londonderry Musical Society) used to perform here too – and I think that's important to remember, because the place's cultural identity has been sort of lost along the way", Edwards explains. "The building still has a civic function as both an event hub and an exhibition centre, and we're aiming to recapture that."

The new exhibition space downstairs (above), which aims to put the building's heritage to good use, is ample evidence of this, as is the new entrance and the not-yet-finished cafe area facing the Riverfront. It is hoped that such amenities and innovations will help overcome the "not really for me", "closed" and "inaccessible" impressions people have of the building, and will open more eyes to both the beauty of the structure and its standing as a musical events venue.

With that in mind, I journey to the downstairs exhibition area and am greeted by an innovative interactive debate. Three different character actors, playing an Irish woman, a planter woman and a London merchant, are speaking to me from a video screen.

It turns out they are all giving us a human perspective of the Irish Plantation Process, and then inviting the viewer to choose which particular view is the most relatable. In true Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Fashion, every viewer gets a set amount of time to cast their vote – ten seconds – and the results of the day are recorded in an ongoing tally of votes. "It's a bit of a census, but a good natured one", says Edwards. "We see it as a way of measuring the opinion of the city and raising awareness of what the Plantation was about."

This is one of several ways of Plantation education in the entire room. One can also use building blocks to learn more about the land allocated to the colonists during the period, or put together a magnetic jigsaw of 16th century Ulster. It's local history for all ages, from a contemporary perspective; re-living a journey back in time with modern day tools. There’s much promise in this educational, communal and interactive exhibition.

"There is indeed", smiles Edwards. "We put much thought into making it interactive and educational because the Ulster Plantation is quite a dry subject. It goes on for a long period of time, and it's not like a big battle, or a siege. We wanted to find ways of enlivening and animating it."

She concludes: "I think everyone will find something they can really relate to."

And one certainly hopes that everyone will concur about the entire Guildhall once it re-opens its doors to the public on June 10.

The excitement from a weekend of music has died down. Si's Sights And Sounds looks back at a pair of festivals that give Derry-Londonderry something to believe in again

NORTH BY NORTHWEST FESTIVAL, DAY ONE

"God, it's warm today!" So speaks Rion McCartney, the self-titled Robbie Williams of Creggan, as he steps onto Stage 2 of the Playhouse Theatre at the North By Northwest Festival. And while he may not look or sound like the star who surprised almost everyone at Ebrington Square on Friday May 24, his more self-depreciating presence is a welcome alternative. He, his three fellow Murder Balladeers and their localised country balladry are the perfect warm up for this two day exhibition of local bands and singers. In other words, it's "One Wee Weekend", a fine tonic for those music fans unable or unwilling to join in the more publicised party on the other side of the Foyle.

Girl-and-her-guitar act Laura B then steps up to the mike. Like a raw Bic Runga, her deliberately broken and bitterly sincere vocals come to the forefront. It's a good showcase for her possessively determined indie folk, a solid experiment on the pathway to what will hopefully be a more fuller sound in the future.

On the main stage next door, Conor McAteer and We Are Aerials begin their set with a blues-dominated rhythm before confidence envelops them, giving them an Undertones-esque presence. What the tiny crowd present will remember most from this small collection of songs is the cover of REM’s "It's The End Of The World As We Know It"; energizing, earnest, and elevating, it's undeniably spirit-raising.

If GRIM, aka Laurence McDaid, looks... well... grim when he begins performing, it's not his fault. For the issue, if there is one, isn't that his audience is small, but that he's living up to his name. Laurence McDaid's brand of quiet punk raises echoes of the angst-ridden suffering of Ian Curtis and the surrealist humour of Thomas Truax. It's a combination that's not for everyone, but makes a pretty strong impression nonetheless.

Intermission have enjoyed much success in the three years they've been together, and it's easy to see why; their sometimes Bon Jovi-esque sound is the best of the night so far. Glenn Rosborough's sharp, piercing vocals and Grahame Bradley's prominent bass playing makes everyone sit up and take notice, providing the ideal lead in to the harmonic indie collective otherwise known as John Deery And The Heads.

What follows is the composed sullenness of Our Krypton Son, most evident on "Sunlight In The Ashes" and the impressive "Season", and the heavy metal of LibidoSwitch. The contrast between the two bands could not be starker; if Chris McConaghy and his band come across as dependable, accomplished musicians, Andy Anderson and company's hardcore rock is a slightly unwelcome assault on all the senses. It's like Tenacious D on steroids, and even if they've approached the set list in the right manner, the timing and setting of the occasion are all wrong for them.

The exact opposite is true of The Clameens, who have the fortune to start playing just as the action at One Big Weekend is finished for the day. Their catchy riffs and inspiring chemistry, worthy of Franz Ferdinand in their pre-fame prime, create a real vibe in the small hall and leave everyone wanting more.

Less of a unifying effect is created by The Wood Burning Savages, but you do warm to their uplifting guitar rock, which contains elements of The Killers, The Stone Roses and even a little rap. Coupled with the Tribal Fire display on the walls that is drawing almost everyone's attention, they are the ideal lead in to Little Bear. By now, the hall is packed, and Steven McCool and his band (watch them perform at Other Voices Derry above) need only let the togetherness of the atmosphere and the catchiness of their songs speak for the occasion. It's the perfect conclusion to the evening for one of the North West's latest musical success stories – grounded, eclectic, easy to listen to and above all, positively entertaining.

BBC RADIO ONE'S BIG WEEKEND, DAY THREE

Most of our day at the weekend's premier music event - with due respect to North By Northwest - is spent inside the Vital Venue, otherwise known as the In New Music We Trust stage during this short time. And the question we ask ourselves while many of the revellers are having a ball at the main stage is: can we trust in the "new" music we hear to entertain us? Time to find out...

We Are The Ocean, a very Feeder-esque four-piece Essex based band, earn themselves deserved applause with their prominent guitars and ballsy vocals. In between their set and the arrival of the highly-rated Miles Kane, "Bohemian Rhapsody", "I Feel Good" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are played by the Radio One DJ in residence. Whatever else, these surroundings are not going to lack team spirit, let alone teen spirit.

Kane strolls on the stage in a white-buttoned suit, keenly surveying and praising this audience. It would appear that the former frontman of The Rascals wants to make it clear that he will own the place for the next eight songs or so, and that he does, with a seasoned Britpop beat that reverberates around the Venue. A mixture of infra-red and bright white light flashes around the tent, recreating an Arctic Monkeys vibe that leaves almost everyone buzzing.

After hearing "Teenage Kicks" for the umpteenth time, I hear people remark on the maddening inconsistency of the Derry-Londonderry weather - "the weather's turned good" - before gearing up for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. There's few better ways to psyche one up for a gig like this than by hearing "Ghostbusters" and Will Smith... and the DJ duly obliges.

And absolutely everyone's minds are blown by the Seattle-based rapper and his entourage. Iconic images aplenty, from Lewis's trumpet playing to Michael "Wanz" Wansley's guest vocals, cement themselves in the eyes, ears and brains of a hugely excitable audience. But what will be remembered most from this performance - the best of the day - is not just the earwormy "Thrift Shop" (which is, indeed, "awesome"), but Macklemore's messages of peace and love, his ability to create so much from so little, and his unquenchable stamina directly following a fourteen-hour flight from his hometown!

According to our announcer, Londoner Jessie Ware "looks amazing, sounds amazing, dresses amazing and is amazing". And you would definitely agree with him on three of those counts. One's only slightly reluctant to gush over Ware 100% because following Macklemore is not an easy task. But when Ware enters the fray in an easily distinguishable red dress and spotted top, the heavy and rhythmic sound of guitars, drums and bongos surrounds her. Before long, we are won over by her sweet vocals, slinky moves and lovely manners. It's very bluesy indie soul with hip-hop, jungle and techno beats, a neat combination that maintains the strong feeling of togetherness established at the event.

It's a good job that plenty of enthusiasm is in place when Bastille arrive, for they need it to carry themselves through their decidedly mixed bag of a set. They've got power and presence, but their repetitive, samey repertoire does them no favours. What ultimately saves them is a slick dual cover of "Rhythm Is A Dancer" and "Rhythm Is A Night", and their closing number, "Pompeii", which sees everyone literally erupt with joy. The sight of the glitter pumped into the Venue, along with consistent clapping and a catchy refrain, is enough to make even a cynic smile.

As the evening concludes, sympathies lie with both Disclosure and Vampire Weekend, especially the latter. How can their taut, efficient and admittedly good music stand a chance against Chicharito's long-lost brother (yes, Bruno Mars, I'm talking about you), fireworks and an outdoor light show? Nevertheless, they acquit themselves admirably, and along with all the other artists in the Venue today and throughout the previous two days, they play an important part in making this a Big Weekend for both Derry-Londonderry and music fans worldwide.

All Radio One Big Weekend photos courtesy of the BBC and City Of Culture 2013. For more highlights of the Big Weekend, check out the official site. For more photos of the bands on show at North By Northwest, visit our Facebook page.

For one day only, Derry-Londonderry gains a new name...

The sound of roaring thunder is heard from behind the front of a large wooden "box" outside the entrance to the Guildhall. The mood of the numerous crowd members scattered around the square is as eager and excitable as it is impatient, with curiosity about the contents inside "the box". The joyousness is matched only by the slight discomfort caused by the sweltering conditions, with the need for ice creams, cold drinks and sunburn avoidance at what seems like an all time high.

We, the people of Derry-Londonderry, are not used to this. Not just the weather, but also the publicity. Amateur and professional photographers are searching for the best spots near the box. A BBC presenter and her cameraman have travelled from Nottingham to be part of the occasion. Forget One Big Weekend, this is the event that the first ever UK City Of Culture has clearly been waiting for.

Then, it happens. The Josef Locke tenors rip off their security jackets and burst into quite a special mix of song and mild dance. Part operatic, part Fred Astaire (top hats and all), their rendition of "Hear My Song" elicits loud cheers from everyone. Not quite as melodic, but equally as pleasing, are the antics of the two workmen who try to open the box with a hammer and drill, that is, when they're not improvising with those tools. Eventually, the lid of the "box" slowly comes down to reveal... a book? The cover of a dusty book, with large cobwebs all around it?

But this is not just any old and dusty book. It's the Book Of Kells, an illuminated Latin manuscript Gospel book created by Celtic monks. Or so history would have us believe. When a little girl and a monk open this particular Book Of Kells in front of us, it is revealed to be empty.

"There's nothing in the book", a woman next to me says. "Not - yet..." I smile, knowing that the best is definitely yet to come. And that is indeed the case. Jaunty Irish music starts to play as the monk begins to draw a large map of Derry on the right-hand page of the centre of the book. The Guildhall Square, The Walled City, the River Foyle, the Peace Bridge, the Loch Ness monster, the Gasyard, the Railway Station, the Long Church Tower, Ebrington Square... a cheer is reserved for every single recognisable landmark that appears on the map as the crowd relish both the temporary "transformation" of the city and the excitement that lies ahead.

A door - yes, a little "door" - is then drawn at the bottom of the page for the monk to literally cut open. Through the paper door, children emerge from the book to distribute maps of "Colmville" to every spectator.

Ah yes - Colmville. What is Colmville? Why, it's Derry-Londonderry, of course, for one weekend only! And for the next few hours, monks and guidebooks are to lead the people of the city through an afternoon of music, movement and the spoken word. Local history lessons, medieval food, medieval fashion and even contemporary rock are to highlight what promises to be a memorable afternoon.

As I leave everyone to enjoy themselves, I wonder what everyone's favourite memories of Colmville will be by the end of the long afternoon...

An exquisite, quietly uplifting melodic and narrative concoction makes its debut in Derry-Londonderry

Columba Canticles originates from a series of poems written by Derry-Londonderry writer Sam Burnside. The poet and founder of the Verbal Arts Centre is one of many present at St. Columb's Cathedral tonight to witness the world premiere of an oratorio based on his own work, composed by Laurence Roman of the University Of Ulster.

Hopes are high that said oratorio, coupled with a quartet of pieces from Michael McGlynn and Paul Mealor, the latter of whom is also present, will both raise and illustrate the possibilities and potential of the human spirit.

But what of the music itself? Well, I am told, when I sit down, a little weary post-Return Of Colmcille, that I am about to hear a very good choir. So good that the BBC have taken note - the Songs Of Praise production team is in place to prepare for a broadcast due to be aired on September 15.

The Southbank Sinfonia, our orchestra for the evening, sit stationed at the back of the cathedral, almost entirely hidden from view. Then, from the lightness comes dark. From the noise, silence. And from the silence arises a softly, sweetly echoing alto-soprano voice. While the multitude of attendees continue to fixate their eyes at the front of the hall, something extremely entrancing is happening both behind and beside them; the sight of the Universities of Ulster and Aberdeen Chamber Choirs slowly moving forward to take their place at the front, with candles in hand, in tandem with the sound of Michael McGlynn's Jerusalem (listen to an extract below).

Not to be confused with the song that should be England's national anthem, this Jerusalem is a work of heart-rending, almost jaw-dropping beauty. An exquisite solo followed by a multitudinous vocal workout, it is a multi-layered Celtic chorus that gives one the breathtaking feeling of surveying an Irish or Scottish landscape and marvelling at the space around you.

It's followed by the ethereal Quis Quis Eris, also composed by McGlynn, a tune that's so understated that the audience do not believe they are expected to applaud. Hence conductor Shaun Ryan must turn to face us, crouch down and hold his hand to his ear so they get the signal.

Two large crescendos eventually lead into Paul Mealor's positively unifying Ubi Caritas, which relaxes both choirs, freeing them to express themselves. It's a well balanced piece featuring extremely prominent bases and a gentle alto solo.

When it's time for Mealor's next piece, Ryan announces that he loves the composer's work so much that he will get the best note he can out of it. And to an extent, he's right. Ave Maria is an epic welcome into comfortable and peaceful surroundings with shining soprano parts. The applause is long and loud, and Mealor is invited to share it.

The Southbank Sinfonia then join the choirs, beginning the Columba Canticles themselves with a smooth medley of string instruments. It is feared that the basses will be drowned out amidst the numerous weaving melodies of Kyrie, but an easily detectable long note shows that both the choir, and the violinists, mean business. This continues into the Requiem-esque (that's Mozart, not Fauré) Vestry, which is our first encounter with both Burnside's poetry and narrator Dessie Gallagher. Through focusing on tiny, clinical details such as a washbasin with a solitary cold tap, Burnside and Gallagher attempts to create imagery in line with Laurence Roman's music. It's an admirable idea, but does not come off so well amidst the acoustics of the cathedral, which lend themselves better to the music.

Both choir and musicians retain their prominence in Gloria In Excelsis, a ground bass solo which stretches from the singers to the double bass instruments. It's a very even-handed composition, a roundabout of harmonies circling eight descending notes over and over again.

The Chapter House exhibits Roman's best use of Burnside's poetry, creating a balanced commentary on the nature of humanity over centuries. Here, Gallagher evokes "a dark lawn where sheepish stars follow a grazing moon" and the choirs join in, enunciating a travelogue of locations from Enniskillen to Hiroshima. It is clear here, more than on any other piece, that Gallagher's narration is remote, distant from the choirs, who seem to exist as a decor for Burnside's storytelling. They are a soundtrack to a fractured odyssey.

After such heaviness, the jig-like nature of The Nave, which owes much to Irish traditional airs - particularly "She Moved Through The Fair" - is extremely welcome. Although it must be said that having two narrators on stage - one male, one female - leaves the very character of the piece very much at odds with itself. A tougher workout for the choirs, but more impressive, is The Bell Tower, a truncated but complex collection of overtones that you wish lasted longer than it did. The same is true of the equally short, but remarkably catchy Sanctus.

Contrary to its gentle title and nature - it incorporates the work of famed local composer Frances "All Things Bright And Beautiful" Alexander - Sunday School is rather startling. The choirs recite the Greek alphabet with extremely blunt clarity while both Gallagher's narration and the strings fill themselves with an accelerated aggression. It's something to remember, as is the beautifully low-key solo from Sophie Shiels in Agnus Dei, which concludes the evening.

One cannot doubt that the time passes swiftly, the quality of musicianship is stellar and there is never a dull moment, even if Burnside's work doesn't assert itself as well as it could amidst Roman's compositions. Perhaps different acoustics would be kinder to both Burnside and the narrator. Or perhaps, to quote Leos Janacek from Brian Friel's Performances, "you learn so much more just by listening to the music".

The Shadowplay guitarist spills the beans on the band, their influences and the secret of their success

Since their formation in 2010, Shadowplay and their Inch-based lead guitarist Eoghan Johnston have attained a remarkable standard of musicianship.

They have headlined the Buncrana Music Festival with Toto's Bobby Kimball, won "one of Ireland’s greatest music prizes”, shared the stage with some of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll and have been named "the hottest emerging act in Ireland" by Hot Press Magazine.

In a recent interview with Hot Press, renowned music producer Chris Kimsey described their songs as "classics, written with soul and honesty" adding that the band's "musicianship is the corner stone to their success. They are part of what has been missing in song-writing, recording and performing."

Now they are putting together their debut album. We catch up with Johnston during the recording process.

Did you always want to be a musician?

I loved listening to music in the car when I was a kid. If my father was driving, I'd usually hear Thin Lizzy, and that was no bad thing! However, I hadn't much interest in playing back then. But when I was eleven, I began to pick out little melodies on the piano and found that I had an ear for it, though I'm still not much of a sight-reader. I then had a few years of piano lessons with Louise Doherty in Buncrana, and later Leonora Carney at NUIM (National University Of Maynooth).

I was about fifteen when I picked up the guitar. I think I had that dream of wanting to be in a big band when I was a teenager, like everyone else at that age! It was really only when we got the band together that I truly started to focus on it, though.

How did Shadowplay come to be?

The roots of Shadowplay can be traced back to 2009. I was studying Music at NUIM and was lucky enough to be surrounded by really talented musicians. Me and Andy (Dempsey, Shadowplay's lead vocalist and guitarist) began jamming together and discovered that we had some real musical chemistry. We had no trouble finding a drummer either; our first choice was Andy's cousin, Emmett Farrell, and he sounded spectacular. The first song we all jammed on was Marvin Gaye's "Let’s Get It On", funnily enough, and we all immediately saw that it was just there, whatever "it" is!

Which artists have influenced your songwriting and production style the most?

We're mainly influenced by legends such as The Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, and, on a more modern level, bands like Coldplay! I draw a lot of inspiration from guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Shawn Lane and Buckethead.

What have you learnt from both the recording process and performing live on stage?

Chiefly, that performing is almost always essential to the organic growth of new material. You can write in the studio, and it can sound great, but continuously performing always leads to improvements, sometimes accidentally! It can be quite frustrating if you record a song and then, after a few months of playing it, you realise you've made it sound much better.

What's the secret of your success?

The songs. It sounds simple, but that's what it is! Without getting into it too much, I think that if you’ve never heard music before, you wouldn't be able to write music, so it stands to reason that if you only listen to the best – like The Beatles, The Stones, classical music and so on – you’ll do your best to attain their standards, both consciously and subconsciously! I’m not saying that we’re writing at that standard, but we do try to. We aim high! Those sort of melodies are not only very musical, but they also have mass appeal, so it’s a good thing to aim for.

Which of your musical experiences to date has been the most enjoyable, and why?

By far, performing in Buncrana in 2011, with Bobby Kimball. We were at home, we were on a high, we were playing in front of six and a half thousand people and the weather was spectacular!

Any other rock stars you still dream of sharing the stage with, and why?

Stevie Wonder! He still has that beautiful child-like enthusiasm for music. It seems like it'd be a lot of fun to play with him. Glen Hansard would be another one, as would Guns 'N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. We’ve been talking and jamming a little with Thal over Skype for a couple of years and he's a really great musician. It's also been an ambition of mine to play on stage with the Stones, for obvious reasons... mainly, them being the Stones!

Last year, you signed a record deal with Shamrock Solutions, and you are now recording your debut album with Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey. Tell us more...

Things are going really well. Chris is just amazing in the studio. We were all well aware of Chris and his pedigree, so when we found out he wanted to work with us it was a big surprise! He's worked on, among other things, INXS, Yes, Rory Gallagher, Elton John and at least six Rolling Stones albums. He’s also produced some of my favourite Stones songs, so that was great for me on a personal level. We also did one session with Grammy-Award winning Irish producer Dave Odlum back in October in France. Dave did a really great job on the tracks, and with these two guys behind us, we're really looking forward to the result!

Any words of advice for fellow up-and-coming musicians in the peninsula?

It's all about the songs, and nothing else! People focus on too many other things – Twitter, Facebook, self-promotion, and so on. The result is that you become great at making websites and social networking but not at writing music. If you focus on songwriting, and have good songs, then you don't have to worry about the rest as much.

What does the future hold for Eoghan Johnston and Shadowplay?

More of the same, I hope! The album is pencilled in for late 2013, and we'll be releasing some new material and videos within the next couple of months. We'll also be doing some festivals, and we've been in talks with people overseas about some more exciting developments. Personally, I'm looking to do some more guitar teaching, recording and gigs in Buncrana.

This interview originally appeared in the Inish Times on June 11, 2013.

Dancer and choreographer Bridget Madden discusses her latest piece, performed recently in Belfast's MAC Theatre. Watch video

An Tobar ("The Well") is a quartet piece constructed around a dance fusion. It is my own style of blending together two very independent dancing techniques: Irish and contemporary.

Each of the girls involved are of a different dynamic and character. Within their self expression, they are able to present their own versions of my synthesis.

An Tobar was created and initially performed in August 2012 with dancers from The D'amby Project in New York. Today, it is still performed in their repertoire.

When I brought the concept home, I set out to recreate and develop it further on Irish soil with Irish dancers.

The piece is an aesthetic investigation into breaking down the strict principles of Irish dance, loosening up its alignment, dynamic, space and speed. It is the culmination of a year's work in the studio spent working out my own relationship to and rediscovering my understanding of Irish dance. In doing so, I was able to find its base style again, what it meant to me, and to rework its principles from ground level.

-- Bridget Madden

Record Store Day, Derry-Londonderry

Rapidly rising stars Little Bear lead an all-star musical cast in Cool Discs

MUSIC REVIEW: Duke Special

The Grand Old "Duke" Of Belfast delivers the goods in front of an attentive Empire crowd

CAPSULE REVIEW: Iron Man 3

All That Jazz In Derry-Londonderry

The 12th City Of Derry Jazz Festival is almost upon us

THEATRE REVIEW: Widows' Paradise

Well-performed laughs eclipse the trite plot in a popular play

City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival Diary, Part One

Day One of Derry-Londonderry's 2013 jazz extravaganza is filled with sparkling soul, a cure for the blues and lots of room for dancing shoes

City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival Diary, Part Two

Eclecticism and efficiency are the watchwords on an enjoyable jazzy evening in Derry-Londonderry

City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival Diary, Part Three

Ska, boogie, rock, electronica, brass, drums, piano, you name it: absolutely every taste is catered for on a hugely enjoyable jazz Saturday

City Of Derry Jazz And Big Band Festival Diary, Part Four

Our fourth and final jazzy day in Derry-Londonderry features two touches of class: one soulful, one cinematic (more on that elsewhere...)

MUSIC REVIEW: Pink Martini

The cinematically-oriented rhythm and all around groove of the US-based band give a large Derry-Londonderry audience something special to remember

FILM REVIEW: Star Trek Into Darkness

The second film in this rebooted Star Trek universe is a rapid assault on both the mind and the senses, but there's no real spark to be found

THEATRE REVIEW: Re-Energize

Gary Mitchell's latest work is less about rock and more about reconciliation

The Great, The Good, And The Not-As-Great-As-We-Thought

On the eve of One Big Weekend's return to Derry-Londonderry, Si's Sights And Sounds looks back at its first visit... and provides some words of wisdom for up-and-coming journos

CAPSULE REVIEW: The Great Gatsby

A New Guildhall: A New Beginning

The long awaited restoration of Derry-Londonderry's premier building is complete – and with it will come a newly engaging and interactive historical experience

MUSIC REVIEW: One Big Festival Weekend

The excitement from a weekend of music has died down. Si's Sights And Sounds looks back at a pair of festivals that give Derry-Londonderry something to believe in again

Welcome To Colmville!

For one day only, Derry-Londonderry gains a new name...

MUSIC REVIEW: Columba Canticles - Four Centuries Of Song

An exquisite, quietly uplifting melodic and narrative concoction makes its debut in Derry-Londonderry

Eoghan Johnston Plays It Right

The Shadowplay guitarist spills the beans on the band, their influences and the secret of their success

An Tobar: Fused

Dancer and choreographer Bridget Madden discusses her latest piece, performed recently in Belfast's MAC Theatre. Watch video