Bell X1 to appear Live on PWRadio, followed by Irata Live on the North Carolina Show!

May 15th, 2008

Join WQFS on Wednesday, May 21st from noon to 2pm for a special double shot event, featuring live interviews with two amazing bands!

From noon to one, Paddy-Whacked Radio’s Shawn Fitzmaurice hosts Irish Indie band and WQFS rotation artist, Bell X1.

After, Chris Roulhac of the North Carolina Show reclaims her time slot hosting NC natives and WQFS favorites, Irata, frm 1 to 2 pm!!

Again, tune in on Wednesday, May 21 from noon to 2pm, for this amazing double bill!

Where else but 90.9, WQFS, Greensboro’s only alternative!

U2, John Spillane, The Distractors, The Brilliant Trees, Codes, Mundy, Kila, Sinead O’Connor, The Republic of the Loose, Gemma Hayes, Bell X1, Fiction Plane, Michael Brunnock, Joe Whyte and upcoming gigs!

May 14th, 2008

by Natalie Herman

  • The Edge and U2 are participating in the “Icons of Music II” Charity Auction to commence May 31, 2008, with the preview show at 9:30am EST and the auction sessions at 10am, 1pm and 7:00pm EST. The auction features personal items from all the members of U2, including one of The Edge’s signature 1976 Limited Edition Reissue Gibson Explorer (Lot 406), beginning at $80,000. The items range from departed icons such as Sinatra, Elvis, Joe Strummer, Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash to items from living legends such as Bob Dylan and Elton John. Thin Lizzy’s Scott Gorham signed a tour-worn bomber jacket and it comes with a handwritten note of authenticity (Lot 115), beginning at $200.00. Items range from photographs and related memorabilia to clothing to functioning musical instruments, and even “newer” musicians such as Beyonce, Britney Spears, Mylie Cyrus, and The Jonas Brothers have items in the auction. A full catalog of the listed items can be found here. Last year’s auction, held April 21, 2007, fetched $2.4 million (€1.2 million) for Music Rising, established to give back to the musicians who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

  • The Button Factory in Dublin will be host of a Burma Relief Gig on May 23. Among the artists giving their support are John Spillane, The Kinetics, The Distractors, The Brilliant Trees, Codes, and many more. Doors open at 8:00, €20. All proceeds will go to the relief fund to aid those affected by Cyclone Nargis which hit on May 3 and has affected an estimated 2.5 million, with the death toll thought to reach 100,000. For more information, contact Stephen at 085 131 005.

  • Mundy will play Dublin Castle on May 25, 2008 in celebration of Africa Day. Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the African Union, which was established in 2002 to “secure Africa’s democracy, human rights, and a sustainable economy.” Other scheduled performers include Kila, Sinead O’Connor, and The Republic of Loose, as well as many other African and Irish artists. The day celebration will have art exhibits, kids activities, sports and carnival activities, dance as well as music performances, and traditional African foods.

  • Gemma Hayes will be joining Bell X1 for their New York date (June 4 at the Fillmore, Irving Plaza) as they continue their North American Tour of the Eastern seaboard and Midwest. Brooke Waggoner will be their guest for the remainder of the tour.

  • Fans of Fiction Plane got a treat on Monday, May 12, when drummer Pete Wilhoit joined Michael Brunnock for his show at Rockwood Music Hall. Pete appears on several songs on Michael’s debut CD, the brilliant So I Do, and he is also the drummer on Michael’s Live at The Red Lion CD sponsored by Budweiser. Pete joined Michael again Tuesday night at The Red Lion during Michael’s residency gig.

  • Michael Brunnock has added a Glasgow, Scotland, date to his European visit and will play at O’Henry’s on May 29. This is Michael’s first time playing in Scotland.

  • Also based in New York but playing in Europe this month, Joe Whyte will perform an acoustic set with Ain Upstairs at Whelan’s in Dublin on May 22. From there, he will head to The Met in Bury, UK on May 23 (€10) and The Green Note in London on May 25 (€8) supporting Jess Klein.

ALSO PLAYING

  • 16 May The Distractors - Tower Records Instore (1p) + more dates
  • 16 May Codes - The Clarence, (8p) Dublin + more dates
  • 17 May Ray Heffernan - Durty Nelly’s, (8p) Borgomanero, Novala, Italy + June Irish dates
  • 18 May James Guilmartin - Cobblestones with Enda Reilly launch tea party, (4p) + more dates

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

NEWS ROUND-UP: Bell X1, Declan O’Rourke, Concerto for Constantine, Paddy Casey, Kings of Leon, Eleanor McEvoy, Foy Vance, Sinead O’Connor, The Swell Season, Michael Brunnock, Patrick O’Brien, Last Days of Death Country, The Prodigals

May 11th, 2008

by Natalie Herman

  • Bell X1 has announced that they will “headline the sold-out Oxegen Festival’s Green Room Arena, Fri 11th July, Punchestown Racecourse, Co Kildare, Ireland.” Other great acts include Declan O’Rourke, Delorentos, Concerto For Constantine, and Paddy Casey. Click for details about Oxegen 2008.

  • Speaking of, Paddy Casey is the featured artist of the week of May 1’s liveDaily Acoustic Sessions. You can see the videos and download the entire set as an mp3 at the website!

  • Hoping to boost sales, organizers of the Glastonbury Festival have announced “surprise performers” such as Leonard Cohen and Gilbert O’Sullivan. The yearly festival, to be held this year on June 27-29 in Pilton, England, was already hyping acts such as Kings of Leon, Eleanor McEvoy, Foy Vance, Sinead O’Connor, The Swell Season and many, many more.

  • Crowded House, who will also be performing at the Glastonbury Festival, stopped into The Red Lion after their show in New York on Tuesday, April 29, during resident singer Michael Brunnock’s set. Michael, who plays The Red Lion every Tuesday late night beginning at 1:00 am and is a Paddy-Whacked Radio™ favorite, will play May 12 at Rockwood Music Hall before heading to Ireland to play Bewley’s on May 30.

  • Patrick O’Brien has hinted at a CD coming in the near future, so be on the lookout for that! Patrick also plays with the band, Last Days of Death Country, so go give them a listen!

  • The Prodigals have announced guitar-player’s, Eamon O’Tuama, departure from the band to pursue other things. Gregory Grene, who provides the vocals and plays the button accordion for The Prodigals, is doing the final mixing on his solo CD which he expects to be out in time for Memorial Day. The Prodigals are still taking reservations for their annual “Home for the Holidays” fan trip through Celtic Tours. Visit the site for the all the details!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

PWRadio housekeeping: New Friends / FM Show/ Podcast/ Facebook for Friends

May 6th, 2008

Hi all,

A few items of note (copied from the PWRadio Myspace blog):

1. New Myspace Friends: Welcome to all the new Myspace users who I haven’t had the chance to greet personally, and my apologies for taking so long on approvals! Hope you like what you hear, and keep in touch!!!

2. FM Radio show schedule: I will not be on air this week, and therefor there will be no new download. I am not sure what the summer will look like, and it all hinges on my transportation situation. Keep an eye on my Myspace Blog for the most up to date information. Also, http://pwradio.net will keep you current on the news.

3. Podcasts and ‘weekly’ FM radio download: My available time to work on podcasts is just about zero these days, so if you need a fix, go to http://pwradio.net and look to the right where you’ll find link to the weekly FM show downloads! Listen on line or download like a podcast, and use at your connivence. Just note that the first half-hour, and last 20 minutes or so is WQFS rotation. The PWRadio bit starts about 30 minutes in and has a conspicuous intro.

You can have the FM show appear in your iTunes or other podcast feeder reader as if by magic (just like in Mr. Benn) by entering this RSS address:
http://pwradio.net/fm/feed/

4 PWRadio News Don’t forget to keep your eyes on http://pwradio.net for the latest in Irish Indie Music news!!

The RSS feed (if you wanted to add it to your RSS feeder reader, like Google reader, or whateva) is : http://pwradio.net/news/?feed=rss2

5. Facebook :For those of you who are friends, family, former co-workers, fellow Guilford students, or people I have interacted with personally, I have a Facebook account, for my personal, non-pwradio profile.

As this is a personal profile, please know that I will only accept invitations from people I know and have interacted with before. Sorry. :)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1016141254

Shawn

NEWS ROUNDUP: Kiernan McMullan, David Ford, Wayne O’Connor, Damien Dempsey, The Swell Season, The Vals, The Wyos, Padraig Rushe, The Frames, Mark Geary, Brendan O’Shea, Nina Hines

May 2nd, 2008

By Natalie Herman

  • NEWS + RELEASE Kiernan McMullan has SIGNED A RECORD CONTRACT with One Eleven Records! Subscribe to his blogs and add the Street Team to be kept apprised of all the latest news about the forthcoming record release, currently slated for September!

  • PERFORMANCE + TOUR Today, MAY 2, David Ford will be performing live from the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia at 12:00 EST on XPR’s Free at Noon show. You can listen live on XPR or NPR. The show is rebroadcast Sunday at noon. He is currently touring the U.S. and Canada with Augustana. Check out his page for dates near you!

  • RELEASE + TOUR Wayne O’Connor’s EP, Drawing Lines is now available for download on iTunes. He will be performing at The Ruby Sessions at Doyles Pub, Dublin, on June 10.

  • TOUR May 5-May 11, Damien Dempsey will be supporting The Swell Season at Theatre shows in the Midwest. Those are some shows NOT to be missed! See their pages for details!

  • PERFORMANCE The Vals appeared on Belfast radio Feile FM and two of the acoustic songs, “Light Shine Down” and “Yesterday Today”, which are expected to appear on the upcoming record, can be heard in Feile FM’s Myspace player. Go check out this sneak peek of new Vals music!

  • NEW MUSIC The Wyos (Wasted Youth Orchestra) have posted some new songs on their MySpace. Their EP, A Letter from St. Jude is available for purchase on iTunes.

  • NEWS + PERFORMANCE Padraig Rushe is one of 17 finalists competing on MTV’s “The Contenders”. Check out Padraig’s page for air dates+times of the final shows and cheer him on!

  • PHOTOS Paddy-Whacked Radio™ friend and sometimes contributor Ivi has a new website on which she displays her photography: http://www.iviart.net. Check it out to see her great photographs of The Frames, Mark Geary, Brendan O’Shea, Nina Hines, and more!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

News Roundup - Gemma Hayes, Íse, Paddy Casey, BalconyTV, Kiernan McMullan, Joe Whyte, Michael Brunnock, STAND, Jenna Nicholls

April 25th, 2008

by Natalie Herman

  • Gemma Hayes is touring to promote her soon-to-be released The Hollow of Morning, due out May 12. It is currently on pre-order at Amazon.co.uk. She performs tonight, April 25 at The Royal Theatre in Castlebar at 8pm. She will be playing in Ireland, NI, and the UK in the next week. For locations, dates, and times, check out her official website or her MySpace.

  • Íse will be playing Bewley’s on April 27 at 8pm. She will be joined by cellist Kevin Murphy and very special guests Una Keane and Anna Rice. This is Íse’s last Ireland gig for awhile as she heads over to London and The States!

  • Paddy Casey’s video “Fear” has made it to VH-1, and by voting, you can keep it playing there!

  • Only 5 days remain to vote for BalconyTV for the Webby’s People’s Voice award. If you haven’t done so, make sure and show your support for this program that does so much for Irish indie (and German indie!) music! Also, help BalconyTV to celebrate 2 MILLION VIEWS! Huge news for Irish music!

  • Kiernan McMullan has posted some songs from the upcoming CD, due out in Ireland in early summer. Even if the new music wasn’t an indication of a great release, who can resist a CD called Perfect People are Boring?

  • New York-based artists Joe Whyte and Michael Brunnock will be heading to Ireland at the end of May for some gigs. Check out their respective pages to find out the specific dates / locations!

  • STAND has announced their spot at Toronto’s NXNE Festival - opening night, June 12, 10pm. A festival and band not to be missed!

OUT NOW
Jenna Nicholls, Curled Up Toes in Red Mary Janes. A sample of Jenna’s new music was played on the (awesome!) April 15 FM broadcast.

STAND, newly remastered Transmissions. Check out their Myspace for samples from this great CD!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

Music Review: STAND - Travel Light

April 23rd, 2008

By Natalie Herman

STAND, a four-piece ensemble based in Dublin, has truly mastered the art of subterfuge with their fourth studio album, Travel Light. Duplicitous without being deceitful, this CD creates a surface illusion of expectations and then quickly and almost escaping notice, delivers something entirely different - -a musical sleight of hand.

It opens with “Carousel,” a title which suggests the sound we expect to hear: fun, fast, and fanciful – and STAND delivers. With the bouncy piano, anchoring drums, and upbeat, catchy chorus of, “she is so happy now,” one hardly gleans the full lyrical impact of this song.

“Slave to the Weekend” is another fun and gripping song which features lead vocals by Alan Doyle, whose voice is warm enough to melt snow. This bouncy tune moves the listener, who may not immediately realize that the lyrics contained therein are less light-hearted than the tune suggests. The beautiful layering of elements and vocals makes you want to forget anything and everything and simply get lost in the song.

Arguably the most outstanding song, “White Elephants” is a beautiful, dreamlike piece which from the outset belies the melancholic lyrics dealing with the obligatory return of a son chasing his dreams, home to the guilt about the family he left behind in order to do so. Touching the universal sense of duty owed to one’s mother, (”It’s hard to fight when you gave me every movement of your life”), this song portrays a moving portrait of the bustle and sometimes burden of a life of a large family assembled together. Musically, Carl Dowling’s echoing drums further the song’s storyline and the expertly placed caesura designates the ending of one way of life and the beginning of another.

While STAND makes good use of duality, some songs avoid this technique and cut right to the chase; “Who Made You Jesus,” the scathing political commentary, features no-holds barred lines such as “Secrets and games down in the bunker / What’s the delay? Is the script not done?” In this case, STAND makes it abundantly clear by the lyrics exactly whom the song is referencing, and for anyone who still can’t guess it, the sound bites of his asinine speeches serve both to clarify the issue and prove the song’s point.

“Who Made You Jesus” is one of several songs that employ one of STAND’s great strengths: the sharing of the vocal spotlight. Neil Eurelle’s earnest copper tone is offset by Doyle’s smooth vibrato, doubling the aesthetics of the song.

All band members showcase their talents in the funky “Dressed to Kill”: Dowling brings out his entire arsenal of drumming techniques to create a rhythm guaranteed to move your body while Eurelle’s outstanding bassline rocks you through the chorus. David Walsh’s guitar stylings punctuate Doyle’s voice, which floats though the song as if surfing a musical wave.

Experimentation with electronica peppers the CD, especially flavoring songs such as the hard-hitting “Low Culture” and “Who Made You Jesus.”

Although this band has a lot to offer instrumentally, the acoustic “My Theory” stands out as a shining example of stellar songwriting and the merits of simplicity. The band also strips it down a bit for the lovely and ironic “Everything You Do Is Right.”

Saving the title track for last, STAND exits on a hopeful note, employing electronica once again. “Hello, good-byes, travel light. . .”

This band has a great deal to say but finds a way to deliver it to the listener wrapped nicely in a euphonic package that one cannot refuse to listen to: Travel Light, hit heavy.

Travel Light was released in 2006 by New World Music and is available for purchase at STAND’s official web store. Visit STAND’s official MySpace to purchase earlier songs from SNOCAP. Travel Light and earlier albums are also available as digital downloads from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

Help Support WQFS, the Home of Paddy-Whacked Radio!

April 16th, 2008

WQFS 90.9 FM needs your support. WQFS is a community and student based, all-volunteer operation that has brought you independent and local music since 1970, and is the current home of Paddy-Whacked Radio. If you donate to WQFS before May 15th you will receive a WQFS bumper sticker. Donations of $50 or more will receive a newly designed WQFS T-shirts.

If you would like to donate to WQFS you can:

  • Contact The Guilford College Office of Advancement at 336-316-2178 or 888-203-1322. Please specify that your tax-deductible gift is to WQFS
  • Mail a check made out to Guilford College and send it to Office of Advancement, 5800 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27410. Please designate that your tax deductible gift is to WQFS and whether or not you would like to be contacted for other Guilford College fundraising.

Film Review: BEGGING NAKED, Featuring Music by Brendan O’Shea

April 14th, 2008

by Natalie Herman

BEGGING NAKED is a beautiful film by filmmaker Karen Gehres. Begun as a project between two friends, the cinematographer recording the subject’s “stories,” the end product is something profound that neither woman could have expected when they first sat together and let the tape roll.

Elise Hill was a teenage runaway who fled to New York to escape an abusive home. She turned to the sex industry to support herself, a story that is sad but not necessarily unique. The twist is that Hill is an extraordinarily talented artist and artisan. She paints, she sculpts, she handcrafts jewelry and dolls – all with little formal training. The art that flows through her is a completely divine gift.

Hill’s life was never easy but it became more difficult when, after being evicted, she became homeless.

While tackling a number of very serious subject matters, BEGGING NAKED manages to remain a very positive film, owing both to the filmmaker and the remarkable woman that is Elise Hill. The explicit sexuality is handled very tastefully.

Gehres makes effortless use of original music of Brendan O’Shea – his songs are employed in the most suitable way – and songs by Irish darling, Marianne Faithfull. (Gehres and O’Shea also collaborated on two music videos which she directed for his songs off his sophomore Be Here Still“Tired Eyes” and “No Mystery”)

BEGGING NAKED is a testament to the willingness of the human spirit to surmount the horrific and the inability to stifle art and beauty that lies within.

Original artwork by Elise Hill is available at “Elise’s Art”. (Warning: mature subject matter) 100% of the sales go directly to the artist.

BEGGING NAKED is currently screening at the Palm Beach International Film Festival. The remaining showtime is April 16 at 2:45 pm. Visit the official website, beggingnaked.com, to see clips of the film and to learn more.


Karen Gehres and Natalie Herman at the Palm Beach International Film Festival screening of BEGGING NAKED

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

News Roundup - Paddy Casey, BalconyTV, Andrew Handrick, Bell X1, Kiernan McMullan, Damien Dempsey, STAND, and the Inter-Cultural Arts Festival

April 10th, 2008

By Natalie Herman

  • In case you missed it, Paddy Casey was MTV’s Featured Artist of the Week starting March 31, 2008. While in New York doing promotional appearances, Paddy appeared on David Letterman; his performance can be seen here. Paddy is also “in the mix” to become Yahoo! Music’s User’s Choice, where listeners determine who has the greatest potential for future success. If Paddy is chosen, fans will “be treated to a very special in-studio performance at the Yahoo Studios next month.” You can vote for Paddy here.

  • Up for a 2008 Webby Award, BalconyTV was nominated in the Viral Video category. As you likely know, BalconyTV has been running daily since June 2006, bringing you the best in Irish music from a tiny balcony overlooking Dame Street, including Paddy-Whacked Radio™ staples like Kiernan McMullan, Paddy Casey, and Garrett Wall. The Webby winners are chosen by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, but you can vote for BalconyTV for the Webby’s “People’s Voice” award by clicking here. Show your support for the people who support Irish music!

  • Andrew Handrick will be playing at a fundraiser for the Arklow Inter-Cultural Arts Festival on April 11 at 6:30pm at Bridgewater Shopping Center in Arklow, Wicklow.

  • The Arklow Inter-Cultural Arts Festival, which will run from May 26 - June 2 in Arklow Co., Wicklow, is a week-long festival which includes the following (as taken from the official website):
    • Up to three days Film Festival
    • Up to two nights of Comedy
    • Up to 3 Nights of live music
    • The Earth Festival
    • Four days of Artistic and Cultural Workshops
    • Organic food and world items
    • Spectacular entertainment
    • Holistic treatments
    • High vibrational peaceful atmosphere

    The festival opens with a Gala Dinner and a screening of the Colm Meaney film Kings on May 26. Those wishing to can attend for €40, which includes a three-course gourmet meal at Deja-Vu Riverside Bistro (with the presence of “Special Guests”) and entrance to the screening.

    Musicians who would like to be part of this year’s festival may inquire here.

    For more information about the festival or to purchase tickets, visit the official website or the Myspace.


  • Bell X1 will be touring France, Spain, Germany, and Denmark with Nada Surf beginning April 21, and has announced a return to Boston on May 16, a date just two months after their tour bus caught fire after their first ever Boston show. Bell X1 is also scheduled to appear on the Craig Ferguson Show on April 16.

  • Kiernan McMullan has new videos from his UK Tour and from his interview and performance on Newstalk at his Youtube Channel. The Kiernan McMullan Band plays Crawdaddy in Dublin April 20.

  • Damien Dempsey is looking for Street Team Members to help promote his U.S. Shows, starting April 20 at Shank Hall in Milwaukee, WI. This tour, Damien will concentrate on the Midwest, the East Coast, and one date in Canada. United for Opportunity agent Mary LeBlanc writes, “If you would like to help promote any of the shows listed above, or would like more information about the Field Agent Program, please send me an email at fieldagents@ufomusic.net with your full name, mailing address, and contact phone number, along with any show(s) you are interested in helping to promote for.”

  • STAND has just remastered their Transmissions CD and have plans for a more extensive North American tour than the one they just completed, as well as a European tour and the recording of a CD to follow up their 2007 release, Travel Light. STAND will be performing at Toronto’s NXNE Festival, which runs from June 12-15.

    Also scheduled to represent from Ireland are Angel Pier, ASC, and Elder.


As always, if you are making news or you know who is, contact us at news@pwradio.net or drop us a line at MySpace!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™