june-2011

[ feature ]
CORK
That just doesn’t happen
anywhere else.”
Asked to pick out some
additional highlights, Peter
says: “Bryan Adams – he’s like
Bruce Springsteen in that he
treats every gig as if it’s the
biggest night of his life – and
this amazing rockabilly singer
from Dublin, Imelda May,
who the whole country’s gone
nuts about. Then there’s Bell
X1, who are sort of an Irish
Coldplay, and the Frames
whose singer Glen Hansard
starred in the [2006] Oscarwinning
film Once.”
The atmosphere throughout
Live At The Marquee is like a
carnival. The bars and clubs
are open late, and you never
know who you’re going to
bump into. I was on Cork’s
Festival Fever
58 WIZZ MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2011
main thoroughfare, the Grand
Parade, a few years ago, and
gradually realised that the
bloke standing next to me with
his hood up was actually the
aforementioned Mr Dylan.
There were also numerous
sightings around town in
2009 of Lady Gaga and her
entourage after she played a
CORK SCENERY LENDS
ITS MUSIC FESTIVALS
A SPECIAL VIBE
CORK X
SOUTHWEST
Where: The Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen, under two
hours from Cork city centre by the no. 252 bus.
When: 4 & 5 June.
Who: Echo & The Bunnymen, Drugstore, Patti Smith…
Why go: Stunning rural setting and friendy mature fans.
How much: €55 (one-day) & €95 (weekend camping).
www.corkxsw.com
LADY GAGA PLAYED
THE MARQUEE IN 2009
show that immediately entered
into local folklore.
If Live At The Marquee is
the young upstart of Cork
musical events, the regal
elder is the Guinness Jazz
Festival, which has been
attracting huge crowds to the
city since the 1970s.
This year’s 28-31 October
line-up is yet to be announced,
but with such giants as Ella
Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, BB
King, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick
Corea and Herbie Hancock
appearing in the past, you
know it’s going to be good!
The final word goes to
Peter Aiken. “There’s just a
great buzz about Cork that
everybody should experience
it at least once.”
www.aikenpromotions.com
INDIEPENDENCE
Where: Mitchelstown, which is 50 minutes from Cork
city centre by the no. 8 bus.
When: 29-31 July.
Who: Editors, Therapy?, Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip…
Why go: Party atmosphere and nearby camping area.
How much: €59 (two days), €79 (two days with
camping) & €99 (three days with camping).
www.indiependencefestival.com
The best
places to…
SEE LOCAL
BANDS:
The Pavilion, Half Moon
Theatre, Cyprus Avenue,
Fred Zeppelin’s, Quad,
Opera House, Crane Lane
and the Savoy Theatre
are the key venues whose
line-ups can be found
on www.corkgigs.com.
Must-see local acts at
the moment include
Fred, Exit: Pursued By
A Bear, Toby Kaar, Brian
Deady and the Frank
and Walters.
BUY MUSIC:
You’ll adore Plugd,
an unapologetically
old-fashioned record shop
on Tobin Street, which
has a huge range of vinyl,
CDs and DVDs, plus staff
who really know their
Aerosmiths from their
Elbows. www.myspace.
com/plugdrecords
GO DANCING:
House, hip hop, techno
and indie are all on the
menu at the Bowery,
a multi-roomed venue
which has turned
previously unfashionable
Tuckey Street into party
central. Their Facebook
has all the details.
Enjoy traditional music
on South Main Street, at
An Spailpín Fánac – that’s
“The Roving Worker” for
those of you whose Irish
is a bit rusty. Expect live
seisiúns seven nights a
week featuring musicians
from all over Ireland.
Find them on Facebook.
4CORNERS, WIREIMAGE, ALAMY