[ 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 <strong>2011</strong> 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
Dover - France Ferry from £19 car + 4 people each way 0871 574 7221 Prepare to receive a customary Cork welcome. Now flying from Gdansk, Katowice, Poznan, Vilnius, Warsaw and Wroclaw to Cork direct.