July 2010 Archives - Ken McGuire

2manydjs Tickets Up For Grabs

July 26, 2010 By Ken McGuire Leave a Comment

If you’re not a reader of KilkennyMusic.com you might have missed a ticket giveaway there.

Heineken Green Spheres comes to Kilkenny this weekend bringing with it Delorentos, Alex Metric (both Friday), Jape (Saturday) and 2manydjs on Sunday night.

While the first three gigs have tickets available first come first served, we’ve got two pairs of tickets for 2manydjs to give away for the Sunday night.

All you have to do is answer a simple question on the blog and we’ll draw the winners on Wednesday at midday.

Get in while you can…

Note: posted via WordPress for Android.

Filed Under: Music Tagged With: 2manydjs, blog, competition, giveaway, kilkenny music, kk, tickets

Kilkenny Arts Festival Needs You

July 21, 2010 By Ken McGuire Leave a Comment

I’m back on the festival trail again this year with the Kilkenny Arts Festival and they’re looking for volunteers (see Facebook) on the ground and on the road from August 5th to 20th (the festival itself runs from August 6th to 15th this year). There is no previous experience necessary for festival volunteers, with the minimum requirement being that you are at least 14 years old. If successful, you’ll be briefed on your role a full week before the festival, though the closing date to get your application in is this Friday July 23rd.

Days volunteering may be short, long, a real mixed bag of things but it can be a great way to see a festival and meet some new folk at the same time.

The festival team are also looking for drivers throughout the festival. If you’re aged 25 or over and have a full, clean driving license and are interested in working as a driver on the festival, get in touch with Valerie on 056 7763663. Drivers with Class D (minibus) licenses are also required. The forms are also available to download here.

Note: The above clip is part of a conversation I had with Theatre and Dance curator Tom Creed ahead of this year’s festival. Thanks to the Project Arts Centre in Dublin for letting us use the space in the afternoon. I’ll be blogging my way through the Festival over at KilkennyArts.ie.

Filed Under: arts Tagged With: festival, kaf, kilkenny arts festival, volunteer, volunteers

Keep It Easy (Short)

July 19, 2010 By Ken McGuire 1 Comment

THANKLESS FILMS have been making a name for themselves locally over the past few weeks and months with the production of a number of comedic shorts including Collusion, La Grande Chasse De L’ane Amende and ComaStoned. Last Thursday night they premiered their latest offering, Keep It Easy, at the Bridgebrook Arms in Thomastown. Check it out above, featuring the on-screen talents of David Thompson (guy), Freda Murphy (girl) and Dermot Tobin (guy in woods).

Check out Dave’s blog for more.

Filed Under: Online Video Tagged With: dave minogue, dave thompson, der tobin, Film, freda murphy, keep it easy, short film, thankless films, video

Devious Theatre & Dario Fo

July 6, 2010 By Ken McGuire Leave a Comment

FROM LAST September to March gone, I spent seven months producing (and acting in) two major productions with The Devious Theatre Company. We embarked on the mission of a Dario Fo season. Not content with doing just one show, we sprang for two and almost went for a third two months ago. Of all of our productions to date, Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! will stand out for a long time to come.

Whereby with previous shows we’ve released clips of various scenes, the Mycrofilms crew have put together a mashup of both productions in around six minutes or so to give you a flavour of what took place in the Set Theatre in Kilkenny in December 2009 and March 2010.

The good news for theatre folk is that we may be back sooner than you thought. After all, it wouldn’t be a summer in Kilkenny without some kind of Devious activity…

Filed Under: Theatre Tagged With: accidental death of an anarchist, adoaa, can't pay won't pay, dario fo, Devious Theatre, video

Kilkenny Arts Festival Launches

July 1, 2010 By Ken McGuire Leave a Comment

ONE OF the highlights of my calendar year (and that of Kilkenny) is the Kilkenny Arts Festival. Now in its 36th year, this year’s festival runs from August 6th to 15th and is packed to the hilt with the best in music, theatre and dance, visual arts, literature, children’s events and more. A long time spectator, last year was the first year I’ve volunteered on the festival and I’m back (along with John Morton) in the same role last year in producing the online content for the festival duration (and blogging the festival via the KAF blog).

That started yesterday with the launch in Dublin where Fergus Shiel put a group of professional singers through their paces to announce the KAF programme for 2010 through a choral performance. The same will be repeated in Kilkenny on August 14th where Fergus will lead a group of around 200 singers through a performance in St. Canice’s Catherdral where works will include Rossini’s Sabat Mater and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy.

Check out the video above, or watch the Qik clip of the launch yesterday as it happened.