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Thursday, 2 September 2010

MicroMansions on Arbour Hill - Cathal Coughlan

Monday, August 16, 2010
It was my great good fortune to get an invitation to go along to see a low key solo performance from one of the heroes of Irish rock yesterday afternoon. At the very civilized hour of five pm Cathal Couglan performed a set in an artists studio in Stoneybatter to a small audience. This was in part to warm up for a series of forthcoming gigs that are lined up.

The performance was coruscating, like the darkest  of Weimar Cabaret on steroids. Old and new songs sat together with The Loyaliser from Fatima Mansions days and Rat Poison Rendevous from the far more recent Flannery’s Mounted Head show being particular standouts. (I almost wrote Slattery's Mounted Foot (Val Doonican standard))


Top of the pile though was a semi improvised intro to Berties Brochures that posited the existence, in the small town of Ballinahades, of a boutique festival (shake your boutique!) that played host to the crème de la crème of the alternative music scene from the past few decades such as the UK Subs and hold your breath they’re speaking again,  …almost -  Kajagoogoo (but not Mr Coughlan of course) And it’s only 129 euro for a one day pass!

Some songs from the new album Rancho Tetrahedron also make a good first impression, particularly Mr Bib's Saorstat Star Time....

'Be quiet, the both of you,
why must you gripe?
your bellies are full, why be bitter?'
she said, 'I'm worth better, you cringing wee shite',
so he picks up the poker to hit her

Afterwards, over beer (them) and coffees and ginger ale (me) I talked with some friends who also enjoyed it although finding it a pretty intense experience, less Light & Shade than Shade & Darker Shade. Del said he’d be heading home to put on some early Nick Cave for light relief. ....


The Adventures of Flannery from Jessica Fuller on Vimeo.

You should catch him on his forthcoming mini tour and further details can be found on his myspace page  or by visiting his website.

7 Sep 2010            19:30             Bush Hall            London,

11 Sep 2010            19:30            Whelan's            Dublin

12 Sep 2010            21:00            Pavilion, Cork

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