Mike Denver makes a stop in Ballina

Fri, Nov 16, 2012

As part of his autumn 2012 concert tour, Ireland’s most popular country and Irish singer and recording artist Mike Denver will perform in Ballina Arts Centre on Thursday, November 22 at 8pm.

Mike has built up a huge following in his relatively short time on the Irish circuit, with 10 hit albums under his belt, as well as four best-selling DVDs.

Gift Grub Live 2 hits Castlebar next week

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

After selling more than 45,000 tickets across Ireland with the first Gift Grub Live stage production, Mario Rosenstock returns to the Royal Theatre on Saturday, November 17 with a totally new show for 2012. Don’t miss your chance to catch up with Michael ‘Soft Day’ Flatley, Joan ‘Can I Just Say’ Burton, Vincent ‘Ah That’s Very Good’ Browne and many more live on stage. And in Ireland today there are lots of interesting people to focus on and, of course, it would be rude not to give it a bit of ‘Boom Boom’ to Enda Kenny as part of the huge cast of characters - all played by one man - amazing.

Sharon Shannon live in Belmullet

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

Experience a one-off intimate musical experience with Sharon Shannon who has won the hearts, minds and souls of people all over the world. She will be performing live in Áras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet on Saturday, November 17. Her live and recorded collaborations are the stuff of legends. Sharon will perform music from her back catalogue and as well as adaptations of scores from her new album Flying Circus recorded with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Ballina Chamber Choir to perform this weekend

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

The Ballina Chamber Choir will stage its Music for a Winter’s Evening concert in the Ballina Arts Centre on this Saturday, November 10 at 8pm. The all female choir which was formed in February 2011 has been building up a steady following in the Ballina area ever since where its polished performances always attract a capacity audience. Under its direction of Mark Goode, who has a distinguished career performing as soloist and teaching music, the choir as gone from strength to strength. This year has been its most successful year to date, in which they competed in and won second prize in the Mayo International Choral Festival in Castlebar and also performed to a global online audience in the recent Wallace Bicentenary Gala Concert in St. Murdachs Cathedral, Ballina.

It boasts an incredible varied repertoire that spans the genres of classical, jazz and blues and ranges from Mozart to Cole Porter. Wherever it goes and whatever it does, the choir enjoys sharing its high levels of experience and musicianship and its passion for performing excellent music. This is also reflected in its commitment to providing a platform to showcase young and upcoming local talent at their concerts. Music for a winters evening will be no exception in that respect and the Ballina Chamber Choir together with accompanist Ludmile Burbobschi is delighted to announce that choir members Debbie McCole and Felicia Schneiderreit (violinist) will perform solos at the concert which will also feature the talented young All Ireland finalists, Swinford music group Realtai. Tickets for the concert cost €12 and booking through Ballina Arts Centre Box Office, 096 73593 is essential.

Applications sought for recording and amateur drama grants

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

Mayo County Council is currently taking applications for two arts grants, the Music Recording Assistance Award and the Amateur Drama Award. The recording grant was established to support the recording of original music by musicians living in Mayo. The recipients of this award will receive up to €800 towards an original music recording. There will be up to a maximum of two awards made in 2012, and the amount awarded will be decided by an independent expert assessment panel.

The award is for new recordings only. No completed and packaged CDs can be funded. Only work in progress will be considered. Applications will be assessed by an independent and impartial panel of music industry professionals. The award is open to all forms of music. Musicians must be resident in County Mayo.

Indian Festival comes to Castlebar next month

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

On Friday November 16 and Saturday November 17, for one day and one night the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar celebrates all things Indian as it is transformed into a place of Utsava - the removal of earthly woes - providing you with an opportunity to forget your troubles and enjoy great Indian music, film, dance, poetry, food and much, much more. A feast for the senses.

Wilde night forecast for the Linenhall

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

Belfast’s brilliant Bruiser Theatre Company presents Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday , November 29 at 8pm.

Lady Windermere’s Fan is Oscar Wilde’s bitingly satirical comedy exploring and exploding the morals of society, and marriage in particular. The story concerns Lady Margaret Windermere, a woman of high-morals and absolute conviction who discovers, to her horror, that her husband may be having an affair with a woman of dubious moral standing. What follows is a succession of parlours and parties, eavesdropping, misunderstandings, secret information, letters falling into unintended hands, twists and turns and the cheeky wooing of pretty young daughters. Does Lady Windermere learn about life, society and love? You bet she does, and Wilde’s razor-sharp wit and satire of high society is as keenly observed and relevant to today as any contemporary writer. A new adaptation by Patrick J O’Reilly (who formerly worked on the company’s dazzling Candide and Othello), Bruiser adds its inimitable dramatic flair, unique physical stamp and bold playing style, highlighting the grotesque and absurd, with a dynamic fusion of commedia dell’arte and witty dialogue providing a real theatrical treat!

Classical Heaven at the Linenhall

Fri, Nov 09, 2012

The RTÉ Vanbrugh String Quartet performs together with violinist par excellence Nobuko Imai at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Monday, November 26 at 8pm.

An evening with The Redneck Manifesto

Fri, Nov 02, 2012

Finbar Hoban Presents an evening with The Redneck Manifesto live at The Velvet Lounge in the TF Royal Theatre this November 23 for what promises to be a great night of music from one of Ireland's most notable instrumental bands. Tickets will cost €10 and will be available on the night.

The Redneck Manifesto formed in August 1998 as a four piece composed of members of several prominent Dublin bands - Niall Byrne came from Jackbeast, Richie Egan from Black Belt Jones and Matthew Bolger from The Waltons. Mervyn Craig came from the Dundalk band Hylton Weir. Neil O'Connor would join the band in 2003 coming from the Connect 4 Orchestra. The band first started playing gigs across Dublin and soon released a number of 7" singles on their own Greyslate label; as well as a split 7" released on Road Relish.

Bold and compelling stuff, Damien Dempsey, comes to Castlebar

Fri, Nov 02, 2012

So how do you describe Damien Dempsey’s music - take some reggae, fuse it with traditional Irish music, add in rock and folk, and put it all through a grounded working class worldly aware, yet caring consciousness, and you are some of the way there. And on Tuesday, November 15 in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar you can experience it all for yourself.

Group exhibition opens next Friday in Castlebar

Fri, Nov 02, 2012

Opening tonight Friday, November 2, is Latency, a group exhibition of works by members of Engage Art Studios, curated by arts writer Michaële Cutaya.

Jerry Fish live in Ballina Arts Centre tonight

Fri, Nov 02, 2012

Ballina Arts Centre presents one of Ireland’s most high profile artists, Jerry Fish, live tonight, November 2 at 8pm. He came to prominence as the frontman of An Emotional Fish, (and gave us the rock anthem ‘Celebrate’). Two decades on, he is still producing widely loved, upbeat, music including the hit single ‘True Friends’ and two platinum selling albums Be Yourself and The Beautiful Untrue.

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