• Belfast Forward: Ten Foundations

    May 12, 2015 - By 

    In the very first installment of Belfast Forward, a new regular feature looking at some of the city’s most intriguing small businesses, organisations and individuals,  Laura Carland spoke to Ten Foundations founder, Ian Campbell, about an inspiring organisation. Nestled on the busy Lisburn Road in Belfast, you can find one part coffee shop one part charity thrift store, Ten Foundations. Promoting a genuinely warm, welcoming and positive atmosphere, you relax with a hot drink, plug in and work or browse and shop safe in the knowledge that 100% of the proceeds will be used to help those living in poverty in Philippines. Photos…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Bird

    May 2, 2015 - By 

    Just before a major move of show from South Africa to Dublin, playwright and performer Marnitz van Deventer chats to us about the impact of past relationships, story-telling as the heart of performance, and bringing a South African flavour to Dublin’s International Gay Theatre Festival. Hi Martniz. Can you tell me a little bit about Bird and the creative process behind the show? Sure.  Bird is actually a story of the self before, during, and after a relationship.  I guess the story started three years ago when I was in a relationship with somebody, and I fell head-over-heels in love…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Graham J. Norton

    May 2, 2015 - By 

    Preparing for a triumphant return to the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Graham J. Norton talks to us about his lifelong work as a classical singer, drastic changes in life and career, and the steps he took leading to the formation of the Orpheus Blues and Graham J Does Cabaret. Hi Graham. So how did you go about forming the act Graham J Does Cabaret?  How long have you been training as a singer? Well I’ve trained as a singer since I was four, and I have been, for many, many years, a classical singer, performing in operas.  But I’ve…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Going Up

    May 2, 2015 - By 

    Amid chaotic preparations in shipping out from NYC to Dublin, playwright Penny Jackson sits down with us to discuss her success as a writer both on and offstage, the lead-up to the debut of her brand new show Going Up at this year’s Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, and how she believes in the power of theatre to foster social change. Hi Penny. How’s everything going with preparations for Going Up? Fantastic.  The script was just published online—newyorktheatre.com—people are reading it, plenty of great responses.  I have a lot of fans here in New York, and I would love to have…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: The Equals

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    With just about a week left until showtime at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, playwright Sean Denyer of theatre troupe Acting Out talks to Joe Madsen about the history behind the community theatre group, its growth in the past decade, and the need for some musical comedy in examining gay issues. Tell me about The Equals and the creative process behind it. Well, I suppose I’ve had the idea for Equals for quite a while.  I tend to ponder things for quite a while before I actually write them, and then the writing happens rather quickly and I have a…

  • Interview: Woody Woodmansey

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of the legendary English drummer’s appearance at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival’s Marquee on Friday, May 8, Mike McGrath Bryan chats to Mick “Woody” Woodmansey, best known for his work with David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars. Hi Woody. You played on four of Bowie’s most influential and important records. How did you come into his fold, so to speak? I had played with Mick Ronson in a band called The Rats in the city of Hull, East Yorkshire. We were a blues based progressive rock outfit playing on the University circuit, supporting major acts at that time, plus we…

  • Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Preview: Blind Date

    April 29, 2015 - By 

    Less than a month away from staging their company’s second full-length production at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, producer Madeleine Roche and writer/director Colette Cullen of Home You Go Productions sit down to chat about their latest installment, Blind Date. Covering both past success and future aspirations, the pair discuss using theatre to break social boundaries by helping audiences find commonalities.  As gay issues move further into the limelight and touch more lives every day, they find the timing of their piece and the festival as poignant as could be. So tell me about the creative process behind Blind…

  • Interview: Charlie Caplowe (Xtra Mile Recordings)

    April 29, 2015 - By 

    In a revealing conversation, Will Murphy talks to Charlie Caplowe, founder of one of the finest independent record labels around, Xtra Mile Recordings. Based in London, the imprint is responsible for putting out some stellar records from Reuben, Frank Turner/Million Dead, Future of the Left, Against Me! and many more. Hi Charlie. What’s the early history of Xtra Mile? What led to the creation? Who were the key players? I was working as a PR for many years handling the press for many acts including Million Dead, Frank Turner’s old band. No labels were signing them, so I said, “Well, sod that.…

  • Q+A: Mylets

    April 29, 2015 - By 

    At just 20 years of age, Henry Kohen AKA Mylets’ debut album has just been released via Sargent House. Having received exceptionally warm reviews from the likes of NPR and the New York Times, he’s just left California to tour Europe with And So I Watch You From Afar. Koken talks to Niamh Hegarty about some of his time at Sargent House to date and the evolution of his new album, Arizona. Your standard of musicianship is particularly high. When did you first pick up a guitar? I found my dad’s old 3/4 scale off-brand acoustic in a closet when I was…

  • Interview: Dutch Uncles

    April 9, 2015 - By 

    Just under two months from the release of fifth album, O Shudder, and barely into a UK/Ireland tour, Dutch Uncles frontman Duncan Wallis chats to Joe Madsen about performing live, recorded ventures both past and future, and changes in band membership. So how are you guys feeling about the reception and feedback you’re getting on the new album? Interesting question.  I don’t think we’ve thought too much about it, really.  We’re very happy with the reviews.  We weren’t expecting to get so many 4/5’s and 8/10’s because that’s all we got straight across the board with our last album, so we didn’t…