David O'Keeffe.com

Belfast five piece Duty Paid Society redefine modern pop

Dave — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:44:11 +0000

Duty Paid Society are a five piece pop act that I was made aware of earlier this month. But when I talk about pop, don't think of fluffy clouds and bubblegum: the Belfast natives are offering something far more refined, intelligent and powerful.

After getting together in 2009, led by the musician Duncan Campbell, Duty Paid Society have constructed an energetic show and a distinctive sound, with captivating lyrics and a overall experience that instantly draws you in. They have something very different to many other acts, but in a way that will captivate you and leave you eager to hear more. Their passion for music is apparent, and they offer a well crafted, and polished, final product. Campbell himself has performed alongside acts such as General Fiasco, Supergrass, Derry natives Fighting With Wire, and one of my all-time favourite bands, The Pigeon Detectives.

Their first release, "Chance in a Lifetime" was launched this month and has captured the interest of BBC Radio Ulster and Belfast music legend, Terri Hooley. The song has a fantastic feel, starting with a slow dose of guitar and vocals, later kicking in with the other instruments and voices and delivering a catchy sound and entrancing final product. They've been compared to Take That, but I even see similarities to Stars. It's well worth a listen.

"Chance of a Lifetime" is available now on iTunes.

Duty Paid Society are Duncan Campbell (Vocals/Guitar), Christine Bracewell (Vocals), Andrew Dougherty (Keys), Adam Booth (Bass) and Thomas Camblin (Drums).

For more information:

www.facebook.com/dutypaidsociety
www.soundcloud.com/dutypaidsociety

Stop the Government from slashing mental health services

Dave — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:39:01 +0000

Mental health is something that Ireland is only really opening it's eyes to. It's an area of health that is very important to take care of, and studies clearly show how many people are affected by mental health issues directly or indirectly. Every cause is important, but when I was informed of the recent cutbacks that could affect the organisations helping those with difficulties I felt it was something that needs to get attention.

The country is in a difficult place, but cutbacks to essential services cannot keep going on: I'm not an economist, nor am I a financial whizz, but there are always other ways to raise money than just slashing back funding. Mental Health Reform, a not-for-profit organisation composed of Amnesty International, Bodywhys, Grow, The Irish Advocacy Network and Shine (formerly Schizophrenia Ireland), have created a petition to the Government to ensure that no reductions are made to HSE staff in the upcoming budget: they are asking for the level to remain the same as the start of the year.

The body points out that Ireland is years behind in the international rankings when it comes to good practice of mental health, and how Irish are turning to need assistance from an already overcrowded, cracking system. With all these reasons it is clear that something has to be done to ensure no changes are made to services that are needed the most. For example, a 240 person survey conducted by St. Patrick's Hospital in Dublin found that over half of the respondents said that a direct member of their family had been treated for a mental health issue, 60 percent said a close friend had been treated also, and 51 percent said they had worked with someone who had undergone treatment for a mental health problem.

I've signed the petition, but I urge that you do likewise, and spread the message on. It will literally take two seconds and it will go directly to the Ministers themselves. We all know what can be achieved when people stand together.

http://www.mentalhealthreform.ie/petition.php

You can follow them on Twitter, @MHreform

Break-out act Levity Breaks release their debut offering

Dave — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:07:46 +0000

Now this is a band with a real DIY ethic: Levity Breaks, a Belfast indie rock outfit, are releasing their debut single, "The Floor" this Friday- a single release they produced themselves, the same week that they secured crowd-sources funding for their own music video. And they're not stopping there.

The four-piece, Marty McLoughlin (Vocals & Bass), Eamon Lenehan (Drum & Backing Vocals), Jonny McGuinness (Keyboards & Backing Vocals)and Richie Lappin (Guitars) worked on the single at Mogul Studios, with the mastering being conducted by Robin Schmidt- who has worked with the likes of Maximo Park, The Coral and the superb Razorlight. Some members of the band have supported Snow Patrol, The Buzzcocks, The Frames and Bell X1 to name but a few. They've got a lot ahead of them. They've already got praise from music heavyweights in the BBC, and they'll be performing their energetic, engaging set with upcoming gigs.

I get sent a lot of press releases, plugs and demos: but these guys really have something special. They are coming under the indie banner, but they are delivering something very unique, even within the genre. It's very intelligent, powerful, carefully crafty music. Levity Breaks are going to go places, and that's shown from their already growing fanbase.

The single, "The Floor" (with B-Side "Debris", an acoustic track) is being launched in Queens' University tomorrow night, Thursday, with support from Wonder Villains. It's free too, so its well worth checking out.

The Floor [Single] by LevityBreaks

http://www.levitybreaks.com | https://www.facebook.com/pages/Levity-Breaks/125722440806465

Offbeat Irish comedy straight from the animal

Dave — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:44:19 +0000

It's full of foul language. It's quirky, it's smutty, but it's been described as an accurate picture of Irish men. Cue "The Horses Mouth", the new online animation show.

I got emailed about the show a few days ago. The programme has only been online for a few weeks now, but it's garnered quite a few fans, and it's already been praised in The Irish Times, on radio station Spin 1038 (who called it "Brilliant, Simple and Genius") and it's even hit the social-sphere by being featured on the Mark Little project Storyful. They themselves say it's just "based around a few lads having the banter".

The characters, created by award-winning Irish company Igloo Animations, look cheery but have a fierce mouth on them. Season two just went live and one episode is about, er, ladies' toilet habits on a night out. The first series treated us to a stories about a hyena, male hair-loss treatment and the better animal: a cat or a dog. The Horse's Mouth is quite simply a witty insight into the bizarre and baffling minds of Irish men, delivered with wacky graphics, and a real sense of blokes just having the craic'.

You may finish the episodes with a sore belly from laughing, or a queasy stomach from the content: but either way, you may want to check it out. You have been warned!

http://thehorsesmouthshow.com/

The Bandits terrorise The Big Apple

Dave — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:10:26 +0000

One hit wonders? Temporary fad? Hell no. Ireland's favourite gangster rappers have done it again, scoring a collection of videos with MTV- even taking stage on the infamous Jersey Shore. The area, that is: not the show. There wasn't a Snooki in sight.

They took over New York for a couple of days and brought their signature blend of bizarre comedy and incredibly catchy music to the Americans, even throwing in a quick performance or two: one of which entitled "Double Dropping Yokes with Eamon Devalera" In the video below you can see them on their final day, dropping by the network's headquarters and having a chat to the Vice President, only after causing a ruckus in reception, of course.

Oh, how I would love to see them make an appearance at an MTV awards show. Even to perform this. I dream.

On a side note, they've also landed a number of short programmes for Channel 4. Fair play to the boys.

Dat's Limerick Citaay.

Dublin act reach finals of HMV Battle of the Bands in London

Dave — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:04:19 +0000

Dublin band Triple Drop have secured themselves a place in the finals of the highly respected No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith contest operated by HMV, taking place in London next month.

The act, hailing from Tallaght in South Dublin, formed in 2009 and have knocked out over three hundred gigs across the country since, performing in venues such as Whelans and The Roisin Dubh, even gaining a residency in the former Eamonn Doran's in Temple Bar, and they have just released their self-titled debut EP.

The EP has a dark feel to it, with grungy guitar sounds and very quirky vocals. The lead single "In Yur Smokey Li'l Room" provides smart, yet strong lyrics about modern life, touching on subjects of going out (or more-so, staying in), the nightclub culture ("Don't look twice, you might be mistaken: there's a stupid eejit who wants to smash your face in..."), recreational drug use and "having nothing to do on Sunday". The other tracks, "Extra Extra" are just as hard hitting. "Extra Extra, read all about it: all my mates are fucking out of it", sounds the heavy, roaring song. Finally, "Radio" is a great deal lighter- but with a punchier ska feel: with bouncy bass and a great riffy sound from the guitar- the kind that would make you leap and jump around like a complete lunatic. But, don't let the sometimes coarse vocals deter you: they are most certainly a serious band. They're not sticking to the usual "one style" that a number of new acts are adopting. Triple Drop are quite diverse, with a wide span of genres being exported and adapted on their songs.

But, back to the gigs, which the band take very seriously. The HMV panel, composed of CEO's and MD from prominent record labels, whittled down nine bands from originally fifty plus acts, and the group are in the lucky remaining bunch, and will be performing to win at The Garage in Highbury, London, on September 5th, which another EP due out the same month.

Check out Triple Drop now on Breaking Tunes, where you can read the biography and listen to the EP in full. If you love it, you can get it on iTunes. They'll be playing in Scott's Bar, Dun Laoghaire for the People's Festival this Sunday at 9.30.

Miller kick off their new social media website- and it’s pretty damn good

Dave — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:24:35 +0000

Over the past few weeks I've been trying out the new website created by Miller, the world renowned (and tasty) beer. The website, which launched on the same night as their "Tonight Dublin, Tomorrow Ibiza" promotion, which sent 150 punters to the island a mere twelve hours after they enjoyed their pint in the local, enables users harness social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, and bring it into their real life for their big night out, or their quiet evening- whichever they choose.

Users are able to pre-check and check-in at their pub, nightclub or venue, like similar social services, but the difference is that they can plan their night by inviting friends and loved ones. But, they are able to check and find out which venues are the busiest and most fun via the "trending" section. Here I was able to see where other people and test users were hanging out. I was able to see that the craic wasn't in Temple Bar, but a few roads down on Camden Street. This is something you don't really see on Facebook directly, and it's something that is very different on Foursquare. It makes the whole "going-out" a bit more fun, and a lot more interesting. It's very handy to see where you'll have a good evening, and where you should really give a miss, before you even head out.

The real deal-clincher is that the website is really something different. As users, like you and me, get involved and start to use it (we all know the power of social media) it will grow and expand into something quite special. It's already rolled out in something like 10 cities in Ireland, Scotland and England, and it's sure to get bigger as the publicity gets more and more intense. When you think of that in numbers it's 75,000 pubs and clubs: that's a hell of a lot. And, if you're a geeky reader or a tech-junkie, the Miller team have made their very own custom API that works with the other social services, and some of the check-in API is for future use, such as future check-ins, "trending" venues and human behaviour. You've got to try it out to witness the "pre-checkin" features. The team are releasing mobile applications over the coming weeks also, which should be very beneficial to the use of the site.

A lot of new ventures and projects are started and released every year, but there is certainly something that stands out with this website. It holds a great deal of potential, and is sure to be very, very popular. I'll see you there, or on the next night out. Just look out for the nearest trending venue.

http://www.itsmillertimeuk.com

photo credit: Grace Miller

New Mix – June 2011

Dave — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:32:10 +0000

Finally, the Summer is really upon us. And despite the fact that we're in the second weekend of the month, I bring you the June 2011 Mix, exclusively for your aural pleasure.

This is a very different mix to what I usually do. I was going to release this month's edition last Friday, but I scrapped it (mostly due to the gorgeous heatwave that we were experiencing in Dublin) and decided to entirely revamp it and give it more of a holiday or summer beach/house/garden/barbecue feel. And, that's what this most certainly has.

What's most different is the darker feel in some places, particularly towards the end. It kicks off with some serious floorfillers, then makes it way to an energetic final few tracks, then delivering a serious summer feel: the wonderful and timeless "Sunchyme" by Dario G. If this doesn't give you a warm, happy feeling, nothing will.

Dev - Bass Down Low (feat. The Cataracts)

LMFAO - Champagne Showers (feat. Natalia Kills)

Inna - Sun is Up

Vato Gonzales - Badman Riddim

Duck Sauce - Barbara Streisand

Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk

Calvin Harris feat. Kelis - Bounce

The Saturdays - Notorious (Chuckie Edit)

Alex Gaudino - Destination Calabria

DJ Antoine vs Timati - Welcome to St. Tropez

Deadmau5 and Kaskade - I Remember

Katy B - Man on a Mission

Wolfgang Gartner - Illmerica

Gala - Freed from Desire 2K11 (Klass Remix)

Enrique Iglesias - Dirty Dancer (feat. Usher)

Pitbull feat. Chris Brown - International Love

Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat

Taio Cruz - Believe in Me Now

Diddy Dirty Money - Coming Home (Dirty South Mix)

Adele - Rolling in the Deep

Riva Starr - I Was Drunk (DJ Sneak's Drunken Mix)

Roger Sanchez & Far East Movement - 2Gether (Sanna & Pitron Mix)

Dario G - Sunchyme

David O'Keeffe - June 2011 Mix by Davidokeeffe on Mixcloud

I hope you enjoy the mix. As per usual, I welcome your feedback. The contact details are on the site, or on my facebook: http://www.facebook.com/davidokeeffeofficial or via twitter @davidokeeffe.

Temple House Festival returns

Dave — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:02:06 +0000

As you may very well be aware, the Temple House Music & Arts Festival has returned, and it takes place from 10-12 June in the gorgeous Temple House Estate in Sligo.

The festival, which first hit the scene last year, delivers music from the best Irish and international acts along with art, interactive projects, spoken word and poetry and literally dozens of other events and features, including theatre and various attractions such as the Wood Town, the Kaleidoscope House and The Rose Garden Stage, including a breathtaking arts trail. There's really a lot going on in the glorious surroundings.

The Rose Garden features spoken word, with novelist and poet Dermot Healy, fiddle player Gerry Harrington, and many more. There's also The Mad Hatters' Tea Party (which you can take part in, of course) along with Yarn Bombing (a graffiti knitting project which is very hard to describe- it must be seen), and wooden sculptures, belly dancing and other forms of dance. If you're looking for something to get the adrenaline pumping there's Daredevil- described as "the world's worst acrobat". Thankfully you won't be doing any of the mental things he does. He'll do all the wild and crazy things for you. If that doesn't take your fancy, there's "One Drunken Knight and Damsel in Dis Dress", another piece of modern theatre and performance.

But maybe music is your thing. This is will catered for with 120 artists over the three days. You can expect big names like Ash, The Walls, The Kanyu Tree, Arveene & Misk, Ryan Sheridan, Whipping Boy, Oddsocks Revival (pictured), Miracle Bell, Lisa Hannigan, Aslan and loads more. There's something for all tastes, on four stages. The lineup is so diverse and jam-packed you'll be moving all over the place during the weekend, with your senses satisfied at the end.

It's quite a special festival. I hope to see you there.

http://www.facebook.com/TempleHouseFest

http://www.templehousefestival.com/

Three days with camping: €120 / Day tickets: €50 (Ticketmaster)

Friday, 10th June

Bavaria Main Stage : The Late Session with “Wiggle”, Ash, Fighting with Wire, The Walls, The Flaws, The Kanyu Tree, Inteference, 1922’s

The Music Maker stage : DJ Wool, Arveene & Misk, The Minutes, Pilotlight, Shouting at Planes, Readers Wives, Chuckys River, Boy Lights Fire

Acoustic Stage – Walled Garden : Ryan Sheridan, James Humson Niceol Blue, Michael Stafford, On/off, Tommy McNulty, Laura Sheeran, Ari Sheehan, Helen Smits

Bandwagon TV Stage –Rose Garden : Yngve & The Innocent, Machine Gun Baby, Joy Booth and B & The Honeyboy

Saturday, 11th June

Bavaria Main Stage : Late Session – The Amazing Few , Stereo MCs, Whipping Boy, Kerbdog, Stand, Miracle Bell, Preachers Son, Landlovers, Hogan, Karma Parking, Redbrick House, Nova Static

The Music Maker Stage: Silent Disco, Mike Joyce DJ Set (ex Smiths), Declan O’Rourke, Andy McKee, The Danger is, The Fallen Drakes, Cool Hand Dukes, Souls, Dub Doctor Sound System, Merchants of Fortune, Tim Cobain & band, King Kong Club BOB, Lost Colours

Acoustic Stage – Walled Garden: Rory and The Island, Rory Faithfield, Aisling O’Reilly, The Ball & Chain, Bailer, David Burke, Wyvern Lingo, Finnian Kelleher, Deirdre Keelan, Peter Baldwin

Bandwagon TV Stage – Rose Garden : Henrietta Game, Neptune City, Eugene Donegan, Clive Barnes, Sanszkrit

Sunday, 12th June

Bavaria Main Stage : Aslan, Something Happens, Lisa Hannigan, Jamie Lawson, CW Stoneking, The Raglans, Storyfold, Tupelo, Sweet Jane, 2Minutes2Midnight,

The Music Maker Stage : Bipolar Empire, Riptide Movement, Oddsocks Revival, Roisin O, Heathers,GMiley & The Soul Street Orchestra, The Barley Mob, Colin Scallan, Electric Penguins, The Hoop, Slap!

Acoustic Stage – Walled Garden : Mark Black, Hamlet Sweeney, My Bad Self, John Smith, Rhob Cunningham, Jason Clarke, Stephanie Rainey, Eoin Glackin, Glenn Cal, Damian Nash

Bandwagon TV Stage -Rose Garden : Paul Crean and the changing band, Willie Kelly, Red Queen Contest, A Smile Just Came, Saramai & The Swords, Gog and The Grinders

I’m getting my adventure on…

Dave — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:30:05 +0000

This weekend I'm heading to the opening of The Adventure Weekend in the RDS. It's a show of various outdoor pursuits, adventure and lifestyle activities, extreme and urban sports and many other fun and alternative activities.

I'm looking forward to checking out one of the main attractions of the weekend: 3RUN, a group of free-runners from the UK. Ever since I saw that scene in Casino Royale, from the James Bond series (which they were involved in), I was taken aback by this phenomenal sport: it's adrenaline pumping, heart-stopping energy where you see people literally bounce and climb up walls, buildings and any object in their way with no fuss or strain whatsoever, in a fashion that even the most cat could only dream of in his own little kitty dreams. It's honestly astounding stuff, and these guys are going to be putting on shows over the weekend to demonstrate some of their jaw-dropping moves. The guys have been featured on TV and in movies, and they've smashed many Guinness World Records. I'm certain they'll put on a killer act and make the audience feel tired just watching.

There's loads of other things going on over the weekend, such as the Ramp Rage crew- a collective of skateboarders, BMXers and rollerbladers who tear up half-pipes like nobodies business. As someone who was a truly awful skateboarder back in the day it's nice to see others doing it will. Sure, it puts me to shame that I could barely get down a half-pipe without breaking my back or busting my nose, but it's sure to be impressive. They've also got dozens of other displays and attractions, with many extreme lifestyle exhibitors and various outdoor pursuit firms. I regularly go camping, hiking and whatnot, so I am particularly interested in finding new places to see and explore.

But there is still some other big things, and they've left the best to last. There's Ireland's only wind-tunnel, where I hope to be hurled 40 feet into the outdoor air completely unharnessed to experience a feeling that I'm freefalling from the sky. It's going to be a bizarre thing to feel, but it's going to be breathtaking all the same. I'll be dreading it when I get there, but it's just something you've just got to do. And don't worry: I'll post pictures, or possibly a video. I need them to prove that I've got the cahones to do it.

Well, I say I do. We'll see come the weekend.

If you're heading along to it, you'll be able to get tickets at the door or on Ticketmaster. They're €15, and all the details are on http://www.theadventureweekend.ie/

New Mix – May 2011

Dave — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:53:20 +0000

It's been a month already, eh?

It's Friday, the weekend has landed, and we're drawing closer to the real start of summer: although the weather at the moment would say otherwise. It's also Eurovision weekend, Leinster are playing, The FA Cup final is taking place and there are around 101 other excuses for a party including these, and now you've got your soundtrack.

Again, it's packed full of huge tracks, most notably the brand spanking new song from Pitbull and the absolute cracker of a tune from the unstoppable Swedish House Mafia titled "Save the World". If you want to feel like you're partying on a beach somewhere warm check out "Mr. Saxobeat" by Alexandra Stan and also "Welcome to St. Tropez" by DJ Antoine- it's huge on the continent and is sure to go down a storm here very soon. The "summer anthems" are upon us.

Until June, kids.

Tracklist:

David Guetta - Where Dem Girls At? (Feat. Flo-Rida & Nicki Minaj)

Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk

LMFAO - Party Rock People

Cascada - San Francisco

Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat

Example - Changed The Way You Kissed Me

Dj Antoine Vs. Timati - Welcome To St Tropez

Snoop Dogg - Sweat

Jay Sean - Hit The Lights (Jump Smokers Mix)

Avicii - Levels (ID)

Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - Give Me Everything

Nicole Scherizinger - Right There (Wideboys Mix)

Tinchy Stryder - Spaceship (Club Junkies Mix)

Britney Spears - Till The World Ends (Liam Keegan Mix)

Sander Van Doorn Feat. Carol Lee - Love Is Darkness

Swedish House Mafia - Save The World Feat. John Martin

I hope you enjoy the mix, and as usual I welcome your feedback.

Remember to check it out on my facebook too: www.facebook.com/davidokeeffeofficial

David O'Keeffe - May 2011 Mix by Davidokeeffe

Let this short video put a stop to the Wedding chitter-chatter

Dave — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:16:25 +0000

Okay, I get it: most people have had enough about the Royal Wedding, and that's fine, but let's make this be the last we hear of it, eh?

I came across this video today as it popped up in my newsfeed and, simply, it's hilarious. We've all seen the shortened videos of the event for those who couldn't/weren't bothered sitting around all day to watch it- but this is something very different. In 1:28 seconds you're delivered a full round-up of the big day, with sound effects and, erm, special effects.

Watch it and let's end the talk about it, capisce?

Right, that's enough.

(If you're reading this somewhere and the video isn't appearing, watch it here.)

The Looks are back with the superb “Cinema Screen / Screwdriver”

Dave — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:18:28 +0000

You may remember the previous release from Dublin indie-rock outfit The Looks which I plugged a few months ago. Well, the boys are back with their brand new release, Cinema Screen / Screwdriver, which is being released tonight.

The record kicks off with the powerful, punchy sound of Screwdriver- packing edgy vocals, chunky guitars and great drumming. Consistent with the overall style of the band, it's a proper indie anthem that could easily be taken as a track from any big artist on the world stage. The guys are that good. Following that comes Cinema Screen- with an intro of, in this writer's opinion, slight overtones of Editors, complete with slightly distorted lyrics and voice from singer Alec. Again, it's a fantastic, stand-out song: two songs very worthy of their release. The guys are on fire and they are going to nowhere but to the top.

The single is released tonight in Crawdaddy, Dublin, in conjunction with the TrainWreck clubnight. Door open at 11, and entry is €8 (or €6 if you pop across to the event page on Facebook and declare "I love the Looks" in the comments. Really).

Grab your copy of the single for free on Bandcamp.

New Mix: April 2011

Dave — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:58:35 +0000

It's arrived. After a long wait, the April 2011 mix is here.

I'm disgusted at myself for taking so long to post one (the last one was August 2010), but at least it's arrived. Please stay on my tail demanding music and mixes- it'll keep me working and sane. You're helping me. Really.

There's some very big tunes on it, especially the new one from Lady Gaga, which was only released hours ago, along with the huge track from LMFAO, "Party Rock People", and Martin Solveig- the follow up to the massive song "Hello". Whilst remaining biased, may I say that it's the perfect accompanient to kickstart your weekend. If only it was posted just a few hours earlier.

Tracklist:

Lady Gaga - Judas

Rihanna featuring Britney Spears - S&M

Jodie Connor Feat Tinchy Stryder - Bring It

Chris Brown Feat Benny Benassi - Beautiful People

Martin Solveig feat. Kele - Ready 2 Go

Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me

LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & Goon Rock - Party Rock People

Snoop Dogg feat. David Guetta - Sweat

Swedish House Mafia feat. Lil' Jon - Hey!

Alex Gaudino feat. Kelly Rowland - What a Feeling

Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath (Bimbo Jones Mix)

Knas Lil' Jon & K0NTROL - Fuck You Knas

Tiësto & Diplo feat. Busta Rhymes - C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise)

Wretch 32 feat. Example - Unorthodox (Moto Blanco Mix)

Jay Sean - Hit the Lights (7th Heaven Mix)

Far East Movement and Roger Sanchez - 2Gether

Tiësto & Mark Knight feat. Dino - Beautiful World

I hope you enjoy the mix, and as usual I welcome your feedback.

Remember to check it out on my facebook too: www.facebook.com/davidokeeffeofficial

David O'Keeffe - April 2011 Mix by Davidokeeffe on Mixcloud

Great night at the DIT Fashion Show

Dave — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:54:10 +0000

On Tuesday night I was kindly invited to the DIT Alfa Romeo Fashion Show which took place in the lovely Vicar St. venue in Dublin. Now in its eighth year (second with the sponsors Alfa Romeo), the event was given the exciting theme of "Romeo & Gauiletta - A bad romance", a take on the Shakespearean play with the twist of the Gauiletta motor car.

Now, I’m no Gok Wan or fashion expert but it was clear that the students, all who volunteered in the show, were highly professional in their delivery of the clothes, the style and the night itself. They were dressed up to the nines in outfits from various high-street retailers and designers, along with some fantastic clothes created especially from students themselves. As for the event it was most enjoyable- Vicar St. was transformed with a candle-lit runway, a stone-like stage, hanging banners and lighting and many other glorious features. It really looked excellent, and it complimented the models brilliantly. Again, I’m no fashion expert (as anyone who has witnessed some of my socks and sandal faux pas in the past), but it was clear that the entire fashion show was success.

And it was in aid of a great cause. The entire night was raising funds for the DIT Foundation, a charity that enables access to college for those who are experiencing financial difficulties: a cause that is particularly relevant in these tough times. Let’s remember how important education truly is: a gateway to employment and life.

Particular congratulations must be given to the organisers, the judges, the sponsors and, most of all, the students who took part. Without their dedication and hard work it would never have been such an awesome spectacle for the public, nor would the show have been such a fantastic success. A great night was had by all, and the after party in Krystle was most deserved for the team!

I must extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the DIT Fashion Show team for inviting me: it was a privilege to attend the show and experience the event. The show can only get better and better from, and the crew and participants have raised the bar to an exemplary standard. I, for one, would be keen to experience it again, as everyone I spoke to couldn’t rate the night higher- it was truly that good.

[Photos from Richie.ie]

Vinnie’s TV Gold

Dave — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:25:29 +0000

Unless you've been living under a rock (or dozed off after The Late Late), you may not have witnessed the spectacle that took place last Friday night, when highly respected broadcaster Vincent Browne kicked off the first (and hopefully not last) edition of his light entertainment show, Friday Late with Vincent Browne. It was worth all the hype.

Guests included Jedward, Linda Martin, Ray D'arcy and Norah Casey. Need I say more? The show started off with the misspoken introduction of Casey:

Norah Casey: "It’s Norah Casey…"

Vincent: "Why, what did I say?"

Norah: "You said ‘Carey’…"

Vincent: "Oh God…I’m…I’m, see, I’m nonplussed by you people…"

Then it burst (naturally) into a chat with the blonde haired X Factor showmen.

Vincent: "You're the most famous people I've met since Paddy Cole"

Later Vincent was questioned regarding why Paddy Cole was relevant, how "haranguing" was "not allowed in politics" and how D'arcy was loving the interview and telling Browne to "cheer up". After that pillows were thrown at him and he was hugged like a grandfather at Christmas.

Needless to say it was the funniest thing on television that night.

I can't wait for next week. Let's pray it makes a comeback to the show.

VideoJohn Mahoney and Broadsheet.

New Example set for Oxegen 2011

Dave — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:44:44 +0000

It doesn't take long for someone to figure out how much I love Example. In the music sense that is. So, when I heard his new track being (officially) mentioned and played I jumped for joy, turned up the speakers and deafened myself to get the full effect. Only there was no partying crowd, bright lights or energetic artist- there was just the track, and that was good enough. "Changed The Way You Kiss me" was tweeted today by Gleave himself and Data Records (Ministry of Sound) posted it on YouTube for your aural pleasure.

The track, set to be huge- naturally, is said to be out in May and will be appearing on his third album, Playing in the Shadows, which is out in September, followed by a tour in November. It's a massive song and is going to be massive on the dancefloors and on the radio. If the standard sticks, as no doubt it will, the next album and upcoming material will be superb: just what you would expect.

And if you've not had enough, you can see him at Oxegen 2011- which he confirmed tonight. Uh-huh, it's not even been announced by the festival yet, and this (unless you're following him or the inadvertent-question posed by the lovely Suzanne Jackson) is possibly the first time you've heard about it. Oh, the excitement.

Check out "Changed The Way You Kiss Me" now.

New material from promising Northern Irish artist

Dave — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:31:38 +0000

April is another month that marks the release of The Great Depression, the EP from Belfast based musician Robyn G. Shiels. The EP is a follow up to his debut release, Lifetime of Midnights.

Shiels has already received critical acclaim for his work, with big names such as David Holmes, the composer and musician, praising his talent, calling it "breathtaking". He's also been played and recommended by the likes of Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1 and is on rotation in lands as far away as Spain and Norway. Indie fans will also exclaim and nod when they hear he was giving a glowing, eight-star review from the popular Drowned in Sound. Shiels has even gigged with the likes of Devendra Banhart and Joan As Policewoman.

I was sent a link to the track last week and I fell for it straight away, and I look forward to hearing more from this promising artist.

The EP is out April 4th and the tracklist is as follows:

When We Were Brothers

The Love of an Honest Man

Look What You've Done

Latest Greatest Comedienne

Hell is…

You can get your paws on the record from iTunes and all the regular download spots and from Bandcamp.

www.robyngshiels.com

Oxegen 2011 – The Line-up

Dave — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:22:38 +0000

The Oxegen 2011 line-up has been released from the launch party in Dublin only minutes ago. And, it's honestly set to be bigger than ever. With some major players and acts, it's going to be one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the summer, and a pretty rocking line-up, even by European standards.

However, there are issues with Blink 182's tour details, so a confirmation will be posted later in the week regarding their presence at the festival. Their website still states they are going but MCD Productions have said otherwise. I'll update the article as appropriate as news comes in.

FOO FIGHTERS

COLDPLAY

BLINK 182 - To be confirmed, as there are issues with tour details. - Cancelled and removed from line-up.

BLACK EYED PEAS

ARCTIC MONKEYS

THE SCRIPT

THE STROKES

PAOLO NUTINI

THE NATIONAL

DEADMAU5

BRANDON FLOWERS

PLAN B

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

BEADY EYE

BRUNO MARS

PENDULUM

CHASE AND STATUS

TINIE TEMPAH

WEEZER

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB

EELS

BRIGHT EYES

LEFTFIELD

FRIENDLY FIRES

IMELDA MAY

PRIMAL SCREAM/SCREAMADELICA

CALVIN HARRIS

JIMMY EAT WORLD

SVEN VATH

HURTS

CRYSTAL CASTLES

BLOODY BEETROOTS

JESSIE J

JENNY AND JOHNNY

HOUSE OF PAIN

STEVE AOKI

THE VACCINES

ALL TIME LOW

NOAH AND THE WHALE

CROOKERS

FIGHT LIKE APES

MONA

THE NAKED AND FAMOUS

RYAN SHERIDAN

THE MINUTES

BIPOLAR EMPIRE

MADISUN

Hope to see you there!

Eurosong 2011 Live

Dave — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:02:42 +0000

It's happening again. Ireland is selecting it's artist for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Dusseldorf, and I'm covering it live.

Following it's success in recent years, I'll be delivering my updates, analysis and opinion live from 2100 GMT / 2200 CET. You can enjoy all the action here on this very page. And, you can give your feedback if you live via the usual streams, and live on the site.

Update: Last night's liveblog was a great success, and statistics have shown that there was a phenomenal amount of feedback and online readers. Thank you very much for taking part, and I can assure you that it will return very soon. If you missed out on all the action you can relive it below, archived for your pleasure.

Eurosong 2011 Live – David O’Keeffe.com