Scene and Heard

MUSIC NEWS: Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody, below, is one of the busiest men in show business at the moment.

He was filming recently in the North for a small part in series three of Game Of Thrones, and the band are set to play Hyde Park in London to mark the opening of the Olympic Games this evening, and have also announced a US tour in October with Noel Gallagher. There’s also the matter of a new album that Lightbody has claimed will mark quite a departure from previous material. Incidentally, Snow Patrol’s appearance in London tonight will not be subjected to the curfew shenanigans suffered by Bruce Springsteen — the Bangor band are due to take to the stage at 11.10pm and have been given a special dispensation from the usual noise rules so they can play until 1am. Another Irish outfit on the international collaboration trail are The Script, whose new single, ‘Hall Of Fame’, features guest vocals from Will.i.am. Danny O’Donoghue’s stint on The Voice UK has obviously paid dividends. Snoop Dogg is off on a new direction for his new album, with the moniker Snoop Lion being used for a record that’s very much a reggae affair. The man formerly known as Calvin Broadus has even been based in Kingston, Jamaica, in recent months.

GIG WISE: After last night’s first gig of the year at Mitchelstown Caves, the second part of three very special concerts takes place tonight with Sam Amidon and Puzzle Muteson. Tomorrow’s event includes Iarla Ó Lionáird and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, and anyone heading to the venue is asked to arrive by 7pm. Mike Scott will be at the Pavilion in Cork on Aug 16 as part of a promotion for his new autobiography, Adventures of a Waterboy. He will read from the book, take part in a public interview with broadcaster Mick Mulcahy and finish the evening with an acoustic performance where he’ll be joined by Steve Wickham on fiddle. Another shaggy hero, Arlo Guthrie, plays the Pavilion on Sept 6, with the American legend playing in Dolans in Limerick the following night. The recent hints of summer are probably good news for organisers of Indiependence and Liss Ard, the two music festivals taking place in Co Cork next weekend. It’s a pity the two have to clash, and punters are faced with a choice between the likes of 2manydj’s,The Coronas and Maverick Sabre in Mitchelstown; and Toots and the Maytals, Chic and Mick Flannery in Skibbereen. Tickets are still available for both.