Scene and Heard
Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival are among the others involved. Sad news from Britain with the announcement that occasional Irish visitor Wilko Johnson has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The former Dr Feelgood guitarist has chosen not to go the chemotherapy route for his cancer of the pancreas. He’s about to undertake a number of gigs in what truly is a farewell tour. Emeli Sandé is to follow up her phenomenal success last year with Live At The Royal Albert Hall, featuring guest performances by Labrinth and Professor Green that will be released on Feb 15. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are also on the release trail, with a single already on release from the forthcoming album, Push The Sky Away, due in February.
GIG WISE: Beth Orton has visited Ireland on several occasions, and brings her Sugaring Season tour to four venues in March. First up is the Olympia in Dublin on Mar 20; followed by Roisin Dubh, Galway, Mar 21; Set Theatre, Kilkenny, Mar 23; and Triskel Christchurch, Cork, Mar 24. The Meteor Choice Music Prize shortlist for Irish Album of the Year 2012 includes Heathers, Delorentos and Two Door Cinema Club, and for €22.50 you can be at Vicar Street for the announcement and live event on Mar 7. Villagers were nominated for that prize in 2010, and their new album, Awayland, sees a tour that includes Dolans in Limerick (Mar 15), INEC Killarney (Mar 18) and the Savoy in Cork (Mar 19). Also in Cork, the Japanese Popstars play a DJ set at Cyprus Avenue on Saturday, Jan 26, while Mark Eitzel of American Music Club is at the same venue on Feb 22. Andrew Whiteman from Broken Social Scene will be part of Martha Wainwright’s group for her appearance at Cork Opera House on Feb 1. Finally, has Leonard Cohen really bled the well of Irish goodwill dry? He’s announced a massive tour that includes a June date in London, but so far there’s no word on yet another gig here. Watch this space.
