Scene and Heard

MUSIC NEWS:

The Smiths’ self-titled debut album was released 30 years ago this week, providing a perfect excuse for the release of the band’s back catalogue. All four studio albums have been remastered for sale on iTunes and are available now. Fans of The National should check out YouTube and other sites for footage of their entire set at Sydney Harbour last Saturday. Radiohead have launched a new app through their own website that’s based around the music from The King of Limbs album. “Your screen is the window into an evolving world. Move around to look around. You can follow the red dot. You can wear headphones,” wrote Thom Yorke on the band’s website. Finally, as if poor Justin Bieber didn’t have enough to deal with at the moment, his waxwork has been removed from Madame Tussauds in New York. The reason? Excessive groping by fans visiting the museum.

GIG WISE: The latest raft of announcements for Live at the Marquee in Cork has underlined this year’s lineup as the best in the event’s 10-year history. Tickets go on sale Monday for Bob Dylan (June 16), Imelda May (21) and Lana Del Rey (July 15). Paolo Nutini will be a big name this year on the back of his new album Caustic Love, and he’ll be at the Olympia on Thursday, March 20. At the time of writing, we haven’t heard anything about extra dates, but a quick sellout could lead to more announcements. Neil Finn made his name with Crowded House, and with a new album on release, is to play the Olympia on April 30, as well as Cork Opera House on May 1. Also hoping to play Cork if the city hasn’t been blown or washed away is Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene, coming to Cyprus Avenue on Monday. Northern rockers the Answer are at the same venue on March 23. Paul Bäumer of Dutch dance duo Bingo Players died from cancer last year, but his partner Maarten Hoogstraten has kept the outfit on the road, and will be at the Savoy in Cork on Friday, February 28. Over at the Pavilion, the venue’s annual dirty weekender is already underway, and they’ve also a DJ set from Dubliner Shit Robot on March 8, and Brooklyn chamber pop outfit San Fermin on April 15.

FILM TIPS: We usually like to give arthouse and indie films a plug in this column, but the mainstream cinemas really have had superb movies on offer in recent weeks. Gravity, 12 Years A Slave and Dallas Buyers Club are all essential viewing, while Spike Jonze’s Her (starring Joaquin Phoenix) opens in many cinemas today. The blurring of the lines between mainstream and quality continues with the enjoyable but ultimately overrated American Hustle at Triskel Christchurch in Cork all weekend, along with Valentine’s favourite Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Love is also in the air at the IFI in Dublin, with Jim Jarmusch’s latest offering, Only Lovers Left Alive, a romantic vampire flicks.

THEATRE NIGHTS: London Classic Theatre are regular visitors to these shores and their production of Entertaining Mr Sloane by Joe Orton opens at the Everyman in Cork on Wednesday. It then continues around the country for a tour that takes in such venues as Siamsa Tíre, Tralee, February 25; Glór, Ennis, March 4; Garter Lane, Waterford, March 5 and 6. At the Abbey in Dublin, The Vortex by Noel Coward opens at the Gate on Tuesday.

VISUAL ART: Lovers of art and their erstwhile cohorts have two essential events for their diaries at the moment. John Kingerlee and Colin O’Connor have a joint exhibition at CIT Wandesford Quay Gallery in Cork until March 1, while IMMA in Dublin launches Patrick Scott: Image Space Light on Sunday.