Scene + Heard

MUSIC NEWS: Hot Press reports heavily pregnant Irish singer Samantha Mumba, 32, had a lucky escape from a three-car pile up in LA, with mother and baby fine, even though her car is a write-off. 

Her baby girl, with policeman husband Torray Scales, is due any day.

Meanwhile, there’s a slew of albums on the way that we are getting excited about. Florence + The Machine played theirs at a star-studded bash in London earlier this week, but a title and official release date are yet to be announced.

Paul Weller will drop his Saturn’s Pattern on May 8, complete with some extensive touring, while Hot Chip’s Why Make Sense will pour forth on May 15.

Finally, fans of The Sound of Music will be thrilled to hear that four of the grandchildren of the family who inspired the film have formed a band entitled the Von Trapps and are about to release an album of original tunes. Being based in Portland, Oregon, probably explains why influences include Fleet Foxes and Beach House.

GIG WISE:

We heard great reports of the Villagers gig in De Barras, Clonakilty, last week, so it’s good to see that Conor O’Brien is bringing his newly-tweaked outfit on tour. Dates to coincide with the third album, Darling Arithmetic, include Olympia, Dublin, May 20; Cork Opera House, May 23; and Big Top, Limerick, May 24. Fellow Irish faves Delorentos are also hitting the road in the coming months, with gigs including Vicar St, Dublin, on March 16; the Savoy, Cork, April 18; and Seapoint, Galway, April 25.

Guinness Amplify made waves with its impressive roster of big guests in small places last year, and the latest phase of the ongoing event features emerging Irish acts in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

For instance, on Thursday, Feb 26, Coughlan’s in Cork has Katie Laffan and Amano; Cyprus Avenue features Bitch Falcon and Crook; and Dolan’s Limerick includes OneKown and Lethal Dialect.

Fans of cutting-edge jazz will delight in the news that the 12 Points festival (April 15-18) returns to Dublin after last year’s sojourn to Sweden. As ever, it features a Nordic-heavy roster of some of the most impressive young innovators on the European scene.

CLUB LIFE:

Waze & Odyssey hit the charts last year for their Nightcrawlers-inspired remix of R Kelly’s ‘Bump N’ Grind’, a track that you’d imagine will loom large in the UK duo’s appearance at the Savoy in Cork tonight.

The same venue has also lined up American house legend Roger Sanchez for Feb 27. And if Mr Sanchez tickles your fancy, you might also be up for a bit of A Guy Called Gerald at the Twisted Pepper in Dublin on Feb 28, while Derrick May plays there on March 27.

COMEDY CAPERS: Jimmy Carr has sold out three dates at the Olympia in Dublin later this month, but if you can plan far ahead, you might get a ticket for his appearances at Cork Opera House on Dec 4-5.

PJ Gallagher is at the Everyman in Cork tomorrow.

FILM TIPS:

The Cork French Film Festival (March 1-8) has announced an impressive programme that also includes the visit of two rather stellar figures: Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Quantum of Solace) and legendary author/illustrator Tomi Ungerer.

Other highlights include a screening of Oscar-nominated Timbuktu.

Meanwhile, if you are one of the people not going to Fifty Shades of Grey this weekend, perhaps you might be interested that the roster at Cork’s Triskel includes A Most Violent Year and Billy Wilder’s classic, Some Like It Hot.

Des O’Driscoll