Scene + News: Entertainment news

MUSIC NEWS: Apple Music, the new streaming music service gets a boost today with the release of Dr Dre’s Compton: A Soundtrack exclusively on that facility and the almost traditional format, iTunes. 

Kendrick Lamar and Eminem are among the guests on Dre’s first album in 16 years, a record that is basically a soundtrack to the Straight Outta Compton drama film on the rise of the producer’s former group, NWA, being released at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, fans of U2 at the group’s last show at Madison Square Garden in New York may have wondered what Bono was at when he sang a few lines from Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Hungry Heart’. Cue an entrance from The Boss himself to join the band on ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’, and ‘Stand By Me’.

Unfortunately, the last vestiges of U2’s street cred were probably swept away by the sight of Bill and Hilary Clinton clapping along from their seats.

Uptown from the Garden, the other New York venue of Carnegie Hall will play host to a star-studded tribute to Bill Withers on October 1. The 77-year-old, who comes across as one of the true decent skins of the music world, will be joined by the likes of D’Angelo, Ed Sheeran and Sheryl Crow for the ‘Lean on Him’ event.

GIG WISE:

Cork music fans get a new venue tonight with the inaugural gig of the Live at St Lukes series, being held at the former church. The Balanescu Quartet, famed for their interpretations of Kraftwerk, will be supported by local electronica artist Talos. Tickets available at the door.

For those who like their sounds a bit rockier, the highly-rated Cork/Clonmel group, Crow Black Chicken, are at Cyprus Avenue tonight, while the groovishly-inclined can catch the return of Mark Knight to the Savoy on August 28. In Dublin, Alabama Shakes have added a second date of November 3 to their following night’s appearance at the Olympia. Those gigs also come with the added attraction of Michael Kiwanuka in support.

FILM TIPS:

A new film from Lenny Abrahamson always stirs some excitement, and Hot Press reports that his adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s Joel Edgerton novel, The Room, will be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by a US release later in the autumn.

Tadhg O’Sullivan’s new documentary, The Great Wall, is to be released at the IFI in Dublin next Friday. O’Sullivan uses fragments of Kafka’s short story of the same name to look at the barriers surrounding Fortress Europe, from the anti-immigrant fences of Spain to buildings of the policy-makers in Brussels.

The programme at Triskel in Cork this weekend includes Alfred Hitchcock’s classic North by Northwest; the Amy Winehouse documentary; and Eden, the French tale of a DJ making his way through the sex, drugs and music of the Paris underground scene in the 1990s. In mainstream cinemas, the biggies this weekend include superhero flic, The Fantastic Four, and Joel Edgerton’s debut horror, The Gift.

COMEDY CAPERS:

At the time of writing, a limited number of tickets had been made available for Michael McIntyre’s previously sold-out gig at the 3Arena in Dublin tomorrow. Also, Jimmy Carr’s appearance at Wexford Opera House on December 13 has been switched to the 7th, but his other dates in Ireland remain unchanged. Bill Bailey has added a second date at the Black Box, Galway, to his Irish tour, and will now play in the city on September 29 and 30. There are some tickets left for his other Irish dates, including a handful for his appearance at Cork Opera House on October 6. Also in Cork, Fred Cooke is at City Limits tonight and tomorrow.