Scene and Heard: This Week's Entertainment news

Des O'Driscoll shares the latest from the entertainment world

MUSIC NEWS:

The Gloaming release new music today in advance of the February 22 issue of a third album, Zeppelin-esquely entitled The Gloaming 3.

Áthas (Joy) and Sheenan’s Jigs are now available on the major streaming platforms, and don’t exactly signal a change of direction for the group.

The formula still works fine: Irish trad sprinkled with the magic dust of Thomas Bartlett’s piano.

At the time of writing, there were still some tickets left for three of their seven gigs at the NCH in Dublin (March 4-11).

The Who have also announced new music, with the veteran band currently working on their first album since 2006.

Apparently, plans are also afoot for a tour with an orchestra. Finally, our favourite showbiz story of the week comes from a complaint to Kensington council that Robbie Williams has been blasting music by Black Sabbath to annoy his neighbour, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin.

The long-running feud between the stars began over Williams’ plans to build a basement swimming pool.

The Guardian reports the complaint to the council also alleges the ex-Take That singer has been wearing “a long hair wig, and stuffing a pillow under his shirt in an attempt to mock or imitate Mr Robert Plant’s beer belly”.

GIG WISE:

To Believe, the new album, out 15th March.
Listen to the new single ‘A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life’ featuring @rootsmanuva now. https://t.co/CxCJRl9Cba pic.twitter.com/EtRqEK51TV

— Cinematic Orchestra (@TCO_Official) January 15, 2019

The Cinematic Orchestra are the marvellous outlet for Jason Swinscoe’s adventures in soundtracky jazz and electronica, and they have announced a rare Irish show for Vicar Street on March 25.

They’re also due to release a new album on March 15, complete with a single featuring old collaborator Roots Manuva.

Surprisingly, there are still some tickets left for Microdisney’s last ever gig — at Cyprus Avenue in Cork on Feb 19 — but the hometown farewell looks like it will be close to selling out by the time the event arrives.

Another interesting night at the newly-revamped venue is GZA/The Genius from the Wu-Tang Clan on April 5.

Ballincollig Winter Music Festival (see feature) takes place next weekend, and one of the late additions to the roster are public interviews by Michael Carr with musicians such as Jerry Douglas, Donal Lunny and Paddy Glackin at the White Horse next Friday at 5.30pm.

ON THE TELLY:

Earlier this week, Netflix announced that Limerick-made George RR Martin adaptation Nightflyers would launch on Friday, February 1.

The Game of Thrones writer also served as executive producer on the 10-part series gleaned from his novella and other stories about a team of scientists aboard a spaceship.

Irish talent in the cast includes Brian F O’Byrne.

That’s pretty much the good news. The bad news?

Critics were less than kind to the show when it debuted on Syfy in the US in January.

It definitely ain’t Thrones In Space, and perhaps we should approach with lowered expectations.

In the meantime, Graham Norton’s guests tonight include Saoirse Ronan, Laura Linney and Stephen Mangan, while music comes from The 1975, a band who played a stunning gig in Dublin last week.

FILM TIPS:

Biggies released today include Saoirse Ronan in Mary Queen of Scots, the film that put a real period in a period drama; and Glass, the superhero follow-up by M Night Shyamalan to Unbreakable and Split.

In Cork, anyone going to screenings of The Favourite at Triskel from tonight will get the added bonus of seeing superb Irish short El Hor.

One of the surprise highlights of Cork Film Festival, the 14-minute offering by emerging film-maker Dianne

Lucille Campbell is a visual and aural feast built around images of gorgeous saluki dogs.

The same venue also has Three Identical Strangers, a documentary about triplets who were adopted to different families as infants, and reunited much later in life.