Music: Mirenda Rosenberg performing at Alexander Arms

She came to Limavady, she knocked Limavady into a soulful hat and wore it.... and now she's coming back.



That's the good news, now for the bad news. The gig for 7th August has already sold out, she's so good that it comes as no great shock to me. If you are a man, a word of warning, bring some running shoes if you need to escape from the venue. Those who have been on the receiving end will know what I mean :)

Joking aside, if you have tickets and haven't seen her perform you are in for one excellent evening.

Music: Furlo at The Corner Bar tonight.

Furlo are having their pre Glasgowbury gig tonight at the Corner Bar. Support is coming from the formerly known as "City Lights", now "We are Burkes Lounge".

Glasgowbury is on the 25th July, the Limavady contingent being Furlo and Limavady's best songwriting export Paddy Nash (did you know he got airplay on Gerry Anderson's show?).

Music: Limavady Music Group presents Otis Gibbs

Otis Gibbs is performing on Friday evening at Limavady Football Club, the show kicks off at 9pm with support.



Otis Gibbs is a man in search of an honest experience. Some people refer to him as a folk artist, but that is a simplistic way to describe a man who has planted over 7,000 trees, slept in hobo jungles, walked with nomadic shepherds in the Carpathian Mountains, been strip-searched by dirty cops in Detroit, and has an FBI file. Otis has played everywhere from labor rallies in Wisconsin, to anti-war protests in Texas, Austria and the Czech Republic, Feed & Seed Stores in the Midwestern U.S. and in countless, theaters, festivals, bars and living rooms. Much of his work concentrates on the world that is ignored by pop culture. Sometimes forgotten, obsolete or simply marginalized, it is a world that doesn’t fit into a twenty-second sound bite or a White House talking point. Otis has spent the last fifteen years traveling across America and abroad documenting this world, and has a story to share about each stop along the way.

Otis grew up in the rural town of Wanamaker, Indiana. He first stepped on stage at the age of four, when he sang Jimmie Rodgers’ “Waiting for a Train” at a neighborhood honky tonk. While his parents worked countless hours trying to make ends meet, Otis was often in his uncle’s care. Not accustomed to parenthood, the uncle was sometimes bored, so the two would frequent bars, where Otis sang for tip money (which meant more booze for his uncle). Otis was hooked, and would often ask if they could go back and sing some more songs. The answer, “Only if you promise to never tell your parents.”

Otis Gibbs website.

Danny Boy Rox: The Lineup

Danny Boy Rox is just over a week away, taking place on May 1st at The Lair (Limavady Football Club). The lineup is confirmed for the competition. So the bands taking part are:

• Tommy Shots
• Delayed Reaction
• Miss Print
• Betty Lee and the Blonde
• Bleeding Saints
• Stone Crow

The running order is yet to be decided. Both Tommy Shots and Bleeding Saints took part last year and performed brilliantly. Expect the quality (and the volume) to be extremely high.

Limavady's answer to tackling anti social behaviour.

The Derry Journal calls them "Street louts" which I think is a bit unfair. I would use the word, "bored young adults" as Limavady offers very little for them to do. Limavady is to get two wardens to look out for anti social behaviour, littering and unauthorised street trading.

So £9000 well spent, that remains to be seen, though some councillors are skeptical about the idea.

I'm wondering how £9000 a year on youth projects would go instead, something to give that age bracket something to be proud of and involved in.

--

In York there was a summer scheme called the Megajam, not council run, it was done by a recording studio. Thirty kids created four or five rock bands. Within four days they had written and rehearsed a set of music to perform in a proper venue, in front of a proper crowd. It was a tall order but there was most of York's muso population on hand to mentor and offer advice. Some of them had never played an instrument, let alone performed in front of a true, proper York muso appreciating crowd.

To this day I still hail Rob Parker (the organiser of all that chaos) the king of community projects. He was sharp as a needle and saw the good side in every kid that came through the doors, showed me where the potential was in these good people. This had it's own benefit, those people came back during the years and then ended up as tutors themselves, giving back into the community what the community had given to them. Some of the kids gave the tutors a run for their money on the talent stakes but we didn't like to talk about that.

It was beyond music, it was about people. It's affects though were life changing and very long lasting.

Okay it was a summer scheme but the same idea could be transferred elsewhere. All you need is people to help. Danny Boy Rox is oh so near to that energy of the Megajam, which is probably why I like Danny Boy Rox so much, but that's a competition. Something is required to pull people together and show that they can make a difference. Music usually does that very well.

Danny Boy Rox commeth....

The Danny Boy Festival is running from 30th April to 3rd May this year. You can view the programme of events here. For those in a band, you'll be glad to hear that Danny Boy Rox is running again.

This time it's being held at the Limavady Show Grounds. First the Gorteen, then Rock The Valley and now the showgrounds.

If you want to enter you look at the terms and conditions and grab and application form from the Limavady Borough Council website. The standards are high, very high, every year. You have been warned.

Music: Limavady band Furlo have download from nichart.com

Free download of "Logic To Late" (uber Furloheads will more than likely have it already).

View the nichart.com site or you can go straight to the download.

Music stuff: Snips free EP launch, Miranna's CD launch.

Suddenly the county's musical output is on the increase.

On Friday (20th Feb) Miranna McCloskey (pictured) releases her CD "At Last" at the Benedy Community Centre in Dungiven. More info from Miranna's website.

The following night Limavady instrumental prog rock trio (well they were the last time I saw them) Citizen Snips are launching their EP at The Inn in Limavady. Support is from Stevie Martin and for everyone who goes they pick up the EP for nothing, zip, nada, zilch... free.