A few months ago I was part of an industry panel involved in choosing the acts to appear on a new USB compilation album released by DownloadMusic.ie. Having known the tracklisting for several long weeks at this stage, here’s the full run down. The album, chart tracked, will be released on August 15th priced at €12.99.

• Codes – ‘This Is Goodbye’
• Dirty Epics – ‘The Cure’
• Driving By Night – ‘Fears Of men’
• Jo And The Flood – ‘Hey Jo’
• Justin Manville – ‘Tonight’
• Orphan Code – ‘Last Dance’
• Ro Tierney – ‘The Voice’
• Roberta Howett – ‘Shadows’
• Saccade – ‘Wasting My Time’
• Suddyn – ‘Letting Go’
• The Flaws – ‘1981′
• The Kinetiks – ‘Bite The Bullet’
• The Radio – ‘Manmade’
• The Rumours – ‘When The Sun Hits Your Eyes’
• Vesta Varro – ‘Weighted Love’

The quality of the 50 acts we had to choose from was ridiculously high, so it’s great to see most of those I had nominated getting the push forward onto the album. It’s another great stroke from DownloadMusic.ie and Johnny Beirne and hopefully will do more to promote quality independent music on the Irish scene.

I’ve been waiting AGES for this…

New Max Payne trailer for forthcoming Max Payne movie. Had mixed feelings about the movie given how crazy I was on the game but the trailer certainly impresses.

Bring it!

I’m still counting media whoring points for 2008 but I’ve left young Costigan well behind at this stage. Still it was nice for the two of us to hit KCLR this afternoon to pre-record a snippet for tonight’s Kulture Club show between 8 and 9.

At least the name of the company was pronounced right this year. You know what I’m talking about.

We’ll be on the air after the 8pm news talking up Trainspotting, which opens next Tuesday June 24th in the Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny. Tune in live online by visiting KCLR96FM.com.

Next Friday night (Friday The 13th) marks a final return to Kilkenny for Laminate as the band draw a line under their present existence. Heading their separate ways this summer, the band had technically called it a day back before Christmas but have returned to rehearsals, the studio (to wrap up their final EP release which they hope to have in Kilkenny next weekend) and have booked a few final dates for the coming week, including Friday night in Kilkenny.

Joining the much-loved alt.rock trio will be Dublin grunge / metal outfit The Skins, making their KilkennyMusic.com debut. We’ve had some great shows (and nights out) with the lads from Laminate and hopefully next Friday night will be no different.

For your last chance to catch these lads in action (they never disappoint live) then drop into Cleere’s on Friday night where you’ll catch The Skins at 10pm and Laminate on stage soon after. They’re after a “hoedown” so give them something to remember and come out and show your support.

Following on from the release of posters for Spud, Alison, Begbie and Renton, here’s the next in the series of ‘Collect Em All’ posters from The Devious Theatre Company featuring myself as Tommy McKenzie.

Trainspotting runs in the Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny from June 24 to June 28 with tickets currently booking for all nights at €12. I say “currently” as there’s rumours circulating that you’ll want to act fast if you’ve not yet made up your mind what night you’ll be going.

For more on the show, follow what we’re up to by visiting DeviousTheatre.com.

That is all.

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to post on the staff blog but I had to get this one up here, the set list from Bruce Springsteen’s gig on Friday in the RDS. The Boss himself played out Thursday, Friday and last night (Sunday) in the outdoor arena at the RDS in Dublin and if anything, the gig was absolutely savage.

Plenty of new material, plenty of old material and all capped off with a great performance of American Land to wrap up the encore.

Interesting too in watching Steven Van Zandt in action having spent the last number of years watching him in The Sopranos (as Silvio Dante). Making it to the Seger Sessions Gig back in 2006 meant I could cross Springsteen off the list of bands to see in life but the trip to the gig on Friday was a pure bonus. Not only that, but if he’s back again, there’s no doubt you’ll find me somewhere in the crowd.

Set List

Night
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
The Promised Land
Magic
Trapped
Murder Incorporated
Darlington County
Prove It All Night
She’s the One
Livin’ in the Future
Mary’s Place
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Devil’s Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Jungleland
Born to Run
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
American Land

(Via)

I’ll be dropping into the Culture Club on KCLR 96FM tonight for a few minutes between 8pm and 9pm for a quick chat about this weeks One Take Sessions and other musical happenings.

Check the KCLR link above to listen to the online stream.

I’ve got my media-whoring hat on for this one (Costigan, you owe me a badge, I’m leaving you behind on the leaderboard dude) - I’ll be on the Sunday Grill on Beat 102-103FM (available in the South East region, and as of my last trip to Sligo, as far as Athlone anyway) this coming Sunday at some stage between 9:50am and 11:50am.

However, my media-whoring hat has a Devious Theatre badge firmly stitched to the front of it as I’m on the show to talk a little about the company and our upcoming production of Trainspotting.

In case you missed it - tickets for Trainspotting (June 24 - June 28) are now available from the Watergate Theatre box office either by calling in in person or by phoning the box office on 056 7761674.

I got my copy of Grand Theft Auto 4 for the Xbox 360 this morning. See all y’all in a few months.

60 bucks in Gamestop, possibly cheaper in Argos, 75 bucks in Zavvi (Virgin) in Kilkenny… happy to part with 60 bucks for it though. All I’ve to do now is reclaim the TV.