The Sigla Blog

Like lot of women I know, when I first heard that The Observer would be launching a monthly Woman magazine, I couldn’t wait. It’ll be different, I thought. Smart, funny, stylish, I decided. It’ll be The Guardian meets Jane or Bust or Sassy. Instead it’s slowly become a risible rag, as condescending and as […]

Somewhere in the middle of Charles M. Lee’s energetic play, a character reflects: “Art is made in the freedom of the imaginationâ€?. The imagination in question, is Robert Rauschenberg, monolith of modern art whose work Lee uses to examine American life in the 20th century. From popular culture to political allusion, bobrauschenbergamerica, presented by New […]

The 2007 Dublin Theatre Festival kicked off last night, and I went to see bobrauschenbergamerica, a frenetic, kitsch examination of 20th century American life through the eyes of collagist and Abstract Expressionist, Robert Rauschenbaurg. Will post a review in a bit.
Highlights this year include James Cromwell in Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, […]

Some points about last night:
* Feist was fantastic and not terribly feisty (sorry) - the bulk of the set was quite slow but it was captivating stuff.
* Her vocals were so strong. Bell clear, undulating, unique. She sounded exactly like she does on the record, with a chunk of reverb thrown on.
* She’s a great […]

What a pity Lesley Feist didn’t win last night’s Polaris Prize. The Canadian equivalent of the shambolic Mercury or Ireland’s very own Choice Music Prize, went to Patrick Watson. He played the Sugar Club last Saturday and a friend tried to drag me along as I sat falling asleep in Grogan’s. She said he […]

The new issue of the excellent Dublin Review of Books is online. Unlike many similar publications, it’s completely free and you read the entire articles. Of particular interest this month are reviews of Michael Foot: A Life and A Lover of Unreason: The Life and Tragic Death of Assia Wevill about the love triangle between […]

PJ HARVEY
White Chalk
Island
****
Polly Jean Harvey knows a thing or two about reinvention. This is, after all, a woman who went from no make-up and underarm hair to drag-glam make-up and a sequinned Stars and Stripes bra. The cover of White Chalk is yet another incarnation, but this time it’s all virginal restraint and angelic […]

Partly inspired by a couple of people who have asked for book or album recommendations recently (that’s James and Susan respectively), I’ve reorganised the Book and Music sections of the blog, and created separate review sections for each as opposed to general ponderings and wafflings on each subject. I’ve also added a chunk of reviews […]

Any regular gig goer in Dublin will be aware that Whelan’s has been closed for refurbishment over the last couple of months. Tonight, the new look venue reopens its doors and word is that it has retained many of the things we know and love about it - but fingers crossed that icky Celtic stuff […]

Very excited. Noise of letterbox. Clatter of stuff on the hall floor. What do I find? The new Beirut album. As if all of these weren’t enough, the follow up my favourite album of 2006 is here. Have just finished a first listen and it sounds brilliant. The Flying Club Cup is somewhat different […]

Anyone (particularly Omani) who participated in this discussion about Irish women writers might be interested to know that this Saturday, The Irish Independent are starting an Irish Women Writers book series. I’ve only seen a shop poster and can’t find any details on the Indo site but it runs for 20 weeks and I presume […]

Forgive me. Not back blogging a wet weekend and already having to cheek to talk about albums that will probably feature in those ‘Best of’ lists at the end of the year.
*First up is an album that will be very near the top of mine - Marry Me by St Vincent. AKA Annie Clarke, […]