THE CHAKRAS
Richie McArdle of The Chakras speaks to Cormac Duffy about the limits of being a Dublin band, the appeal of album art, and the perennial popularity of Irish audiences.

The University Observer may have many readers, but this could be the first time we’ve ever ended up interviewing one. “I used to read your paper loads when I was in UCD” says Richie McArdle, guitarist for Dublin-born, London-based shoegazers The Chakras. “It got me through many a boring lecture in Theatre L.” As we speak to McArdle, he has just seen his group’s debut album, Build Me a Swan, hit Number Two in the iTunes alternative charts, and is looking forward to a series of homecoming gigs across Ireland. It’s certainly a long way from the Arts block.

Despite having attended school together in Dublin, as well as starting their life as a group here, the quintet left the city in the summer of 2010 to live in London. “We felt we’d done as much as we could in Dublin. And we were working quite close with our manager who is based over here, so it made sense to move.” The band quickly found themselves in a city far more alive than Dublin. “There’s just so many people over here, there’s always stuff going on.”

The band’s reasons for relocation are common complaints, referencing the frustrations of playing the same venues, with little chance of breaking out. “I suppose there are only so many times you can play those venues, especially in Dublin. We’d been all over the country as well. It was good, but we’d always wanted to go further abroad.” He points out the difficulty in continuing the upward trajectory of a band in Ireland. “All the Dublin bands have said the same. You can organise one gig and it can go really well and you have a full house, but then you have to keep the momentum.” McArdle refers to acts like Villagers and James Vincent McMorrow, who did not receive the attention they do now before they were picked up on internationally, with appearances on Later With Jools Holland, and in Villagers’ case, a record deal with Domino. “People don’t take you as seriously when you’re just based in Ireland for some reason” he laments.

Prior to the move to London, the band had already drafted their debut album. “We wrote the album in this haunted school house we used to rent out. I think it was down in Roscommon. It was a hundred-year-old school house, and was quite creepy with children’s stories about it and strange paintings on the wall.” The end result, Build Me a Swan has not only succeeded in garnering significant buzz, but is a distinct artistic achievement, seamlessly mixing all the shoegazing intimacy of a Creation Records release with the ambition and grandiosity of the likes of Arcade Fire.

Even if the album’s sound failed to the grab your attention, it bears a cover that would certainly catch your eye were you to stroll past it in a record shop. Depicting four naked women on a beach holding swans, it’s far from the usual band photo. Its striking nature is no surprise; it is in fact the work of one of the biggest names in graphic design, Storm Thorgerson, renowned for iconic covers like those of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and Animals, Muse’s Absolution and Led Zeppelin’s In Through The Out Door.

“He got in touch with us and we went for coffee. He’s an absolutely amazing person, definitely one of the best people we’ve met so far.” McArdle recounts arriving early for the meeting at a coffee shop regularly frequented by Thorgerson, so much so that it even bore his artwork on the wall. The staff pointed them in the direction of “Storm’s Table”.  “He’s obviously a very eccentric guy. He has one table he always sits at.”

Thorgerson was a fan of the Chakra’s music, and soon an agreement was in place between them. Getting to collaborate with a designer of such high regard was a boon for McArdle, who describes himself as the kind who still buys CDs and records to appreciate the artwork. “I guess we live in an age where the album has been reduced to this tiny little thumbnail print. We actually just got some vinyls done up of our album, it looks brilliant at that size.” When quizzed on why they opted for such an unusual cover, McArdle explains “The whole controversial thing was something as well. I suppose we thought back to that first Strokes album [Is This It] and the Spinal Tap reference. We thought we’d get a kick out of seeing it in HMV.”

With upcoming dates in Ireland, McArdle is enthusiastic to be returning our shores once more. But they’re returning with different priorities this time. “The plan was to get this record out. Now that it’s out, the goalposts are shifted. We just want people to hear it.” With this in mind, the quintet uses their performances in the ways that render them most memorable to the audience.

For a summer show in The Workman’s Club, they secretly placed some fellow musicians in the crowd. “We turned off the PA and it made for a more intimate atmosphere. We had some brass players and we put them in the crowd. People were flipping out. They had no idea where the sound was coming from!” They even found time for a quick tribute to The Fab Four’s legendary Abbey Road show. “We did a secretroof top show on Camden St, looking down on all these unsuspecting punters walking by.”

Above all else, McArdle is eagerly awaiting another experience with Irish crowds. “The Irish audiences are fantastic. You really notice it when you’ve played in front of Irish audience for years and then go abroad. They’re world famous, just because they’re always up for a good time.”

The Chakras tour Ireland in December, playing Whelan’s on Tuesday 6^th. Tickets are priced at €12. Build Me a Swan is out now.

YOU’RE ONLY MASSIVE

Mixtapes, influences and tough Berlin winters are on the agenda as Cormac Duffy talks to You’re Only Massive’s Maebh Cheasty

Listening to You’re Only Massive’s debut album The Fourth Quarter, what is noticeable above all else is how the duo sound unlike any other Irish act working at the moment. Their sound is a collage of styles drawing heavily from dance and R&B, but also making space for sharp lyrics, an infectious sense of enthusiasm and even a solid dose of rapping from vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Meabh Cheasty, which makes up all for all the damage we as a nation inflicted on hip hop culture with Buffalo G.

The strong sense of purpose in the album’s conception seems to be rooted to a grand plan for the band. “You’re Only Massive was formed in 2007 out of a desire to offer something more feminine, more direct and aggressive and bolder to audiences and out of a very personal desire to create our own cultural space.” Cheasty explains. Since then, Cheasty, along with her proverbial partner in crime, David Murphy, relocated the band from its origins in Waterford to the haven of culture that is Berlin.

We ask Cheasty about the idea behind their inventive use of interpolated melodies of other songs, like the chorus of Kate Bush’s classic ‘Running up That Hill’ on ‘The Privilege’. “It really depends from song to song” Cheasty responds. “Like with ‘Thin Ice’, which contains elements of the Yoko Ono song (‘Walking on Thin Ice’), it’s such a fragile and beautiful track, it inspired me to make something more robust and optimistic. A song to get you through the tough Berlin winter.”

Talking of her experiences in Berlin, Cheasty is quick to mention winter as a low point. “The winters are very hard. Living in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language is not easy. But we moved here right after releasing our Dot Dash 12”, and we were pretty focused and determined. The main effect living in Berlin has had is that we still have the ability and means to make music. We haven’t given up and we won’t now”.

Up until the upcoming release of The Fourth Quarter, the duo restricted their releases to limited edition mixtapes such as Blood In, Blut Raus and I’ll be Right Over. Cheasty happily admits that she is a big fan of the medium. “Yes, I love cassettes! Even the ones from the eighties are still in such good condition. And it’s such a pleasure to listen the whole way through. I also love hip hop mixtapes, there is so much good stuff out there.” Depending on limited edition releases may seem a risky move for a rising band, but the need to generate buzz did not play into the band’s decision-making calculus. “We didn’t spend any time on promotion; we relied mostly on word of mouth. Hanin Elias of Atari Teenage Riot mentioned us on her radio show, but that was just coincidental.”

The mixtapes became the basis for the new album, allowing them to accumulate recordings over time. Their ‘in the moment’ approach to recording is something that Cheasty puts down as a vital factor. “Most of the material was collected over the recording of the four mixtapes. It was all so spontaneous and fresh. Instead of presenting ourselves in a pre-meditated way, it feels like everything was done at the spur of the moment.” Will this play into its reception by fans? “If people do like our record at all, I think it will be for this rawness and freshness.”

With a new album that shows off a wonderful diversity of styles and ideas, we ask where their influence is taken from? “My biggest musical influence is my bandmate, David Murphy” Cheasty says. “I was a big fan of his old band, Queen Kong, and he has basically mentored me through learning production skills.”

As a songwriter, Cheasty works with what she knows. “Lyrically, I have been writing since I was a child, so it’s something I am very comfortable with. I read a lot, but I prefer to take write lyrics based directly on my personal experiences. With the song ‘The Privilege’, I wanted to draw attention to the reality – some people are privileged and some aren’t. And we interact with each other all the time. It’s close combat. It’s me and you. Instead of waiting for some freedom that will never come, why not look each other in the eye and be honest?”

With lyrical themes like this, it’s easy to see why as a project, the band may have become more than a little political over time. “It’s true; we want to shake things up. We want to represent things as they really are, and make the clichés that plague us fall apart under their own weight.”

Before their Halloween night show in Dublin’s Project Arts Theatre, Cheasty gives us a sneak peek of what to expect from the live show. “There are two of us, we both sing, we both play synth. I rap a lot and I want you to hear the words. We play our songs very simply, but like rich electronic sounds, so the live sound is pretty banging. If the concert goes well I love to stage-dive!”

On the outset, the duo seems to be happy to work on projects far outside the casual fare. With Audiodetour, they created a soundtrack to a walking tour of Sligo, and they’re comfortable playing gigs in spaces usually reserved for art installations. Rumours have even sprung up that they consider themselves more of a performance art project than a band, something Cheasty has no time for. “We are a band, always have been and always will be. We write songs and play them live and record and release them. More importantly, we play in music venues with other bands. However it’s true that we do want to reach out beyond the confines of the traditional band. We want to do more than just entertain. But I think those ambitions can be contained within the idea of a ‘band’. Every band worth their salt wants this. Right guys?”

You’re Only Massive play Dublin’s Project Arts Centre on October 31st. The Fourth Quarter is out now.

Meabh Cheasty’s ‘Best in Irish’ playlist

‘So Brand New’ by Queen Kong
“Such a simply beautiful song with great vocals.”  .

‘He Put Something in My Drink’ by The Retards
“Really minimal and understated. I wish I could write songs like this, that say so much with so few words.”

‘Chart Your Cycle’ by Party Weirdo
“This is just such a catchy track. They released it as a 7”, which I used to have … now I just have it in my head. Great live band too.”

‘The Sign’ by Kool Thing
“Another Berlin-based band, with Dubliner Julie Fogarty. I saw them live in Schwuz in Berlin last winter and it was such a surprising treat to hear her Dublin accent between songs. Strong ideas, good musicianship. Sure, what more could you want?”

For the brothers Cluskey, Shane (drums and lead vocals), Daniel (guitar & vocals) and Oisín (bass & vocals), The Kanyu Tree wasn’t about starting a band for the sake of having a band. Instead, it was about playing music together.

Beginning in a most typical way, being put through piano lessons and the arduous grading system, a more naturalistic approach to the creative process soon grew for the budding members of The Kanyu Tree. As younger men with a growing interest in music they began to work out harmonies together, but lived their own musical lives.

“We were doing our separate thing, all playing in bands with friends” says Shane. “The idea to form a band with each other was not something that was planned.”
A shared interest in 80s indie guitar-based rock and early R&B and American soul music was found between the Cluskeys, and soon a brotherly collaboration such as what became The Kanyu Tree was destined to happen. The pieces of the trio began to fall into place as each brother began to pursue the instruments which piqued their interest. All except Oisín: “I wanted to play guitar, but Daniel wouldn’t let me” he declares. Daniel’s response writes it off as “the best decision I ever made”. It was his placement behind the bass guitar and Shane’s movement towards the drums from piano that solidified the brothers into a musical unit.
Disagreements about who plays what soon seemed like trivial fare. That they ended up spending two months recording their debut album with Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest and Chris Potter, who rose to fame after producing The Verve’s Urban Hymns, shows how the brothers from Salthill, Galway, have come a long way. With Muhammad a fan of American R&B and Soul, and Potter’s experience mixing records for the likes of U2 and The Clash, an amalgam of genres is central to the album. As odd as the studio team’s pairing may seem, a comfort existed during the recording process, with the siblings even finding a likeminded soul in Ali. “His love for music is so palpable” says Oisín.

The Kanyu Tree are most certainly tied to their hometown, their natural sensibilities cemented by the people that they know. The band credits their relationships with the people they surround themselves with as the biggest influence on the band. It’s even a yardstick for new material. When they feel comfortable flaunting a new song in front of friends, then they know they’ve written something to be truly proud of.

As this is the Full Irish, we asked the lads from The Kanyu Tree to list off some of their favourite Irish acts, past and present. Rising Dublin act, The Gorgeous Colours and Galway acoustic musician, Kelvin Busher both got a tip from the lads. Names like David Kitt, Jape and Republic of Loose cropped up as being major Irish influences from the past few years. And, of course, the tried and true Thin Lizzy came up, representing the early days of Irish rock and roll. It’s a lineage that The Kanyu Tree are slowly, but surely, finding their place in.

The Kanyu Tree play Whelan’s on September 30th and the Mercantile, as part of the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival, on October 7th, Tickets are €10. The Kanyu Tree’s debut album ‘People Street’ is released on the 30th of September.

Dublin based four-piece The Brilliant Things sit down for a chat with Ciara Andrews about their upcoming album

Sitting at the back of a Dublin cafe drinking coffee and chatting among themselves, The Brilliant Things have an air of confidence about them and seem more like an established rock band with years of experience under their belt than a four-piece embarking on the release of their eponymous  debut album.

Starting out as a two piece synth band, guitarist Greg French and lead singer Marie Junior wanted to bring the music in a new direction. Greg described the process of changing the bands style in favour of a more rock sound: “It was a nice process to go through, I often wonder when I see bands or artists who develop very quickly through The X Factor or whatever and everything is handed to them. They don’t have the opportunity to go through these kinds of changes. Marie and I had done a lot of songs and bits and pieces of an album were nearly ready to go but it was missing something. When we started gigging with the guys the band kind of took on its life.”

When quizzed about the writing process for the album, Greg admits “If I actually put down what was going through my head I don’t know if the album would have been made.”  Talk quickly moves to the writing of the debut single from the album, ‘Something to Say,’ written by Greg from a woman’s perspective on dating and chat up lines.

“I found that such an entertaining exercise. Just getting into Marie’s mind set and it meant that there would be nights where I would be out in a night club and I would be watching what’s happening and observing, hearing all the cheesy lines. It was interesting and I really loved it, I would do it again.”

They also discuss some of the other themes found in their songs such as letting go of fears and being who you want to be, regardless of other people’s opinions. This is encapsulated in the track ‘Dance’. “The message is just kind of letting go. A lot of problems people have are just a fear of letting go and sometimes it can be amazing and embarrassing. You need to act like an idiot sometimes and those people that you can act like idiots in front of are the genuine people.”

But among the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the release of the album, the band have also had to deal with their fair share of criticism, as they admit . “We’ve had a lot of it, we’re not going to pretend we haven’t had criticism and it hurts, especially the more you’ve put into it but we’re not going to apologise for anything or for putting ourselves out there. That’s where I think music turns crap, where people start worrying about what people are going to say about them. These are genuine emotions we’re trying to put across and we’re trying to put them across in the best way. It’s what we love to do, we love performing on stage and playing together and I think people who are genuine and who do come and see us live will be able to see that.”

After a lengthy amount of time spent writing and recording, The Brilliant Things are ready to get back onto the stage and it is clear that this band is all about the live shows. “We can’t wait to get out gigging again at our next opportunity.  Although we love sitting in the studio and recording stuff as well, it’s just the excitement. It’s like we live for the gigs.”

The Brilliant Things’ debut album is out on October 7^th

Cold Comfort frontman Rob Walsh chats to Cormac Duffy about early victories, touring and rumours of shamanism

If common sense holds true, and a good start is half the work, Cold Comfort should be coasting from here. The recently formed Dublin quintet have hit the ground running. Eight months into their career and they’ve just completed a tour with Whipping Boy, and are about to embark on one supporting Alabama Three.

So where did it all begin? “We’ve been together now around 8 months as a full band,” he explains. “I was writing music myself for about three or four years, just doing some solo work singer-songwriter stuff. I got a bit pissed off being onstage on my own. I wanted some more company and some more freedom.”

Planning to find a full band, he put out an ad seeking a percussionist. He got a response from Colm Hasset, the drummer for the legendary Whipping Boy, one of the all time great Irish acts. Hasset brought in Joe McGowan on bass, and Walsh introduced Anna Doran to the group on backing vocals. Completed by second guitarist Eoin Morrissey, the band began translating Walsh’s material for a full band set up. “The tracks transferred nicely, and soon we’d some stuff on the way just for the band.”

Having a connected drummer paid off, as the band landed the support slot on Whipping Boy’s recent Irish tour. Needless to say, Walsh was honoured. “To me it was unbelievable. I always heard Whipping Boy when I was younger and knew how big they were in Dublin and how much of an impact they had on the music scene. No bullshit lyrics, they didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought of them.”

Seeing the band in action was inspiring. He describes it as “mind blowing”, adding “It keeps you on your toes and pushes you to be a better frontman”. Hasset’s experience of being his own support act did take its toll. “Colm was in bits. He was doing an hour with us then an hour and a half, sometimes longer with Whipping Boy!”

For the rest of them, wasn’t being thrown into such a high profile tour a jarring experience? Walsh’s view on the experience is positive, saying “It either happens really quickly or it doesn’t happen at all.” The challenge was clearly a pleasant one: “I kind of like being thrown in the deep end. I haven’t played in a band before but, all the others have, they know how to do it. I just went, and the lads helped me out.”

Their life show held enough sway to get them noticed by British rockers Alabama Three, who having heard them at a gig, invited Walsh to help them on their new album. “They heard us at a gig, and they asked us to go over to Brixton and jam out with them, write some stuff for their new album. Now we’re going on tour with them in November and December!” Cold Comfort are nothing if not fortunate.

We discuss the band’s fantastic new single, ‘Sweet Light’. He speaks of how it brings together a pop melody with dark lyrics, giving “temporary enlightenment through different means” as its theme. He reveals that there is enough material written for two albums, with plans to record soon.

One final issue remains unresolved. How does he feel about references to his status in the media as a self-described poet and shaman? He bursts out laughing at the question. “I have no fucking idea who wrote that!” he claims. Did he ever make such a bold declaration about himself? “Are you mad?! I don’t even think real shamans could describe themselves as shamans! I’m not stupid enough to do that!”

Cold Comfort will be on tour in the UK with Alabama Three. ‘Sweet Light’ is out now.

On September 22^nd R.E.M. announced they were calling it a day. A short statement from Michael Stipe read; “To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening. R.E.M.” The announcement was typical of R.E.M; classy and poignant.

They may well be the first massive band to retire gracefully; Stipe further noted that “A wise man once said – the skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave.  We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we’re going to walk away from it.” Peter Buck spoke directly to R.E.M fans everywhere saying “One of the things that was always so great about being in R.E.M. was the fact that the records and the songs we wrote meant as much to our fans as they did to us.”

R.E.M. formed as four college students in Athens, Georgia. They were; Stipe (vocals), Mike Mills (bass), Buck (guitar) and Bill Berry (drums). They achieved local success relatively quickly after their formation in 1980 and their first single; ‘Radio Free Europe’ was released in the summer of ’81. Their debut album Murmur was released by I.R.S, it enjoyed moderate success selling 200,000 copies. The album is noteworthy now as it is the starting point of Stipe’s journey as a vocalist. The album does have the typical timeless feel of R.E.M., but the mumbled lyrics are in stark contrast to the soaring heights of ‘Losing My Religion’ and ‘The Great Beyond’.

The succeeding three albums Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction and Life’s Rich Pageant allowed Stipe’s to make a progressive leap as a singer and lyricist. These albums also allowed them to enjoy a large cult following and included great songs such as ‘Fall on Me’ and ‘(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville’. They are still revered for those days as a young college band.  Document and Green released in ’87 and ’88 saw the vocals begin to come to the fore and they set the tone for the mainstream success that was just around the corner.

Document was the bands last album with I.R.S, they would move to Warner Music for Green and subsequent albums. It was also the first album co-produced by Scott Litt and this partnership would continue for the next five albums. It would also coincide with the period of their greatest successes. Document also featured some of the strongest and most political lyrics yet on the songs ‘Welcome to the Occupation’ and ‘Exhuming McCarthy’. ‘The One I Love’ is arresting proof of Stipe’s progression as a vocalist, and while it is still often played on radio stations for saddened hearts it is worth noting Stipe’s considerable lyrical caveat; the reference to ‘the one I love’ as ‘a simple prop to occupy my time’

Out of Time is one of very few albums that saw a band move from cult to mainstream success without selling out. The band experimented with a range of new instruments; mandolin, organ and acoustic guitar are littered generously through the album. The hit single ‘Losing My Religion’ received huge airplay helped in part by its unusual video. It is probably still their most famous single song. Out of Time propelled R.E.M. into the minds of mainstream music fans whilst still remaining a bona fide R.E.M. album.

The follow up; Automatic for the People was nothing short of a masterpiece. Slightly rockier than Out of Time and containing an embarrassment of riches in terms of hit songs; ‘Drive’, ‘The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight’, ‘Everybody Hurts’, ‘Man on the Moon’ and ‘Nightswimming’. It further accelerated the success of the band and by the time they released Monster in 1994 they were the biggest band in the world. In terms of commercial success and arguably artistic merit these three albums were the zenith for R.E.M. Monster contained one of R.E.M’s most beautiful and unusual songs, ‘Tongue’. Allegedly inspired by cunnilingus, Stipe adopts a high falsetto, sounding almost female.

It was undoubtedly a controversial song, in a very understated way. It could possibly have been some sort of reaction to the new wave of R.E.M. fans. Stipe and the other band members noticed a change in the crowd they were drawing as they became bigger. They were no longer just playing for university kids with similar hopes, dreams and fears. They were now playing to a much wider audience packed full of people who Stipe admitted “would probably kick me in the street if they didn’t know me.”

In 1996 they released New Adventures In Hi-Fi which many people consider the last true R.E.M album. While not quite hitting the hits of the three previous albums it contained hits such as ‘Electrolite’ and ‘E-Bow the Letter’ which included guest vocals from Patti Smith. It also sold five million copies worldwide. New Adventures… was, however, the final album co-produced with Litt as well as the final album with Berry who left the band in 1997. After suffering a brain aneurism the previous year, he informed his colleagues that he wished to retire, but would only do so if it didn’t split the band up. The remaining three elected to continue as R.E.M. with his blessing.

The change in line-up caused disruption and at it took an emergency band meeting to keep the R.E.M. ship afloat. They managed to get their act together to release Up with reached one and two in the UK and US charts, respectively. Lead by the hit single ‘Daysleeper’, it also contained the tender and beautiful piano driven ballad ‘At My Most Beautiful’. The following albums never quite hit the heights of their older work, and reviews came to be full of patronising lines regarding a ‘return to form’. There will still moments of brilliance; ‘Imitation of Life’ and ‘All The Way to Reno’, but they were becoming rarer.

Now recognised as one of the godfathers of indie and alternative music they steadfastly refused to do things any way but their own and made the music they loved until the very end. A peek across their discography reveals a plethora of truly wonderful songs and ambitious albums. Rather than suffer the ignominy of Paul McCartney or Bob Dylan trying to desperately recapture the ability to play their hits in old age R.E.M. have left the party at the right time.

If you were unfamiliar with the Irish rugby team, you’d be forgiven for not noticing Declan Kidney wandering through UCD last week. Composed, articulate and well mannered, his quiet presence means that he could easily go unnoticed, yet that doesn’t stop him from commanding the upmost respect of Irish players and fans.

Not many people can boast the same CV as Kidney, having obtained success as a coach both at underage and provincial level. In addition to his time with Ireland under-19s, who won the World Championship in 1998, the highlight of his provincial career was winning the Heineken Cup twice in 2005 and 2008 during his second stint managing the club (he first managed Munster from 98–02, but left to become Ireland’s assistant coach).

However, his most impressive achievement by far was winning Ireland’s second Grand Slam in 2009. Stephen Jones’ penalty falling short cemented their place in the hearts and minds of an entire nation. Yet there is barely a hint of self-praise when Kidney speaks. Instead, he is a man who knows that you’re only as good as your last game and doesn’t allow himself to be embroiled in any hype surrounding the Irish team.

This was epitomised during his post-match interview after the last month’s Six Nations game against Wales, when Ireland lost 19-13 due to a controversial Mike Phillips’ try. Instead of complaining or venting his frustration over the decision, he instead reflected on the fact that complaining about a rugby match was inappropriate when the tragedy that hit Japan was unfolding at the same time.

“Our job is to prepare for the next game. It’s as simple and brutal as that,” he said at the time, a blunt answer, but one that reflects his philosophical approach. He clearly understands that life goes on and that some matches will go your way and others, such as the aforementioned Wales game, won’t.

Despite not having the most successful campaign this year, Kidney spoke of his pride when asked about the team. “I was delighted with the performance. The way everybody fell into the team ethic, I was pleased with,” he says, before adding: “We just need to bring a bit more consistency [to our game].”

While he values the contribution of each player, Kidney doesn’t single out anyone when asked about his thoughts on the Six Nations campaign, his philosophy instead reflects on the performance and endeavours of his team and how they can improve.

Moreover, on the matter of the upcoming World Cup campaign, he says: “The World Cup has always been difficult. So I think the first thing to do, like in the Heineken Cup, is to concentrate on getting out of our pool.” While Ireland face tough opposition in the form of Australia and Italy, he’s reluctant to see their matches against Russia or America as easy games, approaching every game one step at a time.

Kidney has come a long way since he coached Presentation Brothers College, Cork back in the late 90s. Speaking to LawSoc Auditor, Kieran McCarthy, he mentions his time coaching the school under-13 team when he started out and how it taught him an important lesson about coaching and training.

“You learn that the kid that is coming in last may be putting in as much effort as the kid who comes in first,” explains Kidney. “Some aspects come easier to others in life. You can learn that trick of who’s putting in the best effort. Obviously [talented] people will rise to the top, but you should never knock honest endeavour.”

It is a mantra that he has carried with him to international level. From listening to him, you get the impression that Kidney doesn’t only see a team as one massive unit, but the sum of its parts being as important as its total. While there are obvious similarities between coaching club and country, he admits that he misses the day-to-day running of a club.

“I think the biggest difference is that you can make concessions quite easier at provincial level,” says Kidney. “You have day-by-day contact with the players and then sometimes you lose them, you lose your senior players to international duty, but that gives you an opportunity to work with other people there and to give them their opportunities.

“Without a doubt, I enjoy day-to-day contact, but given the privilege that I have [coaching the Irish team], it’s a small price to pay.”

Kidney comes across a man who, while aware of the responsibility that falls with such a position, is enjoying every day as it comes. Walking alongside him, Kidney always stops to quickly chat to fans or give his signature when approached, a true gentleman who doesn’t take for granted the position he reached.

When I ask him what his most cherished or favourite memory of his career was, he simply smiles and says: “Every day, I’m in an Irish dressing room.” A philosophical response that shows how when Ireland begin their World Cup campaign against USA later this year, they’ll have a calming and confident presence to guide them through the tournament.

Declan Kidney received the Honorary life membership from LawSoc on March 29th.

The Choice Music Prize is a unique award in the Irish music industry in the sense that the only merit considered is the music. It is awarded to what is considered to be the best Irish album of the year, regardless of how much radio play the band received or how many albums they sold.

Despite such circumstances making the winners a little bit more difficult to predict, the announcement of this year’s winners was still greeted with huge surprise from the audience at Vicar Street last week. Nine of the ten shortlisted artists performed, while the twelve-person judging panel (including Ray D’Arcy, Dave Fanning and Michelle Doherty) deliberated over which of the ten albums should be declared the best Irish album of 2011.

From the moment we walked into the venue, there was discussion about Villagers being not only the critics’ favourite, but also the bookies’, and with indie god (and apparently a huge Villagers fan) Morrissey watching, all evidence pointed towards them walking away with the prize. However in the end, Two Door Cinema Club emerged victorious. Their debut album, Tourist History, narrowly beat off not only Villagers, but serious competition from the likes of James Vincent McMorrow, Cathy Davey, Imelda May and the Cast of Cheers.

Upon receiving their trophy and a cheque for €10,000 (donated by IMRO and IRMA), Two Door Cinema Club announced they would be donating it to Abaana, a Northern-Irish charity set up near their hometown, which works on projects for impoverished children in various African countries.

This decision to donate their prize to charity, while commendable and very generous, is a curious one. The prize’s presumed intention is to help the band’s continued work, and it could accidentally set a precedent for future prize winners (regardless of whether they need the money or not). Ultimately, it was not a bad trend to set, but one that could obfuscate the original aim of the prize.

Regardless of their win, Two Door Cinema Club’s set was not nearly the night’s highlight. Considering their twee indie sound is utterly dependent on a rhythmic beat, they were never going to do themselves, nor the album, justice by playing an acoustic set. It was a somewhat bland set that just got lost in the mix of generally outstanding performances.

Halves’ meticulous instrumentation and atmospheric aesthetic netted them a place on the shortlist, and despite being first on the bill playing to a half full audience, one could easily argue that theirs was the most absorbing performance of the night.

They were followed by our fellow O-Two writers Fight Like Apes, but in comparison to Halves’ attention to detail; this performance just seemed a little messy. With Pockets appearing to be having some sort of pseudo seizure, knocking his keyboard over in an effort to be a bit insane, and spending the rest of the song trying to fix it. It wasn’t the smoothest of performances, but it worked all the same. Their show came with the announcement that this would be the last gig bassist Tom Ryan would play with the band, which seemed to provoke a less dramatic response from the audience than perhaps the band had hoped for.

The same cannot be said for James Vincent McMorrow’s set. As the opening chords of his first song rang out, the audience became silent for the first time all night; all eyes were on stage, completely in awe. James’ heartfelt vocals were stunningly captivating and easily could have been the best performance of the night.

Imelda May was the only artist with a nominated album who could not attend to perform on the night as she was on the other side of the world, touring in Australia.

However, we were treated to the flawless Cathy Davey, showcasing her incredible voice. Villagers’ Conor O’Brien joined her onstage, but by no means did he overshadow her. This was Davey’s second nomination for the Choice Prize, and based on the night’s evidence, it was clearly well deserved. O Emperor’s folk-tinged alternative rock was also well received on the night, but they had an extremely tough act to follow in Davey, and their performance suffered in comparison.

One of this year’s surprise nominees was the experimental Adebisi Shank. Their intense math-rock sound (not unlike 65daysofstatic) set them completely at odds with their fellow nominees.  While their uniqueness is undisputed, whether they were ever really a contender for the award is somewhat questionable.

Villagers were the penultimate act on the night and it was really quite obvious just why they seemed to be tipped to win. As the swirling organ of ‘The Meaning of the Ritual’ started, O’Brien’s haunting lyrics cast a beautifully dark atmosphere over Vicar Street. ‘Set the Tigers Free’ was an upbeat follow-up, capitalising on the rapt attention that they had drawn on themselves.

The Cast of Cheers closed the show with their own brand of danceable alternative rock with clever augmentations to the recorded versions of their songs, adding guitar loops and synth to get the audience going and to extend their set. Their performance made it difficult to believe that they’re the youngest band on the shortlist, having only been together for just over a year. Their album, Chariot, was released for free online (via bandcamp [http://thecastofcheers.bandcamp.com/]) making it the only album distributed this way to ever make the shortlist.

The Choice Music Prize ceremony is a night to celebrate the past year in Irish music, and it did exactly that. Two Door Cinema Club may have won the trophy, but based on the performances we saw; nearly any one of the acts could have been declared the winner. A night of mostly incredible performances ranging across a diverse lineup in terms of genres and styles made it easy to see just why the Irish music industry has a reason to celebrate.

And it seems to have caused undue cockiness, gloating and a serious case of know-it-allism. But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s return to the beginning…

Exactly one yearish since we opened the Fantasy Six Nations diary (and just under that since said Fantasy Six Nations ended in a haze of James Hook, broken wine glasses and fourth place) my team and I are back and ready for rugby action once more. Well we were ready two weeks ago when the competition actually started, now we’re just actioning – I’m very busy and important you see.

This year will be different, this year is already different in fact. Gone are The Big Gay Beards. Gone. I have a new team now and they’re bigger, faster, prettier, hairier, shinier and just plain betterer than anything that has come before. Say oh hai to the Sad Clown Hookers.

Six English, four French, two Italians, token Scot, token Welsh and token Irish.

Yep, token Irish. You see unlike certain otwo editors, I firmly believed that England would be this year’s winners and that Ireland would struggle. Firmly believed, not sort of believed and then backtracked, then straddled the Welsh/French fence then jumped ship to the French. No no, I believed. (Still do obviously) And honestly, the WELSH???

See, here’s the undue cockiness and know-it-allism rearing its head. Cast your mind back eleven to twelve months and I was reading Rugby Union for Dummies (haven’t finished it yet) Wikipediaing the entire French team for someone called Aaron Orducy (never did find him) and picking Scotsmen at random to fill the hole in the pack…oh wait. Anyway the point is that I seem to have grown – not as a person obviously otherwise there would be less gloating – but as a rugby fan.

This year I knew names, I knew stats, I knew that T-Bo, lovely, lovely T-Bo was injured. I love you Tommy. And I knew that England would be the team to beat.

How did I know? Oh please, there’s only one player I even remotely follow the career of, and we all know what team he plays for.

And so we’re back to the being right. I. Was. Right.

Toby the Tiger is not only playing at ten, but OWNING at ten. Now I don’t look so stupid for picking him in that spot almost one year before he was allowed play there. Who’s laughing now eh? You see some things haven’t changed this year despite my earlier protestations to the contrary. My first team pick was to gloriously slot Toby the Tiger into that number ten position and know that there he shall remain. I even took a few minutes to be smug that he was really, really expensive. So expensive it meant I couldn’t afford BOD, but who needs BOD when you have a Tiger at ten? MJ had finally come to his senses and woke up to smell the roses (I shall mix metaphors if and how I choose) some time around June. Jonny was out, Toby was in and England were winning. (And losing but the important thing was the occasional winning.)

Then in the Autumn, when Ireland were floundering at the Aviva, Toby & Co were beating Australia again, and St Jonny was nowhere to be seen.

So yes, Floody is in and playing like a gem. And you can’t have Floody without Ben Youngs scampering about the pitch with him. You see I have learned from my mistakes with the BGB and one of those lessons was never to underestimate the scrum-half. He’s not just the little one destined for the American Smooth with Erin, he’s a real person and he has skills (unless he’s Welsh). So my half-back pairing basically picked itself and if it happens to be a Tigers half-back pairing, well you can’t fault my loyalty. Or my rightness. Right!

I’ll be honest , I had considered picking more Irish lads than my token, but the ones I wanted were injured – T-Bo, Heaslip or too expensive, and I really didn’t fancy Ireland to be scoring many tries. So it came down to who I could afford in the end, and I could afford Luke. I like Luke, he’s a nice guy, last time I saw him in person he was surrounded by 23 schoolchildren begging for autographs outside the Student Centre. And he was graciously obliging them all. So yes, a nice guy. Probably wont make the next round with the Hookers, but nice doesn’t get me many points in this game.

BFFs

As for the rest of my backs they were fairly easy to choose – it had to be Ashton and Foden really. I expected great things from Ashton after that try, and he seemed to be crossing the line every week for Northampton so I was seeing the try points mounting. I can’t be breaking up such a beautiful partnership either, so Foden was in too.

I have no idea why I chose Medard. Actually none. Awesome though.

That left one slot in the backs and around four imaginary Guinness rugby currency to fill it. Desperate times called for an Italian, and so I picked the Australian. Another Luke, go figure. I honestly didn’t expect much, so colour me surprised when he crossed the line against Ireland. Go Luke!

The forwards, oh the forwards! I might know the difference between tighthead and loosehead, but I still sometimes forget what the four and the six are called, and I’m not always sure what they’re at in that ruck, but Guinness demanded eight forwards so

He's 23!

choose I did. I went for the Leicester props, they’re the only ones I knew to be honest, and Dan Cole lives with a certain other Tiger and provides very entertaining stories about fake tan and Christmas trees. Also he scored that try that one time. Last year. Against…us? Supposedly.

On the other side, the BGB may be gone, but they’re not forgotten and neither is their poster boy. He is hairier now than ever before – except for that bald patch at the top, and he still wears his socks rolled down, and he still seems to come and go from the pitch whenever he pleases, but every Sad Clown Hooker needs a poster boy and ours was still Castro. It’s a shame about the discipline problem, there will be words. And hopefully free Italian food at Timo.

Other than that, I fancied a French affair. Harinor(like the soup)doquy was back, as was Dusautoir (so pretty). Domingo came in as actual hooker. No Heaslip this time around and Mad Dog is injured along with Tom Croft, which meant it was token time. Barclay reprised his role as token Scot and Bradley Davies was the chosen Welsh representative. I’d learned my lesson from Lee Byrne, this would be no Welsh outfit. One was the maximum, you can’t depend on them. Look what happened last year with the Ballerinas, Hook or Jones, Jones or Hook. NEITHER, that’s the answer. One Welsh man and one only. Except Adam Jones, he doesn’t count because he has such lovely hair.

And so only one choice left to make, and it was simples. Three of your imaginary Guinness rugby currency left and only one player who fit the bill. Louis Deacon, step on up and get your Sad Clown on, for you are now a Hooker.

So that’s that, the team is built and with considerably less confusion than last time. The gloating and cockiness began in earnest some time around Saturday evening last.

Check us out

Oh did I not mention who’s winning?

Alright you got me. I’ll hold my hands up and admit when I’m wrong. Although two of the games follow the overall plot that I had laid out in my head, they meandered a bit on their way to an eventual conclusion. Looking back, all fixtures had a shock or two that most of us may not have seen coming.

Wales 19-26 England

So it appears that Martin Johnson seems to have finally put the all the jigsaw pieces (or those that are not injured) together. His critics from the start will have to eat their words at the moment after he led England to their first victory in Cardiff for seven years.

England didn’t receive enough credit for their Friday night win. Key injuries to their pack and facing a Welsh backline that was at full strength, not enough praise was lavished on Toby Flood and Ben Youngs for mastering the game. It appears England are peaking yet again just in the lead up to a World Cup.

Italy 11-13 Ireland

Nothing to see here, move along. Irish side at the top of their game gave the Italian thugs a lesson in champagne rugby for about four seconds and then proceeded to struggle for the other 79 minutes 56 seconds.

Neither side deserved to win this bout. Ireland (Gordon D’Arcy) squandered possession on numerous occasions and struggled to overcome the raw physical power Italy demonstrated in the scrum. And although Italy bossed some key areas of the game, they still failed to make that count for anything.

France 34-21 Scotland

Three minutes into the game it appeared a no contest. France had already cracked out the champagne and sprayed it into the faces of Scotland when Rougerie and Medard combined well, but then Scotland scored. And even though France kept scoring tries, Scotland did as well for some reason.

Well it didn’t ruin the party that much. France still eloquently flashed some passes and principally Francois Trinh Duc chipped some delicate kicks. Still, if Scotland can score three tries against France, what’s stopping Ireland doing the same in Dublin?

Weekly awards

Beard of the week

The Super Bowl threw up a few doozies not only beards of the weekend, but beards of the century. However, this is a strictly Anglo-Irish-Brioche competition so no Americans are allowed. Morgan Parra (not Chabal) gets the Beard of the Weekend award this week for effort. He’s trying really hard, but can’t shake off that stubble look.

Fantasy Player of the week

It’s a no brainer this week. Chris Aston with a dazzling two try performance against Wales was clearly the best player to kick start any fantasy team’s season. No doubt there will be more to follow, so sign him up if you haven’t already.

Best Morgan Stoddart look alike

This weeks Morgan Stoddart lookalike of the week is, Morgan Stoddart. He made a great start to the campaign when he linked well with fellow Scarlets teammate, Jonathan Davies, to score a neatly worked try that brought Wales back into the game.

Best French name

With a whopping seven syllables (by my count), Francois Trinh Duc’s name sounds awesome and his skill set compliments his amazing French name. Adding to that, his sleak look just seems to personify his entire game.

Welcome to the University Observer Six Nations blog, where the colossal efforts of the University Observer’s sports writers will cover every aspect of the competition. Every blade of grass trudged upon by rambling forwards detailed, each backline movement analyzed to its core and no ruck left unturnedover. The blog will be your key to keeping up to date with all the trials and tribulations of the tournament.

Wales vs England Friday (Friday, 19:45)

Some rugby folk are against the notion of a Friday night kick-off. The main argument against being that everyone misses out on the near eight hour long Saturday rugby fest that stretches long into the evening. However, if there is any fixture that can stake a claim for Friday night games kicking off the Six Nations, Wales vs England fits the bill.

England will enter the realm of the Dragon desperately seeking their first victory against the Welsh in Cardiff for seven years. Wales will still feel aggrieved from last years fixture at Twickenham where they bossed the game and still ended up on the wrong side of a 30-17 scoreline.

Wales should have enough to beat England at home. It is a fixture that usually sees the home side prevail in some form with the win. Both sides have very exciting back lines that are not afraid to run the ball so it should be a brilliant spectacle.

UO Tip: Not sitting on the fence for this one. Wales victory by six-points

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Italy vs Ireland (Saturday, 14:30)

Ireland open their Six Nations campaign against Italy. Ireland convincingly beat Italy. Ireland go onto win the Grandslam. Right? It would a tough push to follow a similar plot line to that of 2009. Ireland creep into this fixture, but creep in with a refreshing looking team.

Young and adventurous wingers on either side, props that are becoming the fulcrum of the Irish scrum and the most in-form back row forward in Europe at the moment in Sean O’Brien. So for all the injuries, Ireland don’t look in too bad a shape. Italy are happily welcoming back their star no.8 and capt-í-tan Sergio Parisse. Six Nations fans will have missed his ever heroic performances for the Azzurri and should be glad to see his return.

Food for thought: Italy always seem to grab and shock win (any win against anybody is a shock) over the course of the Six Nations. Why not Ireland?

UO Tip: Ireland win by ten points. Fergus McFadden to score on his debut and Sean O’Brien man of the match.

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France vs Scotland (Saturday, 17:00)

There is no doubt Scotland will give it socks in the Stade de France on Saturday, but whether their socks will be enough to beat the French is another matter. After scoring their first try within the first two minutes after a succession of forty-three offloads, the French will have their tails pricked like a mare in season and +5 more tries will likely follow.

Luckily because this fixture is being held on a Saturday, we will get the privilege of watching the best tighthead prop in the world (Monday-Saturday inclusive), Euan Murray.

UO Tip: France to send Scotland home with their socks between their legs. Yes, between their legs!

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Players to watch this weekend

Jonathan Davies: Young, powerful, fast and attack minded, Davies is exactly what the Welsh need to kick start their campaign. The Scarlets centre has a lot of competition to contend with for the number 12 or 13 jersey due to the amount of utility backs in the Welsh ranks. His selection proves that Gatland thinks highly of him and this is the best stage for Davies to prove his worth to Wales going forward.

Fergus McFadden: Another newbie to the Six Nations ring, McFadden is a player who has blossomed under the guidance of Leinster’s coach Josef Schmidt. He has found a new home on the wing and has impressed so much for Leinster in that area that a starting berth for Ireland appeared due to Tommy Bowe being injured and Fitzgerald already deputising for the missing Kearney at full back. Don’t be surprise to see him race around his marker if given space on the outside.

Formailities:

Six Nations Winners – France (but maybe Wales)

Player of the Tournament – Imanol Harinordoquy  (but maybe Jamie Roberts)

Top try scorer – Aurelien Rougerie (but maybe Morgan Stoddart)

The Rocky Horror Show took place in the Grand Canal Theatre, thrusting itself across the Dublin stage just in time for Halloween. The musical is narrated by Christopher Biggins, who we best know from I‘m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, and who had a role in the movie as one of the Transylvanians.

The musical tells the story of Brad and Janet, a newly engaged couple whose car breaks down in the middle of night. They turn to a castle for refuge only to discover a bunch of Transylvanians dancing to the ‘Time Warp’ and Dr. Frank-N-Furter – a transvestite scientist whose ambition is to build himself the perfect man.

With a host of support characters such as Riff Raff, Magenta, Columbia and the newly formed Rocky, and songs such as ‘Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me,’ it’s a two-hour spectacular that’s sure to make you blush.

From the beginning to the end of The Rocky Horror Show, obscurity and obscenity permeates the stage. It features David Bordello as Dr. Frank-N-Furter (who has previously worked on Jesus Christ Superstar and West Side Story) and Bordello’s experience really shows when he belts out the classic ‘Sweet Transvestite’.

Having never seen the movie or musical, I had no idea what to expect, but I soon learned that I was a ‘Rocky Horror virgin’. You’d forgive me for thinking the people shouting behind me were just being obnoxious, but I soon later found out that The Rocky Horror Show is all about partici-(SAY IT)-pation. During certain productions, items such as toast (non-buttered), rice and decks of cards are thrown at the stage, while the lovebirds of the show, Brad and Janet, are kindly referred to as ‘Asshole’ and ‘Slut’ throughout.

For a ‘Rocky Horror virgin’, the Grand Canal Theatre was an impressive place for a first time viewing of the show, but I can’t help but feel that I would have enjoyed the grand stage production of the show more if I had even seen the film at least once. In regards to the musical itself, it’s certainly there to shock and awe people. However, it must be said that the few in the audience who knew all the dances and the responses stole the show from the actors and actresses on stage.

The moment that Killian and I found out that I had beaten him. Zelda is clearly on my side with this one.

On the positive side, I ended up fifth. I beat Killian. That was a sweetener in a sour situation. While Killian is one of my favourite people, nothing feels better than beating him. It’s a weird dynamic. Of course, like we were all expecting, Paul Fennessey won the league, by a margin of about a billion points. Colin Scally’s 119 afc came second, Matt Gregg’s Matt United came in third, my second favourite team Fun Laoghaire Pirates came fourth under the guidance of our editor Catriona Laverty, I came fifth, Stade Parfait with Killian came sixth, Gav Reilly’s The Absolutelys came seventh, with Quinton O’Reilly’s Loughbawn Celtic coming in last (sorry Quinton). It’s been a fun run. While my result wasn’t the desired, I can’t deny that I’ve had a great time attempting to come first.

However, I must admit that I have been negligent of late. I’m an instant gratification type of woman, sad but true. I only really take pleasure from things that make me feel better about myself. I don’t mind working hard at something, but the minute things start going rough, like the weeks in which I was scoring lowest, my morale dips and I lose interest. It didn’t help that I was bombarded with finishing up the paper, preparing for a massive job interview, completing my final essays and studying for my last undergraduate exams. I just lost my way. Stopped caring a bit. I began forgetting to change my team from week to week. I guess the only person I have to blame for all of this is myself.

Despite all of this, it’s been fun. While my result left much to be desired I’ve learned an awful lot. I (sort of) understand

Yeah, it may hurt Rooney, but man up a bit with that money that you're being paid.

the offside rule, I know who plays for what team and I’ve validated my belief that they’re paid far too much. For men that are paid hundreds of thousands a week, they seem pretty reluctant to actually play. Someone (possibly Zamora?) on Catriona’s team had man flu or something for like a month. I had to sell Rooney and Fabregas. These men are more pampered that a UCD student who lives in Sandymount and whose dad works in banking. Ridiculous.

I will hopefully be taking part in a league next year cos it turns out they’re gonna let me edit the paper. Hopefully there’ll be even more interest and we can have even more fun. I’ll also be doing a football players of the league countdown once I figure out who’s actually hot in football. Funnily enough, rugby is full of delicious men, but football is lacking, so I’ve got quite a job ahead of me.

So, for the last time, despite my recent apathy and bitchiness, I’ll say GO TEAM NEWS! It’s been fun, but now it’s time to think up next year’s team name.