The Crown Jules

Some readers of this column may be surprised to learn that Judge Jules got one of the biggest cheers during proceedings at the recent BBC1FM One Big Weekend festival in Derry, for opening his set with ‘Teenage Kicks’, the seminal anthem from local heroes The Undertones. Funnily enough, the biggest cheer was recorded when Mike Skinner aka The Streets (who is about to release his second album, Unoriginal Parody Material) performed a cover version of the same Undertones classic. It might interest RTE’s Ian Wilson and John Clarke to know that the BBC type who organised the two-day FREE music festival One Big Weekend for Derry was honoured with the freedom of the walled city. It’s a pity the south doesn’t have a city council that gives as much of a shit about entertaining its citizens as they do in the maiden city…
I Am Disco is the debut album from Rhythm King & Her Friends, three androgynous Germans who sing in a number of languages and make queer electronica with distinctly pop melodies. Also out this fortnight and well worth a listen are Ratatat’s self-titled debut on Interpol, a quirky instrumental electronica collection driven by crunchy hip-hop beats; Wiley’s Treddin’ On Thin Ice on XL (sharp UK urban grooves and clever rhymes) and Uusi Fantasia’s Top Ten on Telle, the same Finnish label that introduced the world to Royskopp. It’s a stunning effort that’s equal parts ’70s funk and disco, Royskopp, Air and DJ Shadow …
Dubliner Karl Davis has a new single out next month on Bulletproof. It’s his third release for the London label… Hotly tipped French remixers Black Strobe have just released their own incredible single ‘Chemical Sweet Girl’ on Output… Arguably the biggest dance act of recent years, Faithless precede album number four with the single ‘Mass Destruction’ this fortnight… Album number four is also due from The Prodigy later this year. Rumour is that following last year’s disappointing single ‘Baby Got A Temper’, Liam Howlett ditched Keith Flint and most of the album they had previously recorded together…
There has been feverish interest within clubland regarding the Redbox promoted summer dance festival Global Gathering, after it was learned that a number of American DJs have already been booked to appear at a Global Gathering event in Ireland on August 21. Originally scheduled for an outdoor site in Stradbally, Co Laois, the festival is by no means a certainty. Robbie Butler from Redbox confirmed to hotpress that the site in Co Laois had been looked at, but was not deemed suitable, although he would not confirm or deny industry rumours that a Co Cork venue is now the most likely venue for the event. The wagging tongues say planning permission for a temporary campsite is the only remaining hitch, and many observers believe it would be a milestone success…
Rapture is a newly opened midlands club with a capacity of 1300, situated in Johnstown Bridge, just 1km from Enfield town in Co Westmeath. It has already been nominated for Best Late Night Venue and Best Use Of Technology at the Theme Club Awards for 2004, and recently announced a joint venture with Club Educate that will run every Bank Holiday Sunday with popular progressive jock John Gibbons at the helm. The new night is known as Bang!… The Clubspace reunion at Lambert’s in Camolin, Co Wexford… Techno promoter Rosman returns to the fray with a Claude Young party at TBMC in Dublin on May 22…
Guy Ornadel and Marco V will play Black Box in Galway on June 1. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster outlets nationwide… London acid techno specialist Dave The Drummer, who is enjoying a boom of interest from hard house circles thanks to Paul Glazby and Ian M, plays The Half Moon in Cork on May 13… The next Supreme Clubbing event at The Hillstreet in Leitrim is on May 15. DJs are The Vinyl Warrior and former Enigma resident Leno… French techno maestro Oxia plays Electric City in Dublin on May 27. His debut album on Good Life, 24 Heures, is well worth investigating, incidentally… Imprint is back at The Basement Bar in Belfast on May 15…
Congrats to radio show An Taobh Tuathail, which celebrated five years on the air last weekend on RnaG (www.rnag.ie). The programme is presented entirely in Irish by Cian O Ciabhain (Tuesdays to Fridays) and Cathal O Cuaig (Saturdays to Mondays) and is one of only two on the national airwaves devoted to broadcasting fresh electronica from around the globe… Congrats also to Spirit. The Dublin club is now two years old, and has announced Roger Sanchez will play on June 25 (which is the end of the Leaving Cert) and Erick Morillo returns on August 1… And finally, tonight (6) in the capital, Canadian MC extraordinaire Buck 65 is back at Whelan’s, while at The Hub, one time Elvis Costello collaborator and U2 remixer Leo Pearson’s exciting new band Alligator play alongside DJs Johnny Moy, Arveene and Eno … THE BEAT GOES ON!