Skip to main content

2024-12-02 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - The Academy, Dublin

Christmas came early this year for me.  Never did I think that  Me First and the Gimme Gimmes  would be playing Dublin, and never did I ever think I'd get to shoot one of their shows! Well, that all changed last week when they played the Academy in Dublin on a cold, damp, Monday night! I've been a fan since 1997, when one of the lads I worked with, brought in a copy of Have a Ball . It was love at first listen! I did manage to catch them live back in 2019 when they played the O2 Forum in Kentish Town , London, and it was every bit as good as I'd hoped, but it paled in comparison to Monday night in Dublin. So, how did it come about?  Well, back in 2013, I interviewed the band for a now defunct Irish website called Chunk.ie .  Over the years, I've stayed on their PR roster, so I took a chance and emailed my contact there.  Lo and behold, a few emails later and all was sorted, I was down to photograph the show. How was it?  Brilliant, amazing, fantastic,...

2021-08-14 Mike Hanrahan - Moat Theatre, Naas

Another weekend, another great gig in the Moat Theatre.  This weekend I got to see Mike Hanrahan of Stockton's Wing fame, albeit it with Covid restrictions in place with attendance being limited to just 50 people.

I'd seen Mike perform before, I even had one of my photos appear in his book 'Beautiful Affair', so I knew what to expect and I wasn't disappointed.  

Mike started his set with the old Ralph McTell classic, 'From Clare to Here' and finished with another classic, Stockton's Wings 'Beautiful Affair'.  In between, the audience were treated to a collection of both old and new songs, and were urged to sing along if they knew the words.  They did!

These Covid gigs are not like gigs of old. They're a more sedate affair due to the regulations in place, but it is safe to say that the audience enjoyed every minute of the gig.  Some were just delighted to be at a gig after so long without one!

It would be nice if our Govt. could come up with a road plan to re-open the live music /arts / theatre industry though.  It's over 500 days and still there are no plans.  It's heart-breaking for those involved.

Anyway, go buy Mikes book 'Beautiful Affair' and catch him live when you can.  I promise, neither will disappoint. 

I grabbed a video of Mike performing 'Beautiful Affair' which you can watch below and you can also check out some photos of the gig also:






@irish_mj

##MikeHanrahan of ##StocktonsWing playing ##BeautifulAffair in the ##MoatTheatre ##Naas tonight. ##Gigs ##LiveMusic ##IrishMusicParty

♬ original sound - IrishMJ

Popular Posts

Interview with King Kong Company

Originally published 10/09/2013 on Chunk.ie So, there I was, wandering around the Electric Picnic wondering who I was going to watch next. One of the lads said he had heard good things about King Kong Company and that we should check them out, so off we headed to the Body and Soul Arena to do just that.  As I mentioned in my review of the Electric Picnic, the gig was epic.  I figured we just had to interview them here on CHUNK.ie, and here it is! First things first, congratulations on a storming gig at the Electric Picnic. It completely blew me away.  Was this your first Picnic experience? We’ve been to many Electric Picnics over the years but just as punters, and it’s always been a great festival, so it was a fantastic experience to play at its 10 year anniversary. King Kong Company is a rather interesting name for a band, where or how did you come up with it? The name is taken from the film Taxi Driver. If you look closely, Travis Bickle is wearing a badge wh...
Read more

2024-08-02 Tribfest - North Kildare Sports Club, Kilcock

No one, and I mean no one, goes to TribFest to be cool.  After all, it's hard to look cool dancing to the music of Joe Dolan, ABBA, Tom Jones, Cher or Queen, well, maybe Queen, but... No, people go to TribFest to party, to listen to great music and most of all, to have fun.  Fun, that's the most important part of a festival, and it was in abundance this year! The festival was a three day affair this time out and, for the first time, kicked off with a night dedicated to hard rock and metal, featuring IE/DC (AC/DC), Live Lizzy (Thin Lizzy), Whiplash (Metallica) , Guns Reloaded (Guns n' Roses), and Legendary (Bon Jovi).  Was it loud?  Yes, yes it was.  Did it rock?  Most certainly!  Were the leather clad crowd entertained?  Most definitely.  What a way to kick off TribFest! Live Lizzy Whiplash Legendary Guns Reloaded IE/DC Night two of TribFest was a much more relaxed affair with sets from Mairead Rooney (Shania Twain), The Classic Beatles (The ...
Read more

2024-02-17 Only After Dark Burlesque Show - The Dark Horse, Athlone

It had been a few years since I'd visited Athlone, so, when I got the opportunity to shoot the Only After Dark Burlesque Show , I took it and made the most of the night! I started off meeting friends in Dead Centre Brewing for a few glasses of lemonade and a bite to eat.  It was very nice, staff were great, food was delicious, what more could you want? After that, it was time for a change of scenery, a change of pace and definitely, a change in atmosphere.  It was time for a bit of Burlesque! Only After Dark takes place upstairs in the Dark Horse , in a large open space, nicely decorated and, most importantly, with it's own bar.  During the show, to cut down on unnecessary movements, bar staff come to your table and take your orders,  it makes for a very pleasant experience! So, who performed on the night?  Well, the hostess, and indeed the lady behind Only After Dark, Miss Memphis Shell opened proceedings with a traditional burlesque routine, ending in nipple...
Read more