If you only do one thing this weekend – get some Cookies and Milk
Go: Some things in life are always a good idea: one for the road, a book you like the cover of (better not start all that again), ringing up an old friend, or milk and cookies. The latter is even better when it is less of a midnight raid on the fridge and more of a storytelling, theatrical, punk-culture extravaganza. Tomorrow night, the Milk and Cookies team are bringing the Seven Deadly Sins to the Complex in Smithfield. Expect two stages of music, poetry, storytelling, dance, comedy and some right oddball goings on. Among the nutjobs letting their screws go loose are the Jazzberries, Crazy Dog Audio Theatre, The Brownbread Players, Colm Keegan and many, many more. The show starts at 7pm, it’s €7 on the door, and bring your own sherry.
Get involved: Midweek saw the excellent Urban Party event come up with a host of brilliant ideas for the capital city, from paying street entertainers, keeping butchers open late and reclaiming unfinished sites to taking over the Bank of Ireland on College Green for the city, and establishing a poet laureate for Dublin. There’s still time this weekend to stick your oar in our cultural waters (and if you have any suggestions as to how I can stop torturing my imagery and analogies then send ’em over). On Saturday at noon, the Harry Clark lecture theatre in NCAD will host a public discussion on alternative art spaces. A number of activists, venues and collectives will give short presentations, and then there will be a good old verbal rumble around the arts jungle (please, I’m begging you here, I need help). Signed up so far are Vaari Claffey, Pallas Projects, Annette Moloney, Ormond Studios, Soma, Block T, 126, The Joinery, Angel Luis Gonzalez, Exchange Dublin, and plenty more. Click here and here for more information. This is a free event.
Browse: We all like pretty things, shiny things, bits and bobs that glitter and glow (yep, shallow as a thimble despite the arty pretensions) – and there are nowt better shiny things than those made by Irish artisans. The Cow’s Lane Designer Mart in Dublin’s Temple Bar makes a welcome return from Saturday on, with 26 artists and designers setting out their colourful stalls. This is the year of craft, so there will also be a series of workshops in association with the Crafts Council of Ireland. Handweaver Evelyn Murray will be showing off some rigid heddle looms (must get mine out of the attic), and Trinketbox will be showing punters how to make a beaded oolga lace bracelet. Live music on the day will come from the Ottoni Brass Ensemble. The fun runs from 10am-5pm. Click here from more details.
That’s it for our weekend, but here’s a little musical interlude. We have only just gotten our hands on Alive, recorded by jazz ensemble Phronesis live in London in 2009 (with thanks to Karen Dervan for sending it our way). If you like your Esbjorn Svensson Trio or the Bad Plus get you hot under the collar, then get your hands on this album. And here’s a little sample to get your fingers snapping and your chin scratching – do not leave this video until the drummer really picks things up near the end. Incidentally, the bass player writes the tunes. Which means they have to be brilliant.