The Jewel Case: Recent Episodes
John D'Arcy
The end of 2017 is nigh! I’ve only done a couple of podcasts this year so I’ve been feeling a bit guilty. To find some absolution I sat down for a catch up with friend-of-the-podcast Ryan McGroarty and pressed record. We talk about nostalgia, podcast-babysitting, and Ryan’s crazy schedule coming up to Christmas. His appointments include Start Together Studio’s 10th Birthday Party at Oh Yeah Music Centre on Fri 15th, playing guitar with Catalan at the old Telegraph building on Sat 16th, and playing host at a party organised by his Big Wild Collective at Black Box Sunday 17th. And that’s neglecting his…
The post Ep. 54: End of the year catchup with Ryan McGroarty appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Leonie McDonagh (aka Leonie Pony) is back for another a PODCAST TAKEOVER. This time she is chatting to Belfast-based hijinx-co-ordinators Tumble Circus! Leonie catches some of the Tumble Circus crew at a rare moment of quiet before they put up their Big Top for the Winter Circus Season at Writer’s Square, Belfast. She is joined by Ali Strange, Anqelique ‘Reckless’ Ross, Kenevil, and Henrik (the muscles not from Brussels). They share the back-story of Tumble Circus setting up its roots in Belfast. Leonie asks about gender equality in the circus, but ends up finding out a little too much about Ali’s hoop. Leonie has long been a fan of…
The post Ep. 53: Tumble Circus [Leonie Pony takeover] appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
It’s been a while, but The Jewel Case is back! Lately John has been neglecting his duty to interview artists working in Northern Ireland, so Leonie McDonagh (aka Leonie Pony) is staging a PODCAST TAKEOVER. In her first takeover episode, Leonie has only gone and interviewed one of the most important contemporary Northern Irish dance artists in recent years – OONA DOHERTY (she’s amazing). Oona Doherty recently presented Hard to Be Soft: A Belfast Prayer at Belfast International Arts Festival. The show features collaborations with NI composer David Holmes and a range of actors and dancers from the city of Belfast. Leonie and Oona have known each other since they went to…
The post Ep.52: Oona Doherty [Leonie Pony Takeover!] appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I talk to composer and performer Una Lee about her upcoming show – The Undocumented Tale of Dr. G – taking place 18 May at Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast. The Undocumented Tale of Dr. G is a music theatre piece brings together Una’s research into the life and work of Dr. G, a composer who’s been buried in history for almost a century. Only known as Dr. G, he was probably the most innovative, experimental composer who worked with improvisation and alternative music notation ahead of the better known figures in 20th Century music. The show will delve into an unearthed biography of…
The post Ep. 51: The Undocumented Tale of Dr. G (Una Lee) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I chat to techno musicians Koichi Samuels and Liam McCartan about RESIST – a series of live events showcasing electronic music and visual artists in Belfast. Their next show is Friday 21 April at The Black Box (tickets here). I ask Koichi and Liam about Belfast’s thriving electronic music scene and get a taste of the acts that will be performing live at the RESIST event. Koichi will be performing live with Helena Hamilton for the debut of their new collaboration – Kandehha – a fusion of soundscape, drone and ambient electronic rhythms. The line-up also features live sets from Four Sides…
The post Ep. 50: Resist (Koichi Samuels & Liam McCartan) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
“The best artists working now are those that are asking difficult questions.” Eoin Dara is an art curator who has been based at The MAC Belfast since its opening in 2012. But big changes are afoot, as Eoin is about to move to Scotland to take up the role of Head of Exhibitions at Dundee Contemporary Arts. Before he heads off, I caught up with Eoin to find out more about his time at The MAC, including his curation of the work of Felix Gonzales-Torres in the exhibition ‘This Place’. Eoin shares some other highlights of working in Belfast including a stint as a director of Catalyst…
The post Ep. 49: Eoin Dara appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I met Moving On Music‘s Brian Carson for a preview of their Brilliant Corners festival. The festival runs Tuesday 7th until Saturday 11th March with a string of great gigs in the realm of jazz, bop, experimental and free improvisation. The festival hosts both international and local players and groups at gigs in Sonic Arts Research Centre, Black Box and Crescent Arts Centre; with an accompanying film programme with three great music documentaries at the Bean Bag Cinema. Brian opens up about getting turned on to live music and particularly jazz by seeing some legendary players during his student days in Newcastle.…
The post Ep. 48: Brilliant Corners preview with Brian Carson from Moving on Music appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Intent Magazine and Podcast is a new venture from Belfast-based friends and housemates Fiona McDonnell and Constance Keane. The project will highlight people who make and are involved with art, music, and culture on the island of Ireland – using interviews and photography to explore the intent behind the work. I ask the duo about the new project and its launch at Framewerk, Belfast Friday 24th February. I get a sneak preview of the first issue and its contents – interviews with NI skater collective The Joyalists; gallery owner Dawn Richardson; and a ‘walk-home’ review of Belfast’s recent Output Festival. Fiona also talks about…
The post Ep. 47: Intent Magazine and Podcast appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Whether you’re loved up, lonely or just looking for an alternative squishy-feelings playlist – have a listen to this week’s show where I catch up with journo buddy and music-nerd Suzie Mccracken. We run through some of our favourite songs about love in all romantic senses of the word. We don’t get enough time to listen to everything on each other’s long-lists so check below for streaming links… Suzie’s love-song long-list: John’s love-song long-list: The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. The Jewel Case theme song is The Dark by Beauty Sleep Contact @_johndarcy // Dig…
The post Ep. 46: Valentines playlist with Suzie McCracken appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Bad Fit are the baddest band in Belfast! Their first single ‘Strong Forever’ was the baddest pop tune to come out of NI last year! Now they’ve a new single called ‘In the City’ – and it’s particularly bad! On this week’s show I’m joined by Grace, Danny and Pando from the band (Megan says hi too). They talk me through the release of the new single and we take a listen (it’s good). We talk about the band’s musical inspirations and have a good old think about how people are making money through music in 2017 (spoiler: it’s cover bands). We also reminisce about…
The post Ep. 45: Bad Fit appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Rayna Gellert is an Old Time American fiddler and singer-songwriter with deep roots in American traditional music that has led to her collaborating with artists such as Sara Watkins, Abigail Washburn and Loudon Wainwright III. I ask Rayna about keeping folk music alive and the links between old time and celtic trad. We also talk about her latest album ‘Workin’s Too Hard’ – a collection of original and traditional songs. Rayna is touring Northern Ireland at the start of February at the following venues: Wed 1 Feb: Strule Arts Centre, Omagh Thu 2 Feb: Bangor Castle, Bangor Fri 3 Feb: Island Arts…
The post Ep. 44: Rayna Gellert appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
It’s the first episode of 2017 and it’s a good one! I’m joined by Leonie McDonagh (aka Leoniepony) – creative powerhouse and director of Ponydance Theatre Company. Leonie presents the solo ‘Idiom’ at Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival’s Out to Lunch programme this week. The show look’s at Leonie’s love of Belfast city through her particular blend of music, movement and comedy. I ask Leonie how she ended up in Northern Ireland, how she works a room with embarrassment and shame, and how she amassed her mammoth tracksuit collection. ‘Idiom’ takes place at The Black Box Belfast – Thursday 26 January – 1pm. Tickets: £6.50 / £7 including…
The post Ep. 43: Leonie McDonagh (Ponydance) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
In the last episode we started the THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS SONG SHOWDOWN – a knock-out bracket to decide the best christmas song ever. We worked our way through the first round match-ups and now we’re ready to decide the finals. My panel of guest judges return – Cheylene Murphy, Ryan McGroarty, Bee Mick See, and Megan-Cáitlín Dallat. And they’re even merrier than last time! Take a look at the knock-out bracket below to see the match-ups and listen to the episode to find out who wins. Get a full size version of the bracket here. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down…
The post Ep. 42: Ultimate Christmas Song Showdown (Part 2) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
One year on from the first ever episode of The Jewel Case I decided to re-festive-ise my playlist and get some Christmas songs on the stereo. This time last year I picked some of my favourite winter warmers for an intimate seasonal set. But for this year’s yuletide show I thought I’d get some friends in to help me decide the best holiday tune ever in THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS SONG SHOWDOWN. So I got together four of my favourite guests from the first year of the podcast – Cheylene Murphy, Ryan McGroarty, Bee Mick See, and Megan-Cáitlín Dallat. The plan: to pit 36 of the best…
The post Ep. 41: Ultimate Christmas Song Showdown (Part 1) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I caught up with Duke Special ahead of his three-night stint at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre that caps off a year-long residency at the theatre. I find out what the Duke has been up to in 2016 and how his creative process has changed since the release of his breakthrough album ‘Songs from the Deep Forest’. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. The Jewel Case theme song is The Dark by Beauty Sleep Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 40: Duke Special appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
For this week’s podcast I took a trip to Edenderry Village to visit the home studio of illustrator Stephen Maurice Graham. A few years ago Stephen decided to give it a bash as a full-time self-employed illustrator and since then he’s made big waves getting his work featured in publications including The Washington Post, The Sunday Times, GQ and TIME. Phew! Stephen launches his new comic publication ‘Michael’ on Wednesday 30th November at UsFolk, Belfast. I caught up with him to hear about the origins of his cartoon protagonist and ended up accidentally inviting him to co-host of The Jewel Case. See you…
The post Ep. 39: Stephen Maurice Graham appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Last Thursday Outburst Queer Arts Festival hosted the Northern Irish premiere of KIKI – a documentary film about an LGBTQ youth-of-color subculture of New York City’s Ballroom scene, made famous in the early 1990s by Madonna’s music video “Vogue” and the documentary “Paris Is Burning.” The screening was followed by a great Q&A with the film’s co-writer and gatekeeper of the Kiki community, Twiggy Pucci Garçon. We heard about the NYC House and Ballroom scene on Episode 19 of The Jewel Case when I chatted to Claire Hall – the Belfast-based DJ and events producer who last year brought three members of the Kiki community to The MAC for the performance…
The post Ep. 38: Twiggy Pucci Garçon & Claire Hall (KIKI film) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
So I managed to catch up with Tim Wheeler from Ash while he was backstage at Belfast’s Mandela Hall. Ash are back in Belfast for performance at the Northern Irish Music Prize where they’re receiving the Oh Yeah Legend award for their amazing career in Northern Irish music. I ask Tim about developments in his songwriting and changes in the music industry throughout his career. I also get his reaction to the new Star Wars films and we reminisce about Ash’s first album ‘1977’ as it his its 20th birthday. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio.…
The post Ep. 37: Tim Wheeler (Ash) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Ahhhh! Halloween is around the corner so I thought I’d make a suitably spooky mix to soundtrack my doorbell paranoia. I’ve concocted a playlist potion of some stone-cold-rigamortis classics and some especially gruesome deep cuts. Sweet nightmares! Spooky – Dusty Springfield Halloween Parade – Lou Reed Hammer Horror – Kate Bush Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) – David Bowie Little Ghost – The White Stripes Walking With a Ghost – Tegan and Sara Release the Bats – The Birthday Party Night of the Vampire – Roky Erickson Werewolf – Fiona Apple Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon Psycho Killer – Talking Heads Dead – The…
The post Ep. 36: Halloween Spooktacular Playlist appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This weekend a large number of artists studios in Belfast are opening their doors for Belfast Open Studios. For this week’s podcast I met with with Rob Hilken from Visual Arts Ireland to hear about the open-day and about how VAI help support local artists. I also meet with Creative Exchange Artists Studios manager Deirdre Morrisey to hear about their facility. I visit newly established Lombard Studios and chat to painter Trina Hobson. I meet Michael Hanna from Platform Studios and Jacqueline Holt to talk about their Arists’ Moving Image Northern Ireland initiative. I also meet with multimedia artist Richard Davis at Digital Arts Studios to find out more about…
The post Ep. 35: Belfast Open Studios appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week’s guest on the podcast is David Holmes – one of Northern Ireland’s most interesting musical minds. He’s the auteur of critically acclaimed solo albums Let’s Get Killed and The Holy Pictures. He’s the curator of seminal tapes Essential Mix and The Free Asssociation. He’s the soundtrack composer for Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy, Hunger, Good Vibrations and ’71. He produces Primal Scream and Noel Gallagher. Oh, and let’s not forgot he’s a decent club DJ – his legendary nights at Belfast’s art college made him one of the key figures in the city’s Acid House scene. Holmes is just about to release a new mix for the Late Night Tales…
The post Ep. 34: David Holmes appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Back when I had braces on my teeth and gel in my hair I played my first ever gig in Belfast at the Front Page bar. One of the other bands on the stage that night were a couple of years older and a tonne of riffs wiser. They were called Remains of Youth. Or was it ‘(the) Remains of Youth’? Remains of Youth were one of my local favourites and I was consistently left starry-eyed by their jagged rhythms and the heartfelt vocals of frontman duo of Adam Shirlow and Andy Melville. Somewhere along the way The Front Page ceased to exist,…
The post Ep. 33: Remains of Youth appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This month PS2 Gallery in Belfast has been hosting a group exhibition co-ordinated by the Go Girl collective – a group of young, female creatives based in Northern Ireland who organise eye-catching projects that realise feminist agendas in a very practical way. At PS2, fifteen Go Girls have filled the gallery with paintings, drawings, photography and objects. This week on The Jewel Case I’m joined by participating artists and Go Girls Cheylene Murphy (Beauty Sleep), Abbie Madden (Pony Dance), and the exhibition curator Catherine McLaughlin. Go Girl at PS2 runs until 16th September. Opening hours: Wed-Fri 1-5pm, Sat 11am-3pm. Culture night 16th, 5-10pm. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays…
The post Ep. 32: Go Girl Exhibition at PS2 Belfast appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I chat with the world’s most dangerous harpist Ursula Burns, taking a trip through her discography and looking towards her upcoming show at Edinburgh Fringe. ‘The Dangerous Harpist’ runs 16 – 18 August at Stand in the Square, Edinburgh. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 31: Ursula Burns appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I met with Min Kim, curator of ‘Tuning the White Walls’ – a series of sound events happening in PS2 Gallery Belfast 11 – 27 August 2016. We’re joined by one of the performers, Tristan Clutterbuck, to discuss some recent movements in sound art in Northern Ireland and to preview the upcoming events of the series. ‘Tuning the White Walls features an interactive performance with Min’s alter-ego Una Lee; chaotic synthesis from Tristan; guitar improvisation from Aongus McEvoy; a wall-shaking installation from Pablo Sanz; co-operative music-making with Miguel Ortiz and Steph Horak; and the long-awaited return of Belfast City Choir. More information on the PS2 website The Jewel…
The post Ep. 30: Min Kim and Tristan Clutterbuck appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I catch up with Berlin-based DJ and publisher Jonny Tiernan. We chat about Jonny’s teenage years spent growing up in Lisburn – his first gig and club experiences in Northern Ireland and his early steps in DJing. Jonny explains how he set up AU Magazine and the Gigantic club night along with the help of some great collaborators in Belfast, and we reminisce about Northern Ireland’s mid-naughties music scene. We also chat about Jonny’s move to Berlin and the launch of his new arts & culture magazine – Lola. Dotted through the conversation you’ll hear some of Jonny’s musical influences including Nirvana, Josh Wink, Clone Quartet, Stiff Little…
The post Ep. 29: Jonny Tiernan appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Summer festival season is upon us! With loads of events coming up across Northern Ireland and Ireland in coming months, I thought I’d do a mega-round-up of local festivals you’ll want to get to. There are a bunch of nice things happening close to Lisburn (Sunflower Fest, Hilden Beer Festival and Music Festival, Moira Calling, Rose Week); in Bangor and Ards (Open House, Ulster Fleadh, Summer music in the Park, Creative Peninsula) and in South Down (Soma Festival, Serendipitous Music, Fiddler’s Green International Festival). I also highlight some festivals happening in Belfast (Féile, Belfast Pride, East Side Arts Festival, Belfast Mela, Tennents Vital, Belfast Guitar Festival); the Northwest (Music City Derry, Stendhal Festival, Maiden City Tattoo Convention); and elsewhere…
The post Ep. 28: Summer Festivals in N.Ireland and Ireland appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
I knew my old buddy Jack Hughes was a nerd for things like photography and films – but just I recently found out he was a keen board game enthusiast. This week I caught up with Jack to find out more about his favourite pastime and the current ‘Golden Age‘ of board games. To give me a bit of an introduction to some of the accessible games showcasing different playing styles, Jack set up a games night with some friends to play three of his favourites: Escape, Saboteur and Avalon. You’ll hear some some recordings of this (heavily censored) towards the end of our chat. We…
The post Ep. 27: Board Games with Jack Hughes appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I visited Millbank Studios to take a trip down memory lane with Micheael Mormecha, frontman of Lisburn legends Mojo Fury. We revisit Mojo Fury’s early releases along with Mike’s solo project Clown Parlour. Then I get some insight into the production of Mike’s new album LOFi LiFE ahead of its launch on Thursday 30 June at Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast. PS – While digging into the archives I found some great Mojo Fury remixes – listen here The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 26: Michael Mormecha appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
OK I ended up getting a bit excited about Norn Iron and Ireland at the Euros and wanted to talk about it on this week’s show. So I drafted in none other than Michael Clarke – sports broadcaster for BBC Radio Ulster & Lisburn’s 98FM, and Secretary for the NI Football Writers’ Association. We talk about the songs, shirts and shoes of this year’s Euros (and go on the occasional basketball tangent too). The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 25: Euro Footie Songs with Michael Clarke appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Hola, this week I’m coming to your ears from Barcelona where myself and friend-of-the-podcast Ciaran Logue recorded some of our comings and goings at Primavera Sound festival. Ciaran complains about Radiohead and I share some snippets of our festival highlights including LCD Soundsystem, Kamasi Washington, Richard Dawson, NAO and Sigur Rós. We bump into some friends from Belfast on the way too. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 24: Primavera Sound Festival TraveLogue appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I chat to artist and blogger Megan-Cáitlín Dallat about her ASMR-inspired art, her photo-blog VENT , Go Girl‘s ‘Share the Load’ project, and the upcoming show Murmur at the MAC. We try some ASMR triggers like whispering and binaural recording so please listen with headphones. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 23: Megan-Cáitlín Dallat appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
On this episode I chat to sound artist Isobel Anderson about her move to Northern Ireland alongside the development of her musical career. We sample some tracks from Cold Water Songs, Dark Path, In My Garden and the new remix EP. We then turn to Isobel’s site-based performance works Last Night’s Party, Going Under and These Places Should Only Ever Be Imagined. Along the way we also talk about Isobel’s field-recording collaboration with Tullis Rennie, Thoughts in the Field, and her experience with tinnitus and the British Tinnitus Association. We ended up chatting so much we didn’t any have time to sample the tracks Isobel has been listening to lately.…
The post Ep. 22: Isobel Anderson appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Tonight on The Jewel Case I chat to artist Miguel Martin about the latest developments in his artistic practice and his favourite music for dancing to. We talk about Miguel’s Not Nice Portraits, his drawings of Belfast’s widely-loved and recently-demolished Orpheus building, his ACES award from ACNI, a residency at Digital Arts Studios (DAS) and his recent foray into bronze-making. On Miguel’s playlist are tracks from Girls Names, Not Squares, PC Music and other net-based micro-genres like Witch House and Grave Wave. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the…
The post Ep. 21: Miguel Martin appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I welcome back Ciaran Logue for a catch-up to celebrate my 20th episode. During the show we each share five tracks that send us on a range of tangents about Record Store Day, the upcoming election and the re-televisation of the O.J. Simpson trial. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 20: Ciaran Logue appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
The week’s episode is a double-A side with TWO special guests! DJ / Party Queen Claire Hall (aka Venus Dupree) talks about the New York House Ballroom scene and her appearance at JAMJAR SERIES this Sunday evening. Film-maker / Video Artist Conan McIvor talks about Good Boy – Short Film in the lead-up to its screening at Belfast Film Festival. Photo of Claire Hall by Joe Laverty / Assistant Engineer: Ciaran Logue The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 19: Claire Hall and Conan McIvor appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I’m joined by Michael Thomson, the local cheese-maker behind Mike’s Fancy Cheese. We talk about his first steps making cheese in Sheffield, how he launched Northern Ireland’s first raw-milk blue cheese ‘Young Buck’, and his take on recent developments in the NI food scene like Bangor Food Assembly. Also, get an insight into Michael’s eclectic music taste with tracks from British Sea Power, The Wave Pictures, and Bo Ningen The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 18: Mike’s Fancy Cheese appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I got out of the studio and hip-hopped into the car for a drive around Belfast with local rapper Bee Mick See. He took me on a drive past some important spots that have shaped his life growing up and making music in Belfast – Cave Hill, Start Together Studios and Auntie Annies. We had high hopes of working our way through a playlist of his hip-hop and punk influences on our journey but we ended up chatting nearly the whole way, only getting some snippets. Hear how a kid from Portland called Brendy became Bee Mick See – the accent, the production, and the…
The post Ep. 17: Drive-by with Bee Mick See appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
With Wrestlemania coming up this Sunday I thought I’d get my old friend (and grappling specialist) Chris Bateman from Drum & Bates in for a chat. We break down the best and worst WWF/WWE entrance music, reveal Batesy’s secret alter ego ‘Kid Sexy’, and make some unconvincing Wrestlemania predictions. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 16: Wrestlemania Special with Chris Bateman appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I’m joined by Benén Dillon and Tony Moore from Northern Irish skateboarding collective Joyalists. We talk about music in and around the skateboarding scene – the soundtracks of big skate vids (David Bowie, The Stooges, Witch, and New Order) and the gnarly skaters in the Northern Irish music scene (And So I Watch You From Afar, Hornets, Peter Brien and Torgas Valley Reds). The guys also talk about the changing face of skating in Northern Ireland and their recent movements as Joyalists, including a video made with the band Documenta. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy …
The post Ep. 15: Joyalists (Benén Dillon & Tony Moore) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week my favourite Omagh troubadour Mickey McCullagh popped round for a cup of tea and a chat about his musical journey – from writing and riffing for jangle-pop upstarts Colenso Parade to his recent ramblings as a soloist under the moniker Son of the Hound. Along the way we touch on The Pogues, The Beatles, local accents and the roundabout in Galway that shares my name. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 14: Mickey McCullagh (Son of the Hound) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I chat to Emily Dedakis from Accidental Theatre about immersive theatre and performance art ahead of her upcoming show ‘Gordon Osràm’s Funeral’. But the real reason I wanted to sit down with Emily was to discuss what she describes as her ‘personal musical origin stories’ – a little phenomenon where she transports an artist’s place of origin to a place where she made a special connection with the music; be it a park bench, a car or a shower. Some choice picks include Ash, Jimi Hendrix, The Strokes, The Pixies, The Beatles, Soul Coughing. Read Emily’s full list of personal music origin stories here: http://thejewelcase.johndarcy.com/docs/Dedakis.pdf The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays…
The post Ep. 13: Emily Dedakis appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I caught up with Jan Carson who is in the midst of launching her new book ‘Children’s Children’. Jan shares her love of magic-realism, medical dramas and her musical influences including Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, Emmylou Harris, Love and Cliff Richard. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 12: Jan Carson appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I chat to Richard Davis from Heliopause about finding, refinding and refining his artistic voice on the new album ‘How Can We Laugh After This..’ We talk about Richard’s major musical influences including The American Analog Set, Mogwai, Smashing Pumpkins and Sufjan Stevens; as well as and his recent favourites Warpaint, Perfume Genuis and Jenny Hval. Photo of Richard by Rob Orchard The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 11: Richard Davis (Heliopause) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week Aimee, Cheylene and Ryan – the synth pop dreamboats Beauty Sleep – join me to talk about their musical roots, the prospect of starting a new band and their new single ‘The Dark’. Photo of Beauty Sleep by Megan-Cáitlín Dallat The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 10: Beauty Sleep appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
Following the launch of his new book Paper Cuts, I’m joined by author Colin Bateman to talk punk rock, local newspapers and his hatred of banjos. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 9: Colin Bateman appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week I’m joined by musician, lecturer and mixologist Paul Stapleton. We’re talking about improvisation in music and elsewhere – covering some of Paul’s influences and delving into some of his recent projects including QUBe and Fauna. We also can’t avoid letting the conversation drift to basketball. Somewhere around the midway point Paul persuades me to do a solo performance of John Zorn’s improvisation piece Cobra, so it’s worth a listen just to hear me squirm… Along the way Paul shares some of his CD collection via choice tracks from Jimi Hendrix, Charles Mingus, AMM, Christian Marclay, Django Reinhardt and more. …
The post Ep. 8: Playing the Changes with Paul Stapleton appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
After seeing John Grant last week I got thinking about artists who have redefined themselves after moving to a different city. For the first half hour I’m honing in on Van Morrison, John Lennon, David Bowie and John Grant. In the second half hour I chat to the delightful Chris Ryan from Robocobra Quartet about relocating to Northern Ireland. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 7: Move On Up and Out – with guest Chris Ryan (Robocobra Quartet) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week John catches up with Ryan McGroarty – guitarist, vocalist and producer with a bunch of great Northern Irish bands including Wonder Villains, A Bad Cavalier, Future Chaser and his new project Beauty Sleep. They’re taking a trip to 1991 – the year Ryan was born and the 25th anniversary of some landmark releases from Primal Scream, Blur, R.E.M, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpikins, My Bloody Valentine, Massive Attack and Bart Simpson. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 6: ’91 with Ryan McGroarty (Wonder Villains / Beauty Sleep) appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.
This week John welcomes back Ciaran Logue for a follow up to their chat last week. They’re mulling over their favourite shows again – this time turning their attention to a music festival they have attended together over the past couple of years – Primavera Sound. Songs from Parquet Courts, St. Vincent, Yeasayer, Haim, FKA Twigs, Tune-Yards, Sufjan Stevens, Van Dyke Parks, Mulatu Astatke and Antibalas. The Jewel Case broadcasts Tuesdays at 8pm on Lisburn’s 98FM, Bangor FM and FM105 Down Community Radio. Contact @_johndarcy // Dig into the archive
The post Ep. 5. Factor 50 festival with Ciaran Logue appeared first on THE JEWEL CASE.