Hooleygan.
Book Launch Party
Oh! Yeah Centre, Belfast
7th October 2010
Personally speaking, its a real eye opener when you finally realise that its an 'in
your face' fact. That the long unsociable hours that make up your working day
grind, are limiting your ever decreasing free time to blow off some steam and
enjoy yourself more and more as the years go by. Strange how the hours
increase but your pay doesn't!
Knowing I had to get up at 04.30 am next morning, hardly had me champing at the bit to attend this
party/gig. But I felt a sense of duty to be there to support the future 'Lord Mayor of Belfast ' and all
round good guy Mr Terri Hooley. As it was his big night. So a supreme effort was made by 'Spiky
Steve' and me to attend.
We arrived really late, so we missed the press party (with free beer) plus a number of the scheduled
live bands/acts all from conflicting genres. But I'm glad to say I sorted out my previously stated
differences with the member of Stop Stop Start Again. We both realised it was all a bit silly and had
a laugh about it, though he told me they played the same four song set earlier as they did at the
'TCFTE' gig, including the much derided Sex Pistols/Cher' mash up. After speaking to a number of
other punters, it looks like I'm not the only one who thinks it's a bad choice, and has got to go.
Majority opinion also agrees that their new song 'Serge Gainsborough' is quite catchy.
We did catch the 'Lee Hedley Band ' doing their R&B thing seemingly midway through a set of well
known standards. To be honest, we didn't pay
much attention preferring to mingle and earwig
the latest news with friends and acquaintances.
But they did go down well with the ahem!, more
senior members of the capacity audience.
For our third time in as many months there
was 'John D'arcy' onstage. But unlike our
previous solo acoustic encounters, this time he
was doing a 'Dylan' and going electric with his
band 'The Great Bunch Of Lads' (that's a shite
name!). I'm starting to like this guy, he has
some excellent self penned tunes, plus they
played a loud and noisy cover of The Modern
Lovers 'Roadrunner', just as it should be
done. I can see why 'Terri Hooley' is such a
fan of the new wavey 'John D'arcy'.
Next up and unannounced it was the local
press darlings and supposedly NI's next big
thing 'Cashier No9'. If you like long faces,
'madchester' bowl cut and floppy fringed
haircuts, with jangly indie pop guitars, then
they are the band for you. I don't like that stuff,
though their synth laden 45 'When Jackie
Shone' wasn't bad. But I couldn't wait for them
to finish, and I mean that literally, we left and
went home at this point.
The clock was against me as the gig was
now over-running by an hour! So there
was no way I could stay because of my
impending time to get up again for work
deadline. Inevitably the last $hame
Academy show of 2010 had to be
sacrificed (Sacré bleu - Peter DC). Didn't
know how their performance went? But
they're always good value, so we took it
as read that it was going to be business
as usual. Unfortunately next day I was
informed that because of the messing
about with the running times, and some
seriously aggravating onstage sound
gremlins. It was by no means as full on
an '$A' show as it should have been,
especially on a night of celebration like
this.
As we were walking along the street
outside the venue, we had a natter
about the book (and my pic of him which was used in the final draft) with the main-man himself 'Terri Hooley. As I hadn't bought a copy yet, (always-the-businessman!),
he reminded me to make sure I bought it from 'Good Vibes'. Which, hand on heart, I promised to do. Like many others from the original punk era, I've been in 'Terri
Hooleys' orbit on and off for over 32 years. The man is most definitely a one off! We've all got a lot of time for Terri, so I'm glad the night was such a personal success
for him. He deserves all the plaudits coming his way. Now lets get that bio pic/movie finished and up there on the big screen, or on a pirate DVD at least lol.
Joe Donnelly Belfast 10.10.10
Book Launch Party
Oh! Yeah Centre, Belfast
7th October 2010
Personally speaking, its a real eye opener when you finally realise that its an 'in
your face' fact. That the long unsociable hours that make up your working day
grind, are limiting your ever decreasing free time to blow off some steam and
enjoy yourself more and more as the years go by. Strange how the hours
increase but your pay doesn't!
Knowing I had to get up at 04.30 am next morning, hardly had me champing at the bit to attend this
party/gig. But I felt a sense of duty to be there to support the future 'Lord Mayor of Belfast ' and all
round good guy Mr Terri Hooley. As it was his big night. So a supreme effort was made by 'Spiky
Steve' and me to attend.
We arrived really late, so we missed the press party (with free beer) plus a number of the scheduled
live bands/acts all from conflicting genres. But I'm glad to say I sorted out my previously stated
differences with the member of Stop Stop Start Again. We both realised it was all a bit silly and had
a laugh about it, though he told me they played the same four song set earlier as they did at the
'TCFTE' gig, including the much derided Sex Pistols/Cher' mash up. After speaking to a number of
other punters, it looks like I'm not the only one who thinks it's a bad choice, and has got to go.
Majority opinion also agrees that their new song 'Serge Gainsborough' is quite catchy.
We did catch the 'Lee Hedley Band ' doing their R&B thing seemingly midway through a set of well
known standards. To be honest, we didn't pay
much attention preferring to mingle and earwig
the latest news with friends and acquaintances.
But they did go down well with the ahem!, more
senior members of the capacity audience.
For our third time in as many months there
was 'John D'arcy' onstage. But unlike our
previous solo acoustic encounters, this time he
was doing a 'Dylan' and going electric with his
band 'The Great Bunch Of Lads' (that's a shite
name!). I'm starting to like this guy, he has
some excellent self penned tunes, plus they
played a loud and noisy cover of The Modern
Lovers 'Roadrunner', just as it should be
done. I can see why 'Terri Hooley' is such a
fan of the new wavey 'John D'arcy'.
Next up and unannounced it was the local
press darlings and supposedly NI's next big
thing 'Cashier No9'. If you like long faces,
'madchester' bowl cut and floppy fringed
haircuts, with jangly indie pop guitars, then
they are the band for you. I don't like that stuff,
though their synth laden 45 'When Jackie
Shone' wasn't bad. But I couldn't wait for them
to finish, and I mean that literally, we left and
went home at this point.
The clock was against me as the gig was
now over-running by an hour! So there
was no way I could stay because of my
impending time to get up again for work
deadline. Inevitably the last $hame
Academy show of 2010 had to be
sacrificed (Sacré bleu - Peter DC). Didn't
know how their performance went? But
they're always good value, so we took it
as read that it was going to be business
as usual. Unfortunately next day I was
informed that because of the messing
about with the running times, and some
seriously aggravating onstage sound
gremlins. It was by no means as full on
an '$A' show as it should have been,
especially on a night of celebration like
this.
As we were walking along the street
outside the venue, we had a natter
about the book (and my pic of him which was used in the final draft) with the main-man himself 'Terri Hooley. As I hadn't bought a copy yet, (always-the-businessman!),
he reminded me to make sure I bought it from 'Good Vibes'. Which, hand on heart, I promised to do. Like many others from the original punk era, I've been in 'Terri
Hooleys' orbit on and off for over 32 years. The man is most definitely a one off! We've all got a lot of time for Terri, so I'm glad the night was such a personal success
for him. He deserves all the plaudits coming his way. Now lets get that bio pic/movie finished and up there on the big screen, or on a pirate DVD at least lol.
Joe Donnelly Belfast 10.10.10
