Patrick James

Below is a list of my Top Ten favourite Christmas Songs. While it counts down to what is simply my own personal Number 1 favourite, I felt it would be nice to wrap up what has been a wonderful year of reviewing several musician acts, with something a little festive… and a couple of Youtube Christmas Videos to boot!  Just my way of wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.

10. Every Year, Every Christmas – Luther Vandross

9. Little Drummer Boy – David Bowie and Bing Crosby

8. Cool Yule! – Bette Midler!

7. What if – Kate Kinslet.

6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Andrea Bocelli

5. Let it Snow! – Dean Martin

4. Christmas Shoes – New Song

3. Driving Home For Christmas – Chris Rea

2. Fairytale Of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty McColl

1. A Christmas to Remember – Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (This Week’s Featured Video!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY YEAR EVERYONE !

Is it a good thing when technology makes the unattainable easily accessible… and can the realm of the virtual offer the same allure as the realm of the actual? Apparently so, if Xbox and Play Station style game sales are anything to go by, but several of these games are fantasy based, with a number of them having no real world comparison.

What if the computer based game has a real life counterpart with beyond legendary status as is the case with a Vegas Casino?

Does the gaming experience of online casino games have the same allure for players? One thing comes to mind. While I have never been an ardent gambler and have always been well aware of the limitations of my own luck, I have always loved a little flutter on the two-penny falls, whenever I visited the fairground – something about the physical aspects of the win and the sounds of the coins falling into the pick-up tray, was the only hook I needed to run the risk of losing a few coppers. No amount of computer graphics or special virtual audio can recreate that for me… Maybe not ever!

Regardless, the online Vegas Casino industry is responsible for an annual fortune in revenue each year… so it offers something else! Simply based on my own experiences and the excitement with a fairground wager, I can only imagine Las Vegas in person (yet alone a local casino) must be over-whelming and the temptation to over-indulge must be daunting beyond belief… So is it possible that people feel safer playing the game-of-odds online and from the comfort of their own home? Could it be, that for so many people like myself the possibility of ever being able to visit Las Vegas, is just something way beyond what is ordinarily attainable and internet technology allows people a glimpse into that world of bright lights from the convenience of their home computer?

Hitman Lord makes this weeks featured video with Wanna Healing Music, the evocative and melodious diamond of Rocktronic pop with Sprur-burning accoustic rythm blended through a superbly crafted musical works. The video really makes the grade too with a Wild At Heart feel that would do David Lynch proud!

Hitman Lord has preformed with a wide variety of artists including: Boss Volenti, Glen Hansard, Jinx Lennon, The Minutes & Damien Dempsey. He has also performed as part of the “Phantom Live Friday” gigs, by invitation. His live performances have been described as “spiritual”, and his distinctive voice and sound has seen him win over audiences in some of the most prestigious venues in both Ireland and overseas in the UK.

Taking influences from ol’ school classic song writing values as much as future music sonic-visionists. Hitman Lord believes that “however much you push with technology to find new sonic territory there must be the beating heart of a true blood and guts song for music to have genuine gravity and purpose”, so craft and storytelling mean as much to him as discovering a brand new noise, he wants to find his own musical landscape and says that people are more than welcome to come and take a visit.

The Sunday Independant declare that “Hitman Lord’s sound will make people sit up and take notice”.

HOTPRESS say he is “The genuine article, making the most delicious pop music from this island at the moment or anywhere for that matter”.

Hitman Lords New Single “Wanna Healing Music” Out Now!!
Hitman Lord on Itunes:

Hitman Lord on Amazon:

downloadmusic.ie/hitmanlord

Foinse, in a strange twist to an ongoing story of demise and reicarnation, Ireland’s biggest Irish language newspaper has announced that the newly reborn Foinse newspaper will be distributed free every Wednesday, starting 18 November with the Irish Independent, the largest selling national daily in Ireland.

Back in June I asked all you to join me in signing my “Petition To Save Foinse” – Ireland’s then, Last Irish Language Newspaper. The response was amazing with thousands of signatures which were sent to Pádraig Ó Ceidigh, owner of Foinse at the time, Brian Cowen, Éamon Ó Cúiv and Foras na Gaeilge – Sadly, back then the Irish newspaper would not be saved and was let to perish leaving a cultural void in Ireland.

NOW IT’s BACK!

The newly revitalised Irish language newspaper, will now have a weekly circulation of 152,204 through the Irish Independent promoting and encouraging the Irish language and culture on a truly nationwide scale. Foinse will also feature seven pages of attractively presented learning tools and texts for all ages and levels of knowledge.

Source: The Irish Independent

Related Posts.

Foinse

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Musical Youth Foundation (CHY#18624) ‘Launch Party’ Fundraiser

On Thursday November 26th The Village Venue on Wexford Street will play host to the Musical Youth Foundation’s (CHY18624) launch party fundraiser.

Entertainment will be provided by five of Ireland’s most promising emerging artists including; Fiach, Carosel, Iseult Sheehy, the River Valley Band and winners of Rising Stars 2009, Mob Fandango!

Venue: The Village Venue, Wexford Street
Doors: 8pm / Show 8.30pm

Tickets for this exclusive show are just €5. + booking fees and are available from www.wavtickets.com & www.tickets.ie .  All proceeds will go directly to the Musical Youth Foundation which will shortly be making a donation to a Dublin City community centre. The donated funds will be used to establish a music education programme for underprivileged children.

The ‘Musical Youth Foundation’ (CHY#18624) was established by Dublin City Soul Festival as part of our desire to effect positive change on the local community.

Aside from independent fund raising initiatives the MYF will benefit, in part from the future financial success of the Dublin City Soul Festival with a percentage of ticket sales revenue going directly to the MYF in due course. Furthermore it is hoped that the MYF can encourage Irish concert promoters to follow suit and make an annual contribution to the foundation for the benefit of the local and wider community.

Long term plans for the Musical Youth Foundation include the establishment of satellite groups in major cities across Ireland. Furthermore the MYF aim to establish a Music Academy in Dublin City, where children under 18 can go to practise their instruments, establish bands and benefit from mentoring from industry experts including high profile artists in a safe and secure environment.

Donations to the Musical Youth Foundation can be made via their official website Please think kindly of helping out; www.musicalyouthfoundation.com (new site launches very soon!!!)

Recently there has been a lot in the news about the “Big C” (cancer) and various developments taking place in medical research.  One of the most insidious things about this particular disease is that it affects everyone – directly and indirectly and ovarian cancer is no exception.Ovarian cancer is the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer, according to the WHC (is the second leading cause of death due to gynaecological malignancies in the world ) – translating into a devastating number of women and their families lives being affected by this life-threatening illness.

Women diagnosed with the disease have a 15 per cent chance of surviving beyond the first five years if the cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage. The five-year survival rate is 80 per cent if the cancer is detected early however a study suggests that “women with ovarian cancer are dying because GPs are failing to detect the early signs of the disease”. One very simple fact that highlights the necessity for medical research and development of a cure.

In my research of the subject, I noted one such company working on a treatment cure are Biocancell, which develops ovarian and bladder cancer treatments based on the use of H19 gene. Interestingly, the first cancer treatment utilizing H19, designated BC-819, works to destroy cancerous cells only. BC-819 is in the clinical trial stage for treatment of ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer and superficial bladder cancer. It has also been tested in compassionate use trials for liver cancer and kidney TCC. Clinical results have shown effectiveness in removing existing cancerous growths and keeping patients clear of new growths.

Ovarian and bladder cancer clinical trials are recruiting for BioCancell’s OVARIAN CANCER first treatment, BC-819. To be eligible to participate in this study, patients must meet a number of inclusion/exclusion criteria. For more information fill the information request form. Continue to check this website as trial information and locations are being updated periodically.

http://www.biocancell.com

To mark today’s release of the Fabulous NEW Single “CRAWL UP” from MUGGER DAVE this week’s featured video is Freak.

Mugger Dave (previousily reviewed here) have been rightly hailed as ‘One of Ireland’s most promising Act’s!’ by The Irish Times, and given their ability to write and record ‘Custom Made songs for Radio’ (HOTPRESS), we can expect to hear a lot more from this Galwegian trio upon the release of their new single ‘CRAWL UP’ on Oct 30th 2009.

With a highly popular reputation that contiunes to grow, Mugger Dave have performed live on TG4’s Sile show, and where included on the IMRO 2008 Showcase tour. Their song, ‘My Life In Circles’, was featured on the IMRO Showcase CD and distributed nationally with the Daily Star newspaper. The band are currently preparing for the release of their debut album, “What’s She Doing Here?” Their last single ‘Got A Lot On My Mind’ received airtime on Phantom FM, RTE2XM, Beat FM, WLRFM, LIVE95 and many more. It was also awarded “Single of the Week” on Radio Na Life.

IT’s available now but Why Not ENJOY A Sample Listen to CRAWL! Then enjoy the video

01 CRAWL UP – New single by MUGGER DAVE by GoodSeedPR

Band MySpace: www.myspace.com/muggerdave

Upcoming Shows ( view all )
12 Dec 2009 20:00
The Cellar bar in Derry Derry, Northern Ireland
4 Feb 2010 20:00
All Ireland Battle of The Bands- Lough Erne Hotel in Kesh, Co Fermanagh. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
23 Feb 2010 20:00
SU Sessions NUI Galway Galway, Galway

Emmet Scanlan & What the Good Thought are this weeks featured video with “Under the Weather” – Lead single from debut album ‘Hands’.

Emmet Scanlan, lead man to What The Good Thought- has had a very busy year to date. Voted one of Ireland’s Top 50 bands, Emmet Scanlan & WTGT provided the wonderfully, yet delicately crafted soundtrack for the Irish Short film “Without Words” that ‘won best film’ at the The Bablegum Film Festival, judged by the highly esteemed director Spike Lee.

Available to buy now from iTunes and www.emmetscanlan.com.