This week KEVIN MAGEE savours a mellifluous opening weekend at the new Brickwork Lounge (formerly Mason's) and grabs a chat with a couple of the live acts who were performing.
Music is as important to Derry people as tobacco onions or a new found-expertise on European Union politics and as such, the venues (places where music lives) are as important.
Over the past weekend The Brickwork Lounge opened in the old Masons building. The building itself is a treasure trove of music memories for anybody who’s ever seen a band, DJ or stand-up comedian in the town before.
Following the success of the Brickwork restaurant in the building opposite, owner Damien McLaughlin set about extending the atmosphere he and his team created in a lounge setting. Great music over the opening weekend included Great White Lies, Our Krypton Son with Adam Leonard and Tara Gi. Noel McLaughlin added that they were starting as the bar aims to continue by bringing original acts to play their original material - a rarefied treat in bars these days.
Over the years every musical genre and fan has found a home in the Magazine Street club, and after a serious refurbishment the original spirit looks set to continue. Manager Alison Murray said: “We're not trying to reinvent the wheel but hope to create somewhere chilled out with a good selection of drinks and some great music."
Helping to kick off the opening weekend celebrations was Chris McConaghy, or Our Krypton Son, or the guitarist from Invaderband, I posed some important questions to him:
What do you really think of that Adam Leonard fella?
“For a man of advanced years with no functional memory, he’s a bloody good songwriter.”
What have been your personal highlights this year?
“Releasing Fleas & Diamonds on vinyl and all the great coverage and reviews I've been lucky enough to get. Seeing a bit of the country on tour with Duke Special and being nominated for album of 2017 at the NI Music Prize awards. It’s been a good year.”
What music grabbed you?
“Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree. Luke Haines - Smash The System and Leonard Cohen's swansong, You Want It Darker.”
What local music grabbed you?
"Malojian's new record, Let Your Weirdness Carry You Home. Duke Special - Hallow and Autre Monde's self-titled EP. I also really enjoyed Paddy Nash's new record, Rosborough's new single and Arborist's debut album. Anxiously awaiting new material from Conor Mason, Ryan Vail and Strength NIA."
What are the plans/hopes for next year?
“I'm putting out a new single and an EP at the start of the year. The hope is to have album number 3 out next year too.”
What’s Santa bringing you?
“The new Beano annual. And a bag of mandarin oranges.”
I then went and told Adam what Chris said behind his back and asked him the same questions
What do you really think of that Chris McConaghy fella?
“He’s a good lad. I like his hats. I taught him everything he knows, but not everything I know”
What have been your personal highlights this year?
"Numerous. Twenty-year anniversary with my lucky wife, Blathnaid. A close second was the release of ‘Pinewood Smile’ the fifth album by Justin Hawkins-fronted rock juggernaut The Darkness, and the associated gigs I have attended recently. In terms of my own tiny contributions to recorded music, the Invaderband album being shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Music Prize Album of the Year was unexpected and truly fantastic. I also finished recording a long term project of mine: re-soundtracking '70s disaster film ‘The Poseidon Adventure’ with krautrock."
What music grabbed you?
“Too many to mention. Snapped Ankles, Heart, Spunk Volcano, Paddy Steer, James Holden, The Buckinghams, Richard Harris, Toydrum, Embrace (always), Flat Worms, Oingo Boingo, Oh Sees. The best new release I heard this year was '50 Song Memoir' by The Magnetic Fields.”
What local music grabbed you?
“The Our Krypton Son album 'Fleas & Diamonds' is wonderful, and it makes me try harder with my song writing. He has natural gifts that I attempt to replicate with manual craft. Hats off to Chris. Rosborough's new single is amazing. I also love The Barbiturates. People need to see them live. If we're classing Dublin as local, then Autre Monde's debut EP is superb and finally back to Derry for Strength NIA. Rory Moore and co are a cut above and everyone knows it. Brilliant.”
What are the plans/hopes for next year?
“To be happy and healthy. Music wise, I've got a lot of solo stuff finished or underway, some of which will come out in 2018 including a super stylish 7-inch single with the Polytechnic Youth label. An Invaderband album will be progressed too. Hopefully some Invaderband or solo gigs off Ireland too.”
What’s Santa bringing you?
"I've a feeling he's going to bring me a small but powerful synthesizer this year.”
If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Derry Now editorial team on 028 7129 6600 for Derry City stories Or 028 7774 3970 for County Derry stories. Or you can email gareth@derrynews.net at any time.