News

May 2008

John Earle

A LAST FAREWELL TO JOHN

It is with a great deal of sadness and very fond memories that today we say a final farewell to the legendary sax-player John Earle - well known to Lizzy afficionados and a regular and hugely popular guest at Vibes down through the years.
Our thoughts go out to John's closest friends and family for their loss. He will be greatly missed.
May 7th 2008

March 2008

VISIT THE GALLERIES NOW!

And with only nine months shopping left until Chrtistmas (!!!!) the long awaited and much anticipated Vibe For Philo 2008 Video Galleries and finally online. Glitches caused by the video conversion meant that I'm a couple of weeks behind shedule on this update - we'd have let you enjoy the videos before now but the donload time would have been appalling!
I've also been extremely busy at work too over the past month which accounts for my apparent disappearance from the scene - but the bills have to be paid, SWMBO needs her wardrobe kept up to date and the kids need a-feeding ... so work takes precedence on occassion!!!!

Meanwhile, enjoy 13 juicy slices of Vibe 2008 and the phenomenal artistry shown by everyone on that stage on January 4th!

FEBRUARY 2008
 
Download & print off your invite - Bleedin' Rapid!

Click on the link above to download & print off your Uncle
Smiley's Birthday Bash invite - it couldn't be simpler!.
You will need Adobe Reader to view & print the invite, if you
don't have this installed you can get it for free here...


Uncle $miley's 60th Birthday Bash!!

Today, paying your dues, is surviving to the final round of some X-Factor inspired TV Show, before graduating to the obscurity of Z-List Celebrity bashes. With downloadable music, 24 hour video shows on TV and the internet, not to mention numerous venues, summer festivals, and almost anyone who's anyone playing Dublin, it's hard to imagine that life was once different. Rock'n'Roll was literally underground, clubs being founded in the former kitchens and basements of decaying Georgian houses. Backlines were Vox AC30s carried to gigs on the bus, or more exotically on the back of sturdy bicycle. Lighting rigs, where they existed, were boxes of 100watt bulbs with coloured gels that your mate switched on and off. The PA was 300 watts (or less), which the keyboard player operated in between fills. Disc Jockeys "spun discs". The rock media consisted of a single column by Pat Egan in New Spotlight magazine and Ken Stewards show on Radio Eireann. Apart from a few venues in Dublin, Cork and Belfast, the circuit was the preserve of Showbands and Country'n'Irish with concerts largely consisting of the Christmas Gigs at the Stadium from Lizzy, Rory and Horselips.

Someone had to break the mould, and Smiley Bolger was to the forefront of it all. As DJ, Promoter, Roadie, Soundman, Journalist, Talent Scout, Publisher/Editor, TV Presenter, Pirate Radio Jock, and a host of other jobs which even he can't remember, Smiley has left an indelible mark on the Irish Rock'n'Roll landscape. Clubs such as Moran's and McGonagles played not only an important role as an outlet for local talent but in a gig starved Ireland allowed many to see the emerging acts that NME and Melodymaker raved about and realise that our own were just as good.

It's not surprising that the Dublin.ie website recently placed Smiley among the 61 things we love about Dublin - making him the only Rock personality to be so distinguished.


Uncle Smiley's 60th Birthday Bash
The Button Factory, Curved St. Temple Bar D2
Monday 31st March '08 ...8.30 for 9pm

Terms of Entrance, Compulsory Donation 10 euro Minimum to RESPECT

Come on down for a Night of Sentimental Fun, Frolicks & Dance. All are welcome - whether you know him personally or not - he'd like to see you all.

JANUARY 2008

13.01.08

Wow! How about that for a Vibe??!! I think it's got to rate as one of the best to date - a fantastic line-up and a powerhouse show from start to finish. Many thanks to everyone on the bill and all the fans who made the trek from all over Ireland, Europe and the World!

We'll be posting the ever-popular Video Galleries very soon (as soon as I get my mits on the masters), but in the meantime, enjoy some of the photos from the shows at the link below...

 


04.01.08

Fast update for anyone checking in on VIBE DAY!!!! - Check out the latest photos from last nights PRE-VIBE HERE

ENJOY THE SHOW TONIGHT!


 

02.02.08

Lizzy Logo
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS!!!

The original Thin Lizzy Live & Dangerous light logo is now operational and on public display at Filmbase (right opposite the Button Factory) - which means we'll all have the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with a hallowed piece of Philo history!!!.

Full cred to Vibe lighting supremo Rob Molenaar for getting this piece of Vibe history going. and many thanks to Filmbase and Stephen Kane for their cooperation on the project! Cheers also to Henry, Pat, Steven and John for the hard work!

ENJOY!!!

Smiley's Word updated
See here....


The Vibe - Proposed Running Order

8.pm - Doors / Video Intro
9.15 - Tizz Lizzy < opening set >
9.45 - Satoshi Shibata/ Jimmy Coup

9.55 - Houseband & Guests - Pt 1
Barry James / Dave Mc Guinness / Cait o Roirdan

10.35 - Mighty Stef
10.45 - Gnasher
11.30 - Ronan Byrne

11.40 - Houseband - Pt 2
Guests - Ditch Cassidy / Colm Quirney

12.05 - Raffle for Heart Foundation of Ireland / Philomena Lynott

12.15 - The Southbound Band
1.00 - Video Special - Clann Eaddir
1.15 - Tizz Lizzy < closing set >

Ps - Subject to change / PPs - "I Love You" - Philo .....$


29.12.07

Less Than A Week To Go - Panic!!!.
Had you going there, didn't we!!!! Christmas over and New Year's on the way ... last hurdle before the main event!

Just a wee addition for you today: congrats go out to competition winners Bert Vanderholt - who nabs a pair of tickets to the 2008 Vibe - and Sarah Langton - who gets her choice of t-shirts from the event.


28.12.07

Lizzy Stage Logo to go on display in Temple Bar.
Today we take the massive light shows at Rock Gigs as a given. Yet not so long ago even basic light effects were primitive, often boxes of light bulbs with coloured gells which one of the Rodies would switch on and off in sequence to the music. Pink Floyd may have changed all that at Pompeii, but most bands had to rely on the ingenuity and resources of their road crew.
Such an example is the famous Thin Lizzy mirror logo from the "Live and Dangerous" era. Drawing inspiration from the Ballrooms of Romance, the Lizzy Crew constructed the logo from small mirrors and lightbulbs, which, when lit creatively, generated the most stunning effects.
As part of this years Vibe, the Logo backdrop has been dusted off and will shine once more when its exhibited with other Lizzy related material at the Film Base premised in Curve Street from Wed 2nd January, in the run-up to the show at the Button Factory. It's a real piece of Irish Rock'n' Roll history and will afford fans the opportunity to have their photo taken with the Logo in "full flight".


21.12.07

KCLRFM
Anyone around on Sat. Dec. 22nd, 9pm-11pm (Irish time) can tune into KCLR's Martin Bridgeman - The Eclectic Light Programme, who'll be interviewing Smiley and running a competition for tickets (for both the Vibe & Matinee Shows) no doubt playing some tasty Lizzy & Philo related nuggets. If you're in the Kilkenny/Carlow area, you can tune your radio in to 96.0 MHz, 96.6 MHz, 96.9 MHz, or if you're further afield you can logon online through their website on http://www.kclr96fm.com/ . It's an excellent show at the best of times, and you can text in your requests to 0872969696 - where else would you get it??

Wow - helluva response to the competition friends! Many thansk to everyone who has already entered: still a couple of days to go yet, so get those emails coming via the Competition Page!

The Usual Suspects!.
[Above] At a recent soiree!!! Frank Murray, the legendary Thin Lizzy Tour Manager (and childhood friend of Philip), a radiant Philomena Lynott and the inimitable Smiley Bolger. We're hoping to have Frank aboard for participation in a future Vibe. Thanks to Graham for this shot.

There will be a couple of additions to the Vibe line-up over the next day or so, so check the latest out of the Vibe 2008 page. Finally, the 2008 Vibe Merchandise has been signed off, sealed and delivered and it's looking very tasteful. That's it for now. Cheers!


20.12.07

Gnasher Dublin 1207

The flights are landing and the artists have been hard at it, rehearsing, jamming, sharing the odd Savage Smyth Ciderette and so on... And we're down to 2 weeks of hush before the 2008 Vibe for Philo kicks off the New Year in style! And it's promising to be a stormer - reports from the latest reherasals sound like you're in for some serious, quality entertainment spread out over the three shows!

Our much-delayed Competiition is now online - it's gotta be a fast one though ... so check out the Competition Page via the menu to be in with a chance to win some Vibe goodies!

The Matinee is also coming together - it's a Vibe first so it'll be interesting to see how it all pans out! You can check out the Vibe for Philo 2008 Matinee Bebo blog for specific info by clickling the link below...


12.12.07

It's all beginning to come together friends! The line-up is expanding on an almost daily basis - check out the Vibe 2008 Page for the latest info on the show itself.

Plus, the Matinee is beginning to take shape too - with some cool extra acts being lined up (there are even some blogs online so check 'em out!).

The billboard posters are now up and running and the Vibe 2008 merchandise has been completed so look out for some tasty memorabilia if that's your thing.

The latest Press release will be online by Friday (if it's done by then!!!) plus our long overdue competition - if you fancy some Vibe goodies for Xmas, check it out!

NOVEMBER 2007

18.11.07

Delighted to annoumce that plans are underway to get the original Live & Dangerous Lizzy logo (as interpreted above) up and running as part of the Vibe in January - plenty of photo ops there for fans!.

Tickets for the show are going very well - looking forward to a full house for the main event already! That will leave openings for the one-off Matinee on January 5th which is promising to be a solid show with much of the main event line-up as well as special guests such as Glyder performing. Get 'em while they're hot!

Check out Smiley's Word too - which is being updated regularly at this stage!


 

10.11.07

It's update time again folks - with Smiley spitting beside me in sunny Corrandulla (in the wild west of Ireland) and we've been through a hectic Art Dept. session finishing off the last items for the 22nd Vibe....

Check out the Vibe 2008 page for the latest overhaul, including new acts and ticket info plus an updated what to do and where to stay section for ya!

Also watch out for our Competition, which we'll be kicking off this week...

Remember, all comments much appreciated on the forum!

OCTOBER 2007

27.10.07

A fair few updates for ya now! Newcomers should check out the Vibe 2008 page for all the latest news as it happens (sort of...). Recent visits from Jimmy in LA have added to the rocking goulash that is now officially The Hoodoo Rhythm Devils - the new concept 'house band' for Vibe 22.

Anyone in the capital can enjoy (or otherwise) the all new Vibe posters and flyers doing the rounds. Kudos to Robbie & Smiley for all the unexpected weekend work honing the artwork for public consumption!

For a personal blow-by-blow account of the Vibe-mobile in action, drop in the regularly updated Smiley's Word.

I'll be sending out the first batch of emails to Mailing List recipients around mid-November ... if you're not on it, just sign up via the menu...

Speaking of which - we only noticed that the menu was a bit too advanced for some of you lately - it's latest incarnation needed the latest Flashplayer to run but didn't give an error when it didn't show up on previous versions. Makes ya wonder who designs this bloody software at times!!!!

Meanwhile: Tickets are now available online from ticketmaster for the main event, and the matinee tickets should be available from the same folks in a week or so. Picture Tickets are also now available from the usual sources (anyone really desperate to get their mittens on some can contact us - make sure and mention VIBE TICKETS in your email subject)


08.10.07

Apologies to one and all for the postponed updates... Smiley has just come out of hospital after almost a fortnight - here's to a speedy recovery after a serious illness which left a lot of things up in the air but, with a little help from above we'll be back on track in no time...


VIBE FOR PHILO 2008 - JOHNNY THE FOX MEETS JIMMY THE WEED
Look out for the all new Vibe 08 page next weekend... But just to whet the appetite: we're looking at a complete overhaul of the Vibe concept to inject some new life into the event.

Johnny The Fox

For starters, the show will revolve around a new 'house band' idea that's been doing the rounds for a while but which we've finally decided makes a lot of sense. Top honcho will be the ever-popular Brian Grace (Vibe afficionados will remember Brian as guitarist with The Elite, The Southbound Band and, most recently, Gnasher). As well as a rocking bunch of musos, special guests will also join the band onstage throughout the night.

This will also be the first Vibe to stage a Matinee on January 5th - ideal for any younger fans or people who didn't get enough on the 4th!

Venue for both events in 2008 will be the all new Button Factory in Dublin's Temple Bar - centrally located for everyone.

Ticket prices to be confirmed as yet, but available via www.ticketmaster.ie in about a week or so.

Watch out for a serious update over the weekend....

SEPTEMBER 2007

11.09.07

Happy news all round friends - after much deliberation, the 22nd Vibe For Philo ball has been set rolling. We're only in the preliminary stages right now, with some tasty new ideas coming from several directions to overhaul and update the whole Vibe itself....


Smiley is currently on a well-deserved break for a bit and we look forward to getting him back in the driving seat for the weekend, with lots of news on the lineups and events planned for next January. So watch this space!!!

AUGUST 2007

05.08.07

After an extended break we're back in action friends. It's been a busy few months, with a lot of changes happening: some great times, and some sad times. Let's fill you in...


Let's kick off with the good news... The Vibe 2007 Video Galleries are now online! Check them out here


Frank with Robbo

Recently, we were saddened by the loss of the Vibe's Transportation supremo, Frankie 'Stallion' Murray, who has been a solid source of support and a seriously funny guy who kept everyone on their toes for a long time.

Right lads, start packing up!

Frankie was a popular Vibe team member and well-loved by all. He passed away after a short illness, made all the more poignant by the fact he was very young by some of our standards. Our deepest sympathy goes out to Frank's family and close friends - he will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

Enjoying the Vibe...


June 19th saw the arrival of my son, Oskar, both he and his mum are doing well, and I'm looking forward to giving him a good education on what good music should be! This will include regular lullaby sessions featuring classic Lizzy tracks!. Needless to say, a few sleepless nights have been the order of the day but that's all part of the fun!


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