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Friday, November 26, 2010

Movember Blues.

So I haven't written anything in quite some time. I'm totally aware of it. I've logged into blogger several times with the intention of pulling something interesting from the back of my brain but there wasn't much to say.
So since I posted last there have been some changes, some stuff that's unfortunately still very much the same and some new dreams for the future.

First there was Dubstep in Cork:

So myself, Adam, Jimmy and Aoife made our way to Cork for my friend Jonny's gig. It was all kinds of wobbly and everyone tripped balls.


Dubstep in Cork


And then there was Halloween:

Me and 3 out of 4 of my flatmates went to Galway city for Halloween night. It was pretty sweet until I passed out in the back of Aoife's car with Laurence and herself asleep in my lap. Aoife and myself were zombie pin up girls. Halloweens easy for girls. Take something sexy or girly, put zombie or evil in front of it and Bob's your granny, instant awesomeness.
Anyway, Adam was Old Gregg, the transsexual merman from The Mighty Boosh and Laurence was teen wolf.
We ended up at this house party and Adam ran into two other Mighty Boosh favourites; The Spirit of Jazz and The Hitcher, which was totally weird and unplanned. 


Halloween in Galway


Halloween in Galway
Aoife, Adam, laurence and Jimmy.

Halloween in Galway
The Hitcher, The Spirit of Jazz and Old Gregg.

Teen Wolf

Then there were the student protests:

I wrote a very rushed post on the student protests the day that it happened. Unfortunately I couldn't get a camera wire to post the pictures up at the time but I did get some pretty sweet photos though. I was so shaken and hyped up that it probably made very little sense.

Student Protest Dublin 2010

Student Protest Dublin 2010

Student Protest Dublin 2010

Student Protest Dublin 2010

Student Protest Dublin 2010

No Cuts; Student Protest Dublin 2010

Student Protest Dublin 2010

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Kurt Cobain Outfit Post

Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain by StephFunkadelic on Polyvore.com


So this is my version of a very well known Kurt ensemble. I don't know why I made this... boredom if anything. Stupid Sundays. I'm pretty sure making a fashion icon of Kurt is going against everything he believed in... whatever. If I had money I would bag this straight away. Stupid college raping my purse.


Angsty Autumn

I've been in a really odd I'm-an angry-19-year-old mood the past few weeks. Maybe it's due to the autumn weather or something. Of course it's obvious that I'm a bit late for the whole angsty teen thing, I mean I do know that. It's possible that it could be due to the fact that I have a mere 5 months of teenagerdom. It could well be a subconscious retaliation on my inevitable aging, whatever, I'll spare everyone the details of my abnormal anxieties. So here's Steph Funk's list of Autumny, angsty, angry and plain old fashioned depressing as fuck songs from the 80's and 90's. These songs have made us rage in our underwear, they've made us draw big angry black abyss circles in our teenage diary's, they have even lead us to curling up in the fetal position on our Ikea beds. I want to share them with you, god knows why... and tell you a little bit about what makes them great and super depressing.


Teenage Riot -Sonic Youth



Song:   Teenage Riot
Band:   Sonic Youth
Album: Daydream Nation (1988)

It was definitely tough to choose from which dirty, distorted Sonic Youth number to pick. Teenage Riot is kind of an odd song for Sonic Youth. It's pretty clean in comparison to their other songs. Particularly stuff on their earlier albums. But it's still got a grunged up punk feel to it. Personally I love Goo and Dirty boots, both of which are kind of "fuck you" songs. However I think even the slightly cleaner guitar and vocals in Teenage Riot definitely do something to me, boil my blood or get me all riled up. If I listen to it on the way to college I get really pumped. I don't know about what really. Hearing Kim Gordon say "Say it don't spray it" and "We will fall", which is a reference to rock/punk legends The Stooges, another favourite band of mine, it's just brilliant. The introduction, her spoken word bit makes the song in my eyes. Or ears.
I don't know what the song is about. I've listened to it and kind of made my own interpretations in the past, after a little research I found out that I was way off. Byron Coley apparently said that it's based on a the band appointing J Mascis as their "de facto alternative dream president". Which is kind of weird.
Even though this lyric is more than likely something to do with J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), "Teenage riot in a public station, gonna fight tear it up in hypernation for you." That doesn't mean that I won't enjoy the messed up beauty of the song anyway.


Today -Smashing Pumpkins



Song:  Today
Band:  Smashing Pumpkins
Album: Siamese Dream (1993)

Today is depressing because despite what you might think on hearing and not listening the lyrics seem pretty upbeat, right? It's playing and you're singing along "Today is the greatest, day I've ever known." That's all lovely, Billy Corgan, the song writer, is having a lovely old time. In the video he's having a great time in that run away ice-cream truck. Then the song continues, "Can't live for tomorrow, tomorrow's much too long. I'll burn my eyes out, before I get out." After a few minutes of lyrics about regret and self mutilation in the form of pink ribbon scars you realise that the only reason Billy thought that today was beautiful is because it's his last. And it clicks that even with that cool little guitar riff the song is about suicide. He thinks that tomorrow's a waste of time. He reckons he's bruised and restrained and needs some angel wings to cleanse his regrets. So there you go a song about suicide that I saw on somebody's blog (not going to name names) in a "My favourite Summer songs post". That poor girl, fooled by Corgan's lyrical trickery that make us think it might be a happy enough tune.
In Guitar World 1995 Corgan said "When I added the opening riff, it completely changed the character of the song. Suddenly, I had a song that was starting out quiet and then got very loud" Good thinking Billy you bald bastard, you had us all fooled.


Disorder -Joy Division



Song:   Disorder
Band:   Joy Division
Album: Unknown Pleasures (1979)

Disorder is great for so many reasons. It goes something like this: drum beat for a few seconds, excellent bass riff kicks in, a little distorted guitar kicks in for another few seconds. Just when you thought the song was brilliant enough and it couldn't get any better than the melody you're hearing Ian Muthafuckin Curtis begins to sing. His trademark voice, deep and sad. The lyrics are brilliant, like most of Joy Division's songs they tell a story. Ian Curtis was certainly a man with a story to tell. He tells his own story most of the time. A socially awkward man who doesn't know how to deal with people or relationships. "I've been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand. Could these sensations make me feel the pleasures of a normal man?" This kind of tells us that he doesn't believe he feels what other people do, that he doesn't get the same pleasures out of living or whatever.
It was no secret that he had to deal with epilepsy and he had a fit at a gig or two. Ian Curtis took his own life in 1980, suffering with depression and the curse of a brilliant, poetic mind. The song could be about a lot of things, there were a lot of things going on in Curtis's life. Personally I reckon it might be about generally being defective and the chaos that comes with epilepsy. Basically the song is about disorder and I think everyone can relate to that. Anyway, here's some lyrics from the song. Some of my favourite lyrics ever:
"It's getting faster, moving faster now, it's getting out of hand. On the tenth floor, down the back stairs, it's a no man's land. Lights are flashing, cars are crashing, getting frequent now. I've got the spirit, lose the feeling, let it out somehow"


Story of an Artist -Daniel Johnston



Song:   Story of an Artist
Band:   Daniel D. Johnston
Album: Don't Be Scared Cassette (1985)

First off, this video is really cool. There is no official video for the song so this has been made by someone in youtube land with footage from the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Which is all kinds of awesome and is responsible for my personal discovery of this man and his music. There's a lot of sadness in this song. Daniel Johnston suffers with bi-polar disorder, which has been a problem throughout his life. For those of you who don't know, he's the guy who shoved an old woman out a window.
Daniel Johnston despite his illness, is a lyrical genius. He's a big fat man who is sad and lost and writes beautiful lyrics. He has an incredible and very unusual voice. The song, despite it's quiet, slow piano and strange vocals is another classic "fuck you" song. It's basically saying to all those people who don't take him or artists in general seriously, you know shut up, you don't get it. One of the first lyrics you hear is "Some would try for fame and glory, others aren't so bold." Which makes you a little sad for him and maybe it reflects on a small part of yourself. People are judging him which also relates to you in some way. "Why are you so odd?" They ask. Then he goes on to explain how the best things in life are free and he says to all the haters; "You've got me wrong, says he. The sun don't shine in your TV." and you realise that he's kind of just doing what he loves despite what everyone else thinks. And even though Daniel D Johnston isn't a grunger or a punk, the spirit is there, that free spirit. The lyrics from the begging of the song are altered slightly for the last line; "Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old. Some would try for fame and glory. Others just like to watch the world."
It's a happy song in a way, a kind of follow your heart song but it's sad too. It's sad that people judge and nobody understands him or you or whoever listens to the song and is reminded of themselves. It kind of does the opposite of Smashing Pumpkins Today, you think it's full of sorrow but then bam, he's fine with it.






The Stooges -I Wanna Be Your Dog



Song:    I Wanna Be Your Dog
Band:   The Stooges
Album: The Stooges (1969)

I love this song. It came out in 1969 and it sounds like something from the 1980's. It's rough, it's heavy and I love it. The key elements of the song are the very simple 3 chord guitar riff, Iggy's spectacular voice and the chilling sound of one piano note being pounded throughout the song. The song is probably one of The Stooges best known. It's simple, short and has no particularly memorable lyrics yet it's been covered by some of the greatest artists on the past few decades. The long list includes Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Slayer, RCHP and Sonic Youth.
Even though the lyrics are kind of left to be interpreted by the listener they can really only be about two things;
The obvious, raw sex. Which is what is insinuated in these lyrics; "So messed up, I want you here. In my room, I want you here. Now we're gonna be face to face and I lay right down in my favorite place." Some have even suggested that this part is about his desire to have sex with another dude. Whatever it was it was definitely some kind of sex.
There's also a more symbolic way of interpreting the lyrics. There is certainly a sense of self hatred that can be picked up by the key lyrics. "And now I wanna be your dog." This could be symbolic of Iggy's submission and his sense of self worth at the time of writing.
Despite the questionable lyrics and very simple song construction it is one of the greatest songs in rock and punk history. I can't really say much else about this song other than it fucking rocks.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

College/The Big Move/Freshers Week



Hey everyone! So firstly apologies for the crap quality webcam picture. I'm actually in bed about to go asleep so that I can attempt to roll out of bed and into college tomorrow morning. I'm sure that's obvious from my un-brushed hair and my bed time Pixies t-shirt. I wanted to share my little memento from my first few nights in the new house.

I've moved into my new house with two very old friends and two new-ish friends. My room is finally cosy and kitted out. I'm just waiting on my guitar to arrive from my "home" home. Tomorrow is day 3 of my photo-journalism course. So far it's pretty awesome and I hope by the time I finish in May I'll have 8 shiny distinctions and a place in Edinburgh or London!

It's a busy week with loads of freshers events on. Last night we went to Panti Bar, a really cool gay bar in town. There was a free stand up comedy and improv show. It was three quid pints of Fosters which wasn't bad. I had two and that was that, I decided I'd rather buy shampoo and conditioner than an extra drink.

Next on the agenda is another comedy show in my flatmate's college NUIM. We're going to see the live show of Hardy Bucks. Something that can only be appreciated by the Irish.
After that is Sunday, when I will be visiting the Dublin Flea Market where I hope to get a stand selling my home made canvas mirror things and my vintage clothing plus a short stop by the clothing swap meet in Shebeen Chic. (George's Street)
I'll also be dropping off a tattoo design soon and inquiring about having my ears stretched a little. I'll keep posted about my dull adventures anyway!

I'll be replying to any comments and emails that I've received tomorrow after college when I have a bit of time to spare! I have a little "how to be a broke student and still have an awesome time" post coming soon.

Night, night Blogger-heads!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Stephanie Funkadelic's Vintage/Thrifted clothes for sale!

Hey everyone, I got a package full of beautiful vintage clothing yesterday. Including two rare items, one from the 1950's! I also picked up some pretty items from a thrift shop. I'm so excited about them and they're really beautiful. It's going to be hard to say goodbye but here they are none the less. If you see anything you like I can be contacted here stephfunk19@hotmail.com

Rare 1950's Vintage Bed-jacket 


Price: €25

The first item is my favourite. A beautiful, rare 1950's bed jacket. It feels really light and silky. I think I'll shed a tear when someone purchases this little gem. The lace detail on the collar and sleeves plus the pink ribbon really make it stand out from the other items I found. Because it's very old there isn't a size on it but it fits me a UK size 12 and looks good on Roybn (below) a UK size 8.


Thrifted 80's style Denim Jacket



Price: €12

The next item for sale is a thrifted denim jacket. I found this in a charity shop not far from my house. I really like it, it's kind of 80's and is very versatile. It could be grunged up or worn with a pretty dress. Good with your woolies in the winter and great with shorts in the Summer. UK size 10.


Rare Vintage Martini Bag


Price: €20

This rare vintage Martini bag was probably once used as a ladies shopping bag back in the day. Now makes a really pretty bag for college or just a day slurping cinnamon coffee in Starbucks.


Thrifted Floral Pattern Dress



Price: €12


This floral dress was found in the same charity shop as the denim jacket. I had a lucky run in that shop! It's from H&M and is good as new. I probably would have kept it for myself bar the fact that it's too small for
me! It's a UK size 10.


Vintage Rope Pattern Knit Cardigan





Price: €20 
This vintage cardi is really great for autumn and winter. It's perfect for layering and it's really cosy for moseying about town on an autumn morning. Think crunchy leaves and, great winter boots and cute skinny jeans. It's about a UK size 12.


Vintage Floral Pattern Culottes


Price: €18

These vintage culottes are really bold and colourful. It takes a brave woman to pull these off right but when you do they look amazing. Personally items like these are my favourite find in vintage clothes stores because I know it's original, whacky and I'm definitely not going to turn up at a party wearing the same thing as 5 other people. They say "Made in Britain 14" on the label but I'm a 12 and it was a tight fit around the waist. They were slightly loose on Robyn as you can see in the photo and again she's a UK 8.  


Vintage Knitted Waistcoat




Price: €20
This waistcoat is very similar in colour to the vintage cardigan has really nice detail and it great for both autumn and Summer. Because it can be layered or worn with Summer attire it's very versatile. It's one of my favourite vintage items.


Ok well that's about it for today. I'll be posting some vintage sweetheart scarves in the next day or too and there are some awesome statement rings to come the following week! Anyhoo thanks to my little sister for modelling. Some of you might know her as Indie Star and she can be found here.

Friday, September 17, 2010

A lotta love for Love.





































I just wanted to dedicate a post to Courtney Love. I'm eating a Milky Bar yogurt and watching Courtney Love behind the music. Shedding a tear as I type. Damn you MTV!

It doesn't matter how much bad press she gets, the 14 year old grunger in me still thinks that she's awesome. She's a punk ass bitch and I love her. :)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Photos from Electric Picnic 2010

Here are some pictures from my favourite moments at Electric Picnic. I was having too much fun to bother taking snaps for most of the weekend but I think I got a few good ones!


Adam on a huge, crazy bike...

Adam on the giant recycled bicycle. He was so happy.

Aoife and myself. :)

Aoife and myself, I have a feeling this was one of the first days. We look too normal.

foals

The lead singer of the band Foals, who I love. It took us ages but we squished to the front and rocked out with a guy wearing a lampshade.

Old fashioned swing ride

This was an old fashioned swing set that we paid a mere fiver for. It was SO worth it though. One guy passed out got swung around for a good 10 minutes before anyone realised...

Adam @ Body and Soul stage

Body and Soul main stage @ Electric Picnic

Adam hanging out in Body and Soul. Such a great place, the fountain, the swings, the art, the cafes. Everything in the Body and Soul area was perfect.

Giant Tree @ Electric Picnic

A really cool tree I found on my wanders through the arena.

Electric Picnic

Everyone chilling on Saturday afternoon. Hitting the booze again to rid of those nasty hangovers. There really is nothing worse than a festival hangover. It's like a normal one heightened by the heat of your tent, the constant noise, the lack of running water and normality in general.

Friday, September 10, 2010

I know that it's been ages since I've posted anything but here's a quick update of everything that's been going on in Stephland:

Firstly, I got my place in Marino studying Journalism with Photography. I've been looking at universities abroad like Edinburgh, Toronto and London. (I really couldn't take another year in Ireland) I know that even if I did somehow get a place on some of the courses I want I probably couldn't afford to go anyway. A girl can always dream.

Other than that I've packed my stuff and hopefully I'll be moving to Dublin soon to live with my awesome friends. This college year is looking very promising. It's possible that I will be spending every Thursday night in Fibbers and countless mornings drinking tea and watching re-runs of Come Dine With Me.
This year is also going to be kind of tough. I've done 2 PLC courses already and got ok grades but if I want to get a really fantastic course for 2011 I really have to work my ass off an exceed my usual standards. I guess being 19 and living in a city with people I've known for years will make it a little harder to buckle down. It's going to be tough finding a decent balance and not getting sucked in to cheap Dub-step nights and college parties.

Since I last blogged I've been to Electric Picnic and survived another dirty festival. I wanted write a quick review of the festival. Not so much a formal review but more what I thought of it in general. It's been four days since I arrived home after the Picnic. I guess I couldn't really write about it or anything for that matter, until my brain had recovered. Everything is almost back to normal bar my voice that I abandoned in the deserted campsite along with my burst air bed.
The weekend kicked off to a great start, the sun was shining and everyone chilled on the grass in the campsite while tapping along with the distant beats of the arena.

When it came to moving around the festival was pretty well laid out, it wasn't half the trek that Oxegen was and it wasn't as comfortable as say Castlepalooza.
I drove up with my friend Jimmy, we got there on Thursday night before the campsite was open to the general public. Our friends who had been working there since that Monday had picked some pretty niffty camping spots. Very near to the arena and far enough from the revolting eco toilets.

One of the most annoying missions of any festival is bringing alcohol into the arena. The security were very thorough. At least with bag checks. Although, most of us crotched some cans and us ladies stuck sticky plastic bottles filled with mixer and cheap spirits in our bra's, armpits and tights. Inside I heard the bars were relatively expensive. Unfortunately I can't be more specific as I refuse to spend my munch money on over priced watered down beer.
Many of my friends were caught with hidden cans. Some in the back of their jeans and even one with a can sitting under his top-hat.

Other than that everything ran smoothly. None of the acts I went to see were late and very few disappointed with sound quality or set lists.
My top acts of the weekend were easily Japanese Popstars, Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, Foals and Friendly Fires.
Sunday night was pretty crappy with buckets of rain drenching everyone. I missed massive attack and spent ages waiting out the rain in the This Is Pop Baby tent. The tent that had some pretty funny transvestites singing witty songs about having loved and lost.

Some of the most excellent features of the festival were definitely the Bingo, which was highly addictive, the Body and Soul arena for it's great chilling spots, and the random cramped but cosy cafe where lesser known bands like Attention Bebe played. The band banished the hangovers of a good 50 people with their upbeat 90's covers.

Overall it's been a pretty decent week or so and everything seems to being going pretty smoothly for me. Next on the agenda is finding a fucking job. Anyway, apologies for the badly written essay, it's 00:31 and I am nackered! Time for some sleep. :)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

“Twenty-eight days. Six hours. Forty-two minutes. Twelve seconds. That, is when the world will end.”

Frank

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Dive, Dive, Dive.

Dive.

This is one of my favourite photos. I know the lighting isn't great, I was still trying to figure out how to use our Cannon EOS 400D and I failed big time. Personally I like it because it reminds me of this great day when me and my friends all went to the lake in the evening time when it was kind of chilly despite the sunshine.
John decided to back flip from the boardwalk and luckily I happened to snap him mid-air.

Electric Picnic



I'm really excited about Electric Picnic this year. Although last year's was a mud-fest I still had a great time. This year I'm volunteering with Oxfam, it will be the 4th festival that I've volunteered at this Summer with all my festival buddies. (Who I'm moving in with in a few weeks!)
The bands I'm most looking forward to are;
Modest Mouse
Friendly Fires
The Japanese Popstars
Foals
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Booka Shade
Hot Chip
LCD Soundsystem
Tiga
& of course Massive Attack

Even though it's really exciting, it's also kind of sad. I know this is the last festival before we all go back to college. I had such a good time at Castlepalooza, Life, Sea Sessions and Oxegen this Summer but I know this time next month I'll be sitting in a cold room, hopefully in Marino studying research skills for journalism or something.
Which is great, but I'm going to miss waking up in smelly tents, living of packs of crisps and peeing in rotten porta-loos!

Anyway, even though I was trying to avoid it, I guess that this is kind of good bye Summer post!
And a hello again college!

Blink 182: This is my rant, deal with it.


Blink 182 are playing the O2 in Dublin tonight. So here's a picture of them by my favourite taker of photos, David Lachapelle.

I'm actually pretty upset today. I was all set to go to Blink, I'd been Facebook status-ing it up and Tumbling about it non-stop. That's often how you know something really has me all hot and bothered. Unfortunately I am unemployed and living with my parents in the middle of nowhere, Co. Westmeath.
My plan was to borrow some dosh from my parents for the ticket, as I was supposed to meet a mystery internet girl who would sell me the ticket before the gig.
To my dismay, it my plans turned to poop and now I can't go. And yes, I know it sounds kind of sad and slightly melodramatic. Mostly because Blink aren't really a very serious or meaningful band to most people. In fact they're kind of a joke with their quirky videos and their whiny pop-punk voices but I don't care! They mean a lot to me, they were well and truly my gateway band.

I always remember when I was I dunno, say 11 or 12 or something like that, when my Grandad was the only person in my house with Sky on they television. I would sneak up to his sitting room after school, while he was still at work in Dublin. I used to use a tape to record my favourite music from the telly so that I could watch it in my own room on my giant boxy hand-me-down television from the year 190-splosh.
 I remember one day flicking through the channels and seeing All The Small Things on Kerrang. I immediately recognized it. It was a popular song even years after it had been released. I recorded it, along with some shit HIM song, Evanescence and Pain by Jimmy Eat World.
After that, I would constantly go back to Kerrang and P-rock and Scuzz searching for bands like Blink. Yes, there were some bands that I became attached to that are a little less... well, good. Like say Bowling For Soup. Because of bands like Blink I discovered NOFX and Sonic Youth and so many other bands. In reality I kind of have Tom, Mark and Travis (Drool.) to thank for all the awesome bands that shuffle about my ipod today.

Things could have gone very differently and right now I could be upset about never seeing Tiesto live. Basically, I've been waiting for Blink to play in Ireland for quite literally years and years and now that they are it's killing me that I'm going to miss that performance. I know it's whiney and stupid but it really is making me upset. I really hope that someday I get to rock out to some live Blink 182.

In other, more important news the interview for my journalism with photography course is tomorrow. Fingers crossed that I'll get it. This year has certainly been a journey of self exploration, now that it's finally clear what I would like to do it's terrifying that I might not get it.

Review : The Orphanage

This is a review that I had to write for an English assignment a few years ago. Found it on an old blog of mine and decided to re-post it. I recently watched the orphanage and had forgotten just how creepy it was...
Title: The Orphanage 
Cast: Belèn Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep
 
Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Release: 11 January 2008 
Time: 105 minutes
 Juan Antonio Bayona





Bayona's Orphanage is a contemporary Spanish horror set in a scenic, coastal area in Sp
ain. The film focuses on a young couple, Laura played by Belèn Rueda, her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and their adopted son Simòn. The family relocate to The Orphanage, an aged house in which our protagonist Laura spent her childhood. It's not long  before the building's dark history is projected in a supernatural manner. 


Laura's plan is to re-open the orphanage to children with special needs just as it was when she was a child. Her son, Simòn soon makes some imaginary friends to keep him company in the isolated house. As the story unfolds it is suggested that these new friends of Simòn's are less than savory as they begin to toy with the family by playing sinister games. Laura's dream of opening the orphanage is soon shattered as Simòn goes missing during a celebration. Laura believes that Simòn's new friends are responsible for his disappearance and that there is surely a supernatural explanation. As she becomes obsessed with investigating this, the atmosphere in the house becomes very macabre... 

Despite the use of classic Gothic supernatural machinery resident in old horror movies Del Toro's Orphanage truly stands out from the average, special effect ridden modern horrors that dominate our screens. Although the primary concern of this emotionally intense horror is to use the extra-mundane to terrify it's audience it is also an impassioned tale illustrating a mothers maternal fixation on the belief that there is a supernatural explanation for her sons disappearance. Rueda's excellent performance engages the
 audience in all of the emotional distress involved with grieving the loss of a child and the creepy occurrences in the house. This is especially apparent when Laura is confronted by a child, clothed in attire suited to a different time whilst sporting a disturbing cloth mask.

Sergio G. Sánchez remarked in a television interview “I think that our biggest challenge, was to do a movie that could be understood as a ghost story, and that you could also read as the descent into madness of a woman who just doesn't know how to cope with the disappearance of her son”.  With the admittedly intentional nod to to Henry James' literary work 'The Turn of the Screw' and director of the Orphanage, Guillermo Del Toro 's previous cinematic wonder, 'The devils backbone”  the film is sure to leave it's audience tense, un
easy and quivering in their seats.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Jimmy and Adam @ Castelpalooza

Jimmy and Adam @ Castlepalooza

"A good book should leave you... slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it."

William Styron interview, Writers at work 1958


I wish that I knew who this was, it just so happened that my shift ended in the Boudoir tent in time for the begging of their set. I took this picture from backstage where I had been picking up rubbish for hours!

Adabisi Shank

Adebisi Shank

Adebisi Shank

Adebisi Shank

I don't mean to bombard those of you who have stumbled across this blog with photographs but I'm incredibly tempted to post some pictures that I took at this Summer's music festivals. These snaps in particular are of a band called Adebisi Shank. They were taken using a Fujifilm Finepix S5500. It's not my favourite camera but it's finally been passed down to me now that my mother has began using a more modern Cannon.
It was the first time that I was allowed to bring the camera to a dirty festival and I made the most of it.

Adebisi Shank themselves are quickly making a name for themselves in Ireland and the UK. They recently played at Castlepalooza festival in July. Despite the small crowd the atmosphere was great. The weather was fine, people were head banging and the music was awesome.

Not so long after their Castlepalooza appearance I caught the trio in Whelans, Dublin. The place was packed, it was almost impossible to squeeze through the crowd, the cramped venue wasn't about to stop people dancing and downing pints. To add to the wreckless feel of the gig, there were various crowd surfers being passed around the audience, the air must have been about 60% sweat. The music vibrated around the small venue sending people flying into a sort of dancing fit. It was really brilliant seeing three talented lads making some new, interesting sounds. There are a lot of really great Irish musicians at the moment, but Adebisi Shank aren't like anyone else. That probably explains why the bands audience is so quickly expanding.

To end off their Whelans gig they allowed the audience to get up on to the stage and dance with them, all while their bassist was surfing the crowd. I'm pretty sure that some of the audience members tried to walk away with him in their hands. Of course my friends joined in and hopped up onto the cramped stage with about 30 other people. I really wish that my camera was handy for that moment!

To find out more about the band, or new Irish bands like them go to http://www.richtercollective.com/

Old Film Garden

Vintage Garden

This is another photo from the lookbook shoot. I know it's very dark but I kind of dig it.
Feel free to click through the picture where you will be wisped away to my Flickr account.

Robyn's Lookbook shoot.

Robyn.

Robyn and I set out to style and photograph an outfit for her lookbook.nu page. We took a few great pictures of the outfit. After which decided to take a few photos for my own personal photography. This one is my favourite so far.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

3 me


This picture was post-fauxhawk. My little sister, who can be found here. did my eye make up and wanted to get a few shots. I'm really bad at being in front of the camera so excuse the awkwardness of these pictures! It's even embarrassing placing them here on my own blog.

Faux Hawk Tryout


I really wanted to try a DIY fauxhawk. At first I didn't think it possible but eventually with the help of my mother and sister we managed to create one using one million and two hair clips, half a can of hair spray and the type of back-combing last used in a 1980's Bananarama video.