Another week, another bumper crop of entertainment from stars and up-and-comers at home and, increasingly, in studios. Here's our pick of the last week's offerings...
BEOGA
Trad band Beoga launched their new album Carousel with an hour-long live session/party featuring live performances and chats with guests Foy Vance, Lissie, Ryan McMullan, Stephanie Rainey, Devin Dawson and Niall McCabe.
RUBY SESSIONS
This week’s Ruby Sessions At Home had an American country feel, with performances from Ashley Campbell – country legend Glen’s daughter – and Americana star Nathaniel Rateliff.
RYAN MCMULLAN
County Down man Ryan McMullan set himself up in front of the camera last weekend for a set of acoustic songs as part of Culture Ireland’s #IrelandPerforms series.
METALLICA
Metal is huge in South America, and there are no bigger metal bands than Metallica. This 2014 gig, newly released as part of the #MetallicaMondays series, finds them in the Peruvian capital, Lima, playing to a stadium full of adoring fans.
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
Canadian indie-rock collective Broken Social Scene have been and on-and-off affair over the last decade or so, but in 2018 they were touring their fifth album Hug Of Thunder, and performing at the Pickathon festival in Portland, Oregon. The festival released this video last Saturday as part of its ‘A Concert A Day’ series.
THERAPY?
A few weeks ago, the three members of Therapy? did a version of their Joy Division cover Isolation (geddit?) from their respective homes. This week, they took on Kakistocracy, a track from their latest album, whose title refers to “a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, and/or most unscrupulous citizens”.
“Sound familiar?” they say, presumably referring to this week’s political shenanigans in the UK.
AFRICA DAY BENEFIT
Idris Elba was the host for this virtual benefit show to celebrate Africa Day and raise money for those affected by the pandemic in Africa. Guests include Angelique Kidjo, Burna Boy, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ludacris and Trevor Noah.
GARY BARLOW and ROACHFORD
Gary Barlow has been releasing clips every few days of him singing enthusiastically along with friends on a video call. It’s good-time karaoke, and the other day he invited 80s pop star Andrew Roachford on to sing the latter’s biggest hit Cuddly Toy.
USHER and JERMAINE DUPRI
R&B superstar Usher teamed up with super-producer Jermaine Dupri (who has worked with everyone from Mariah Carey to Jay-Z) for a live performance in support of small businesses in the US.
