So the bells have gone, it's past midnight and around UK and Ireland it's officially 2014! This year myself (Chris) and Laura have been complete cop outs and ended up away from NI for New Years, so if you're still reading this I'll presumed you're interested in what we're getting up to. Here's Laura away (with her girlfriend) enjoying London city for New Year. Here's me and my good Pal enjoying Scotland's finest Danny DeVito themed night club in Arbroath where I'll be enjoying a Ceildh with my wife and the in laws. Not in this nightclub though, sadly. So here's to 2013 past and to 2014 still to come! It's to be a big year for us here at the site and we thank you for joining us so far...Sláinte
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New years eve is generally a very expectation heavy night for many, usually not living up to the hype and leaving us disappointed, 6 deep at the bar without a drink and broke. so for that reason we've chosen The Albany on the Lisburn road for Pick of the week NYE edition. Free in, a band from 8pm, DJ from 10pm and a Piper to see in the Bells! It's one of the many new bars that have popped up around Belfast this year and it would be rude not to make them feel welcome! Visit Belfast have a lot of info on other places to go in Belfast for NYE if you're interested (here). Wherever you are and whatever you do - stay safe, have a bloody good time and we'll see you back here tomorrow for our 2013 review! When: Tues 31st Dec 2013 5,4,3,2........1! Happy New Year!!
Christopher J Caldwell. I enjoy wrestling, films and nautical adventure. I've just finished making a short film which you can see here. I also DJ sometimes. You'll see me out and about eating or drinking. Sometimes even both whilst walking. I have written for The Big List. I currently also write for BBC Across The Line. BBC ATL Review: The Magic Numbers BBC ATL Review: Rams' Pocket Radio, A Northern Light, Serotonin As is the Boxing Day tradition in the Pastie Bap household, we ventured out to The Grand Opera House to see this year's pantomime offering - one of my favourites - Sleeping Beauty. It was absolutely lashing by the time we got through the doors, but the weather didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits as the place was packed with adults and kids alike, complete with flashy spinning lights everywhere! As you probably already know, Sleeping Beauty is the story of a beautiful Princess who gets cursed at birth and has to spend the next few years of her life avoiding the prick of a spinning wheel or else she'll be put to sleep for 100 years. This may be a very old tale, but this one was spiced up with the usual antics of May McFetridge and as always she was the star of the show. This year's big number was May's impersonation of Adele, complete with massive hair and hunky male dancers which went down a storm. The other main characters were Beauty, Aurora (the good fairy), Carabosse (the wicked witch), Muddles (the silly side kick) and the Prince. As always, the panto was filled with mountains of pop culture references, however this year's seemed a bit strained, and there was even a repeat of Cheryl Cole's infamous Fight for this Love dance, which I'm sure I've seen before at a pantomime - some of the pop references just seemed like they were shoe-horned in there, which probably still appealed to the kids, who love hearing One Direction regardless of whether or not it makes sense, but it just seems strange if you're a bit older. Saying that, Aurora did do some pretty spot on impressions of Strictly Judges etc, which more than made up for the disjointed presentation, but her Catherine Tate "Am I Bovvered?" sketch was another seriously outdated reference. Lorraine Chase played Carabosse in her Grand Opera House pantomime debut, her banter was good and she was quite funny at times, but the script was lacking and her singing was weak at best (the singing overall from all the cast members wasn't very good, but the speaking parts were funny). Beauty, wasn't very memorable, neither was the Prince, but Muddles and May were very very funny. There also seemed to be a lot of ad libbing and laughing in the Boxing Day show, which I really really like to see in a live show that doesn't take itself too seriously. The definite highlight of the night was the big finish were they sang the alternative 12 days of Christmas, but they didn't get any kids up on stage this year, which was a bit different. Overall, this year's pantomime was back to basics, there were no gimmicky 3D bits (although the 3D bits were surprisingly good the past few years), and very few tricks with the scenery and props, which was a bit disappointing when there was so much that they could have done with the overgrown palace in regards to the stage set. All in all, the pantomime was good, but I've seen better in the past few years. I don't know whether or not it was due to the fact that it was boxing day, or just a weak show, but let's hope that next year's pantomime steps up its game! Who wrote this...?Laura Caldwell
I'm 20 years old, studying Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster Coleraine Campus. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as currently writing for BBC Across the Line. A big Merry Christmas from Chris and Laura here at the Pastiebap bunker! We'll be indulging considerably until the end of the year and there will be a reduced schedule here on the website until the new year. We will have bits an d pieces going up, but just not daily like they currently are. Anyway thanks for reading and have blookin' great Christmas. I'm away for my dinner and another Mince pie!
As Derry/Londonderry's year as UK City of Culture draws to a close, here's some photos of the Lumiere Festival of Light to remind you just how amazing this past year has been, not just for Derry/Londonderry, but for the whole of Northern Ireland. About the PhotographerLaura Caldwell
I'm 20 years old, studying Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster Coleraine Campus. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as currently writing for BBC Across the Line. Another Christmas staple in Belfast, and some would argue Belfast theatre's best kept secret, Pony Dance once again put on their Pony Panto to get us all in the mood for Santa's arrival. Pony Panto is something which truly has to be seen to be believed, it's dance, variety, live music, but all with attitude. On stage there's a VIP chair which is filled by a member of the audience "Cara" and over the night she's given copious amounts of wine, crackers and cheese and even another couple to sit beside. But more about Cara later. The show is one of 2 half's and is hosted by the irreverent Miss Leonie Pony. The Pony dancers, Emmen Jude Donnelly and NI street crew Ajendance provide most of the craic with their funny, brave and at times breath taking choreography. Emmen Jude Donnelly put on an amazing dance and aerial display to the sounds of Nine inch Nails but with live guitar and 2 Members of Ajendance put on a clinic with their number "The evolution of music" dancing every conceivable style in the space of 4 minutes. As you can see from the photo above there's a fair quota of Christmas shenanigans as well, with last years singing sensation Sinnead returning to sing us 2 numbers (she sings the first one first and the second one second) as she plunders the audience throughout to find people to sing along with her and the big words on the screen. The Lords of Strut (who are visiting Belfast with their own show) are our ultimate guests and are impressive and hilarious in equal measure, at this point our VIP - Cara - comes alive and practically makes herself the 3rd member of the dance duo, the guys are cool as cucumbers and work around her, eventually incorporating her to huge rounds of applause, I guess those years of street performing really paid off! Pony Panto is a great laugh and a brilliant end to any Christmas night out, the guys usually have a summer show as well so until then I'll leave you with the immortal lines of Sinnead and say "Meddy Christmas!" Who wishes you a Merry Christmas...Sir Christopher J Caldwell. I enjoy wrestling, films and nautical adventure. I've just finished making a short film which you can see here. I also DJ sometimes. You'll see me out and about eating or drinking. Sometimes even both whilst walking. I have written for The Big List. I currently also write for BBC Across The Line.
BBC ATL Review: The Magic Numbers BBC ATL Review: Rams' Pocket Radio, A Northern Light, Serotonin This week's real Pick of the Week is Christmas. That wonderful time of year when you eat far too much and spend days upon days wearing a onesie, sipping Baileys and refusing to do anything simply because "it's Christmas". However, for those of you out there that still aren't in the Christmas spirit, or just like to keep going, there's always the Kowalski Christmas Show at the Black Box on Sunday 22nd December. Both rooms in the Black Box will be buzzing with festive DJ sets, guest spots, and of course music from Kowalski and friends! So why not head on down to get yourself in the mood for Christmas. When: Sunday 22nd December, 7.30pm Where: The Black Box The Damage: £7 (online), £10 (at the door) Who wrote this...?Laura Caldwell
I'm 20 years old, studying Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster Coleraine Campus. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as currently writing for BBC Across the Line. vi·ral /ˈvīrəl/ 2 members of award winning NI dance crew Ajendance -Annika Graham and Shane McKeever - have put up this video of them dancing to the Evolution of Music by Pentatonix and i have to say it's pretty sweet. I saw this live last night at the Pony Panto and I was blown away. The video has garnered some 20,000+ hits since the start of December, and rightly so. Merry CHRIStmas!Sir Christopher J Caldwell. I enjoy wrestling, films and nautical adventure. I've just finished making a short film which you can see here. I also DJ sometimes. You'll see me out and about eating or drinking. Sometimes even both whilst walking. I have written for The Big List. I currently also write for BBC Across The Line.
BBC ATL Review: The Magic Numbers BBC ATL Review: Rams' Pocket Radio, A Northern Light, Serotonin We've been to a few of these ever popular dinner shows at The Grand Opera House, so when we saw that Ted & Co The Dinner Show was coming, we were there! Straight out of a 26 date tour of Ireland, this dinner show with a hilarious Father Ted theme has got a lot of people talking. As we wait in the bar to be let in, we are offered a glass of wine each while Ted and Mrs. Doyle (who is furiously offering everyone tea) do the rounds. We then go into The Baby Grand Studio, and are greeted with "So you're here for the wake?" from an organ playing man who bears a striking resemblance to Dougal. It's a good five minutes before I notice the scruffy looking man (Father Jack) lying on a table supposedly dead - this is going to be an interesting night! We're served our starter of vegetable soup while Ted reads out a 'lovely' poem for Father Jack, then all of a sudden Jack is up on his feet and back to his usual self. The characters go around the tables talking to us, and making fun, culminating in Mrs. Doyle breaking into song, modifying My Heart Will Go On from Titanic into a brew inspired tune, while Jack and Ted row around the floor on a chair - it's so silly, but so funny. As our main course of turkey and ham is served, they leave for a while to let us "enjoy our dinner in peace", not before making some jokes about the 'great breasts' we're being served. The christmas dinner is phenomenal, the whole hog (or turkey, to be exact). It's definitely one of the best christmas dinners that I've had out - ever. As we finish up our meal, the gang join us again and Mrs. Doyle sells us some raffle tickets for 'a big red car', while a couple of people are nominated to play Mr & Mrs - it's short, sweet, and funny. The whole night ends in a massive Irish dance complete with members of the audience dancing around the tables. Jack is the real star of the evening entertainment wise - he's nothing like his character on the show - but he's non-stop, harassing the audience, singing, dancing, ripping his dogs collar off and much much more. Dougal is spot on though, his face, the way he talks, everything is exactly how it should be, yet Mrs. Doyle and Ted aren't really like their characters at all (aside from the tea thing). Over all, this is a great, very funny night out. However, if you are going to this in the hopes of a Father Ted night with all the jokes and things you know from the show, you'd probably be a bit disappointed. Who wrote this...?Laura Caldwell
I'm 20 years old, studying Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster Coleraine Campus. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as currently writing for BBC Across the Line. A selection of photos from the city centre from the last few winters we've had. Particularly the last snowy winter we had. Mostly in Black and White, but much like our winters there's the odd shaft of colour poking through! Who's the snowman?I’m Neil Carey, a photographer and artist from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I have a deep love of nature and through my work I try to capture how it encroaches on our lives both in the countryside and in the city. I love the surreal and unusual and this other side of me can be seen through my digital art work and manipulations.
To see more of Neil’s work click here |