Annie Mac on Other Voices 9

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Hello everyone! it's annie here..am writing this blog retrospectively.. looking back over the week long madness that is Other Voices. I learnt my lesson after last year and got to Dingle a day early so i could soak in the atmosphere (translates as drink 3 pints of guinness) and generally be rested and ready for the sleepless 7 days of music and banter ahead of me. Boy was i glad i did.

My first interview of the week was in front of the fire at O'Connors pub with Jarvis Cocker and Richard Hawley. It was v interesting to see their dynamic, lovely to hear the story of Cocker going to Hawley's 16th birthday party in Sheffield. (it was a psychedelic party in the basement so you know, and jarvis loved it) and tales of their new found love of whale watching (?!?) The gig that night was incredible. Not just any old incredible, i mean one of my favourite gigs of all time incredible. After Anna Calvi had jaws dropping within 3 mins of her performance, Richard Hawley launched himself into a set of covers, everyone from Lee Hazlewood and Lou Reed were covered and you realise how world class his band are. Then Jarvis shuffled out and from then on we were mesmerised. He made me laugh until my stomach hurt. I'm convinced my Mum who was sitting beside me, secretly fell in love with him. I had never been an obsessive Pulp fan ( i was always in the Blur camp) but from that moment on i became a lifelong Jarvis Cocker fan. watching him brazenly hip thrust his way through an old Elvis song made my night.

What a way to start. Sunday saw the roof of Sj James church nearly come off from the frenzied intensity of the National. Monday saw the quirky loveliness of Marina And The Diamonds. One of the things i love most about OV is the huge range of artists and music involved in the week. I loved that Everything Everything were chatting over a drink with Northern Irish hardcore band And So I Watch You From Afar. I loved introducing Marina to Dublin band The Minutes..there is definitely never a dull moment in Dingle the week that Other Voices comes to town.

From the amazing line up, the gig that i enjoyed the most after the rawkous saturday night with hawley and Cocker was James McMorrow. He really stood out for me, his voice a mixture of Jeff Buckley and Bon Iver and his band complimented it perfectly...I can't stop listening to his album and i'll be shouting about him over here in London. Following in the footsteps of Villagers last year, he could be our success story of 2011!

so I hope you enjoy the show.. don't forget to leave your comments on the facebook fanpage ..there's some great behind the scenes photos there as well..