Maria Tecce ~ Fringe Fest Queen

I used to work for a cd duplication company. We took in the masters, listened to the quality, checked the track listing was in order then sent them for pressing. If it was a really exciting day I might get to design the face of a promo cd – pulse-racing excitement. This being Ireland, it was rare that I came across ‘the next big thing’ through this process and so I had to resign myself to the fact that my days would be spent listening to either Red Hurley’s latest, greatest showband tunes or the strained attempts of some Rose of Tralee wannabe from Borris-in-Ossery who’s daddy had paid for a demo. You can imagine, so, my surprise and relief when one of these master copys turned out to be not only highly listenable but alluringly distinctive.

Maria Tecce, Dublin-based, Spanish-American, one-woman jazz force is unlike anything you are likely to come across by scouring the Hype Machine or any of your usual musical hunting grounds. Maria’s music doesn’t feel like it belongs on the web, amongst the overpowering myriad of hipsters, scenesters, movers & shakers all vying for your eyes and ears. It feels like the kind of music you would have discovered whilst strolling down some prohibition-era backstreet, straining to detect the whisper of a speakeasy songstress rising from the quagmires of the underground.

I mentioned Maria last year when she performed at the Dublin Fringe Festival and this year it’s Scotland’s turn to experience the music of one of our most soulful and playful adopted citizens. Maria plays the Assembly Rooms at the Edinburgh Film Festival until the 30th of August before returning home for our very own beloved Fringe Festival in September.

Check out the clips below and book yourself a ticket quicksmart.

Dublin Fringe Festival

Yey, it’s that time of year again! If September still gives you shiver-inducing memories of the beginning of term and the monsoon rains outside are telling you that ‘Summer’ (HA!) is officially over, take comfort in the knowledge that the most depressing month of the year also plays host to the most innovative festival to hit Dublin. Yes folks, the eagerly anticipated Dublin Fringe Festival is upon us again.

The Fringe Festival is an exciting exploration of a variety of arts, from dance and theatre to dubstep and rock. This year it runs from the 6th to the 21st of September in a variety of locations throughout the city, with the infamous Spiegeltent being the hub of activity (this year located in the Iveagh Gardens). The nature of the Fringe Festival makes all forms of art accessible to people from all walks of life, wherever their interests lie.

Friday the 6th sees the Fringe Fest open in style with the BATUCADA! party, which promises to be a high-energy night of afro-latin style music, dance and performance. The highly popular La Clique is back for 2008 after it reached unprecedented success at last years festival. The show combines elements of caberet, burlesque and acrobatics – it’s sure to sell out so get your tickets for this one quick. The festival also boasts some quality gigs to cater for all musical tastes throughout September. Catch Manchunian rock veterans, The Fall, play the Spiegeltent on the 9th, Duke Special combines music with theatre through radio noir thriller, The Silhouette, on the 10th and sultry-voiced beauty Maria Tecce returns on the 12th and 13th after last years sell-out show. There’s also a fantastic Dubstep night in the Spiegeltent on the 12th and founding fathers of rap, The Sugarhill Gang, perform their 30th anniversary party concert at the Spiegeltent on the 14th.

If theatre and performance art is more your cup of tea then there is an unsurmountable selection to choose from – with theatre being the very essence of the Fringe Festival. Take a trip into the murky world of the likes of Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel with a five minute personal Surrealist trip courtesy of Bootworks Theatre or, if you fancy something a little lighter, why not check out Tommy Tiernan’s directorial attempts in Help!, starring his cousin, Eleanor Tiernan, as a struggling comedian.

With over 200 events running over the course of the festival, the term ’something for everyone’ could have been coined to describe the fringe fest. Don’t take my word for it, check out the listings for yourself and get booking. As my nan would say – It’s culture Dahling. Enjoy!