The Dubliner Magazine

Old City, New Dreams

Every two years, The Dubliner magazine calls a gathering to unite a disparate group of influential commentators and creative figures for a series of exciting and entertaining debates and performances. 

At Old City, New Dreams, senators have debated with comedians and rock musicians about the future of our city. Playwrights have argued with GAA players about the cultural legacy of Ireland. Fashion designers have clashed with philanthropists. The historical reputation of many a famous Dubliner has been tore down and rebuilt. 

Old City, New Dreams will return with four days of FREE events in landmark Dublin bars 13th-16th October 2009, in association with Diageo. Each event will include a drink reception and readers of The Dubliner will be able to apply for tickets on our website. 

The program of events will be announced in the October issue of The Dubliner, on sale 1st October. 

To receive information and register for free tickets visit our Facebook page or register HERE

Music: David Gray - Draw The Line

Fade to Gray

David Gray's landmark album, White Ladder, was released twice. In 1998, it was the home-recorded, self-funded work of a little-known but respected singer songwriter who'd borrowed a drum machine off his mates in Orbital. On its reissue in 2001, following the massive "Is it ever off the radio?" success of single 'Babylon', it was the UK's number one record and the biggest-selling album in Ireland.

Before this, David Gray had released three albums. The first two were stark, bare-to-the-bone folk records, much championed by Donal Dineen's No Disco (the definitive version of the show?). The third, Sell, Sell, Sell, was his Dylan-goes-electric moment, the last album of his EMI deal, an angry kiss off to the music business. White Ladder, then, was the work of a man with nothing to prove, writing purely for his own pleasure, and it seemed to click with the populace.

Eleven years on, Gray found himself without a deal again, with millions of records sold. One could argue that he still had nothing to prove, but this time around he was recording in a studio he bought from Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.

The Dubliner 100 Best Restaurants 2010

Voting is now open for The Dubliner 100 Best Restaurants 2010 - Ireland's best selling restaurant guide. 

For your chance to win a prize selection of Santa Rita wine, take 60 seconds to vote for your favourite Dublin restaurant today.

To help decide who will win the Santa Rita People's Choice Award click HERE

Opinion: Eleanor Tiernan

My time at the lunatic Fringe is nearly over. Here are some of the things I’ve learned.

As you read this, I’m spending my last few days at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009. Unless you’re reading this later on in September, in which case I’m home. Put the kettle on, would you? I’ve been performing a show in Edinburgh for the full month of August. For those of you who haven’t been, I can tell you it’s the largest arts festival in the world, and it’s bloody huge. Thousands of shows go on here every day, which means that every day thousands of audiences have to be assembled from a pool of picky locals and tourists. The pressure is on.

It’s a sensory overload, visually and aurally. All over town, street performers, comedians, theatre groups, musicians and dancers fight for punters’ attention – and the more outrageous they are, the better. Yesterday, a bunch of American high-school students performed an abridged hip-hop dance version of Macbeth right beside where I was giving out flyers for my show. How could I compete?

Big City...

... Bright Lights

Finally Liberty Hall, the architectural equivalent of having your eyes stabbed with a rusty poker, is getting a face lift thanks to those beautiful nerds over at the Trinity Science Gallery.

The boffins have lashed up 100,000 LED's all over the pinko eyesore, essentially transforming it into a giant telly. And the results, as shown below, are pretty stunning.

The display will run from the 24th of September until the 11th of October, under the title of Playhouse.

And the good news for all the gigantic show-offs out there is that they can now submit their own designs to be sprawled across the 50 metres by visiting the Playhouse website.

Can we recommend something that reads "Your ma!"?

Cinema Review: The September Issue

We've got issues

 If you want cinematic badasses this month, you could go for Brad Pitt in Inglourious Basterds, bumping off Nazis across France in World War 2. You could go for Channing Tatum in GI Joe, bumping off all notions of how bad a film can get.

Or...you could go for Anna Wintour, as featured in The September Issue, a rollicking behind-the-scenes look at Vogue magazine.

Seats are for Feet

The DART - celebrating 25 years of people destroying the seats

Poetry on the DART...

... gets a little bit raunchy

The Irish Taxation Institute

Noted for taxation affairs, administration and burning Baron von Frankenstein out of his castle

Shop Security Systems

... just got a little bit cooler