Orchard Road - Screening at Sofa Sessions

Larry Cowan
15 August 2015
Tracy Explains the Sofa Sessions
Sofa Sessions are back! I'm home from Finland to host another eclectic line-up of talented artists in a wellbeing-themed special edition of the Sofa Sessions. Come and enjoy fantastic music, short film and poetry and hear from the artists involved in an inspiring event in the beautiful Duncairn Centre. This is a DONATION-BASED event, with all proceeds going to NIAMH Wellbeing - huge thanks to Ray at Duncairn for donating use of the venue, and to all the already-booked and yet-to-be involved for donating their time and talents! If you'd like to donate a prize for a raffle on the night, please get in touch at tracy@soulambition.com.
Line-up
BeatnDrum (Music)
Since their formation in 2004, BEATnDRUM have
been thrilling audiences throughout Ireland, the UK and beyond
at numerous festivals and events. Their high-energy street
performances are a key part at Beat Carnival events, and they
are a key player in the Afro-Brazilian drumming network in
Ireland. If ever a band could lift you out of a Sunday evening
slump, BEATnDRUM is it!
beatcarnival.com
Rory Nellis (Music)
Solo artist and frontman of Seven Summits,
Rory is someone I've wanted to play the Sofa Sessions for a long
time. A hugely talented musician, he was extremely supportive
and generous of his time with me back when I started performing
in Belfast - he played with me on my first gigs, and I had a
couple of 'proper' guitar lessons from him, where he fixed some
of my self-taught bad habits! A great artist and a real gent,
I'm delighted to have him play this special wellbeing event.
rorynellis.bandcamp.com
Orchard Road (Film) Ida-Maria Olva/Leevi Ikonen/Larry Cowan of Lamb Films
Live satellite-link-up alert! Finnish/Northern Irish short film ORCHARD ROAD is a collaboration between NI's Larry Cowan/Lamb Films (producer) and Finland dream duo Ida-Maria Olva (director) and Leevi Ikonen (screenwriter).
The plot: An unemployed father can't afford a birthday present for his son, so he plans something a bit more unorthodox.
Larry introduced me to Leevi over a pint in Cutter's Wharf before I headed off to Finland, and Leevi and Ida later came to our apartment in Jyväskylä to record me reading the part of an "Ulster radio DJ". We went to support the film at the Tampere Film Festival, where its charm and humour went down a storm with the audience. (Very similar sense of humour, I tell you...) I'll be screening the film and talking to Larry on the sofa, with a Skype link-up to Ida-Maria and Leevi from their sofa in Finland. Erinomainen!
Jenna Smith (Music)
All the way from New York comes
Jenna Smith - a singer/songwriter with a gorgeous
voice and songwriting style. A board-certified music
therapist, Jenna has worked at the Brookyln
Conservatory of Music and is currently studying
a Master's in Music Therapy at the University of
Jyväskylä. She'll be bringing her magic to the Sofa
Sessions and chatting about her music and her work
as a music therapist.
jennasmith.bandcamp.com
The Dogg Ruff String Band (Music)
This Co. Antrim folk/blues/bluegrass outfit have been a huge hit at festivals like the Coors Open House Festival - now they're bringing their feelgood stylings and entertaining banter to the Sofa Sessions sofas. In the lads' own words:
"Born in the County of Antrim and raised in the County of Antrim, The Dog Ruffs began performing separately as children, landing roles in stage productions and television shows. They never signed any record deals in 1997 or from 1998 onwards and have yet to release a debut album. During their first decade within the music industry, they have became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, in their front living rooms and sometimes the kitchen. Their first album is set to become an international number-one hit. Dogg Ruff should be credited with influencing the revival of bluegrass during the late 1990s in their local bar."
Teenage Kicks, The Dogg Ruff String Band Style:
The Dogg Ruff String Band perform Teenage Kicks
Geraldine O'Kane (Poetry)
Sharing a selection of poems and discussing
her work will be Geraldine O'Kane, co-host of the Purely
Poetry open mic nights in Belfast. From Co. Tyrone,
Geraldine is editor of the micro-poem pamphlet series,
Panning For Poems.
poetryni.com/geraldine-okane
Colin Dardis (Poetry)
Joining Geraldine is her Purely Poetry
co-host, Colin Dardis. Colin is a poet, editor, creative
writer tutor arts facilitator and mental health
advocate. He runs Poetry NI, in which he is the
editor of FourXFour and Pen Points Press, and is
the online editor for Lagan Press. Colin will be
reading some of his poems and talking about his
arts and wellbeing projects.
colindardispoet.co.uk
Cleansed (Film)
"Cleansed", written and directed by Paul Caddell, begins with a detached and disorientated man discovered on a beach, dressed in a dripping wet dinner suit, shirt and tie. Brought to a psychiatric hospital, he communicates only through music.
Richard Clements (The Fall) stars in the lead, with support from Susan Lynch (From Hell). The film is produced by Good Vibrations co-director Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa for Canderblinks Film, and composer David Holmes who also provides the score.
Paul has been a friend for many years now - and my hairdresser for most of them! He recently has changed careers completely, having qualified as an English/drama teacher, and landing acting roles in film and television. He'll be talking about his career path, about making the big switch in his forties, and the 'just do it' impulse, before we screen the film.
Sunday 23 August
Doors at 7.00pm, event starts 7.30pm
Event finish: 11.30pm
Entrance: DONATION (no minimum, give what you can afford)
No bar: BYOB
Links
Duncairn Arts Centre
Sofa Sessions
Orchard Road
NIAMH Wellbeing