Latest news with #NightMoves
The Herald Scotland
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
The Smiths: engulfed in hysteria, sweat and crushed bodies
The band played 18 Scottish gigs between 1983 and 1986 – five in Glasgow (three of them at the Barrowland Ballroom) and the rest in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee, Irvine and Lerwick. Their first Scottish concert was at Night Moves, in Sauchiehall Street, in June 1983, just as Margaret Thatcher was celebrating her second general election triumph. Today, a poster on a hoarding that fronts a gap site lists that concert among the many 'legendary concerts' that took place at the venue between 1981 and 1985 (it says the Smiths visited on June 10, though other sources have it down as the ninth). In a 2013 Daily Record interview, Marr recalled: 'Our first gig was at the Ritz in Manchester and the Night Moves gig was about our fifth or sixth gig. 'It was in Sauchiehall Street and I remember it well. It was quite terrifying because the furthest I had ever been was Prestatyn. I remember standing on the stage playing to that enormous audience of 11 people. It was an amazing gig because it was amazingly empty. 'Honestly, at that Night Moves gig, I felt like they had better be the kindest 11 people in the world or this was going to be the shortest set you'd ever see,' he added. 'That's how I felt but the truth of the matter was very different. 'When you are starting out and playing to tiny crowds you can turn it into a real thing between you and them. I have stood in a crowd of a few people and you really feel for the band. I remember thinking the few people who were at Night Moves were probably the most clued-up people on the planet'. In March 1984, just after the debut album – Miserable Lie, Pretty Girls Make Graves and the audacious Suffer Little Children among its 10 songs – had gone on sale, the Smiths played several Scottish dates, including one at Glasgow's Queen Margaret Union (QMU) on March 2. In a Facebook post on March 2, 2020, the QMU said the band had been 'booked by a group of students and what followed was one of the most iconic gigs in our history. Recorded live for Clyde 1, the rebellious group from Manchester tore up the QMU whilst the rest of Scotland were able to listen to one of Glasgow's hottest ever gigs through the airwaves' Many fans have fond memories of that night. 'I remember all the flowers hanging out of [Morrissey's] back pocket', writes one fan beneath the QMU post. Writes another: 'The place smelled like a florists' ship with all the flowers lying about'. Other Smiths gigs that March included Coaster's in Edinburgh, Fusion in Aberdeen, and Dundee band were back in Glasgow that June for a show at the Barrowland. The Glasgow Herald's David Belcher was in the audience, notepad in hand.'In less than a year', he wrote in his review, 'The Smiths have grown effortlessly from being vaguely defined cult figures, the critics' favourites, to mass acceptance, identifiable objects of desire. Their last date in Glasgow, at a students' union barely three months ago, brought them polite and informed adulation and a gentle hail of flowers. Last night they were engulfed in hysteria on a large scale, sweat and crushed bodies. 'Their problems may be just beginning. Singer Morrissey has previously tempered lyrical self-obsession and an unhealthy arrogance with a healthy self-parody – sloppy shirts, flowers hanging ridiculously out of his back pocket, gawky, thoroughly unsexy movements – but from now on he is going to have to be totally selfish, perhaps stopping giving the crowd what they think they want, to avoid becoming merely a parody'. The crowd rained spittle upon the band, Belcher added – 'meant as a sign of affection but still lethal when combined with electricity. Morrissey leaves the stage, guitarist [Johnny] Marr and bassist [Andy] Rourke sit and glare. Order of sorts eventually prevails'. Over the next few nights, the quartet moved on to the Caley Palais in Edinburgh, Dundee's Caird Hall, Aberdeen's Capitol Theatre and Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. When the Smiths released their second studio album, Meat is Murder, in February 1985, it went straight in at number one in the UK, dislodging Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA in the process. The subsequent tour took in England, Italy, Spain, United States, Canada, and, in September, Scotland. Read more: The latter dates got underway at Irvine's Magnum Leisure Centre, with the indie band Easterhouse in support. Tickets, priced at £5, were still available two days before the show. The setlist included material from the two studio band also took in the Edinburgh Playhouse, the Barrowland Ballroom, the Caird Hall, Lerwick's Clickimin Centre, Aberdeen's Capitol and the Eden Court in Inverness. The tour programme, 'The Smiths in Scotland', contained Q+As with all four band members. A sample of Morrissey's responses: Ambition in life? 'Immortality'; High point of career? 'Not meeting Royalty'; Dislikes? 'Meat, cigarettes, breakdancing, fads, videos, modern pop stars, cowards, sexism'. Another page was given over to the handwritten lyrics to the second album's title track, Meat is Murder. David Belcher, again, was in the Barrowland audience, and in his review he noted that the band had declined to appear on Terry Wogan's TV show. 'To we hipsters the Smiths head a very short list of utterly essential British groups of the last five years; they are the living embodiment of the facts that contemporary music has nothing to do with Wogan and even less with Radio 1, and that, at its best, most vital, most naive, this pop stuff belongs to people who don't belong anywhere else – non-standard people with non-standard responses, arrogant, off, with a talent to provoke both thought and dislike. 'On Wednesday chief odd-ball Morrissey drove himself and his musical awkward squad, Marr, [Mike] Joyce and Rourke, through an urgent, harsh programme of stripped-down songs and sardonic asides, mannered vocals, mannered perspectives, ill-mannered observations on audiences, journalists, life itself. 'The success that their talents would warrant has been conspicuously absent in the past six months and so the Smiths' air of anger would seem justified, and yet, the success of the night was an eerie Meat is Murder, an accusatory diatribe on the evils of meat-eating, the least successful the small, bitter parody of Frankly, Mr Shankly'. The band, he concluded, had momentarily lost their way. The Smiths' very last Scottish show was at the Barrowland, on July 16, 1986, a few weeks after the release of their third studio album, The Queen is group broke up in 1987, before the release in September of the last studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come. * Morrissey plays the O2 Academy, Glasgow, on June 4 and 5. RUSSELL LEADBETTER
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Drogheda making ‘moves' to create a night-time cafe culture
Out of 1,238 respondents, 908 (73pc) expressed a desire to see late-night cafés, while 670 respondents called for additional non-alcoholic or alcohol-light options in the town centre. In response, a pilot programme titled Night Moves will see four local cafés – The Coffee Box, Il Forno, Loaf'd and The Bare Food Café – extend their opening hours on Friday, May 30 and Friday, June 20. These venues will host free, curated evenings of live music, poetry and spoken word performances, creating welcoming, relaxed spaces where people can enjoy the town differently. These cafés are championing a more diverse night-time offer and helping trial what a more balanced evening economy might look like. The initiative is part of a wider cultural programme produced by Droichead Arts Centre and curated by singer-songwriter SJ McArdle, in collaboration with Drogheda's Night-Time Economy Adviser and supported by the local Purple Flag group. 'This is an inspiring step forward, and it's coming straight from what people told us,' said Mark Davies, Night-Time Economy Adviser for Drogheda at Louth County Council. 'It's not about replacing anything - our pubs and bars are a vital part of Drogheda's nightlife - it's about adding to the mix and creating the kind of town centre where more people want to spend time.' The idea builds on a smaller trial during Night Moves Culture Night 2024, when two cafés opened late with artistic performances. One, Il Forno, hosted a pop-up opera night, and people stayed long after the last note was sung. The other, The Coffee Box, has continued to trial later events. Collette Farrell, Director of Droichead Arts Centre, said: 'There's something special about seeing familiar places take on a new energy after dark. These events are about working with local businesses and artists to bring warmth, creativity, connection, and a sense of possibility to the town at night.' Drogheda is one of a small number of towns nationally piloting new approaches to the Night-Time Economy under a government-supported initiative. Across Ireland, Night-Time Economy Advisers are testing ways to help towns adapt and thrive between 6pm and 6am. Cafés are increasingly being viewed as flexible, familiar and accessible venues, full of potential for cultural experiences. The Night Moves cafés are supported by the Drogheda Purple Flag group – a vibrant local partnership that brings together businesses, artists and public sector teams. It includes hospitality venues, Drogheda and District Chamber, Love Drogheda BID, Droichead Arts Centre, and various departments within Louth County Council, who host and support the work of the Night-Time Economy Adviser. This energetic collaboration is helping shape a more welcoming, diverse and inclusive town centre after dark. 'We're not just testing ideas, we're seeing real signs that a more varied evening economy will benefit everyone,' said Mark Davies. 'Drogheda is helping lead the way, showing that when you listen to people, back local businesses, and bring in creativity, good things happen. We'd love people to come out, enjoy the cafés, and be part of it.' In addition to the late-opening cafés, the Night Moves programme will also feature events like Night Tones and The Stowaway Sessions throughout May and June. Organisers hope the model will inspire other venues and help lay the foundation for a more vibrant, sustainable evening culture - one that perhaps feels a little more eclectic and continental, where people meet to eat, chat, listen to music, and enjoy their town well into the evening. ADVERTISEMENT Night Moves is an innovative and dynamic programme designed to provide new and engaging night-time cultural experiences across Drogheda and East Meath. Produced by Droichead Arts Centre and delivered with a range of curators, promoters, and alternative venues, it is supported and funded by the Night-Time Economy Adviser in Drogheda, Louth County Council, and the Arts Council. The programme encapsulates a shared vision of expanding cultural offerings, fostering partnerships, and creating diverse opportunities for artists and audiences. More information about events under the Night Moves programme is available at Results of the Drogheda by Night 2025 survey will shortly be available at To get involved as a late-opening café, contact
Irish Independent
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Night Moves returns: Drogheda's summer of after-dark arts and culture is back
Drogheda Independent Today at 10:42 Get ready for another summer of late-night culture as Night Moves returns to Drogheda and East Meath. The programme, produced by Droichead Arts Centre, delivered with curators, promoters and alternative venues, and supported by the Night-time Economy Advisor, Mark Davies, along with The Arts Council, brings a fresh mix of music, art and immersive experiences to local venues after hours. It all kicks off on Friday, May 2 at 10pm with Night Moves at Droichead. For €15, audiences can explore every corner of the arts centre, transformed into a late-night creative hub. Curated by SJ McArdle, the late-night club includes ambient music from DJ Emmie Lou in the gallery, a specially commissioned bespoke art installation by Vivienne Byrne and live performances in the theatre, featuring Oisin Leech with support from Dotts O' Connor. Taking to the stage is Oisín Leech, whose solo album, Cold Sea made waves in 2024. Best known from the Lost Brothers, Leech's new material is unhurried, steeped in folk. His songs map exile, love, loss and healing, and are shaped by the wild coastline of Donegal, backed by collaborators like Steve Gunn, Roisín McGrory, Dónal Lunny and Bob Dylan's bass player Tony Garnier. He's joined by Dotts O'Connor, celebrated guitarist of RTE Choice-nominated band Come On Live Long and Dirty Dreamer, who just released his own critically acclaimed debut album Sorrow Won't Find Us.. If you're after something chilled, Night Tones is back on May 23 and June 27 at 8.30pm and 9.45pm. These relaxed sessions mix ambient electronic music from Ógy Collins with yoga and meditation guided by Elaine Tobin, presented in the round in the Droichead gallery space. The first session is a yoga (8.30:pm), a slow, gentle flow. The second (9.45:pm) is a guided meditation session with less movement and more stillness. Bring a mat, a cushion, maybe even a blanket, and settle in for some deep listening downtime. You can go to one session for €12 or stay for both for €20. Also returning are the Night Moves Late Night Cafés, happening on Friday, May 30 and Friday, June 20 from 10pm until late. These free events will pop up in some of Drogheda's favourite cafes and restaurants, offering live music, poetry and spoken word. The full line-up will be announced soon. Then there's The Stowaway Sessions on Saturday June 7, and Sunday June 8 at 8.30 pm – two nights of music under the shadow of the viaduct at Drogheda Port, complete with refreshments. On Saturday, June 7, SJ McArdle plays his critically-acclaimed song cycle PORT, right on the Port itself! A song cycle born of a year-long research and writing project around the history and stories of Drogheda's ancient Port, conducted during SJ's tenure as Artist in Association at Droichead Arts Centre in 2019. SJ's songs and performances have featured on radio, film, and television, and he has toured and recorded extensively in Ireland, Europe, and North America, gathering a loyal following and critical accolades along the way. On Sunday, June 8, local seven-piece The Cacks take to the stage. Their debut album Celebrity blends Americana, Irish folk, rock, electronic and blues is unique and interesting. Support on the night will be announced soon. The Stowaways Sessions, taking place in a covered warehouse on the port by the viaduct, is a seated event. These events will go ahead rain or shine, so attendees are reminded to consider the weather when dressing for the event. More details will be provided when the sessions go on sale on April 23. Tickets are €20. For all bookings or 041 9833946.
Fox News
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Gene Hackman focused on staying fit before Alzheimer's with boxing, golf: friends
SANTA FE, N.M. — Gene Hackman didn't want to slow down, according to friends in the Santa Fe community he spent almost 40 years in with his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman, by his side. Stephen Marshall, a retired FBI agent who trained them through a community outreach program, recalled the Oscar-winner was "bothered" by aging. "Gene was concerned about the fact that he was getting older. He didn't like being old, and seeing himself on film bothered him because he knew he didn't look like that anymore," Marshall, who later became a friend of the Hackmans, told Fox News Digital. He recalled inviting Gene and Betsy to a screening of one of Gene's films, "Night Moves," but the invitation was declined. "She said Gene broke into a cold sweat when she brought it up, but he just ... didn't want to be any part of it. And so I tried to respect that." He continued, "When we went out, he didn't want to advertise who he was. I remember the first time we went out, we're walking down the street in Santa Fe, and I noticed people noticing him. And I said, 'Do you get used to the idea of people going, "Hey, that's Gene Hackman"'? And he said, "Yeah, but now they add, 'And he got so old.'" So I thought he looked much younger. I thought he looked great, but he was concerned that he had aged and that bothered him." Marshall first met Gene and Betsy at a picnic event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the FBI, and he later trained them through a citizens' academy, a program to help people learn about the bureau. "I got to talk to them a little bit more as we took him to the range one day. We shot all the bureau guns, and I had a business card with my cellphone number I was going to give Betsy at the end of the academy and tell her, 'If you guys ever need anything, just give me a call.' And as I was walking up to give it to her, she turned around and handed me a Post-it note that she had already filled out with her phone number and email and said, 'Gene and I would like [to] take you to dinner if you have time.' And I'm thinking, 'I think I can squeeze it in!' And so we went to dinner a couple of weeks later, and after that we just became friends." Marshall hadn't seen them for a while before their deaths, recalling Gene was "starting to have some issues with age. And so I was seeing them less and less often. They were going out less." Gene died around Feb. 18 due to hypertensive and atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributing factor, New Mexico officials confirmed last week. He was likely alone in their home for about a week after Betsy died due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is transmitted from animals to humans and is commonly found in rodents. While many friends remarked upon the couple's private behavior, all were impressed by how active and engaged they were, particularly Gene. Mike Anaya, a sports medicine specialist with Santa Fe Spa, told Fox News Digital, "Gene, at 84, he had a background in the Marines. He used to box in the Marines. So he was a tough guy. And he knew what he was doing." WATCH: GENE HACKMAN'S TRAINER RECALLS BOXING WITH THE ACTOR AT 84 Anaya first worked with Gene after Betsy reached out along with a referral from a doctor to address a shoulder injury. After rehabbing the shoulder injury, Anaya said Gene's training regimen was "scapular stability, of course, to build hip stability and proprioception, that's balance. He was getting a little bit older, so we had to address that." "Gene was concerned about the fact that he was getting older. He didn't like being old, and seeing himself on film bothered him because he knew he didn't look like that anymore." Anaya said Gene "had a boxing background in the military. So he knew how to stand. He knew how to throw punches, he knew how to move. So I was very impressed," adding that they never exchanged punches, just worked with practice mitts. He also recalled getting to know them well, saying, "After a while working with Gene, he insisted that I call him Gene instead of Mr. Hackman. So, you know, they're really nice people. He wasn't stuck up. He was a good man … and she was a good lady." Gene also gifted the trainer a few of his paintings, a beloved hobby of the late actor. Mike Putnam, a golf instructor who worked with them, also noted that the Oscar-winner insisted that he be called Gene instead of "Mr. Hackman." The "French Connection" star left a note on Putnam's desk requesting lessons. "[He was a] terrific person. And it just developed from there and several golf lessons. We enjoyed time together, and eventually Betsy, his wife, joined us, and she started taking lessons as well. "So it just became a nice, fun relationship to have," Putnam told Fox News Digital. He shared that Gene was "determined" to learn the game, noting that golf is more difficult than might be expected. "I think he kind of knew that. But I think he always probably expected to do a little better than he was doing, you know?" Putnam said with a laugh. "But I was able to talk him through that and set the right expectations to help him enjoy it and not have such high expectations." He continued, "And Betsy, when she started playing, it frustrated him a little more, because she was a little more athletic, actually, and she kind of took to the game quicker and maybe probably just didn't get in her own way. You could just see Gene grinding in his head. But gosh, what a delight both of them were." Putnam was one of several people in Gene's orbit to receive a painting from the actor. Putnam's came with a simple note that read, "Thanks for our time" after working on lessons together. Stuart Ashman, a friend of Gene and Betsy's, also received a painting from the actor after routinely delivering him a dozen eggs from his small farm. "One day he brought me a painting, and I said, 'You can't give me this painting.' He says, 'Yeah, you've been giving me eggs for months.' So I traded a painting for eggs, which is pretty nice. So now I have this wonderful treasure," he told Fox News Digital. Ashman and Gene met when they served on a committee together at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, and they bonded further through a shared Pilates teacher. "He was the class after me, and it was a one-on-one class, and we would sit and talk for long enough that the teacher said, 'Gene, are you going to take a class today or are you just going to talk to Stuart?' And that's really kind of how it was. It was a strong connection. Although, you know, now that he's passed, I lament the fact that we didn't spend more time together." Ashman also recalled, "He was very fit, you know, and he was 6-foot-2 plus an ex-Marine. He did Pilates like three times a week. And then on the days that he didn't do Pilates, he would load his bicycle up to his SUV and drive to Albuquerque, which is 70 miles, and ride this trail down there, which is along the river and it's paved and level. So he didn't want to do mountain biking, but he did that. So he was in great shape." Daniel and Barbara Lenihan and their son, Aaron, recently spoke with People magazine about Gene and Betsy, saying Gene had been "essentially kind of home-bound" in "recent times" and "quit riding his bike through the neighborhood." Aaron told the outlet, "Betsy tried to keep him kind of active and engaged," adding that the "Mississippi Burning" star did puzzles and yoga via Zoom daily. "She was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible," Aaron said. WATCH: GENE HACKMAN'S FRIEND RECALLS OSCAR WINNER'S PHYSICAL FITNESS Gene and Betsy also shared some active hobbies, like fly-fishing and learning to fly planes. Ivan Valdez, the owner of The Reel Life, told Fox News Digital that Betsy called his shop eight years ago and got everything set up for Gene and former NFL star and coach Jack Del Rio to go up to the Pecos Wilderness for a relaxing day. "A few years ago, Gene's wife, Betsy, gave us a call at the fly shop wanting to get a trip set up for her husband and Jack Del Rio, who is a former NFL coach. So I ended up taking them to Cal Creek Ranch in the Pecos Wilderness, and it was just a spectacular day out there with them," Valdez said. Valdez said he was "pretty nervous" to go fly-fishing with someone of Gene's caliber, but the movie star made "the day so comfortable and easy to be around him." WATCH: FLY-FISHERMAN RECALLS GIVING GENE HACKMAN POINTERS "We got into a lot of deep conversations about family," Valdez said. Andy Wells, a retired military pilot and flight instructor, first met the couple in 1987 and worked with Gene to get his pilot's license up to date and train Betsy in flying, partially as a backup in case of emergencies. Wells said both Gene and Betsy were good pilots, and Gene, who had years of experience, "had the moves." After the couple's successful lessons with Wells, they would occasionally meet for other activities in the Santa Fe area. "I would bump into him around town, and eventually I think he joined the El Gancho swim and tennis club. And then he and I became tennis buddies. And that was an experience." As many friends noted, Gene became "reclusive," and Wells didn't see him or Betsy for years. "The two of them were joined at the hip, practically. So, if he became reclusive, I think she did, too. And she was very quiet. Anyway, if she went out on her own and was in the same grocery store [as] me, it would be easy to not see her. She was small and quiet and very, very focused. I thought she was great." Gene was also generally active in the Santa Fe community. WATCH: GENE HACKMAN AND HIS WIFE'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RECALLS COUPLE BEING 'JOINED AT THE HIP' Jennifer LaBar-Tapia, the Santa Fe Film Commissioner, shared that the "Superman" star didn't lead a Hollywood life in town. "Gene Hackman is an icon, as all film fans know. But having Gene Hackman the neighbor here, he was just a man about town. He was very approachable. He and his wife were woven deep into our community. She was a business owner. He sat on the board of directors for our Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He invested in a handful of restaurants here in Santa Fe, so he was very much a foodie. He was an artist. He was an author. So really, his time in Santa Fe was really toward the end of his career as Gene Hackman, the actor that we already knew him as. But we got the privilege of getting to know him as the author, the artist and the foodie," she told Fox News Digital.
