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Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Paul Weller: Find El Dorado — a baffling but charming set of 1970s covers
Just when you think you know Paul Weller, he does something so unexpected that you have to reassess him entirely. Having built up the Jam as the ultimate playground band, hard and impassioned, he swanned about in upper class homoerotic abandon for the video to the Style Council's Long Hot Summer. After decades as the ultimate mod, psychopathically sharp in his crewneck jumper and scarf, he grew his hair long enough to not look out of place on a hippy commune. Now he has made an album of country, folk and Seventies singalong pop cover versions, and you can imagine hordes of loyal Wellerites scratching their feather cut-clad heads in confusion. Perhaps Weller is simply doing what he's always done: tapping into a wistful, rather melancholic strain of Englishness. He's doing it even when he's tackling American tunes like Bobby Charles's resigned country rocker Small Town Talk, a masterpiece of understatement from 1972 with a message about gossiping neighbours that could be applied to Weller's Woking, Surrey, just as effectively as Charles's Abbeville, Louisiana. And how about Merle Haggard's White Line Fever? Weller is a touring musician and the words refer not to the effects of cocaine but the loneliness and addictiveness of life on the road. 'I'll die with this fever in my soul,' he sings. There is no reason not to believe him. • Read more music reviews, interviews and guides on what to listen to next Elsewhere he is mining the nicotine-stained, real ale-sodden atmosphere of the provincial pubs and working men's clubs he played in during his early teen years. Pinball is a litany of complaints set to an acoustic strum, a sole 1974 hit for the actor Brian Protheroe, which captures the mood of Britain under the privations of the three-day week. 'Got fleas in the bedroom, I got flies in the bathroom and the cat just finished off the bread,' Weller sings gloomily, while Nobody's Fool is a song Ray Davies wrote for the theme to Budgie, Adam Faith's early Seventies TV show about a down-on-his-luck petty criminal. You can almost feel the faux leather in the Ford Cortina. • Paul Weller: 'I am still a mod and I will always be a mod' There are certainly some eccentric choices here. White Plains were an early Seventies studio band, concocted for the sole purpose of scoring hits, who got little respect from the cognoscenti. Yet Weller revives their When You Are a King, a strange slice of baroque pop from 1971 about a naughty boy who nobody likes. Then there is the Bee Gees' I Started a Joke, a sentimental masterpiece of tragicomedy about, well, it's impossible to know exactly, but the narrator tells a joke, the joke is on him, he dies, the world is better for it. Bleak bubblegum surrealism at its best. Elsewhere comes Lal Waterson's folky lament Never the Same and Clive Palmer of the Incredible String Band's rough blues Clive's Song, songs from rural Britain that are several B roads away from Weller's dressed-up urban world. There are guests too: Robert Plant's harmonica on Clive's Song, Noel Gallagher's guitar on the Derry songwriter Eamon Friel's wise El Dorado, the kora player Seckou Keita on Duncan Browne's cheery Journey. Is Weller fulfilling contractual obligations, testing the limits of his fanbase or indulging in childhood nostalgia? Maybe all three, but the result is an unusual covers album with a mood of lived-in charm. (Parlophone)★★★★☆ Follow @timesculture to read the latest reviews
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Meet the finalists of the Punchestown 'Best Dressed' competition
The Bollinger Best Dressed Competition returns to Punchestown Festival today, with an emphasis on sustainable fashion through this year's theme of 'Something Old/Something New'. Guest judges Aoife McNamara, founder of Ireland's first B Corp fashion brand Aoife Ireland, and Isabel Gleeson, personal shopper and image consultant, will join Head Judge Jess Colivet in assessing this year's most stylish attendees. Additionally, returning for 2025 are Style Council Members Roxanne Parker, Lawson Mpame, David O'Connor, Kate Nally McCormack as well as Style MC Marietta Doran. The competition invites racegoers to showcase their 'consciously curated' ensembles for a chance to win a trip to the Bollinger Estate in France's stunning Champagne region with a five-star Paris hotel, Michelin dining experience, flights and more. The competition ran over the first four days of the popular festival, with daily finalists chosen in the run-up to the hotly anticipated Ladies Day on Friday, 2 May. Head Judge Jess Colivet insisted that she would also be approaching race day style in a sustainable way: "I myself will be reinventing a look based on a piece that I have worn at four Punchestown festivals!" Jess continued: "Fashion is evolving, people are borrowing pieces from friends, the rental market has exploded, and both online and in-store pre-loved fashion is the norm among younger generations. Identifying ethical brands and investing in a beautifully made coat, dress or piece that will stand the test of time is always a sustainable fashion choice. "Think timeless quality. Each year, the best-dressed at Punchestown produces a wonderful story with a hat, bag, dress or even jewellery that has been passed down from generation to generation. That's sustainable fashion at its best". Day 1 finalists: Raymond Gilbourne Lisa Walsh Genevieve Ryan Tristan Conway-Behan and Louise Corrigan Breda Butler Bollinger Best Dressed Daily Winner: Genevieve Ryan Roscommon woman Genevieve Ryan enjoyed a superb first visit to the Punchestown Festival when she was chosen as the daily winner of the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition. Having embraced the theme of the competition by shopping her own wardrobe, Genevieve wowed the judges and attendees with her impeccable style and the story of how she curated her unique twist on the classic monochrome look. Head judge Jess Colivet commented: "Within 10 mins of arriving in the gate, she was clearly the one to beat!" The shirt was purchased from MacBees in Killarney three years ago and recently underwent a revamp when Genevieve swapped the old buttons for new ones. Her polka dot skirt was a recent purchase from Coosy, her Jimmy Choo shoes were a Depop bargain, and her handmade hat was perfected by her 3-year-old daughter's favourite teddy's bow. Her rings came from Irish brand Chupi, earrings from Faizie Maizie, and her cloud bag by Aoife Mullane was another Depop find. Day 2 finalists: Raymond and Gillian Gilburn Onesia Owens Faith Amond Davinia Knight Steve Bennett Bollinger Best Dressed Daily Winner: Oniesa Owens Longford mum Oniesa Owens was crowned Bollinger Best Dressed of the day. She wore a Roisin Linanne black trousers from a suit she bought a few years ago, teamed with a Rotate jacket from Longford Boutique Fabiani. Her hat was by Wendy Louise, and her bag and shoes were Chanel and Malone Soulier, respectively. Oniesa, a finalist in last year's competition, commented: "Having been a finalist last year, the pressure was on to see if I could go one better and actually win, I'm over the moon!" Style MC Marietta Doran commented that the winner embodied the "timeless taste and style synonymous with Bollinger and Punchestown". The Bollinger Best Dressed Daily Winners will be fast tracked to the Grand Finale when the overall 2025 Bollinger Best Dressed Winner will be announced.
Irish Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Punchestown Racing bosses share how much drink will be consumed this week
Almost 20,000 punters are set to quaff thousands of glasses of champagne and pints and enjoy a lavish dinner at the Punchestown Racing Festival this year, racing bosses have revealed. The Kildare racecourse will open its turnstiles to more than 100,000 horse racing fans when the jump season kicks off on Tuesday until Saturday, May 3. Racing organisers have revealed that 17,000 hospitality guests from 806 companies - including 164 from the UK - will enjoy seasonal menus crafted by a 68-strong team of chefs, supported by over 760 hospitality staff. Three and a half tonnes of fresh vegetables, 60 kilos of artisan cheeses, and 15,000 exquisite canapés and desserts will be served across the five days. A team of almost 300 bar staff will pour an estimated 132,000 pints, measure 20,000 shorts and fill 8,000 champagne glasses. Punchestown CEO Conor O'Neill said: "There is something really special about the buzz ahead of this year's Punchestown Festival. It's even more than the brilliant achievements by our horses, jockeys, owners and trainers throughout the season. 'It's the local and national enthusiasm and pride that are reflected not only in bookings and sales but in requests for information, signage, inquiries about how they get involved. 'People Make Punchestown and there is a great appetite and goodwill for the event this year even more than previous. Combine this with a forecast that we can only wish for and we are in for a magic week,' he added. Style lovers will once again flock to the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition, open to all, taking place over the first four days and culminating in the grand final on Ladies Day, Friday May 2. Fresh for 2025 is the sustainable theme of Something Old/Something New focusing on conscious fashion choices. New to the Style Council judges are multi-award winning sustainable designer Aoife McNamara and acclaimed stylist Isabel Gleeson. Further additions include the Bollinger Concierge marquee where Kildare-based beauty brand Ayu will have a host of professional make-up artists offering make-up top-up and professional advice. Vision Ireland will have specially curated rails of pre-loved designer garments to showcase just how stylish sustainable fashion can be. Organisers are anticipating over 100,000 visitors across five spectacular days, with festival fans traveling from across Ireland, the UK, Italy, United States and even Australia to be part of this world-class celebration of sport and culture at the home of Irish jump racing. Across 40 races, featuring 12 Grade 1 contests and €3.5 million in prize money, the Punchestown Festival once again delivers the very best in jump racing. All indications are that major showdowns are guaranteed with old rivals, young pretenders and redemption missions on the cards. The opening day features a massive clash between Cheltenham heroes Marine Nationale and J.P. McManus's Fact To File. The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup will see superstar Galopin Des Champs take on a challenge from the impressive Spillane's Tower whilst Friday's Boodles Champion Hurdle is being billed as the race of the season with Constitution Hill confirmed to meet State Man and Golden Ace amongst others. Headlining the action is an incredible line-up of training and riding talent including the unstoppable Irish and recently crowned British champion trainer Willie Mullins along with his son, Grand National winning rider Patrick Mullins, champion jockey elect Paul Townend, top trainers Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead, Cheltenham Gold Cup winning trainer Gavin Cromwell and the ever popular Rachael Blackmore among those in action. What is particularly evident at the entry stage is the significant increase in UK trained runners at the festival with numbers returning to the heights last seen in 2008. Festival friends and regulars Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Jonjo O'Neill, Harry Derham and Anthony Honeyball are joined by new names and faces to sustain the visitor involvement for the future. The UK contribution is integral to the festival as it not only generates vastly increased interest and TV viewer numbers from across the Irish sea but also each horse running brings with them owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms and associated entourages that require accommodation, hospitality and entertainment in the locality. Over 20% of the festival attendance hail from outside of Ireland so the event is a major contributor to the Kildare tourism numbers and campaign. The track team have prepared, mowed, aerated, fed and watered over 170 acres of racing ground or the equivalent of around 42 Croke Park pitches. The main team of five men have crafted 330 metres of hand filled steeplechase fence, 180 sections of handmade hurdles and erected just under 10 kilometres of white racing rail all to provide what is essentially a fresh racetrack each of the five days
