Posts Tagged ‘Irish Musical Comedy Awards’

Earlier this year Paddy Cullivan appeared as a judge in the Irish Musical Comedy Awards. He is  a singer, songwriter, comedian, satirist, writer, Radio and Television contributor, awards Presenter and Host. In the last year Paddy has performed his solo Musical Comedy show at Festivals such as Mindfield, Kilkenomics, Cuirt, the Earagail Arts Festival, the Trim Swift Satire Festival, the Dalkey Book Festival, the Electric Picnic, Dun Laoghaire Mountains to the Sea Festival, Body and Soul and recently supported the Blanks on their six-date Irish tour in venues like the Cork Opera House, the Helix and the Academy.

Paddy has played with some of the greats on the Late Late show such as Billy Ocean and Peter Kay! He also drove a cement mixer into the gates of the Parliment to launch his CD and ran a spoof President campaign….he’s had a busy year! Now you can catch him in Murphy’s bar in Tramore for a night of comedy and song!

He’s seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. He’s watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain…….I’m sure he’s got plenty of stories….! Below is a clip in which he tells us what he really thinks of boybands…..It’s probably not safe for work! Some bad language involved… Details of the gig can be found here: here

So there ye go…. I advise if you are about, get yourself down to Murphy’s!

Where:      Murphy’s Bar, Tramore

When:        Friday 8th June 2012

Time:         9pm

Cost:         €5 (on the door)

Ursula Burns - photo courtesy of Joanne Ham Photography

We, at thecomedyscoop have been excitedly following the progress of the inaugural Irish Musical Comedy Awards since their conception and it was with great pleasure that I got together with their eventual winner, Ursula Burns for a little chat.

I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!

Ursula, I have to start off by saying congratulations on winning the IMCA’s last month! Tell me, how does it feel to be in the history books as the winner of the first ever Irish Musical Comedy Awards?

Ursula

I never usually win anything. I always wonder why I never win the hamper , or the holiday, or the car. I suspect if I had won a bus trip to Newry in a school raffle, I would have been delighted.  Therefore can you imagine how good I feel to be the first ever WINNER of the IMCA awards!  I love songs! I have been writing songs all my life – I started at age 3 with a song for my parents entitled ” I have been long enough with you”. Nothing is more important to me than writing songs ( except my son). To get an award for my songs makes me so deeply deeply happy.

Wow! You started writing songs at 3 but this is your first time winning a competition, it’s great to hear you’ve finally gotten the recognition you deserve! There were a lot of great musical acts competing in the finals with you, what do you think was the secret to your success on the night?

 Well, what I am doing is Unusual – Unusual Ursula to be exact! My mother is a harpist and traditional folk musician, my dad likes to party and sing funny songs. What won me the award is being 50% of my mum and 50% of my dad all rolled up into one strange me! As for the voices… I have no idea where they come from and have no-one to blame that on. The harp’s image needs roughed up a bit, I am breaking it out of its box. It’s not what people expect of the harp. That gives me an advantage. It is unique and rare. I am experienced at performing so I managed to get the crowd on my side after a long night of listening, I think that stood in my favour.

Read the rest of this entry »

So by now you all know that I am one of four judges on the panel for the first ever Irish Musical Comedy Awards. Curiosity got the better of me and I went and had a look at how our partners across the pond do it and I was pleasantly surprised at the level of talent I found. So I decided to share with you the winner and the runner-up to give you an insight into what you should expect tonight!

So eh….this is the what we are  looking for tonight!

Rob Carter was the winner on the night. He is hilarious, I want to laugh out loud tonight!

Rachel Parris was the runner-up, whose tales of anti depressants made me giggle!

So there ye go, this is what the finalists have to do tonight in order to prove they deserve to win. Will they succeed? Keep tuned to the The Comedy Scoop to see!

So the finalists for the IMCA’s have been announced. Here are the 12 (there was originally supposed to be only 10 but there are so many very talented musical comedians out there that we had to bump that number up to 12!) Here they are in alphabetical order in all their glory! Enjoy! To see them battle it out for the top prize, head along to the Laughter Lounge on April 25th!

Brendogg & Bolsak

Floozy and Bluesy

Johnny Graham

Marcus O’laoire Read the rest of this entry »

The first ever Irish Musical Comedy awards take place in the Laughter Lounge on April 25th. I was delighted to be asked to be a guest judge for the final along with Paddy Cullivan, Marty Miller and Amanda Brunker. It promises to be a night of laughter and very talented musicians with some x factor stylee moments from the judging panel! I caught up with Sharyn Hayden, the lady behind the awards for a chat about the awards and what we can expect on the night.

So Sharyn first ever Irish Musical Comedy Awards, how does it feel?

It all feels very rock and roll, if I’m honest. Normally, I’m not the first to do anything.

I didn’t think we had enough musical comedy in Ireland to warrant a specific award?

Ye of little faith. I was factoring in all the crazy cabaret, gay drag shows, and circus performers I have seen, alongside musical comedy in a comedy club setting when I started out. Plus, I can personally bastardise someone else’s song in about four and a half minutes with my own lyrics, so I knew if I was at it….

What can people expect from the live finals?

They can expect to clap their hands, sway their hips, get up on their feet and spit back up their beers with laughter. No sitting back with arms folded allowed. The Rubberbandits are performing, for gods sake.

It’s obvious to me why you chose Fred Cooke to host, but for those who are less familiar with the Irish comedy scene, why Fred?

I lent him my tent at Electric Picnic about three years ago and I’m hoping to get it back. Plus, everyone knows that ginger from the Spar ads now.

On the night, finalists, live audience, charming male host, 4 judges, I can’t help but think there is an x factor comparison….are you expecting any Simon Cowellesque moments from any of your judges?

It is for this reason that I decided against sitting on the judging panel myself. I wouldn’t be able to resist a line like ‘Was it your mammy who told you that you’re funny? I can’t possibly take you through to the next round’. Because, Amanda, there IS no next round.

Ok now is your Tyra Banks moment, tell me all about the amazing prizes?

*Breathless* The winner of this years’ Irish Musical Comedy Awards will walk away with a €500 cash prize, a gig at this years Kerry Comedy Festival and a performance slot at the Musical Comedy Awards in London in 2013.  The runner-up will receive a half-day recording session at Pboy studios, Dublin, so that they can sell them to all their friends and neighbours.

Now I know I’m putting you on the spot, but who is your favourite musical comedian?

TIM MINCHIN TIM MINCHIN TIM MINCHIN TIM MINCHIN. Haven’t you seen the video where I met him and insisted on licking his face?!?

So there you have it ladies and gents, the IMCA’s promise to be a night to remember with performance from the Rubberbandits and Paddy Cullivan. Here is a sneak peek behind the scene at the crew working hard. If you want to see who actually turns up on the night, you have to turn up!

Tickets are €15 and can be purchased from the Entertainment.ie and Laughter Lounge websites.

Look out over the next few days, we have a pair of tickets to give away for the live finals on the 25th April in the Laughter Lounge!