Syria

It has taken quite a while to write about Syrian music that I have found on this imaginary trip around the Mediterranean. After a slow start, I found at least two fabulous bands, and many other fascinating musicians.

Bled-Rowing

Bled Rowing – Bled Stories Podcast

The history of Bled’s Rowing Club reflects the history of not just Bled town, but Slovenia itself.

For tourists, the lake is a place for fun and recreation. But competitive rowers, come throughout year and from early spring you’ll see events from youth programmes right up to Olympic level.

On this episode of Bled Stories, the Bled Rowing Club.

Jernej Slivnik is Secretary General of the Slovenian Rowing Federation and and Co-Director of the Bled Rowing Organising Committee and my guide through the history of the club. The Bled Stories podcast is about the people who make Bled the place it is. The series is an accompaniment to The Firsthand Guide to Bled books. You can get more information about them here.

Turkey

My make-believe journey around the Mediterranean continues. From Greece to Turkey with some of the best music of this trip.

Mikame Craft Shop – Bled Stories podcast:

We start this podcast early May 2018. A quiet Wednesday morning – about 10:00 am. This part of the town is still getting into gear. Shops are opening, not many customers yet. Delivery vans are delivering, shop keepers are keeping each other company, coffee is being sipped where last night beer and wine were being served. The alpine air is fresh and Jakob Ribnikar is opening his shop Mikame. It’s a tiny place, dwarfed by the Devil Bar next door, you could miss it.

But don’t – it is packed with local crafts. The address is Cesta svobode 15 4260 Bled Slovenia – info@mikame.si and the website www.mikame.si

Virtual Reality Producers

Podcast: Producing virtual reality

Virtual reality on the podcast this time. Davy Sims talks to three people creating a VR and an immersive media industry in Northern Ireland. Dee Harvey is a producer as is Phil Morrow who runs the production company RETìníZE and Nigel McAlpine who runs Storyfx and Digital Catapult in Belfast.

Podcast: Stuart Bailie – Trouble Songs

Music journalist Stuart Bailie’s new book Trouble Songs will be officially published in May, but it’s already starting to stir conversations and commentary. He takes on difficult stories from our history since the mid-1960s at the place where music meets social and political change and through interviews and analysis tries to understand and explain what happened.

It will be in the shops around now, but you can also order it on the web at TroubleSongs.com

Women in Tech

In this edition, women who work in tech, three leaders who were involved with the Women Techmakers summit which was held in Belfast last weekend.  On Friday evening there were workshops and on Saturday the main event was in W5. Victoria McCallum was on the podcast to preview the event a few weeks ago, and she’s back to reflect on how it all went. Claire Burn and Daniella Topping were with Victoria when we sat down to talk about the summit and more generally women in technology here.

Peter McVerry of U105 and John Rosborough talk local radio

With an investment estimated to be over £1million from its new owner the Wireless Group, Belfast radio station U105 has moved to new offices and studios in a lough-side development.

A week after a nervous mid-day hand over from Frank Mitchell who presented the last programme in Havelock House to Carolyn Stewart in the new City Quays HQ, I sat down with current station manager Peter McVerry and the first station manager John Rosborough.

Returning to Podcasting

After much thought and deliberation (i.e. dithering) I have decided to revive my tech and media podcast – and extending it to music. Testing for the bathroom effect in the kitchen. (Audiophiles will get that one). 

First recording next week with Popup (Ross Moffett) and musicians Sonja Sleator and Chase the River). That should be available Thursday 8 March. Subscribe here.

First recording next week with Popup (Ross Moffett Sonja Sleator and Chase the River)