with the new years eve gig in killarney already feeling like it was in the dim and distant past, i feel like im a little late in wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2006 - but i will anyway! we all had a fantastic evening at the inec. a really warm and enthusiastic response from the 3500 people who made it out to the show. it was a great way to finish off 2005 (that was about the frames 100th gig of last year) - and a nice way to ease into the opening bars of 2006. the next morning i dragged a couple of the lads out to have a look at the splend that was going on just down the road from the hotel. we battled through the rain, with aching bodies and hangovers to have a little peek at a smidgen of the ring of kerry - and very beautiful it was too, even with several woodpeckers residing inside the head. other band members decided to start the year off with a cold (never a good option) and glen has gone straight into making a movie, with our old friend (and original frames bass player) mr john carney. i know that a lot of you have spotted him on grafton street, but, as he plays a busker in this movie id say there will be a few more sightings before the weeks out.

as ive probably said before - our main plan for the first part of this year is 'make a record'. this, we will be hoping to do through feb/mar/april in black box, france again. time is booked. producers are primed. songs are packed. i have no dates on the radar post studio as i dont know exactly when we will be finished. these things have a habit of exceeding their time limit! the rough plan though, is to have the record done and dusted and ready for a release in september, when the touring will all start again with gusto.

having said we have no dates on the schedule, im mainly writing to tell you of 3 dates that we have on the schedule :)
.....the lads want to air a few of the new tunes in a live situation before going into the studio (along with some of the older and middle aged ones too im sure). this is always a good idea and a lot of fine tuning can be done that way. therefore - its 3 x seated gigs in vicar street on the 6th 7th and 8th february. tickets are on sale now at ticketmaster, road records and sound cellar records in dublin. supports for the 6th is duke special. the 7th is hopefully the guggenheim grotto with an accordion player called tommy on before them and on the 8th the papercup songs (www.myspace.com/papercupsongs) open up proceedings and they are followed by the bronagh gallagher band (www.saltydogrecords.com). for those that have been badgering me - these really are the only dates that the frames will be playing for a good while. we have no further dates free until after the record is finished - sorry.

other bits.
lex halby, a very lovely and talented man behind the camera, shot a video for dream awake which you can see at this link: http://www.theframes.ie/v4/video/dreamawake.smil (needs realplayer)
iTunes America should have the blood up on their site in the next couple of weeks. sorry to our american friends, but that tune seemed to slip through the net til someone pointed out that it wasnt available over there, only in europe.
a little bird tells me that josh ritter is going to be announcing some dates in the very near future. having had the privilege of hearing the new record already, youre in for a treat. theres some real beauts on there. you should wander over to www.joshritter.com if you want to be up on the dates news.
interview link for hybrid mag: www.hybridmagazine.com
interview from brno czech gig: www.fruitstandmusic.com

so - thats about the size of it. a very happy new year to you all and be safe and look after yourselves and your loved ones.
cx
www.theframes.ie