Something for the Weekend 19-21 November

Welcome to the weekend, courtesy of JOE.ie. Whether you’re staying in or going out, we’ve got it covered. It’s time to leave the working week behind.

GOING OUT

Gigs

Could it be, a weekend of exciting acts? Indeed, dear readers it is, as Paul Weller and LCD Soundsystem hit the capital this weekend. The former Jam frontman and Mod legend Weller takes to the stage of the Olympia all this weekend, while LCD have a similar three nights on the trot at the Tripod venue. Elsewhere, the rudely-named HOLY F*CK make it to Whelans Friday night, Republic of Loose entertain the crowds at The Academy Friday and Saturday, while Bell XI can be found at the Gleneagle Hotel Saturday night. Take your pick, as there’s plenty to choose from.

Film

Part one of the final installment in the multi-billion Harry Potter movie franchise hits Irish cinemas this week, as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 scares off any potential rival releases this weekend. Director David Yates returns from his well-recieved efforts helming Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince as series regulars Harry, Ron and Hermione set out to discover the secret to Lord Voldemort's immortality.

Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson strike a pose

If anything, we feel that the decision to split the movie in two should please die-hard and casual series fans alike - we've spent so much time with the Hogwarts students over the past six installments that it would be a waste for the finale to fly by, while fans of the book are always clamouring for more faithful adaptations when a particularly favourite scene or subplot is excised. Reviews have been kind too, so if you’re a long-time Potter fan you should need no persuasion while newcomers to the series may wish to purchase a giant box set before even contemplating a trip to see the seventh Harry Potter release in nine years.

Events

Men of Ireland, let this be a warning – Hairspray comes to the Grand Canal Theatre this weekend, and resistance may prove futile. Thanfully, we at JOE have found a few alternatives for your time – funnyman Tommy Tiernan visits Vicar Street Friday night and Pat Shortt can be found at the Castle Dargan Hotel in Sligo too.

Toys 4 Big Boys, meanwhile, has to be the weekend’s biggest event for men everywhere, as the exhibition visits Cork this weekend for the first time, allowing punters a glimpse of the latest gadgets, games and toys.

Finally, we have to mention the Bulmers Comedy Festival in Tipperary, which has established itself as one of Ireland’s premier comedy festivals. From 17 to 21 November some 30 top comedians are todescend on Clonmel for five days of shows.

Since 2009 the festival has three elements; The Bulmers Comedy Festival with stand up, sketch and comedy variety shows from Ireland and abroad. The second element of the festival is The Comedy Theatre Festival showcasing comedy plays like Waiting for IKEA. The Comedy for Kids Festival, meanwhile, holds family-friendly plays and performances with a focus on younger audiences.

Getaway

God evidently thinks it’s funny to urinate all over his servants on this his greenest isle at this time of year, but you don’t have to stand for it. You could convert to Buddhism or alternatively make a break for it – check out the hottest late, late travel deals featured in the newest edition of the Last Minute JOE.

STAYING IN

Sport on TV

This weekend's big Premier League tie involves the much-anticipated North London derby between Spurs and Arsenal. Last year Tottenham had a rare victory thanks to a Danny Rose wondergoal and even released a DVD days later to commemorate the event. Can arguably the best Spurs team since the 80s go one better away from home this weekend? If midfield talisman Rafael Van der Vaart continues his rich vein of form then it's certainly possible.

Aside from Premier League, it's a big night for Irish Rugby as the All Blacks come to a hopefully packed-for-once Aviva Stadium. Meanwhile, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson returns from Hollywood to take on Lyoto Machida at UFC 123 in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Can Van der Vaart lead Spurs to a rare away victory against Arsenal?

Saturday 20 November

Premier League: Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur (Sky Sports 2 from 12:30am)

Premier League: Manchester United v Wigan (Setanta Ireland from 2:30pm)

Rugby Autumn International: Ireland v New Zealand (BBC 2 from 5:30pm, RTE Two from 5:30pm)

Premier League: Liverpool v West Ham United (ESPN from 4:45pm)

Serie A: AC Milan v Fiorentina (Setanta Ireland from 7:45pm)

La Liga: Real Madrid v Athetlic Bilbao (Sky Sports 4 from 9:00pm)

Sunday 21 November

MMA: UFC 123 (ESPN from 3:00am)

Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals (Sky Sports 2 from 12:00am)

Premier League: Blackburn Rovers v Aston Villa (Sky Sports 1 from 1:00pm)

Premier League: Fulham v Manchester City(Sky Sports 1 from 3:30pm)

NFL: New York Jets v Houston Texans (Sky Sports 4 from 5:30pm)

NFL: New England Patriots v Indianapolis Colts (Sky Sports 4 from 9:00pm)

 

On the Box

It’s been a favourite of ours for quite some time but Chevy Chase-starring comedy Community hits a series high this week is (Friday, 3e, 11:15pm) with Friday’s ‘Modern Warfare’ episode. Members of the study group discuss the sexual tension between Britta and Jeff, and friendships are tested when an early registration paintball contest begins

Denzel Washington gives the performance of his career in Training Day

A cop embarks on his first day in narcotics, partnering a seasoned officer whose willingness to flout the rules forces him to question everything he has learnt in Friday night’s Training Day tonight (Friday, Film Four, 9pm). As the duo resort to extreme measures to crack a case, the rookie (Ethan Hawke) is left battling his conscience in a dangerous situation. Denzel Washington became the first African-American hander to land a Best Actor accolade at the Oscars for his role as the corrupt Det. Alonzo Harris, a performance that is elevates what could have been a run-of-the-mill cop drama into an intoxicating look at the abuse of power.

Blu-ray/DVD

It raked in over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, it gave the series pretty good standing to call itself the greatest trilogy of all time and it even made one JOE member weep – this weekend’s top DVD and Blu-ray is without doubt Toy Story 3. Pixar’s latest is perhaps even their greatest as it’s filled with laugh-out-loud moments, ingenious plot devices and an incinerator scene that made our jaws drop in astonishment. We won’t spoil it here but our heart nearly stopped.

And finally...

Don’t forget to join JOE this weekend for our latest sports news and views as the results start flooding in.