Inside boozy night between Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan and muso Dermot Kennedy
HE is one of the most exciting rising stars around – and singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy has found the perfect way to ease the pressure of fame.
In an exclusive chat backstage at Electric Picnic in Dublin, the Kiss Me singer revealed he had befriended fellow Irishman Jamie Dornan in New York and they had indulged in a few late-night sessions.
Dermot said of the actor: “He’s class. He’s the world’s biggest hunk. He’s a great craic. We just chatted about everything and anything.
“He was in town for a TV chat show. He had to be up for a really early flight the next day. But every time he went to the bathroom he told the bar, ‘Seven more pints, seven more pints’.
“It turns out you can get a decent Guinness in New York.”
They were drinking at The Dead Rabbit, where Jamie had been filming for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon earlier that day.
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But that wasn’t Dermot’s only taste of home during his State-side jaunt.
The football-mad singer, whose second album Sonder is out on September 23, teamed up with local Irish football team New York Shamrocks while away.
He said: “It’s not as funny and corny and Irish as it seems. They’re a good team. I love it. It gives me clarity of mind like nothing else, including music. It gives me this whole other level.
“The world does not exist when I’m playing football. It’s something I need.”
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He received a rapturous welcome at Electric Picnic — with 70,000 fans scrambling for a good view.
But he is no stranger to the festival. Recalling his life before fame, he said: “I’ve tried to sneak into this festival twice. It’s funny ’cos Arctic Monkeys play here this weekend and I drove down here with a friend that’s a big fan, years ago.
"We parked the car and you go into the forest and climb under the fence. But we got caught. The security is hardcore.”
He thrilled the crowd with his 90-minute set.
Anthems Outnumbered and Giants earned rousing sing-alongs — and even new single Kiss Me was sung back, less than 12 hours after it dropped online.
Dermot collaborated with Bastille frontman Dan Smth and pop wizard Steve Mac on Kiss Me, and said: “It was good. When I get in those rooms it’s important to impress who I am upon the situation. If I go in there super-meek I’ll come out with something that doesn’t have enough of me in it.”
Dermot is just back from a string of US gigs supporting Shawn Mendes, is touring the world playing intimate busking sessions and has clocked up four billion streams.
But despite all the anticipation ahead of his new album, he remains grounded.
He says: “I make the music. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Considering I’m proud of it, it’s already a success in my head.”
Well, if writing a hit record involves drinking and football, then sign me up for some singing lessons.
Will getting ready for a roasting
IT was initially bandied about as an April Fool’s joke but now Will Smith is said to be lining up a turn on Comedy Central’s Roast as part of his rehabilitation after his Oscars slap furore.
A source said: “A Will Smith Comedy Central is part of the plan for his comeback. Almost every major Hollywood star after they were hit with scandals far worse than Will’s have done them.”
Best Actor Oscar winner Will stepped out of the spotlight, resigning from the Academy after he slapped Chris Rock in March.
I revealed last month how he had resumed talks with streaming giant Netflix over a biopic about his life.
Just for foo, Taylor
★★★★☆
The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert Wembley Stadium, London
IT was the most emotionally charged concert I have ever witnessed – and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Taylor Hawkins’ teenage son performed in his memory.
The Foo Fighters brought together world-class musicians on Saturday night to pay tribute to their drummer, who died suddenly aged just 50 in March this year.
![Dave Grohl said: 'This collection of friends and family and musicians – this is all brought together by him [Taylor]'](https://machibet.online/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/dave-grohl-foo-fighters-plays-757999191.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
On stage, singer Dave Grohl fought back tears as the band performed their 2002 hit Times Like These.
Speaking about organising the concert, which raised money for UK charity Music Support, he said: “When we first started talking about putting something together for Taylor, we sat down and we said even if it’s his closest friends, that’s like 100 f***ing musicians.
“So this collection of friends and family and musicians – this is all brought together by him and we’re all connected here today by that one guy.
“Bringing musicians that have never met, musicians that have never played together, all in one place, at one time, with all of you beautiful people to make f***ing noise for Taylor Hawkins.”
As well as Taylor’s son Oliver Shane, who drummed to the Foos’ hit My Hero, Dave’s daughter Violet took to the stage to sing Valerie with Mark Ronson.
Liam Gallagher opened the show with roaring renditions of Rock ’N’ Roll Star and Live Forever.
Global acts including Sir Paul McCartney, Brian May and Roger Taylor also performed alongside members of The Police, Led Zeppelin, Rush and AC/DC.
Them Crooked Vultures – Grohl’s supergroup with John Paul Jones and Josh Homme – reformed for the first time in 12 years.
Blink-182’s Travis Barker was one of many drummers to play on the night, including Roger Taylor’s son Rufus and schoolgirl Nandi Bushell who proved her mettle with an out-standing rendition of Learn To Fly.
It was a night none of us will ever forget.
Drytime DJ Dean
HE is set to replace Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1’s daytime show.
But presenter Dean McCullough has revealed that he won’t be following in the footsteps of his predecessors with wild parties and drinking into the early hours.
Dean, who is set to present his first show alongside co-host Vicky Hawkesworth today, went sober in 2020 and decided to ditch the booze in a bid to get a job at the station.
And he said his sobriety caught the attention of Ed Sheeran at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Coventry in May, with the Bad Habits singer contemplating going teetotal himself.
He said: “We just got into this deep chat about drinking. He said, ‘Ah you don’t drink do you?’.
“I was like, ‘How the hell does Ed Sheeran know that I don’t drink?’. He said, ‘Whenever I was off writing my last album I didn’t drink and it absolutely changed my life’.”
Dean added: “I kept not drinking because I thought, ‘If I do well at Radio 1 and I end up going to the Brit Awards and amazing things’. I can’t be drinking and going to parties - it’s not cool anymore.”
THE WEEKND cancelled his latest concert in LA after just three songs on Saturday as he struggled with his voice.
The Blinding Lights singer stopped the gig at the SoFi stadium and gave a heartfelt apology.
To cheers and boos, he said: “ I can’t give you the concert I want to give you right now. I’ll do a show real soon for you guys. But I wanted to personally apologise. You know how much this kills me right now.”
Brit of a do in 2023
MY Brit Awards hangovers were always made worse by the fact the bash was held midweek.
But now, for the first time, the ceremony will be on a Saturday to coincide with its 30th anniversary of being broadcast on TV.
The Brits will be screened live on ITV on February 11 from London’s O2 Arena.
Damian Christian, the new chair of the Brit Committee 2023, said: “It is the biggest night of the year for the UK music industry, and we want as many eyes on it as possible.
“Moving the show to a Saturday will breathe new life into the iconic ceremony, while also introducing a new, more engaged audience.”
Bring it on.
Ozzy's black on telly
OZZY OSBOURNE is going to be a very busy man in the coming months – with his new album and a deal with the BBC to reboot his family’s hit TV show.
The Black Sabbath frontman revealed his hectic schedule has kept him going after he was laid up due to a botched operation following a nasty fall in 2019.
Ozzy said: “The guy did a bad job of my neck, I’ve had to have more surgeries. I’ve only recently had the final one. I’ve never been this laid up in my life!
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Doing the album has given me something to f***ing do other than think about my health.”
Ozzy said of his album on Triple M radio: “I’ve got Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Tony Iommi and Andrew Wyatt is the producer. Eric and Jeff played some good s**t.”