Mullingar to rock London!

The best-selling biography on legendary Mullingar entertainer Joe Dolan is to be launched internationally with a special night in honour of Joe in the UK next week.The book, which was a commercial and critical success upon its release here in Ireland last year, is to receive its international launch at the legendary London venue, The Boogaloo on Wednesday next, June 24th.Author Ronan Casey will be reading passages from the book and will also be presenting a short film on Joe, created especially for the event. Making it a real Mullingar night - and celebrating the town"s musical past, present and future - will be the presence of top Mullingar rock group The Aftermath. The band, led by brothers Johnny and Michael Cronin, will be performing after the book launch.A galaxy of stars and notable figures from the Irish community in England are expected to attend the launch, including Shane MacGowan. Notorious British music icon - and a big Joe Dolan fan - Pete Doherty is also expected to be there on the night. Founding Dire Straits member and regular visitor to Mullingar John Illsley will also be there. The Boogaloo is a noted literary and musical watering hole ran by Irishman Gerry O"Boyle. Situated on Archway Road in Highgate, North London it is one of the UK capital"s most highly-rated venues.Author and journalist Ronan Casey had started writing with Joe Dolan a year prior to his passing in December 2007, and the resulting book was a massive Irish best-seller for the world"s biggest publishing house Penguin last year. With the paperback version due on Irish shelves this week, a luxurious hardback will be launched in the UK at the Boogaloo on June 24th.After the launch, The Aftermath will rock the night away. The band have been putting the groundwork in across the UK over the past year in advance of the UK release of their best-selling album 'Friendlier Up Here', which Hot Press recognised as one of the Irish albums of the year last year. It will be released in the UK later this summer.Meanwhile, its release in Scandinavia has found the Aftermath earning critical and commercial success in the region and the night after their Boogaloo gig, the men from Mullingar will be jetting it to Stockholm in Sweden where they are one of the big international acts at the Peace and Love Festival in Borlänge.The Peace & Love festival is biggest festival in Sweden, highly rated for its diverse program which mixes music with debates and workshops. As well as featuring The Aftermath, this year"s line-up also features Faith No More, The Stranglers, Lykke Li, Chris Cornell, The Kooks, Keane and Motely Crue! The Aftermath will be headlining one of the festival tents on Thursday night.Mullingar"s musical links to London will not be ending with the Joe Dolan book launch. The award-winning pop group The Blizzards recently received rave reviews for a series of London gigs, whilst local singer/songwriter Greg Perle has also been the toast of the UK music critics. Indeed, on Tuesday next, June 23rd, Greg will be joining founding Dire Straits members John Illsley and Mark Knopler for a very special gig at the 100 Club in London"s Oxford Street. Perle, a lifelong Dire Straits fan, landed his dream job when he hooked up with Illsley at a gig in Mullingar a couple of years ago. The pair have been writing and recording together ever since, and are currently promoting their second album together.The Boogaloo, 312 Archway Road, Highgate, London N6 5AT. www.theboogaloo.co.uk.