Culture 10 - the week's cultural highlights, defined

And how was your week? Here's our handy Easter tipsheet of Cultural musts...

HOMECOMING

Subtitled 'A Film By Beyoncé, Homecoming captures Queen Bey's transcendental performance at last year's Coachella Festival in all its glory, and immediately takes its' place in the pantheon of all-time great concert movies. Not a fan? You will be after this.

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AMAZING GRACE

Talk about a perfect double-bill with Homecoming... Unreleased for over 40 years due to technical issues, this (due in cinemas on May 10th) features Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklyn in full effect as she records her classic 1972 gospel album Amazing Grace.

ST. MATTHEW'S PASSION - THE LYRIC CONCERT

Easter in Ireland is traditionally marked by performances of Bach's oratorios, or Passions - first performed almost 300 years ago, it's become one of the most profound reflections on the Passion of Christ. On Good Friday (April 19th) at 7.30pm, Paul Herriott presents Bach's St Matthew Passion in a performance recorded earlier that day at the National Concert Hall, with soloists joining the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Philharmonic Choir and RTÉ Cór na nÓg - watch it here on RTÉ Culture, listen live on RTÉ lyric fm, or catch up afterwards here.

THE RETURN OF THE GOONIES

From the imagination of Steven Spielberg, this 1985 classic plunges a band of small heroes into swashbuckling, surprise-around-every-corner quest beyond their wildest dreams! Something for the kids, and something for the adults who were once kids. See where Stranger Things really came from, back on the big screen at cinemas nationwide from April 19th...

THE VISIT - LUX ALMA

The down-tempo, dreamlike new single from Alma Kelleher's alter ego might be her finest perfect pop moment to date - Alma plays in Lost Lane, Dublin on 24th April with Sun Collective and I Have A Tribe, then early next month, she also re-joins the cast of THISISPOPBABY's acclaimed show RIOT!

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BLACK SUMMER

Stephen King has been raving about this zombie show, a spin-off from Z Nation, currently streaming on Netflix. Sayeth The King: 'Just when you think there's no more scare left in zombies, THIS comes along. Existential hell in the suburbs, stripped to the bone. No long, fraught discussions. No endless flashbacks, because there's no back story. No grouchy teens. Dialogue is spare. Much shot with a single handheld camera, very fluid. Showrunners could learn a lot from this.' And he's the Master Of Horror, so tune in.

PENELOPE TRAPPES

Fresh from an acclaimed Dublin show with her electro duo The Golden Filter, opening for Sharon Van Etten, the London-based Aussie chanteuse returns to the capital for her debut solo appearance, at the Bello Bar on Thursday, April 25th, performing tracks from her stunning Penelope One and Penelope Two albums - details here. Mogwai have just mixed her track Burn On to rather stunning effect:

Mid90s

From Frat Pack bit-stalwart to Oscar-nominated actor, Jonah Hill has already had a fascinating career - now he makes his directorial debut with a tough-yet-tender coming-of-age tale, a love later to the skateboard kids of his native L.A. - watch out for the cameo from former enfant terrible Harmony Korine, screenwriter of Kids.

THE LIBRERIA PODCAST

We're a sucker for a good books podcast, and this one comes from Libreria, one of our favourite London bookshops, with Libreria curator (and Irishman) Paddy Butler interviewing writers and thinkers on an array of fascinating subjects - listen to an episode here.

LETTER TO MY 14 YEAR OLD SELF

By way of tribute to the late Lyra McKee, watch the moving short film based upon her acclaimed essay Letter to my 14 year old self, and take a moment mourn the senseless passing of an estimable young talent.

Recommendations: Derek O'Connor, Ian McGlynn, Neil Leyden

Culture 10 - the week's cultural highlights, defined

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