A MASSIVELY pregnant Sinead O'Connor took to the stage last week in Dublin's Sugar Club for a gathering of invited guests to enjoy a selection of new songs from her forthcoming album Theology. Consigned to a chair with acoustic guitar, Sinead was joined by a harpist, a fiddler and some lovely tin-whistle playing for a run-through of the acoustic, or 'Dublin', side of the double album. To be released next April, the other disc, titled 'London', will have a strong leaning towards hip-hop. Sinead played around 10 songs for the filmed show that saw her marry the political and personal in her own inimitable way.

Blooming in expectation of the new arrival, Sinead demonstrated a charm and ease with herself that suggest someone creatively reinvigorated after last year's surprisingly strong release, the reggae album Throw Down Your Arms.

At one point she had to have one of the crew bring her a plectrum for her guitar because her belly wouldn't allow her to reach down and get it herself.

Almost without thinking she had the assembled in fits of laughter when she observed: "If I bend down I might get pregnant again. That's how I got this way in the first place."

Sexy beasts Last week's Budrising Winter festival threw up some interesting gigs, not least of which was the live debut of a bunch of crazy Brazilians who call themselves Cansei de Ser Sexie (Portuguese for 'I'm tired of being sexy', a quote from Beyonce Knowles). Well, judging from this, none of the five girls and drummer boy are remotely tired of being sexy. Frontwoman Lovefoxxx was a model of excitement at both being here and managing to sell out the Village on the back of word of mouth alone. With only one album this was never going to be a long gig but the band barely drew breath. Lovefoxxx never passed up an opportunity to work the crowd, at one stage even coordinating hand-dancing up the front. Egged on, Lovefoxxx indulged in a spot of crowd-surfing and at one point mounted speakers only to have one of those how-doI-get-down? moments before help arrived.

And the music? A little rougher, a little shoutier, a little looser than than the record but, a bit like The Go! Team, they put smiles on faces. The sight of the band re-appearing minutes after the encore to pack away gear and sign autographs was also heartening.

They may be one of the coolest bands to emerge this year but they aren't cool at all.