Dublin vs Belfast pondering

Can't remember where this was published. But it was inspired by a trip to Dublin with The Varionis and after seeing the great bands on Grafton Street.

Having just played a gig in Dublin this weekend, the comment by Rory McConnell in an interview on this very site more than hit home. Reading it first time I did agree, I thought I understood what he meant and I moved on to the next sentence. It was only when I got to Dublin on Saturday afternoon that the words took on a new magnitude.

‘We’re just beginning to catch up with the rest of the UK and Ireland. It’s a good start, but we’ve a long way to go.’

Prior to my most recent visit to Dublin this weekend, I was there in February for a brief stay and a few pints. Although it didn’t strike me at the time as overly nouvelle, I looked on with admiration in Grafton Street as full bands plugged in and played. This is a far cry from your man down the town with the violumpet (so named by my brother, whether it’s the proper name or not I don’t know) or thon bloke with the banjo. This is drums, amps, guitars and vocals set up in what is the equivalent of Royal Avenue, powered by a generator of sorts, and unleashed to the scores of shoppers on their weekend rounds.

It was only this weekend, after having read said interview that the appearance of these bands really got me thinking. It’s all very well for Gerry Norman, Niall from Panama Kings, or (dare I said it) my good friend ‘Uncle’ Steve (could he play guitar, that is) to go busking in the city center, but were their respective bands to plug in and play the repercussions could be catastrophic. The PSNI, noise control, traffic wardens, city council, I could go on…the lot of them would be congregating in a melee of disgust brandishing signs reading something to the effect of ‘down with this sort of thing.’ Such is the climate in our city that our bands may be met with little more than ridicule or even contempt by the average shopper laden with Primark bags and a closed mind. Not only were our southern counterparts out there taking the chance, earning some valuable exposure and selling the odd CD, but there were even crowds gathering to watch. Live music in the streets of Dublin is the norm; it’s not only accepted but also embraced by the people.

After seeing this, the true meaning of McConnell’s words struck me. We really do have a long way to go. I long for the day when one of our bands can whip out a generator, a drum kit, a few amps and a guitar and start playing on Anne Street, in Corn Market or anywhere in our town. Local bands are of a no better or worse quality than those in Dublin. Rather, it is the audience that is unfortunately coming up short. The wealth of local music is an unknown quantity for the vast majority of people in this city. It is the one area that needs to be addressed with most urgency. While it’s not an option to force feed people local music, the music must be made available before it’s on radio one. It’s all very well that my dad even knows General Fiasco, but he can’t go see them in Auntie Annie’s tomorrow night. The music of even the lesser-known bands must be brought into the public conscious. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, far from it, but I guarantee that there will be more than a few converts. There are people who don’t even know a local scene exists, and it is they who could play a vital part in helping us catch up with the UK and Ireland.

The bands are there, the venues, promoters, sound men, recording facilities and, increasingly, the media are all there. In some ways the audience are the missing link. It’s up to us to show them what local bands have to offer. It’s up to a local band to go out, plug in in the middle of town and show Belfast that there’s a scene here and they had better support it. Unfortunately, right now, there isn’t an audience for it. Someday there will be, and only then can we say we’re really starting to catch up. There surely is a long way to go….

And don’t call me Shirley…