Music in the Kingdom – Live Music is the energy of an Irish soul
Live music is something we as irish people have always had, maybe it’s the 4 buskers you pass from the car to the shop, the lad on a guitar in the corner of the place you stop with a friend for coffee or a drink, the band at that event you went to that made your very quiet uncle get up and do the best elvis impression you’ve ever seen or indeed the trad into the wee hours of the morning where the birds seem to start to harmonise with a mandolin as the sun creeps in through the windows……. But it’s vanished.
What’s the saying? ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’? Over the heatwave in the beer gardens at half capacity or strolling through town it’s just not the same! It’s not an irish summer without the spontaneous talent sprouting up, the band in the beer garden taking the most bonkers requests from Galway girl to wonderwall or hearing the karaoke queens that are now silenced.
Musicians have not been allowed to share their joy, talent and enthusiasm with us in over 17 months, that means that families have had to scrape to get by even more (because trust me, no one goes into the music business to be rich or have a steady income, it’s for the pure love and are those are happy to get by) the years and investment put into studying their craft and constantly upskilling have been deemed unimportant(usually musicians start at perhaps 4 and lessons can go from €500- €700 per year x however many years, as well gear, advertising, growing a following via word of mouth… I could go on but you get the gist) and they’ve been actively bullied into ‘doing something normal’….. nothing is normal about no live music, I think we all realise that now.
I asked some local publicans, music lovers and musicians about how they’re feeling at the moment and what we as music lovers can do to help with this and got some extremely heartfelt responses that I think will resonate with you all whether there’s a ‘note in your head’ or not.
‘Live music to Kerry is like the Sun to a blooming Rose . Without it we wither’ were the words from Derek Carroll who is manager of the Imperial Hotel, Derek gave a platform to a number of young local musicians in the summer of 2019 to come, earn money and showcase their talent all whilst entertaining evening guests int he hotel, this was a huge success and was a great boost for the younger artists in our town.
The band ‘Renovator’ are renowned all over kerry for their uplifting shows that get everyone on the dancefloor whether it be a beer garden or a 500 person function. Drummer Ivan O’Connor had these heartfelt words for you all ‘Live music is the soundtrack of our community. For guests or a listening audience in attendance, the worries of the week at work seemingly vanish for an hour or two and the anxieties running through the mind from the daily grind are replaced with familiar lyrics that lighten the complexion of your day. For the musician, it’s the ultimate escapism to perform and feel that reciprocated joy together with your listeners.
Now, more than ever, we need that soundtrack back. For audiences and musicians in Kerry, it represents so much more than it did before. The first chords struck around the county soon in unison will be those of a shared joy that everything is going to be okay, once more’
Their bassist, Joe O’Shea who comes from a family that has music simply engraved in their souls said ‘Kerry is full of talented musicians that are being forced to find income elsewhere after 17 months of not being allowed to work. If Live music doesn’t return soon there will be no musicians left to play your Weddings, Birthdays, Funerals. Please ask your local TD today as to when Live music will be allowed to return.’
Music is part of life, from the young talents who want to go on stage and sing the alphabet and few rhymes they have worked so hard to remember the words and moves to to the more experienced veterans such as my own Grandfather, Jim O’Sullivan, was as good as part of the furniture with his mandolin and accordion in the Brogue until lockdown happened, and the excitement I see in his face when he hears live music is infectious and all he wants to do is go for a tune, and at his age who are we to deny that pleasure?
Yes we must all be safe, yes music may have us leaping and diving like some red bull cliff divers sometimes but…. We can be trusted and responsible, we’ve proven it time and time again at this point.
So what can YOU do? What can WE do? It was absolutely fabulous to see the band ‘midnight cafe’ doing a quick tour around some estates thanks to Miah Lynch all in aid of ‘Kerry mental health’ recently, maybe it’s something we could start with?
Please contact your local TD/publican/venue if you have any ideas and let’s all sing and dance together again like us irish are known for.
I will leave you with the words of a local music fan, John Devine ‘Its something even if you dont realise its there at the time but without it something is missing that you just quite can’t put your finger on’.
