Back in the early 70’s when we were all moving about in random directions trying to make ends meet and waiting for the weekend to come in order to see some live music in the local youth club or go into town to the Club a Go Go or Countdown Club the local hero’s for the likes of me were the musicians to made the transfer across the water to the big league. To the fans and budding musicians at home these exiled local hero’s generated pride and joy as they built their reputations, broke new musical ground and achieved international recognition for their musical talents.

 
It was in this context that I felt a real sense of privilege watching two of my local hero’s Ed Deane and Fran Byrne walk on stage in JJ Smyths Saturday night having followed their careers in the New Spotlight, NME and Hot Press over the years in an industry that can tear your soul apart and unfortunately has sent many of our musical local hero’s to a sadder stage in the sky.

 
I watched these two much acclaimed musicians on stage and I felt their was an honesty in the way these men played that makes the experience unique a feeling that all that matters to musicians of this calibre is getting to play in a place and at a time where it would mean something to people.

 
When you’ve paid your dues and toured as extensively as Ed Deane you always try to add something new and it becomes clearly evident that when he plays a solo he doesn’t stick to what was planned and plays from the heart until he can hear himself singing through the guitar. He plays the classics and he plays them well, not with the original precision or technical finesse but with his own eyes closed self possessed unique style that shows how much he has embraced each song and made it his own. When his heart tells him to get out a little bit he goes for it and when it pays off it’s a lotto win for everyone in the room. It’s of course also a high risk strategy for live entertainers and not for the faint hearted because you lose marks on the slick meter when it doesn’t fly and only works for the guitarist not trying to be anything other than what he is. Ed also has a superb safety net in his Drummer Fran Byrne whose ability to weave support and innovate around Ed’s playing was absolutely fantastic and a joy to ears and eyes.

 
Ed’s guitar’s on the night were a Black Fender Strat and a commie red Danelectro both strung with the low E string closest to his shoes, Ed strings them as if played by a right handed player thus the bass strings are on the bottom of the neck. Except for a jazzy old world Aria Pro hollow bodied arch top with the strings strung the opposite way, the signs of a man who likes a challenge, and a musician who wants to play what he hears in his head.Ed had trouble getting this good looking Gretch like guitar under control with a fair bit of uncomfortable twiddling with the tone and volume knobs as the jazzy orientated number progressed which is often unavoidable when utilising several different types of guitar through a stage set up and often results in the guitar sound having a mind and agenda of its own.

 
It’s a bit like taking an untrained Alsatian for a walk, you’re the one with the lead but it decides where you’re going.It’s a suspension of belief to watch Ed move between right handed and left handed guitars playing them backwards and forwards in open and standard tuning in accordance with his handwritten set list on the floor beside him and occasionally at the behest of a request from the crowd jubilantly heralding Ed Deane’s return, clearly delighted to witness this legendary Dublin Guitarist on stage again.

 

Ed plays a myriad of diverse guitar styles very effectively, a treasure throve, including some highly charged Link Wray and the unmistakable Pulp Fiction reverb drenched left handed upside down Dick Dale surf guitar with whammy bar chords that make you want to drive out to Dollymount Strand with the top down at midnight to hear the waves crashing and rolling onto the rocks of Dublin Bay on a hot summers night.

 
It’s when Ed gets into the Blues that this southpaw reveals a startling vibrato enhanced ringing guitar style, his guitar chops imbued with a similar emotional left handed string bending intensity and style of another Chicago southpaw Otis Rush.

 
When Ed Deane plays its about attitude, delivering every note with conviction using a mix of pick and fingers to get the chugging boogie riffs up and running and as soon as the band are all aboard the bluestrain he dips into his bag of tricks sliding up the fretboard to pull double stop bends and piercing single note lines pouring himself into every move never failing to command complete attention.

 
Talking about bluestrains the audience included my favourite aviator of the blues airwaves Charlie Hussy from Anna Livia’s FM 103 Sunday night show Bluestrain as well as three of the best Blues Guitarists on the scene Ben Prevo, Pete McGowan and Johnny Renolds in a JJ’s, house full of live Blues musicians and supporters including Larry Roddy who has worked tirelessly over the years to promote live Blues music. Both Ben Prevo and Johnny Reynolds joined Ed Deane’s Band onstage for tasty samples of their own talents on the fretboard adding a variety of flavours to the blues scale territory with Eamonn Murray on Sax and Blues Harp the expressive James Delaney on Keyboards, Fran Byrne on Drums and Chris Mayfield on bass name checked inadvertently by Ed Deane as Curtis to much amusement. It was amazing to hear the chemistry of Ben and Johnny’s right hand string pushing bends bounce against Ed’s southpaw string pulling bends on both of their respective jams.

 
There was a wonderful atmosphere of celebration in JJ’s Saturday night including contributions from two ladies in a decidedly reduced state of awareness whose dancing routines in front of stage defied the laws of gravity during the bands rousing rendition of Houndog.

 
In the mid sixties many white kids in Ireland and Britain appropriated the Blues styles and learned how to belt out the tunes that had kept the audiences in the Roadhouse circuits of the oppressed Southern States of America entertained after long and hard days in the field. The power of this music to motivate and keep the spirit high was the attraction of the Blues for these young guitarists who mastered their craft and got their license to drive the music forward creating the evolution of modern music as we know it in all its different directions.In England there were the likes of John Mayal, Peter Green and Eric Clapton and in Ireland we had the likes of Rory Gallagher and Ed Deane to heed and lead the call of the Blues.

 
For all of us who love music and the people who make it we had National treasure on stage in JJ’s Saturday night.

 

ALL YOUR LOVE I MISS LOVIN’
ALL YOU KISSES I MISS KISSIN’
ALL YOUR LOVE I MISS LOVIN’
ALL YOUR KISSES I MISS KISSIN’
SINCE I MET YOU, BABY
I NEVER KNEW WHAT I WAS MISSIN’

 

Mick Kenny aka MTW

Dunmore East a spectacular cosy seaside fishing village on the sunny south east of Ireland, full of old world thatched charm and a full menu of get away from it all activities is also the home for an annual assembly of Bluegrass music’s finest local and international performers.

 
Mick Daly started the ball rolling twelve years ago and has kept it rolling with a singular focus ever since, when as then proprietor of The Spinnaker affectionately known locally as The Spanker, decided to put a bit of life into the quiet spot at the end of the summer by organising this Bluegrass Festival to help boost the commercial nature of the villages wares at the end of August each year.

 
So it was onto the M50 and down the N11 with the family for the 175 km trip to Bunclody native and musician Richie Roberts B&B Avon Lodge in Dunmore East to get my head around the world of Bluegrass.

 
The first performance for me was the from the USA called The King Brothers featuring John Catterall on Banjo, Mandolin and Vocals and Paul Kenney Guitar and Lead Vocal.
The King Brothers are an innovative mingling of Bluegrass, Country and Irish Traditional inspired primarily by the music of The Stanley Brothers pioneers of Bluegrass who released all their music on King Records in the 50’s hence the name.

 
Playing on a stage set up on the lawn of the Fawlty Towers look-alike Haven Hotel on a warm sunshiny Saturday afternoon the equally warm and friendly King Brothers embody a profound familiarity and grasp of the Bluegrass traditions.The easygoing presence of John and Paul on stage quickly earned them an equally warm appreciation from the audience as they worked their way through a repertoire of old folksy Blue Ridge mountain music with infectious mournful and joyous harmonies.

 
There were reminiscences of their sessions with the formative Dixie Chicks and a great version of John Denver’s Country Roads.They talked about the fascination prison songs have and song with delightful harmonies bringing a sad a beautiful poetic depth to the lyrics.The gateway to different musical forms for me has always been the guitar and there is no shortage of guitar-fuelled magic to be heard in Bluegrass music.

 
The chemistry of Paul’s walking bass lines and strumming patterns on his Martin six string acoustic fitted with a Fishman Thinline pick up combined with John’s Banjo picking was foot tappingly wonderful from this very pleasant professional duo.

 
I Lived A Lot In My Time was a rolling delight full of captivating lyrics and a catchy chorus:

 

” I fought the grim reaper down in the dark valley
I prayed where the sun didn’t shine
I look through the bars of this cold lonely prison
Yes I’ve lived a lot in my time”

 

A Dublin based group called Hog Rose provided the next musical delight up at the top of the town in Powers Bar. There was a singalong in full swing by the time we settled into their set featuring classics like the happiest song I think of all time” You Are My Sunshine.”
Plenty of blarney in between the songs and wonderful good time tunes like Take Me Back To Tulsa, I’m Too Young To Marry and a tribute to the late Dublin Traditional singer songwriter John Harte entitled “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight”.

 
The most noticeable quality watching Hog Rose is the passionate love and admiration they have for the music, with each song given a 110% dose of love and affection from this group featuring Richard Hawkins whose commitment and passion for Bluegrass music promotions is a sparkling genuine down to earth treat for fans and musicians ensuring that the circle will remain unbroken thankfully.

 

“You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You’ll never know dear
How much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away”

 

Another Irish family keeping the bluegrass and old time music flame alight over the years with regular sessions in the Cork area are Kevin and Geraldine Gill and their two sons who I came across on my travels doing an un-amplified session in The Spinnaker on Saturday night with members of the Jack Danielle’s String Band from France and performing again on Sunday in the small but lovely front garden setting of The Ship Restaurant surrounded by Sunday diners tucking into the excellent food on offer.

 
The grace and simplicity of this fine seldom heard traditional music was like the icing on the cake on a warm seaside village afternoon.One of the fastest picking exciting groups performing over the weekend was The BlueGrass Boogiemen from Holland and they were lifting the roof off The Ocean Hotel on the Saturday night when we arrived.

 
There was a great sense of humour, fun, great musicianship being demonstrated by The BlueGrass Boogiemen jumping about the stage in minstrel black and white shoes and alternating vocal positions around the main microphone.The on stage energy of these melodic bluegrass rock and rollers was captivating and engaging with the audience on their feet from start to finish watching super pickers, hoe down fiddle playing, wonderful bluegrass instrumentalists and interactive duelling vocalists.

 
Like all of the other performers I witnessed over the weekend in Dunmore East I found that I was quiet familiar with the bluegrass repertoires featuring as it does music that has been the pinnacle tracks on the soundtrack of our lives in our favourite cowboy films, swing bands, country, old time traditional and new folk music performances not to mention contemporary movies like Johnny Cash’s Walk The Line and Oh Brother Where Art Thou with classics like Man Of Constant Sorrow flowing amongst songs with the purest strains of angelic Appalachian bluegrass.

 
Walking about listening to the different bands I soon realised the diverse array of styles under the Bluegrass/Folk/Country umbrella, from the fun songs to the beautifully poignant, that takes the audience willingly back to a time when life was less complex because of the strong spiritual nourishment in the soul searching lyrics and the upbeat arrangements.

 
Unfortunately it proved impossible to get around all the bands and often you met musicians on the sidewalks rushing from one venue to the other along the hilly streets with their musical instrument cases tucked under their arms from The Ocean to The Haven or from The Strand to Powers, The Ship or The Spinnaker.

 
On the Saturday and Sunday night I mingled with the thousands of local fans wandering outside the Harbour side Strand Stage with their young exuberant flaps closed looking for a familiar face in the crowd, humming along young and old to the melodic waves of Blue Moon of Kentucky coming in off the nearby Atlantic Ocean.

 
Blue Moon Of Kentucky is one of the great signposts on the musical route of every music fan just as it was on a young impressionable Elvis in one of Bill Monroe’s travelling tents on the outskirts of Memphis in the early fifties so much so that he developed it down at the crossroads with some thumping blues and laid it down with Sam Philips and Scotty Moore and The Wranglers on the B Side of his first single to make the world spin on a musical revolution that has carried us to where we are now in present day music fashion.The ~Blue Ass Festival in Dunmore East each year is a gathering of the faithful, a family reunion that ends in a midnight jamboree in the bars and out on the streets.The groups do what they feel like doing until all the instruments are packed up and goodbyes are exchanged.

 

After a walk through the marvellous woods with its labyrinth of natural pathways, that span the rear of Dunmore East on Sunday morning we stopped by The Ocean Hotel once more to get toe tapping again while the Clarksville Mountain Band rally the troops with storming versions of Old Tom Tucker, Last Train to Clarksville and a Funkgrass version of Stevie Wonders Superstition before moving next door to Powers to get some good seats for a session from Blue Railroad Train featuring American Bluegrass veteran James Field and four French musicians with a shared love of old traditional bluegrass and driving traditional country music full of virtuoso passionate playing and with both English and French harmonic vocals.

 
Straddling the fence between Saturday night drinking and Sunday morning church, Blue Railroad Train had plenty of Honky Tonk Blues, Steel Driving tales of lonesome heartbreak and all night cafe’s with a repertoire that included Chuck Berry’s 30 day’s, Big Bill Bronzy, sorrowful trails, slow trains and created an atmosphere in Dunmore East on a Sunday morning of where the deer and the antelope roam to the rhythm of Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs and newgrass legend Ricky Skaggs.

 
Sunday afternoon in the Haven Hotel was buzzing and packed for the superb Boxcar Preachers from Austin Texas who specialise in fast picking Texas Bluegrass oozing with fast and furious charisma and excitement.

 
Craig High was fantastic and in top form with super charged washboard, jaw harp and hollerin good old fashioned vocals surrounded by a cacophony of musical expertise gushing forth like an oil strike from Bruce Mitchell and the boys including some amazing steel guitar picking from Ian Mitchell playing with his guitar angled almost horizontally to use a tapered stainless steel bar on the strings for single string accuracy.

 
This is barnstorming humorous lovin music straight off Walton’s Mountain full of good times and hard living yarns from a seasoned bunch of good time musicians.We got a sermon from the hill outside the Haven Hotel and a rip-roaring version of Folsom Prison Blues.

 

” I hear that train a coming, its rolling around the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when
I’m stuck at Folsom Prison and time keeps dragging on
But that train keeps rolling on down to San Antoine”

 

There was much dancing high on the hill from young and old inspired by waltzing Texan Lady Connie from Austin who told me to go down and see the magnificent statue of Stevie Ray Vaughan in the Boxcar Preachers hometown of Austin Texas.

 
This music is the embodiment of a set of values where the present can come to terms with the past, nomadic troubadours emulating their idols with the crowd in their corner because they know how they feel about this music they love.

 
Playing with a feeling because this music going back to fellow Texan, Jules Verne Allen has meaning and a literal truth that will remain on the road as long as there is anyone to listen, motivated to play it, because if its not your time now, play it loud and proud until its your time again.

 
As the evening moved into the final sessions of the Festival we stopped into The Ship to sample some of Dunmore East’s finest Monkfish and Crab Claws washed down with a bottle of Marques de Riscal Reserva 2001/02.This classic Rioja with its vanilla and oaky aroma and full bodied ripe rich fruit flavoured lengthy delight was the perfect complement for all this acoustic rootsy rare auld mountain vibe.It left me in flying form for the finale in the Spinnaker later when the Boxcar Preachers put on another splendid performance and put it all into focus singing:

 
“Ain’t no grave gonna hold my body down
Ain’t no grave gonna hold my body down
When the Boxcar Preachers play
I’m gonna get up out of the ground
Ain’t no grave gonna hold my body down”

 
The Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival was Honky Tonk boogie music with a traditional country beat with a logic of approach and the sureness of artistic intent featuring:

 
– The Boxcar Preachers
– The King Brothers
– Bluegrass Boogiemen
– Clarksville Mountain Band
– Hog Rose
– Kevin & Geraldine Gill
– Jack Danielle’s String Band
– Tennessee Hob
– Blue Railroad Train
– Mean Eyed Cats
– Richie Roberts& Friends

 

Mick Kenny aka MTW

Chris De Burgh returned to an Irish stage on Saturday night to a full house in the INEC for a solo performance celebrating all his best-known hits over the past 30 years.

 
The set reflected his evolution as a singer songwriter over the years from his embryonic performances in Captain America’s in Grafton Street in the early 70’s with his earlier trademark story songs to the big production numbers of the 80’s to the more recent romantic songs and anti war themes.

 
The epic tales of the Christmas favourite A Spaceman Came Travelling, Spanish Train, the burlesque activities of Patricia the Stripper to the romantic worldwide hit and housewives anthem Lady in Red, Missing You, the comforting Carry Me to the songs from his new album Songs of Freedom. One of the stand out tracks and performances for me was a tribute by Chris called Songbird, to the late Eva Cassidy a lady born with the voice of an angel who tragically died of cancer before her career blossomed whose vocal performances continue to create a profound moving experience to listeners belatedly and attract a world wide audience posthumously.

 
During Lady in Red the spotlight focussed on a beautiful tanned Lady sitting beside me wearing a stunning red dress who was clearly captivated by her idol on stage. I knew she had devotedly gone to all his concerts in Ireland and England since the early 80’s, had all the concert ticket stubs proudly displayed in a large frame at home, I knew she had bought the red dress for the concert and especially for Chris but what really made be proud was the fact that she was my Lady Irene and that she was coming home with me tonight. It was a win win for everybody ha ha as the guy say’s in the Simpson’s.

 

This was Chris De Burgh’s only Irish appearance in a world tour that had just finished a string of dates in Germany and is heading to Canada next for this Irishman who has sold over 50 million albums and continues to have an enduring appeal all around the world.Chris used a absolutely brilliant sounding dark blue solid body 12 string guitar, custom made I believe in the Guitar Factory in Florida and piano in a performance that sounded technically flawless and the songs lost none of their identity being stripped down to the bare essentials in fact Chris unrestrained by a band on stage made the atmosphere sound spontaneously infectious allowing him to work the audience at his own pace.

 
This freedom soon created a genuine mutual rapport and affinity with the loyal fans mostly good-looking thirty-something’s bringing flowers, chocolates and even a bottle of his favourite wine up to him between songs. Chris is well known for his love of fine wine having once drank a full bottle of 1945 Chateau Lafitte as soon as he arrived home after the birth of his youngest son.

 
His songs are introduced with the theme and inspiration, described very clearly and humorously with each song painting a visual sound track of the events. Here For You is a good example of a song he introduced describing that family anxiety when a grown up child, in this case his famously beautiful daughter Rosanna crowned Miss World in 2003, leaving home for an experience abroad and the very real mixed bag of emotions, pride, joy, sadness, worry that airport experience and event brings to mind for parents.

 
One of the great things about live concerts like this is listening to members of the audience around me singing along passionately with fragments of the lyrics of their favourite song, a song that was not only happening on stage in the present but was also an association with personal events in their own past, a soundtrack from good times in life that binds the artist and fan intimately together past, present and future.

 
He belted out rockers like High on Emotion and Don’t Pay the Ferryman and lifted the roof off metaphorically with a Beatle medley Hard Day’s Night, Oblidi Oblida, and swept us away with his version of Hey Jude that revealed his vocal range and just how good an entertainer he is on stage, it was like listening to his hero Paul McCartney.When he looked for some dancers a group of aerobically inclined fans arrived at the front of the stage to engage in a type of free form dancing and bopped away to their hearts content, unsurprising tossing a big old pair of red panties on stage that had me wondering was Brigit Jones in the audience as well tonight.

 
Chris and Family had earlier enjoyed the scenic delights of this visitor friendly county telling us about his trip out to the folk museum in the 19th century Muckross House and Gardens renowned for its world calibre botanical collections, the remarkably friendly locals and the mist pronounced “mished” that descends like a cloud around you as you drive along the mountain roads.

 
Kerry is a fantastic place to visit and the spirit of friendliness and welcome as you walk around the streets of Killarney is palpable and a wonderful credit to the people of the area.He was quiet happy to talk about his ups and downs and acknowledge his much publicised indiscretion of the past and accepted that the halo had slipped and the fans loudly reassured him that they remained unswayed, because just like the mistakes of any member of a family they had also dealt with it and moved on which is the survival dynamic of family life the world over. He did however have a few sharp words also welcomed by rapturous applause for the anonymous type O negative media critics, letting us know for their benefit, that he was still alive and well, not divorced and happily getting on with his life, with his wife Diane and kids who were all in the audience and clearly delighted to see Chris doing what he does best. When the show was over they mingled with the fans and consented willingly to have pictures taken in their company. On the way out we bought the new CD Road to Freedom from the youngest member of the family.

 
What these tabloid crucifixion merchants don’t understand is the glue that exists between an artist and his audience, the relationship that grows and strengthens into a channel of mutual support, excitation and satisfaction over time.

 
Having read the unsubtle sensationalistic rubbish tabloid style article in the Irish Independent that afternoon I knew exactly how he felt, and I am constantly bemused to what end these celebrity career attacks serve other than to attract the attention of the Church’s priest recruitment division to target this group of scribes in our society for enlistment to the priesthood, with their obvious morally impeccable, faultless and immaculate credentials.

 
Hey guys say what you mean, mean what you say but please do not be so mean when you say it, as the wise old saying goes.

 
Chris De Burgh had the satisfaction when he walked off stage that he had worked hard tonight and if their was a fragile and weak uncertainty about pulling off a one man show after all these years away from an Irish Stage, it was put to flight immediately after witnessing him taking his Wireless Microphone Headset and 12 String Electric around the auditorium playing and shaking hands with the audience who patted him on the back, laughed, cried and screamed as he moved through the aisles of fans. Those ecstatic moments for a fan when the world stops and sparkles like a star right before your eyes and, fades back into reality gently like a melting snowflake.

 
The Gleneagles INEC venue, it most be said is excellent with the stage easily within view from any angle and the PA superbly distributing the sound as clearly as if you were sitting in front of a sound system at home but the most refreshing observation was the courtesy and polite efficiency of the INEC staff who unobtrusively went about their business in marked contrast to the jumped up cattle drovers I am regularly confronted with in the Point and similar sized events in Dublin over the years.

 
Mick Kenny aka MTW

The Who kicked off their Summer Tour 2013 with a spectacular production of Quadrophenia followed by a blistering set of Who classics from the post Mod albums Tommy, Who’s Next & Who Are You.

 

The Who Family Gathering in Dublin ensured a full house across the generations with a whole new generation of Mods tapping into the live experience of The Who all dressed up in their finest threads.The glorious summer sunshine beaming down on Dublin all weekend also added colour and fun as we all converged on Dublin’s Docklands to celebrate living legends Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend and to pay homage to heroes gone to the great beyond Keith Moon and John Entwistle.

 

Vintage Trouble played a scorcher opening up the live action on stage with their blend of rock n soul music which has been gathering fans and rave reviews from the first leg of The Who’s American Tour in late 2012 early 2013. Front man Ty Taylor sprinted up the aisles of the vast O2 venue whipping the arriving audience into a sing a long party vibe. Acknowledging their appreciation of The Who’s support and playing a high energy set it created the perfect atmosphere for the main event. The Who have always used the support slot on their tours over the years to open the door for us to an amazing variety of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, James Gang, Alex Harvey Band, AC/DC, Kilburn & The High Roads, Q Tips, The Stranglers, The Clash, Little Feat, Counting Crows and many many more over the years.

 

As the final few filed into their seats the atmosphere of expectation was electric a full house of joyful spirits giving a rousing reception as the skipper Pete Townshend in shades and sailing top and Roger Daltrey led the crew on stage and the massive screens reflected waves lapping on to a sea shore to the opening of Quadrophenia.This was a carefully synchronised production which The Who are no strangers to in presenting Quadrophenia but nowadays the advances in technology has resulted in an amazing interactive experience.

 

Close ups of the action on stage on a triangle of port hole video screens above the band with three huge screens back and flanking the stage ensured that every detail was visible from any angle of location in the O2.
As The Who proceeded to play the complete Quadrophenia album from start to finish in sequence clips of iconic Who images from the good old days flashed all around us.

 

 

– I Am The Sea
– The Real Me
– Quadrophenia
– Cut My Hair
– The Punk and the Godfather
– I’m One
– The Dirty Jobs
– Helpless Dancer
– Is It In My Head
– I’ve Had Enough
– 5.15
– Sea And The Sand
– Drowned
– Bell Boy
– Doctor Jimmy
– The Rock
– Love Reign O’er Me

 

Pete on Electric and Acoustic Guitars and Vocals, Roger swinging the mike reeling in every catchy number with supreme vocal authority and Simon on an array of brilliant guitars also on vocals and harmonizing with confidence and authority with the every reliable head shaking Pino Palladino on Bass, Scott Devours on Drums and a back line of keyboards and horns from Loren Gold, Frank Simes musical director, John Corey.

 

During 5.15 there was a wonderful tribute embroidered in the performance for John Entwistle watching thunder fingers playing an explosive bass solo as only John could with Scott Devours playing live in tandem before Roger and Pete and the rest of the band came back in for the finish.Bell Boy featured a similar tribute to Keith Moon which was so much appreciated by the crowd.Self evidently the Mod culture is alive and well in Dublin with Modern Fans in particularly loving every detail beaming up on the massive screens. Quadrophenia ignited a revival of interest in the music fashion and attitudes of the 60’s Mods and The Who and Quadrophenia since it first documented it all have become the gate keepers the Godfathers of the Mod scene.

 

I connected with The Who around their Woodstock, Live at Leeds, Who’s Next period expanding my appreciation backwards and forwards without the slightest hesitation ever since.The arrival of the original Quadrophenia double LP in 1973 tied in nicely with my exploration of The Who’s early to mid 60’s studio and live performances. That journey has been a continuous journey ever since with Quadrophenia forming a crossroads of sorts with infinite possibilities for fans young and old.

 

Tonight on stage in Dublin Pete Townshend who channelled the Quadrophenia concept of four personalities pulling in opposite directions inadvertently becoming a vibrant community greater than the sum of its pretty cool part is reflected as Pete the tough uncompromising sea captain and veteran of many voyages sails his proud masterpiece up the River Liffey in Dublin to dock for our edification and delight. Roger Daltrey’s role could be best described as the navigator of this big old ship called The Who as it voyages nowadays as Rogers preventive maintenance and quality control planning ensures a match fit crew on the boards with seamless production values creating an atmosphere of spectacular sound and vision.

 

There is a proud Who legacy to be maintained after 50 years and Roger and Pete are acutely in tune with that responsibility.The Who is our team and as long as Roger and Pete want our support we will gladly rally The Who Family together as so dedicated fans all around the globe and it’s a bargain the best we’ve ever had.For desert we got a selection of hits from the post Mod era starting with Who Are You the title track of Keith’s last stand with the band back in 1978.

 

– Who Are You
– Behind Blue Eyes
– Pinball Wizard
– Baba O Riley
– Won’t Get Fooled Again
– Tea and Theatre

 

Music never retires and this is rock music growing old gracefully as a robust art form that is guided by its elders and interpreted and shaped by new converts and mature students into a contemporary purpose because we have learnt from those gone much too soon that we all have to live and these great pioneers of music in our generations for over 5 decades also deserve to live with much respect.

 

The songs that have connected with new fans from their association with popular TV Shows enjoyed and immediate and rousing reception from the packed O2 Dublin audience because they have become household themes bringing these vintage classics well deserved recognition and acclaim.

 

Being the first gig there were a few minor technical issues with Rogers wireless mike set up and Pete’s angry outburst towards his sound effects technical support at the side of the stage lashing out with his boot at the incompetent unit behind him reminded us all of the Pete we all love but reticent about getting to close at times.Pete has been walking on stages for over fifty years and is steeped in a music family tradition that demands well practiced attention to detail with a predetermined expectation of what he wants to create on stage and when that expectation falls short over the years he is merciless taking it out on whatever caused the gap guitars, amps, long suffering but devoted aides and the audience occasionally.

 

That is why Who Gigs are legendary and this one goes from impressive to stunning as the relationship between The Who on stage and the audience in Dublin becomes a dual carriageway.There are so many anthems in The Who’s that they could have played all night long but Roger still possessing one of the most recognisably voices in rock and Pete captaining the ship with explosive authority left us zapped and satisfied exceeding all expectations.
This was a Who gig that ticked all the boxes for me but I will put my hands up as a member of The Who Family I will always reflect my heroes in the best possible light because that is what families do.
Long Live The Who
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