Christy Moore plays the Inaugural Gig at the Mean Fiddler
THE QUEUES down Wexford Street for this rare club appearance from the mighty Christy were reminiscent of the crowds that stormed The Baggot Inn for those legendary Moving Hearts shows, all of fifteen years ago. Since then, Christy has become a megastar of ludicrous proportions and not surprisingly, the "Sold Out" signs were in place by around 8:00pm.
Colm O Hare, 25 Jul 1995
July 1995
THE QUEUES down Wexford Street for this rare club appearance from the mighty Christy were reminiscent of the crowds that stormed The Baggot Inn for those
legendary Moving Hearts shows, all of fifteen years ago. Since then, Christy has become a megastar of ludicrous proportions and not surprisingly, the "Sold Out"
signs were in place by around 8:00pm.
Following a well-received set from Eleanor Shanley, accompanied by the brilliant Robbie Overson on guitar, Christy took the stage to a tumultuous roar. The familiar
chord sequence to the anthemic Jackson Browne number Before the Deluge prompted yet another outbreak of whoops and hollers - gosh, this man is truly
popular! From then on in it was classic Christy Moore all the way as he quickly worked up the now trademark sweaty brow. He really doesn't need to work this
hard anymore but to his credit, he does anyway.
Christy pretty much stuck to his Live at the Point repertoire with the audience providing a rowdy chorus on almost every number. The Rose of Tralee seemed to
go on forever but it drew chuckles and cheers aplenty - in stark contrast to his sensitive reading of Ewan McColl's The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face which
brought an eerie hush over the place. The hilarious Joxer Goes To Stuttgart went down a treat. Ordinary Man sounded chillingly topical in the light of the Dunne's
Stores dispute, while returned emigrants responded knowingly to Go Move Shift.
But of course this was much more than just another Christy Moore show. it was the inaugural gig at the Mean Fiddler - a much-anticipated, mid-sized club venue,
badly needed to inject a shot of life into the live scene. While the roster of acts booked in for the opening weeks is impressive, the venue itself is curiously different.
The design is minimalist, post-industrial with bare girders, air conditioning pipes and black & white tiled flooring. This, combined with the bright decor and coloured
strip-lighting around the side walls, creates a feel which is far removed from the kind of warm, intimate atmosphere beloved of Irish audiences.
It'll be interesting to watch how people take to it over the coming months.
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