Let The Music Keep Your Spirits High

I’m shagged. The Music Show has dominated
our thinking here at Hot Press for a long time
now. A huge logistical exercise, it was put
together against a very challenging backdrop. No
one could be unaware of the difficulties which have
ravaged the Irish economy over the past year. All
the more incentive, we felt, to mount a brilliant
show that might quicken the pulse and get people
thinking music, talking music – and playing
music.
It worked. There were hairy moments along the
way, as there almost always are when you set out
to do something massive. But it was, in the end,
a hugely successful event, with 12,000 people
thronging through the RDS over the two days, and
enjoying a rich and fantastically varied menu of
activities and events.
A vast number of people contributed in different
ways to making the whole thing work. I hope our
readers won’t mind my using this small platform
to say an enormous thanks to the exhibitors, the
musicians, the managers, the music industry experts
and panelists, the moderators and interviewers, the
technical wizards, the suppliers, the crew, the staff,
the volunteers, our own Hot Press staff and everyone
else who pitched in and did their best for the cause.
People flew in from the US, Europe and the UK
to participate. The quality of the stands, at which
exhibitors showed their wares, put on their own
attractions and generally went about the business
of engaging with professionals in the business,
musicians and the general public alike, was superb
– we’ll have more on all of that in the next issue of
Hot Press.
The panels provided some great debate, precious
insights and lots of invaluable, hard information
and ideas for young bands and musicians. It was
inspiring to have people like Nicky Ryan, David
Arnold, Nick Angel and Jim Sheridan – to name just
the first four that spring to mind – who are at the top
of the game in international and in Irish terms come
together in a spirit of openness and generosity, to
share what they know and in many cases, over the
weekend, to support or learn from one another.
Panelists, here to talk about one discipline or
issue, sat in on other panels and absorbed. There
was an atmosphere of engagement and exchange,
a factor which played out at its most political in the
potential rapprochement which was achieved at The
Music Show between the Irish music rights’ holders,
IRMA, IMRO and RAAP and Shane O’Neill of Liberty
Global/UPC on a common approach to the problems
presented by illegal filesharing. There are times
when getting people together under the one roof
really does make a difference.
There is so much going on all the time at The Music
Show, and the stands themselves are so interesting
for anyone with a musical bone in their body that
there is always a concern that elements might get
neglected or forgotten. That didn’t happen. The
instrumental workshops were really well attended
throughout the weekend, peaking on Sunday when
there was a packed house and lots of people watching
and listening on the speakers and screens outside as,
first, bassist Keith Duffy and, then, Horslips legend
Johnny Fean (both with the incomparable axeman
Anto Drennan in a key support role) talked about and
demonstrated their work at great and fascinating
length.
The Public Interviews with Glen Hansard and
Christy Mooore were other highlights – providing a
unique opportunity for musicians and fans to hear
how these two great artists go about the work of
creating music of resounding, lasting power and
importance. Both were entertaining and enriching
in equal measure – and watching Glen talk about
his music and play, it struck me just how stupidly
misguided is the sniping of the begrudgers who
try to suggest that the likes of Glen or indeed Bono
somehow have ideas above their station.
No one is above criticism. And few of us could lay
even the remotest claim to never having put a foot
wrong, or in footballing parlance, misplacing a pass.
But this much I know: Glen Hansard is a brilliant
musician, writer, singer and performer of great
commitment and integrity. That’s it.
And then there was the Live Stage, which from
the moment our hotpress.com competition winners
OnOff hit the stage at midday on Saturday until
the final power chord struck by Niall Breslin of the
Blizzards on Sunday, rocked like crazy.
These things are a jigsaw. If pieces go missing,
they lose far more than what a piece might represent
in physical size. It is fair to say that no one went
missing over the weekend. People at every level
worked their hearts out. They pulled out all the
stops. We learned a lot. We are confident now
– brimming as we are with fresh ideas already – that
next year The Music Show will be even bigger, and
even better.
There were so many moments to treasure over the
weekend, too numerous to even begin reciting. But at
the close of play on Saturday, when the old familiar
apprehension about what the next day might unfold
was beginning to rise, we walked down from the
Green Room, in which Peter Murphy had carried
out the public interview with Glen Hansard. Glen
had spent half an hour afterwards meeting people,
getting his picture taken and signing autographs
– and so everyone else had gone. The building was
quiet.
At the front door, Glen paused, turned around and
looked back down the Main Hall. “What a brilliant
idea,” he said. “What a great event you have here.
When you called me and asked me to do it, I knew
immediately that I should, even though I wasn’t sure
what I’d be doing. And so I said ‘yes’. I’m really glad
now that I did. This is brilliant.”
And then he began suggesting ideas for next
year, before we were all dragged out into the night,
onwards into the vast and endlessly promising
future.
We’re looking forward to it already...
On a different note, I see that Giovanni
Trapattoni has called up Martin Rowlands – a
decent journeyman pro who plays with Queens
Park Rangers – to fill a vacant slot in the
Irish panel for the matches against Italy and
Montenegro, ahead of Andy Reid.
In all honesty, it is a crazy decision to leave him
in the wilderness, and one that unfortunately
smacks of vindictiveness. Worse, it is an abuse of
power.
They say that the Irish manager is a religious
man: well, it is time for Giovanni Trapattoni to
examine his conscience and to bring the prodigal
son in from the cold...
The crowds enjoying the Live Stage at The Music
Show and (below) Niall Breslin of The Blizzards