IRELAND - JULY 2013 (PART TWO)

Thurs 18 July, Dublin – Mark Dennehy had been sound engineer on early Racketeers gigs way back in the last century. I recall those hot nights in Eamonn Dorans, Temple Bar 1996. The pool table in front of the stage peopled by folks with shady motives. Staff would move the table after soundcheck and some dodgy CD’s would be played, then support band, then ourselves  and our gig would invariably be followed by all sorts of shenanigans in the dressing room. A motley crew of dealers and delinquents, DJ’s, hangers on, friends, the posessed and the disposessed, pissing into the sink rather than brave the unruly mob trying to get to the toilets, counting out the notes trying to do the split, paying the driver, plans for later in the night, leaving pint glasses of piss beside the monitors for unsuspecting techno twat skangers to swig in the idiotic dancing frenzy. Good times......generally. So it was good to have Mark along to take care of recording tonights gig in the Leeson Lounge. Also on the job, Niall Hoare, another stalwarth from the early Dorans days. He later toured with Al in Caliban and they’re still on speaking terms, so it can’t have been too bad.

Cliff Roslyn joined us for a few songs on his magnificent Hammond organ and although it wasn’t my favourite gig of the year, looking back at the film everything seems cool. Its just the headspace I was in. The sound was really good (for a change) and its a pity there wasn’t a better turnout. Next time hopefully, if there is a next time. Didn’t hang around for long afterwards, hit the road pretty much after getting the gear and the money sorted.

 

Fri 19 July, Dublin – Called a taxi and they asked for my address and I got confused, but the lady on the phone said “ I think you might be in XX Dunsink Avenue, you called a taxi from there this time yesterday.” Ah yes, it all makes sense now. So I got into town dodging the delinquents and I spied a BBQ ready to roll in the courtyard where Sonic Studios and a few other businesses share space and park their automobiles of various colours and sizes. Veggie sausages, salad, and liquid of a refreshing nature were the order of the day and we all had a chat in the blinding sun and the vibe was good indeed and the guy across the way was blasting out Thin Lizzy and old rockabilly records.  Listening back to the recording of last nights show we are pleasently surprised, and the film looks good too. We look rather well for a bunch of old fellas.

Did vocals on 5 songs, and not an auto-tune in sight. That took a few hours. Went on a ‘research ramble’ checking out different bars / venues as potential places to play gigs, collecting business cards, chatting to bookers and the like. Walking down Fleet Street I decided to reward myself with a pint bottle of Bulmers and that is indeed what happened, but I also bumped into Donal Molloy and his missus. He tells me he’s living “out in the bush” near Melbourne, still making sculpture and by the looks of it, enjoying life. We have a drink and a chat. Good to see him again after so many many years. He’s got a great memory too. Still intact. Out at Al’s place we eat and the wine is flowing and I taste the hottest sauce Ive ever tasted. Its called ‘Insanity’ and it suited me down to a T. 

 

Sat 20 July, Ennis – Slept most of the way to Ennis, then set up real quicky and we were ready to roll. Met Jonathan from Kerry who I used to know in Galway all those long years ago when it seemed to rain every day of every week. I remember when I first saw Ridley Scott’s ‘Bladerunner’ I thought to myself, thats Galway in the future.

We managed to play ‘Iron City’ twice. My mistake. So many songs, so few brain cells. We were supposed to play ‘Wicked Wind’ but both songs start in Am and I somehow sang the wrong words and off we went with the guys following me along and it was too late to stop. Enjoyed the gig. Hopefully the folks in the bar did too.

 

Paul was down from Headford and Mr Dooley and some of the crew from our previous visits to the town. We went out to Debra’s house in Spancill Hill afterwards. Sang a song or two. Went out for a ramble in the fields just after sunrise and greeted the solar disc like an old friend. When I went back into the house Debra and Les had disappeared to their respective rooms. Ed had nodded off in a chair. Didn’t know where my room was and it didn’t seem appropriate to go around opening doors at random, so I lied down on a sofa and closed my eyes and the world disappeared.

 

 

Sun 20 July, Lisdoonvarna – Spent the morning sitting out in the garden, a pot of tea on the table and slices of toast looked excellent. The conversation revolved around magick, judaism, religion, belief systems, the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, atheism, witchcraft, censorship and the like. Never did get around to eating any toast, but I borrowed 4 of Ed’s chips when we got into town and gathered at Tom Steeles. Al and Mercedes arrived in from the night in Feakle. Swiftly we moved through the countryside in our metal wagons. We had a vague agreement to stop off at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon for a drink but this never materialized. So many plans down the drain.

 

Arrived into Lisdoonvarna and checked out the Roadside Tavern. Nice place, good crew. A UK band whose name I can’t recall were setting up. Went for a walk up town and ate a disagreeable veggie burger. With a few hours to wait before our show i decided to leave the world and slept in Ed’s car and later awoke, batteries recharged and well focused.
It wasn’t the best P.A. in the world but the gig was great. A very appreciative audience, people up dancing and shouting things like “lets rock” and “rock it ...rock it!”. So we rocked it and it rolled too. Sold CD’s and then we hit the long black road back east. Best gig of the week by far.