The power of music and place
Updated: Feb 22, 2020
On a recent trip to Dublin, I had two experiences where the music and setting perfectly came together and greatly enhanced my overall experience of each. As I look back on the trip now that it’s over, these two things have stuck in my mind and make me want to learn more about Dublin. That’s one of the most invigorating things that can happen when you travel and an indication of a really great trip.
If you grew up in the ‘80s, do you remember when you still felt so misunderstood and confused but were gradually gaining some self-assurance? And starting to care less about what other people thought of you? Every song on the radio or MTV had you convulsing in happiness or despair? You longed to fit in, even in black trench coat and dyed hair, but never wanted to conform. And of course your parents had no clue. Watching the time-capsule Sing Street Movie will bring it all roaring back. I had the pleasure of watching it on the real Synge Street in Dublin, its 80’s setting.
The current Synge Street is a study of 1800’s Georgian architectural splendor in the oh-so-current Portobello neighborhood of Dublin. All small brick townhouses and mews, it’s choc-a-block with families and smart urban sophisticates. Close-in but not too close, it’s an urban oasis and you get a real sense of community here. Children playing football (the European one), dog walking along the canal, local bakeries and artisanal graffiti – this is the kind of place in which the current you dreams of living. Bernard Shaw was born here, in fact across from where we were staying, so how can you go wrong? To quote the Irish poet himself, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."
The movie is 80’s nostalgia in all its glory – if you were a dreamy and crafty teenager during that time. While the Irish setting won’t resonate with American viewers, the feelings and sentiments surely will. Remember when you’d just die for the one you loved? You could not imagine another day without expressing your exploding feelings! In its teased hair and goth-esque sweet innocent Irish glory, this movie transports you to that torture, adoration, and excitement. The soundtrack will bring you back to your high school gym, McDonald’s parking lot, or the back seat of a maroon Chevette – Duran Duran, The Cure, Hall & Oates and many fantastic songs created for the movie itself. It features the real Synge Street Christian Brothers School, which the main character attends and is a key motivator for his desire to move on in life. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll buy the soundtrack – and if you are fortunate enough to visit the actual setting, you will remember it all so fondly for a long time.
We also saw a great music-related show at the iconic Gaiety Theater Dublin. It’s always fun to experience musical or theater events in other countries to see how they vary from what you know. For example, at this theater popcorn is sold which you can take to your seat, much like a movie theater in America and there are two full-pub-style bars. European theaters tend to be really magnificent in their architecture and rich décor and The Gaiety was no exception, certainly beautiful. The theater was opened in 1871 and to this day retains many of its Victorian-era features as the longest established, continually operating theater in Dublin. The show we experienced was The Miami Showband Story and it was a uniquely Irish treat. Going into it, we had no real understanding of the story or the cultural significance of the band and we immediately noticed we were among the youngest in the theater. The band had its beginnings in the 1960s and hit its apex in 1975 so most of the audience members were real fans from the days the band was active. You could feel their excitement to see this show. The Miami Showband were basically the Irish Beatles!
The show follows the band’s rise to prominence in Ireland and the UK (they even played a few shows in the US) as well as the story lines of some of the key band members. It was fun to experience their music but more so to watch the reactions of the audience members around us. Everyone, especially the ladies, were rocking and rolling and you could feel their reminiscence in the air. Tragically the band was cut short in their prime by an incident known as the Miami Showband Massacre during the period of the “Troubles” between the UK, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. The band was on their way back to Dublin from a show in Northern Ireland and were stopped at a roadside checkpoint at the border. During the stop, they were attacked and three of the band members were shot to death. The Miami’s story and music were fascinating in and of themselves, but what made the night so memorable was the energy and engagement of people around us. During intermission we met Nula who was a nurse at the time of the shooting and in fact treated one of the band members after he was stabilized and brought to Dublin. It was fascinating to hear her emotion from that long ago experience and how it still resonated today while we talked over a glass of wine. While the shooting scene in the show was taking place, the woman behind me was breathing so measured and slowly, it felt like she was managing her way through a panic attack. I felt so privileged to be experiencing something that was so real and personal for so many. I almost felt like I lived through these events myself. This was the last night of the show’s run and one of the original band members, Des Lee, greeted the crowd to a standing ovation many times over. Netflix recently released a film called ReMastered: The Miami Showband Massacre which is definitely worth a look.
After this show, we headed to the nearby 200-year-old Shelbourne hotel to enjoy a post-show cocktail and debrief at the posh 27 Bar & Lounge. There was a very stylish wedding party celebrating the occasion and it was the perfect cap to a wonderful evening. Ending the night in a high-society, very Dublin setting only reinforced to me the powerful combination of experience and location. While I loved all of the historical things we did in Dublin, these two evening will stand out to me as the highlight of this trip.
Please check out the short slide show of pictures below.
What a great narrative of your experience here ❤️