Not just a benefit gig a great gig.

national | arts and media | opinion/analysis

Thursday November 13, 2003 19:39

by Paul Cummins

chewy at redbrick dot dcu dot ie

Went along to the Ploughshares Support gig in Mother Redcaps last week it had great musicians at it. Didn't get much info on the progress of the trial bar there's a date been set for some time in February? I think.

guess who

When you get involved in all this sorta stuff you begin to feel obliged to go to various benefit gigs and its a bit unsatisfactory perhaps if you've been directly involved in the issue and you go to a gig thats empty but those involved turn up who have already put in a huge amount of their time for this cause and then they have to pay 5e or 10e for this too, but the Ploughshare gigs are great I've gone out of my way to go to a few of them now because I believe they should get huge support for what they did and their nights are nice. As usual there a selection of traditional music and guitars players etc.There was also a great Bluegrass band complete with high pitched harmonies and washing boards and spoon instruments. I'd never seen a live Blugrass band before I think they were appropriately called Prison Love and they're worth going to see anythime. Fun. I think with benefit gigs you can often get an interesting mix of people and music but you do have to make the event worth going to as event in itself.

At the ISF recently people from the Workers Beer Company came over from England, they help ngo's and unions fundraise by leasing a bar for festivals where the org gets its volunteers to staff the bar and keep the profits. Its great way to fundraise, can't go wrong with beer at a festival. They also have a quite succesful pub in Enlgand too. They came over to look for people in Ireland to do the same at festivals here next summer. Last year they were involved in the Leftfield at Glastonbury which has grown to an important part of the Glastonbury experience with debates and stall and top muscians and speakers playing there. In England Oxfam has provided volunteer stewarding at their festivals and Oxfam have recieved a high profile in return for their causes,(similarily Oxfam co-sponsored the Dun Laoghaire festival here which was a great success). They also worked with an ethical threads tshirt company which sold out its stock at the festival.

So it might be ooh lets be down with the kids to get involved in politics but heh why not its probably a much more enjoyable way of doing it.

A few months Audioslave got in contact with Indymedia too ask for any groups interested in setting up info stalls at their gig at the Point, I wrote a short report on how Gluaiseacht and the IAWM did so with a good response from the concerts go-ers. Inspired by that someone tried to get a stall for Manu Chau but couldn't get in touch with the right people. It all depends on who the bands, the manager, the venue etc. and again getting touch with the right people but I think it would be worth doing at large gigs and more suitably at festivals. Also its probably a missed oppurtunity not to have info stalls in the foyeurs when well known speakers come to Ireland too and other political/cultural events.

Perhaps theres enough interest for indymedia to do this ourselves for the moment at gigs...?

So if anyones interested check their website out at http://www.workersbeer.co.uk or me chewy@redbrick.dcu.ie and Ill put you touch with a few people I think might be interested in doing it over here.

Presidential pardon number 1

washboard at the ready

save preference

Comments (6 of 6)

more photos

by pc

Thu Nov 13, 2003 19:40

...

thanks

by music lova

Fri Nov 14, 2003 16:09

thanks for the tip

I'll try to make it to the next gig.

ska and reggae

by Sister Immaculata

Fri Nov 14, 2003 23:56

We want ska and reggae not fiddledidy old time hippie folk shite. All power to the catholic workers, whilst we admire their courage, determination and political convictions, their taste in music leaves alot to be desired. Too much fiddledidy folksy wishy washy hippie/metal cock rock music may rot the brain.

but bluegrass rocks

by random input

Sat Nov 15, 2003 02:33

seriously.

Many thanx

by Ciaron - Dublin Catholic Worker

Sat Nov 15, 2003 14:07

Many thanx for the snaps that celebrate what was a great night....and for all the musicians and Paul for providing the sound once again.

A big theme of what we are trying to do as we head to and through trial is CELEBRATE the disarmament that has happened and the nonviolent reistance to this war that continues.

The three gigs we have organiised (IFC & 2 x Redcaps) have all been a great vibe of solidarity. The musicians have come forward voluntarilly and it's been an eclectic mix of folks who have responded to the integrity of our action rather than an attraction to our left field beliefs (Christianity-Anarchist-Pacifism).

The Blue Grass crew popped up at the last minute before the gig. we didn't know how good they were and they ended up being brilliant..I first met Joe Black, who played, at the bus stop with a guitar case. Ruardhi pictured solo with the long hair worked in a homeless shelter with melast Christmas. Paul O'Toole has been involved in opposing this war suppoting Mary Kelly on trial, brilliant bloke. And the Scobies crew and the percussionist contacted us a week before. "Kieth and the Truth" have been staunch as have been the Italian couple. And Donal O'Kelly giged for us last time.

Ploughshares actions are powerful - as people gift their freedom. Others respond with what ever gifts they can muster, music,clebrity,photoography, accomadation, further resistance, cooking, whatever.

If we are to buid a movement to seriously resist this war we going to have to appreciate and celebrate folks with different hairstyles, ethnicity, ages, musical tastes, spiritualities...and move out of our circle of certainity, subcultural ghettos. You know if you relax long enuff you might find yourself enjoying a spot of Blue Grass!

great gig to be at

by hurricane barry - prison love

Thu Nov 27, 2003 18:36

www.prisonlove.info

Speaking as one of the musicians on the night, my reasons to be at the gig were 1) to show solidarity to the five people who acted when most of us would not, and 2) to entertain. I'm not surprised that other people expected entertainment also; a good cause and good music aren't mutually exclusive. But if Sister Immaculata wanted ska & reggae, I hope she gets along to a ska & reggae gig - we're not Toots and the Maytals, but we're a lot cheaper and just as kickin'. If she wants to give us another whirl, be at Mother Redcaps, Sun 21st Dec.

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Not just a benefit gig a great gig.

Comments (6 of 6)