This part of our site as been moved!

Click here to go to www.irish-showbands.com

This section of the website is devoted to the Irish "Showband" era which was, unfortunately, in the "Sunset Years of Life," when Kim and the band traveled the country. The pop bands which played in those heady days were quite different from the showbands, but for the purposes of our tribute, we will consider all the bands that played the halls, marquees, and ballrooms of Ireland during this period, "showbands."

For many who were there, this period in the history of Irish music is looked back on with fondness. However, music critics haven't been as kind to this era in Irish entertainment history. In the 2000 series, From a Whisper To a Scream, Bob Geldof refers to the showband years as a "musical desert," adding that, "the showbands were crap." While this may be true from the perspective of musical "creativity" in the 50's and 60's, you would get a strong argument from many of the pop bands which toured the "circuit" in the 70's and 80's, as they started writing and recording original material.
 

Even Rory Gallagher, renown blues and rock guitarist, started out in a showband. Rory joined the Fontana Showband from Cork, which soon changed it's name to the Impact Showband (photo at left). Rory is down front on the right.

During the 70's and 80's, Ireland really had three distinct entertainment landscapes: a) the dancehall circuit which featured everything from pop to country; the folk and traditional scene, featuring bands like Planxty, Pumpkinhead, and the Bothy Band, who played festivals and cabaret venues; and the rock scene, which produced Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, Horslips, and the likes.

These different "scenes" were not mutually exclusive. In fact, Thin Lizzy played at Summerhill College and again in the Imperial Hotel in Sligo before "Whiskey In The Jar" became an international hit. Bands like Horslips needed the dancehalls and marquees to make enough money to continue their Celtic-rock experimentation. In fact, Gerry played relief to Horslips on several occasions and once had to borrow Johnny Fean's guitar for the gig, because his own was broken.      

One way or another, the showband scene gave many musicians a decent wage; provided patrons with much needed entertainment; and helped promoters make a whole bunch of money!

To learn more about the Showband Scene, click on one of the topics listed below for more information.