Music Ireland '07
The third Music Ireland exhibition was the most successful yet.
Colm O Hare, 18 Oct 2007
They came in record numbers to Music Ireland ‘07 – the third and by far the biggest and best such event to date. Throughout the three-day event, the RDS Main Hall was abuzz with the sound of guitars, drums, keyboards and sundry other instruments. More importantly, the thousands who came along to sample the best of what the Irish music industry has to offer, were the true testament to the success of the event.
The special schools day – a new innovation for this year – saw coachloads of students from all over the country, descend on Dublin 4, many of them eagerly lapping up information on careers in music. Crowds gathered around the many performing musicians who displayed their skills in various masterclasses and demonstrations with good-natured enthusiasm. There were many highlights, but one of the simplest was perhaps among the most profound.
During his drum clinic, Conor Guilfoyle – who is a great teacher as well as a brilliant musician – asked the audience to tap out a simple rhythm on the side of their chairs. They did. “That’s it,” he said, “now you’re making music.” You could see light bulbs going on all over the room.
Instrument and equipment stands were permanently thronged, with people who were interested in doing business after the show. “The quality of the visitors over the weekend was great,” Aidan McCullough of Keynote said, towards the close of the day on Sunday. “They were people who know their stuff, and who were really interested and informed. It was a great event in that respect.”
Meeanwhile, the numerous seminars and talks were, for the most part, standing-room only and proved not only to be hugely informative but in many cases, highly entertaining. Highlights included a sometimes heated debate on the lack of radio play or for Irish artists, with the irrepressible Louis Walsh stirring it on more than one occasion! “That was really good,” Louis reflected afterwards, “I have a feeling that we may see the start of a change in attitude as a result. But we need to keep the pressure on.”
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