I've been meaning to update this for quite a while. I've had ideas for a post come and go, but the impetus to write has been sadly lacking. Summer time brings welcome diversions from the normal way of things. Even despite our fine traditional Irish weather, there have been numerous chances to play, party, perform, and potter about on the streets, with good friends, new friends, and of course the odd homeless drunk. As everybody knows, Galway city has the friendliest drunks of nearly any city. Certainly any city I've ever been to, and it's quite heartwarming to see the way they have their own little community, and the friendly (if sometimes aggressive) way they interact with the general public.
Galway Arts Festival really brought the city to life. I personally didn't even realise it had started when I made the observation to a friend that there was "more of a party vibe" than usual. Having opted to volunteer once I knew what was going on, I managed to catch a performance of Enda Walsh's 'Misterman', featuring Cillian Murphy. The acting was superb, and the set and lighting was magnificent. The play itself, however, almost disturbed me. It was definitely powerful, but was exceedingly dark, telling the story of one man descending the ladder from 'harmless' to madness. It was a sold-out show twice a day for two weeks. I seriously don't know how the cast and crew managed it. Anyway, that was that.
The other major event of the festival I managed to attend was 'AfroCubism', the mind-blowing, genre-melding all-star line up of Malian and Cuban musicians that formed in 2010 to record and tour together. I had planned to write about that show the next day, but I was still too dazed from what I experienced to write anything remotely objective. The two 'stars' of the show were kora player Toumani Diabaté and Eliades Ochoa of 'Buena Vista Social Club' fame. Having said that, those two were merely the best-known of a stellar line up, each musician an outstanding performer of their instrument. The 13-piece group also featured electric guitar, double bass, congas, balafon, brass, ngoni, tama (Malian talking drum) and various other percussion, in addition to vocals from many band members. Eliades himself had a sore throat or a cold, which he explained to the crowd, after his first introduction, when he explained to us that his English was poor, and spoke in Spanish for the remainder of the show. Nobody cared. The music spoke more clearly than any language. I attempted to understand, but with my limited grasp of Spanish, I only caught a phrase aquí y ahí. Toumani also spoke to the crowd, explaining the rich cultural links between Cuba and Mali. In a rather surreal, and embarrassing moment (for me at least) he explained that the countries are similar because while they are both musically rich, they are physically very poor. The crowd, who had become used to cheering for everything he said, began to cheer this, but quickly stopped when they realised what he had said. It was only a short moment of embarrassment, but I still wonder how that may have made the performers feel. All I know is that what I felt, during the roughly hour and a half long show, was pure amazement. I don't often describe something as breathtaking, but I found myself literally short of breath after some of the pieces. Later, having discussed the show with some musician friends, and some non-musicians, I realised that my reaction was generally the one that the musicians in the audience experienced, while the non-musicians were actually quite underwhelmed by it all. I can only imagine that it is because the music is so constant, with very little in the way of crescendos, et cetera, that Western ears have become accustomed to hearing in popular music.
Anyhow, now that the Arts festival is over, the summer is taking a lull, I've escaped from the city for the mess that is Race Week, and this weekend I'll be heading to Malahide Castle in Dublin for my first live experience of Prince. I can't say I know what to expect, because I have NO idea, all I know is that I'm very excited!
So I'm going to try to update a little more frequently from now on, there'll be plenty happening between now and Christmas.
Peace, Love and Big Purple Hugs
Dermo.
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