Royal Albert Hall Concert

Techold

I enjoyed watching and listening to most ofthe wonderfull music and singing at the Presidential concert last night.Many ofthe artists performing I have followed over the years.However, I don't think it wasinclusive of some of the music which was enjoyed by Irish emigrants in the U.K.during the last sixty years.There was no hint of the music and bands that litup emigrant eyes in the likes of The Galteemore Ballroom in the 60s,70 and 80s.Foster and Allen were among many Irish bands that probably drew larger crowds in a singlenight than the combined figures of many of those musicians and singers that didperform last night.The navies were alluded to but not musically.Tokenism atit's best. No room for the culchies in this inn.It looked like the Dublinintelligentsia designed and controlled the night.The usual Late Late Showregulars !!.

kittytwister

Agree entirely. Where was Mary Black with her "song for
Ireland", Ralh Mctell with "Streets of London" and lastly why didn't Paul Brady sing "the Island " instead of that shouting rubbish he had a go at. A missed opportunity to send us all away with a tear.

BuilderPlumber

True. While the concert overall was not bad (we did not have to suffer through another performance from another boyband or endure boyfolk acts like Mike Denver), it could have been a lot better.

A whole segment of Irish artists were completely not represented in the concert. No tribute to the Galteemore/Showband era. No Irish tenor. Foster & Allen, Brendan Shine, Big Tom, etc. all were hugely popular in London and are still performing.

Another problem of course with Irish culture is that it would be inappropriate for the occasion. I couldn't picture the Wolfe Tones there singing about The Rifles of the IRA or Come Out ye Black and tans for example!!! Rebel songs and poetry are a huge part of traditional Irish culture but closed off for events like this for obvious reasons.

All that said, the concert was better than the Westlife-fest that was the Barack Obama visit. That concert was almost 100% boyband and other manufactured pop. This time around, other genres were included at least.

lc180

Music on the night aside, the venue looks like an amazing place for a concert.