Dubliners quick to get response

Press, 9 April 1977, Page 6

Dubliners quick to get response

By-

Maria Scott

Four fine musicians from Dublin entertained an audience varied in age. but not in appreciation, for three hours in the James Hay Theatre on Thursday evening. The threate was filled, even though a last-minute change of venue from the main auditorium indicated that patronage may not have been as good as expected. On a stage bare except for microphones, two chairs, and a table holding an extra mandolin and two or three cans of beer, the Dubliners captured their audience and had everyone, from young folk enthusiasts to the middle aged, clapping and foot tapning after only a few songs. Their range of music almost summed up the Irish situation. Luke Kelly’s rather harsh voice and blustery face epitomised the raucous drinking side of the Irish,

with songs like “Whisky in the Jar." Jim McCann, soft featured.' with a sweeter voice, told of! Ireland’s land losses and! political problems in ballads! like “Four Green Fields.” and i the sentimentality of the Irish in “The Town I love: the Best.” Barney Mac Kenna presented some excellent traditional mandolin and banjo instrumental pieces and sang “Fiddler’s Green.” a song about fishing, one of his I favourite pastimes. John Sheahan did not sing bitt showed his musical talent with a selection of reels onj the tin whistle and instru-i mentals on the fiddle. The Dubliners let the audi-i ence know, in no uncertain! terms, that they were Irish, i They tended to overdo theIrish jokes a little. But they genuinely enjoyed themselves on stage and. for this, the j audience was obviously> grateful. 1