NSMA ‘08 : Dublin
Bloody excuse my dire blogging lately. It never rains, it April showers! Just as my kids finished school for a fortnight’s mid-terms, my workload tripled and we all got sick. I’ve been a very screechy, beleagured photojournalist wishing for a pair of padded manacles and desktop TeaMaid. Or a job in Spar.
Dublin’s round of the National Student Music Awards came and went in a whirl on March 27, The Dirty 9s and Jerome’s Law finalising a crack team of studious musical assassins who are now psyching up for lethal battle in The Village on 24 April. Galway’s sneering sweethearts Disconnect4 and Floyd Soul and the Wolf will square up to Philtre, who’ll probably flip a V-sign, gentler Ladydoll will eye the set-up of Dublin’s…Dirty Law! That’s a band-name…
It’s been great craic following the competition from its early stages of gleeful band-bulletins to awesome stage shows, brave kids giving a bit of extra balls and brashness but still blushing when congratulated afterwards. Most of these bands are already working the gigs circuit in their town, getting away from bedrooms and books to make a go of music and they’re good. The judges made informed choices and while I’d juggle a result or two, they ultimately agreed an adventurous selection of bands.
As an event in the educational calendar it seems overlooked: if this were America the halls would be packed with patriotic students cheering on their States rather than their mates. I’m sure there could be more input from schools and communities although in fairness, every 18 year old female in Dublin turned out for The Coronas.
In 2005 Delorentos went to London and won for the Irish, proving we have what it takes to impress on the large scale. These things come in threes so we’ve got two more sets of winners left to make….
Check out my account of the Dublin heat the HotPress NSMA blog!