Rocky De Valera & The Gravediggers
Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers from; Howth 1978 – 1980
Style; Rock n Roll
Line up; till July ’78
Vocals; Rocky DeValera (Ferdia MacAnna)
Lead Guitar; Lord Lucan/Dave Hero (Dave Sweeney)
Guitar; Pierre Parnell (Nicky Barrett)
Bass; Jack Dublin (Paul Brown)
Drums; Rob Campbell
Line from August ’78
Vocals;Rocky DeValera (Ferdia MacAnna)
Lead Guitar; Paddy Kool
Lead Guitar; Martin Whiskey
Bass; Jack Dublin (Paul Brown)
Drums; David Buckley
Dave & Ferdia worked together on a Punk badge stall at the Dandelion market when they decided to form a band in the summer of 1977.
Poster was for the Gravediggers first gig at the Belfield in ’78.
Harpo Cohen (Drums) left Scare Bleu & joined the Gravediggers sometime in March/April 1978.
Rocky deValera & The Gravediggers recorded an EP for Good Vibrations Records, but it was never released. One of the tracks was Pool Hall Baby.
This poster (left) was for the Gravediggers first gig at the Belfield bar in 1978, the picture was taken in the toilets of the Belfield bar. At this time the band included “Baz” on saxophone, extreme right. The set kicked off with “Peter Gun” & “Shakin All Over”. The set went down a storm & the Graverdiggers did 3 encores.
Memories of Dave Hero
I still remember the electricity in the air when Rocky De Valera and the Gravediggers were born in a dusty shed in Howth village, on the coast outside of Dublin on a dark night in January 1978. There was no mic or mic stand so Rocky improvised with a broom handle. No matter. Rocky knew he had something special to say and when he reached down for the broom handle and bellowed the words “Good Golly Miss Molly” one of Irish rock’s most electrifying frontmen announced his arrival. When the ace rhythm section of Tony Kenna and Rob Campbell kicked in and myself and Nicky Barrett followed suit we knew within seconds that an unforgettable adventure had started. After we crashed to a halt three minutes later we did not know whether to laugh or gasp in wonder. Instead we just did another song which worked even better and we laughed some more. It was always that way in the Gravediggers.
A sell out show at UCD was the sole ambition Rocky and I had when we met working on a punk badge stall in the Dandelion Market. We started to hit it off when it became clear that we could make each other laugh….a lot The band was to be another one of those laughs, a joke group with a joke name for UCD Rag Week. When the day of our first gig came I walked out on stage and discovered that our first ambition – a sell out UCD show – had come to pass. The place was packed. I had to dash backstage and swallow some Dutch courage. I need not have worried. After bringing a ‘dead’ Rocky back to life with some shots of electric guitar and some saxophone from new recruit Basil Hornblower we lurched into Vince Taylor’s ‘Pledging My Love’ before motoring into Taylor’s ‘Brand New Cadillac’ and one classic rocker after another totally eviscerating the normally blissed out Belfield Bar. We were called back for several encores. It was a sign of things to come.
The adventure continued and others became infected with our punked out rock and roll. Like lightning the gigs flashed in. The Magnet, TCD, Project Arts Centre, Cork, Carrick on Suir, Howth Community Centre and a near residency on Saturday nights in McGonagles, the only place to play in the Dublin of 1978. Legendary nights, legendary performances especially on Rocky’s tour de force ‘The Sinne Fianna Fáil Blues’ which turned into an anarchic and explosive harangue directed at Ireland’s ruling dynasty. I would look out on those nights and see our peers in the McGongales audience gazing at the spectacle, stunned – Sacre Bleu, Fit Kilkenny, U2, the Radiators. A new crack rhythm section, Jack Dublin and Harpo Cowan joined up and was followed by the legendary Axer Fortune from Cabra. Original songs were born. There was lots of press, posters, badges, parties in Rocky’s legendary basement flat in Rathmines, interviews with pirate radio stations, Gerry Ryan and even our first recording session. Our roadies Dave de Rocker and Robbie Woodstock kept us honest and added their own distinctive style to the Gravedigger mix.
It seems like years looking back but my time in the Gravediggers was to be just over six months. Arriving late for a gig in Finglas and seeing the band on stage without me set the wheels of paranoia spinning in my teenage mind. I did one last show at McGonagles the same night and decided to leave searching for bigger things. I am not sure that I found them. For a short while I did find the most exciting frontman I have ever worked with. Black and white electric shock treatment with a kickin’ beat. Long live Rocky DeValera and The Gravediggers.
Dave Sweeney was Max Quad of the Max Quad Band before in joined the Gravediggers, also in this band were Adam Clayton and Joe Savino of The Brown Thomas Band.
“But I did come across a list of songs I compiled that Rocky de Valera and the Gravediggers performed – a mixture of covers and originals.
Say Mama, Good Golly Miss Molly, Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache, My Little Sister’s Got A Motor Bike, Red Hot, Brand New Cadillac, Sea Cruise, Midnight Shift, Sweet Lorraine, Chantilly Lace, Hello Josephine. The originals included Pool Hall Baby, The Lady Loves to Rock’n’Roll, Sinne Fianna Fail Blues, Pretty Lady Bop. Line-up was Rocky (vocals), Martin (the Lizard) Meagher on lead guitar, Jack Dublin on bass, Richie “Milk Boy” Taylor on rhythm guitar and Dave Buckley on drums”. Eddie Joyce
Ferdia & Dave both worked on a “Punk” badge stall in the Dandelion Market, the stall was owen by Jon Fisher & Eoin.
Rocky would later go on to form the Rhythm Kings and reform the Gravediggers in 2005. Dave was also in the Max Quad Band with Adam Clayton, the Max Quad band were famous in Dublin’s rock circle for firing Adam because he could not play the bass. Robbie Campbell & Jack Dublin had been in Rat Salad before joining the Gravediggers.
“RDV and the Gravediggers played Howth Comm Centre around half a dozen times from Summer ’78 onwards. One of those gigs was a co-headliner with The Boy Scoutz. As far as I recall The Modulators played one or two is those gigs as support as did The Yeah Yeahs, Neil McCormack’s band.
Frank Kearns (Cactus World News) was in the Modulators I think.
I know nothing about Sounds Unreel tho I think they may have supported us at least once, possibly in Rhythm Kings days.
U2 took over the Howth gig from us in late 78 early 79. Larry phoned me up to ask permission to approach the organisers and I gave him the name and number of some eejit called Walter who as far as I can see, made a fortune out of us naive dorks. (tho I’d say U2 always got their money).
I saw the Prunes at McGons and also at the Project Arts Centre where they played a black and white theme night sometime in 1980. I also put them on the Late Late show around the same time, shortly after I put U2 on (I was the music researcher for a couple of years after the diggers finished). That’s all I can think of.” Ferdia Mac Anna
Records
Lady Loves to Rock n Roll is on the “Just For Kicks LP Kick Records KK1 IRL
Ferdia’s new CD, if you want buy a copy, contact him via Facebook
| http://www.youtube.com/embed/VtpnMzpHEQs?wmode=opaque http://www.youtube.com/embed/JL2Q7V1wEPw?wmode=opaque | http://www.youtube.com/embed/z5zseUnXZrc?wmode=opaque | http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZRLGTR_KBBE?wmode=opaque |
Gig Guide
From “Hot Press”
00/00/1978 Belfield Bar, UCD this was a lunchtime show
07/02/1978 Open Air gig, UCD this was a lunchtime show to protest about high student fees. This concert is reported in the Irish Independent 08/02/78 by John Walshe.
03/03/1978 Magnet Bar, Dublin Move over Streisand and Kristofferson….. a bloody star has been born! For the second time this century th Dev sensation will be sweeping the nation!
Ireland has finally cloned its own wild man Fischer variant, in the person of Rocky DeValera. On stage the Rock is crazed, twisted being, shredding rock n roll classics without compassion. “Shakin’ All Over”, “See You Later Alligator”, “Be Bop A Lula”, “Red Hot”, “Sweaet Little Rock n Roller”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, and “Johnny B. Goode” all fell before the onslaught.
The Gravediggers backed the Rock’s dementia with appropriate anarchy. Initially I mistook it as “settling in”, but during the “Peter Gunn Theme” they momentarily coalesced, then suddenly burst into glorious and total chaos.
Undisputed climax of the night was Dev’s own composition “Sinne Fianna Fail Blues”, with a satirical finger emerging from the opening Blues passage and then from an utter Rock cacophony. If it doesn’t secure the Sunday notoriety, nothing will.
That Rocky and his band Pierre Parnell (guitar), Lord Lucan O.B.E. (lead guitar), Finn McKool (drums), Sgt Floyd Pepper (bass/mupet), and Basil Hoenblower (sax) overcame both the handicap of few rehearsals and having to pay £20 to play the Magnet to rock the crowd into grateful submission indicates something is there!
Exactly what I’m not sure, but Rocky DeValera has it! They’ll be a certified (certifiable?) cult in no time, and they’re going somewhere.
Just remember, getting there is half the fun! Karl Tsigdinos Hot Press review
11/03/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
31/03/1978 Community Centre, Howth
01/04/1978 Downtown Kampus, Arcadia Ballroom, Cork with Sacre Bleu
Advert from Dublin Evening Herald
08/04/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
15/04/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
18/04/1978 Celebrity Club, Dublin
20/04/1978 Junior Common Room, Trinity College, Dublin
Harry Street, Dublin
Photo supplied by Dave Sweeney
22/04/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
27/04/1978 Junior Common Room, TCD
29/04/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
30/04/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
06/05/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
13/05/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
20/05/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
26/05/1978 Community Centre, Howth with Boy Scoutz
Blackrock Park
Photo supplied by Patrick Brocklebank, it’s believed that School Kids are playing.
27/05/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
29/06/1979 Downtown Kampus, Cork
30/06/1978 Abbey Inn, Tralee
01/07/1978 Abbey Inn, Tralee
02/07/1978 Blackrock Park, Dublin Open Air Festival with The School Kids, Boy Scoutz, Strange Movements, U2, The Vipers. The Gravediggers may not have played this show, Dave Sweeney can’t remember the Gravediggers being there.
U2 DID NOT PLAY this gig as the outdoor amps and rigging that was hired for this gig never turned up. The bands that played, had to play with the School Kids indoor amps, this lead to the sound quality not being very good.
Hot Press “Frontlines” June must be a wicked month for punks. Certainly the Blackrock Festival held last Sunday was a depressing sequence of cock ups. The organizers had formed the impression that Fran Quigley was going to deliver them a PA. He didn’t so they had to use The School Kids’ gear which wasn’t built for open air performances.
Then fights broke out which led to one unfortunate blood spewing individual, being carted off to hospital. Then amidst the shambles, The Vipers and U2 decided not to play. Just another gig in Blackrock Park, huh?………………
07/07/1978 Finglass Open Air concert with Fabulous Fabrics, Sinners
14/07/1978 Community Centre, Howth with New Versions
Phoenix Park
Advert from Hot Press
05/08/1978 Phoenix Park Peace Festival, Dublin with Bach Street Kids, Brown Thomas Band, U2 Review Irish Press Over 3,000 rock fans shared the leafy comfort of The Hollow in Phoenix Park yesterday for the closing day of a “peace” festival which was anything but harmonious.
The three day programme of rock “n” roll for gentle souls was marred by the arrest of the organiser, William “Ubi” Dwyer, distension among the workers and the staging of a rival event.
A total of 90 bands, which were to have shared three stages throughout the park, were said to be “lined up” for the festival and an audience of over 50,000 was forecast. It opened on Saturday with only one stage, a handful of groups, a trickle of fans and a split among the workers.
The national parks and monuments branch of the Board of Works had approved a one day event at The Hollow only.
And the unsymphatic weather didn’t help either. A cloudburst on Saturday afternoon reduced the crowd even further and the day ended with Garda intervening after ugly scenes at The Hollow band stage.
The organiser, 45 year old William Dwyer, of Gowrie Park, Dun Laoghaire, was charged with assault and threatening behaviour. A warrant for his arrest was issued yesterday by the District Court after he failed to appear.
On Sunday, the weather improved and a bigger crowd – about 2,000 – turned up to hear a handful of groups.
But the use of members of a Hells Angels fraternity as bouncers left many wondering about the original theme for the festival.
Meanwhile, also on Sunday, a rival concert, organised after dissension over the arrangements for the festival, attracted several hundred teenagers.
A number of bands which had withdrawn from the Phoenix Park programme went on stage for the alternative concert at the People’s Park in Blackrock.
Yesterday the Hells Angels were still being used at The hallow stage as a couple of young Dublin bands entertained the youngsters who were packed the natural theatre.
A spokesman for the organisers accepted that the festival had been “partially marred,” but felt that it had been a success in that it managed to survive, despite the weather.
The groups appearing at the festival were asked to pay a £10 levy to cover the costs of advertising and the hire of equipment, and a couple of benefit concerts for the event were held in Dublin recently.
01/09/1978 Community Centre, Howth, with The Sinners
29/09/1978 Top Hat, Dun Laoghaire with The Duce Band
00/10/1978 Spinning Wheel, Dublin new line up for this gig. Rocky vocals, Jack Dublin bass, Martin Meagher guitar, Dave Buckley drums.
06/10/1978 Community Centre, Howth
13/10/1978 Community Centre, Howth
20/10/1978 Community Centre, Howth
The End of the Howth residency
22/10/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
22/10/1978 Toners, Dublin
27/10/1978 Community Centre, Howth. This may well have been the last date of the residency at the Community Centre. U2 would take this residency over from the Gravediggers, Larry Mullen Jr spoke to Ferdia on the phone about U2 taking over this residency before U2 were given the gig.
29/10/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
29/10/1978 Toners, Dublin
Wilko Johnson
Advert from Hot Press
03/11/1978 Spinning Wheel, Dublin
05/11/1978 Toners, Dublin
10/11/1978 Spinning Wheel, Dublin
12/11/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
12/11/1978 Toners, Dublin
17/11/1978 Howth Community Centre. This is an Anti Nuclear benefit concert
19/11/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
19/11/1978 Toners, Dublin
24/11/1978 Arts Block, Trinity College, Dublin supporting Wilko Johnson & The Solid Senders
26/11/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Wilko Johnson & The Solid Senders
26/11/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
27/11/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Wilko Johnson & The Solid Senders
03/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
10/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
17/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
In Door Festival
Hot Press gig guide
17/12/1978 Holyrood Hotel, Bray
23/12/1978 Holyrood Hotel, Bray with Chips
23/12/1978 Baltinglass Co Wiclow with Chips
26/12/1978 Community Centre, Howth Indoor Rock Festival with The Sinners, Gone To Earth, The Modulators
31/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
Dark Space 24 Hour Festival
Advert from In Dublin
18/01/1979 Burke Hall, TCD
27/01/1979 Abbey Inn, Tralee
04/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
11/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
16-17/02/1979 “Dark Space Festival” Project Arts Centre, Dublin with The Mekons, Rudi, The Atrix, Berlin, D.C. Nien, U2, Virgin Prunes, New Versions.
The Project Arts Centre “Dark Space” festival brings together the biggest ever collection of Irish “New Wave” bands under one roof, from both the north & south. After Public Image pull out, the only non Irish band are The Mekons. Much like many modern festivals “Dark Space” had two stages, one in the main hall & one in a smaller hall. Many of the local Dublin bands play in the smaller hall including D.C. Nien, Zebra, Modern Heirs, The Letters, The Vultures. Revolver kicked off the 24 hour “Dark Space” festival at 11pm on the Friday night. They are the “old men” of the Dublin “New Wave” scene, they and The Vipers were at the first Project “New Wave” festival in 1977. U2 close the festival on the Saturday night. Their set is stopped mid way through due to late scheduling. There is also no time for a “Live Aid” style finale with all the bands on stage together. From reading reviews of this festival, I believe that Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers & U2 played two sets.
The price of admission was dropped from £6 to £4 after John Lydon’s PIL dropped out.
Irish Times Review by Joe Breen In the wake of the euphoria surrounding Van Morrison’s concerts in Ireland last week the success of the Project’s Art Centre 24 hour “Dark Space” festival may be overlooked.
In fact, it was was a 26 hour event as the music continued until midnight last Saturday week. Aside from the more controversial aspects of the festival, such as the strip tease act, the music, played entirely by leading young Irish bands (with the exception of The Mekons from Britain), was of an unexpectedly high standard. maybe it was the appearance of Britain’s leading rock DJ, John Peel, which prompted the energetic performances & it is reasonable to assume he was accordingly impressed.
Prior to the venture, many people feared the worst. The festival idea has strong hippy connotations & it was felt that possibly the New Wave fans & bands would find it all too boring. Allied to that the disappointment over the non appearance of Johnny Lydon & his PIL band & the confusion over whether some Irish bands would play added to the pessimistic view.
However, as events showed, it was probably better that Lydon did not appear as Public Image’s star appeal might have detracted from the impact of the local bands. I caught The Atrix, The Mekons, The Virgin Prunes, U2 & many more. They were all enjoyable but I was particularly impressed by U2, who have made great progress in the last few months, & the very promising, The Atrix. The Virgin Prunes very theatrical act was highly entertaining, but the limitations of the music & playing are too severe.
The crowd, John Stephenson of the Project told me, totaled about 800 over the 26 hours, but at the reduced price of £4 a head (owing to the non appearance of John Lydon & Throbbing Gristle) he said that the festival would lose a lot of money. Invariably, there were many small problems, such as the sound not always being correct or the music drowning out the soundtracks of the films which were shown throughout the festival. But these minor cribs amount to little when compared to the peace, the good music & the general good atmosphere which permeated the East Essex Street building. Even the Project workers remained in good spirits at the snacks counter though they were there for 12 hour shifts.
Unfortunately, along with the many unusually dressed people there were (including one fan with a Mohican hair style) I noticed two people wearing Nazi insignia, a despicable trait that I thought the New Wave had dispensed with. They is nothing funny about fascism, as many people of different races & colours have found out, & are still finding out to day.
Incidentally, I tried to find out the meaning of the title, “Dark Space”, but nobody seemed able solve the mystery. However at 7am on a Saturday morning “Dark Space”, adequately summed up the the state of my head, so maybe that’s what the organisers meant.
Bill Graham Hot Press It may have been the most significant Dublin rock event since the Rats left town. Certainly Project’s “Dark Space” momentarily took capital rock out of the doldrums it’s been fighting for the last two years. Van Morrison can provide the motto – it surely is too late to stop now.
In fact, the non appearance of Public Image was a boon. Bereft of their presence and the weekend punks they would have attracted, the flow wasn’t distorted nor energies distracted by that overriding event, instead, but for the presence of The Mekons. “Dark Space” was a completely local event, allowing the bands to sow the seeds of self-conscious community.
It wasn’t just Dublin. The Belfast contingent in their denims & black leather jackets were just as important with Rudi possibly the band who gained the greatest advantage out of the event. The two scenes mixed as they never had the opportunity to previously “Dark Space” significance must include the cross border detents it achieved.
Admittedly Project lost money. But the spirit of the affair appears to have convinced them of the necessity to repeat the experiment & if there were faults in the organization, the lessons have surely been learnt.
The event had to be over-the-top to make the desired impact & the scope of the occasion at least allowed every band to democratically show their wares. None the less few had the stamina to make it through the full twenty four hours. It may be wiser to concentrate the next into an all nighter.
It was the less estimated bands who provided the surprises, D.C. Nien, The Letters, Zebra, The Modern Heirs and, so this non-witness gathers, The Vultures all proving themselves as fully capable as the groups in the lager hall. As for the bigger names, they all performed close to or at the peak of their abilities.
Except for early gobbing & numbskulls at the finale who ripped off the reception desk, the event was never petty. The organization wasn’t always perfect but it invariably coped & was never the shambles some pessimists had previously predicted. If I’ve one grip, it was the closing scene, U2 being cut off in mid set due to late scheduling. Whatever about them, it really should have climaxed with every band or at least a representative on stage. That celebration didn’t come.
No matter, an orphan scene finally found a home where it didn’t have to deal with Fagins, publicans, gangsters, hucksters, and failed star trippers. Those who were there know its importance, in five years time, those who weren’t will be clamouring to pretend they were there and Project will discover they’d had as large audience as filled the G.P.O. “Dark Space” was the first Irish rock gig for the eighties. Jump aboard.
18/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
20/02/1979 Kevin Street College, Dublin lunchtime
25/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
02/03/1979 Community Centre, Howth with The Sinners
Heat Fanzine
03/03/1979 Edmund Burke Hall, Trinity College, Dublin with Joe Jackson. Concerts are banded by the Senior Dean in the Edmund Burke Hall for a short while after “incidents and damage” are reported. This is the concert that got “Heat” fanzine into trouble with Paul McGuinness after it reported that Paul tried to get the Gravediggers replaced by U2 as the support.
04/03/1979 Toners, Dublin
11/03/1979 Toners, Dublin
12/03/1979 Green Grove, Ennis
In Dublin Party
Advert from In Dublin
23/03/1979 College Of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin with QED
25/03/1979 Toners, Dublin
29/03/1979 Aula Maxima, Galway
01/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
11/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
18/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
19/04/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
25/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
28/04/1979 Dandelion Market, Dublin
29/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
29/04/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Virgin Prunes.
This was the “In Dublin” “I Like It Bigger” party. The “In Dublin” magazine had changed it’s format from A5 to A4. The publication started life in 1976 as a what’s on guide in Dublin, featuring reviews of concerts & films etc. One of the early contributors was the Boomtown Rats manager Fachtna O’Kelly. Early copies were in black & white and type written. Badges were given away to the party goers with the slogan “In Dublin, I Like It Bigger”.
Belfield, University College
Advert from In Dublin magazine
06/05/1979 Toners, Dublin
06/05/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
13/05/1979 Toners, Dublin
20/05/1979 Toners, Dublin
26/05/1979 Belfield Bar, UCD with Full Circle, Hurricane Johnny & The Jets
27/05/1979 Tonner’s, Dublin
03/06/1979 Toners, Dublin
10/06/1979 Toners, Dublin
14/06/1979 Baggot Inn, Dublin
17/06/1979 Summit Inn, Howth
18/06/1979 Munster Arms, Carrick on Sur
23/06/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin (afternoon)
23/06/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin (night)
24/06/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
24/06/1979 Toners, Dublin
01/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
01/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
08/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
08/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
12/07/1979 Meeting Place, Dublin
15/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
15/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
22/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
22/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
The Defenders
Image supplied by Karl Tsigdinos
25/07/1979 National Ballroom, Dublin with Defenders & The Fabrics. This was a benefit gig for “Heat Fanzine” to help raise money for their legal costs. The Defenders were an all star band put together for the sole purpose of helping “Heat”. Their line up included; Billy Morley (Revolver), Gary Eglington, Frankie Morgan (Sacre Bleu), Steve Rapid & Mark Megaray (Radiators From Space), Charles O’Conner, John Fean & Eamon Carr (Horslips). The Defender also released a record.
29/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
29/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
05/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
05/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
12/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
12/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
19/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
19/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
26/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
26/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
1980 Gravediggers
Photo by Patrick Brocklebank. R.I.P. Richie “Milkboy” Taylor (far right) August 2014.
02/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
08/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
09/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
14/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
16/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
23/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
30/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
07/10/1979 Toners, Dublin with Average Contents
09/10/1979 Seapoint Ballroom
13/10/1979 Dining Hall Trinity College, Dublin Freshers Ball with Zebra
20/10/1979 Toners, Dublin with Average Contents
27/10/1979 Toners, Dublin with Average Contents
06/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
13/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
20/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
27/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
31/01/1980 McGonagle’s, Dublin in aid of Irish Kidney Association, with The Strougers & The Takeaways Hot Press review Liam Mackey Home grown rock n roll with its conscience on its sleeve – I don’t know if Rocky donated his kidneys, but the Gravediggers, the Takeaways add the Strougers gave their time and effort free of charge and that’s enough to be going on with for a start.
The first, first, lets talk about the Strougers (pronounced as in “plough”, ya got it). Young, energetic, enthusiastic and committed, prepared to live and learn, they’ve honed a fiery set to pointed effect, but as yet don’t seem capable of switching the mode of attack.
Their methodology consists predominantly of fast and furious choral fusillades, manifestly indebted to such as the Ramones, the Boys, the Real Kids and probably a whole bunch of other bands, neither they nor I even know exist. Which poses a problem. Mining as they do the much overworked vein of melodically infused, postage stamp gut punk, the Strougers run the dual risks of creating an overly homogenised set and painting themselves, unconsciously and imperceptibly, into a bland wall compounded of 101 stereo-types.
These risks they take and the gamble turns up trumps as often as it clinks up a noreturn. Which is to say that if the Strougers don’t effectively sustain their attack, they do at intervals, give evidence of a potential for transcending the common lot.
Prime amongst their attributes is a delicately poised twin guitar balance which eschews bluster in favour of a pop insidiousness – hard but not cruel – and brings to mind no less prestigious a reference point than the Jordan/Lynch axis of “Flamingos” period Flamin’ Groovies. Particularly effective on “In my office”, it’s a crucially distinctive clement that they often replace with a too orthodox chordal overdrive. (Similarly, a more judicious use of harmonies and back up vocals, would serve to add much needed colour to a sometimes dull finish). They do realise their potential on a handful of songs including “Future Generation”, “Foul Play” and the aforementioned “In My Office”, but it won’t be until conception consistently matches execution that the Strougers will really begin staking a claim to prominence.
As for the Takeaways who held down the medial slot, it’s unlikely that anything I’d have to say could possibly influence their incorrigible complacency. Everything about them is so right – the notes, the poses, the gestures, the verbals – that they must surely satisfy all the requirements of the fan who wants his or her music, to be just like the records they have at home by the stereo.
Takeaways music isn’t so much dated as dateless; it has existed in the past, it exists now, and just as surely as the guitarist will make his token leap there, it’ll flourish happily in the future.
Rocky’s mob, slouched on board, addressed themselves to the mood and character of an era, and swung into their joyous rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll, with a passion and purpose that defies you to reach for the museum tag. The penultimate Gravediggers gig – by the time you read this they’ll have amicably gone their separate ways – and they kept the homefires burnin’ right up to the final strains of “Sine Fine Fail Blue”. Out of a fine balance of respect and irreverence, the Gravediggers emerged with a supreme dance music, that served the function of introducing a goodly number of us younger folk to musical antecedents of rare vintage excellence, and without ever doing less than justice to the venerable sources themselves.
Let it be known that they went out dancin’ and grinnin’ (sob).
01/02/1980 Community Centre, Howth
Howth 1978 – 1980
Line up; till July ’78
Rocky DeValera (Ferdia MacAnna) Vocals
Lord Lucan/Dave Hero (Dave Sweeney) Lead Guitar
Pierre Parnell (Nicky Barrett) Guitar
Jack Dublin (Paul Brown) Bass
Rob Campbell Drums
Line from August ’78
Rocky DeValera (Ferdia MacAnna) Vocals
Paddy Kool Lead Guitar
Martin Whiskey Lead Guitar
Jack Dublin (Paul Brown) Bass
David Buckley Drums
Poster was for the Gravediggers first gig at the Belfield in ’78.
Harpo Cohen (Drums) left Scare Bleu & joined the Gravediggers sometime in March/April 1978.
Rocky deValera & The Gravediggers recorded an EP for Good Vibrations Records, but it was never released. One of the tracks was Pool Hall Baby.
This poster (left) was for the Gravediggers first gig at the Belfield bar in 1978, the picture was taken in the toilets of the Belfield bar. At this time the band included “Baz” on saxophone, extreme right. The set kicked off with “Peter Gun” & “Shakin All Over”. The set went down a storm & the Graverdiggers did 3 encores.
Memories of Dave Hero
I still remember the electricity in the air when Rocky De Valera and the Gravediggers were born in a dusty shed in Howth village, on the coast outside of Dublin on a dark night in January 1978. There was no mic or mic stand so Rocky improvised with a broom handle. No matter. Rocky knew he had something special to say and when he reached down for the broom handle and bellowed the words “Good Golly Miss Molly” one of Irish rock’s most electrifying frontmen announced his arrival. When the ace rhythm section of Tony Kenna and Rob Campbell kicked in and myself and Nicky Barrett followed suit we knew within seconds that an unforgettable adventure had started. After we crashed to a halt three minutes later we did not know whether to laugh or gasp in wonder. Instead we just did another song which worked even better and we laughed some more. It was always that way in the Gravediggers.
A sell out show at UCD was the sole ambition Rocky and I had when we met working on a punk badge stall in the Dandelion Market. We started to hit it off when it became clear that we could make each other laugh….a lot The band was to be another one of those laughs, a joke group with a joke name for UCD Rag Week. When the day of our first gig came I walked out on stage and discovered that our first ambition – a sell out UCD show – had come to pass. The place was packed. I had to dash backstage and swallow some Dutch courage. I need not have worried. After bringing a ‘dead’ Rocky back to life with some shots of electric guitar and some saxophone from new recruit Basil Hornblower we lurched into Vince Taylor’s ‘Pledging My Love’ before motoring into Taylor’s ‘Brand New Cadillac’ and one classic rocker after another totally eviscerating the normally blissed out Belfield Bar. We were called back for several encores. It was a sign of things to come.
The adventure continued and others became infected with our punked out rock and roll. Like lightning the gigs flashed in. The Magnet, TCD, Project Arts Centre, Cork, Carrick on Suir, Howth Community Centre and a near residency on Saturday nights in McGonagles, the only place to play in the Dublin of 1978. Legendary nights, legendary performances especially on Rocky’s tour de force ‘The Sinne Fianna Fáil Blues’ which turned into an anarchic and explosive harangue directed at Ireland’s ruling dynasty. I would look out on those nights and see our peers in the McGongales audience gazing at the spectacle, stunned – Sacre Bleu, Fit Kilkenny, U2, the Radiators. A new crack rhythm section, Jack Dublin and Harpo Cowan joined up and was followed by the legendary Axer Fortune from Cabra. Original songs were born. There was lots of press, posters, badges, parties in Rocky’s legendary basement flat in Rathmines, interviews with pirate radio stations, Gerry Ryan and even our first recording session. Our roadies Dave de Rocker and Robbie Woodstock kept us honest and added their own distinctive style to the Gravedigger mix.
It seems like years looking back but my time in the Gravediggers was to be just over six months. Arriving late for a gig in Finglas and seeing the band on stage without me set the wheels of paranoia spinning in my teenage mind. I did one last show at McGonagles the same night and decided to leave searching for bigger things. I am not sure that I found them. For a short while I did find the most exciting frontman I have ever worked with. Black and white electric shock treatment with a kickin’ beat. Long live Rocky DeValera and The Gravediggers.
Dave Sweeney was Max Quad of the Max Quad Band before in joined the Gravediggers, also in this band were Adam Clayton and Joe Savino of The Brown Thomas Band.
“But I did come across a list of songs I compiled that Rocky de Valera and the Gravediggers performed – a mixture of covers and originals.
Say Mama, Good Golly Miss Molly, Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache, My Little Sister’s Got A Motor Bike, Red Hot, Brand New Cadillac, Sea Cruise, Midnight Shift, Sweet Lorraine, Chantilly Lace, Hello Josephine. The originals included Pool Hall Baby, The Lady Loves to Rock’n’Roll, Sinne Fianna Fail Blues, Pretty Lady Bop. Line-up was Rocky (vocals), Martin (the Lizard) Meagher on lead guitar, Jack Dublin on bass, Richie “Milk Boy” Taylor on rhythm guitar and Dave Buckley on drums”. Eddie Joyce
Ferdia & Dave both worked on a “Punk” badge stall in the Dandelion Market, the stall was owen by Jon Fisher & Eoin.
Rocky would later go on to form the Rhythm Kings and reform the Gravediggers in 2005. Dave was also in the Max Quad Band with Adam Clayton, the Max Quad band were famous in Dublin’s rock circle for firing Adam because he could not play the bass. Robbie Campbell & Jack Dublin had been in Rat Salad before joining the Gravediggers.
“RDV and the Gravediggers played Howth Comm Centre around half a dozen times from Summer ’78 onwards. One of those gigs was a co-headliner with The Boy Scoutz. As far as I recall The Modulators played one or two is those gigs as support as did The Yeah Yeahs, Neil McCormack’s band.
Frank Kearns (Cactus World News) was in the Modulators I think.
I know nothing about Sounds Unreel tho I think they may have supported us at least once, possibly in Rhythm Kings days.
U2 took over the Howth gig from us in late 78 early 79. Larry phoned me up to ask permission to approach the organisers and I gave him the name and number of some eejit called Walter who as far as I can see, made a fortune out of us naive dorks. (tho I’d say U2 always got their money).
I saw the Prunes at McGons and also at the Project Arts Centre where they played a black and white theme night sometime in 1980. I also put them on the Late Late show around the same time, shortly after I put U2 on (I was the music researcher for a couple of years after the diggers finished). That’s all I can think of.” Ferdia Mac Anna
Records
Lady Loves to Rock n Roll is on the “Just For Kicks LP Kick Records KK1 IRL
Ferdia’s new CD, if you want buy a copy, contact him via Facebook
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Gig Guide
From “Hot Press”
00/00/1978 Belfield Bar, UCD this was a lunchtime show
07/02/1978 Open Air gig, UCD this was a lunchtime show to protest about high student fees. This concert is reported in the Irish Independent 08/02/78 by John Walshe.
03/03/1978 Magnet Bar, Dublin Move over Streisand and Kristofferson….. a bloody star has been born! For the second time this century th Dev sensation will be sweeping the nation!
Ireland has finally cloned its own wild man Fischer variant, in the person of Rocky DeValera. On stage the Rock is crazed, twisted being, shredding rock n roll classics without compassion. “Shakin’ All Over”, “See You Later Alligator”, “Be Bop A Lula”, “Red Hot”, “Sweet Little Rock n Roller”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, and “Johnny B. Goode” all fell before the onslaught.
The Gravediggers backed the Rock’s dementia with appropriate anarchy. Initially I mistook it as “settling in”, but during the “Peter Gunn Theme” they momentarily coalesced, then suddenly burst into glorious and total chaos.
Undisputed climax of the night was Dev’s own composition “Sinne Fianna Fail Blues”, with a satirical finger emerging from the opening Blues passage and then from an utter Rock cacophony. If it doesn’t secure the Sunday notoriety, nothing will.
That Rocky and his band Pierre Parnell (guitar), Lord Lucan O.B.E. (lead guitar), Finn McKool (drums), Sgt Floyd Pepper (bass/mupet), and Basil Hoenblower (sax) overcame both the handicap of few rehearsals and having to pay £20 to play the Magnet to rock the crowd into grateful submission indicates something is there!
Exactly what I’m not sure, but Rocky DeValera has it! They’ll be a certified (certifiable?) cult in no time, and they’re going somewhere.
Just remember, getting there is half the fun! Karl Tsigdinos Hot Press review
11/03/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin
31/03/1978 Community Centre, Howth
01/04/1978 Downtown Kampus, Arcadia Ballroom, Cork with Sacre Bleu
Advert from Dublin Evening Herald
During April & May Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers had a residency at McGonagle’s, Dublin
18/04/1978 Celebrity Club, Dublin
20/04/1978 Junior Common Room, Trinity College, Dublin
Harry Street, Dublin
Photo supplied by Dave Sweeney
27/04/1978 Junior Common Room, TCD
26/05/1978 Community Centre, Howth with Boy Scoutz
29/06/1979 Downtown Kampus, Cork
30/06/1978 Abbey Inn, Tralee
01/07/1978 Abbey Inn, Tralee
02/07/1978 Blackrock Park, Dublin Open Air Festival with The School Kids, Boy Scoutz, Strange Movements, U2, The Vipers. The Gravediggers may not have played this show, Dave Sweeney can’t remember the Gravediggers being there.
U2 DID NOT PLAY this gig as the outdoor amps and rigging that was hired for this gig never turned up. The bands that played, had to play with the School Kids indoor amps, this lead to the sound quality not being very good.
Hot Press “Frontlines” June must be a wicked month for punks. Certainly the Blackrock Festival held last Sunday was a depressing sequence of cock ups. The organizers had formed the impression that Fran Quigley was going to deliver them a PA. He didn’t so they had to use The School Kids’ gear which wasn’t built for open air performances.
Then fights broke out which led to one unfortunate blood spewing individual, being carted off to hospital. Then amidst the shambles, The Vipers and U2 decided not to play. Just another gig in Blackrock Park, huh?………………
07/07/1978 Finglass Open Air concert with Fabulous Fabrics, Sinners
14/07/1978 Community Centre, Howth with New Versions
Advert from Hot Press
05/08/1978 Phoenix Park Peace Festival, Dublin with Bach Street Kids, Brown Thomas Band, U2 Review Irish Press Over 3,000 rock fans shared the leafy comfort of The Hollow in Phoenix Park yesterday for the closing day of a “peace” festival which was anything but harmonious.
The three day programme of rock “n” roll for gentle souls was marred by the arrest of the organiser, William “Ubi” Dwyer, distension among the workers and the staging of a rival event.
A total of 90 bands, which were to have shared three stages throughout the park, were said to be “lined up” for the festival and an audience of over 50,000 was forecast. It opened on Saturday with only one stage, a handful of groups, a trickle of fans and a split among the workers.
The national parks and monuments branch of the Board of Works had approved a one day event at The Hollow only.
And the unsympathetic weather didn’t help either. A cloudburst on Saturday afternoon reduced the crowd even further and the day ended with Garda intervening after ugly scenes at The Hollow band stage.
The organiser, 45 year old William Dwyer, of Gowrie Park, Dun Laoghaire, was charged with assault and threatening behaviour. A warrant for his arrest was issued yesterday by the District Court after he failed to appear.
On Sunday, the weather improved and a bigger crowd – about 2,000 – turned up to hear a handful of groups.
But the use of members of a Hells Angels fraternity as bouncers left many wondering about the original theme for the festival.
Meanwhile, also on Sunday, a rival concert, organised after dissension over the arrangements for the festival, attracted several hundred teenagers.
A number of bands which had withdrawn from the Phoenix Park programme went on stage for the alternative concert at the People’s Park in Blackrock.
Yesterday the Hells Angels were still being used at The hallow stage as a couple of young Dublin bands entertained the youngsters who were packed the natural theatre.
A spokesman for the organisers accepted that the festival had been “partially marred,” but felt that it had been a success in that it managed to survive, despite the weather.
The groups appearing at the festival were asked to pay a £10 levy to cover the costs of advertising and the hire of equipment, and a couple of benefit concerts for the event were held in Dublin recently.
01/09/1978 Community Centre, Howth, with The Sinners. During September & October Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers had a residency at the Howth Community Centre.
29/09/1978 Top Hat, Dun Laoghaire with The Duce Band
00/10/1978 Spinning Wheel, Dublin new line up for this gig. Rocky vocals, Jack Dublin bass, Martin Meagher guitar, Dave Buckley drums.
22/10/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
22/10/1978 Toners, Dublin
27/10/1978 Community Centre, Howth. This may well have been the last date of the residency at the Community Centre. U2 would take this residency over from the Gravediggers, Larry Mullen Jr spoke to Ferdia on the phone about U2 taking over this residency before U2 were given the gig.
29/10/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
29/10/1978 Toners, Dublin
Advert from Hot Press
03/11/1978 Spinning Wheel, Dublin
05/11/1978 Toners, Dublin
10/11/1978 Spinning Wheel, Dublin
12/11/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
12/11/1978 Toners, Dublin
17/11/1978 Howth Community Centre. This is an Anti Nuclear benefit concert
19/11/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
19/11/1978 Toners, Dublin
24/11/1978 Arts Block, Trinity College, Dublin supporting Wilko Johnson & The Solid Senders
26/11/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Wilko Johnson & The Solid Senders
26/11/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin (afternoon)
27/11/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Wilko Johnson & The Solid Senders
03/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
10/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
17/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
Hot Press gig guide
17/12/1978 Holyrood Hotel, Bray
23/12/1978 Holyrood Hotel, Bray with Chips
23/12/1978 Baltinglass Co Wiclow with Chips
26/12/1978 Community Centre, Howth Indoor Rock Festival with The Sinners, Gone To Earth, The Modulators
31/12/1978 Toners, Dublin
18/01/1979 Burke Hall, TCD
27/01/1979 Abbey Inn, Tralee
04/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
11/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
16-17/02/1979 “Dark Space Festival” Project Arts Centre, Dublin with The Mekons, Rudi, The Atrix, Berlin, D.C. Nien, U2, Virgin Prunes, New Versions.
The Project Arts Centre “Dark Space” festival brings together the biggest ever collection of Irish “New Wave” bands under one roof, from both the north & south. After Public Image pull out, the only non Irish band are The Mekons. Much like many modern festivals “Dark Space” had two stages, one in the main hall & one in a smaller hall. Many of the local Dublin bands play in the smaller hall including D.C. Nien, Zebra, Modern Heirs, The Letters, The Vultures. Revolver kicked off the 24 hour “Dark Space” festival at 11pm on the Friday night. They are the “old men” of the Dublin “New Wave” scene, they and The Vipers were at the first Project “New Wave” festival in 1977. U2 close the festival on the Saturday night. Their set is stopped mid way through due to late scheduling. There is also no time for a “Live Aid” style finale with all the bands on stage together. From reading reviews of this festival, I believe that Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers & U2 played two sets.
The price of admission was dropped from £6 to £4 after John Lydon’s PIL dropped out.
Irish Times Review by Joe Breen In the wake of the euphoria surrounding Van Morrison’s concerts in Ireland last week the success of the Project’s Art Centre 24 hour “Dark Space” festival may be overlooked.
In fact, it was was a 26 hour event as the music continued until midnight last Saturday week. Aside from the more controversial aspects of the festival, such as the strip tease act, the music, played entirely by leading young Irish bands (with the exception of The Mekons from Britain), was of an unexpectedly high standard. maybe it was the appearance of Britain’s leading rock DJ, John Peel, which prompted the energetic performances & it is reasonable to assume he was accordingly impressed.
Prior to the venture, many people feared the worst. The festival idea has strong hippy connotations & it was felt that possibly the New Wave fans & bands would find it all too boring. Allied to that the disappointment over the non appearance of Johnny Lydon & his PIL band & the confusion over whether some Irish bands would play added to the pessimistic view.
However, as events showed, it was probably better that Lydon did not appear as Public Image’s star appeal might have detracted from the impact of the local bands. I caught The Atrix, The Mekons, The Virgin Prunes, U2 & many more. They were all enjoyable but I was particularly impressed by U2, who have made great progress in the last few months, & the very promising, The Atrix. The Virgin Prunes very theatrical act was highly entertaining, but the limitations of the music & playing are too severe.
The crowd, John Stephenson of the Project told me, totaled about 800 over the 26 hours, but at the reduced price of £4 a head (owing to the non appearance of John Lydon & Throbbing Gristle) he said that the festival would lose a lot of money. Invariably, there were many small problems, such as the sound not always being correct or the music drowning out the soundtracks of the films which were shown throughout the festival. But these minor cribs amount to little when compared to the peace, the good music & the general good atmosphere which permeated the East Essex Street building. Even the Project workers remained in good spirits at the snacks counter though they were there for 12 hour shifts.
Unfortunately, along with the many unusually dressed people there were (including one fan with a Mohican hair style) I noticed two people wearing Nazi insignia, a despicable trait that I thought the New Wave had dispensed with. They is nothing funny about fascism, as many people of different races & colours have found out, & are still finding out to day.
Incidentally, I tried to find out the meaning of the title, “Dark Space”, but nobody seemed able solve the mystery. However at 7am on a Saturday morning “Dark Space”, adequately summed up the the state of my head, so maybe that’s what the organisers meant.
Bill Graham Hot Press It may have been the most significant Dublin rock event since the Rats left town. Certainly Project’s “Dark Space” momentarily took capital rock out of the doldrums it’s been fighting for the last two years. Van Morrison can provide the motto – it surely is too late to stop now.
In fact, the non appearance of Public Image was a boon. Bereft of their presence and the weekend punks they would have attracted, the flow wasn’t distorted nor energies distracted by that overriding event, instead, but for the presence of The Mekons. “Dark Space” was a completely local event, allowing the bands to sow the seeds of self-conscious community.
It wasn’t just Dublin. The Belfast contingent in their denims & black leather jackets were just as important with Rudi possibly the band who gained the greatest advantage out of the event. The two scenes mixed as they never had the opportunity to previously “Dark Space” significance must include the cross border detents it achieved.
Admittedly Project lost money. But the spirit of the affair appears to have convinced them of the necessity to repeat the experiment & if there were faults in the organization, the lessons have surely been learnt.
The event had to be over-the-top to make the desired impact & the scope of the occasion at least allowed every band to democratically show their wares. None the less few had the stamina to make it through the full twenty four hours. It may be wiser to concentrate the next into an all nighter.
It was the less estimated bands who provided the surprises, D.C. Nien, The Letters, Zebra, The Modern Heirs and, so this non-witness gathers, The Vultures all proving themselves as fully capable as the groups in the lager hall. As for the bigger names, they all performed close to or at the peak of their abilities.
Except for early gobbing & numbskulls at the finale who ripped off the reception desk, the event was never petty. The organization wasn’t always perfect but it invariably coped & was never the shambles some pessimists had previously predicted. If I’ve one grip, it was the closing scene, U2 being cut off in mid set due to late scheduling. Whatever about them, it really should have climaxed with every band or at least a representative on stage. That celebration didn’t come.
No matter, an orphan scene finally found a home where it didn’t have to deal with Fagins, publicans, gangsters, hucksters, and failed star trippers. Those who were there know its importance, in five years time, those who weren’t will be clamouring to pretend they were there and Project will discover they’d had as large audience as filled the G.P.O. “Dark Space” was the first Irish rock gig for the eighties. Jump aboard.
18/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
20/02/1979 Kevin Street College, Dublin lunchtime
25/02/1979 Toners, Dublin
02/03/1979 Community Centre, Howth with The Sinners
03/03/1979 Edmund Burke Hall, Trinity College, Dublin with Joe Jackson. Concerts are banded by the Senior Dean in the Edmund Burke Hall for a short while after “incidents and damage” are reported. This is the concert that got “Heat” fanzine into trouble with Paul McGuinness after it reported that Paul tried to get the Gravediggers replaced by U2 as the support.
04/03/1979 Toners, Dublin
11/03/1979 Toners, Dublin
12/03/1979 Green Grove, Ennis
23/03/1979 College Of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin with QED
25/03/1979 Toners, Dublin
29/03/1979 Aula Maxima, Galway
01/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
11/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
18/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
19/04/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
25/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
28/04/1979 Dandelion Market, Dublin
29/04/1979 Toners, Dublin
29/04/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Virgin Prunes.
This was the “In Dublin” “I Like It Bigger” party. The “In Dublin” magazine had changed it’s format from A5 to A4. The publication started life in 1976 as a what’s on guide in Dublin, featuring reviews of concerts & films etc. One of the early contributors was the Boomtown Rats manager Fachtna O’Kelly. Early copies were in black & white and type written. Badges were given away to the party goers with the slogan “In Dublin, I Like It Bigger”.
Advert from In Dublin magazine
06/05/1979 Toners, Dublin
06/05/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
13/05/1979 Toners, Dublin
20/05/1979 Toners, Dublin
26/05/1979 Belfield Bar, UCD with Full Circle, Hurricane Johnny & The Jets
27/05/1979 Tonner’s, Dublin
03/06/1979 Toners, Dublin
10/06/1979 Toners, Dublin
14/06/1979 Baggot Inn, Dublin
17/06/1979 Summit Inn, Howth
18/06/1979 Munster Arms, Carrick on Sur
23/06/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin (afternoon)
23/06/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin (night)
24/06/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
24/06/1979 Toners, Dublin
01/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
01/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
08/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
08/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
12/07/1979 Meeting Place, Dublin
15/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
15/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
22/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
22/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
Image supplied by Karl Tsigdinos
25/07/1979 National Ballroom, Dublin with Defenders & The Fabrics. This was a benefit gig for “Heat Fanzine” to help raise money for their legal costs. The Defenders were an all star band put together for the sole purpose of helping “Heat”. Their line up included; Billy Morley (Revolver), Gary Eglington, Frankie Morgan (Sacre Bleu), Steve Rapid & Mark Megaray (Radiators From Space), Charles O’Conner, John Fean & Eamon Carr (Horslips). The Defender also released a record.
29/07/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
29/07/1979 Toners, Dublin (night)
05/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
05/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
12/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
12/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
19/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
19/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
26/08/1979 Toners, Dublin
26/08/1979 Summit Inn, Howth (afternoon)
Photo by Patrick Brocklebank. R.I.P. Richie “Milkboy” Taylor (far right) August 2014.
02/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
08/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
09/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
14/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
16/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
23/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
30/09/1979 Toners, Dublin
07/10/1979 Toners, Dublin with Average Contents
09/10/1979 Seapoint Ballroom
13/10/1979 Dining Hall Trinity College, Dublin Freshers Ball with Zebra
20/10/1979 Toners, Dublin with Average Contents
27/10/1979 Toners, Dublin with Average Contents
06/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
13/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
20/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
27/01/1980 Magnet Bar, Dublin
31/01/1980 McGonagle’s, Dublin in aid of Irish Kidney Association, with The Strougers & The Takeaways Hot Press review Liam Mackey Home grown rock n roll with its conscience on its sleeve – I don’t know if Rocky donated his kidneys, but the Gravediggers, the Takeaways add the Strougers gave their time and effort free of charge and that’s enough to be going on with for a start.
The first, first, lets talk about the Strougers (pronounced as in “plough”, ya got it). Young, energetic, enthusiastic and committed, prepared to live and learn, they’ve honed a fiery set to pointed effect, but as yet don’t seem capable of switching the mode of attack.
Their methodology consists predominantly of fast and furious choral fusillades, manifestly indebted to such as the Ramones, the Boys, the Real Kids and probably a whole bunch of other bands, neither they nor I even know exist. Which poses a problem. Mining as they do the much overworked vein of melodically infused, postage stamp gut punk, the Strougers run the dual risks of creating an overly homogenised set and painting themselves, unconsciously and imperceptibly, into a bland wall compounded of 101 stereo-types.
These risks they take and the gamble turns up trumps as often as it clinks up a noreturn. Which is to say that if the Strougers don’t effectively sustain their attack, they do at intervals, give evidence of a potential for transcending the common lot.
Prime amongst their attributes is a delicately poised twin guitar balance which eschews bluster in favour of a pop insidiousness – hard but not cruel – and brings to mind no less prestigious a reference point than the Jordan/Lynch axis of “Flamingos” period Flamin’ Groovies. Particularly effective on “In my office”, it’s a crucially distinctive clement that they often replace with a too orthodox chordal overdrive. (Similarly, a more judicious use of harmonies and back up vocals, would serve to add much needed colour to a sometimes dull finish). They do realise their potential on a handful of songs including “Future Generation”, “Foul Play” and the aforementioned “In My Office”, but it won’t be until conception consistently matches execution that the Strougers will really begin staking a claim to prominence.
As for the Takeaways who held down the medial slot, it’s unlikely that anything I’d have to say could possibly influence their incorrigible complacency. Everything about them is so right – the notes, the poses, the gestures, the verbals – that they must surely satisfy all the requirements of the fan who wants his or her music, to be just like the records they have at home by the stereo.
Takeaways music isn’t so much dated as dateless; it has existed in the past, it exists now, and just as surely as the guitarist will make his token leap there, it’ll flourish happily in the future.
Rocky’s mob, slouched on board, addressed themselves to the mood and character of an era, and swung into their joyous rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll, with a passion and purpose that defies you to reach for the museum tag. The penultimate Gravediggers gig – by the time you read this they’ll have amicably gone their separate ways – and they kept the homefires burnin’ right up to the final strains of “Sine Fine Fail Blue”. Out of a fine balance of respect and irreverence, the Gravediggers emerged with a supreme dance music, that served the function of introducing a goodly number of us younger folk to musical antecedents of rare vintage excellence, and without ever doing less than justice to the venerable sources themselves.
Let it be known that they went out dancin’ and grinnin’ (sob).
01/02/1980 Community Centre, Howth