Sacre Bleu

Sacre Bleu from; Dublin Active; 1977 – 1980
Style; R n B
Line up;
Anthony Kennedy (AK) Vocals & Harmonica R.I.P.
Dick Doyle Guitar & Vocals
Frankie Morgan Keyboards & Vocals
Pat Courtney Bass & Vocals
Charlie Hallinan Drums

AK vocalist with Scare Bleu

I had the pleasure of talking to AK, we made arrangements to meet in Dublin and Talk about Scare Bleu. Sadly this meeting never took place due to the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions. Sadly AK has since passed.

Captain America’s

Anthony Kennedy & Charlie Hallinan both worked in the kitchen of “Captain America” on Grafton Street, flipping burgers with Justin McCarthy (Bach Street Kids). Justin went on to join High Society.
It’s not known if Charlie played live with Sacre Bleu, he would go on to join The School Kids & Berlin. Charlie did play a gig at the Olympia with the band, this was for Charlie’s Birthday party. 
The band never had a stable drummer, Albert (Harpo) Cowen, Kevin Reynolds, Colm Browne & Pat Walker all appearing behind the skins, I think Colm was the longest serving drummer.

Residencies

The band had set split about 50/50 between covers and originals, they played all the major Dublin venues during their time, having residencies at Moran’s Hotel, McGonagles, Toners, Mississippi Rooms, Dingo’s and the Baggot Inn. They toured Ireland at least twice, once with the Rats and once with the Fabulous Fabrics, they played at the first “Punk” festival at the Project Arts Centre as well as the first Cansore festival. During June 1978 Sacre Bleu played at least two gigs in London at Dingwells & Nashville Rooms. Between September ’78 & March ’79 they played El Ruedo, Carlow 6 times, all the ads stating “Back by popular demand”.

The Original Line Up

Dublin 1977 – 1979
Anthony Kennedy (AK) Vocals & Harmonica
Dick Doyle Guitar & Vocals
Frankie Morgan Keyboards & Vocals
Pat Courtney Bass & Vocals
Albert (Harpo) Cowen Drums

Tivoli Theatre

21/12/1977 Tivoli Theatre, Dublin with Boomtown Rats. These two concerts were moved to the Stella Cinema, as the Dublin City Council would not give the Tivoli Theatre a licence for the Boomtown Rats concert. Sarah Edwards oh yes being backstage with the Rats at the Stella Cinema Rathmines, Paula Yates had a leopard skin top on and loads of moles on her back.

Paula Yates

22/12/1977 Tivoli Theatre, Dublin with Sacre Bleu. Dave Moloney The Stella did not have any dressing rooms, the band had a room down the street, to change in, then walked to the Stella. Paula Yates was hanging with the band, she was not Bobs girlfriend at this time, Pete had pulled down her leopardskin top and commented on her boobs “nice”.

Hot Press Review

Niall Stokes Hot Press I caught the support band Sacre Bleu, with old Eyeless mate Pat Courtney on bass, briefly on the second night and liked what I saw. Unfortunate to have to break the ice before what was at the time an almost completely empty hall (the early arrivals had all gone upstairs to the balcony), they manifested a confidence and professionalism far beyond their age as a unit.

R n B Sound

I wasn’t able to stay around long enough to offer anything like a constructive critique of their music but this much seemed clear – that if they can further develop the tightness which already marks their collective playing, they’ll produce an R n B sound to match the best that’s ever come out of this country.

24/12/1977 Moran’s Hotel, Dublin The Rats, Radiators & Horslips have a jam. It’s not known if Scare Bleu were the support band for this concert

30/12/1977 City Hall, Cork with Boomtown Rats

31/12/1977 Leisureland, Galway all full house of 2,500 attend this  concert with Boomtown Rats

01/01/1978 Savoy, Waterford with Boomtown Rats
17/03/1978 Talk Of The Town, Newry Hot Press Letters Page. I’m sorta pissed off coming from a Sacre Bleu gig in Newry, what a band, but what a crowd, and what a mixture, skinheads trendies, and the odd hippy and the odd country boy making self conscious talk to an equally self conscious female – now you know the score.What about Sacre Bleu – well they were excellent, tight as hell with a class R ‘n’ B sound with songs like “Homework”, “Lady Doctor” and “All Day and All of the Night”, and have the guts of  a first class dance band. But would anyone dance or loon. Not on your life.

11/05/1978 McGonagles, Dublin with The School Kids Hot Press review by Liam Mackey Sacre Bleu’s final home appearance before taking off for a months’s solid gigging in Stockholm.

16/05/1978 Engelen Koligen Club, Stockholm, Sweden
10/06/1978 Engelen Koligen Club, Stockholm, Sweden

Known London Dates

13/06/1978 Nashville Pub, London
14/06/1978 Dingwalls, London

10/07/1978 Our Times RTE television
18-20/08/1978 Cansore Anti Neuclear Festival

On 13th December Dick Doyle & Colm Browne are hurt in a accident when their tour bus cashes while over taking an articulated truck. Doyle is hospitalised with a broken ankle, forcing the band off the road for a few weeks.  

03/02/1979 Downtown Kampus,  with Fabulous Fabrics

07/02/1979 (afternoon) Regional Technical College, Waterford with Fabulous Fabrics 

07/02/1979 (evening) Showboat, Waterford with Fabulous Fabrics

08/02/1979 Belfield, University College, Dublin with Fabulous Fabrics. A&M men from United Artists & Polydor Records are at this gig to see Sacre Bleu.

10/02/1979 White’s Hotel, Wexford with Fabulous Fabrics

12/02/1979 Regional Technical College, Athlone 

13/02/1979 Regional Technical College, Dundalk 

14/02/1979 McGonagles, Dublin with Fabulous Fabrics. A&M men from United Artists & Polydor Records are at this gig to see Sacre Bleu.

15/02/1979 The Pound, Belfast with Fabulous Fabrics

16/02/1979 Kevin Street College, Dublin with Fabulous Fabrics

17/02/1978 McGonagles, Dublin This is part of a trail run of concerts on Saturday afternoons for the under 18’s.

17/02/1979 Clonmel with Fabulous Fabrics

19/02/1979 Regional Technical College, Sligo with Fabulous Fabrics

01/03/1979 El Ruedo, Carlow with New Versions

01/09/1979 Kyteler’s, Kilkenny This concert is part of the Kilkenny Arts Festival