Much More Music

Much More Music

In the mid 1970’s Moran’s Hotel was the top live music venue in Dublin. Operating under the banner of “Much More Music” Smiley Bolger ran a series live of gigs. Many of Ireland’s top bands of the time played the venue. Nitebus, Cheap Thrills, Boomtown Rats, Rob Strong & the Rockets, Eric Bell Band & Jimi Slevin Band, Arthur Phybes Band. By August/September 1978 the venue had closed its doors to live music. Did U2 play this venue? They were booked to play at the very time Hot Press reported the venue being shut down.

Image supplied by Dave Moloney. Two night pass to the Rats farewell Dublin gigs. Before leaving for their first major nation wide UK tour. Dave replaced Simon Crowe on drums for a couple of months before Simon return to the fold. The writing on the pass is Bob Geldolf’s. Does any know the owner of these legs? I’ve been told they belong to one of the Boy Scoutz.

Backstage Pass
Image supplied by Dave Moloney

Revolver

Billy Morley of Revolver in full flight. Image supplied by Kevin Helly. Smiley also ran gigs for the up and coming young bands of the day. Most of these shows would have three band line up. Such as the Radiators From Space, Revolver & The Vipers the cream of the Irish Punk/New Wave bands. The Fabulous Fabrics played their first gig here. They only purchased their instrument the week before at Woolworths. Travelling to the gig on the bus with their guitars in cardboard boxes.

Radiators From Space

Image supplied by Steve Averill. Live Moran’s Hotel Dublin in 1977. Left to right Phil, Steve, Jimmy hidden behind his drum kit & Mark. One of the Radiators gigs was reported in Sunday World newspaper. They played up the punk image by using a vibrator on a guitar.

Much More Music
The Radiators From Space in full flight. Image supplied by Steve Averill