I am going to the Basel performance..

Just saw this but am already signed up to do a charity drive that night.
Enjoy those who'll be there, haven't seen them since 1987......25 years ago!

Great concert, great company and great craic.

The Dubliners may be old and bearded, but they still got it! They took their audience down memory lane and it was an enjoyable evening of memories, music and stories. They are indeed the Rolling Stones of Irish music.

I agree - it was a nice concert! Although they didn't sing one song I really wanted to hear

It was a great evening with great company but now I really want to go to the dirty old town.......

We had a great time as well! Im glad they sang the wild rover even at the end. I would be very dissapointed if they didnt.

It was a great evening. I loved the videos of Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew and Ciaran Bourke. I have been a fan for many years so I will always remember them. I am very fond of Barney McKenna he is one of the best banjo players in the world. I love his song: I wish I had someone to love me.
I just arrived a few minutes before the concert started and was quite surprised seeing so many people who have attended the events for the last few years. Everyone hopes the Dubliners will return next year. They are over 70 (except Patsy Watchorn) so we all wish them good health.

I saw them in Basel and fell asleep, making it a concert first for me, and quite a let down.

Now, I know they are old, but I didn't buy the tickets either. I mean atleast half the show was a few guys on stage occasionally strumming on their guitars, and fondly looking back at the huge screen on the wall watching passed front men sing songs.

I have youtube for that, and atleast I can enjoy a beer as well.

NO beer, no water allowed in the most cramped concert hall I have ever been in. No chance to enjoy a concert the way it's meant to be.

And while I understand they are all considerably old, perhaps if you are too old to be interested in being on the stage for more then 20 minute periods of time(as the "younger" ones were constantly leaving the stage and going in the back while Barney played on), perhaps live shows should not be done for you.
I know as old blue singers back in Chicago that, although most of the night their performances are done in chairs, rock it out, sing with passion, and are entertaining.
I am sure the Dubliners still love their music, but it was more like an exhibit at a Museum of Irish Folk Music, then a real concert.
That was my Basel experience. Maybe they flew through the air in Zurich.

Also, I was in Ireland just a few months back and saw guys just as old performing for hours, getting paid probably 100 times less, so it's not as if I am not coming from a point of no reason.

The video experience had me wishing I was 30 years younger, and at a show then, which I shouldn't have felt.

Well Confloozed, in Basel there was a standing ovation at the end. From where I was sitting ( and standing) it seemed that the complete audience were standing, clapping and swaying to the music by the end of the performance - with the possible exception of the folk at the end of the row in the balcony.

But, I admit I would have liked to hear the whole of Black Velvet Band. Maybe next year..

When they played Whiskey in the Jar?

People were standing because they weren't sure if it was the end of the show or not. And that was for 3 songs. And it wasn't everyone standing. Just the people on the sides.

I must say I liked the way they did tributes to the departed members and showed some videos presenting them at their best (even if being a bit "politically correct" in the biographical details). But I did feel that it was a pity that so many great songs weren't played whereas many of those that were played were more or less the same style. I missed not hearing John play St Patrick's Cathedral, which is probably the best of his violin solos. There was also way too much in the way of drinking songs and too little of the other styles such as fishermen's songs, comic songs, ballads, romances, political songs and the other things they have done in the past. Also, Barney was disappointing in comparison to previous years. I understand he must be getting on a bit but that's no reason to let him mumble incomprehensible commentary into the microphone for so long. I also felt the evening didn't really have a proper build-up or sequence but just random songs arranged in random order.

Apparently Barney has advanced diabetes and is mostly blind. He has round the clock nurse, you probably saw him being assisted by him to the stage.

That's not to say he shouldn't play if he wants to, but it felt like most of the rest of the band were even more exhausted then he was(though except for his original problems never looked more tired then that).

Where were you sitting. It was NOT just people on the sides. I could clearly see the whole centre block standing, as well as all of one side - from the front row to the back. People sat down again for the encore song, which was a quieter one, but then stood again for the final round of applause - as in loud applause, not muffled clapping of people leaving.

[QUOTE=biff;1479018]Where were you sitting. It was NOT just people on the sides. I could clearly see the whole centre block standing, as well as all of one side - from the front row to the back. People sat down again for the encore song, which was a quieter one, but then stood again for the final round of applause - as in loud applause, not muffled clapping of people leaving.[/QUOT

Were we at the same concert?

The Zurich one was nice. Ok the first part was boring as i didnt know any of the songs they played. The second part was one of the same except the end where i knew a couple of songs.
I enjoyed it though. They are also easy to talk to *very smug smile*

I just found out that Barney McKenna died a month ago

Im glad i saw them then and didnt wait some other time. RIP

Now that is very sad.

How very brave of him to continue performing until the very end.

Music will not be the same without him

Barney, we will miss you!