Each week I flick through the Video tapes in second hand Limerick shops, often ending up with peoples TV compilations on Maxell or Bush tapes that i end up fast forwarding, shifting analogue chunks from someones attic. Its all history. Today in Oxfam a BBC copy of Midnight Movie, Dennis Potters last film, but even better,
Shimmy Marcus's film from 2000, ‘Aidan Walsh – Master of the Universe’! Both pristine and mine for 3 euros. I was aware of the Walsh film but had never actually seen it so once home it was first into the deck.
Walsh had all the trappings of a 15 min Superstar when I lived in a battered Dublin in the 80s .The Temple bar glimpsed in parts of this tape brought back memories of crossing traffic light streets on many a nights wander from East Wall to Rathmines. Often in the City centre one would come across some sort of performance spilling from the Project Arts centre. Events such as the 24 hour continuous Art and Music ‘Dark Space’ gig where the likes of The Virgin Prunes shared room with Nigel Rolfe and other performers. Amongst the clusters of painted leather jackets congregating on the cobblestones on these nights one would occasionally see the ever smiling Aidan Walsh .
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I'm reviewing the video footage of the Rubberbandits gig, thinking as the nail is hammered into Santas groin, is this Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty?
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(photo by Paul Tarpey)
The Rubberbandits Mystery Tour-Dec 28th 2009The
Systems work of Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert created the classic templates that have been used in European roadsign design since the mid 60s. Their design template was carefully applied in the layout of the flyer for tonight's hidden performance. This was the first conceit as usually the information delivered by these templates is emotionless and directional. The info on this flyer however promised a ‘pure’ secret location with the Bandits hosting The Hardy Bucks, Walter Mitty and the Realists followed by ‘Topless Lesbians firebreathers who shift each other’. The second conceit now associated with the flyer is the recasting of the traditional Xmas performance fare as an occasion of a fantastical anti- materialist catharsis. Its in your face while you stuff your face.
In gentler contrast, over in the Southcourt Hotel in Limerick City, Brendan Grace's sold out whimsical take on the season gently loosened another button on its waistcoat.
And so the subliminally charged flyer drifted towards Birdhill where it settled on a tent on the side of the motorway. This is the venue, and as we cross the road we avoid the American styled trucks blaring their horns as they spot the lit up encampment. They must have regretted having to deal with the recession deadlines that prevented them pulling in to enjoy sum sorta hoedown.
In a carpark Limerick club tribes - perhaps the nieces and nephews of 40 year old Limerick Rave veterans - spill from the bus to stake their claim on new territory. The ‘Don't rubbish Tipp’ border sign on the road offering a wan welcome. The local Security team alternated between fixing wristbands while slugging buckfast with a multi tasked calm found only on such county borders. Later, a near naked young man was bounced from the tent by very these same men. After throwing himself from the stage and getting evicted he only found himself rubbed down and returned back under the spotlight for the Bandits encore.That's the service every exhibitionist is guaranteed in Tipp.
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