TEMPLE BAR TRADFEST AUDIENCE UNSURE IF MUSICIAN IS TUNING UP OR PLAYING SHITE MODERN TUNE
An audience attending a concert at this year’s Temple Bar Tradfest, are currently unsure whether the musician on stage is simply tuning up or playing a shite modern tune.
The crowd are reported to be shifting uneasily in their seats while the musician on stage plays a flurry of notes and rhythms, which to the discerning listener make absolutely no sense whatsoever. This is having the knock-on effect of causing confusion as to whether this is an actual newly composed tune or not.
Anxious whispers through the gathering and the tightening of arses in their chairs reveal a restlessness not usually seen at traditional music concerts. One audience member’s thoughts:
“What the actual fuck is going on?...Should I ask the person next to me if the concert has started or not? NO! No, I won’t. I don’t want to look like I don’t have a clue about Irish music.”
“I’ll just sit here and look like I’m really into it. I’ll shut my eyes and start nodding my head and say ‘Hup’ every so often. Oh shit. Other people look really tense and are looking awkwardly at each other. Bollocks! What is this guy at??”
As the ‘music’ continues, nervous ‘Hups’ and ‘Yeows’ with upward inflections pop up the audience, further indicating an unsureness of what exactly is happening.
On stage, the musician changes key to a minor myriad of notes, punctuated by long pauses and tuning, while also furrowing his brow and raising his eyebrows intensely, leaving the audience even more confused.
The thoughts of another audience member: “I think I’ve heard this before on a Flook album, I’m not sure. It’s brilliant! Inspirational! The long pauses! The sharpening and flattening of notes, changing from one rhythm to the next! The facial expressions…it’s more like a drama performance. Sensational!”
The Temple Bar Trad Fest is known for including a variety of genres in its line-up besides traditional music, which is one of the reasons that had led to the audience becoming nervous. The Drone will keep you updated as to whether the musician is playing a tune or just tuning up.