Ireland has always been spoilt with an abundance of international talent readily available at our fingertips. From festivals to concerts to the back rooms of pubs, gigs in Ireland have a special something that set them apart from anywhere else. Be it the wonder of an Irish crowd or the connection so many feel with the country, artists have consistently mentioned through the years what a joy it is to share their work on our various stages.
When we lose ourselves, pushed against the metal barriers below the stage, listening to our favourite bands play live before our eyes, we so often forget about those who help us ensure that those memories are never forgotten. Hidden by the shadow of glaring stage lights and armed with a camera, these unsung heroes capture every note, every chord, every tear and every embrace.
Aptly named, “What We Did In The Shadows” is a retrospective of live music in Ireland through photography. Running in The Bernard Shaw until February 21st, a collection of photographs by James Murray, Leah Carroll, Katherine Baumbach, Lucy Foster, Kieran Frost and Colm Kelly document some of the best live moments in Irish stage history and will fill you with blissful nostalgia. Having been respectively displayed on the pages of the Irish Times, Hot Press and Rolling Stone to name but a few, their photographs have now found a new home, residing side by side on the walls of the Shaw.
The exhibition launched last night, and includes a meaningful and insightful selection of shots from Irish festivals and gigs. Featuring Crystal Castles who performed at Metropolis, Girl Band in Vicar Street as well as Grace Jones, Depeche Mode and Sinead O’Connor, “What We Did In The Shadows” gets up close and personal with the greats of our time.
Capturing instances of pure ecstasy for which words sometimes aren’t enough, “What We Did In The Shadows” shares the sentimental memories of the masses, collated through a lens. Head down to the Shaw and take it all in, over a pint, while you still can.
