Drumcanoo highlights (9 Viewers)

[The septic]

I always thought DIY was about putting your neck on the line for others.

Mary, Oisín, the EMC and everyone else involved with this have almost 0% chance of breaking even let alone making any sort of a profit. Where breaking even is to the tune of thousands of euro, they're most likely gonna be making that sort of a loss. They took this risk to put on a festival which showcased local and international talent and yet people have the cheek to turn around and put them down as being not DIY?????

People need to get their heads out of their arses and stop hiding behind the "I'm more punk than you" ballix.

Agreed. That has been buggin me, but I haven't had time to post anything. Fair play to all involved. Its a lot of work to do to have to work at the biggest party in your town. Leg ends everyone of them.

I had a great time at this although I think the time I spent rockin out in Gaz's car on me tobler could have been put to better use.

Highlights included: playin, layin, not getting searched going in (although it did make me feel awfully square for me and the 3 coolest guys I know not to arouse the suspicions of gards looking for people lookin to have too much fun), eating falafel, drinkin warm cheap cans and Beanz on Toast.

Which brings me to my next point. Where are all the young punks? Septic Pussy and Beanz on Toast are the only ones I can think of. I believe Cheapskate were touring Europe when they were 15. The Scout Den in Kilcoole always had loads of really young bands playing. Bastard Youth actually used to be youth. Who is taking their spots?

Is it the beginning of the end?

 

[Cormcolash]

I always thought DIY was about putting your neck on the line for others.

Mary, Oisín, the EMC and everyone else involved with this have almost 0% chance of breaking even let alone making any sort of a profit. Where breaking even is to the tune of thousands of euro, they're most likely gonna be making that sort of a loss. They took this risk to put on a festival which showcased local and international talent and yet people have the cheek to turn around and put them down as being not DIY?????

People need to get their heads out of their arses and stop hiding behind the "I'm more punk than you" ballix.

For me the easiest and perhaps most accurate way to define DIY in music is as a direct opposition to the music industry. Putting on a festival which essentially operates on the same principles as any major industry-friendly festival is therefore not DIY, and shouldn't be called such.

The best thing to highlight the difference in ideas here is the phrase "showcased local and international talent".
"Showcase" is a bullshit term that was spawned by the music industry to make it easier for record labels to exploit upcoming bands. It's primarily used by shit bands that want to "get signed" or some such nonsense.
In the case of a so-called DIY festival, who exactly are you "showcasing" to? Some old crusties from England that have moved to the North-West of Ireland?
To take it to an extremity, it's as if there's some idea that some punk-rock God will hear about the festival just because The Beat were playing, and next year fly over and sign loads of bands, throw millions of quid at them, and send them all on tours around the world. Fat Mike is on his way everyone. I don't think any of that's gonna happen somehow, because it's all utter nonsense, as anyone will realise.
The music industry thrives on this rock-star bullshit, and is constantly attempting to indoctrinate people into believing that this is cool and the way things should be done, so much so that it even starts sinking in to people's attitudes on an unconscious level so that they don't even think about it so much.
Maybe it's 10 years experience of putting on mainly DIY gigs as well as the odd non-DIY gig, but that's how I see it. End of the day, if I were to organise a two-day festival, it wouldn't be to "showcase" anything, it would be to try and put on a couple of days that people could have a laugh at without treating the bands playing in vastly different ways.

Another thing that needs to be pointed out with all that, I don't particularly have a problem with the people in Letterkenny organising a non-DIY punk fest so they can have a laugh at it. It's the idea of calling it a 'DIY' fest that annoys me. The only reasons to make this claim are to try and get people interested who otherwise would see it as just another big festival, and to try and justify something that you feel people might otherwise ask questions about.
It just happens that some dickheads are obsessed with asking questions and analyzing minute details.

 

[LUKAS]

Here's my 2cents: There was no advertising at it, as you would see with major festivals that all run on sponsors.
If R.Jukebox(+etc.) were to make a loss, it would out of their own pocket.
If say pOxygen were to make a loss it would be the sponsors and all that advertising shit.

To me they're puttin themselves out there and risking a lot. And that's DIY enough for me.
I love the fest

And a big YES to dregin's point; Stop all this I'm more punk than you bollocks!

 

[ann post]

being from letterkenny, i thought the gig was really well presented in terms of making it accessible to local heads as well as the punk scene, or Diy scene. i think your over reacting. we all had a good time. the concept that all bands should be paid the same is stupid, they shouldnt.... some people play music for a bottle of bucky and a weekend with the lads, some people play to pay thier rent, should your music ethics decide who's allowed to do which is best for them?? drawing lines between bands because of their ethics toward the music scene is naive, an leads to bad music which is based more on some opinion from a zine than sounds that make people have fun.

to really chase your point home though cormac, if i was to come to one of your gigs wearing socks from penny's and the rest of my stuff from fair trade, would you have to turn me away at the door over the socks?? that seems to be what your chasing here.

 

[AnarchoBob]

Didn't read all of this basically because I am too fucking tired and angry (at those train bastards here in Italy), but given how good it was last year I really wish I was there.

 

[LUKAS]

Honestly, I thought it was better last year, dunno why. Maybe cos I had more energy.

But still there was something missing this year that I can't figure out....emmm.....

 

[AnarchoBob]

Ah. Suppose last year had the plus thing of being new and all so there was a special buzz about it.

 

[Benny Balls]

Bit of a long shot here but my girlfriend lost a black hoodie with a cut the reins back patch and a few badges on the front, if anyone might have it or whatever let me know!!

 

[nizmo]

I lost my toy dolls sun glasses! disaster.

 

[Zyox]

I lost my toy dolls sun glasses! disaster.

Good. They're shit.

 

[Anarcho Munk]

In other news: I hear the next Complan release will be made entirely of soya beans and hemp.

 

[Zyox]

In other news: I hear the next Complan release will be made entirely of soya beans and hemp.

I heard they're building their own stage for launch. Proper DIY.

 

[OLP]

Which brings me to my next point. Where are all the young punks? Septic Pussy and Beanz on Toast are the only ones I can think of. I believe Cheapskate were touring Europe when they were 15. The Scout Den in Kilcoole always had loads of really young bands playing. Bastard Youth actually used to be youth. Who is taking their spots?

Is it the beginning of the end?

Just to answer this. There's another bunch of lads from Drogheda called The Gremlins that are pretty good. And also a young band from Sligo called The Complaints. So it's not looking too bad, who knows, the recession might bring out a few more .|..|

 

[Anarcho Munk]

I heard they're building their own stage for launch. Proper DIY.

but i thought stages were spawned by the music industry to make it easier for record labels to exploit upcoming bands?
Everyone knows it's primarily used by shit bands that want to "get signed" or some such nonsense.

To take it to an extremity, it's as if there's some idea that some punk-rock God will hear about the gig just because Complan are playing on a stage, and next year they'll fly over and sign loads of bands, throw millions of quid at them, and send them all on tours around the world. Fat Mike is on his way everyone. I don't think any of that's gonna happen somehow, because it's all utter nonsense, as anyone will realise.

 

[AnarchoBob]

Define young first of all. There are defo people under 20 in bands (or at least, up here).

 

[OLP]

I'd say between 15-20

 

[The septic]

I suppose young is a matter of opinion. The bands that used to be extremely young, i.e. Landon Beck, Kidd Blunt, those involving Byrneos and/or Kenn Sweeney aren't so young any more. It just ocurred to a few of us that there aren't as many really young bands as there were a few years ago. Who's gonna pay for the punk pension plan?

 

[GO]

36 is young in Gaz years.

 

[AnarchoBob]

Ach there is bound to be bands by people between 15 and 20. Up north we have Apathetic Youth (all of whom are between 16 and 18) and Axis Of (between 19 and 20) but am sure there are more. These days it's harder to get young people playing punk, nevermind playing it well.

 

[GUILTY!]

Another long shot-i lost a red victorinox swiss army knife in the vicitnity of the anarchist/shell to hell stall on saturday evening. Anyone find it? I'm really anxious to get it back coz new ones are dear and it was just short of a decade of distinguished service. Any help much appreciated!!