Only remembered by those who socialised in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, showbands can best be described as a phenomenon that helped transform the entertainment scene in Ireland.
Prior to that period, there were dances and entertainers – usually, closely controlled, sedate affairs, with little in the way of excitement. The showbands changed all that.
This genre didn’t appear out of nowhere and had its genesis in the United States, where a new kind of music, ‘rock & roll’ took hold in the 1950s. A music style that many adults found threatening, it was characterised by a much more energetic approach to entertaining – its first major stars were individuals such as Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley.
Full story in this week’s Print & Digital Edition.
