Play of the day A lazarus soul
The d they put between the r and l
Bohemia records
As a lazarus soul prepare to play their sold out gig in Whelan’s this week I lament the fact that I can’t get there. If you have been lucky to get a ticket you have a treat in store.
This is the soundtrack of my dublin. I’ve no real interest in nationalities but culture and being from dublin are important to me. It’s from our culture that our smart can rise, it can be our way of rising too but I’m just proud to be a dub. I’ve no issue if you’re not but I take great pleasure in the fact that my mam and dad and both sets of parents are from the Northside of dublin. I married into a family of Northside dubs and my generation is one that was forced to leave the city of their birth to allow them get work and feel their way through society.
Eventually many returned as the grey streets got some colour. However the streets had games as we tried to hide from the certain cops who wouldn’t let you play football and were bursting with activities and friendships.
We have a certain romanticism about those dark days. In reality drugs were beginning to grip the city and people were in danger walking hole at night. Those who escaped the abuse were lucky really but they had to move from their home, leave their roots if they were lucky. For many of us who stayed as colour blossomed and cranes filled the city skyline a different dublin appeared. One with money, opportunity and jobs. People suddenly felt confident, we no longer had to leave the country to see our favourite bands, we could watch any tv channels we wanted. We could say no to the control the church and state had, the iron fist was crumbling along with our communities as people needed to move further away from the city.
A Lazarus soul sing about all this, they are modern day ballads with a nod to the historic dublin of Luke Kelly alongside the modern day city of Damien Dempsey peppered with rock sensibilities. Enjoy in Whelan’s, if, like me you can’t make it then play this record (go and buy it too) think of those who lived and loved in whatever city you are from, especially those who can no longer take pleasure in being there. This play of the day is for all of you and we owe a Lazarus soul a huge debt for reminding us of the septic sore the Celtic tiger produced.
niall hope
