Since I’ve been in Dublin I’ve found myself on Grafton Street more times than necessary. I just can’t seem to deny its shops and entertainment. Not only is the street a good place to spend Euro on outfits, food, and drinks, it’s also Dublin’s prime location for street musicians or “buskers.” The juxtaposition between begging musicians and high-end shops is a perfect representation of Dublin’s present culture. Although the city is making its way through a recession, shops have been able to remain open because of heavy spending tourists. Buskers remind us that Dublin is not only a working class city but a musically talented one, with people willing to go above and beyond for a note or two.
In Dublin I’ve found street performers to be either hit or miss. It seems like just about anyone can set up shop on a corner and play something mainstream in hopes that their tune will catch an ear. Some musicians just sound like noise while others rise above and demonstrate pure Irish talent.
In Ireland people’s claim to fame has often been through busking. Some of my favorite street performers that have made it “big” from Grafton Street are Damien Rice, Glen Hansard, and Paddy Casey. I even found myself at one of Paddy Casey’s sold out concerts on a first night in Dublin. These artists have been made into global talents and they all started through strumming on Grafton.
One afternoon while walking down Grafton Street, a crowd of people near a ritzy storefront caught my attention. Beyond the crowd was a band of six. The music the men were playing was completely instrumental. The song had hints of reggae with obvious Irish influence. What a combination! In front of the group of guitarists and drummers was a man playing a traditional Irish flute. Although I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what genre was being played it was certainly appealing to the audience. Throughout their set, people were even willing to purchase their music. That sort of thing is quite unheard of back home. In the US it’s very difficult to sell your own music especially through street performances.
Upon researching these Grafton Street buskers, I learned they’re called Mutefish. They happen to be one of Dublin’s most popular street bands. They’ve played shows at a pub I’ve frequented called Whelan’s and have even toured across Europe. The members of the band do hail from Ireland but also Poland, Lithuania and the Ukraine.
Recently it’s been common that “superstars” are made overnight in America via viral videos and reality shows. It seems that America has become so technologically advanced and closed off that our ears are deaf to street talent. No one ever stops in the train station to give the old man singing the blues a cent. My experience on Grafton Street has made me wonder about this; if Americans unplugged their headphones and shut off iPhones would we discover more genuine musicians?
Faith Scheerbaum