h roug Tower Records iddle ll Str nne O’Co eet M y Str Abbe • RP • The Academy Wigwam t Stree Adelphi Cinema ay n Qu Ede eet r er Low Uppe Music Minds g Bur • RP eat et Gr • The Grand Social River Bar Claddagh Records • • her Corner RP Gandharva Loka • RP Townse RP Doyles Claddagh Records e e leg Str et l Co reet Eustace Street t as tE Anglesea St Bar Temple t Fleet Street We ee tr uay nQ llingto rS Mapping Popular Music in Dublin: Executive Report Westmoreland Street Lower Áine Mangaoang & John O’Flynn Street Cope St Patrick’s The Irish Rock 'n' Roll MuseumCollege, Dublin City University The Button Factory • se Square Into the Void Records RP me Street T ri n Sth Gt Georges St The Olympia Theatre Da by St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, May 2016 The Mercantile All City Records Published P ity St re Su e Rí Rá Dame Court • t ffo lk Str ee • Ukiyo Bar t Music Maker • Freebird Records ckl ow Spindizzy Records et McCullough Pigott Nas sau Stre et Some Neck Guitars tha mS JJ Smyth’s t The Gaiety Theatre • Sth. reet k St eric reet Ann e St th F red et Stre fton eet tree JB t on St Cha y Str Gra Harr n Street • Stree Sou ren do mS illia Phil Lynott Statue th W • Sou Aungier Str eet Charles Byrne Musik Instrumente Duke Cla tree t er R ow Tower Records Daws ping et ry S Cop Dru R.A.G.E Pygmalion • nS tre tree t • Sound Cellar Gra Waltons Stre fton Wi • Stre et Exchequer Street • tree uay nQ o Ast lie O D’ Bar Tengu at Yamamori Sushi Street • Wall of Fame Hawkins o hel Bac uay hQ alk rs W Mol esw Contents Acknowledgements 3 Executive Summary 4 Part 1: Introduction 7 Part 2: Literature Review 10 Part 3: Research Methodology 15 Part 4: Participant Details 20 Part 5: Research Themes 24 Part 6: Recommendations 42 Part 7: Conclusion 45 Part 8: Appendices 46 Part 9: References 54 1 Published by St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University © Áine Mangaoang and John O’Flynn 2016 Map designed by Simon Roche at Bureau // bureau Illustration by Maria Hildrick // mariahildrick.com 2 Acknowledgements The research team wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Mark Rowlette, Oliver Sullivan, Daire Enright and the project funders, Fáilte Ireland under its Applied Research Scheme. Sincere thanks are also due to Ray Yeates and Sinéad Connolly of Dublin City Arts Office, and to Keith Johnson of the Irish Music Rights Organisation. In the planning stages we received excellent advice from the project’s Steering Committee, which in addition to Sinéad and Keith, included Professor Patrick Brereton (DCU), Professor Sara Cohen (Institute of Popular Music, University of Liverpool), Dr Liz Greene (DCU), Dr Eileen Hogan (UCC), Dr Jaime Jones (UCD), Dr Michael Murphy (IADT), Barry O’Halpin (SPD), Caroline O’Sullivan (DKIT), and Dr Bernadette Quinn (DIT). We thank each member for their time, expertise and valuable input. The project was based at the Music Department of St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University and we are grateful to our colleagues Dr John Buckley, Dr Rhona Clarke and Dr Patricia Flynn for their constant encouragement and assistance. We would also like to give special mention to colleagues in Geography for sharing their expertise in mapping and other cartographical matters, namely, Dr John Connolly, Dr Susan Hegarty and Dr Eoin O’Mahoney. We are very grateful to Orla Nic Aodha for providing mapping workshop space at the Cregan Library Building, St Patrick’s College during Culture Night 2015, and to Angela Dorgan of First Music Contact who kindly accommodated us with a superb location for additional mapping workshops during the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival. Producing a research­informed musical map of Dublin would not have been possible without the immense talent and patience of our collaborators Simon Roche, Maria Hildrick and Stuart Bradfield. Furthermore, we wish to acknowledge additional funding for publication provided by Fáilte Ireland and by the Research Office of St Patrick’s College. It has been a privilege conducting research on Dublin’s popular music experience. The overwhelming generosity of the many fans, musicians, music industry personnel, citizens and tourists — all the various individuals we encountered through the MPMiD project — deserves to go on record. Special gratitude goes to all those who participated in our project in each and every way, from those who shared our posts through word of mouth and social media, to those who offered us tickets to performances and tours. In particular, we thank those who responded to the e­survey and mapping workshops, those who generously gave up their time to be interviewed, and all who allowed us to observe their gigs and rehearsals. Áine Mangaoang & John O’Flynn May 2016 3 Executive Summary ➔ The ​Mapping Popular Music in Dublin ​(MPMiD) research project sought to map popular music experience in Dublin by looking at popular music from the viewpoint of fans (citizens and tourists), musicians, and music industry personnel. By providing the first comprehensive overview of popular music experience in Dublin to date, this report aims to inform tourism, civic, culture and music industry organisations. ➔ This applied research project used a mixture of research methods including: ◆ Intelligence from secondary literature and previous studies; ◆ Participant observation at a range of concerts, festivals, gigs, and other music­related events; ◆ E­survey open to all members of the public; ◆ Music map­making workshops at various locations and open to all members of the public; ◆ In­depth consultations and semi­structured interviews with select individuals working within Dublin’s popular music industries and related fields. ➔ The findings of this report are based on analysis from 537 primary sources as follows ◆ 366 e­survey respondents; ◆ 41 hand­drawn music maps of Dublin; ◆ 44 consultations and/or semi­structured interviews with individuals and organisations (directly and indirectly involved in Dublin’s popular music ecology); ◆ 97 individual or separate performances observed by the research team (of this 97, nine acts/artists were observed twice during the 12­month research period); ◆ Observations of a total of 86 different artists, bands, and DJs; ◆ Visits to 35 different Dublin music venues, places and spaces. ➔ This research has for the first time confirmed Dublin as a centre for popular music experience according to the overwhelming majority of research participants. ➔ Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of MPMiD respondents believed in an identifiable popular music ‘sound or ‘sounds’ for Dublin. ➔ This research demonstrates how popular music can be valued and enjoyed in varied ways in Dublin, through gig attendance, 4 media engagement, music making or museum attendance/ tour participation; or for entertainment, aesthetic, narrative, memory, social, and other ‘extra­musical’ reasons. ➔ We recommend the development of a​ music ecology strategy for Dublin​, with input from music industry concerns, civic agencies, tourism agencies and industries, media organizations, musicians and other workers in the field, music networks, arts and education provision services and community groups. Ultimately, the strategic development of such an ecological approach would be of mutual benefit to the various private and public bodies concerned, as well as to residents of, and visitors to the city. ➔ Under a popular music ecology model, it can be observed that while Dublin is well served by a number of established large and medium­sized venues, the fate of smaller spaces that support emerging music scenes, networks and genres is far less secure. We recommend strategies that ​broaden tourist and visitor experience, ​and also ​support emerging music scenes. ➔ Based on our findings, we recommend that those at the frontline of the tourism industry are ​informed and equipped with the necessary knowledge to optimally promote the rich diversity of Dublin's musics.​ ​As an initial step in this direction and following official completion of the MPMiD project, the project team collaborated with professional designers and illustrators to develop a research­informed ​Dublin Music Map​, with additional funding for printing provided by Fáilte Ireland. ➔ This research has identified a greater potential for the development of both official and commercial Dublin music tourism initiatives through a range of proposed actions including (a) establishing a temporary task force to liaise public and private interests for consolidated planning in advance of visiting high profile acts, and (b) establishing a committee representing civic, statutory, industry (tourism and music) and academic interests to coordinate the curation of popular music memorabilia and archives in Dublin. ➔ Securing the Future: Youth / All­Ages Popular Music Provision. We recommend a feasibility study that explores options to establish youth­friendly and community­focused concert and event spaces in Dublin city centre, facilities which are currently lacking. ➔ Our research findings revealed​ considerable gender imbalance ​ , not only in respect of voluntary participants but much more dramatically in the almost negligible presence of female artists in 5 dominant narratives and representations of music in Dublin. We recommend building on emerging strategies to redress this imbalance, such as through curated exhibitions and performances, and by greater visibility for female musicians, past and present, in publicly sanctioned tours and monuments throughout the city. ➔ The restrictive nature of early closing times for music venues in Dublin, in comparison with other major European cities, curbs the development of certain musical styles. Extending the opening hours of music venues at the weekend would better facilitate a range of music genres, promote a burgeoning DJ scene, and further Dublin and Ireland’s reputation as a tourist destination for young people. ➔ Consolidating Efforts to Promote Dublin as a 'City of Music'. MPMiD’s focus on popular music could be replicated or adapted in subsequent studies that explore contemporary experience and heritage in other genres, notably traditional music and classical music . Building a strong base of empirical evidence on Dublin’s varied musical life and its broader music ecology will greatly enhance proposals to designate it as a ‘City of Music’ in the future. 6 1. Introduction: Background, Rationale and Aims 'Dublin seems to be positively exploding with new music right now' (Murray, 2015) '….the music scene in Dublin is amazing at the moment' (Prendergast, 2016) This report presents findings and recommendations based on the research analysis and reflections of a twelve­month exploratory study on contemporary popular music in Dublin. ​Mapping Popular Music in Dublin​ (MPMiD) is the first comprehensive study of popular music in Dublin, charting the popular music experiences of fans (citizens and tourists), musicians, and music personnel. Funded by Fáilte Ireland’s Applied Research Scheme, the research was carried out by Dr John O’Flynn (Principal Investigator) and Dr Áine Mangaoang (Research Fellow) at the Department of Music, St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University. 1.1 Background & Rationale A vibrant modern city that is home to over 1.2 million people (CSO 2011) and with a history dating back to the ninth century, Ireland’s capital city occupies a unique place in Irish and European culture. While many aspects of Dublin’s rich heritage have come to be recognized in recent years (notably, as a designated UNESCO city of literature since 2010) the city’s vibrant popular music culture and heritage, and their potential to enhance tourist/civic experience have received relatively little attention until quite recently. At the same time, references to Dublin have featured in the lyrics and videos of numerous artists, from Phil Lynott and later the Boomtown Rats and U2 through to contemporary acts The Script and This Club, while celebrated filmic representations of the city’s popular music include ​The 1 Commitments​, ​The Last Bus Home​, ​Once,​ and most recently, ​Sing Street. In terms of popular music tourism, a number of local initiatives have begun to exploit 2 potential connections between tourism and Dublin’s rock music heritage. ​ However, there is a distinct paucity of tours/installations/interactive media that promote histories (and memories) of other popular genres, or that promote the cultural dynamism/diversity of present­day popular music experience. The idea of culture as experienced (cultural engagement) in addition to cultural heritage has in recent years been affirmed as core to Dublin City Council’s development strategy. At Eurosonic 2012, a leading European music booking festival and convention, Dublin City Arts Officer Ray Yeates discussed how Dublin City Council recognised the potential and significance of local popular music in his talk, ‘A New Cultural Strategy for Dublin: Municipal and Provincial Pop Policies.’ Furthermore, in recent years the potential significance of domestic popular music in promoting contemporary tourist experience has also been recognised by Fáilte 3 Ireland, as exemplified in promotional videos featuring local (Dublin) acts Clayton, 4​ This Club, Heathers and The Riptide Movement. Such advertisements illustrate the ​The Commitments​ (Alan Parker, 1991) (after Roddy Doyle’s eponymous novel), ​The Last Bus Home​ (Johnny Grogan, 1997), ​Once​ (John Carney, 2006) and ​Sing Street ​(Carney, 2016). 2 For example, the ‘Dublin Rock ‘n’ Roll Bus Tour’, ‘Rock 'n' Roll Dublin Half Marathon’, Windmill Lane Studio Tours, ‘Rock ‘n’ Stroll in Dublin’, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll (Rockabilly) Conference’ and the ‘Dublin Rock Tour’. See also Hegarty (2010). 3 The song ‘Whatever I want’ by Clayton featured in a virtual reality/ ‘Second Life’ tourist promo video as part of a ‘Discover Ireland’ weekend in 2007. 4 This Club’s ‘Add it up’ provides the soundtrack to the highly successful discoverireland.ie interactive video ‘#LoveDublin ~ Kiss Me I'm Irish’ (September, 2014). 1 7 multiple benefits of matching local sounds with place, suggesting the potential for shared experiences on the part of tourists/fans/citizens. The subsequent success of 5 many of these unsigned bands ​ further underlines the symbiotic links between cultural agency, tourism and music production interests. In a similar move, during Dublin City Council and Dublin City Arts Office’s 2015 campaign for European Capital of Culture 2020 bid, local artists Lethal Dialect and Damien Dempsey were commissioned to compose two original songs. These were released as videos featuring alternative scenes and vistas of contemporary Dublin. As we later report, the MPMiD research project proposes a sustainable strategy for utilizing and building on initiatives such as these. While focusing on popular music, the MPMiD project nonetheless adopted an inclusive approach in its consideration of contemporary and recent vernacular practices and genres. Moreover, it took cognizance of popular music’s continuities and hybridities involving other music styles, and the often diverse musical and broader cultural milieux in which citizens/fans/tourists may experience popular music performances, histories and memories. This fluidity of approach became especially relevant in contexts such as Dublin City Council’s inaugural MusicTown festival in 6 April 2015, ​ occurring during the timespan of the project. The research team sought to capture or ‘map’ frontline events and creative enterprises like MusicTown, and to 7 survey emerging and ‘underground’ scenes ​ as well as everyday popular music practices, including cover bands, ‘vintage’ acts, and amateur and participatory events. 1.2 Aims & Objectives The project set out to map popular music experience in Dublin with reference to established concepts in popular music studies, namely, ‘place’ ‘sound(s)’ and ‘scene(s)’. In so doing it aimed to inform cultural policy makers and industry analysts by providing the first comprehensive and scholarly overview of popular music in Dublin to date. The project was designed to contribute to strategies that enhance Dublin’s reputation as a ‘place’ for popular music experience. It directly addressed the Fáilte Ireland strategy strand for Experiential Development, sharing the view that enhanced visual/aural representations of Dublin can maximize tourist engagement, and that moreover, citizens of Dublin can also be engaged interactively in that development through processes of ‘mental mapping’ (Grow Dublin Taskforce, 2014). 8 It further aligned with the following aims of Dublin City Council ​: • To promote the use of public spaces through our year­round programme of festivals and events that bring social, cultural and economic benefits to the city and help to grow tourist and local visitor numbers. • To support events and activities that bring animation, life and colour to the City that will further enhance the experience for residents, workers and visitors. 9 • [To develop] trails with historical and literary themes … over the coming years. As measured by official and/or viral ad hits, radio play, live gigs and/or recordings. See www.musictown.ie. The research team note that the MusicTown festival returned to Dublin in April 2016. 7 The Hard Working Class Heroes festival promoted by First Music Contact represents the most established showcase event of this type. 8 The first two aims quoted here are contained in the mission statement for Dublin City Council’s City Arts Office while the third is a stated aim of the Council’s Tourism division. 9 This links in with one of the literal interpretations of ‘mapping’ intended by the research project and follows Dublin City Council’s existing Dublin heritage trail. 5 6 8 The establishment of this first major study of Dublin’s popular music(s) also linked to a core principle of IMRO, the Irish Music Rights Organisation, namely, to ‘promote 10 the value of music to the creative, cultural and business communities.’ Objectives extending beyond the term of the MPMiD project include the further development of experiential initiatives to engage tourists and citizens in the city’s live music scenes and its popular music histories, and the facilitation of additional research on themes of popular music in Dublin. These objectives will be facilitated through the publication of this report and a companion music map of Dublin, both of which form a focal point in the symposium ‘Popular Music Studies in Dublin and Beyond’ taking place at Dublin City University in June 2016. This symposium represents a first for Dublin, in that it will bring together scholars, educators, and practitioners working across the diverse fields of popular music studies. The event will address academic, community­led and industry­led studies of contemporary popular music in Dublin, helping to establish and develop a network that promotes Dublin’s popular music culture and heritage among musicians, city arts and tourism personnel, academics, industry experts and community leaders. MPMiD’s aims and objectives are also designed to contribute to continuing civic and national strategies that work to position Ireland’s capital as a future UNESCO designated ‘city of music’. 10 Irish Music Rights Organisation (n.d.) ‘Mission Statement’, www.imro.ie 9 2. Literature Review Thematic Overview of Literature Reviewed ➔ Popular Music, Place and Space​ (e.g. Finnegan 1989; Cohen 1991; Morten 2005; Frith 2013) ➔ Irish Popular Music Studie​s (e.g. McLaughlin & McLoone 2000; Strachan & Leonard 2004; Smyth 2005; Hogan 2015) ➔ Music & Tourism in Ireland​ (e.g. Quinn 1996a, 1996b, 2003; Kneafsey 2002; Kaul 2009) ➔ Local Tourism Interests​ (e.g. Fáilte Ireland 2014, 2015; Tourism Matters 2014) 2.1. Popular Music, Place and Space The intertwined worlds of popular music and geography have been researched in academia for several decades now. Sara Cohen’s monograph, ​Rock Culture in Liverpool: Popular music in the making​ (1991) was the first in­depth anthropological study of popular music­making in an urban environment, in which the research involved a range of mixed­methods including participant observation at gigs and rehearsals, and unstructured interviews with musicians and music personnel. Ruth Finnegan’s ethnography ​The Hidden Musicians: Music­making in an English Town ​(1989) theorises the local, urban context of making music in everyday life. Finnegan details the collective and active practices of music on the ground in the town of Milton Keynes, identifying ‘musical pathways’ through which musicians – amateur and professional ­ develop, perform identity and gain a sense of collective belonging within an urban community. Her framework is particularly relevant to our approach in that it offers a useful model for exploring the extra­musical and social implications of engaging with music (including music­making) in Dublin. Such ‘pathways’ are understood as valuable vehicles for social interactions, as well as for emotional lives. As Finnegan (2007: 355) writes, ‘... whether in deeply intense fashion or more light­touch action, music provides a human resource through which people can enact their lives with inextricably entwined feeling, thought and imagination’ . Researchers have also considered the spaces where performances of popular music take place. Popular music histories based on material culture — that is, the business of physical nostalgia, buildings, plaques and statues commemorating popular music iconography –­ play an integral role in locating and identifying contemporary places, and in particular, in branding cities (Leonard, 2007; Cohen, Schofield and Lashua 2009). In terms of live music experiences, the mutual interactions of performers and audiences (including tourists) play a dynamic role in developing performance experience and in identifying spaces for music. Geographer Frances Morton’s (2005) theory of ‘performance ethnography’, drawn from close observations of traditional Irish music sessions, provides a helpful framework in this regard. Since the latter decades of the twentieth century, one of the most popular forms of mass events in cultural life has been rock and popular music festivals. These tend to be held in more rural areas where space for large crowds (and camping) is more economically viable than in the increasingly gentrified city (Holt and Lapenta, 2013). Cities on the scale of Dublin stage both modest and major open­air events (one­off gigs or festivals) in stadiums and in parks on the city’s margins. Architect Robert 10 Kronenburg (2011) argues that very little literature concerning popular music to date has focused on the physical spaces in which performances take place and the consequent impact they have on the music event. Kronenburg (2011) states that ‘the architecture of a venue can have a highly significant effect on character, power, and relevance of the performance, adding layers of meaning and expression for both performer and audience’. Leading popular music scholar, Simon Frith meanwhile interprets the relatively prosperous economy of live music events such as concerts and festivals thus: ‘The value of music remains centered in its live experience’. Frith suggests the following six factors required for a ‘healthy musical city’, and we have adapted these in the analytic framework for our research on Dublin’s contemporary popular music experience (Frith, 2008 cited in Webster and Behr, 2013). Simon Frith suggested the following six factors required for a healthy musical city, which informed our analysis of Dublin’s contemporary popular music experience: 1. access to music (including shops and venues); 2. the right sort of spaces for musical production and consumption; 3. ‘musical time’; 4. opportunities to engage in freelance work; 5. fluid in­ and out­migration (such as students); 6. a blurring of boundaries between professional and amateur musicians. 2.2. Irish Popular Music Studies & Place Ireland has a long association with music, and its people are often attributed with an inherent, if not generalised talent in, and appreciation for unspecified genres of music (see McLaughlin and McLoone, 2000; Smyth 2005; Campbell, 2010). McLaughlin and McLoone (2000) describe the ‘recurring myths’ about the Irish and their ‘natural proclivity for music and song,’ tracing the stereotype back to twelfth century colonial discourse (2000). Stereotypes notwithstanding, Dublin can be said to have punched above its weight in terms of popular music production from the late 1960s onwards. As numerous commentators have pointed out, Ireland’s capital city prior to 1990 was known internationally as a ‘rock city’ or as the ‘city of a thousand bands’ (Clayton­Lea and Taylor, 1992; McLaughlin, 2014; Smyth, 2005). Much of this had to do with the meteoric rise of U2 in the early 1980s and their highly influential decision to base recording production in Dublin (Hot Press, 1998). But it was also preceded by a flamboyant and creative ‘first wave’ of rock in the city during the period 1968­1978 (Cullen, 2012; Prendergast, 1987; Smyth, 2005). For understandable reasons perhaps, rock might be said to predominate histories of popular music in Dublin. On the other hand, the downside of privileging such hagiographic accounts of Dublin’s rock history is that they inadvertently exclude other cultural trajectories among which can be identified: a) the ubiquity/diversity of popular music genres in present­day contexts; b) ‘alternative’ histories ­ for example, 1960s beat clubs, punk in the 1970s, 1980s synth­pop and new urban music genres after 1990 (rap, hip­hop and dance); c) ‘everyday’ and largely uncelebrated popular musics (e.g. showbands, cover bands, street performers). 11 While several scholars have addressed issues of Irish popular music from an overarching national (or industrial­domestic) perspective, notably Smyth (2005); O’Flynn (2009); Cullen (2012); McLaughlin and McLoone (2012); Fitzgerald and O’Flynn (2014), little research has been carried out in specific urban locations. In fact, Eileen Hogan’s doctoral research on networks of Cork­based musicians constitutes the first major work of this type in Ireland. The lack of popular music research specific to Irish cities is especially problematic in the context of Dublin, not only because of its size and capital city status, but also because of its assumed importance in (international) popular music history. Whether we wish to consider the enduring influence of celebrated rock acts or the multiplicity of lesser known bands and musicians, both past and present, it seems remarkable that there has been to 11 date no systematic work that investigates what popular music ‘sound’ or ‘sounds,’ if any, are unique to the city. This contrasts with substantial studies based in comparable cities, most notably Liverpool (Cohen, 1994, 1995, 2012) as well as Birmingham (Webb, 2007; Henning and Hyder, 2015), Berlin (Bader and Scharenberg, 2009), Manchester (Bottà, 2009; Halfacree, 1996) and Nashville 12 (Kosser, 2006). ​ As all of these studies illustrate, beliefs in the distinctiveness of urban popular music ‘sound(s)’ are inextricably linked to conceptions of ‘place’ in popular music experience. From the 1990s onwards, popular music scholars, anthropologists and cultural geographers began to look at the significance of place and related concepts of space –whether architectural, sonic or technological – in the production and consumption of popular music (Cohen, 1994, 1995; Connell and Gibson, 2003; Kloosterman, 2003; Kong, 1995; Leyshon, Matless and Revill, 1998; Mitchell, 2009; Saldanha, 2002; Whitely, Bennett and Hawkins, 2005). Research projects carried out in a variety of contexts have illustrated how ideas of place are key, not only for the musicians and fans/citizens/tourists in their experience of urban space, but also for those involved in promoting culture, heritage and local industry needs (Brown, O’Connor, and Cohen, 2000; Cohen, 1991, 1997, 2007, 2012, 2013; Cohen et al., 2015; Connell and Gibson, 2003; Florida and Jackson, 2010; Gibson and Davidson, 2004; Webb, 2007; Whitely, Bennett and Hawkins, 2005). The key terms of ‘sound (s)’, ‘place’ and ‘scene(s)’ are linked to this project’s overarching aim to provide a model for ‘mapping’ popular music in Dublin. The idea of mapping is used here in the literal cartographical sense as well as in the metaphorical sense, linking to experiential­phenomenological, spatial and historical approaches. In this, the research takes inspiration from the extensive scholarship and related cultural/heritage agency involving Liverpool University’s Institute of Popular Music alongside civic and industry partners (Cohen, 2007, 2012, 2013; 13 Lashua, Cohen and Schofield, 2009). ​ Indeed, scholarship on Liverpool’s popular music heritage and ongoing culture(s) has not been matched elsewhere (see also Brocken, 2010; Leonard and Strachan, 2010), and Liverpool’s equally privileged status as a premiere destination for popular music tourist experience points to the long­term benefits of sustaining networks between culture, industry and academic concerns in the popular music sphere (for example, the recently published report on The concept of ‘sound’, adapted from popular music studies, refers to ideas of shared sonic and stylistic properties across numerous popular musical acts in the same urban location. 12 Cities much smaller than Dublin have also benefitted from this approach, for example Canterbury (Bennett, 2002) and Dunedin, New Zealand (Bendrups and Downes, 2011). 13 Scotland and specifically Glasgow ­ currently designated as a UNESCO ‘City of Music’ ­ has also benefitted from this approach (​Williamson, Cloonan and Frith, 2003).​ 11 12 the economic and cultural value of Beatles heritage in Liverpool. 14 Another partnership model of note here is a research initiative led by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow which has led to the formation of a web hub promoting greater interaction between academia and live music industry networks (Behr, Brennan and Cloonan, 2014). There is clearly a case to be made for establishing similar studies in Ireland that would be of benefit to industry, civic and academic interests alike. That said, it can be noted how significant advances have been made in establishing popular music studies in Ireland over the last decade or so. This in turn provides the necessary groundwork for the setting up of applied research projects such as MPMiD and, it is hoped, for further studies that investigate the interplay of music, civic engagement and tourism in Dublin and in other cities/regions in Ireland. 2.3. Music and Tourism: The Irish Context Despite the fact that ‘Ireland has consistently advertised itself as a place of music’ (Gibson and O’Connell 2005: 177) both at home as well as to an ever­growing global diaspora, scholarly studies on music and tourism in Ireland to date have primarily focused on Irish traditional music (Kneafsey, 2003), on ‘global phenomena’ of Irish music successes (Ó Cinnéide, 2002), or on general overviews of music in Ireland. A 2001 study by Clancy et al. found that there was a widespread consensus among music industry personnel that Ireland has an established brand reputation as both an attractive location and a source of successful musicians and artists, providing benefits to Ireland as a preferred location for international music industry players. Ireland’s reputation as a ‘place’ for music, and in particular popular music, is seen by the authors as providing access to international markets because of a ‘number of interrelated characteristics’, including: …cultural traits of friendliness combined with respect for privacy, a perception of Ireland as a fashionable centre for all aspects of the entertainment industries, the country’s reputation as being particularly rich in the arts including literature for example, […] the image of Ireland as a non­imperialist State, Ireland’s cultural position—including its language — somewhere between American and British musical culture, and Ireland’s standing as a tax­friendly environment for composers (Clancy et al 2001: 16). In their analysis of popular music policies, using a case study of the now defunct Music Board of Ireland (2001­2004) Strachan and Leonard (2004) noted the roles that protection, investment and branding played in fostering an image of Ireland’s musicality. Meanwhile in cultural geography and ethnographic studies, Bernadette Quinn and other writers have written about the socio­economic impact of music­making and music festivals on tourism in Irish towns and villages (Quinn 1996a, 1996b, 2003; Kaul 2009; Kneafsey 2003). 2.4. Local Tourism Interests Tourism supplies extra audiences for arts and cultural events, and Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s national tourism development agency, are active in promoting cultural tourism through their publications and best practice case studies (see Fáilte Ireland, 2012). For those who curate cultural experiences, plan gigs or produce arts events, tourism can be a means of supporting and developing regional arts. Recent statistics from Fáilte Ireland (2015) reveal that 87% of overseas holidaymakers state 14 Institute of Cultural Capital (2016) ​Beatles Heritage in Liverpool and its economic and cultural sector impact 13 that Ireland’s interesting history and culture is very important when choosing Ireland for a holiday. Indeed, in a 2014 Fáilte Ireland survey, when overseas holidaymakers were asked to report what they did in Ireland, 83% of respondents cited listening to live music in a pub, making this the number one experience for international tourists coming to Ireland. 83% of overseas holidaymakers seek out live music in Ireland Listening to live music in a pub is the #1 experience for international tourists coming to Ireland (Fáilte Ireland, 2014) Although Ireland’s unique cultural heritage and traditions are important motivators for overseas holidaymakers in choosing Ireland as a holiday destination, these are usually alongside other reasons for travelling (e.g. landscape and scenery). In recent years there has been a noticeable rise in experiential tourism internationally, and Irish tourism is no different in this regard. In 2011, an estimated 3.4 million overseas visitors engaged in cultural activities in Ireland, with mainland Europe in particular as a key market for cultural/historical tourism. These tourists spent an estimated €2.7 billion on goods and services while in Ireland. In the same period, 46% of holidaymakers highlighted an interest in Ireland’s contemporary culture, while 490,000 overseas visitors reported that they attended festivals and events around the country (Fáilte Ireland 2012). In addition to growing foreign markets, domestic tourism is also on the rise. Recent CSO statistics showed a return to growth in this sector. In 2013 domestic holidays rose by 2% with both revenues (7%) and the number of bed nights (10%) increasing (Fáilte Ireland, 2014). In particular, Dublin is currently undergoing targeted promotion as a tourist destination to two market segments that offer significant growth potential; these are identified as ‘social energisers’ and ‘culturally curious’. Aided by recent Fáilte Ireland and Visit Dublin initiatives like the Destination Dublin, Dublin Now, Dublin Discovery Trails, and the #LoveDublin campaign, in 2014 8.4 million overseas visitors came to Ireland and 49% of these visited Dublin (Tourism Ireland 2015). 14 3. Research Methodology MPMiD Project Timeline February ­ March 2015 ● literature review ● music & media review ● plan research framework ● establish data collection methods April ­ December 2015 ● data collection through: ■ online survey ■ face­to­face interviews ■ participant observation at gigs & festivals ■ public mapping workshops ● present research in progress at local & international conferences / invited talks January ­ February 2016 ● follow­up interviews ● coding & analysis of data ● write executive report & peer­reviewed journal article 3.1 Methodological Overview This applied research project utilised musicological and ethnographic research methods. Methods of data collection began with a survey of recordings and published/broadcast archives relating to Dublin (primary and secondary sources), and a spatial survey (mapping) of live music and/or music heritage events in the city throughout 2015. This was followed by an ethnography of selected music events involving a series of observations and sets of semi­structured interviews with 15 fans/tourists/citizens and musicians ​ along with a web ethnography involving relevant blogs and social media sites. Ethical approval was sought and granted by the Research Ethics Committee of St Patrick’s College, DCU in respect of all methodology components involving human participants. Primary data collection was central to the methodology. In the first instance, the research team surveyed or ‘mapped’ popular music experience (including targeted heritage/tourism events) in the Dublin urban area during the 2015 calendar year. This was followed by an ethnography of selected events (live music and/or music tourism/heritage events) scheduled over eight months and comprising a series of observations and sets of semi­structured interviews. At stake here was: a) the ‘mapping’ of musicians’, citizens’ and tourists’ acquaintance with and viewpoints on the key scenes, sounds and spaces; b) histories, memories, events, songs, visual representations, personalities and other factors that mark Dublin as a place for popular music. The researchers sought to gather and interpret the range of experiences, pathways and ‘songlines’ that emerged. This grounded approach would be critical for any subsequent development of interactive materials promoting Dublin as a place for popular music. 15 The range of musicians selected reflect the diverse amateur­professional as well as ‘youth­veteran’ spectrums represented in popular music practice. 15 A key component of this exploratory research was to map the range of popular music experience from the perspectives of fans, musicians, citizens and tourists, and so to that end this project deployed a mixture of methods including: • intelligence from other studies and secondary literature; • participant observation at a range of concerts, festivals, gigs, and other popular music­related events (see Appendix for full details); • e­survey open to all members of the public; • public music map­making workshops held on north and south sides of the city; • in­depth consultations and semi­structured interviews with select individuals working within Dublin’s popular music industries and related fields. The findings of this report are based on an analysis of responses from 537 primary sources, as follows: • 366 e­survey respondents • 41 hand­drawn musical maps of Dublin • 44 consultations and/or unstructured interviews with individuals and organisations (directly and indirectly involved in Dublin’s popular music industries) • 97 individual or separate performances observed by the research team (out of this 97, nine acts/artists were observed twice during the research period) • Observations of 86 different artists, bands, and DJs • Visits to 35 different Dublin music venues and spaces The researchers were aware at the outset that the chosen methods of data collection would be more likely to draw responses from residents or regular visitors to the city, rather than from one­time or occasional tourists. This grounded approach was based on a strategy to provide rich ‘insider’ knowledge for the subsequent development of tourism, music industry and civic engagement initiatives, an approach that resonated with more recent strategies adopted by Visit Dublin and by Dublin City Council in conjunction with First Music Contact (an information and advice resource centre for the independent music sector in Ireland). Post­project Timeline Due to the nature of the project, and necessary time limitations, the research team devised the following additional outputs beyond the designated period and terms of research funding: March ­ June 2016 • continue dialogue with Irish music industry & tourism personnel; • apply for additional funding to collaborate with designer & illustrator to produce a prototype of a research­informed contemporary music map of Dublin; • organise popular music studies in Dublin symposium; • organise MPMiD report & map launch open to the public 3.2 Sampling and Access Participants for our study were gathered primarily through social media and snowball sampling. The researchers launched a MPMiD blog and social media 16 presence in June 2016.16 After the e­survey was launched in July 2016, various media establishments covered the research project, including features in the ​Irish Times​ ‘On The Record’ blog, an article in the Dublin Inquirer, radio interviews with the researchers (​Dave Fanning Show​ on RTÉ 2 FM and the ​John Barker Totally Irish Show​ on 98FM), and guest posts on ​The Blackpool Sentinel​ and ​LibFocus blogs. Various music forums also shared the link to the e­survey (Metal Ireland, Thumped, ​The Journal of Music​). Additional participants were sought through attendance at gigs and events, and through the publicly held workshops, using snowball sampling whereby participants would recommend or connect us with other interested individuals. This proved advantageous for reaching out to members of specific scenes or groups which were otherwise difficult to access. By adopting a multi­method research framework which attained data from other sources indicated by targeted interviewees, the project benefited from opening up new networks to accumulate participants. Survey data was monitored and coded as it was collected, in order to establish the appropriate steps to take in both the interviewing process and the selection of subsequent sites for participant observation. While the researchers sought participation from the general public, it must be noted that those willing to participate in a study about (popular) music are clearly more likely to be fans and practitioners of music, and so while attempts were made to gain views from a wide array of respondents, the views expressed and findings below should not be interpreted as representative of the general population. The largely ethnographic research was concerned with understanding how citizens and visitors to Dublin experience popular music in the city. The individual accounts we come to interpret and the events that we witnessed in participant observation need to be understood in contexts of personal circumstances in addition to those of broader figurational transformations. 3.3 Participant Observation: Sites and Spaces for Popular Music in Dublin In the initial planning stages, we compiled a list of over 100 of the most prominent spaces in Dublin, with a city centre focus, that host live music at least once a month. 17 In summarising these live music venues for research purposes, Dublin’s spaces for popular music can be broken into the following six categories (it should be noted though that these categories are not necessarily mutually exclusive): 16 The MPMiD project blog received 4,718 views from 2,173 visitors between 1 July 2015 ­ 1 May 2016. See w ​ ww.mappingpopularmusicindublin.wordpress.com​. The project’s Twitter handle is #MPMiD and MPMiD Facebook page is www.facebook.com/MappingPopularMusicInDublin.​ 17 T​he actual number for premises across county Dublin that host live music on a monthly basis could run into the several hundreds. 17 ∙ Major Venues:​ Established venues that host musical events and performances at least three times a week, ranging in capacity from several hundred to several thousands, e.g. 3Arena, Olympia Theatre, Whelan’s, Vicar Street. ∙ Bars and Pubs:​ These range from small pubs that host weekly open mic nights, to medium­sized venues that programme live music events at least twice a week, e.g. Bello Bar, The Comet, The Grand Social, The Workman’s Club, Pantibar. ∙ Outdoor, Pop­up Spaces:​ These include a number of festivals that temporarily utilise spaces that are not normally associated with music, e.g. Farmleigh Estate, Phoenix Park, Inveagh Gardens, Leopardstown Racecourse, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Marlay Park. ∙ Community Centres and Cultural Collectives:​ These are specifically designated community and cultural centres, sometimes in receipt of state funding to assist this remit, sometimes run through collective DIY efforts with limited financial support, e.g. The Ark, Axis Ballymun, Block­T, MART, Tenterhooks. ∙ Music Shops, Rehearsal Spaces, Record Stores:​ Important meeting places for musicians & fans, occasionally doubling as informal gig spaces, e.g. Freebird Books and Records, Little Gem, Music Maker, Tower Records, RAGE: Record Art Game Emporium. ∙ Otherwise Spaces:​ Venues that are not primarily or traditionally associated with popular music programming, but where some popular or crossover programming occurs, e.g. Pepper Canister Church, National Concert Hall, The Helix DCU In choosing events to attend for MPMiD, we ensured that at least one of each of the above categories of Dublin’s sites and spaces were visited during the project’s duration of research. 3.4 Public Mapping Workshops In order to reach members of the public who might not have access to our e­survey, but also to include a more varied and egalitarian approach to data collection, we formally organised two public music mapping workshops. A total of 41 maps were collected and labeled according to age group, gender and geographical area. Quantitative details for 40 of these were recorded (one map had a missing label). While we did not formally record the geographical area of Dublin­based participants by adapting a conventional north/south of Liffey division, it can be noted that of the publicly advertised mapping workshops, one took place in a Northside venue as part of Culture Night on 19 September 2015 (Dublin 9), while the others took place during the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival (Dublin 8) and elsewhere on 1­3 October. However, not all participants at Northside and Southside mapping venues were necessarily residents of those respective parts of Dublin. A final few maps were gathered in early January 2016 following a series of targeted one­to­one interviews, and musical maps presented to us by members of the public who had 18 engaged in the e­survey. The maps were then analysed using quantitative and qualitative codes (for details, see Appendix D). The mapping workshops enabled us to connect with a wide range of members of the public, and literally, to map their popular music experiences of the city ­ experiences that might be overlooked in other cultural surveys of the city. These maps overwhelmingly demonstrated how popular music is indeed active in Dublin. Music shapes people’s lives, as detailed by the numerous references to concerts and festivals experienced with friends, family, and loved ones. In these maps our participants measured the value of popular music by describing how music events shaped their personal journeys, memories, relationships and identities. Collectively, the responses of the mappers participating in this Dublin­based project corroborated Prior’s (2014: 3) observation that to experience popular music is ‘to consider music as a collective accomplishment’.. 19 4. Participant Details Quantitative summary of respondents according to demographic category and music engagement • • • • • 62% of respondents were male, 38% female 55% were between 25­54 years old The majority of respondents (90%) were based in Ireland 86% of Irish­based respondents lived in Dublin &/or surrounding commuter counties Most respondents valued music and participated in active music listening, and/or music­making on a regular basis This section details a combination of respondent demographics according to age group, current location of residence, and gender. The statistics that follow are drawn from the e­survey data. Additional references to other data (mapping workshops and face­to­face interviews) are specifically highlighted where appropriate. 4.1. Age Group 4.2. Respondents’ current country of residence *Other = Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Taiwan 20 Of the 90% of Irish­based respondents, 77.5% of respondents were currently based in Dublin, followed by Cork (5.2%), and the counties surrounding Dublin (Kildare at 2.8%, Louth at 2.2%, Laois at 1.2%, and Meath at 1.9%). Respondents currently based in Dublin and surrounding commuter counties accounted for 85.6% of the Irish respondents. In total, responses were recorded from current residents of 23 out of 32 counties in Ireland. As stated in the methodology section, the research team intentionally sought to produce findings that would emerge primarily from ‘local’ popular music experience, with a view to informing tourism, civic engagement and music industry policies. With this in mind, as the project came to a close we additionally undertook the creation of a research­informed musical map of Dublin that included an ‘Insider Guide’.18 4.3. Gender From the beginning of the e­survey’s circulation, the gender ratio of respondents consistently remained at 60% male to 40% female. Adding the data of our mappers, consultants and interviewees, the overall gender ratio of primary respondents was 62% male to 38% female. While this statistic reiterates a much­noted gender bias in popular music­making and among the popular music industries more generally (see Whitely 1997; Leonard 2007; Reddington 2007; Sharpley­Whiting 2007), the imbalance noted in our survey has important implications relating to how female citizens and tourists engage with popular music in Dublin. 4.4 Musical Lives Music plays a vastly different role in people’s lives, and such different experiences will undoubtedly affect any interpretation of a survey on Dublin’s popular music experience. MPMiD’s e­survey revealed that music features prominently in the majority of our respondents’ lives (96% consider music as ‘important’ or ‘very important’). Overall, how important is music in your life? ​The researchers observed that there had not been a music­related map of Dublin produced in twenty years, since the Rock’n’Stroll trail of Dublin (1996). 18 21 Respondents go on to describe the important role music plays in their everyday lives, with the overwhelming majority of survey participants, 91%, actively choosing to listen to music on a daily basis. 91% of survey participants actively choose to listen to music on a daily basis: 27% seek out music once a day while 64% listen to music more than once a day On average, how often do you choose to listen to music? The table immediately below demonstrates the range of formats/media through which music is experienced, and the widespread accessibility and availability of music in contemporary society. Of note is the continued importance of attending live gigs and concerts. This table also confirms a previously noted bias that emerged from our sampling methods, in that the majority respondents can be described as music fans. Methods of accessing and listening to music, listed in order of popularity: ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ Digital, personal music collection (e.g. iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Pandora, etc.) Live gigs and and concerts YouTube or other digital audiovisual platforms (e.g. Vevo, Vimeo) Radio (analogue and/or digital) Physical personal collections (e.g. CDs, vinyl records, cassette tapes, etc.) Mobile listening devices (e.g. smartphones, mp3 players, Walkman, etc.) Playing musical instrument(s)/ making music/ singing (amateur/professional performances) TV (e.g. music on television through MTV or other music channels) In terms of networking, 24% of respondents describe being associated with, or belonging to particular popular music­related communities in Dublin. These range from performance­orientated communities (e.g. particular bands, connections to specific labels, venues and promoters) often identified by genre (e.g. jazz club, hip hop scene, singing circles etc.) to official membership of IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation). Others feel connected to popular music in Dublin through receiving regular messages via bands’ mailing­lists, and through participating in various fan­clubs and reading/creating music fanzines (e.g.the Frames, the Something Happens Yahoo group) as well as online music forums (e.g. Thumped, Facebook groups) and dance­based scenes (e.g. 90s dance music, Northern soul, lindy hop, 22 salsa, etc.). A small number of respondents associate or have associated with Dublin’s popular music subcultures through combining music fandom with distinct aesthetic, philosophical, and/or fashion choices, e.g. mods, DIY, punks, metal, hardcore, rockabilly, and so on. 81% of respondents indicate they currently or have previously played music, with 54% of participants reporting that they currently play, sing or otherwise make music. Within the ‘current performers’ group, 76% play ‘popular music’ including rock, pop, hip hop, soul, indie, metal and other contemporary genres. About a quarter of this group report performing in Irish traditional and/or classical music styles, with jazz and fusion genres also featuring among participants’ listed performance practices. Do you play a musical instrument, sing, or make music yourself? 40% of respondents currently play, or have previously played music alone. Of these, 62% pursue solo music­making as an amateur and/or leisure activity, while 38% consider their solo music­making in professional or semi­professional terms. A majority of respondents, 64%, have played or currently play music in a group or with others, with 30% playing in amateur groups, 29% playing together in semi­professional groups, 25% in professional groups, and 17% describing their group performance in terms of leisure activity. The fact that almost half of these respondents play together as amateurs and/or for leisure purposes presents two significant findings. First, it details the often overlooked value of amateur music­making in everyday lives, and; second, it demonstrates the unique and diverse opportunities for socialisation and communication that music and music­making offers those living in, or visiting, densely populated urban areas. Summary This section highlights how participants’ reveal a perceived value in experiencing music in everyday life, whether choosing to listen to music on a daily basis or participating in solo or group music­making. This occurs within a continuum that spans from leisure activities through amateur music­making, to professional or semi­professional involvement. In various formats and contexts, music provides key opportunities for self­expression, communication and interpersonal engagement. 23 5. Research Themes This section details the key research findings thematically, based on the cross­referencing of data sets and interspersed with reference to additional relevant literature. 5.1 Dublin’s Popular Music Ecology Music is not simply found, but rather, it is made. It has communicative power, and we often think of music as part and parcel of an organic process, or as a product of our natural state, of what it means to be human. But to quote Nicholas Cook (1998: vi): ‘music doesn’t just happen’; rather, it is always ‘... what we make it, and what we make of it. People think through music, decide who they are through it, express themselves through it’. Without an audience, without fans, without venues, without engineers, electricity, energy, songwriters, musicians, singers and dancers, live music does not happen. Andsell (1997) and Strachan and Leonard (2000; 2002) argue for a redefinition of the traditional ‘music industry’ concept into viewing music as an ecology, rather than as a fixed structure. As Andsell (1997: 43) states, ‘an ecology is a balance of interlinking forms and processes in a context that sustains them and guarantees diversity’. Based on data from our respondents, we identify the following eight, non­exclusive categories currently operating within Dublin’s popular music ecology: ∙ Artists & musicians ∙ Songwriters & composers ∙ Music production personnel (live / studio) ∙ Management, PR and retail personnel ∙ Music mediators (photographers, videographers, journalists, bloggers, radio DJs) ∙ Educators and advocators ∙ Music tourism services & entrepreneurship ∙ Extra­musical services (catering, transport, backstage, hospitality) 57% of participants in our e­survey stated that they are currently involved, directly or indirectly, in aspects of the ‘music industry.’ This figure might at first appear high, but it broadly resonates with findings from popular music studies set in other cities (see, for example, Hogan 2015). Those who identified as direct or indirect participants of ‘the music industry’ were collated numerically as follows: 24 5.1.2 Popular Music & Youth Culture in Dublin Though youth experiences of popular music in Dublin were not actively sought during this research for reasons of scale and for ethical reasons, several families with children attended our mapping workshops and a small number (1%) of under 18s participated in the e­survey. While children’s and youth perspectives on popular music in Dublin were not the primary aim of this study, the following observations on youth experiences are made b ​ ased on a desk­based review of literature, and on a number of face­to­face interviews and site visits. In terms of provision, the main hub of children’s and young people’s music activities can be said to centre around their involvement with music education, through after­school instrumental classes or through attendance at publicly sponsored music performance venues and/or targeted events and projects. Dublin is the only city in Ireland, and one of the few places in the world that has a purpose­built cultural centre designed for children located in the heart of the city: The Ark, based in the Temple Bar Cultural Quarter, is aimed at children aged 2 ­ 12 years, and significantly, has begun to ​programme popular music events in its annual calendar (two were held during the course of the MPMiD project). However beyond the Ark, there is a lack of suitable facilities for children and especially youth audiences, hindered by the fact that m ​ ost popular music gigs are linked to licensed premises.​ Because of this, many all­ages shows are frequently relegated to suburban community centres (e.g. The Axis in Ballymun) or programmed early in the day as part of pop­up festivals (e.g. MusicTown, Vibe for Philo: Young Rockers Vibe All Ages Gig). Exceptional initiatives like the annual Irish Youth Music Awards (IYMA) serve as a considerable nexus for the next generation of Irish musicians and artists to gain valuable experience and raise their profile by participating in age­appropriate events at local and national levels. But outside of such annual festivals, everyday opportunities for under­18s to rehearse or perform in Dublin’s most popular music venues are extremely limited.19 Summary Over half of our project participants are currently directly or indirectly involved in aspects of music industries. Dublin’s current popular music ecology includes the following roles and services: 1. Artists & musicians 2. Songwriters & composers 3. Music production personnel (live / studio) 4. Management, PR and retail personnel 5. Music mediators (photographers, videographers, journalists, bloggers, radio DJs) 6. Educators and advocators 7. Music tourism services & entrepreneurship 8. Extra­musical services (catering, transport, backstage, hospitality) Dublin’s current popular music ecology includes only limited provisions for youth / all­ages popular music experiences. 5.2 Dublin: Contemporary Music Experience 19 ​There are documented attempts to address such oversights in Dublin to date. In 2009­’14, an all­ages, non­profit arts collective, Exchange Dublin: Collective Arts Centre was founded under various leadership with support from Dublin City Council until it was forced to close in 2014. 25 69% of survey respondents consider Dublin to be a centre for contemporary popular music experience. This overwhelmingly positive response is partly attributed to the 57% participation of respondents directly or indirectly involved in ‘the music industry’. ‘Do you consider Dublin to be a centre for contemporary popular music experience?’ Within the ‘other’ category, while many participants noted that although they felt Dublin was a centre for popular music with significance outside of Ireland, the same respondents felt the need to qualify their answer by distinguishing Dublin from other places, both within Ireland and beyond: ‘Compared to down the country, yes.’ ‘Culture happens in Dublin in spite of Dublin.’ ‘It is, but there are other cities in Ireland with a strong popular music scene in them, e.g. Cork and Galway.’ ‘About how many popular music concerts or live events in Dublin did you attend in the past 12 months?’ Others felt that there was not enough support for the professional development of musicians, or of audience development more generally, while conflictingly, others argued that Dublin’s music scene was in danger of becoming micro­managed: 26 ‘No. Not enough emphasis on music development, and encouraging people to go to see live music. Live music in some ways is only for a particular group of people.’ ‘At times, it has a tendency to be over managed and over facilitated, which has the affect of creating a sense of entitlement which no musician should have.’ Furthermore, others took issue with a perceived limited view, or privileging, of certain musical genres within Dublin, much to the detriment of other musical styles or experimental approaches. ‘I think far too much of the same style gets supported. I find the homegrown acts that are now popular to be extremely bland and safe with just a few exceptions.’ Hip hop in particular was singled out, with some respondents suggesting that the genre seemed marginalised within Dublin’s popular music ecology. When participants were asked to cite favourite places for experiencing popular music performances in Dublin (in both the survey and mapping workshops) several of the city’s major live music venues were mentioned. Certain established music venues received specific mentions from participants, with the mid­sized venues of Whelans, Vicar Street, and the Olympia Theatre respectively receiving the most citations across the range of responses. In addition to current, established venues, the top ten favourite places for experiencing popular music in Dublin also included the pop­up Iveagh Garden festival venue, which hosts a series of concerts usually during the month of July. Top Ten Favourite Places for Experiencing Popular Music in Dublin (ranked by frequency of citation) 1. Whelans 2. Vicar Street 3. The Olympia Theatre 4. The Point / 3Arena 5. The Workman’s Club 6. The Sugar Club 7. The Academy 8. Iveagh Gardens 9. Button Factory 10. Grand Social A brief look beyond the top ten reveals further details worthy of attention. The eleventh and twelfth most favourite places for experiencing popular music were, respectively, the Joinery and the Twisted Pepper — two venues that no longer operate. Opened in Stoneybatter in 2008, the Joinery was a small independent art workshop and performance space that closed in 2014. The Twisted Pepper on Middle Abbey Street, known for hosting dance, electronic, techno and disco nights by Bodytonic promoters, closed in August 2015 after seven years of business, and mid­way through our data collection. The fact that these smaller, more independent venues received such favourable mentions speaks volumes about the value and impact these spaces had in fostering alternative musical scenes in Dublin. Yet their subsequent closure testifies to the challenges smaller independent venues face. 27 Summary 69% of respondents consider Dublin to be a centre for contemporary popular music, though not without qualification or issues. 38% of participants attended between 1 ­ 5 popular music events in Dublin over the twelve­month period, while 24% attended between 6 ­ 12 gigs / events. 10% attended 13­20, and 7% and attended over 51 gigs and events. 7% of respondents reported that they had attended no gigs. The top three favourite places reported for experiencing popular music in Dublin are: 1. Whelans; 2. Vicar Street; 3. The Olympia Theatre. Other favourite locations for experiencing popular music in Dublin include now defunct spaces that served more niche music genres 28 5.3 Mapping Music and Memory in Dublin When research participants were asked to recall their favourite popular music­related memories in, and of Dublin, several key themes emerged. First, events that marked a ‘rite of passage,’ e.g. first ever gig attendance, first time seeing and hearing a particular idol live, first record purchase in a store (that may no longer exist), first time playing with a band, or selling out a venue: ‘Walking into the Dandelion Market, hearing Deep Purple's Black Night for the first time, blasting from a record stall.’ ‘The first gig my parents ever let me go to ­ Bob Marley & The Wailers in Dalymount Park, 1980. Start at the top!’ ‘Being at a gig in Slattery's (think it was a benefit gig) some time around 1996, and someone singing from the floor – “King of Rome”, the first time I'd heard a "proper" folk song in that kind of context. No going back after that!’ ‘Whelans on Wexford St is probably top of this list for me. I remember knowing about it while still in school, and it being a big deal to go there for the first time. And despite having been, and played there countless times since, it still holds the same appeal. I would see Whelans as perhaps the centre of popular music in Dublin.’ ‘U2 in Croke Park ­ listening to such an Irish band in such an Irish place but being surrounded by so many foreign fans, I felt a sense of shared ownership of the experience with everyone there.’ A small number of survey participants recalled meeting their partner or future spouse at gigs in Dublin, a pattern that carried over into the musical maps of Dublin where a small number of participants highlighted particular gigs or venues where they met their significant other (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Detail on map F3DC. 'The Joinery ❤: met my husband here' 29 A second theme to emerge involved the recall of particular atmospheric qualities to live performances, for both local and international acts. Participants tended to favour experiences that felt ‘intimate’, ‘passionate’, or ‘heady’, and singled out performances with notable rapport between the performer(s) and the Dublin audience, and vice­versa. Extra musical­factors such as the weather and contemporaneous events featured in a small but significant number of people’s popular music memories of Dublin. ‘Seeing Bruce Springsteen live in Dublin is always a great experience­ largely because he seems to have a large and dedicated fan­base here, who engage deeply with the show.’ ‘[…] Irish crowds have a special place in many artists hearts. I only really realised the power of Irish audiences when I went abroad to gigs and saw how other European audiences acted. They are much more reserved and there isn't the same relationship that is gotten in Ireland.’ ‘Seeing Morrissey in Vicar Street and hearing him sing “I Know it's Over” ­ it moved me to tears.’ ‘Recent memorable one, The Frames in Iveagh Gardens. The gig was outdoor, the sun was out, the band were celebrating 25 years together as were the audience with them! Amazing gig’ Third, a small but significant number of respondents’ most memorable musical memories of Dublin recount music mediated through TV or radio shows: ‘Phil Lynott's death announced on the radio (Jan 86). I had just landed at Dublin airport.’ ‘Hearing Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah on Dave Fanning's show while studying for my Leaving Cert. Music changed for me that day. There isn't enough I can say about Dave Fanning. Loved Fanning's Fab Fifty. Also No Disco with Uaneen Fitzsimons and Donal Dineen.’ ‘Being liberated from the turgid mundanity of RTE radio and listening to Radio Luxembourg and BBC radio. Listening to John Peel in suburban Dublin. Making sleeves for a local band I was helping. Watching Top of the Pops on Thursday evenings.’ ‘Listening to U2, the Atrix the Blades and DC Nien on the Dave Fanning show.’ ‘Watching the programme No Disco on RTE […]’ Together these examples demonstrate music’s power to connect individuals with the past, and with certain rituals, traditions and emotions. Music, and in this case popular music, in both its live and mediated forms, can shape the experiences of Dubliners and visitors to Dublin in a number of ways. 30 Summary Examining respondents’ popular music memories of and in Dublin reveals several themes. Part of the value of experiencing popular music in Dublin lies in its ability to offer a diverse range of local and high profile global acts; the latter can often be enjoyed in smaller and more intimate venues (or festivals) than would obtain in other parts of the world. Popular music events are crucial in offering public spaces for socialising and for attributing significance to gigs/concerts and personal experiences. But popular music can also afford connection with oneself and with significant events related to time and place through radio listening, TV viewing and other ‘domestic’ mediatized experiences in more intimate spaces. Both types of place­related engagement can help define our personal histories, triggering key memories and associations with the past. 31 5.4 Sounding Dublin: Locating a Dublin sonic signature? The following section reports on survey respondents’ consideration of whether Dublin had any particular ‘sound’ (in the musical sense) and of what characteristics a ‘Dublin sound’ might have, if any. We asked participants whether, in their opinion, there were musicians and/or musical styles/genres (contemporary and/or from the past) that they considered to be typical of Dublin. We further asked those who believed that Dublin did evoke a particular ‘sound’ or musical style, if they could explain this perceived association with Dublin. An overwhelming majority, 90%, responded that they believed there to be a typical Dublin sound and went on to provide examples of musicians and/or musical styles or genres that they considered typical of Dublin, or that which evoked a sense of a Dublin sound. 7% of participants choose not to answer this question, while 3% said they did not believe Dublin had a typical sound or musical style. 90% of respondents believe there are musicians and/or musical styles/genres that are typical of Dublin Three main categories of sonic associations with Dublin emerged: (1) singer­songwriters, (2) guitarists, and to a lesser extent, (3) rap and hip hop. Main categories of sonic associations with Dublin (not mutually exclusive) 1. singer­songwriters (predominantly male folk singers & balladeers) 2. guitarists (both acoustic and electric, soloists and indie/­rock bands) 3. rap and hip hop Alongside this, several key features were also observed. A significant number of participants highlighted the perceived importance of, and play with lyrics by Dublin musicians. The repeated mention of, or allusion to lyricism and narrative led to our interpretation of four distinct interrelating subcategories, as follows. 32 Subcategories of Lyricism and Narrative associated with Dublin’s popular music: ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ Authenticity: ‘Honest,’ ‘earnest,’ ‘raw,’ ‘meaningful,’ ‘passionate’ lyrics Critical Humour: ‘Clever,’ ‘cynical,’ ‘humorous,’ ‘witty’ lyrics Political/Protest: ‘Angry,’ ‘cranky,’ ‘seething,’ ‘rebellious,’ ‘politically­charged,’ ‘protest’ lyrics Melancholy: ‘Sorrowful,’ ‘mournful,’ ‘wistful’ lyrics The focus and the perceived value placed on lyricism and narrative features perhaps explains why singer­songwriters remain a dominant feature of Dublin’s imagined sound­world, and why other emerging genres, such as Dublin’s electronic and dance scenes, find it difficult to find an audience against such prevailing characterizations. And yet, the focus on lyricism may also explain the small but significant references made to Dublin’s burgeoning rap and hip hop scenes as a notable feature of the city’s contemporary sonic signature (mentioned by 6% of participants). It could be speculated that the dominance of narrative form in Dublin’s popular music traditions may be extending from folk and acoustic guitar­based singer­songwriters into the genres of rap, hip hop and MC culture. As one respondent remarked: ‘At the moment I think Dublin's rap scenes are really taking off, acts such as Lethal Dialect and Red Rua are perhaps becoming more and more typical of Dublin’ Excerpt of Lyrics ‘New Dublin Saunter’ (Lethal Dialect, 2015) […] So when’s the next album? told him it was hanging in the balance, Cause I can’t fathom why our own people hate to hear our own accent, he told me they call it different names, inferiority complex or malignant shame.. were an oppressed people treated inhumane, psychologically, that’s still ingrained, for things to change you mustn't shy away from the challenge, cause you've the same voice as James Joyce, a great grandson of Dan Dunne's, a WB Yeats on beat breaks, a Seamus Heaney who sprays graffiti, you know a problem child Oscar Wilde They say i'm like Yeats, a dreamer.. It isn't what it seems... The most prominent category to emerge from respondent’s thoughts on a possible Dublin ‘sound’ included references to folk singers, balladeers, and singer­songwriters (predominantly male), and this was followed closely by guitarists, both acoustic and electric, and included soloists and bands: ‘U2, Hothouse flowers, Something Happens; guitar based, male vocal bands. They would've been a strong part of my musical 'Dublin' landscape as a frequent visitor in the 80/90’s’ ‘Guitar bands and guitar based singer songwriters’ 'Moany singer­songwriters. Beige alternative Whelans rock. One­man­and­a­guitar ballads’ ‘The Frames/Glen Hansard. I think that the “singer/songwriter” scene is something very much associated with Dublin, and there have been many! But, every night in the city there are songwriter nights, where people get up and play 33 their songs. […] I think there is something about that scene in Dublin, so many people with guitars on the last bus home!’ ‘Traditionally there are a lot of guitar artists/bands singing slow sensitive music or rock music. More recently there is also a lot of ambient electronic music too.’ Some participants singled out other instrumentation as a significant marker of Dublin’s sound, particularly the fiddle: ‘Tommy Potts.20 The Liffey Banks, the sound of the Dublin fiddle? Not sure it could have been made, at that time (1972), by anyone but a Dublin musician.’ ‘… cajon drum, effects pedals, good lyrics, self­deprecating humour. Humour. Fiddles. Story telling.’ ‘I always associate the sound of the fiddle with Dublin. Always played in pubs at traditional sessions.’ Such responses speak to the close, and at times overlapping connections between Dublin’s popular and traditional music scenes. Several musicians and bands received multiple citations from respondents. Those believed to be strongly connected with Dublin in order of citation included U2/Bono, Thin Lizzy/Phil Lynott, The Dubliners and/or Luke Kelly, Damien Dempsey, and/or The Frames/Glen Hansard. Top 5 most­cited musicians and bands associated with Dublin 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. U2 / Bono Thin Lizzy / Phil Lynott The Dubliners / Luke Kelly Damien Dempsey The Frames / Glen Hansard ‘Phil Lynott, Luke Kelly and Damien Dempsey sprang to mind immediately. Ronnie Drew of course.’ 20 R ​ enowned virtuoso traditional fiddler. 34 ‘Luke Kelly (Quintessentially Dublin). Damien Dempsey (Urban poet). Imelda May (One of our own). Phil Lynott (Urban rocker). The Bionic Rats ( Urban warriors). 5 is not enough!!’ ‘Thin Lizzy/ Phil Lynott… Listening to Old Town, as I write… Captures for me Lynott’s journey to and through popular music… the quintessential Dublin ‘pop’ star!’ ‘The Lizzy sound and style would be now considered Dublin’ ‘Thin Lizzy seems to have a place in Dublin's sound but it is specific to a period.’ ‘I think there are people that sound like they are from Dublin more because of their accent, so it always comes back to singers whether that's Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew, or Damien Dempsey. […] I’ve always felt that Phil Lynott couldn't have been any more Dublin ­ I don't know how to explain that though. I think Richie Egan (Jape/Rednecks etc.) has a demeanour of someone that couldn't come from anywhere but Dublin. I think it comes out in his lyrics a bit too.’ Several other artists and bands made recurring appearances in responses to locating Dublin’s popular music sound. These ranged from contemporary, active, established and emerging artists (Sineád O’Connor, Aslan, Imelda May, Villagers, Kodaline, All Tvvins, Damien Rice, Jape, Le Galaxie, Lisa Hannigan, Lynched, and Hozier) to bands on hiatus or recently reformed (The Blades, and Something Happens!). Additional acts and artists that were mentioned by less than 2% of respondents and yet may hold significance included established Irish artists such as The Coronas, and a range of relatively new ensembles including The Gloaming, and The Riptide Movement; these were mirrored by mention of ‘older’ bands like Bagatelle, the Hothouse Flowers, and Kila. Artists / musicians / bands sonically associated with Dublin as cited >5% The Blades (5%) Sineád O’Connor (5%) Aslan (4%) Imelda May (4%) Villagers (4%) Kodaline (3%) All Tvvins (2%) Damien Rice (2%) Frank Harte (2%) Hozier (2%) Jape (2%) Le Galaxie (2%) Lisa Hannigan (2%) Lynched (2%) Something Happens! (2%) Over 8% of respondents specifically highlighted Dublin’s buskers and street musicians among their favourite musical experiences or memories, suggesting another type of sonic signature associated with the city. This figure was also strongly represented on individuals’ musical maps of Dublin, with busking or buskers featuring in 12% of cases. Grafton Street’s buskers received the most positive mention, while buskers at other locations received an equal amount of love and loathing from respondents. 35 Lastly, 4% of participants specifically associated accents and a particular vocal timbre with Dublin’s musical ‘sound.’ This finding follows work by O’Flynn (2009) and others on locating ‘Irishness’ through hearing Irish, and in particular Dublin, accents. ‘Folk music with accent and attitude.’ ‘Damien Dempsey evokes a sound that reminds me of Dublin. Use of the inner city accent instantly reminds me of Dublin.’ ‘The accents. The feel of the music & instruments used. The content.’ A small number of respondents reported hearing a general sound of ‘Irishness’ rather than a particular ‘Dublin’ sound. For example: ‘I wouldn't say that there's a specific sound to Dublin, to be honest. Most contemporary artists are pretty obviously influenced by previous artists from other countries; The Script are very polished and kind of sound like they could be from anywhere, for example. I think the sort of Irish sound comes from traditional instruments, but even bands like U2 sound very American to me. There's an 'Irish' sound when you can hear an accent in a song or when an Irish instrument is included, but I'm not sure there's a typical Dublin sound.’ However, others also perceived a certain inherent musicality in the Dublin accent, hearing its pitches and contours as particularly resonant with the music and instrumentation. ‘The musicality in the Dublin accent. From the smoker’s style harshness in The Dubliners to the young busker who sang ‘She moved through the Fair’ in Michael Collins. There is a certain musicality even in the speech of a Dubliner which works well in Irish written songs or songs with an Irish theme.’ Summary An overwhelming majority, 90% of respondents, believe that when it comes to popular music, there is an identifiable ‘Dublin sound.’ ​While identifications or otherwise of a ‘Dublin sound’ varies from person to person, perceptions of general musical characteristics are common to many responses. A majority of respondents identify Dublin as being associated with particular scenes or genres. However a minority of respondents feel somehow alienated by such a perceived or imagined ‘Dublin sound.’ 36 5.5 Established music trails in Dublin This research has found that there is a great deal of unrealised tourism potential in Dublin’s vibrant popular music scenes. During the first week of the project, the research team visited various Dublin city centre tourist offices to enquire about music­related tours and activities. All the staff we encountered were welcoming and helpful, and some staff could recommend one or two well­known venues for popular music gigs. However, we discovered quickly and with consistency that most music­related tourism in Dublin centres on versions of Irish traditional music, and is moreover usually limited to the Temple Bar district. After making enquiries at the Visit Dublin Tourism Headquarters about the remaining Rock’n’Stroll plaques that constitute the only existing Dublin music walking tour, the researchers were given a photocopy of the official trail (see Figure 2). Figure 2. 'Rock n Stroll Trail' Map (1996) from Dublin Tourism’s Rock n Stroll: Dublin’s Music Trail brochure (cover in inset). Indeed, tourism staff themselves were acutely aware of the gaps in information about Dublin’s popular music offerings. This finding was mirrored in the comments of several respondents, who stated that tourists coming to Dublin, particularly fans of artists or musicians connected to Dublin, were surprised to find relatively little in the way of formal markers of music heritage at sites or locations of renown. At the beginning of our research (February 2015) options to explore Dublin’s popular music history, heritage and tourism consisted of: 1) U2: Made in Dublin exhibition at the Little Museum; b) Rock’n’Stroll: Dublin’s Music Trail; c) U2 Walking Tours of Dublin. The Rock’n’Stroll: Dublin’s Music Trail was established by Dublin Tourism/Fáilte Ireland in 1996, and was billed as a self­guided musical tour that ‘let’s you walk in 37 the footsteps of Dublin’s world famous artists.’ Detailed 36­page programmes / brochures for the tour were once sold at Dublin Tourist Offices, but these ceased to be available some years ago. Acknowledging the assistance of ​Hot Press​ magazine in compiling the music trail, the brochure’s writers also expressed gratitude to the featured artists and their agents, the Arts Council, Dublin Corporation and the various premises along the trail where plaques were erected. The trail was billed as follows: ‘Dublin is one of the most important music cities in the world. Visitors flock to the capital city from all over the world, as it has become the fashionable place to see and be seen in. International models and movie stars alike love to visit Dublin. They adore the ambience, the unique atmosphere in the pubs and the café culture of Grafton Street. […] With the success of bands like U2, The Corrs, and Boyzone, and the enduring worldwide popularity of performers like Sinead O’Connor, Bob Geldof, Chris De Burgh, The Chieftains and The Dubliners, Ireland’s capital on the East coast is well and truly on the map. Dublin now proudly boasts the Rock n’ Stroll Trail in recognition of the city's musical sons and daughters. The trail will take you to the sites in Dublin which are of great importance to Ireland’s most renowned musicians. Have a pint on the way and enjoy the greatest rock trail in Europe.’ While in today’s terms, the language and overall tone used in this guide might come across to some as somewhat dated, it nonetheless represented an important and forward­thinking first step in recognizing the mutual interests of tourism and domestic popular music in Ireland’s capital city. ​Dublin’s Rock’n’Stroll Trail received favourable mention in the academic work of Gibson & Connell (2005) and also Leonard (2009) but it has not been updated since the early 2000s. By March 2015, almost half of the plaques were missing, including the in­demand U2 plaque, while the remainder are still visible at various Dublin locations today. As recently as July 2013, Fáilte Ireland advertised the ‘Dublin Rock n’ Stroll iWalk,’ a new musical tour of Dublin available as a free downloadable podcast from the Visit Dublin website. The site states that you can walk ‘in the footsteps of Dublin’s world famous artists: U2, Sinead O’Connor, Enya and Glen Hansard. A Spotify playlist has also been developed to accompany this tour so that visitors can enjoy the music while they are on the move’ (Fáilte Ireland 2013). ​Yet, for the duration of the research project this provided link did not appear to function, and moreover the podcast did not appear to be accessible elsewhere. In spite of these difficulties and gaps, and the fact that ‘Rock’ n’ Stroll’ is now 20 years old, the trail continues to be advertised on various Dublin and Irish tourism websites, and one can still receive a photocopy of the original ‘Rock’n’Stroll Trail’ map on request at Visit Dublin and other tourism offices. The ‘U2: Made in Dublin’ exhibition occupies one room on the top floor of the Little Museum of Dublin, a unique museum created entirely by public donation. With animated and knowledgeable guided tours, the U2 room forms just part of the overall museum experience and is the only permanent, popular music­related display in the building. U2 tourism is further well­served by two separately offered ‘U2 Walking Tours.’ Dublin Differently, a company co­founded by Séan McBride in 2013, specialises in offering bespoke U2 guided tours of Dublin. ​McBride cites U2 as the the biggest band to come out of Ireland, if not the biggest band in the world, and noticed that fans were coming to Dublin specifically because of U2. ​Starting out as a company of 38 two, Dublin Differently now employ 12 tour guides on a daily basis, bringing their predominantly international clientele on ‘authentic’ tours of Dublin.21 Figure 3. Poster for Dublin Differently’s ‘U2 Night’ at Kennedy’s, Westland Row, 25 November 2015 U2’s much anticipated ‘homecoming’ ​iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE tour played four nights at Dublin’s 3Arena, and brought over 50,000 U2 fans to the city between 23­28th November, 2015. As a result, demand for U2 tours was exceptionally high for the month of November.22 After taking the U2 tour of Dublin, McBride described how many fans expressed a desire for experiencing other U2­related entertainment and events while they were in Dublin. However there was little to no fan events planned anywhere in the city, so at the last minute Dublin Differently organised a U2 tribute night for fans to gather (Figure 3).23 Featuring local musicians, a U2 memorabilia stand, and a maximum­capacity crowd of mostly international U2 fans, the successful night demonstrated the necessary joined up thinking required to better facilitate fans during such large­scale music events. ​About 60% of Dublin Differently U2 tours are given to visitors from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium (Interview with McBride, 2016). 22 ​Dublin Differently reported giving 84 U2 tours during the week of U2’s Dublin gigs (Interview with McBride 2016). 23 For more, visit: h ​ ttp://dublindifferently.com/adublinblog/u2­night­november­25th/ 21 39 Figure 4. Some public comments on an imagined ‘U2 museum’ left in response to ​The Journal ​article on Windmill Lane Studios, published 7 December 2015. The arrival of the Irish Rock’n’Roll Museum Experience midway during the data collection phase (July 2015) was perhaps fortuitous. Bearing a passing resemblance to the short­lived Hot Press Irish Music Hall of Fame (1999­2001), the Irish Rock’n’Roll Museum Experience was established by Paddy Dunning (the National Wax Museum Plus & Grouse Lodge Recording Studios) after he perceived a current gap in popular music as cultural tourism initiatives (RTÉ, 2015). However unlike its predecessor, this ‘museum­experience’ is based across two already vibrant locations: the recently refurbished Temple Bar Music Centre’s Button Factory venue, and the Temple Lane Studios across the road. 40 Summary There is a growing market for music fans as tourists (see Bolderman 2016). Over the past 30 years the international growth in official and commercial interests in popular music heritage and tourism has been evident in the ‘proliferation of monuments and plaque schemes, tours, trails and maps connected to a broad range of styles, from jazz to techno’ (Cohen et al 2014). Dublin can become such a location for a range of music fans, although the current provision focuses almost exclusively on Dublin’s rock history. At present, there are four established Dublin music heritage tours in operation: 1. U2: Made in Dublin exhibition at the Little Music (established 2011) 2. Rock’n’Stroll: Dublin’s Music Trail (Public, self­guided tours; established 1996) 3. U2 Walking Tours of Dublin (Private, paid tours; run by two separate businesses: Dublin Differently run by Seán McBride (established 2013) and The U2 Experience run by Dave Griffith (established early 2000s) 4. Irish Rock’n’Roll Museum Experience (established 2015) This research finds that there is further potential for both official and commercial Dublin music tourism initiatives, that can encompass a variety of music genres and styles, merging online and offline formats. In addition, forward planning and joined­up thinking between official and commercial tourism, culture and entertainment operators ­ in advance of large­scale concerts and events ­ is essential in order to maximise the opportunity such events bring to the city. 41 6. Recommendations The MPMiD project team have identified twelve recommendations, outlined below. These are based on findings that emerged from the cross­referencing of: a) thematic analysis of perspectives of fans, citizens, tourists, musicians and music industry personnel; b) ethnographic analysis of participant observation at a broad range of Dublin gigs, festivals, and music­related events; c) key themes from the literature reviewed in Sections 2 and 5 above. 1. D ​ ublin as a Place for Contemporary Popular Music Experience​. This research has for the first time confirmed Dublin as a centre for popular music experience according to the overwhelming majority of research participants. While Dublin’s popular music status might already be assumed by many commentators, ‘insider’ perceptions of local popular music experience differ considerably from dominant and tourist­oriented representations. Following the rich insights provided by our respondents, we recommend that future strategies for music tourism and civic engagement focus at least as much on domestic musician networks, emerging genres, and alternative scenes and subcultures as they do on the ‘canon’ of internationally successful musicians in rock, folk and traditional genres. 2. P ​ opular Music Experience, Popular Music Memory​. The research has demonstrated how popular music in Dublin can be valued and enjoyed in varied ways, whether through gig attendance, media engagement, music making or museum attendance/tour participation; or for entertainment, aesthetic, narrative, memory, social, and other ‘extra­musical’ reasons. Engagement with popular music clearly depends on a variety of factors and personal dispositions. We recommend that tourism and civic engagement interests take cognizance of this highly diverse experiential field. A basic principle in this regard would be to afford equal consideration to contemporary experience and musical memory. 3. A ​ Popular Music Ecology Strategy for Dublin​. MPMiD adopted a holistic approach in considering popular music tourism as inextricably linked with local experiences of popular music. In addition to identifying some short­term goals to increase music tourism sales (which we discuss below), in the first instance, we recommend the development of a music ecology strategy for Dublin, with input from music industry concerns, civic agencies, tourism agencies and industries, media organizations, musicians and other workers in the field, music networks, arts and education provision services and community groups. Ultimately, the strategic development of such an ecological approach would be of mutual benefit to the various private and public bodies concerned, as well as to residents of, and visitors to the city. 4. B ​ roadening Tourist and Visitor Experience, Supporting Emerging Scenes.​ Under a popular music ecology model, it can be observed that while Dublin is well served by a number of established large and medium­sized venues, the fate of smaller spaces that support emerging music scenes, networks and genres is far less secure. Presently, very few visitors to Dublin seek out events at venues other than when attending headline acts at major stadiums and arenas. Additionally, our findings indicate that short­term or newly arrived residents of Dublin (Irish and international students, corporate employees and other immigrants) are often unaware of the diversity of contemporary popular music in the city and consequently limit their gig attendance to major events. We recommend strategies to encourage tourists (and short­term visitors and/or newly arrived residents of Dublin) to interact more with neighbourhoods with a high concentration of gigs and other music­related events 42 (north and south city centre areas, Camden St, Portobello, Smithfield, Stoneybatter), as this will be mutually beneficial to tourism, artists and local development concerns. 5. P ​ opular Music Events in Summer Months.​ Based on fieldwork visits where we encountered very few tourists, we recommend that increased visitor attendance at seasonal music festivals in Dublin’s parks (Marlay, Farmleigh, Merrion Square etc) could be targeted through dedicated marketing. Also, while the majority of those observed attending musical theatre events (‘Once – The Musical’; ‘Riverdance’) during the summer season appeared to be tourists/visitors, this is a growing niche area that could highlighted more in marketing paraphernalia. 6. ​Up­to­date Information on Popular Music in Dublin.​ Based on our findings, we recommend that those at the frontline of the tourism industry are ​informed and equipped with the necessary knowledge to optimally promote the rich diversity of Dublin's musics. This information should also be readily available to those in related industries and services (hostels, hotels, conference centres, museums, tours etc.). On completion on the the official MPMiD project, the researchers set out to begin to realise this recommendation by producing a research­led music map. We recommend continued investment in similar initiatives as these ultimately will not only yield benefits for tourism, leading to increased visitor numbers, but critically will also help support and sustain various facets of Dublin’s popular music ecology. 7. ​Music Tourism and Archival Initiatives.​ This research has identified a greater potential for both official and commercial Dublin music tourism initiatives. We have four recommendations to make in this regard: 7.1 Initiatives to promote high quality and value­for­money popular music tourism experiences across a diverse range of genres/locations 7.2 During high profile headline acts/tours (e.g. U2, Garth Brooks, Bruce Springsteen), the establishment of a temporary task force to liaise public and private interests and to maximise tourism engagement on the part of specialist fan groups visiting the city 7.3 The establishment of a committee representing civic, statutory, industry (tourism and music) and academic interests with a view to coordinating the curation of popular music memorabilia and archives in Dublin 7.4 A permanent archive for Irish popular music to be based in Dublin, perhaps co­located with the new public music library planned as part of the Parnell Square redevelopment Plan (similar to the Irish Traditional Music Archive on Merrion Square, and the Contemporary Music Centre on Fishamble Street). 8. S ​ ecuring the Future: Youth / All­Ages Popular Music Provision. ​Dublin’s current popular music ecology includes only limited provision for youth / all­ages popular music experiences. We recommend that civic engagement, music industry, arts, education and tourism agencies work together to ensure Dublin’s affirmed reputation as a centre for contemporary popular music experience is sustained and allowed to develop. As a necessary first step in this regard we recommend a feasibility study that explores options to establish youth­friendly and community­focused concert and event spaces in Dublin city centre, with the Oh Yeah Centre (Belfast) serving as a model of successful collaboration between local music industry personnel and musicians to nurture and support youth talent development. 9. R ​ edressing the Balance: Gender and Popular Music Experience.​ Our research findings revealed considerable gender imbalance, not only in respect of voluntary 43 participants but much more dramatically in the almost negligible presence of female artists in dominant narratives and representations of music in Dublin. This has negative repercussions not only for residents of Dublin and Ireland, but arguably also limits the attractiveness of Dublin popular music experience and memory to female visitors to the city. We recommend building on emerging strategies to redress this imbalance, such as through curated exhibitions and performances,24 and by greater visibility for female musicians, past and present, in publicly sanctioned tours and monuments throughout the city. 10. ​Focus on Place: ‘Is there a “Dublin Sound”?’​ As stated throughout this report, we were particularly interested in how ‘insider’ accounts of experiencing popular music in Dublin could inform strategies for enhanced civic and tourist engagement. A vital way to heighten engagement with, and awareness of music in any city is to contemplate whether it has a unique ‘sound’ or sonic imprint (the fact that what constitutes uniqueness of sound for any place is highly debatable arguably adds to the value of this approach). An overwhelming majority of our respondents believed in an identifiable popular music ‘sound or ‘sounds’ for Dublin. We recommend the facilitation of interactive forums and blogs that extend the conversations begun in our research to wider participation and, ultimately, to increased visits to Dublin as a result. 11. ​Early Hours Experiences? Extending Opening Hours for Music Venues. ​A number of participants across each data collection method (e­survey, interview and mapping) noted the restrictive nature of early closing times (by comparison with Barcelona, Berlin and other major European destinations) in supporting the development of certain DJ cultures, in particular electronic, dance, house, and techno genres. Extending the opening hours of music venues at the weekend would better facilitate a range of music genres, promote a burgeoning DJ scene, and further Dublin and Ireland’s reputation as a tourist destination for young people. 12. ​Consolidating Efforts to Promote Dublin as a 'City of Music'. 12.1 Although this research has been primarily concerned with the mapping of popular music in Dublin, we recommend similar Dublin­based music surveys in areas such as traditional music and classical music/opera amongst others. The diversity of traditional music experiences available in Dublin are perhaps unparalleled elsewhere, while standards of classical music and opera in the capital city have risen exponentially over the past decade, not to mention the growth of art and experimental music scenes in recent years. 12. 2 We anticipate that the empirical findings arising from MPMiD along with other studies will enhance the aspirations of civic authorities for Ireland’s capital city to become a UNESCO ‘City of Music’ (alongside the ‘City of Literature’ status that Dublin currently enjoys). The evidence from comparative international studies strongly suggest that such a designation would impact considerably on civic and tourist engagement in the city, with significant increases in visitor numbers. 24 For example, the researchers commend and hope that initiatives such as the ‘Women in Music’ gig series at Abner Brown’s Barbershop, Rathmines supported by Music Makers, Canalophonic & IMRO (January­February 2016) and the ‘Mná ná Notaí/Women of Notes’ photography exhibition celebrating Irish women in music by Louise Bruton and Ruth Medjber held at T ​ hirty Four Lennox Street, Dublin 2 (March 2016) will be supported in the future. 44 7. Concluding Comments As this report has demonstrated, fans, musicians, citizens and tourists recognise Dublin as a city of significant popular music experience. Music provides a common bond that connects individuals to strangers through communicative experience. It can affect moods to inspire, ignite and initiate friendships and even romantic relationships. The personal, subjective, and social qualities of popular music are what matter most to our participants, and this reinforces popular music’s underlying promise: connecting the sonic to the social. The analysis and findings presented in this report only partly capture the widespread cultural impact of popular music in Dublin. Thus we acknowledge the limitations of this report which took as its starting point, the mapping of ‘insider’ perspectives in order to highlight potential for informing future experiential development of popular music in Dublin, for visitors and citizens alike. By employing a largely ethnographic methodology, designed to yield ‘rich data’ that would lead to grounded findings, it was not within the ambit of MPMiD to assess the overall value of popular music to the city, however unquantifiable many aspects of such a total value might be. Research into popular music often focusses on its value in economic terms, with the most recent published report by IMRO highlighting the socio­economic benefits of music to the Irish economy. What is clear from this research is that popular music in Dublin also serves as a social glue that binds people, places and soundtracks. Music shapes significant memories and promotes engagement with an ever­changing urban landscape. Issues relating to dominant vs. alternative forms of representation and promotion, genre diversity, social access and infrastructures for music performance, rehearsal, promotion, training and education also came to the fore in this study. Advocating the strategic adaptation of a music ecology approach, we conclude by suggesting that future tourism and music industry studies of popular music in Dublin and elsewhere in Ireland, adopt a blended approach that consider the mutual benefits of developing music infrastructures, tourist experience and civic engagement. 45 8. Appendices Appendix A. Organisations Consulted To collect primary data, the research team carried out in­depth consultations and semi­structured interviews with 44 individuals working within Ireland’s popular music and related industries. Some respondents wished to remain anonymous (designated with an asterisk*); representatives from the following organisations and industries were consulted: Name of Organisation / Activity / Business Nature of Organisation / Activity / Business #Irishmusicparty Music Service BIMM Dublin Education Dublin City Arts Office Public Office Dublin Differently / U2 Walking Tours of Dublin Guide / Activity Dublin2020 Campaign Employee Guide / Activity Europeana Sounds Education / Heritage Education / Music industry / Music Exchange Dublin: Collective Arts Centre Service Fáilte Ireland National Tourism Board First Music Contact Music Service / Education GD Seventy Eight Music Service / Industry GoldenPlec Music Industry Institute of Popular Music, University of Liverpool Archive / Education Irish Music Rights Organisation Music Industry Irish Queer Archive Archive / Education Irish Times Music Industry Irish Traditional Music Archive Archive / Education Irish Youth Music Awards Music Industry / Education Music Generation Education Music Librarian Archive / Education Music Promoter* Music Industry National Library of Ireland Archive / Education Nialler9 Music Industry Other Voices Music Industry PR Company* Music Industry RTÉ Radio Music Industry Sound & Recording Studio in Dublin* Music Industry Temple Bar Studios Music Industry 46 The Irish Rock’n’Roll Museum Experience Guide/Activity The Little Museum Guide/Activity The Lost Zine Archive Guide/Activity The Mercantile Group Music Industry The U2 Conference Archive / Education Young Hearts Run Free Guide/Activity 47 Appendix B. Music Venues, Places & Spaces Mapped during Data­collection (March 2015­February 2016) Venue / Place / Space Abner Brown’s Barbershop, Rathgar Road, Dublin 6 American Ambassador’s Residence, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 The Ark, Eustace Place, Dublin 2 Bar Tengu, Yamamori Sushi, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 Bernard Shaw, Richmond St, Dublin 2 Block T, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2 City Assembly Hall, South William St, Dublin 2 Dublin City Council Amphitheatre, Wood Quay, Dublin 8 Farmleigh Estate, Phoenix Park, Dublin 15 Freebird Records, Wicklow St, Dublin 2 Grafton St. (incl. Suffolk St & Nassau St intersections), Dublin 2 Hangar (formerly Andrews Lane Theatre), Dublin 2 Hugh Lane Gallery, Parnell St North, Dublin 1 Jameson Distillery, Bow St, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Marlay Park (Longitude Festival: Main Stage, Heineken Stage, Red Bull Music Academy Stage, & Whelans Stage), Dublin 16 Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 MVP, Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8 O’Connell St/Earl St North Junction, Dublin 1 Olympia Theatre, Dame Street, Dublin 2 Outhouse, Capel St, Dublin 1 Pantibar, Capel St, Dublin 1 Peacock Bar, Abbey Theatre, Dublin 1 Smock Alley Theatre, Exchange St, Dublin 2 St Patrick’s College, DCU, Dublin 9 Sugar Club, Lower Leeson St, Dublin 2 Temple Bar Square (Crown Alley), Dublin 2 The Academy (Main Stage & The Academy 2/ Green Room, Dublin 1 48 The Cobblestone, King St, Dublin 7 The Grand Social, Liffey St, Dublin 1 The Helix, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 The Lab, Foley St, Dublin 1 The Mercantile, Dame St, Dublin 2 The Workmans Club, Dublin 2 Tower Records, Dawson St, Dublin 2 Twisted Pepper, Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1 Vicar Street, Thomas St, Dublin 8 Whelans, Wexford St (Main Room and Upstairs Bar), Dublin 2 49 Appendix C. Mapping Popular Music in Dublin: e­Survey Questions General Background Questions These questions establish our participant demographics and help us analyse the responses accordingly. ● What is your age? ● In what country do you currently reside?live? ● If you currently reside in Ireland, in which country do you live? ● What is your gender? ● Describe your educational background to date. ● Are you currently directly or indirectly involved in any aspect of the music scene? ● If you are or have been involved in any aspect of the music industry, please indicate your role in a couple of words (without revealing the company or organisation name). Dublin: Music and Memory Once described as the "city of a thousand bands", this section asks your opinion of Dublin's popular music landscape. ● About how many popular music concerts or live events in Dublin did you attend in the past 12 months? ● What is your favourite place for experiencing popular music performances in Dublin (city and/or county)? e.g. clubs, community centres, concerts, dance venues, festivals, home, rehearsal spaces, school. Please provide general addresses for any sites listed, if possible ● What is your most memorable experience relating to popular music in Dublin? Can you explain why this musical memory is so notable? e.g. a particular concert, gig or show, an important album from your youth, memorable song, music festival, TV or radio show ● Do you consider Dublin to be a centre for contemporary popular music experience? ● Please select which media platform(s) you use, if any, to connect with Dublin's popular music community. ● Have you ever kept or collected items or memorabilia relating to popular music in Dublin? If yes, please give some examples, and explain why these are meaningful to you (e.g. concert ticket stubs, photos, t­shirts, concert programmes, band merchandise, etc.) ● Do you associate with, or have you ever belonged to a particular popular music­related community in Dublin (e.g. fan club; music scene; club; subculture etc.)? Sounding Dublin ● In your opinion, are there musicians and/or musical styles/genres (contemporary and/or from the past) which you consider to be typical of Dublin? ● In your experience of watching films set in Dublin, which film music or soundtrack would stand out in your memory? Please explain why. ● In your opinion does Dublin, as a place, evoke a particular "sound", "musical style", or "sonic signature"? ● If you consider that Dublin does evoke a particular "sound" or "musical style" for you, can you explain why you associate this particular sound or style with Dublin? 50 ● ● How important is it to you to support local Dublin bands/artists/musicians through your listening, gig attendance and other such methods? Does Irish traditional music and/or the Irish language feature in your popular music experience of Dublin? Musical Life ● On average, how often do you choose to listen to music? ● In general, how do you access and listen to music? ● So you play a musical instrument, sing, or make music yourself? ● If you answered ‘yes’ to the above question, please indicate the general styles in which you play, sing, or make music. ● If you answered "popular" to the above question, please indicate which style(s) or genre(s) of popular music you make. ● If you currently play, or have previously played, a musical instrument, sang, or create music, was it alone or in a group, and did you play for leisure, and/or as an amateur, semi­professional, or professional? ● Overall, how important is music in your life? Final comments Do you have any other comments or insights you would like to share about popular music experience in Dublin? 51 Appendix D. Initial Quantitative and Qualitative Codes Utilised for Analysing Music Maps QUANTITATIVE – Initial Codes • Venue citation (inc. venues that no longer exist/operate); ‘non­popular’ venues were also cited) • Act citation (inc. song/album citation, and sometimes, references to mode of transport) • Breakdown of artists cited (global, national, local) • Genre citation • Festival citation • City by area (north/ south, inner/outer Dublin, specific areas, landmarks) • References to place(s) outside Dublin QUALITATIVE – Initial Codes • Overview of approaches to ‘mapping’ • Chronological/timeline • Extent of musical Involvement inc. music education, music in community, in church etc. • Dance/dancing • Music production/recording/distribution/promotion/record shops • Buskers • Media links/associations with particular music productions (e.g. ​Once​) • Cost/effort of gig attendance • Dublin ‘sound’ • Provision for ‘non­mainstream’ community venues/underage groups; subcultures (inc. gay scene) • Key seasons/ dates/ months • Growing up with well­known Dublin musicians; bands with friends and/or family members • Musical memories/personal journey/first gig experience/ life experience/home/relationship to Dublin (from Dublin, visiting Dublin etc) • Gig/genre preferences; favourite Dublin bands • Commentary on musical life in Dublin • Diverse popular music: by genre (including traditional music), professional/amateur, mainstream/alternative, multicultural etc. 52 Appendix E. List of conferences, invited presentations, media interviews, and public talks related to the ‘Mapping Popular Music in Dublin’ project, during the research period and beyond. • 12/06/2015: Presentation by Mangaoang on MPMiD at annual plenary SMI conference, UCC • 14/07/2015: featured entry in the Irish Times ‘On the Record’ blog by Jim Carroll • 19/07/2015: Mangaoang in featured interview on ‘Totally Irish with John Barker’ 98FM • 28/07/2015: Mangaoang, O’Flynn and MPMiD featured in ‘Researchers are mapping Dublin’s music scene’, The Dublin Inquirer by Layli Foroudi • 15/08/2015: Mangaoang’s invited article on MPMiD published in The Blackpool Sentinel web magazine • 12/09/2015: Mangaoang’s invited article on MPMiD published in LibFocus: Irish Library and Information Studies blog • 18/09/2015: Mapping workshops during Culture Night, Cregan Library, St Patricks College (SPD) • 1/10/2015: Mapping workshop with SPD Music students • 2­3/10/2015: MPMiD workshops at Hard Working Class Heroes Festival, NDRC, Dublin • 11/10/2015: O’Flynn interviewed about MPMiD on ‘The Dave Fanning Show’, RTE 2FM • 13/11/2015: Mangaoang and O’Flynn deliver expert plenary session on MPMiD’s innovative methodologies at European Fan Cultures Conference, Erasmus University, Rotterdam • 20/11/2015: Mangaoang presents at Maynooth University Music Department Research Seminar Series • 27/11/2015: O’Flynn delivers MPMiD­based lectures to SPD music students • 11/02/2016: Mangaoang presents guest lecture on MPMiD to 80+ students at SALIS, DCU • 17/02/2016: Mangaoang and O’Flynn co­present paper and mapping workshop at Humanities Research Seminar Series, SPD • 29/02/2016: O’Flynn delivers paper on traditional music and MPMiD at ICTM (Ireland) Annual Conference, SPD. • 11/03/2016: Mangaoang delivers keynote talk on MPMiD at inaugural Student Talks Conference at O’Brien Centre for Science, UCD • 14/04/2016: Mangaoang and O’Flynn co­present paper on MPMiD for the panel ‘Applying Digital, Ecological, and Experimental Methodologies to Fieldwork’, British Forum for Ethnomusicology 2016 Conference, University of Kent. • 22/04/2016: Mangaoang delivers invited talk on MPMiD at the First Conference on Popular Music Research in Iceland, University of Iceland/ Iceland Academy of Arts, Reykjavík • 25/04/2016: Mangaoang and O’Flynn’s MPMiD project nominated for the DCU President’s Award for Engagement • 10/06/2016: Mangaoang and O’Flynn launch MPMiD report and map materials • 10/06/2016: Mangaoang and O’Flynn showcase MPMiD report as a springboard to organise the first interdisciplinary public forum on Popular Music Studies in Ireland, with national and international participation and further opportunities for academic­enterprise synergies • 9­11/09/2016: Mangaoang and O’Flynn co­present paper on MPMiD and public discussion forums at ​the Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music​, University of Sussex (Forthcoming) 53 9. 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