Craic On

Spring Tides

Spring Tides head south on Monday to record their Busker Abu TV show song. The Decibelles, Debbie and Geraldine are recorded on Wednesday.

They have just 90 seconds to impress the judges or they could be killed stone dead with the lights coming on before their two minutes are up.

So, who are these judges who will make or break the acts? I thought I’d put a little together of their backgrounds.

I’d also, take a stab at what kind of music they would each favour on Busker Abu.I’m sure the judges like lots of different kinds of music but they may just favour the kinds of music they are involved with themselves.

Aindrias de Staic

First up is Aindrias de Staic who is 37 years old. It says on his website:-

“Music is another of Ireland’s great exports and de Staic is a master fiddler, not only playing a vast repertoire of Irish tunes but a range of Italian, Greek and Gypsy music as well.”

He has toured with Kila in Australia and The Sawdoctors in America.  He has played at Festivals such as Glastonbury, Electric Picnic and Longitude.

Busker Abu judge Aindrias de Staic

So, what kind of music would he favour?

As a fiddler he might favour Irish Folk or even Irish Trad. I would also take a stab at him liking acts like Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen etc. – although that is just an educated guess.

Sile Seoige

Sile is 35 years old. I don’t usually put people’s ages but I think it gives a clue to the kind of musical generation that they belong to – although they may not stick to it.

She comes from a radio and television presenter background but has branched out into music.

According to the Busker Abu website “she sang backing vocals on The Devlins, a cover version of the old Irish song ‘Coinleach Glas an Fhómhair’. On New Years Eve 2010 she sang the Nina Simone classic “Feeling Good” live on The All Ireland Talent Show. And in December 2014 she had huge success with a song she recorded to raise money for two very worthy Irish charities,  taking lead vocal on ‘Maybe This Christmas’. It was a top 10 hit for 3 consecutive weeks in the Irish charts”.

Sile Seoige, Busker Abu judge

There’s little to go on, there, but as there were a few fiddles on her Christmas song I would have a stab at saying she enjoys Irish Folk music and maybe trad too. When she did get a shot on a talent show she did sing a Nina Simone classic so she may have the taste for the great American singers.

Fiachna O Braonain

He was brought up on Irish traditional music and is 49 years of age.

It says on the Busker Abu website “he was raised on a childhood diet of traditional Irish music, language and song and his teenage years brought him into the wild waters of blues guitar and rock ‘n roll.

He exploded onto the international stage with The Hothouse Flowers with “Don’t Go” as the 1988 Eurovision interval act and has never looked back”.

Fiachna o Braonain, Busker Abu judge

He would obviously like Irish trad and folk like the others, but he went from trad in his childhood years to blues and rock and roll in his teenage years. I would think he would go for the classic Sixties and Seventies Rock Performers.

Debbie and Geraldine do a great version of Bob Dylan’s”It Ain’t Me Babe” and I tried to get them to do that. However, they want to do something more modern.

However, with none of the judges under 35 it might be a good idea to have a rethink.

Spring Tides will be playing Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes. They reckon that the judges will suit them with that song.

Update

I hear, now, that Debbie and Geraldine have already chosen their song. Maybe we’ll hear it in Rosatos on Saturday night.