Craic On

Busker Abu

Debbie, Geraldine and Aaron, the Decibellas from Moville, performed on TG4’s Busker Abu last night.

It’s  a show to find out the best busker in Ireland.

There are ten heats with 8 contestants in each. Only one act from each heat goes through to the semi finals.

There are three judges. Each must press a buzzer on their desks in front of them five times each or the music stops and the act is out.

Five Acts

Of the 8 acts that took place last night, five of them were allowed to finish their song.

Of those five acts, the judges had to name two acts to go into a sing-off for that one place available.

The Decibellas, started off a little nervously but got better as the song went on.

In the first half of the song the judges hardly pressed their ‘buzzers’ at all.

Said Gerry McLaughlin, who was present, you get an idea of whether the acts are ahead of schedule or behind and the Decibellas were definitely behind. The judges just weren’t hitting those buttons”.

Up the Tempo

One of the judges, Aindrias, motioned to the girls to up the tempo – and they did, big style.

The judges starting pressing their buttons and the girls were able to finish their song.

Then it was time for the judges to name the two who would go into the sing-off.

Three Way Fight

Said Gerry McLaughlin who was at the show, “It was basically between three acts, Synead, the Decibellas and Grenades, a 4-piece band from Cork”.

The judges made their announcement “the first act to go through is Synead”.

So, who would join them?

“The second act to go through is….the Decibellas”.

They looked delighted and surprised.

The Sing-Off

Debbies’ mum left her seat to give Debbie and the others some advice before the sing-off.

It appeared to work, Geraldine was nearer the microphone this time and they got into a higher gear right from the start.

It was a great performance.

It was much beter than their first performance. It was better than Synead’s first performance.

Synead

So, how would Synead do?

She upped her perfrmance too.

It was a great performance-  just like the Decibellas.

It was going to be very close.

The judges said it had been very difficult.

So, what would be the verdict.

The Verdict

The first judge gave it to Synead.

The Decibellas smiled and clapped – but they must have been deflated inside.

The second judge, Aindrias, gave it to the Decibellas.

He said it had been a very easy decision.

Hope was back again.

The female judge had given it to Synead, the male judge had given it to the Decibellas easily.

What would the last male judge say?

Casting Vote

He said it was very difficult to make a decision.

“Synead” he said – and the Decibellas were out.

Aindrias put his head and arms on teh desk. He obviously didn’t agree with the decision.

But they were not quite out yet.

Wild Card

Said Gerry Mclaughlin “I was told immediately after the show that there would be one wild card for the semi finals given to one of the ten runners-up on the ten shows”.

They had a one in ten chance again – and after the split decision maybe even better.

However, that hope went too.

Cork Band Got Through

The wild card went, not to one of the runners-up but to Grenades, who didn’t even get into the sing-off.

The decision to give Grenades from Cork the wild card over the Decibellas from Moville was taken by the Directors and Producers rather than the judges.

So, it was doubly disappointing to be pipped by Synead and then the wild card given to the Grenades who the Decibellas beat in their heat.

It was a great performance from the Decibellas and a great experience for them.

It’s just a shame they came so close.

Strong Heat

Said Gerry “My son saw three shows live and three shows on TV and he reckons that Synead was the best of all the winners so far. It’s just a shame that the Decibellas were in such a strong heat”.

The Decibellas can be seen regularly in Rosatos and other music venues about the town.

There will be four more acts of local interest in the next 6 heats including Spring Tides on Easter Sunday at 8:30pm on Busker Abu on TG4.