Beatles Fans Come Together This Weekend
There is a sense of anticipation in the sleepy, idyllic, Donegal town of Moville as they await the 9th annual BeatlesFest on the Lough this weekend.
It’s Ireland’s only annual festival of the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Due to its success in previous years it will take place over four days for the first time rather than three.
Tony Bramwell
Coming over again from Devon will be Beatles Road manager, PR guy and talent scout, Tony Bramwell who was a childhood friend of Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Tony is a US Hall of Fame member himself for his work as head of Apple Films and Polydor Records when he had the Bee Gees, The Jam, Roxy Music and Slade in his stable, for his role in charge of the music for Grease and Saturday Night Fever, when he used the Bee Gees and for responsibility for the music in five of the Bond films, including Live and Let Die done by Paul McCartney.
Tony ‘s favourite tipple is Guinness and his favourite Comedy, Father Ted and this will be his 5th BeatlesFest on the Lough.
A couple of weeks before his first one he was in Nashville with Paul McCartney who asked him to come to Toronto with him as well. “I can’t Paul†said Tony. “I’m doing the BeatlesFest in Moville that weekendâ€.
He said that Moville is the quaintest of the BeatlesFests that he goes to and would like to retire there.
Tony knows most people in the industry, both in the Sixties and now. He met Elvis with the Beatles, knows Bob Dylan very well and is a close friend of Bruce Springsteen.
He will be giving a talk, taking questions and talking about his time with the Beatles with festival-goers.
Michael Thomas
American, Michael Thomas will open up the festival in Annie’s Bar on Thursday night which is Come Together Night.
This will be followed by It’s Getting Better night on Friday, a Hard Day’s Night on Saturday and Hello Goodbye night on Sunday.
In between will be Here Comes the Sun afternoon on Saturday and Strawberry Fields afternoon on Sunday.
Plasticine Porters
Playing officially for the first time will be Belfast duo, The Plasticine Porters who turned up last year just wanting to play anywhere and anytime.
They played the Open Mics and in the breaks in the acts of others and after they finished. After they went down so well they have their own gigs this year.
Said BeatlesFest organiser, Gerry McLaughlin “We are expecting this to be the biggest and best BeatlesFest we have had. We are asking people to wear Sixties Gear.
“If anyone wants to play there are Open Mics. If you missed the Sixties come to Moville this weekend. The BeatlesFest takes place from July 30th to August 2nd.