Smockie in Dublin


In my youth, when dancing at discos to music by “Smokie”, I never thought, that I would be able to listen to their live concert. And now, it happened in Ireland many years on. There were lots of impressions, but about everything in succession.

The Olympia Theatre, where the concert took place, is imperceptible, but its interior decoration is luxurious and invites to pleasant pastime. Though, it was a bit surprising, that the coat check is self-service and locates somewhere in a side chamber. But nobody tried to use it. Two bars, where one could buy almost all kinds of beverage, were much more popular.


concert smockie in dublin

What was our surprise, when we saw most spectators coming back to the hall with throwaway glasses mostly with beer. It was our first visit of a Dublin theatre and that’s why our astonishment was quite explicable. In Russia, theatre is ceremonial place, so drinking and eating during performance is expression of extreme disrespect towards artists.

Spectators, trying not to pour beer over the neighbor, took their comfortable seats, getting ready to watch the concert. But it didn’t start at once. First a Dublin musician came to the stage and started to sing to a guitar. We were glad to get acquainted with his oeuvre, but we didn’t expect he would perform for half an hour. And when he, at last, finished his performance, we sighed deeply and got ready to welcome “Smokie”. Unfortunately, we had to wait for another half an hour and our festive mood was spoilt a bit.


concert smockie in dublin

One hour after appointed beginning, at last, we saw the group “Smokie”. The concert captured attention of the audience and kept them with ever growing tension.

Spectators were singing along, dancing in lanes and just were happy to listen to the wonderful music. But the beer spectators had drink during the concert had its effect and made them visit WC. Most of them came back with new portion of beer. All this moving there and back prevented enjoying the music by wonderful group “Smokie”.

Another discovery for us was lack of flowers for the artists after the concert.

In Dublin, at the same day, there took place an opening of new Grand Canal Theatre with more than 2000-seat hall. We shall hope that in this hall there will not be the practice to drink beer during performance.

So, see you in Grand Canal Theater.