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You are > Home > Lack of local support hits a sour note
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Thursday, July 29, 2010
Lack of local support hits a sour note
THEY CAME from as far away as Spain, Finland, Sweden and the UK .... but where, oh where, were the locals?
That was the question being asked by organisers of Enniscorthy’s first-ever Riverside Jump 1950s’ Rock ‘n Roll and Classic Car Festival which took place in the town recently.
The organisers rather kindly described it as ‘a slightly negative note’, but their huge sense of disappointment at the absence and lack of support of locals for the event could not be hidden.
It’s reckoned that, of the crowd which turned out for the festival, a staggering 80% were from outside Co. Wexford.
Eamonn Doyle of Rock Bop Boogie promotions admitted, “People travelled from all over Ireland and many parts of Europe to take part.
“There was some recent criticism locally of Strawberry Festival being stale and requiring fresh impetus, yet the first opportunity that local music fans had to embrace something new and exciting, the lack of any real interest from the town and the county was tangible.”
The wet weather may not have helped, but the elements certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of the Rockabilly fans, with eight bands performing in style for fans on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, culminating in a great jam session on the Sunday, featuring almost all the international acts in a fun, informal end to the festival.
Some aspects of the festival didn’t go fully to plan.
The planned cavalcade of 1950s classic cars through the town had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, and there was an even more negative note when some items belonging to some of the carowners ‘disappeared’ overnight on Saturday.
But people enjoyed viewing the classic vehicles from the vintage days of rock, and also bopped their recessionary blues away to the fantastic music of yesteryear.
Though a little downbeat by some aspects of the occasion, ever-enthusiastic Eamonn Doyle vows to continue with the Riverside Jump Festival.
“Notwithstanding, we hope to make it an annual event, and the positive feedback we got, and ensuing word-of-mouth publicity, should ensure it has the potential to grow into a really significant event for the local economy.”
The promoters Rock Bop Boogie says a big Thank You to everyone who played a part in staging the festival.
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