Tag Archives: Derry

DylanFest in Derry – The Dylanites to Play the Gweedore Tonight

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Ryan O'Dochartaigh

The Dylanites

The Dylanites, who hail from Derry, are one of the best Dylan bands around.

They will be playing in the Gweedore Bar in Derry tonight from 11pm to 1am.

This is not the first time they have played the DylanFest.

They played The Bar-a-Cuda in the 2nd year of the DylanFest in Moville.

DylanFest in St Eugene’s Hall

I had brought a playwright from Canada to perform in St Eugene’s Hall, the local Temperance Hall.

He had met Dylan twice and had got permission from him to create a play based solely on words Dylan has used and with some of his greatest songs.

The DylanFest had been a big success in its first year – but was it a one-off?

The opening night in Rosatos went well – but that was only on in one pub.

I went to the play on the Friday evening.

It was very good – but there were only about 30 to 40 people there.

As I was leaving afterwards I wondered whether many people would come this year.

The Dylanites in Moville at the Bar-A-Cuda

I decided to take a look in the back door to see if there was many in the Bar-A-Cuda where The Dylanites were playing.

My heart lifted.

The place was mobbed.

Not only that, everyone was up on the floor bopping along to The Dylanites up tempo Dylan music.

I then went to Rosatos to find that there was a good crowd there to see Jacques Mees from Holland.

I would heavily recommend going to see The Dylanites.

You may well find yourself bopping about and up dancing to Dylan songs.

Stuck Inside of Moville, The DylanFest on the Lough

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Stuck Inside of Moville

 Stuck Inside of Moville, the DylanFest on the Lough, has taken place in Moville for the last 11 years. It takes place on the bank holiday weekend at the end of August.
There are DylanFests in Berlin, Manchester, Milan, Eindhoven, Hibbing Minnesota and California.
Indeed a couple of guys from Moville who went to play at the Manchester DylanFest said that the Thursday in Moville was bigger than the Saturday might at the Manchester DylanFest.

Biggest DylanFest in the World

 The guys who come here to play from all over the world tell me that the DylanFest in Moville is the biggest in the world.
I can’t vouch for that but it will certainly be the biggest when Derry joins in too.
It takes place over 4 days in multiple locations, indoors and outdoors. It has now grown so much that every bed within 14 miles of Moville is taken well beforehand.
So, there is not much growth to be had for the festival in Moville.

DylanFest in Derry

 Although it is already said to be the biggest DylanFest in the world, it would be even bigger still if we took it to Derry as well in 2017.
Of course, the logistics of having it in Derry would be much greater. Most festivals take place in the countryside where people live in tents and slosh about in the mud.
Moville’s DylanFest takes place right in the Centre of town and benefits the businesses there. Derry also has experience of this model with the Jazz Festival and other festivals.

DylanFest Locations in Derry

 What we would need to see what venues could be used. It would be good to have the main acts in an open area and local pubs could put on Dylan acts nearby.
The open area could be by the Guildhall, across the lough at the old Barracks, the street near Sandinos or the street by the Wall which has all the pubs like Masons etc.
Derry’s experience in publicising music festivals would be useful too.
Derry would be a perfect place for putting on a festival of Bob Dylan music.
I’m sure it is the kind of project that the man himself would approve of.
It would be great to be able to involve the schools as well with the kids from both sides singing Dylan songs like Blowing In the Wind and Mr Tambourine Man.