THE sight of an idle pavilion in their grounds has inspired a Limerick rugby club to pitch their vision of culture beyond the leather oval.
There is a three-year plan being fashioned for Pig’nPorter Tag Rugby Festival by host Old Crescent RFC. They have set about mounting a July suite of events by 2020, integrating the current sport festival and crowds with the arts formally.
The first act in the first year of this opens on Thursday July 13 at 8pm in the marquee/ pavilion at Rosbrien’s expanded grounds. 700 capacity.
Famous Slovakian violinists Vladimir and Anton Jablokov will play in concert. Singer/ songwriter Emma Langford will open for these musicians known for their energetic, highly skilled performances of east European folk, and classical music. Vlad’s unique arrangements dazzle, as do their looks. Those men are beautiful.
Limerick Post made haste to The Savoy launch to hear what the enterprising rugby committee has to offer. Meet Michael Murphy, Old Crescent stalwart and University Concert Hall’s first director, to set ‘Limerick Summer Music’ in context:
“Pig’nPorter has been around a few years now and is the largest tag rugby event in the world. Around 3,000 people will be at Old Crescent on Saturday July 15 on the night”. Briefly, realising the festival marquee will be empty for the rest of the week was bringing club members out in hives.
“It’s an opportunity, a resource… we thought, ‘let’s put on a concert’.”
Given Murph’s innings in the music world, he lifted the phone to the brothers Jablokov, frequent flyers here, and got a rock-on response. The formal title to the concept thus far is ‘Limerick Summer Music’ and there are plans for making it sing.
Step up Emma Langford, on the cusp of a continental and Irish tour. She knows the Murphys from playing monthly at their restaurant, The Buttery, with double bassist Peter Hanagan. Both played out this Savoy reception for stakeholders last week.
Emma will open for the big act and then join, with Peter, the musical genius of Vladimir, Anton, their pianist and double bass player.
She’s upbeat: “Vlad has been very open. I sent on some work and he really liked what I did with The Rubberbandits’ ‘Horse Outside’.”
Back to Old Crescent’s strategy to fill out the lean performance calendar of summers in this city.
“This is the first time out for ‘Limerick Summer Music’. The key element is getting national and international artists to perform and if at all possible, with up and coming young local artists”.
Concert tickets at www.eventmaster.ie for this scrum of sport, music and happy festive campers.
