I came to bed early tonight (I’m writing this on my phone) because Derry Girls didn’t win a BAFTA and I was grumpy. They missed out in the Scripted Comedy category to a show I’d never heard of, can’t remember its name and will probably never watch. (Still, well done).
Yes, being from Northern Ireland, I’m biased. But Derry Girls does tickle me. More importantly, many people I’ve spoken to on this side of the water who’ve seen it love it every bit as much as me.
It’s been of a Derry weekend all round for me. On Friday I saw The Undertones. (Not in the street, in an actual gig),
They were magnificent. Not a surprise, I’d seen them twice before, but they are now better than ever.
Folk I speak to always question how they can possibly perform without original frontman Feargal Sharkey, who left the band in 1983. The answer is his replacement Paul McLoone, who assumed the mantle a mere 20 years ago.
He’s magnificent. Energetic, wonderfully tuneful and as camp as a row of tents. What’s not to like?!
With his bandmates, they blasted out 25 tunes before returning for more.
At the start of the encore, bass player Muckey Bradley said: “We just realised, we forgot one or two.”
He added a little later: “Our bus doesn’t leave for 10 minutes. We have time for a few more!”
It was a fantastic night with The Undertones supported by the best warm-up act I’ve seen in The Neville Staple Band who rolled out the ska hits.
But it was all about The Undertones. If you can see them, do see them.
Unlike the cast and crew of Derry Girls this evening, you will not go home disappointed.
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