The Commitments

Just watched it again and forgot how good it is, the music is spot on and like many thought Imelda was gorgeous

Andrew Strong was only 16 and can certainly hit the notes

I need to rewatch it as well – fond memories from too many years ago.

Never saw the film sadly but the book was great

One of those movies we showed the kids when they were old enough and all enjoyed

Live sound recording for the song gig scenes too – roid Sally roid!

it’s on IPlayer I think

Funnily enough I watched it again recently, what a lovely film.

I was in the queue at LAX years ago, just behind me was Alan Parker and his family. I wanted to say hello but I couldn’t remember if he’d been knighted or not, so held off. Just as well because Jonathan Woss got marched to the front of the queue, waving serenely at the oiks and the look on Parker’s face made it clear that he wasn’t in the mood for chit chat. RIP Sir Alan William Parker.

the look on Parker’s face made it clear that he wasn’t in the mood for chit chat

To be fair, merely being at LAX leaves me in that mood. A contender for world’s worst airport (not that I’ve been to all the world’s airports, so there probably are worse).

Great film though.

igm, it was even worse than usual. They’d gone full-on ‘homeland security’ and the queue for the Bradley Building went around the block!

I ended up in a lockin with them at my local Irish pub in Denmark after they had played a gig in town. All very nice, completely mad but nice.

None of the debut cast seem to have done much after it.

Glen Hansard who was in the film as Outspan Foster the guitarist is playing the Queen’s hall in Edinburgh tomorrow evening 1st April

Andrea Corr, Jim Corr seem to have kept themselves busy

He was also in the filum ‘Once’, which isn’t a documentary about the Spanish pro tour cycling team from the 90s, but ‘a modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant and their eventful week in Dublin, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story.’

Edit. ‘He’ being Glen Hansard.

Glen hansard supported Eddie vedder and is currently in his solo project

Funnily enough its the last Blu Ray I bought, had a family film night a couple of weekends ago… most enjoyable and great music- not sure what eldest made of it though.
Quite the contrast to the endless stream of made-for-america fare you get from the likes of netflix

Book, film and the show were all excellent. Took the kids to the show having not seen the film. They enjoyed the music anyway 🤣

If you like that sort of soul music (maybe slightly different accents) then you may like the wife’s band and doing a charity gig Sat 20th April in Malvern…

https://thesoulconnectionuk.com/gigs

Am I allowed to bump this?

If not, I’m sure you’ll tell me and take necessary action, that’s cool 🫣

If it’s ok, just another plug for this, thank you.

Oh it is relevant. Because of this film that I ended up joining my first band many years ago…

———–

Your 2x week reminder… 😆

Even if it’s not your thing, if you feel you’d be able to share far and wide or give us a follow and all that stuff on socials, that would be wicked, sweet, awesome!

Much love, TSC

Article:

https://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/24185573.soul-connection-malvern-cube-worcestershire-breast-unit-haven/

Tickets:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cubebookings/t-xmxvkxr

Band stuff:

http://www.thesoulconnectionuk.com

https://www.facebook.com/thesoulconnectionbanduk

https://www.instagram.com/thesoulconnectionbanduk

Alan Parker’s genius for making a scene believable:

I saw the film last weekend for the first time and randomly just stumbled on this thread. Absolutely fantastic, really enjoyed it.

Still on iPlayer.

There’s a Commitments tribute band playing our town hall sometime soon, apparently. I won’t go, I’ve got too many gigs for gigging recording artists already, including Fairground Attraction, who’ve got back together after 30 years, and have a new album coming out as well! I’ve been wondering what Eddi Reader was up to, she’s been fairly quiet lately, so I’m thrilled to see her original band back, I never managed to see them live. 😁🫶🏻

I saw them perform in Tignes around 1996. I never quite got my bed around how many of the band were original or if it was a Triggers Broom setup. Either way, it was ace. Ended up dancing on stage with them then copping off with Suzie the chalet girl. Good times.

@CountZero – Eddi Reader is playing The Nantwich Roots Festival in a few weeks, and has played the Words & Music Festival there a couple of times recently.

Used to live near where it was filmed/set. Ballymun’s tower blocks were being demolished when I left in 2003.

Great film, my favourite scene is the one with the kids with the horse waiting for the lift.

I knew a guy who owned a horse who lived in the flats and for a while left his horse tethered on a grassy patch just outside the flats.

The Van is worth a watch, as is The General. Both set in Dublin.

Kind of scared to watch the film again in case it hasnt aged well, but a second read of the book could be on the cards

I saw it at the cinema when it was released. Watched it again off the back of this thread and think it’s aged very well indeed. It’s set me off on an Alan Parker binge.

The Snapper, another one based on the Barrytown trilogy, is a good film if you can find it.

Update on TSC gig last night; went really well, dance floor wasn’t big enough and had some generous donations.

Had a very amusing moment on the way home after, Pretty sure we saw Willson Picket in his limo looking lost! (fairy unusual to see one around here and reminded me of this thread)

I am currently enjoying The Guts on audiobook. The Guts being part 4 of the Barrytown trilogy.
(Nods in the general direction of Douglas Adams)

I’ve been waiting for AGES for The Committments to reappear on a streaming service so was chuffed when it came up on BBC. It has aged a bit but it’s still a great film

None of the debut cast seem to have done much after it.

I was going to mention Bronagh Gallagher, but I see it wasn’t actually her debut. Colm Meaney had done a few things also.

Good then, excellent now.

“Jazz can do one,” or words to that effect, has always stayed with me. To the point I’m not sure I even like guitar solos in rock songs.