Babylon

If you want it,

Come and get it

Crying out loud.

The love that I was

Giving you was

Never in doubt.

Let go your heart,

Let go your head,

And feel it now.

                        -David Gray, Babylon

In 1752 Arthur Guinness inherited 100 pounds from his Godfather, Church of Ireland Archbishop, Arthur Price.   Seven years later, Mr. Guinness signed a lease with remarkable terms for an unused brewery in Dublin: 

-100 pounds down;

-45 pounds/year rent;

-water rights included; 

-for up to 9,000 years.

Thus began the Guinness Brewery.  According to the Guinness website, 150 million glasses of Guinness are enjoyed every day in over 150 counties.

Last year the company marked their 250^th anniversary by launching the Arthur Guinness Fund which is designed to support social entrepreneurs.  The Guinness website defines a social entrepreneur as “someone who has a social heart and a business head,” a person who wants to deliver “transformational change in society.”  Of course, the anniversary also called for a big party and Guinness fans around the world marked the 250^th anniversary at “Arthur’s Day” concerts at multiple venues.

I learned about Arthur’s Day a few weeks ago when reading a Galway newspaper online.  I discovered that one of my favorite musicians, David Gray, was scheduled to perform at a 2010 Arthur’s Day event at a place called Folan Quay in Galway Harbor. 

I live on Galway Harbor, but I had no idea where Folan Quay is.  I searched maps, looked online and asked random people at church.  No one was sure.  Galway Harbor isn’t that big, so I imagined in any case I’d be able to hear the concert from my balcony.

On Monday I noticed some workers putting up what looked like a stage not 100 yards from my apartment.  The good news, apparently I LIVE on Folan Quay.  The bad news, the stage faced the other way.  I didn’t mind too much, though, because what matters most in a concert is sound.

Stage construction, view from my balcony

D'oh!  The put a "back" on the stage

Yesterday was Arthur’s Day and I went out in the early afternoon to see what I could see. 

Guinness trucks

Lots of Arthur's Day "drapes"

Temporary fences made it almost impossible to see anything.  I talked to a guard who told me that 2,500 tickets were sold and the event was sold out.

The stage from behind the barricades--you really do need a ticket if you want to see

All afternoon I was treated to sound checks.  I was beside myself when David Gray himself played three songs for his sound check.  I was twittering around my apartment as I heard him sing one of his most famous songs, Bablyon. 

The concert began at 5:59 PM (17:59 military time, the year Guinness was founded).  David Gray took the stage at 9:45 PM.  Kevin Skyped in during Gray’s second song and I took the computer out onto the balcony.  Kevin couldn’t hear the music very well over the computer’s microphone, but he was able to pick up the ambiance.  While we Skyped, Gray performed a song I put on a mixed CD I gave Kevin before I left for Ireland.  After we “hung up,” I went back out on the balcony.  It was the coolest night I remember since my arrival.   I wore a t-shirt, fleece shirt, and a fall jacket.  I then wrapped myself in my wool blanket from Inishmoore  It was wonderful.  As I said in an email to Kevin after the concert, “I will remember this night as long as I have memories.” 

The concert, from my balcony

Don’t see Elysium

Don’t see no fiery hell

Just the lights up bright baby

In the bay hotel

Next wave coming in

Like an ocean roar

Won’t you take my hand darling

On that old dance floor

            David Gray, The One I Love