An unusual mix of musical, comic and literary entertainment in an elegant Georgian setting is finding a receptive new audience, writes DAVIN O'DWYER
IT IS WIDELY acknowledged that we are enthusiastic concert-goers in this country, in good times and even in bad. Furthermore, there are a sizable number of comedy clubs and a disproportionate number of very funny comedians. For many literary types, meanwhile, poetry has long been more a social than a solitary activity, with regular readings a key aspect of the form’s appeal.
What there hasn’t often been, however, is a night that carefully blends music, comedy and literature in one easy-to-consume cocktail of culture. Until Nighthawks at the Cobalt came along, that is.
The brainchild of Stephen Kennedy, an infectiously enthusiastic writer and IT professional, Nighthawks has been running for more than a year now in the elegant Georgian drawing room that is the Cobalt Cafe on North Great George’s Street. Once a month, Kennedy and his fellow hawks, his wife Mary and friends Julie McGovern and Colm Keegan, present an eclectic range of acts for an equally eclectic audience.
“We used to run the Shoestring Collective, a similar sort of night, over in the James Joyce Centre,” Kennedy says, “but I moved on in late 2008 and started Nighthawks at the start of last year. I have a lot of friends I couldn’t drag out to events during the week, and I’d always be seeing something amazing. I’d be thinking it would be great if my friends could see this, so I thought if I could combine all the good stuff into one night, they could enjoy it. And not just my friends. My mother comes in on the bus from Drogheda, and goes home on the last bus afterwards. She’d never go near an arts club, but she gets a real kick out of it. It’s people like that I run it for.”
Past performers include such recognisable names as musicians Conor O’Brien of Villagers, Vyvienne Long, Ronan O’Snodaigh, Colm Mac Con Iomaire and Pony Club; writers Dermot Bolger and Claire Kilroy; and comedians Paul Tylak and Damo Clarke. At a special Haiti fundraiser in January, Glen Hansard and Mark Geary played the room.
However, to focus on the recognisable names alone would be to miss the point – the event succeeds not only because of the range of performers, but also because of the range of experience. Well-known writers will follow novice comedians, raw singers will precede seasoned guitarists. The satisfying feeling of discovery is one of the most enjoyable aspects of Nighthawks.
“We’d feel a bit old going to other places, but we love coming here,” says regular audience member Frances Higgins. “We first came along to see Dermot Bolger last year, and we’ve been coming ever since. Sometimes we don’t know half the people performing, and that’s part of the charm – you don’t know what you’re going to get.”
“It’s a bit of an adventure,” adds her husband, John.
This comment is evidence of the trust the audience has in the talent-spotting of the organisers, which means that even if a given month’s line-up features six obscure names, regulars can be confident of the quality. That Kennedy and his team are clearly doing this for the love of it, rather than as a money-making venture, is key to that trust, and the same is true for the performers, some of whom could be playing much larger venues and demanding much larger pay cheques. It’s a virtuous circle of integrity that everyone – organisers, artists, audience – recognises and engages with.
“Colm Mac Con Iomaire, a guy who plays in front of thousands with the Swell Season in the US, had played before,” says Kennedy, “and was so determined to play again that he drove three hours through the snow and ice to play for us in January, and then drove home. He did that for feck-all budget, and that’s astounding.”
“It’s important to stress that it’s non-profit,” adds Mary. “Everything we make goes back into Nighthawks.”
Given that tickets sell for a recession-busting €12.50, the couple admit that most shows just about cover their costs.
THE SECRET ingredient, however, the unquantifiable element that makes Nighthawks feel special, is undoubtedly the Cobalt itself, the grand Georgian room which somehow ties the event together. Each performer, whatever their style or experience, can use the room to complement their delivery. On that snowy night in January, the crowd was transfixed by the playing of Colm Mac Con Iomaire and his fellow musicians, while at February’s Nighthawks, the Tom Waits-influenced Elder Roche and his band delivered a rousing set that had everyone dancing in their seats. Other acts on that bill included writers Colm Liddy and David Mohan; comedians George Fox, Rory O’Hanlon and Jim Elliott; and singer-songwriter Fiach. The difference, from the perfect stillness of one to the energy of the other, showed the adaptability of the space.
“When you put all those performers together in one room like this, you just don’t know what way it’s going to work,” says organiser Colm Keegan. “There’s big demand on tickets as a result, but we really respect the intimacy of it – there’s a soirée-type nature to it.”
Elder Roche sums it up when he says: “We prefer to play in places like this. People tend to listen; not just hear, but listen. I guess because they’re here to listen. Elsewhere people mosey in and out, with less attention paid.”
Almost as important as the eclectic line-up is the eclectic audience. Nighthawks seems refreshingly free of the sort of people who turn up merely because they want to be part of a scene, and who tend to suck the authenticity out of events. Instead, it fosters a sense of communality in its audience and a critical receptiveness to new experiences. Above all, it is full of people who might not consider themselves to be big consumers of culture at all. And the fact that there is less drink consumed than at your regular music gig or comedy club means that chatter is minimal and heckling non-existent.
Other projects for Kennedy and his team include a CD of performances for Oxfam, and a possible reprise of a charity show they put on in Project Arts Centre last year. In the meantime, though, they’re happy to keep creating magical nights at the Cobalt.
The next Nighthawks is on Saturday. Tickets from City Discs, Temple Bar, priced €12.50. Highlights from previous events can be viewed at mixtape.ie. The charity CD will be available from the Oxfam shop on Parliament Street, Dublin, in April
