Described in its pre-publicity as a ‘unique culture event’, Vinyl Dublin – an ambitious celebration of everyone’s favourite sound carrier – turned out be pretty much exactly that. Half summer literary festival, half backstage party at the Mercury Music Prize, the conference took place over a scorching May Bank Holiday weekend in Dublin at the Irish Museum Of Modern Art.
Appearances included Shane MacGowan, Tracey Thorn, Snow Patrol, Gruff Rhys, Bob Geldof, Tim Burgess, The Undertones, Can’s Irmin Schmidt, Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, Donovan, Kevin Shields, Chrissie Hynde, Peggy Seeger, Billy Bragg, Brix Smith-Start, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Lol Tolhurst, Scott Gorham, James Lavelle and Andy Weatherall, along with many names that only those who pore over album liner notes would recognise – Buzzcocks sleeve designer Malcolm Garrett, renowned NME photographer Chalkie Davies, Stiff Records impresario Dave Robinson… Choice moments included Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy interviewing U2/ Smashing Pumpkins producer Flood on how he assembles a hit; Martin Freeman bringing his avuncular gravitas to a celebration of mod culture with Eddie Piller, and The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess sharing his frighteningly eclectic music taste with Catastrophe star Sharon Horgan. There was even a Long Live Vinyl special, where Bella Union’s Simon Raymonde waxed lyrical with regular contributor Ben Wardle.