The Undertones Rock The Casbah Bar

Details

Location

Derry/Londonderry

Year

1978

Date

Length

11min 48sec

Audio

mute

Format

Super 8

colour

Source

Courtesy

Northland Broadcast, OpenReel Productions, Tower Museum, Vinny Cunningham

Rights Holder

Vinny Cunningham

It is illegal to download, copy, print or otherwise utilise in any other form this material, without written consent from the copyright holder.

Description

This video shows footage of The Undertones performing in “The Casbah Bar”, the famous Derry venue. The Casbah Bar, located on Orchard Street, was a key part of the city’s music history and youth culture.  The Casbah was seen as a bit of a dive bar. This only made the place an attractive alternative to the predictable showbands that performed the hits of the day that other pubs played host to. Many bands performed there over the years, but the bar’s most famous act was The Undertones. The venue was the first location that paid the group a regular fee. Their regular spot, as well as the growing fanbase that came to see them, encouraged the young band and gave them the confidence to create more of their own material. 

This gig was recorded in 1978, their breakout year. In March, they recorded a demo tape that paved the way for their most famous song, “Teenage Kicks”. Unfortunately, you can only imagine what songs they were playing as no audio exists. Despite this, the footage provides a great insight into the atmosphere of the Casbah Bar and a young band bursting with energy and potential. Catch a glimpse of Derry’s most famous band on the cusp of stardom.

Notes

Vinny Cunningham is a filmmaker based in Derry.

Credits

This footage was donated to the Tower Museum and the Digital Film Archive by Vinny Cunningham.

Links

×

Please scroll to review and accept our terms and conditions (last updated on ) before viewing the moving images content.

To remember your terms and conditions acceptance, you can register as a site member or allow cookies on your browser.