Digging The New Breed

Greystones Youth Café FRI23MAR23

hen it comes to grabbing the mic and facing the crowd, stand-up comedy is just about the loneliest number.

With music, a song can kill three minutes, whether you’re killing or not – and, at the very least, audiences feel obliged to applaud as each performance comes to a close.

With comedy, if that audience isn’t laughing, there’s a strong chance that you might not be any good. And the only applause you’re guaranteed is when you walk on and when you walk off. Neither necessarily a slap on the back.

So, bravo to the stand-ups who faced the muted last night at the Greystones Youth Cafe’s Open Mic for 4th-6th year students. It takes a lot of courage to be a comic, hoping against hope to deliver jokes that might tickle the funny bone of even the coolest of Greystones teenagers.

The singers fared somewhat better on the night, aided and abetted by guest rock god (and noted animator) Peter Baxter, on hand to make sure guitars with in tune and these young musicians were in time.

Also swinging by was Ross McParland, no doubt looking out for new talent for possible future gigs at his welcoming Whale theatre.

“Once again, we were blown away by the amazing talent on display,” says Greystones Youth Café volunteer Rachel Harper. “Huge thanks to Peter Baxter for helping make this night happen, and to Oisin Dutton for doing a fantastic job as MC. The night was such a hit we’re hoping to do this on a monthly basis.”

Boom! Congrats to everyone who took part (including Ewan Macadam, Theo Monaghan, Leah Fallon, Elena Long, Luca O’Shea Breen, Kayla O’Toole, Alexandru Petrovici and Jamie Hamilton), plus Rachel, Genevieve and the GYC gang for pulling it all together.

Open Wednesdays 3pm to 5pm and Fridays 7pm to 9pm for teenagers, as always, everyone is welcome. Including any volunteers who can help the café open more days during the week.

You can find out more by emailing youthcafe@tiglin.ie, follow on Instagram here, and see how it all started right here.