Greystones Rock & Roll Circus Pt 2

For those about to rock’n’roll circus…

t was always going to be something a little crazy and a little bit beautiful…

Setting up a circus in the middle of the beautiful grounds of Belmont Demesne is wild enough.

Then bringing together the mighty Kila and special guests for a real-life rock & roll circus, well, that was always going to be a little bit crazy.

And a little bit beautiful too, of course.

Up on Windgates till Sunday, this wasn’t the first time the Circus Gerbola gang decided to colour outside the lines during their regular Greystones visits. Jump back 5 years, and it was UFO channelling Thin Lizzy’s Live & Dangerous that had the jugglers, acrobats and clowns jumping up and down.

This time out, it was another charity event, only it was bigger, bolder and bejiggers, a bona fide, been-on-the-telly, sold-out-Vicar-Street band.

First though, there was all that Circus Gerbola magic to get through, with the doors opening at 7.30pm and, by the time Kila took to the stage, closing again pretty much at the midnight hour. Which meant only the hardy hippy kids were left dancing.

The great John Hickey with Kila

Inbetween, there were giggles and gasps galore, with a busload of Ukrainian visitors making the journey up from Coolnagreina for a welcome night of colourful, clown-filled escapism.

With John McGowan (and Gerry Kelly) busy at the launch of Brazilian photographer Leandro Gladstone’s exhibition in Finnbees, it was down to the great John Hickey to do the honours up in Belmont Demesne.

And the man went above and beyond, producing approximately 4,789 snaps of the sweet silliness. You can check out the full gallery here.