This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2016) |
Irish showband | |
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Native name | seó-bhanna |
Stylistic origins | rock and roll, country and western, dixieland jazz, céilí Bigband |
Cultural origins | Ireland, 1950s–80s |
Typical instruments | drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboard instrument, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, clarinet. |
The Irish Showband (Irish: seó-bhanna)[1] was a dance band format popular in Ireland from the 1950s to the 1980s, with its peak in the 1960s. These bands typically featured seven to ten members, including a rhythm section, a brass section with various combinations of trumpet, saxophone, and trombone, and were fronted by lead singers, sometimes engaging in comedy skits. Their repertoire spanned rock and roll, country and western, dixieland jazz, big band tunes, Irish Céilí dances, Latin, folk, and more. Showbands were noted for their live energy, chart-topping covers, and sometimes choreographed performances. Originally touring within Ireland, successful bands later performed in Britain, the US, Canada, and on the German nightclub circuit and U.S. military bases in Europe.