NPR : World Cafe

Sense Of Place: Come For The Beer, Stay For The Music

December 2, 2011
comments

Throughout the week, World Cafe travels to Dublin, Ireland — the first stop in a quarterly series called Sense of Place. We hope to give you an idea of the past and present of the city's local music scene and provide tips from musicians and music lovers for those hoping to visit this culturally rich town.

Acting as tour guide is Glen Hansard, the Academy Award-winning songwriter and singer for both The Frames and The Swell Season. Hot Press editor Niall Stokes, who helms the Irish equivalent of Rolling Stone, and musician Conor O'Brien of the band Villagers also provide local insight.

If you're a musician traveling to Dublin, there's one thing you can't avoid talking about. No, it's not music. It's beer: Guinness, to be exact.

"If we had royalty in Ireland ... it would be the Guinnesses," Glen Hansard says. "They're like the new high kings of our land."

He's not exaggerating. When the Guinness family opened its Dublin brewery in 1759, the factory employed thousands of Irish workers, gave them medical benefits, built them flats and started running soup kitchens for the homeless. A constant reminder of this still hangs in the air: "The smell of Dublin is the thick smell of burnt hops," Hansard says.

So maybe musicians visit the town for the beer, but they stay for the music. Josh Ritter toured with The Frames for a year, and was enticed by the city's enthusiasm for good music. Guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela took it a step further and relocated to the city from Mexico. Because Dublin is so small and friendly, it's easy to meet musicians, even your idols — Hansard tells of meeting Bob Dylan on the street, and of making such an impression that Hansard was invited to open for the legend the following night in London.

"We're a communicative nation," Hansard says. "So come and talk to someone. We're very open."

Click here to learn more about Sense of Place, and check out WXPN's interactive map of Dublin.

Copyright 2011 WXPN-FM. To see more, visit http://www.xpn.org/.

Arts & Culture

NPR

HBCU President Asks Dr. Dre, Why Not Us?

Hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre and music producer Jimmy Iovine recently donated $70 million to the University of Southern California. Many people are applauding their generosity, but some aren't so happy. Host Michel Martin speaks with Walter Kimbrough, President of Dillard University, about why he thinks an HBCU should have gotten the money.

Food

NPR

Canned Peaches Are As Nutritious As Fresh. Really?

What's more, when it comes to some nutrients, like vitamin C, canned peaches pack an even bigger punch than fresh, researchers say. The reasons have to do with how the canning process alters the fruit's cell walls. So eat 'em up!

Politics

NPR

CBC Chair Marcia Fudge Wants Caucus To Be Heard On The Hill

Ohio Representative Marcia Fudge is still relatively new on the block. But she's established herself as the new head of the Congressional Black Congress. In the role, she's already been very vocal about whether the President is doing enough for people of color. Host Michel Martin talks with Congresswomen Fudge about her ideas for America.

Technology

NPR

3-D Printer Makes Life-Saving Splint For Baby Boy's Airway

A 3-D printer is being credited with helping to save an Ohio baby's life, after doctors "printed" a tube to support a weak airway that caused him to stop breathing. The innovative procedure has allowed Kaiba Gionfriddo, of Youngstown, Ohio, to stay off a ventilator for more than a year.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.