The view looks pretty blue from here

Last night I was given the opportunity to go see Darren Skelton's 'view from the blue' show in Central Arts. I had missed it the first two nights he played because of work but it had received such a good reception that he agreed to put on another show. All I knew going in is that there would be a lot of nostalgia, some of which would probably be lost on me. I do like a chance to broaden my cultural horizons as often as I can and a blog about the view from my couch probably wouldn't get many hits so I decided to take a chance on it.

Like Darren I was also born in the 80's, although you would never know it to look at my baby face. I was not however born in Waterford. I'm originally from Clonmel in South Tipperary but I moved to Waterford in 2006 for college and somehow I forgot to leave so here I am 9 years later. I would still be considered somewhat of a blow in and by no means am I in any position to get nostalgic about the good old days in Waterford. Darren is as Waterford as the blaa ( very floury roll for any non Waterfordians) and is currently a columnist for local paper 'The Waterford News and Star'. Considering the fact that I know ridiculously few natives after all this time, I find local papers are a little lost on me but I know the News and Star is well respected. I remember how my colleagues used  to scour it for news on breaks back in my Bookcentre days. 
I did have the pleasure of seeing a snippet of the show at one of the open mic nights, a teaser if you will that involved literal toilet humour and it left me somewhat intrigued so even though I was expecting for most of the throwbacks to old Waterford to go right over my head, I was willing to give it a shot.

The show comprised of stories and reminiscing broken down into different chapters with a small bit of dancing. Darren is clearly a talented storyteller and he managed to bring many of his memories to life for those of us sitting in the audience. I felt I missed out on very little by not being a native because a lot of his tales of growing up would be familiar to anyone growing in Ireland in the 80's and not at all specific to Waterford. I am sure a younger audience probably would have left a little puzzled as it is difficult to reminisce over things you never experienced but those sitting down to listen were well placed to nod in agreement as the memories of our own childhoods came flooding back.

During the interval, I was talking to an older couple down from Cork who were inquiring about the show. They decided to come in for the second half and I couldn't help wondering what they made of it. Especially when after the break, Sinead Gould came on to do a fantastic dance number. It was brilliantly done if a little on the racy side and I could only imagine they were probably wondering what they had walked into. 

There were several times when I found myself breathless with laughter and more than one occasion when I may have laughed in shock at what he had just said. Let's just say there were a few sound bites that might have gotten him into trouble if taken out of context. There were only two occasions when I found myself a little lost. Obviously I don't remember the old shops and bars that used to be the hub of the city and are now forgotten, other premises now stand in their place. And then the second time I found myself staring blankly back is when he started to remember the tv shows he watched growing up. In my house my parents weren't big on tv. They didn't watch a lot of it and they certainly didn't want us watching it when we could be outside or reading or doing any number of other things. So while families across Ireland were getting in the channels, we had to make do with RTE 1 and 2. My father wouldn't budge on the issue. Most of the shows Darren watched growing up were ones I never got to see but only heard whispers of in school on a Monday while I nodded and pretended I had seen it too.

 Overall It made for a thoroughly entertaining night. I think from what I saw that it was enjoyed just as much by those who didn't know him (like myself) as by those it did and I will say I was glad to he didn't know my name so I was spared the embarrassment of being dragged up on stage like the audience members who were brought up on stage to the Riverdance for the finale. 
They danced it well and with plenty of good humour, especially the two Waterford councillors who I am sure weren't expecting to be prised from their seats. We all left smiling and I am sure I would go back again for the view from the blue round two.