Why Downtown Manhattan?

The home of the Blues in Dublin, Ireland, so called after Peter Moore’s song about the goin’s on at a late nite café of the same name in Dublin City, haunted in the early hours by bands after their gigs. The song, recorded by the International Blues Band, describes a Saturday night trek from McDaids through the night clubs and streets of Dublin ending at Auntie Mays (Manhattan Café).

Come gather round ye souls of soul
and clammer ‘board my train
follow me to the promised land
of profecy and pain
heed not the clarion
of calm and wiser things
to flop and mop on the streets of green
in search of flightless wings
but cast your eyes on treasures gold
in the words that do ensue
and find your guide to all that is
and ever can be called the blues

Read more about the Manhattan and Aunty May here.

Blues Night, Peter Moore Singer / Songwriter with the International Blues Band, in good form at the Dublin Blues Festival. Photo by Ray McManus from The Irish Times

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