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I'll tell you why you shouldn't have got a chance, Amanda

Amanda Brunker's slot at Oxegen was the final nail in the coffin for the ailing Irish music industry, says Daniel McConnell

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By Daniel McConnell
Sunday Jul 10 2011

On inducting U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, Bruce Springsteen said: "In art, in love and in rock and roll, the whole had better equal much more than the sum of its parts. A great rock band searches for the same force that fuelled the expansion of the universe after the big bang."

"You want the earth to shake and spit fire, you want the sky to split apart and for God to pour out. It's embarrassing to want so much and expect so much from music, but occasionally it happens."

Yesterday, a prime slot at Ireland's largest and supposedly most prestigious rock festival was given to a tabloid journalist and and an author of trashy chick lit author, famous for nothing else other than being a big bosomed loud mouth who has no music credentials to speak of, other than being a hanger-on of U2 lead singer, Bono.

A blonde bombshell, there are only two very big obvious reasons to look at Amanda Brunker. A brilliant self-publicist, she has certainly made the most of her assets, and good luck to her. But she does not belong at Oxegen, if that festival demands any credibility.

Her inclusion on the Vodafone stage at 2pm yesterday, following the withdrawal of Jessie J, was disgustingly outrageous, and highlights boldly exactly what's wrong with the "Irish music scene".

"Why shouldn't I get a chance?" she retorted when news of her appearance emerged. A chance is not a prime slot at Oxegen.

Countless bands worthy of a slot no doubt expressed an interest and were turned down. Let me declare my hand here. I am a musician. I have played various festivals in the past 10 years. I, like many others, dreamed of making a living from music. To all those in that boat, who dream or have dreamt of a career in rock, Brunker's presence at Oxegen was repugnant.

The self-absorbed sense of entitlement that oozes out of Dublin's Z-list bar flies, each of them pointless non-entities, knows no bounds. So many great Irish acts like O Emperor, Lucky Bones, The Last Tycoons or Hitman Lord could have benefited from that slot.

Instead, one email from this tabloid creature sealed the deal. God help us!

Given the forceful response online to the news of her appearance, there are many who feel the same as me. I mean seriously, who would they get to replace Beyonce if she pulled out of her slot tonight? Georgia Salpa?

The truth of the matter is that she is a face around Dublin, and no doubt friendly with the booking agents and MCD boss Denis Desmond himself. He had a slot to fill and rather than give some worthy band a break, he chose to make a mockery of all those bands who slog, who starve and who live in poverty in the hope of making it.

Those who defend Brunker will say, well at least she asked. She showed a bit of initiative. That's simply nonsense. Her presence on the Vodafone stage at Oxegen is the final nail in the coffin of the Irish music scene, which has been dying painfully slowly for years. Or maybe it was all just a publicity stunt by Desmond to attract attention. If it was he has succeeded.

But just to cover all bases, Mr Desmond, here is my request: can my band and I please play Oxegen next year? I look forward to hearing from you but I'm not holding my breath.

- Daniel McConnell

Originally published in