Limerick promotions group sharing metal with the masses
LIMERICK'S OWN Bad Reputation Promotions has been one of the Mid-West's primary supporters of metal and alternative music acts for the last 16 years.
Established in 2007 by John Real, Ciaran Culhane and Shane Horan, the trio came together after promoting small shows in local bars of Limerick. Their goal was to promote Irish and international metal in Limerick.
Shane departed after a few years for adventures abroad, but John and Ciaran continued making waves in the underground scene, ultimately settling in Dolan's which has become their hub.
The duo works on a volunteer basis throughout the year to deliver a wide array of metal and alternative genre concerts including at their bi-annual festival – The Siege of Limerick.
The Siege of Limerick takes place in April and October annually and hosts a range of bands in a variety of subgenres of metal and alternative music from all around the nation and the globe.
It is a free event and children are welcome to attend until the curfew time - hopefully creating a new generation of fans.
“It started out as a peripheral festival, something small for local bands and it grew from there to an international event that still has that community ethos,” John said.
The festival, which welcomes people from all walks of life who share an interest in metal music, is run by a crew of Bad Reputation volunteers.
“There are loads of international cohorts that come to the Siege now, there's a guy from Japan that comes... people from France, Germany, England...”
John says he and his team have exceeded their original expectations and are proud of what the festival has come to be.
“With the Siege of Limerick, I've always been a strong believer of community empowerment and values and that music is for everyone,” he explained.
During the Covid-19 restrictions, the live music industry was impacted massively. Despite this, Bad Reputation remained proactive and when they had to cancel The Siege of Limerick due to lockdown restrictions, they established Siegecast - a live-streamed Siege of Limerick event with Crude Media that Bad Reputation organised as a virtual substitute to the bi-annual festival.
In 2020 and 2021, with the streamed events they ran, Bad Reputation raised over six thousand euro for charities which were chosen by the bands who featured.
Dolan's has hosted The Siege of Limerick festival and the concerts for over ten years and Bad Reputation maintains a strong relationship with the family and praises them highly.
When Bad Reputation held a concert in King John's Castle in 2019 featuring Polish black metal band Behemoth and Viking-themed melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, they were met with negative feedback including from a local councillor.
Despite this, the Dolan family supported Bad Reputation and their vision and the concert proved to be highly successful.
“Even when we got some flack from very narrow-minded people on that, they backed us.” John said, referring to the Dolan family.
“They understand that it's an art form and art cannot be tamed. It's a testament to how professional they are in their approach to live music, hospitality and supporting Limerick. I'm forever grateful to Mick, Valerie and Neil,” added John.
Speaking to John on a personal level as a fan of the music, this reporter asked about the negative stereotypes of metal music that have been rife since the dawn of the genre.
“People fear what they don't understand. What I would say to people who have a negative perception of metal is: actually talk to metal fans. Realise they're human beings and not gargoyles that lurk in the shadows. It's a genre that trundles away happily as an underground music culture and its persistence and longevity if anything has to stand for something,” John explained.
The Limerick metal scene is a very diverse one, according to John.
“I'm sure a fair amount of people think that it's just old white men. I completely disagree, I think we have a very diverse metal scene in Limerick... and anyone that disagrees – come to a Siege. See how diverse it is.”
The genre is all-encompassing, complex and creative, and Bad Reputation are proud to represent it in Limerick. “The thematic scope of heavy metal goes from social equality with bands like Napalm Death – changing the world, to wizards and fantasy with bands like Dio. Heavy metal challenges the listener. It's challenging, it's abrasive, it's in your face. You have to actively engage. And that is problematic for a lot of people.”
Bad Reputation hosts Cork based post-rock outfit Partholón in Dolan's this Saturday night. Tickets are available via the Dolan's website.