Television Special Causes Problems

One of Larry’s best gigs in Ireland was undoubtedly the famed 1987 Ulster Hall gig. In the audience that night was Michael Beattie, an executive with Ulster Television (UTV) at the time.  When I was next bringing Larry back in 1988 I was working as a tele-sales person in Sunday Life Newspaper.  I got a call one afternoon from Will Armstrong, a producer from UTV.  Will explained that Michael has asked him to call me as he was very impressed with Larry’s last performance and would love UTV to make a 30 minute show from his next concert.  Would I mind coming down to the station that afternoon to sort out the details.  Would I mind?  I was there an hour later and Will explained the deal.  The Station would put in an OB Unit and film the whole show.  They would then edit it to 27 minutes and broadcast it on UTV.  We would be offered the same deal that they had just made with Van Morrison - no payment would be received for the gig, but if they managed to sell the show on to Channel 4 or any other broadcaster, Larry would get 33% of the fee, in addition, they would give us free TV advertising for the concert, about 20 x 10 minutes slots.  Needless to say I was keen to do the deal as it would help guarantee a crowd.  The only negative to the deal transpired in the weeks to come.

The gig was in the Presbyterian Assembly Buildings and the stage there at the time has a brass railing around it, about 1 metre high.  When UTV did a site visit they insisted that the railing had to come down as it was in the direct sight-line of their cameras.  However the members of the Presbyterian Assembly (Committee) were having none of it.  They refused permission as this was an historic listed building and the railing had been there since the building had opened.  We made a number of approaches from various angles but the filming seemed to be in jeopardy.  With one week to go and the intervention of Dr John Girvan, the Presbyterian Moderator in Ireland at that time (a friend of a friend of mine) the committee finally relented.

The gig was filmed and went out about ten weeks later.  Mike Beattie is still a regular face in the crowd at gigs (and a very welcome one).  A few years later the railing finally disappeared for ever when the lower level of the auditorium was removed by the construction of a shopping complex!

Trevor King