Abner Brown seems to be just one old-style barbershop which is embedded into the Southern Dublin neighborhood of Rathmines amongst pubs and local shops; but in there, his owner decided to mix his way of living with another of his passions in life, music. That is something that you can quickly spot, as the place has an exceptional decoration on its walls between scissors, lotions and cut-throat razors.
The idea of featuring concerts in a barbershop would be crazy, but in here it becomes real, open to everyone, friendly and with no alteration in the local community’s balance of coexistence, but even improving it with the inimitable and spontaneous atmosphere that is generated only for a few hours in this improvised venue.
This has become one of the main and most interesting venues in Ireland, and it is the place where every band in town wants to perform. Since the first time the Canadian singer-song writer Blair Packham played here, hundreds of acts have already performed, such as Gavin Glass, Duke Special, David Geraghty (of Bell X1 fame), Molly Sterling, Mundy, The Hot Sprockets and many more. Even Michael Stipe, REM singer, was a visitor to this alternative spot last time he was in Dublin.
“More Than a Barbershop” is a short documentary which captures what is happening in this small corner of Dublin, tells how this mad idea started and developed, and explains how this place has become an icon in the Irish Music scene.
A film by: Fernando Otero Perandones and Xandru Fernández Ramírez
Music:
- ‘Do your thing’ written and performed by Johnny Stewart
- ‘Need to know (if you were mine)’ written and performed by Blair Packham © 2013 No. 1 Imperfects {SOCAN}
- ‘Bitch please’ written and performed by Carly Coonagh
- ‘Little miss Sunshine’ written and performed by Johnny Stewart
- ‘One-hit wonder’ written and performed by Blair Packham © 2014 No. 1 Imperfects {SOCAN}
Graphic design: Raquel Fernández & David Blanco
English subtitles & other tasks: Ronan O’Neill
Spanish subtitles: Lorena Pezzino
Tripods: Paul Powers & Alberto Badiola
Memory man: Darragh O’Toole
Special thanks to:
Federico Badiola, Darren Behan, Lucas Fernández, Maika Fernández, Tito Fernández, Rocío González, Aoife Gowen, Aisling Hamilton, Dennis Hermann, Ray Kennerney, Daniel Millán, Eric Murray, Owen O’Shaughnessy, Temple Lane Studios, Ana Ortiz, Alba Otero, Jacobo G. Polledo, Fernando Ramos, Angie Ribas and Abel Ubach.
Original title: More than a barbershop
Directors: Xandru Fernández Ramírez and Fernando Otero Perandones
Running time: 18 min.
Color: Color and Black and white
Format: Full HD 1920 x 1080
Frame rate: 25 p
Original language: English
Year: 2016
Country: Ireland – Spain
Genre: Music documentary
Locations: Dublin, Ireland.
Official site: www.visualizo.com/1844TimesProjects
Third Prize Festival del cortometraje musical Amua Inedit 2021 (Hondarribia)
Audience award Winner at Festival de Música no Cinema MUVI 2019 (Portugal)
Festival award Winner at Chicago Irish Film Festival 2017 (USA)
Best picture & best of festival Winner at Jukebox International Film Festival 2017 (USA)
Best documentary Winner at Sunnyside Film Festival 2016 (New York – USA)
Official Selection MusiCanZone Film Fest 2019 (La Spezia – Italy)
Official Selection DORF Festival 2018 (Vinkovci – Croatia)
Official Selection 25th OpenEyes FIlmfest 2018 (Marburg – Germany)
Official Selection Music in Cinema Film Festival 2018 (Atlanta – USA)
Official Selection Jecheon International Music and Film Festival 2017 (Korea)
Official Selection Kansas City Irish Fest 2017 (Kansas City – USA)
Official Selection Nederland International Film Festival 2017 (Nederland – USA)
Official Selection Short Film Festival Ireland 2017 (Wexford – Ireland)
Official Selection Disappear Here Film Festival 2017 (Donegal – Ireland)
Official Selection First Friday Film Festival 2017 (Kansas City – USA)
Official Selection Sonic Scene Music Film Fest 2017 (Trani – Italy)
Official Selection Fingal Film Festival 2016 (Ireland)
Official Selection Dublin International Short Film & Music Festival 2016 (Ireland)
Official Selection Underground Cinema Film Festival 2016 (Ireland)
Out of Competition Euregion Film Festival 2018 (Heerlen – Netherlands)
Out of Competition Festival de Cine y TV Reino de León 2018 (León)
Out of Competition Festival de Cortometrajes Luna de Cortos 2018 (Veguellina de Órbigo – León)
Out of Competition Festival Internacional de Cine de Ponferrada 2018 (Ponferrada – León)
