I've mentioned this in the "Murphy's Law" thread but the current plague for virtually every Irish pub to install and have permanently switched on one of those infernal big screen televisions is really beginning to bug me!

Here in Brussels we have about 15 or 16 Irish pubs and virtually every single one has one of these wretched devices. They have virtually destroyed the chance of having any kind of informal session. Even with a dozen or more good players present and even with some visiting "celebrities" it seems that you have a battle to get the infernal thing switched of, even if only a couple of zombies are watching the "big game". It seems to most of us here that there is a decreasing level of respect for "live music" by "live people" these days. I have been booked several times to play starting at, say, 9pm, only to have to sit and wait till the big match finishes at 10h30.

We're beginning to go back to "house sessions" here as a result which may be a good thing in many ways but it does seem a shame that "Irish" pubs don't seem to value Irish music in some places.

I've not noticed this so much on visits to the States or Canada and not so much in Ireland. Is it happening in Britain too or is it a purely local thing here. Does anyone else have experience with this.

Sorry for the rant but this is a pet hate at the moment and I had to get it off my chest!

All the best,

mcmoo