Touring Bands - The Vipers

THE VIPERS

Dave Moloney – The Vipers (Drummer)
“As far I remember The Vipers played up north several times. Newry and Banbridge spring to mind for some reason, although maybe that was with another band. But one gig I definitely remember was supporting the Boomtown Rats in Belfast’s Ulster Hall on their Tonic for the Troops tour in 1978. We had been told it wasn’t a great time to be going up north, especially with our reputation, but I had been up there dozens of times before and since and that’s all I’ve ever had, a great time! I was originally meant to join the Rats the year previous, as they thought Simon Crowe, their drummer, was going to leave, and I’d rehearsed with them for a couple of months. Unfortunately Simon changed his mind. Probably heard Ensign Records were going to sign the band for big bucks – before I did, I may add!
We had already supported the Rats in the Olympia in Dublin, so we knew what to expect….we thought. So we arrived in high spirits, full of the joys of spring, or whatever, thinking we were the bee’s knees. We parked our van and approached the stage door – an enormous double wooden affair as I recall. There were six or seven of us, four band members and the crew. I remember knocking on the door and the sound reverberating down whatever hall lay behind. Nothing happened! Then, slowly, one half of the door creaked open and a security man appeared. ‘Hi! We’re the Vipers, we’re supporting the Rats tonight’ I said. For a few worrying seconds, which felt like an eternity, he gave each and every one of our dishevelled looking troupe the once over. Then he asked in a very strong Belfast accent ‘ARE YOU A FREE STATE BAND?’ Panic stations! I turned and looked at the lads like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Some shrugged their shoulders, while others were admiring the architecture and fine masonry work above the door! What do we say? What’s the answer? Is it a trick question? What does it imply? I remember turning back to him and saying almost apologetically ‘Well…yeah?’ ‘Come on in’ he replied. Phew!
We watched the Rats do their soundcheck. We sat in the best seats in an empty Ulster Hall, knowing well, that’ll be us up there next year….yeah right! Afterwards Phil Lynott appeared out of the shadows to be greeted by Geldof in the aisle right beside us. Much backslapping ensued. Obviously great mates. I say that because if you believed the press at the time, you would have imagined they hated each other. ‘Did you see our forty-footer outside in the carpark?’ asked an obviously chuffed Bob. (Not long before they had been driving around in a clapped out yellow Ford transit, band and gear!) ‘Yeah! Get that heap of shite out of there ‘til we get our two in’ said Phil. (Lizzy were playing the next two nights). Then they swapped stories. Apparently they loved to take the piiss out of each other on their records. Geldof sand ‘Sha la la la la…on one Rats’ song. Lynott referring to ‘…my good friend Mr Bob Geldof said he couldn’t find anywhere to play…’ on Dear Miss Lonely Hearts etc. etc.
I remember standing side stage waiting to go on that night. I don’t normally suffer too much from stagefright, but I can tell you that night I was shitting myself. We could hear the crown over the P.A. and the P.A. must have been doing severe structural damage anyway. I thought, ‘this is it! We’re being thrown to the lions. We’re going to die in Belfast’. ‘Ladies and Gentlemen….The Vipers!’ The place erupted. Fuck me they love us. We’ve cracked it and we haven’t even played a note yet! Unfortunately we never did crack it, but, jaysus you never forget nights like that. We got a huge ovation at the end. I think the adrenaline rush lasted for a week. THANKYOU BELFAST!!’.