DUBLIN-BASED independent production company Sideline Productions has announced a series of international screenings for Ballroom Boom, an 85-minute feature documentary exploring the rise and lasting influence of Ireland’s showband era, presented by U2 bassist Adam Clayton.
The film received its world premiere earlier this month at Craicfest 2026, the New York Irish film festival, held at the Angelika Cinema. A London screening is now scheduled for April 20 at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.
Ballroom Boom builds on the earlier RTÉ series Ballroom Blitz, commissioned by Colm O’Callaghan, which examined the uniquely Irish showband phenomenon that dominated the country’s music scene in the 1960s. At their peak, an estimated 700 showbands — typically seven- or eight-piece ensembles — were performing nationwide, employing thousands of musicians and support staff.
Many future stars, including Van Morrison and Rory Gallagher, began their careers on the showband circuit, performing everything from waltzes and traditional Irish music to jazz and contemporary pop. As the documentary highlights, the appeal of the showbands extended well beyond Ireland.
Decades before U2’s Las Vegas residency, Irish showbands were filling venues in cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas. Much of this expansion was driven by Irish-born promoter Bill Fuller, who at one time owned more than 20 ballrooms worldwide, including San Francisco’s Fillmore West and London’s Electric Ballroom — the latter now run by his daughter, Kate Fuller, who appears in the film.
The documentary also explores the cultural impact of the Irish diaspora in Britain, where emigrant communities helped shape a generation of musical talent, including figures associated with acts such as The Beatles, The Smiths and Oasis.
A darker chapter is addressed through the 1975 Miami Showband massacre, in which three band members were killed while returning from a performance in Northern Ireland. Survivor Steve Travers reflects on the attack in the film, in a sequence that underscores the wider impact of the tragedy on Ireland’s live music scene, with many cross-border performances subsequently cancelled.
The 2026 version of Ballroom Boom includes new material examining how the showband era influenced later Irish artists, including U2. Contributors include Paul Brady, Phil Coulter, Linda Martin, Bob Geldof and members of The Saw Doctors and The Mary Wallopers, alongside archive appearances from Dickie Rock and Brendan Bowyer.
The film is written, produced and directed by Billy McGrath, whose previous work has featured artists including U2, The Boomtown Rats, Clannad, David Bowie and The Pogues.
Adam Clayton said he was initially unsure about fronting the project but was drawn in by its exploration of the Miami Showband massacre.
“That tragedy happened just as we were starting U2, so it had huge resonance for me,” he said. “Spending time with Steve Travers was both inspirational and emotional.”
McGrath said his own interest in music began during childhood summers in Arklow, Co Wicklow, where he watched local showbands rehearse and perform.
“Showbands were like human jukeboxes,” he said. “At a time when Ireland was struggling economically and socially, they brought young people together — and their influence can still be felt today.”
See More: Adam Clayton, Ballroom Boom
