The Commitments

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When Alan Parker was casting his wildly popular 1991 film The Commitments, about a group of struggling North Dublin rockers covering American soul classics, he emphasized musicianship over acting chops, so it makes sense, even if it is shamelessly opportunistic, that the film’s vets would go on to form a touring band of the same name. Led by Kenneth McCluskey, who played bassist Derek “The Meatman” Scully and Dick Massey, who played drummer Billy “The Animal” Mooney, the nine-piece band blazes through classic soul cuts like “Mustang Sally,” “Try a Little Tenderness,” and “Nowhere to Run.” But what’s the connection between the Irish and soul music, you wonder? As manager Jimmy Rabbitte explains in the film, "the Irish are the blacks of Europe. Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. North Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin.” — Amos Barshad