Music

Music Monday: Glen Hansard

It’s genuinely hard for me to say whether Glen Hansard is better known for his talents as a musician or an actor. I suppose it would depend on when in his career you became aware of his abilities.

Certainly my parents would know who he was if I mentioned Outspan Foster from The Commitments, the 1991 film adaptation of Roddy Doyle’s 1987 novel of the same name. Remember the guitarist, Mum and Dad? That was Hansard.

But Hansard was chosen for The Commitments cast primarily for his musical ability rather than his acting ability (as were the whole cast). He was already a member of band The Frames, which he had formed himself in 1990, and who still perform in Ireland to this day. He has an impressive discography as a solo artist, with The Frames, and as half of the folk rock duo The Swell Season with Markéta Irglová.

Perhaps you’re not aware of The Swell Season. I wasn’t until I started researching this blog post. But if I mention Once, that might ring a bell. Hansard and Irglová’s film set in Ireland, award-winning, critically acclaimed, turned into a musical that’s been on Broadway, the West End, and here in Melbourne? That Once. I am not especially a musicals person, but I adored Once: the Musical enough to buy the movie Once on DVD. And an extra copy for my grandmother. (You may have noticed a strong theme of family sharing music to my blog posts.)

The whole soundtrack is excellent, but the track I’m opting to share today is ‘Falling Slowly’, because it deserves every award it got and is absolutely beautiful. This is the music video that Hansard and Irglová put together for the song, featuring a number of different significant moments from the film.

Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly (Official Video)

So whether it’s for his talent as an actor, a songwriter, or a musician that you like him best, Hansard is in possession of an array of abilities that will make his live appearance here in Melbourne a performance to behold.

Glen Hansard will perform his Didn’t He Ramble tour at the Palais Theatre on October 26. Click here to purchase tickets.