Megamix (1986 – 1987)

‘Megamix’ was an RTE music programme first broadcast in 1986 and 1987 and recorded in the Cathedral Club, Dublin. The programme was recorded in front of a live audience and combined live performances with music videos. It was produced by RTÉ in association with Frontier Films; Declan Lowney produced and directed. The show was hosted by Flo McSweeney and Kevin Sharkey. Irish acts that performed included:

The Stars Of Heaven – Lights Of Tetouan
The Fountainhead
Light A Big Fire
The Subterraneans
Flex and the Fastweather
Blue In Heaven
Lord John White
Cast Of 1000’s
Tie The Boy
The Classics
Barry Warner
The Babysnakes
Guernica
Something Happens
Soon – Holy Holy Show
Hennigan’s Blooze Band
Toucandance
The Fireflys
Espresso Mambo
Pulling Faces
Assassin
Natural Wild
This Is This
Censored Vision
Shush
Montage
Talk To Strangers
The Pogues and The Dubliners
Aslan
Him
Gerry Moore and Street Talk
Johnny Logan
Karen Hamil
Quarterdeck

International acts including The Smiths, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Big Country, The Big Dish, Pet Shop Boys, Status Quo, Erasure, The Housemartins, Spear Of Destiny, Fuzzbox, Womack & Womack, Hank Wangford, Maxi Priest, Mirage also performed. To see photos of the acts who performed search for ‘Megamix’ at the RTE Photographic Archive.

Help: Trying to piece together further details.. looks like there were 33 x 30 minute episodes?

‘Megamix’ YouTube playlist:

22 Responses to “Megamix (1986 – 1987)”

  1. Sean McCarthy Says:
    August 6, 2010 at 11:21 pm

    Hi,

    I am looking to find a copy on DVD or electronic format (.wmv, .mov etc.) of the MEGAMIX (RTE 2) during which ERASURE appeared.

    Is that possible? IT was in the 1980’s and was shot in Christchurch, Dublin 1, Ireland. Dave Fanning presented.

    Please reply,

    Best,

    Sean McCarthy

  2. Orla Swan Says:
    January 14, 2011 at 11:41 am

    Hi,

    I am looking to find a copy on DVD or electronic format (.wmv, .mov etc.) of the MEGAMIX (RTE 2) during which BROS appeared.

    Is that possible? IT was in the 1980′s and was shot in Christchurch, Dublin 1, Ireland.

    Please reply,

    Many Thanks

    Orla

  3. John Mc Grory Says:
    June 5, 2011 at 8:26 pm

    Hey
    Was looking through the blog and see Mega Mix listed and that brings me back a bit as Myself and brother Neil and singer Karen Hamill performed our song Heaven on one of the shows which we had initially recorded in New York. A memorable thing about that night was that Womack & Womack were also on the bill. I also see the band The 33rd.Hurricane listed and indeed we were also in that. We actually did a “proper” Fanning Session produced by Ian Wilson and also appeared on “On the Waterfront”, “Jo Maxi”, “Zig & Zag” and our video for the single Shotgun Blast which was filmed here in Culdaff in Co.Donegal was pretty much a favorite of the “Beat Box”. Hope this info may be of interest to somebody out there.
    Cheers
    John Mc Grory

  4. Fanning Sessions Says:
    June 7, 2011 at 10:07 am

    Thanks John, I’ve already posted a few 33rd Hurricane tracks and one video of a live performance but I’m still trying to track down that elusive Fanning session 😉 I didn’t realise you performed with Karen Hamill on Megamix, I have it listed as a solo performance, is that correct?

  5. Fanning Sessions Says:
    June 13, 2011 at 10:12 am

    Check out Soon perform ‘Holy Holy Show’ here

  6. dermot smyth Says:
    August 5, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    looking to find any archive footage of dublin band montage .just recently accessed some footage on utube [when i close my eyes] i hear they might have a song on the soon to be released 30 aniversary album on reekus records..they were on some tv shows the late late .anything goes .the chatedral club

  7. Ken Farrar Says:
    April 20, 2012 at 3:08 pm

    I was at one of those gigs, think it was in Christchurch and Fuzzbox played, think also Spear of Destiny! Can anybody else remember this gig?

  8. Sean Says:
    April 23, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Thanks for the information. Excellent! Now I wonder did RTE keep the entire series? It seems to me to be invaluable, and it would be a great thing to see Megamix re-released, or aired through the RTE Player.

  9. Danny Says:
    June 7, 2013 at 11:54 pm

    I would love to see the talk to strangers clip again if anyone has it please post it I can’t find it on youtube

  10. Ian Says:
    March 20, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    One Thousands Violins, an indie band from Sheffield in the UK performed their single, If I Were A Bullet ( then for sure i’d find a way to your heart) back in Jan 1988. Would love to see that on youtube or similar. Is there a chance a recording still exists?

  11. jocknroll Says:
    April 7, 2014 at 10:36 am

    Hi,

    I am looking to find a copy on DVD or electronic format (.wmv, .mov etc.) of the MEGAMIX (RTE 2) during which ONE THOUSAND VIOLINS appeared.

    Their episode was recorded on 13 January 1988

    A new compilation, Halcyon Days: The Complete Recordings 1985-1987, is due out at the end of May and it would make a great promo video for it. They only made one other video but no-one seems to have a copy.

    Many Thanks

    Paul

  12. Nick Says:
    May 29, 2014 at 9:35 pm

    Ah, Megamix! I went to the recording of a bunch of these back in the day. Theones I was at were all recorded in a church on the South Circular Road ( perhaps later episodes were shot in Christchurch?) . I remember seeing Bros and Fergal Sharkey performing there. The line-up was usually pretty eclectic! Shame there seems to be so little Megamix footage available on the net although I did find this – the superb Stars of Heaven – apparently from Megamix in 1986: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBo-sxlp58A

  13. Jacob Whitecloud Says:
    August 2, 2015 at 11:04 am

    I was the house photographer for all the shows. Being a bit new to it all I just shot anything that moved. At one point I outdid myself and made about 4 to 6 3′ x 5′ posters which were hung above and behind the bar to impress the punters with the glamour of it all . . . managed to impress myself anyway 😉
    Still have all the negs, and recently acquired a decent scanner to digitize them, both 35mm and medium format. I’ll post a link here when I have enough worth showing. Needless to say I didn’t catalogue any of them, so beyond the obvious I wouldn’t know who most of the performers were: thats where I hope fans of the show will lend a hand. Watch this space!

  14. jocknroll Says:
    August 16, 2015 at 11:53 am

    Jacob, I’ll be able to tell you who One Thousand Violins are. I look forward to seeing the pictures.

  15. Sean Says:
    November 18, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    Any further word Dave on the possibility of retrieving Megamix footage of the episode featuring Erasure? Indeed, availability to the entire series of Megamix would be fab. I’m surprised RTE has not unearthed the series for play on the RTE Player Archive. I think it would attract quite the viewership, worldwide.

  16. shane Says:
    December 13, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    hi , i’m looking to get footage of the band Shush who performed on the megamix show, was drumming with them at the time..

  17. Brian Kavanagh Says:
    August 14, 2018 at 11:35 pm

    Would be good to get Princess Tinymeat footage. They were quite colourful and on it twice, I think.

  18. Dermot smyth Says:
    May 7, 2020 at 6:53 pm

    Hi I’m trying to source on video montage on megamix song Closer recorded on 27 Jan 1987 and broadcast on 20 feb 1987 …from the cathedral club synott hall

  19. Paul Johnston Says:
    May 7, 2020 at 7:30 pm

    Hey Jacob, did you ever find those One Thousand Violins photos?

  20. Enda Cunningham. Says:
    July 1, 2020 at 10:27 am

    Hi Dave,

    myself, and Raymond Kelly owned and ran the Cathedral Club back in the day. I would love to see any old footage, photographs or stories about Mega Mix and the club. We had a fantastic time making the show with Declan, Flo, Kevin, Sean, all good memories.
    My friend Kevin Reynolds introduced us once, you probably see him around RTE, tell him I said hello. Take care.
    Enda Cunningham.

  21. Fanning Sessions Says:
    July 3, 2020 at 8:29 pm

    Hello Enda, the site is unofficial so this is not Dave. I did send on your comment though. We too would love to see more footage etc so be sure if we come across any we will share. Thanks for stopping by!

  22. Hayleigh Says:
    June 28, 2021 at 6:19 am

    Hi, this is great and I am glad I stumbled across this site. I have been looking, for years, to get a copy of the final recording of Megamix in Christchurch as most of the Bartley Dunnes crowd was in the audience., dancing in the cages etc. I was next to to the presenter during the show and would love to have a copy. Sadly my only copy was stolen many years ago. Mandy Smith was on the show that evening and I remember chatting with her. I am mostly interested in the footage of all my friends from Bartley Dunnes. Please let me know how I can get/find/buy a copy. Thanks so much,

Leave a comment