The 60's was the golden era of the Irish showband scene, as Ireland was just about to emerge into the modern world, coming from a simple, innocent lifestyle of the 50's, to a world of television, rock'n'roll, and everything else that the 60's brought. The dance bands of the 50's were a starchy bunch, who hid behind their instruments and went through the night's programme in a machine like fashion. Then the younger musicians came along, having listened to Radio Luxembourg 208, or the pirate station broadcast from sea, Radio Caroline. They put the 'show' into show band, by dressing in snazzy suits and adding some choreography to their act. They also built up a rapport with the audience. It was a big thing back then to see someone that you'd actually heard on the radio, or better still, seen on TV, and this was one of the reasons for the show band stars achieving superstar status in Ireland, decades before the word 'superstar' was invented.