Gift Grub's
Mario Rosenstock
What's on your rider?Fruit, nuts, Gift Grub live mix tape – everything from Bob Dylan to Stevie Wonder to Paul Brady.
What would be on your fantasy rider?I'm too nervous to indulge in fantasy before a gig.
How do you get to the gig – limo, taxi, walking?I love travelling by train. My favourite bit is when the snack trolley arrives. Recently, on the way to Castlebar, I asked for a cup of tea from a fella with lifeless eyes. He said he had no tea bags, but offered me a cup of boiling water.
What's the best gig you've been to?Probably Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dublin's SFX, 1984. It was so exciting, and to me seemed to be completely subversive at the time.
Most embarrassing on-stage moment?I was in Wexford and said "Howye Cork!" Luckily, I was in character as Ronan Keating so they didn't notice.
What's your crowd-pleasing number? Jose and His Amazing Technicolor Overcoat.
Groupies. Would you?Yes, I would like some.
Have you a special stage wardrobe?Yes: there are more than 20 costume changes in Gift Grub Live.
Do you like to meet and greet fans after the gig?Love it. Myself and Ian Dempsey nearly always have a few pints with them after. Last weekend we ended up buying Enda Kenny pints in Castlebar. (He drinks Smithwicks.)
If you could be in any other band, which one?Arcade Fire. (I could just stand at the back.)
Who's invited to your aftershow party?Roy Keane, Jose Mourinho, Joe Duffy, Michael O'Leary, Joan Burton, and so on and so on.
What's your best tour story?In Vicar Street I was on stage during the Ireland-France World Cup play-off in Paris. Obviously, I had no idea what was going on, but we had decided that if Ireland scored, a small green light would be shone at me from the back of the auditorium and we would bring it up on the big screen. All through the performance I could hardly concentrate, but then I saw it: a bright green flicker. I was doing Padraig Harrington, and just went "ehhhhhhh – I think you need to see something". Cue bedlam.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea. Mario Rosenstock plays UCH, Limerick tonight and tomorrow and the Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin from May 25th to 29th
