The Commitments

If you saw the movie, you'll know that the Commitments were the fabrication of a handful of fictional unemployed Irish youths who shared (or developed) a love for American soul and R&B. Who could blame them? That same impulse spawned the inimitable Van Morrison. What some people don't know is that the band from the movie enjoyed performing so much -- and the movie was such a hit -- that many of the actors stayed together and have toured worldwide since as the Stars of the Commitments. Several of the actors even went on to enjoy solo music careers. But can the Irish really have soul, you ask? As one character in the film put it, "The Irish are the blacks of Europe, the Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland, and the Northsiders are the blacks of Dublin." These are the Northsiders at their very best.