Ireland Music
Ceol agus craíc - you’ll see that written everywhere and it’s Irish for music and good times. The two go hand-in-hand and, until you’ve experienced a bit of her music, you haven’t experienced Ireland.
Ireland's Electric Picnic on "Best Musical Festivals in Europe" List
The Electric Picnic music festival in Stradbally, Ireland has made the TimesOnline’s list of “Europe’s 20 best summer music festivals,” so we thought we’d take a moment to tell you about the festival in case you decide you want to go!
The article describes Electric Picnic as “Ireland’s boutique festival,” partly because it takes place on the 600-acre Stradballey Hall Estate outside Dublin. But additionally, the festival attracts an incredible lineup each year of musical acts that you’ve not only heard of, but that you’d actually be happy to pay money to see.
For Electric Picnic 2008, which runs from August 29-31, the musical lineup includes the Sex Pistols, Sinead O’Connor, Sigur Ros, My Bloody Valentine, Underworld, George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars, Turin Brakes, The Breeders, Goldfrapp, Henry Rollins, Wilco, Duffy, The Roots, The Gossip and Franz Ferdinand. Electric Picnic also features a comedy element, as well as theatre, cinema, and spoken word performances. And with parts of the festival even focusing on the kids, there’s really something for everyone.
Date: May 16th, 2008 |
No Comments
Shack Session
Winter has finally shown herself. We had some lovely warm weather all the way up until Monday night when there was a sudden turn in the air - a crispness that wasn’t there the day before.
Maybe it was the chill, maybe it was the rain, but the Shack was fairly quiet even though I arrived later than usual.
Ze germanz were there chatting with friends when I arrived and, within a few minutes, the sheriff, pads and a couple of friends joined us around the table. The novelty of the evening was a ukulele I plucked from the wall at the front of the pub. While I’ve no idea how it should be tuned, I managed to get it to imitate a guitar tuning and pads got to jamming straight away (pictured left).
Date: September 19th, 2007 |
No Comments
Shack Session
It was an usual session this week. For starters, wifey volunteered to join me on the evening. Secondly, a number of her co-workers joined us as well, including bawn, a very able performer.
A number of the usual crew were in attendance, including ze germanz and the sheriff. Jbanjo and a bodhran player I’d never seen before (who seemed a bit surprised at the complete lack of trad at the session) completed a fairly large turnout around the aul table.
Date: September 13th, 2007 |
No Comments
Mundy and Me
Yep, that’s me playing mandolin onstage with Mundy.
The Sarah Ryan benefit concert was a resounding success - the proceeds were enough that our favourite 6-year-old will be heading to the U.S. of A for the treatment that may someday allow her to walk.
Awesome. Fair play to Charlie McGettigan, Fiach, Mundy and especially to Emer (who put the whole thing together). Knowing that there are people who will go out of their way to make a difference in a little girl’s life is an awesome feeling. Well done to everyone who participated and everyone who bought tickets to the show.
Man, I was so nervous in the days leading up to the show. I was such a basket case that Wifey actually kicked me out of the house the evening before.
Date: September 4th, 2007 |
No Comments
Shack Session
I didn’t bring the camera this week . . . actually, I did bring the camera, I just neglected to remember its battery sitting in the charger back at home. In any case, you’ll have to make due with a sketch of some of the play
ers there (left).
I arrived quite late this week, despite intentions to head out early. Obligations of posting photos of the munchkin for family back in the bay area took precedence.
Date: August 29th, 2007 |
No Comments
Irish Session rules
Since the first day I started Irelandlogue I have been blogging about Irish music sessions.
At least twice a week I attend a live Irish music session and post an mp3 and photo from the session. Regular readers of Irelandlogue.com will be familiar with The Shack, Sean’s Sunday session, Brideswell, Flannery’s, Shine’s, The Green Olive, The Bounty and even Bar Metro.
If you’re visiting the Irish midlands you should definitely stop in to The Brideswell Session for trad on a Thursday and stick the head into Flannery’s to hear some songs on a Friday. Between those, you should get a picture of what a real Irish session is like.
Most of the sessions I attend are traditional Irish music sessions, although most will allow bluegrass and popular music for the occasional song. The Shack is the exception, being an almost entirely modern music session.
For the unindoctrinated, here are some basic rules for attending an Irish music session:
Date: September 20th, 2007 |
4 comments
Sean's Bar Sunday session
It was a very ill-advised course of action Saturday night.
Let’s just leave it to say that it involved my participation in a stag night and then a gig somewhere in town that migrated from behind the microphones into the back smoking area until it was so late the publican threatened to leave us locked in ’til morning if we didn’t get a move on.
Nevertheless I was up at the crack of noon Sunday and, showered and fed, made my way down to Sean’s Bar where I was expected as session guitarist.
Date: September 17th, 2007 |
2 comments
Sean's Sunday session
It will be the last session with beans for a coupla weeks in Sean’s Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland.
I pulled out the trusty point-and-shoot (which is dying a slow death) and began to curse when it refused to even turn on. Before chucking it in the bin I had the presence of mind to check the battery compartment . . . which was empty, because I had put it on to charge so it might be ready for the session.
The best laid plans, folks.
Date: September 12th, 2007 |
1 comment
Sean's Bar Sunday session
This Sunday’s session was another lively one with deep sea banjo joining damsel, the bean, myself and fiddler around the table.
Damsel was in fine form, as evidenced in this lunasa-flavoured whistle tune.
Myself, I was a bit nervous about the gig for Sarah Ryan with Mundy later that evening. I had been recruited as stage manager for the event and so scampered a bit early to assist with set-up.
I didn’t leave too early though, I stayed long enough to …
Date: September 4th, 2007 |
1 comment
Sean's Bar Sunday session
It was the session that wouldn’t end.
The Ambering Moonees played their normal set filled with lovely little trad numbers like this one and only the obligatory amount of messing about. Yours truly was, of course, very well-behaved throughout and never rose to inventing purile songs about the effects of hangovers.
As the session finished up a generous patron purchased your favourite blogger a pint of porter.
Well, what was I to do?
Date: August 28th, 2007 |
No Comments
