Ireland Sessions
Reports on live Irish music sessions. Mp3s and photos of live Irish music to be found here!
Shack Session
The last couple of Shack sessions have been populous, lighthearted musical romps.
Boy, that sounded like a review of something at the west end.
This week Guy Noir and I stuck the heads in early and spent a good deal of time discussing an insightful, but myopic comparison of anglo and yankee masculinity I had read somewhere. We came to the conclusion - me through my U.S./Irish perspective, he through his British/Irish upbringing - that the author, while he makes some interesting observations, is wrong in his assessment (and probably has some serious personal issues as well).
Date: August 15th, 2007 |
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Shack Session
I’ll tell you, the sessions out in the Shack have been getting more interesting lately.
This particular post is just CHOCK FULL of mp3s - enjoy!
Guy Noir and I took our constitutional stroll out Shackwase and found the sheriff poring over some lyrics at the table - I don’t think we got to hear the song he was working on - maybe next week. What we did hear was one of my favourites of his - a lullaby he wrote for his kids.
Date: August 8th, 2007 |
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The Shack Session
When I was 15 and working at Burger King I noticed inexplicable patterns in the mass movement of humans. It wasn’t just lunch break or movies getting out; some days everyone would suddenly not want pickles on anything or a whole load of folks who had nothing to do with each other would simultaneously decide to drop in for a bite to eat at exactly 10:52 in the evening. It was never one person doing something, there were always a few at least - as if folks here caught in some kind of cosmic ripple effect.
Last night we had four songwriters - three of whom had never attended the Tuesday session - show up to play at the Shack Session.
I had joined Guy Noir and Ciachicken to watch the Transformers movie (first 20 minutes were awesome - after that it went completely downhill) earlier and so got a late start heading out. The weather has been so nice I opted to walk out shackwase and enjoy what may be one of the only nice evenings we get this summer. Guy companionably shouldered the bodhrán and little big man joined us for the walk as well.
Date: August 1st, 2007 |
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Shack Session
Ireland was showing her fine July weather so, although I had been looking forward to a walk out shackward yesterday evening, it was behind swishing windscreen wipers that I sat on my way to the Shack.
I got there a bit early and was joined by VE, who was swinging in for one after a rehearsal with Agitated Radio Pilot. He brought along his new Irish bouzouki along and I was, again, tempted with the thought of getting one for myself.
Date: July 25th, 2007 |
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The Shack Session
For the first time in ages I almost didn’t attend this week’s Shack Session.
There I was, lying on the couch after a good feed feeling exhausted from early mornings and lack of sleep. It wasn’t that I forced myself to go, it wasn’t that I convinced myself it would be worth it - it was like someone told me I should. Never one to ignore such whisperings, I reluctantly gathered up the instruments and wifey obligingly provided a lift out.
It was looking a bit bleak at first, what with just me and the instruments on the bench and not a sign of anyone else.
Date: July 19th, 2007 |
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Sean’s Sunday session
Another Sunday afternoon session in Sean’s Bar.
This one spelled a bit of difference for yours truly, as it is the first trad session in which I have been the guitar player. Sure, I play the guitar and I do spend a lot of time around trad, but - believe it or not - the two have rarely come together for me. I’m like a babe in the woods. Chord formations, patterns . . . keys? Anyone? What key is that? Oh lord, I’ve ruined everything *insert sound of guitarist hurling himself into the fireplace*
Date: August 14th, 2007 |
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Sean’s Sunday Session
It was the first of two Sunday sessions without the Amber Moon units. I headed down to Sean’s Bar a bit early - I had been out playing the previous evening and the fire to get the fingers on the fretboard was in me.
As I mentioned earlier, the town has been fierce quiet and Sean’s was no exception. My fears were soon allayed however, as the teachers arrived and unpacked accordion and guitar and set to business. It was also the last week the Arizonians (Arizonans?) were in town, so they made the effort and, along with ze germanz and a quiet djembe player, filled out the slots around the table.
Date: August 7th, 2007 |
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Sean’s Sunday session
Due to a certain hospitable pub in Ballinahown I happened to be in on Saturday night (and a good few hours of Sunday morning, actually) I was not up early on Sunday. The mobile rang into my aching world at around half one with the bean on the other end of the line.
“Any chance you’re up for the session?”
I made the kind of noise a wounded animal on the Serengeti might make as it succumbs to its wounds.
“Late one last night?”
Another groan as my brain caught up with the reason for the bean’s call. With a superhuman effort I managed speech, “Pretty empty down there?”
“Yes indeed.”
I debated wallowing in my misery in a darkened bedroom or sucking it up for a few tunes down in Sean’s. I closed my eyes and the room began to spin a bit. Feck it.
Date: July 31st, 2007 |
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Sean’s Sunday Session
Another week, another Sunday in Sean’s Bar.
It was a lively, if sparsely attended, session. I left around 3pm to trade the instruments for a munchkin (just up from her nap), figuring to give wifey a break and munchkin a chance to enjoy a little music. What I didn’t figure on was an Australian television crew arriving on the scene. They were from Australia’s Seven Network filming for their The Great Outdoors show.
Date: July 23rd, 2007 |
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Sean’s Sunday Session
After my Saturday night I awoke Sunday morning with a grin on my face and an itch in my fingers to grab the guitar again as soon as humanly possible. This could be why this entry has not one - not two - but THREE, count ‘em, THREE mp3s!! Booyah!
Date: July 18th, 2007 |
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