I'm a fiddler and I'll be visiting Chicago on St. Paddy's day (Saturday, March 17th) with my bodhran-playing boyfriend. Does anyone know of a session that night? Or, if not, the best place to be?
Try the Irish American Heriytage Center (John Daly 4626 N Knox Ave • Chicago IL 60630 • 773/282-7035 • Fax 773/282-0380), Chief O'Neil's, or The Abby Bar.
I've been living in Chicago since the summer of 1997. I can tell you without equivocation that the absolute worst day of the year to go looking for a tune in Chicago is Saint Patrick's Day.
Most of the session regulars go into hiding unless they have gigs.
Open sessions tend to take a sabbatical around Saint Pat's. They're not as audience-oriented or as entertaining to the patrons who are looking for more stereotypical, tin pan-alley notions of irish music.
If you want a tune in a pleasant, non-deafening environment full of shouted requests for "Black Velvet Band", "Fields of Athenry", "The Unicorn Song", "Whiskey In the Jar", "Irish Eyes Are Smiling", and the like, come back and visit the week after. Or just about any other day of the year.
yours
Cthp
PS This year, the day after St Pat's (March 18th) is a Sunday, there are normally lots of sessions on Sunday but I'm uncertain about how enthusiastic everyone will be after Saturday's bacchanalia. Try looking up the usual places - Nevin's, The Abbey Pub, etc to see if they'll have sessions on the 18t, that's your best bet for a tune that weekend. Be prepared for a few over served diehards and bring your sense of humor, though, you'll need it!
Be sure to call if you use The Session's list of Chicago Web sites. They are sort of out of date. I tried a few months ago.
There is one active session I found in Frankfort and one in Downers Grove which are really not in chicago. There are several other rumored, but have been unable to locate them.
here is the email of a very freindly fellow who seems to be inovled in the Downers Grove one. It's a bit far away for me to play in. daveyarwine@yahoo.com
Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. We're really only going to be in town the one night- but it sounds like we might just have to put on our nasty green plastic hats and pretend to be like the other revelers. Should we not even bother to bring our instruments?
Unless you are willing to play Colonial Boy, Rising of the Moon, and Velvet Band interminably for a bunch of twenty something drunks, save the effort.
I have lived within one to six blocks of the South Side Irish Parade for nearly 35 years (We saw the first one where they marched around the block with baby carriages), if you are a musician you are working for whatever needs to be played as long s the check doesn't bounce.
Sorry. I feel for the working musicians. I did that once. I do only one gig anymore because my wife is involved.
In Chicago for St. Pat's, it's the amateur hour (day). The joke in my neighborhood is that the true locals are all out of town for the High Holy Days.
Sorry to be cynical, but I am psyching up for my one St. Pat's gig to play with people who think Amy Grant is high art and feel that the echo effect in the mixer fixes everything.
No, violi, don't bother with instruments if you're only here on Saturday night.
BTW since a lot of people ask - There are NO SESSIONS in Chicago on Friday and Saturday nights. The landlords don't need the live music to sell drinks on Friday and Saturday nights.
If you want to visit a session in Chicago, just about any other night of the week that is not in extremely close temporal proximity to Saint Patrick's Day is a good bet for finding traditional, noise and crap-free irish music.
I would love to hear a current listing of any regular sessions, especially in the Western Suburbs. I know about the one in Downers Grove at Ballydoyle on Sundays. Any others. Thanks.
Where are you located? I am thinking about starting something. I am ok on whistle and learning box, so I am trying to tie together some experienced/competent players-I can't say I am in that category yet. I am south side (Beverly as you can see from my prior posts about our annual Bacchanal, the South Side Irish Parade).
The few south siders I know who play ITM seem to go the Chief O'Neils, probably because the buzouki player is a freind of the owner.
St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
I'm a fiddler and I'll be visiting Chicago on St. Paddy's day (Saturday, March 17th) with my bodhran-playing boyfriend. Does anyone know of a session that night? Or, if not, the best place to be?
Thanks!
# Posted on March 1st 2007 by violi
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
Try the Irish American Heriytage Center (John Daly 4626 N Knox Ave • Chicago IL 60630 • 773/282-7035 • Fax 773/282-0380), Chief O'Neil's, or The Abby Bar.
# Posted on March 1st 2007 by John McCartin
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
Here's a link to another session member. She lives in Florida now but is originally from Chicago. I'm sure she'd know the best places to visit.
http://www.thesession.org/members/display/17946
# Posted on March 1st 2007 by Strathfoyle
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
I've been living in Chicago since the summer of 1997. I can tell you without equivocation that the absolute worst day of the year to go looking for a tune in Chicago is Saint Patrick's Day.
Most of the session regulars go into hiding unless they have gigs.
Open sessions tend to take a sabbatical around Saint Pat's. They're not as audience-oriented or as entertaining to the patrons who are looking for more stereotypical, tin pan-alley notions of irish music.
If you want a tune in a pleasant, non-deafening environment full of shouted requests for "Black Velvet Band", "Fields of Athenry", "The Unicorn Song", "Whiskey In the Jar", "Irish Eyes Are Smiling", and the like, come back and visit the week after. Or just about any other day of the year.
yours
Cthp
PS This year, the day after St Pat's (March 18th) is a Sunday, there are normally lots of sessions on Sunday but I'm uncertain about how enthusiastic everyone will be after Saturday's bacchanalia. Try looking up the usual places - Nevin's, The Abbey Pub, etc to see if they'll have sessions on the 18t, that's your best bet for a tune that weekend. Be prepared for a few over served diehards and bring your sense of humor, though, you'll need it!
# Posted on March 1st 2007 by Hanley
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
Be sure to call if you use The Session's list of Chicago Web sites. They are sort of out of date. I tried a few months ago.
There is one active session I found in Frankfort and one in Downers Grove which are really not in chicago. There are several other rumored, but have been unable to locate them.
here is the email of a very freindly fellow who seems to be inovled in the Downers Grove one. It's a bit far away for me to play in. daveyarwine@yahoo.com
# Posted on March 2nd 2007 by zippydw
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. We're really only going to be in town the one night- but it sounds like we might just have to put on our nasty green plastic hats and pretend to be like the other revelers. Should we not even bother to bring our instruments?
# Posted on March 3rd 2007 by violi
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
Unless you are willing to play Colonial Boy, Rising of the Moon, and Velvet Band interminably for a bunch of twenty something drunks, save the effort.
I have lived within one to six blocks of the South Side Irish Parade for nearly 35 years (We saw the first one where they marched around the block with baby carriages), if you are a musician you are working for whatever needs to be played as long s the check doesn't bounce.
Sorry. I feel for the working musicians. I did that once. I do only one gig anymore because my wife is involved.
In Chicago for St. Pat's, it's the amateur hour (day). The joke in my neighborhood is that the true locals are all out of town for the High Holy Days.
Sorry to be cynical, but I am psyching up for my one St. Pat's gig to play with people who think Amy Grant is high art and feel that the echo effect in the mixer fixes everything.
# Posted on March 4th 2007 by zippydw
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
No, violi, don't bother with instruments if you're only here on Saturday night.
BTW since a lot of people ask - There are NO SESSIONS in Chicago on Friday and Saturday nights. The landlords don't need the live music to sell drinks on Friday and Saturday nights.
If you want to visit a session in Chicago, just about any other night of the week that is not in extremely close temporal proximity to Saint Patrick's Day is a good bet for finding traditional, noise and crap-free irish music.
# Posted on March 4th 2007 by Hanley
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
cthuilleannpiper
Thanks. I thought I was being overly negative in my last post. Chicago is a really great music town.
It's just that the whole ST. Pat's thing is a bit of a cartoon here. I just practiced for my one gig referenced in the previous posting....
Violin (as opposed to fiddle) players struggling through 'wind in the willows' players slow 4/4.
I played some serious whistle which drew some stares from the "director" of the event. Got off the Spots.......Can you imagine?
The other players thought it sounded great. The 'Violin' player asked where I learned to play that way.....
Told here I been playing for a few years, spent some time in Ireland with some Reeeealy good players. And I hope I learned one or two things.
Sharing music and techniques. Strange concept among classically trained sorts.
Come back to Chi Town after the St. PAt's tomfoolery has quieted down.
# Posted on March 5th 2007 by zippydw
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
I would love to hear a current listing of any regular sessions, especially in the Western Suburbs. I know about the one in Downers Grove at Ballydoyle on Sundays. Any others. Thanks.
# Posted on March 5th 2007 by banjoplayingmaniac
Re: St. Paddy's Session in Chicago?????
bpm
Where are you located? I am thinking about starting something. I am ok on whistle and learning box, so I am trying to tie together some experienced/competent players-I can't say I am in that category yet. I am south side (Beverly as you can see from my prior posts about our annual Bacchanal, the South Side Irish Parade).
The few south siders I know who play ITM seem to go the Chief O'Neils, probably because the buzouki player is a freind of the owner.
# Posted on March 5th 2007 by zippydw