Just back from a great weekend in Feakle Co.Clare. Actually more like a week long festival-its still going on. Fabulous line up of musicians for concerts and sessions. Well done to all concerned in putting it all together.
Just back too, and I agree, what a great festival. It's always one of the best. What I love is the huge number of sessions. I was there for four days and ended up playing nearly non-stop for that time.
I am just resurfacing after a evening flight back to London yesterday. What a great six days. Fiddle workshops, concerts, and great, great sessions with the likes of Ged Foley, Seamus, Begley, Mark Donnellan, Pat O'Connor, to name a very few. One of the highlights for me was a tune played by Lena Ullman (banjo) accompanied by Denis Cahill on guitar in Peppers Bar one afternoon session.
The festival was well organised and they really looked after you with transport and hospitality laid on. My first time at Feakle but looking forward to next year already.
I too had a great time in Feakle. Was there for the concertina workshops with Mary McNamara. However, have to disagree with the great sessions. What these are are GIGS, not sessions. A session is when a group of like minded wander into a location, usually a pub and play a few tunes and have some craic. A gig, on the other hand, is when 2 or more musicians are paid to play for a couple of hours and PUT UP WITH the other musicians, or noodlers, that choose to join them. Result is the GIG starts exactly on time and ends when the gig is over. There is zero craic, no communication between the headliners and the joe soaps joining them. Useless! The most successful festivals are likes of Miltown Malbay, Drumshanbo, Derrygonnelly, The Fleadhs, where there is none of this 'session trail' and headliners just there playing for the money. I noticed on the list of these gigs during the Feakle fest that there were only 2 sessions listed as 'open'. So all this crap about 'all musicians welcome' is just baloney. Just because some of the participants (mostly foreign I have to say) choose to ignore this does not make it any the less true. If they wish to be ignored by the 'heads' for a couple of hours its up to them. But I prefer to play with people who actually want me to be there!
While there are always big "names" playing at Feakle, I've always been made welcome, and seen many others made welcome, while the session is a reasonable size.
Musicians eh? They can't win. If they are getting paid everyone questions their motivation, however much good value they give. And what's with the "foreign" comment. Everyone is "foreign" almost everywhere!
Incidentally two of the best fiddlers in the sessions and who knew most of the tunes well, were from Brittany and Normandie.
mariapfilmurphy For me we got the best of both worlds in Feakle again this year. There were many sessions going on without any paid musicians or headliners and there was nobody stopping anyone starting their own session. But when I go to Feakle I also want to hear good musicians leading some of the sessions, This is how I hear and get influenced by their style of playing. The headliners musicians I have met in Feakle were very welcoming and encouraged others to start tunes. Seamus Bugler, Pat Mullins,Vincent Griffin, Sean Ryan etc. were only too glad for others to join in .I met loads of other musicians and chats during these sessions. On Sunday we had almost 4 hour session with Martin Hayes, Mary McNamara and Gearldine Cotter in Shorts Bar. Sure they lead the tune selections but thats what we wanted . There was another non headliner session going on in the front room at the same time, Everybody happy.
Thanks to Feakle , looking forward to next year already.
Feakle Trad Weekend
Feakle Trad Weekend
Just back from a great weekend in Feakle Co.Clare. Actually more like a week long festival-its still going on. Fabulous line up of musicians for concerts and sessions. Well done to all concerned in putting it all together.
# Posted on August 10th 2009 by Mairead S
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
Just back too, and I agree, what a great festival. It's always one of the best. What I love is the huge number of sessions. I was there for four days and ended up playing nearly non-stop for that time.
# Posted on August 11th 2009 by cathycook
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
I am just resurfacing after a evening flight back to London yesterday. What a great six days. Fiddle workshops, concerts, and great, great sessions with the likes of Ged Foley, Seamus, Begley, Mark Donnellan, Pat O'Connor, to name a very few. One of the highlights for me was a tune played by Lena Ullman (banjo) accompanied by Denis Cahill on guitar in Peppers Bar one afternoon session.
The festival was well organised and they really looked after you with transport and hospitality laid on. My first time at Feakle but looking forward to next year already.
# Posted on August 11th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
I too had a great time in Feakle. Was there for the concertina workshops with Mary McNamara. However, have to disagree with the great sessions. What these are are GIGS, not sessions. A session is when a group of like minded wander into a location, usually a pub and play a few tunes and have some craic. A gig, on the other hand, is when 2 or more musicians are paid to play for a couple of hours and PUT UP WITH the other musicians, or noodlers, that choose to join them. Result is the GIG starts exactly on time and ends when the gig is over. There is zero craic, no communication between the headliners and the joe soaps joining them. Useless! The most successful festivals are likes of Miltown Malbay, Drumshanbo, Derrygonnelly, The Fleadhs, where there is none of this 'session trail' and headliners just there playing for the money. I noticed on the list of these gigs during the Feakle fest that there were only 2 sessions listed as 'open'. So all this crap about 'all musicians welcome' is just baloney. Just because some of the participants (mostly foreign I have to say) choose to ignore this does not make it any the less true. If they wish to be ignored by the 'heads' for a couple of hours its up to them. But I prefer to play with people who actually want me to be there!
# Posted on August 11th 2009 by mariaphilmurphy
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
Well said Mariaphilmurphy, bring back the reel session at these
festivals. welcome back
# Posted on August 12th 2009 by savethesession
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
While there are always big "names" playing at Feakle, I've always been made welcome, and seen many others made welcome, while the session is a reasonable size.
# Posted on August 12th 2009 by RockyRoader
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
Musicians eh? They can't win. If they are getting paid everyone questions their motivation, however much good value they give. And what's with the "foreign" comment. Everyone is "foreign" almost everywhere!
Incidentally two of the best fiddlers in the sessions and who knew most of the tunes well, were from Brittany and Normandie.
# Posted on August 12th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
I think I meant "Normandy".
# Posted on August 12th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Feakle Trad Weekend
mariapfilmurphy For me we got the best of both worlds in Feakle again this year. There were many sessions going on without any paid musicians or headliners and there was nobody stopping anyone starting their own session. But when I go to Feakle I also want to hear good musicians leading some of the sessions, This is how I hear and get influenced by their style of playing. The headliners musicians I have met in Feakle were very welcoming and encouraged others to start tunes. Seamus Bugler, Pat Mullins,Vincent Griffin, Sean Ryan etc. were only too glad for others to join in .I met loads of other musicians and chats during these sessions. On Sunday we had almost 4 hour session with Martin Hayes, Mary McNamara and Gearldine Cotter in Shorts Bar. Sure they lead the tune selections but thats what we wanted . There was another non headliner session going on in the front room at the same time, Everybody happy.
Thanks to Feakle , looking forward to next year already.
# Posted on August 12th 2009 by murcu