Went to see the Hearts in the National Concert last night and they were fantastic. Special guest Iarla Ó Lionaird on vocals fitted in really well with the band. Beautiful songs, including a fabulous version of 'Lord Franklin'. The tunes were good as ever, even though I never saw the original band live. They also had Máirtín O'Connor as a special guest and he didn't disappoint.
There has to be a new album in this lineup.
PS. It would have been nice to see Christ Moore there as well but I suppose that's never going to happen. I missed his vocals and his bodhrán on the tunes.
Did Donal contribute much to the sound playing acoustic? I saw them on the Late Late Show Friday night, he just seemed to be having fun, but making no impact on the sound of things!
He contributed quite a lot on the quieter pieces and also played guitar on some others. He accompanied Máirtín and Davy on their solo pieces with some superb bouzouki. He really has a very distinctive style of playing.
Other than that, he did seem just to be having fun. Interestingly enough, Keith Donald did most of the talking and intros.
Overall, a very impressive gig. Looked to me like they were audience-testing a few new directions. Getting a new singer is a no-brainer, and Iarla is a great singer.....
I'm just a bit iffy about the overall wisdom of mainly Irish-language songs (3 out of 4 songs were as Gaelige and the fourth was "Lord Franklin") in the Moving Hearts context - for those of us who frequented the Baggot in 1981, the Hearts was all about Christy and Donal's adventures in a rock/jazz context. Iarla's songs were not what we might have expected from Moving Hearts, although they were superb in their own right.
With modern pickup technology Donal Lunny doesn't need an electric bouzouki and his latest instrument sounds superb. He may be slightly less occupied with the addition of a dedicated keyboard player but his contribution is still immense, and he complements Anto Drennan (more of a rock & jazz guitarist) very well, providing the acoustic sublety needed to balance the sound.
Some of Moving hearts was about the Alto Sax and the pipes. Some of it was about the songs (I loved it in the Baggot in 1981 too). And some of it was about being instrumental only ... and the sound of two pipers. The Storm was their best album by far.
It's hard to imagine Moving Hearts without the songs, e.g. 'Hiroshima Nagasaki' or 'Before the Deluge'. They were just as much part of the sound as the instrumentals.
Moving Hearts in NCH
Moving Hearts in NCH
Went to see the Hearts in the National Concert last night and they were fantastic. Special guest Iarla Ó Lionaird on vocals fitted in really well with the band. Beautiful songs, including a fabulous version of 'Lord Franklin'. The tunes were good as ever, even though I never saw the original band live. They also had Máirtín O'Connor as a special guest and he didn't disappoint.
There has to be a new album in this lineup.
PS. It would have been nice to see Christ Moore there as well but I suppose that's never going to happen. I missed his vocals and his bodhrán on the tunes.
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by amhrán
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
PPS. Dónal didn't have his electric bouzouki. It added greatly to the sound on the albums but he never seems to play it these days. Wonder why...
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by amhrán
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
Oops! That should have been Christy Moore of course. He can't walk on water, as far as I know!
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by amhrán
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
Did Donal contribute much to the sound playing acoustic? I saw them on the Late Late Show Friday night, he just seemed to be having fun, but making no impact on the sound of things!
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by RockyRoader
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
Do they still have a bass clarinet?
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by Hup
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
He contributed quite a lot on the quieter pieces and also played guitar on some others. He accompanied Máirtín and Davy on their solo pieces with some superb bouzouki. He really has a very distinctive style of playing.
Other than that, he did seem just to be having fun. Interestingly enough, Keith Donald did most of the talking and intros.
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by amhrán
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
Overall, a very impressive gig. Looked to me like they were audience-testing a few new directions. Getting a new singer is a no-brainer, and Iarla is a great singer.....
I'm just a bit iffy about the overall wisdom of mainly Irish-language songs (3 out of 4 songs were as Gaelige and the fourth was "Lord Franklin") in the Moving Hearts context - for those of us who frequented the Baggot in 1981, the Hearts was all about Christy and Donal's adventures in a rock/jazz context. Iarla's songs were not what we might have expected from Moving Hearts, although they were superb in their own right.
With modern pickup technology Donal Lunny doesn't need an electric bouzouki and his latest instrument sounds superb. He may be slightly less occupied with the addition of a dedicated keyboard player but his contribution is still immense, and he complements Anto Drennan (more of a rock & jazz guitarist) very well, providing the acoustic sublety needed to balance the sound.
Just my tuppence worth......
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by lysaghtm
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
To be honest, I never felt that solid bouzouki sounded right anyway. It just sounded like a guitar with the bass cut low.
# Posted on September 14th 2009 by Dennis Regan
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
Moving Hearts. Christy and Donal who?
Moving Hearts was all about the Alto Sax and the pipes, with great backing.
# Posted on September 15th 2009 by bodhran bliss
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
Some of Moving hearts was about the Alto Sax and the pipes. Some of it was about the songs (I loved it in the Baggot in 1981 too). And some of it was about being instrumental only ... and the sound of two pipers. The Storm was their best album by far.
# Posted on September 15th 2009 by ...
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
It's hard to imagine Moving Hearts without the songs, e.g. 'Hiroshima Nagasaki' or 'Before the Deluge'. They were just as much part of the sound as the instrumentals.
# Posted on September 15th 2009 by amhrán
Re: Moving Hearts in NCH
I agree amhrán. But The Storm was their best album by far.
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by ...