So there we were at our usual session in Sheffield Irish Centre. Which is usually quiet and relatively uneventful except for the odd drunk with wandering hands or the ones that pin you into corners, sing at you and then tell you their life story. So as I said we were sat there bemoaning the fact that no matter how much publicity I do we only seem to get the four of us when we were joined by a young man who seemed to want to get involved a bit. So we humoured him , sang the odd song that he seemed to like even when he told the flute player that he should be blowing harder and even got to the point where we were suggesting that next time he brought his guitar down when suddenly there was a sea change. As I was singing the Currah of Kildare he sat beside me and muttered about it all being 'Southern songs'. So we did a bit of My Laglan love - which was evidently not quite northern enough for him! At which point things got out of hand and he tried to tell the lads what to play and they told him that they were going to play what they wanted. There was a lot of swearing ( from him) and how could we call our selves Irish men which was a bit of a strange thing to say to three English men and a Scots woman. He was then ejected as the Landlady's mother does not want anyone upsetting her musicians ( always nice to have the backup)
So has anyone else had problems with playing the wrong sort of Irish music. We are not talking across the sectarian divisions but between things that are common in Belfast and things that were seen as relating to the South ? Surprised me.
J
ps at the begining of the night he asked me to sing 'The fields of Athenry' now where does he think that comes from ?
PS - Pete St. John. He does seem to have based it on an older broadside ballad, which he doesn't acknowledge, but the tune ( alas ! ) is his, therefore not trad in any sense.
You should learn the parody, and sing that, most drunks wouldn't spot it; I tried to look up the web address, but I've trimmed the page to fit into my file, so you'll have to look it up yourself, but it's better than the original.
Had some great ones at the Floating tionol session in Oxford on Monday. Three men and a woman. They were fairly well oiled at the beginning of the session, loudly cheering and applauding every tune. They then entered a phase of sozzled disgruntlement, complaining that it wasn't lively enough, and eventually loudly protesting that this wasn't REAL Irish music and that REAL Irish music was much more fun than this, and that everyone looked so f**king serious and couldn't we even f**king smile when we played.
They then slipped into drunken irritability and the woman had an argument with one of the men, who left. She rapidly became overwhelmed by maudlin self-pity and started crying, while one of the remaining men comforted her and looked daggers at us - the obvious cause of all her woes.
They then left in disgust, probably to spend the rest of the night seeking more lively entertainment....
I must admit we've had them all in my part of the world. The drunken lady who thought that belly dancing was an appropriate response to Irish music.
We found it so funny, we could hardly play. Obviously encouraged by our smiles and laughter, she turned up sober for several weeks after, wearing the complete bellydancing regalia!!
Only once have I had to "deal" with a drunk - who started to molest one of the girls at the session.....although as you suggest, a fiery landlady is often the best solution for one who has over-indulged!
Once again, "The Fields Of Athenry" starts things down the slippery slope toward chaos!
It never ceases to amaze me, with the many types of music within the Irish tradition (and in the world for that matter), that so many people tend to decide that the one element of traditional music they were exposed to first (whether it be sean nos, or pub singalongs, or instrumental solos, or instrumental sessions) is the only "true" form of Irish traditional music.
I didn't actually sing 'the fields ' for him just smiled nicely and said I would sing it later as there was stuff I had been working on that I wanted to try out with the lads and he was happy with that, he even listened very approvingly to most of the music and especially the totally unaccompanied song. We were quite happy to include him. It was just a very,very sudden mood swing that caught us completely . I am most impressed with the lads ability to continue playing in the face of a drunk facing them out like that. Chris , I'm sure was tempted to swing the pipes right round hit him where it would hurt but it wouldn't have done his reeds any good. You know you've got a problem when he sat there muttering almost every republican cliche going , intertwined with oaths. It was as if something switched somewhere and I wonder if perhaps he a a deeper problem than the drink.
Perhaps there are "quantum states" associated with drunkeness, and he just jumped to the next level at that point....
Over here in the states, most people don't even know where the locations are that are mentioned in the songs, and don't recognize a political dimension to the songs unless it is so obvious that it slaps you in the face..........
Perhaps your friend was Colin Irwin who wrote "In Search of the Craic" describing his travels in search of Irish Music. He requests "Fields" from every performer
Yet another variety of drunk at session
Yet another variety of drunk at session
So there we were at our usual session in Sheffield Irish Centre. Which is usually quiet and relatively uneventful except for the odd drunk with wandering hands or the ones that pin you into corners, sing at you and then tell you their life story. So as I said we were sat there bemoaning the fact that no matter how much publicity I do we only seem to get the four of us when we were joined by a young man who seemed to want to get involved a bit. So we humoured him , sang the odd song that he seemed to like even when he told the flute player that he should be blowing harder and even got to the point where we were suggesting that next time he brought his guitar down when suddenly there was a sea change. As I was singing the Currah of Kildare he sat beside me and muttered about it all being 'Southern songs'. So we did a bit of My Laglan love - which was evidently not quite northern enough for him! At which point things got out of hand and he tried to tell the lads what to play and they told him that they were going to play what they wanted. There was a lot of swearing ( from him) and how could we call our selves Irish men which was a bit of a strange thing to say to three English men and a Scots woman. He was then ejected as the Landlady's mother does not want anyone upsetting her musicians ( always nice to have the backup)
So has anyone else had problems with playing the wrong sort of Irish music. We are not talking across the sectarian divisions but between things that are common in Belfast and things that were seen as relating to the South ? Surprised me.
J
ps at the begining of the night he asked me to sing 'The fields of Athenry' now where does he think that comes from ?
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by jfother
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
PS - Pete St. John. He does seem to have based it on an older broadside ballad, which he doesn't acknowledge, but the tune ( alas ! ) is his, therefore not trad in any sense.
You should learn the parody, and sing that, most drunks wouldn't spot it; I tried to look up the web address, but I've trimmed the page to fit into my file, so you'll have to look it up yourself, but it's better than the original.
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
The guy sounds like a tw@t!
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by Mark Harmer
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
I'll second that motion Mark.
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by blas
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Had some great ones at the Floating tionol session in Oxford on Monday. Three men and a woman. They were fairly well oiled at the beginning of the session, loudly cheering and applauding every tune. They then entered a phase of sozzled disgruntlement, complaining that it wasn't lively enough, and eventually loudly protesting that this wasn't REAL Irish music and that REAL Irish music was much more fun than this, and that everyone looked so f**king serious and couldn't we even f**king smile when we played.
They then slipped into drunken irritability and the woman had an argument with one of the men, who left. She rapidly became overwhelmed by maudlin self-pity and started crying, while one of the remaining men comforted her and looked daggers at us - the obvious cause of all her woes.
They then left in disgust, probably to spend the rest of the night seeking more lively entertainment....
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by Ottery
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Ah the demon drink eh!!!!
I must admit we've had them all in my part of the world. The drunken lady who thought that belly dancing was an appropriate response to Irish music.
We found it so funny, we could hardly play. Obviously encouraged by our smiles and laughter, she turned up sober for several weeks after, wearing the complete bellydancing regalia!!
Only once have I had to "deal" with a drunk - who started to molest one of the girls at the session.....although as you suggest, a fiery landlady is often the best solution for one who has over-indulged!
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by mikemcdaid
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Ok i'm going to ask the question on everyones lips....
how did you 'deal' with him Mike?
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by jfiddlerh
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Once again, "The Fields Of Athenry" starts things down the slippery slope toward chaos!
It never ceases to amaze me, with the many types of music within the Irish tradition (and in the world for that matter), that so many people tend to decide that the one element of traditional music they were exposed to first (whether it be sean nos, or pub singalongs, or instrumental solos, or instrumental sessions) is the only "true" form of Irish traditional music.
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Athenry is in Galway and therefore a 'southern' song BUT since it's a favourite at Celtic matches probably gets the ok
Our solution is generally to say we don't know the song/tune if we think that it is not appropriate for the crowd we're playing for.
Usually does the job.
Bemused silence can also be very effective - simply smile and get on with your own thing.
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by breandan
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
I didn't actually sing 'the fields ' for him just smiled nicely and said I would sing it later as there was stuff I had been working on that I wanted to try out with the lads and he was happy with that, he even listened very approvingly to most of the music and especially the totally unaccompanied song. We were quite happy to include him. It was just a very,very sudden mood swing that caught us completely . I am most impressed with the lads ability to continue playing in the face of a drunk facing them out like that. Chris , I'm sure was tempted to swing the pipes right round hit him where it would hurt but it wouldn't have done his reeds any good. You know you've got a problem when he sat there muttering almost every republican cliche going , intertwined with oaths. It was as if something switched somewhere and I wonder if perhaps he a a deeper problem than the drink.
J
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by jfother
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Well, at least your drunk still had the ability to speak somewhat enough to be understood. I always hate the irritable incoherent variety.
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by pbassnote
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Perhaps there are "quantum states" associated with drunkeness, and he just jumped to the next level at that point....
Over here in the states, most people don't even know where the locations are that are mentioned in the songs, and don't recognize a political dimension to the songs unless it is so obvious that it slaps you in the face..........
# Posted on June 28th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Yet another variety of drunk at session
Perhaps your friend was Colin Irwin who wrote "In Search of the Craic" describing his travels in search of Irish Music. He requests "Fields" from every performer
# Posted on July 2nd 2006 by Nfg