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What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

I'm especially interested in Fiddlers.

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Recently, An Cuigear out of Boston came to town. They're a mighty bunch of players! Lunasa is of course wonderful, if modern in their arrangements. I heard James Kelly do a small concert a couple of years back, very quiet, he was soooooo good. The Scoiltrad lads came last year and were magnificent. Danu was great, but of course Jesse Smith isn't with them any longer, and I don't know how their new fiddler is -- I assume quite good, as they're all great players.

Basically, go hear everything you can. It can never hurt. At least, it may hurt your wallet, but it'll be worth it. :)

Zina

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by Zina Lee

Re: Hey Zina,

I think I met you last year when Scoiltrad was here. I wasn't able to go the concert but I was at the workshop and the private class. I live in Denver, if you here of anyone coming that's a "don't miss" show maybe you could drop me an email. Sometimes the don't get the word out on some of the concerts. Thanks for your input. I haven't seen any of the ones you mentioned but I'll look for them to come. I do have Jame Kelly Trad. Irish Music CD and LOVE it. Do you know of any other recordings that he has done? I've seen a few shows in the last year. Liz Carrol with Tim O'Brien, Chieftians, Frankie Gavin was fantastic. Last Friday in Keystone Eileen Ivers was a great show, she has such energy and really played her heart out. I've developed an all out fever for the music and just can't get enough. Take care and keep on fiddlin.

Deb Little

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Zina, danus new fiddler is Oisin Mccauley from donegal, as fine a player as you could wish for, haven't heard all the boys together though(as im stuck in australia) but i'd say it'd be mighty,
slan, anto

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by Anthonymcg

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

I've loved concerts by the usual suspects (Altan, Lunasa, etc), but I'm usually much happier hearing a local bar band. We've got some great players around here, and it's great to sit with a beer and listen to a pick-up band assembled for the night coming up with the tunes on the fly. The playing won't be as tight, but it usually does a lot more for me.
Of course, hearing Tommy Peoples play about an hour of solo fiddle last year was something I'll remember for a while. Mighty, I think that's the word.

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by Jon Kiparsky

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Jon, you are absolutely right : it is great to listen to the "big ones" (Dervish is my favourite band; Niamh Parsons came three times to my hometown each time with different and absolut terrific musicians; Midnight Court is a great band) ...... but the most fun is to see/hear a not very well known amateur or semipro band burning down a small local pub......

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by crannog

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Flook are brilliant every time I see them, as well as their compadres Mike McGoldrick and Dezi Donnelly who they play with in various combinations. However the gig I enjoyed most in the last year or so was Matt Cranitch and Donal Murphy along with Steve Cooney at the Return to Camden Town festival. Steve did an accompaniment workshop the next day which I went along to, just to hear him play again. Karen Ryan, the fiddle player from the London Lasses was there for a few tunes and Matt and Donal weighed in later; great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by Conán McDonnell

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

well, you cant argue with BEST LIVE BAND ! Altan of course ! no other band can send you from extreme joy and awe to the most haunting of songs with in the two pieces.
and seeing that i've got the chance, if any of ye are in donegal town on a friday night, come to the scotsmans bar, we're live & kicking and dont make that many mistakes !

martin

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by martin t

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Martin,

We're planning to do a short trip to Donegal this summer. Is that your local session??. Do you know about any other good sessions in the area??

# Posted on June 17th 2002 by Toni Ribas

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Dervish, Grada, Lunasa, Cian.....

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by shoddy fiddle player

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

lunasa, definitely.

and i had the chance to hear james kelly play at the friday harbor irish music camp this last spring. he is a mighty player in general, but his renditions of slow airs are even more amazing.

sarah

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by eleyne

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

I don't go to many "concerts" but I've heard that the "Ceili Bandits" are great, as well as those mentioned above. The last "concert" I went to was a Solas concert. I was stuck in an uncomfortable seat & the band looked like they could have been having more fun if they were washing dishes. Their music was brilliant - but their bored look earned them the nickname "Soul-less" I then made a permanent decision to see ITM in the bars, fleadhs & other venues where it's more natural. IMO It doesn't work well on a stage in a concert hall.

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by Brad Maloney

Ceol in donegal

hey, i've started doing sessions in the scotsmans bar in donegal town with some really hot fiddlers every friday aparently they're calling us "the young ones".so you'd be very welcome to join us if you were in town. you should check out the cul a duin in teelin if you can too. and if altans not on tour the chances are they'll be there, thats where i've played with them and martin hayes and steeve cooney too. the sessions are top class there because if altans not there they hire really good players for example harry bradly, dinny mc loughlin etc..
Vincie Campell, as in Vincent Campells Jig plays in glenties but you'd need to be big into the old roots style hard trad to get the full out of that.
basicly there is sessions all over donegal all the time, if you can pick up a copy of the irish music mag, you'll get the rest of them. the ones above are just the ones i go to.
thats all i can think of off hand,

martin.

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by martin t

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Hey, cool, Deb! Do you go to any of the sessions roundabout town? I don't recall meeting you offhand, but I'm sure I'd remember you once I saw you. We should get together for a few tunes!

James Kelly has done quite a few albums, yes. They're easy enough to find if you're willing to do just a little hunting around. Amazon carries a great one he did with Daithi Sproule besides Traditional Irish Music, and you can probably find them out on the net or at Jerry's downtown easily enough.

Talk to you soon!

Zina

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by Zina Lee

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

I reckon Rapalje (it's a dutch celtic band) are the best.... these guys are just great!
check out their website at www.rapalje.com

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by Irishdancer

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Yeah, Lunasa. Much more exciting than the recording. Flook was also great. But the most recent and brilliant concert was that of the Wrigley Sisters, the fiddler and the guitarist from Orkney. One of their album is the best in my vast collection of CDs. Does anyone know them?
It is not concert but I really loved listening to Cian in a pub around two years ago, though at that time I didn't know they released CDs. Whenever I visit Ireland, I go to a certain city to listen to Padraig's funky concertina.

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by slainte

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Zina,
I've been to Fados only once it was alot of fun but that's about it so far anyway. Getting together for some tunes would be cool. Thanks for the tip on James Kelly, I'm gonna check it out now.

Deb

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Zina,
I've been to Fados only once it was alot of fun but that's about it so far anyway. Getting together for some tunes would be cool. Thanks for the tip on James Kelly, I'm gonna check it out now.

Deb

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

This is weird, I don't know why but it's the second time I got posted twice.

# Posted on June 18th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Hey Deb...Jeremy says that if you use your "back" button on your browser instead of the one that links back from the Session, it'll probably post twice...

C'mon up to Longmont if you're on the North end of Denver (http://www.slowplayers.org/SCTLS)...if you're not, then give me a buzz (or drop me an e-mail, zina@askymyfather.com), and we'll get together for a tune or two. Michael Duffy is hitting town this weekend and I was trying to figure out what to do on Saturday evening, if you're free...

Zina

# Posted on June 19th 2002 by Zina Lee

Oops, didn't leave a space there... http://www.slowplayers.org/SCTLS . There. :)

zls

# Posted on June 19th 2002 by Zina Lee

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Zina,
Thanks for the tip on the back button I bet thats what I did.

Nice website on the session, I recognized the piper from the Scoiltrad workshop. I would love to get together. I need to get a little work on my car though before I drive to Longmont. So if I manage to get my arss in gear before this weekend I'll email you. By the way my address is deblittle@earthlink.net
If not this weekend definitely soon.

I did want to tell you about Colcannon playing your way on Friday. Their going to be at Dickens Opera Hous 302 Main St upstairs on 6/21- 8:00pm, tickets are $10.00 at the door. They are a local band. Quite good if you haven't seen them, traditional Irish. Jean Harrison, plays fiddle and is my teacher. They would be worth catching.

# Posted on June 19th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

I haven't seen Colcannon in, gosh, must be about two or three years now... I used to work with Mick at the Denver Center Theatre Company. We used to drive up to The James in Boulder (now it's Conor O'Neill's) to see Colcannon back when they played there every week.

Ask My Father will be playing this Friday in Niwot, out in front of Flanagan's for the Niwot Shares silent auction thing that they're doing, so I can't do the Colcannon show...how long have you been taking from Jean? I don't know her, but my lovely friend Emily Bowman knows her quite well, naturally enough (Emily is Brian's girlfriend, or at least was last I heard, I haven't talked to Emily in a while). How's Jean's sister doing? I hope in better health...

Where are you from, Deb? I'm in Lafayette, myself. But I'm often running about the metro area, so it wouldn't be too tough for me to find a night to get together -- I think we're going to either Fado or Conor's on Sunday night, how about you?

Zina

# Posted on June 19th 2002 by Zina Lee

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Saw the Wrigley sisters about a month ago and was impressed by their technical brilliance. Couldn't understand the accent on all of their verbal jokes, but the musical jokes came through nicely.

# Posted on June 21st 2002 by vonnieestes

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Zina,

It is remarkable what a small world it is. You know Mick and a friend that knows Jean. Then I hook up with you on this site after meeting you when Scoiltrad was here. I’m amused. You must have some good memories from your drives to The James in Boulder. Mick is very funny.

I’m sure that Ask My Father will make sure the silent auction is not too silent tonight. I have been taking lessons from Jean going on 4 months now. I was on a waiting list for almost a year. She is a wonderful teacher and my playing has really improved with her help. We have a great time and laugh a lot. I’ll tell Jean I talked to you when I see her Tuesday, and mention your friend Emily. Jean recently said that her sister had cancer but now she is ok. That’s about all I really know but it sounds like she must be in better health.

If you know where Swallow Hill is, I live about a block away. Broadway and Yale and the closest cross streets.
Let me know if you are going to Fado’s or Connors Sunday. Sunday would be good for me. I don’t know where Connor’s is. It’s a closed session on Sunday at Fado’s , right? Like don’t bother bringing your fiddle unless you really know what you are doing? Anyway let me know I would enjoy getting together either way. Talk to you soon. Good luck tonight, I’d like to catch Ask My Father one of these times.

Deb

# Posted on June 21st 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Has anyone ever seen Nomos? I saw them on Sult one time. The Fiddle player was Vincent Milne. He is a big moose of a guy and his fingers looked like they would cover a whole interval but man could he play. I think he was from Cork.

# Posted on June 21st 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Deb, you'll find that this is an EXTREMELY small community world-wide, this whole Irish trad music thing...I'm always finding people who know people I know or whatever, even as far away as Singapore, or Australia.

The Fado session isn't closed insofar as I know -- Tim Murphy runs that one, he's quite a nice man, and you can go anytime, although it is a fast session, with no real providing for beginners. But I'm sure they'd have you at least play one of yours and be welcoming. I think Michelle MacGregor still runs the Monday night session at Fado, and that's a fast open session too. I'll check in with you on Sunday morning via e-mail to let you know which session we'll be at on Sunday afternoon.

I didn't actually ride up with Mick! But it would have been very amusing, because, yes, he's a very funny man. :)

Zina

# Posted on June 21st 2002 by Zina Lee

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

I've seen Nomos, at Whelan's in Dublin; they were mighty. Frank the bodhran player and Niall the concertina player were both incredible.

---Michael B.

# Posted on June 23rd 2002 by MichaelBolton

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

oh yea, Nomos concertina player was really good
Deb

# Posted on June 24th 2002 by deblittle

Re: What Live (Celtic Bands) have knocked your socks off.

Dylan

It HAS to be BLUEHORSES.... a.folk rock , twin fiddle driven extravaganza of passion, skill, and a sense of good times.
Just watching them wore me out!
I saw them at the Fareham Easter festival this year along with the Oyster band, who were definately given a run for their money by Bluehorses.If you can get to see them it would be money well spent.I have only been playing fiddle for two years, and the two girls made me more determind than ever to master the instrument.
If anyone wants to log onto their website to find out if they are playing near your at any point, the address:
bluehorses.co.uk

Dylan.

# Posted on June 24th 2002 by dylan

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