So, on the Lewisham/Catford border lies one of South East London's lesser-known gems, the Lewisham Irish Centre. The Centre boasts a massive stage with a hall which seats around 120 cabaret-style.
The Centre appointed a new manager last year, Chris Corbett, who has been busily putting in place sound management structures to give the Centre a solid and professional financial, etc base from which to work.
Both Chris and the Management Committee have had their heads down for the past year and although all of the donkey work is not yet finished, there's now a little bit of room to breathe.
And hence the Centre's making a tentative foray into staging concerts.
The first event is a bit of a coup ... Teada will be playing at the Lewisham Irish Centre on the evening of Thursday 10th November. As far as I'm aware this will be their only London gig from now until the end of the year.
Such events are a bit of a risk for a Centre whose funding situation is less precarious now than in previous years, but still allows for little slack.
I'd love to see the Centre go on to stage further such events. The Lewisham/Catford area is (suprisingly) well-served by sessions. If there were to be a number of concerts each year by highly-regarded traditional artists, this would certainly ice the cake!!
So, a plea to all Irish Traditional Music fans within travelling distance of Lewisham/Catford. If you can make it along to the Teada gig, then please make every effort to do so. A sell-out concert will convince the Management Committee that these are events worth staging!
The tickets for Teada are priced at £12 for non-members and £10 for members/concessions. The doors will open at 7.30. Further details from Chris Corbett, Manager, on 020 8695 6264 or email info@lewishamirish.org
See you there?
(PS ... on Saturday 29th October, the Centre is staging a play, The Rare Oul' Times, starring Ken McElroy as Patrick Kavanagh and Oliver Moore as Brendan Behan. There will likely be a few tunes before and/or after ... details still being worked up, but I imagine it will be reasonably informal and session-like. Doors open at 7.30 and tickets are priced at £8 for non-members and £6 for members/concessions. Contact details as above.)
Thanks for reading ... I'm sure you'll all wish the Lewisham Irish Centre every success in these ventures.
I''d just like to say how good this play is. I saw it last year in Harrow and then we were asked to play to intro/outro music for the same play in Luton so saw it twice. It's extremely funny and there is quite a lot of singing in the play itself. Highly recommended.
Good luck with the Irish Centre. I could do with some of this rubbing off on my local Irish Club in High Wycombe, where there have no trad Irish music at all (though they do have the obligatory kids' dancing and fiddle classes).
Wishing Chris, Aidan and other members of the Management Committee every success for the future of the Irish Centre.
Teada should be a great gig - I'm sure we should be able to cancel The Blythe for that Thursday night ...or at least postpone the start of the session!
Good luck from Sheffield. I know how difficult it is to set up these things from experince with the Sheffield Irish Festival and the Sheffield Irish Centre.
If I'm ever in the area I will come and have a look.
Lewisham Irish Centre ... a new beginning?
Lewisham Irish Centre ... a new beginning?
So, on the Lewisham/Catford border lies one of South East London's lesser-known gems, the Lewisham Irish Centre. The Centre boasts a massive stage with a hall which seats around 120 cabaret-style.
The Centre appointed a new manager last year, Chris Corbett, who has been busily putting in place sound management structures to give the Centre a solid and professional financial, etc base from which to work.
Both Chris and the Management Committee have had their heads down for the past year and although all of the donkey work is not yet finished, there's now a little bit of room to breathe.
And hence the Centre's making a tentative foray into staging concerts.
The first event is a bit of a coup ... Teada will be playing at the Lewisham Irish Centre on the evening of Thursday 10th November. As far as I'm aware this will be their only London gig from now until the end of the year.
Such events are a bit of a risk for a Centre whose funding situation is less precarious now than in previous years, but still allows for little slack.
I'd love to see the Centre go on to stage further such events. The Lewisham/Catford area is (suprisingly) well-served by sessions. If there were to be a number of concerts each year by highly-regarded traditional artists, this would certainly ice the cake!!
So, a plea to all Irish Traditional Music fans within travelling distance of Lewisham/Catford. If you can make it along to the Teada gig, then please make every effort to do so. A sell-out concert will convince the Management Committee that these are events worth staging!
The tickets for Teada are priced at £12 for non-members and £10 for members/concessions. The doors will open at 7.30. Further details from Chris Corbett, Manager, on 020 8695 6264 or email info@lewishamirish.org
See you there?
(PS ... on Saturday 29th October, the Centre is staging a play, The Rare Oul' Times, starring Ken McElroy as Patrick Kavanagh and Oliver Moore as Brendan Behan. There will likely be a few tunes before and/or after ... details still being worked up, but I imagine it will be reasonably informal and session-like. Doors open at 7.30 and tickets are priced at £8 for non-members and £6 for members/concessions. Contact details as above.)
Thanks for reading ... I'm sure you'll all wish the Lewisham Irish Centre every success in these ventures.
# Posted on October 13th 2005 by Aidan Crossey
The Rare Oul Times
I''d just like to say how good this play is. I saw it last year in Harrow and then we were asked to play to intro/outro music for the same play in Luton so saw it twice. It's extremely funny and there is quite a lot of singing in the play itself. Highly recommended.
Good luck with the Irish Centre. I could do with some of this rubbing off on my local Irish Club in High Wycombe, where there have no trad Irish music at all (though they do have the obligatory kids' dancing and fiddle classes).
# Posted on October 13th 2005 by helenakitt
Re: Lewisham Irish Centre ... a new beginning?
Wishing Chris, Aidan and other members of the Management Committee every success for the future of the Irish Centre.
Teada should be a great gig - I'm sure we should be able to cancel The Blythe for that Thursday night ...or at least postpone the start of the session!
# Posted on October 13th 2005 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Lewisham Irish Centre ... a new beginning?
Good luck from Sheffield. I know how difficult it is to set up these things from experince with the Sheffield Irish Festival and the Sheffield Irish Centre.
If I'm ever in the area I will come and have a look.
Julie
# Posted on October 13th 2005 by jfother