I was there two weeks ago. Session time was nominally 6-9 pm. I got there at 7:30, 'twas still going well after 9 when I left.
This is a bar on the long, narrow plan, and the session was up front in the window, separated by a wall from the entryway. There was room for 8-10 players around the table plus a few chairs behind. There's a piano, which was occasionally employed.
Acoustics in the session area could have been better, to say the least, as the noise level in the pub rose. I was behind two players directly across the table from himself, and sometimes I had trouble hearing himself on whistle. (On the other hand, the music was audible in the main pub area all the way back to the rest rooms.)
There was a good mix of tunes (the majority of which were pretty well known, but for some I was glad to have brought tape) and songs (by singers known to himself) that became more frequent as the evening progressed. There were enough gaps that even, er, meself had several chances to start tunes. (Hm, if there's a gap, and a whistle player starts a tune in it, does that make the gap a windy one?)
Going there was (on account of a variety of personal historical complicating factors into which I won't go here) somewhat a matter of taking the bull by the horns for me. I think it was successful; I'll know, I suppose, the next time I go down there. (I live about 140 miles away, but family matters drew me to the big city that weekend.)
Celtic Crossings session has returned...
and is being hosted by Larry Nugent. Good mix of instruments and styles present. Not really for beginners, but still friendly.
The bar is easily accessible by CTA trains and buses and close to many downtown hotels.
# Posted on January 13th 2003 by Hanley
I was there two weeks ago. Session time was nominally 6-9 pm. I got there at 7:30, 'twas still going well after 9 when I left.
This is a bar on the long, narrow plan, and the session was up front in the window, separated by a wall from the entryway. There was room for 8-10 players around the table plus a few chairs behind. There's a piano, which was occasionally employed.
Acoustics in the session area could have been better, to say the least, as the noise level in the pub rose. I was behind two players directly across the table from himself, and sometimes I had trouble hearing himself on whistle. (On the other hand, the music was audible in the main pub area all the way back to the rest rooms.)
There was a good mix of tunes (the majority of which were pretty well known, but for some I was glad to have brought tape) and songs (by singers known to himself) that became more frequent as the evening progressed. There were enough gaps that even, er, meself had several chances to start tunes. (Hm, if there's a gap, and a whistle player starts a tune in it, does that make the gap a windy one?)
Going there was (on account of a variety of personal historical complicating factors into which I won't go here) somewhat a matter of taking the bull by the horns for me. I think it was successful; I'll know, I suppose, the next time I go down there. (I live about 140 miles away, but family matters drew me to the big city that weekend.)
Jerome
# Posted on September 12th 2003 by JSC_from_IL