It's Buy One Get One Free at the Liverpool Phil

MOYA BRENNAN / JULIE FEENEY
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Sunday 21st October 2007

Moya Brennan [web][myspace][wiki]
Julie Feeney [web][myspace][wiki]

When details of this show were published in the Phil's brochure, the prospect of Moya, accompanied by the RLPO, was good enough to sell me a pair of tickets. But this particular bargain at the point of sale wasn't the only one on offer.
Apparently Moya had discovered a phenomenal musician at the same time as I did. We both tuned in to a Duke Special concert on BBC Radio Ulster and sharing the bill that evening was Julie Feeney. I was so impressed with her that I just had to do my little bit to tell the world via Musictipping.com while Moya found out that there was more to Julie Feeney than just singer/songwriting. To cut a long story short, Moya invited Julie to score the music for the string section of the RLPO and conduct them as well.
So, with the needle on my anticipation dial pointing way past the red zone, and last night's Brian Kennedy concert still keeping me on a high, it was time to welcome Moya Brennan, the voice of Clannad with her 7-piece backing band on to the stage.
Robed in a resplendant royal blue Ciaran S. Grammy number, Moya was received by her awaiting accompanists.
Tapestry's intricate weavings of Eamonn Galldubh's Uillean Pipes, Sinead Madden's Violin and Moya's mesmeric vocals emerged from the fading applause and just to ensure that the audience's tansition into trance was complete, Moya reached for the bones and tapped us into Newgrange before saying Hello.
Apart from a minor distraction of a quickly quelled flash photographer and the whirring of the smoke machine during Pill A Run O, the first half continued as per the Signature Tour set - a steady flow of Clannad favourites, one or two from Moya's previous solo albums and a couple of jigs and reels. The penultimate song of the first half saw the introduction of Julie Feeney, who sat at the grand piano and delivered one of her songs from her 13 Songs album, Wind Out Of My Sails. Moya added BVs.
Julie returned the compliment for the first half finale, Many Faces.
The addition of the string section at the start of the second half made a mockery of the ticket price. A cluster of 4 whammies, 3 from Signature with Harry's Game in the midst, forced the body folicles to stand up on the goosebumps. For openers, Purple Haze was instrumentally lethal. Julie managed to split the group into two during the staccato bits.The arrangements of Merry Go Round and Black Night were of a equally high standard.
As was Harry's Game which seemed to be given a whole new life.
Prior to this concert I had this preconceived idea that the orchestra would be a dominant feature, but my fears were happily allayed. Everything integrated so well and each song just had this extra depth.
From this cluster of 4 the orchestra took a breather but returned here and there for more beauties from the Signature album,No One Talks,in particular, was just out and out quality.
An encore was demanded and as the backing band were doing there cameo solos during Nil Se'n La (It's Not Yet Daytime) it suddenly dawned on me that we were approaching the end of the show.
I wasn't keeping count, but apparently 9 songs were scored by Julie. She obviously has more strings to her bow (groan !) than just singer/songwriting.
Hour upon hours worth of rehearsal work must have gone into this by everyone on that stage. The whole presentation was immaculate right down to intricate details like Sinead's BVs harmonising perfectly with the violins.
Moya signed my copy of her autobiography after the show. I mentioned the Birkenhead gig and she told me that she enjoyed reading my review. So if Moya is kind enough to read my written works, it's only fair that I should read hers.
And to close this perfect weekend, I had to play that Beautiful Dreamer duet with Brian Kennedy once more.

The Band

Moya Brennan - Lead Vocals, Harp, Shaker & Bones
Paul Byrne – percussion
Fionan De Barra – Guitars, Vocals
Sinead Madden – Fiddle, (perfectly matched)Vocals and Shaker
Sam Jackson – Piano /Keyboards
Eamonn Galldubh – Uilleann Pipes, Clarinet and other wind instruments.
Yoshinobi Izumi – Electric Bass (left handed), Vocals
Cormac De Barra – Electric Harp, Vocals

Julie Feeney - Guest singer and conductor and the musical score for the string section of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

FOOTNOTE1: Thanks very much to Martijn from Moya's Forum for getting a copy of the setlist

FOOTNOTE2 : Moya talks about the Signature album.

Brian Kennedy, a Scouser from Belfast

BRIAN KENNEDY
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Saturday 20th October 2007

[web][myspace]
Brian Kennedy abandoned all but one of his band, ditched his suit and tore up the setlist and then casually walked on to the stage at one of Liverpool's most prestigious venues, packed to the rafters, and provided a performance that will be cemented into the audience's memories for years to come.
After the obligatory half-hour support act - (Steve Roberts) - a local lad from Waterloo, who conjured up songs about taxi journeys from Speke, his Mother-in-law and New Brighton's nightclubs - the lights brightened to reveal a relatively well populated auditorium. Not a bad attendance, considering that there was a bit of a rugby match on the telly. However, as BK's appearance became imminent,this soon became a capacity audience when the orders were bellowed for the stragglers to leave the bar.
The lights dimmed once again and his backing band for the night, Callum MacColl, took his place on stage to receive Mr. Kennedy, whose arrival was greeted with a bit of a gasp due his shorn locks and attire of black t-shirt & jeans.
It could only have been Brian Kennedy as he grabbed his guitar and launched straight into one of the songs from his latest album. I've forgotten the title already because, like Brian, I didn't make a setlist.
That was the plan, as far as songs were concerned, totally ad-libbed from the off and all requests from the lively bunch of Liverpudlians were thrown into the mix. That is the beauty of the live performance. Expect anything, for when the singer has such quality and the songs are established favourites, the outcome is guaranteed enjoyment.
For his part, Brian was totally at home with the mass of Merseysiders. One request was for Christopher Street, which he repeated back in an acceptable Scouse dialect. This banter was stepped up a further notch as an American shouted his request which received a similar mimic.
On Brian's CV you will find that he has performed in Riverdance, been a backing singer with Van Morrison, accompanied countless other artistes ranging from Lulu to Sinead O'Connor and has represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Album releases are well into double figures, and two songs from his next album, Interpretations, was represented in the show. As you can guess from the title, Interpretations will be comprised of cover versions, and I for one can't wait for its release. If Clifford T Ward's Gay and Declan O'Rourke's Gallileo are anything to go by. I'm currently nursing a cold, the streaming eyes and runny nose were a brilliant excuse to get the hankie out for Clifford's cover.
His main set closed with Put The Message In The Box and returned with a 2 song encore. The first being last year's Irish Eurovision entry,Every Song Is A Cry For Love and, for any potential X-Factor entrants, a beautiful off-mic delivery of You Raise Me Up..... yes, the one that Westlife did, but go and find a copy of Brian's....
I joined the queue at the CD table after the show and picked up On Song and On Song 2, the latter had Beautiful Dreamer on it. I just had to play that one before resting my head, especially as it is a duet with Moya Brennan. Moya is appearing at this venue the night after....and I have tickets.

Ferry follows up with Fourth Street and first time feelings follow forthwith

Just around the time when Beatlemania was becoming a worldwide epidemic, I popped into my local record shop and bought my first single - Positively 4th Street by Bob Dylan. Even at the tender age of 11, I was already showing signs of developing a non-conformist taste in music.
Whilst I was perusing YouTube the other day I casually entered 4th Street into the Search box, and - deep joy - there it was.
A quick glance to the right, and Bryan Ferry's name appeared in the list of related videos.
This song cannot be covered without doing it a total injustice, I thought.
Curiosity got the better of me and I gave Bryan's thumbnail a click. It was like hearing it for the first time all over again.
So while I go off to find out what CD this cover available on, go and play the video - HERE

You need to pay more attention to CCTV these days

[web][myspace][youtube][musictipping]

CCTV - That's Celine Carroll TV on YouTube. The YouTube link above takes you to the first in a series where the theme is 2 new songs in a different shirt. The songs are new (original) because they are all written by herself. This could be quite a long series because Celine claims that she will never run out of songs (I'll guarantee that statement), although she might run out of shirts (can't comment on that one).....now chose one (or more) of the following :

1. ITCH and YEAH

2. HEART OF GOLD and SO WRONG

3. WE'LL SEE and GREY SKY BLUE

4. DIME and APOLOGISE

5. HUMAN TOUCH and BLAME THIS WORLD

6. BETTER THAN THIS and SWEET HEART OF MINE

7. FAIRYTALE ON ICE and BIRD IN A CAGE

8. I'D RATHER BE IN JAIL THAN BE IN LOVE WITH YOU AGAIN and LOVING YOU

9. JUST GOTTA GET AWAY and SHINE

10. YOU'RE STILL HERE and I LOVE YOU I

11. YOUR WORLD and STAND BY THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE

May I also direct your attention to Celine singing live at Bewley's with Siobhan Lennon. The song is called DAISY LADY - if you click this link I promise that your ears will love you forever !
And here is an example of what makes the Irish music industry so fascinating, as you delve a little further, you find another group or artiste that you just have to find out a bit more about. Here's Tir Na Nog with thei version of DAISY LADY.

Julie's Aching Is So Soothing

[web][myspace][youtube][musictipping]

Thanks to a newsletter e-mail from Duke Special, advertising a show on BBC Radio Ulster, I discovered Julie Feeney, a wonderful Irish singer/songwriter.

She opened the show with a (I'm beginning to hate this over-used descriptive) haunting song called Aching. She holds the note on the 'A' for around 30 seconds or so while the string section seems to do the breathing. Suffice it to say, Aching is a truly beautiful song and it is the opening track on an understandably, much acclaimed debut album entitled 13 Songs.

To say Julie is articulate and educated is an understatement. I found this on Wikipedia :- "Feeney played with the Galway Youth Orchestra, studied music and psychology at University College Cork, and after moving to Dublin, graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2002 with a master's in music and media technologies."

With credits from the likes of The Guardian and Sunday Times, appearances in Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, as well as an exemplorary education record, you won't need too much convincing that '13 Songs' is a top-class album and an asset to any discerning music lover's collection.

Julie Fowlis breezes into Chester with the force of a Gael

JULIE FOWLIS
Telford’s Warehouse
Chester
Monday 16th April 2007

[web][youtube][myspace][musictipping]

Such is my enjoyment of live music and the atmosphere of the whole event, that when someone recommended a singer who I’d never heard of, I bought a pair of tickets for the first available local gig.
Not only was this singer unknown to me, she sang totally in Outer Hebridean Gaelic.
As is what has now become common practice on Myspace, I signed this singer up as a friend, but I refused to satisfy all curiosity by deliberately avoiding listening to the songs that were uploaded on to her page. The idea was to attend this gig without any preconceptions and have a totally open mind about what was about to hit me.

I had no intentions of compiling a set-list. I didn’t know any songs and more to the point, I couldn’t even spell them. One thing, which did strike me as peculiar, was that there were no instruments at rest on the stage and, apart from 4 microphone stands, there were no trailing wires.

Well, that’s all the negatives cleared up. A glance up at the nameplate on the speaker revealed the word BOSE, a second glance to the left saw the quartet arriving on stage. From hereon, we’re talking quality.

Any fears about Gaelic vs. English were put to rest as each song was explained with clarity and humour. The subject matter ranged from elopement, being seasick and good old fashioned tales of love and romance.

Julie Fowlis, second left, was lead singer, tin whistle player and chief story-teller. To her immediate left (audience’s right) was a fellow Scotsman, Duncan Chisolm, on Violin, the pair were flanked by her fiancé, Eamon Doorley on Bouzouki and Tony Byrne on Acoustic Guitar. The latter two were from Dublin.

The celtic fusion and humour is best exemplified by the introduction to one of the medleys of jigs and reels. Duncan, in a fine Scottish brogue, said “The second one is a traditional Highland tune entitled ‘Morag, please trim your toenails because they’re ripping the blanket’ ”. Eamon replied, “Over in Donegal, the very same tune goes by the title ‘Mary. Please cut your toenails, you’re scratching my ankles’ ”

Julie’s vocals were clear, confident and captivating. The opening song, Hug air a Bhonaid Mhoir, (Celebrate the Great Bonnet) was the first from her latest CD, Cuilidh (pronounced Ku-lee). It was so catchy, it immediately claimed your attention. It might be worth noting that not too many people possess CDs by female folk singers from the Outer Hebrides, so there’s many a prized collection with a noticable gap. Another thing that I noticed was that there wasn’t an Aran sweater or pair of corduroys to been found in the wide age-ranged, attentive, audience of over 100.
Word has already got around, it appears. One explanation for the healthy attendance might be put down to the fact that her music has been endorsed by the likes of BBC R2’s Mark Ratcliffe and Radiohead’s Philip Selway.

Songs of varying tempos were delivered with clarity. The storylines which preceded each one gave the listener a strong enough understanding to almost translate the lyrics. Not that the lyrics mattered anyway, the sincerity and purity of Julie’s singing coupled with the quality of the instrumental backing was good enough to satisfy my aural requirements. These songs were interspersed by a couple of instrumental jigs & reels and excellent solos & duets, both vocal and instrumental.

The two hour trad-arr trip ticked away with tormenting rapidity and encore time came all too soon.
Eamon and Julie returned to the stage and after a brief Gaelic tutorial we were invited to join in the chorus !

If you ever get the chance to witness Julie Fowlis, don’t use the fact that it’s all in Gaelic as an excuse not to go. Learning about it is a delightful ear-opener……..so if will excuse me for a while, I’m off to translate The Theme From Harry’s Game !

Celine Carroll's follow-up to Itch won't be a rash decision

[web][myspace][musictipping]
Here is a video of Honey, a little taster to whet the appetite for those who are hungry for more after her current album, Itch. This was taken during a recent gig at Bewley's, Grafton St. Dublin.

CELINE CARROLL - Live Show, Honey

Moya Brennan's Signature is worth all the polycarbonate it's written on

[web][myspace]

Compiling gig reviews is relatively straightforward because it’s a descriptive snapshot of a moment in time. Throw in a few nice words about the performer(s), the effect on the audience, maybe tag on a setlist and you’ve cracked it. However,an album review is a different kettle of fish.

You should therefore appreciate that it’s going to take a very special album to make me wax lyrical about its merits. Ladies & Gentlemen, I now present to you my views on the best album that I’ve heard in years, Moya Brennan’s Signature.

Signature was produced by Moya Brennan and mixed by guitarist/pianist/backing vocalist, Fionan De Barra. It was released on the BEO record label, October 2006. The album contains 12 quality tracks which takes little effort from the listener to get totally immersed in.

A quick feather of the cymbals, then we’re dropped into a rolling Purple Haze. From a lyrical aspect there are no more than half a dozen phrases. Musically, it’s lethal. Rolling piano, wild Uillean pipes and Moya’s pure vocals will beat the aural recipient into submission. By the time Merry Go Round , track 3, comes around the listener’s grip on reality has become totally loosened.

Study the quality of the weaving of voice and violin in Tapestry, track 5. Dream your way through Black Night, track 6, and sink to your knees to Hear My Prayer, track 7.
Maire Breatnach’s name appears in the sleeve notes of this album. Although this virtuoso of the violin is not associated with any given track, I suspect that she might have joined in on this particular song at least.
Many Faces, track 9, has the backing music from the League of Nations. It has an Egyptian sand-dancer’s beat, the odd plink of the harp takes you to Latin America, while the Uillean pipes could well be charming snakes in the depths of India. The penultimate song, Gone Are The Days, track 11, allows you to reflect on your carefree days of youth before closing with the beautiful simplicity of a ‘trad. arr.’ , entitled Pill A Run O.

Getting tired of listening to this album is not an option. It’s just impossible to put down. Even if you attempt to do so, then please take extreme care when listening upon return. It has the cheek to sound even better. Signature not only takes over your life, it gnaws away at your soul.

To those who may still have second thoughts about accompanying this CD on the journey from the display shelf to the checkout till, then rest assured that the seal of quality is Moya Brennan, the voice of Clannad. This album doesn’t need the help of self-centred radio stations to push sales. In fact, they might have to air this album to attract the listeners.

Two autographed CDs , but no Signature

MOYA BRENNAN
Pacific Road Arts Centre
Birkenhead
Friday 23rd March 2007

[web][myspace]

I’ve been in possession of Moya Brennan’s Signature CD for about two weeks or so now, and I’ve absolutely hammered it. And, boy, I was more ready for this concert than a footie fan is for a Wembley cup final.

At the rear of the stage at Pacific Road Arts Centre is a tram museum. Black drapes just about hide the audience’s view from these relics of yesteryear. To further assist the optical protection, there is a constant stream of dry ice and the artistes enter the stage like they do on Stars In Your Eyes.

This was no tribute act though, Moya, (vocals, harp & shaker) and her 7 piece band were about to take us from these mists of the ‘Pacific’, across the Irish Sea to drop us on the other side of the Wicklow Mountains into the fields of the 32 counties and 40 shades of green.

Such is the mystical power of the music of Moya Brennan. Moya’s voice has the purity of Waterford Crystal and her songs are simply mesmeric. From the first song onwards the optical view of the band is overwritten by images from the mind’s eye and you just float away.

I didn’t take note of the setlist, but the show lasted for around 2hrs plus a 20 minute interval. The essential content was a plentiful supply of songs from her latest album, Signature, with some favourites from Clannad. There were also a couple of instrumental medleys of jigs & reels which saw Moya on the harp.

Irish jigs & reels are interesting enough with a conventional set of instruments, but when you include 2 harps, Uillean pipes and the obligatory fiddle within this array. then your ears are in for a bit of exercise.

Tapestry (Moya’s Signature) and New Grange (Clannad’s Lore & others) opened the show before Moya conversed. She was pleased to back on Merseyside and felt almost shocked that it was several years since she last appeared over in Liverpool. The mere fact that that the venue was just about sold out proved out the proverb about absence and the heart.

Old favourites form the Clannad days included Robin the Hooded Man, Theme From Harry’s Game and In A Lifetime. The Signature CD was well represented, although the album wasn’t available at the CD table.

Two hours just whistled by, and as she came to introduce the last song, Gone Are The Days, Moya explained that Signature is a snapshot of her life and that particular song reflected on her younger times. Judging by her looks and her voice, the fountains of youth are still flowing.

Moya returned for the encore which closed with an old Irish fighting song, Against the Wind, which features some fantastic drumming by Paul Byrne. Golden uplights on the drumkit make for a spectacular finale.

At the end of the show I added a couple of CDs to my collection, one being her Christmas album (shop early !) and her debut solo album , Maire (RCA 1993). This album features her sisters, Dee, Bridin and Olive and it’s well worth a listen just for the natural sibling harmonies from the Irish equivalent of the Von Trapp family !

Moya’s Band :

Moya Brennan - Lead Vocals, Harp, Shaker & Bones
Paul Byrne – percussion
Fionan De Barra – Guitars, Vocals
Sinead Madden – Fiddle, (perfectly matched)Vocals
Sam Jackson – Keyboards
Eamonn Galldubh – Uillleann Pipes, Saxaphone, Clarinet
Yoshinobi Izumi – Electric Bass (left handed), Vocals
Cormac De Barra – Electric Harp, Vocals

Click Here for the Signature album review

Not radio, I regret, but the 'net which filled the Met for Juliet

JULIET TURNER
Bury Met,
Friday 9th March 2007

[web][myspace]

Apart from a change in the support act and just one song previously unheard, there has been no great change in Juliet Turner's offerings since her last appearance at this venue some 13 months ago.

She hasn't had the momentum of a big UK tour to call upon either.

Even radio airplay has been almost non-existent recently. The odd play on Wogan here and there have been my only JT encounters over the past 12 months.All this relative inactivity is hardly the best foundation for a successful live show on a cold Friday March evening in the heart of Lancashire.

So we have to choose from, good venue promotional work, word of mouth, the internet, the undying support of the faithful followers or the quality of Juliet Turner & guitarist Brian Grace as the reason for filling the Bury Met.

Draw your own conclusions, but the quality element is what drags me out of my armchair.

It's common knowledge that the reason for her musical inertia is that Juliet is studying Speech Therapy at Trinity College, Dublin. Although the studying is probably intense and most of her time is now dedicated to achieving her anticipated qualification, she assured the audience that she does manage to visit the studio now and again and a new album will be forthcoming soon.

As for the content of the gig, the Bury faithful (and any newcomers) were treated to about an hour and a half of her `old' favourites. Starting with `Pick A Story' and closing with `Everything Beautiful Is Burning', the performance was faultless, the banter was friendly, the between-song stories were a-plenty and new. It was also difficult to imagine that Brian Grace and Juliet had not performed live together as frequently as say, last year. The best example of this natural musical togetherness was particularly noticeable at the closing of `1987' where they were racing along chord for chord and without even a glance to each other, they nailed the finish with perfection.

She returned for the encore, which closed with the much-requested `Vampire' , but the highlight of the evening – and probably for the entire duration of my Juliet Turner support – was that she agreed to sing `Broken Things'. She sang this song at the Memorial Service for the victims of the Omagh bombing. I don't believe she has ever performed it since. I have only called upon this song a couple of times since then during my own personal traumas, such is the gravity of this beautiful song.

Thank you Juliet Turner for the quality music that you have delivered so far, thank you also for promising to return. Good Luck with the studies.

Thanks to Paddycam for this vid from a gig at Whelan's , Dublin

Be upstanding for the Duke

DUKE SPECIAL
The Barfly, Liverpool
Tuesday 6th February 2007

[web][myspace][musictipping]

Quite a bit has happened to the musical career of Duke Special since I saw him perform live in Wrexham last May. That show attracted little more than 20-odd die-hards and the souvenirs comprised of little more than a couple of EPs, a boxed set of vinyls and one or two egg whisks and cheese graters.

He’s since made a new album, Songs From The Deep Forest and he’s released Freewheel as a single from it. Freewheel was released this week and it is getting regular airplay on BBC Radio 2.

Bears are featured on the sleeve notes of his album, the cover of the single & video and also the ‘Duke Special on Tour’ T-shirts.

The original version of Teddy Bears Picnic announced the bands pending arrival on to the stage. The concert hall at the Barfly became the bear pit as a crowd of about 250+ welcomed Duke and his band to Liverpool with a great big hug.

Apart from sharing a tour with The Divine Comedy, airplay on BBC R2 for that last fortnight and a couple of minutes with Billy Butler on BBC Radio Merseyside earlier in the day, there has been little else, other than word of mouth and the internet, to explain the reason for this ten-fold increase in audience figures.

And as he sang Brixton Leaves to open the show, any malingering thoughts about the audience’s authenticity soon evaporated when they cheered as one to the line where Belfast was mentioned. As the applause eventually grew quiet at the closing of the song to make way for Duke to speak, he said “Hello Liverpool” in a somewhat surprised tone, “ Where did you all come from ?”

When you’ve witnessed someone come from humble beginnings as a support act and followed him to this point some three years later, it makes you feel that both audience and artiste are in this together. It promised to be, and it proved to be, one glorious night.

I didn’t make a note of the setlist, but tracks from Songs from the Deep Forest accounted for most of the show which included a few favourites from previous tours. Wake Up Scarlett, Freewheel, and Last Night I Nearly Died are taking on an anthemic aura.

On stage Duke (piano and accordion) is accompanied by, The Temperance Society Chip Bailey (percussion) and two others whose names I didn’t catch. If the instrumentalists match the album sleeve notes, they are Ben Castle (clarinet, saxophone & synth) and Paul Wilkinson (bass & guitar). The latter two played well as straight-forward out-and-out quality musicians.
Duke, apart the odd first-night-on-tour lyrical slip-ups, was excellent, of course.

But the visual delight was Chip Bailey. He makes Animal off the Muppets look as boring as a politician. One moment his arms are waving about like windmill sails clattering everything in sight, next moment totally disinterested, next moment poised for a dab on a cymbal like a cat ready to pounce. Add to that the array of items he makes use of besides the drumkit – stompf fiddle, egg whisk & cheese grater and goats toenails to name but a few, then you’ll appreciate that descriptive words will never match the visual.

If there were any complaints, it had to be that there were no seats and an obstructed view. One or two of the elder members of the audience would have put a bench or two around the perifory to welcome use. However, the lack of such facilities encouraged a spot of dancing now and again.

Liverpool was the first port of call on the Songs From The Deep Forest album tour. Catch him live on this one if you can, while the tickets are cheap – next tour might see him in the big arenas !

A brilliant oldie from Into The New

I'm a bit partial to Irish female singers and I like my '80s - so if you combine the two, then the result is heavenly.
Courtesy of You Tube, I present to you IN TUA NUA featuring LESLIE DOWDALL.

I'm enlightened as Santa's sack was lightened

While we were taking a weekend break in Dublin in November I was treated to my usual Christmas present, namely, a bundle of CDs from Dublin's finest music emporia. One of those CDs was actually a DVD. Sharon Shannon's Live at Dolan's.
When I got back home this DVD somehow managed to dodge the wrapping paper. And even if I had the slightest clue about the quality of the contents I still wouldn't have let this wait under the tree.

To the unfamiliar, Sharon Shannon plays the accordian....the tin whistle....violin.... Very good, so what's the big deal, you might say. Does she sing ? I haven't noticed yet......Hmmm, still not convinced then ? Well, all I'll say is that her previous album, released early 2006, and this DVD topped their respective charts in Ireland, almost immediately after release. That doesn't leave all that many besides you who are unconvinced.

Live at Dolan's opens with 3 instrumentals. I'll guarantee that before these 3 tunes have finished, your feet will have tapped, the top front teeth will have touched the bottom lip and the head would have nodded, your fingers would have clicked. If there's a pint of Guinness or a glass of wine nearby you'll be ready for the next one. Even the fellas will be ready to get up and dance. And no one has sung a note yet !

Sharon had managed to assemble an impressive 10-piece band for this DVD which was filmed in July 2006 Dolan's Warehouse in Limerick. As well as playing their respective roles within the confines of a band there were plenty of excellent solos and cameos within some of the tunes. The quality was high enough to warrant the creation of a DVD on the band's performances alone.

Gerry O'Connor playing banjo on Time to Time is worthy of over 8 minutes of your undivided attention. And before you've got chance to recover, lead guitarist, Jack Maher, gets behind the mike to give a superb bluesy number entitled Don't Give Up. The mood is impeccably enhanced with James Delaney (where've I seen him before?) on keyboards and Richie Buckley on Tenor Sax.

I could go on at length trying to describe the tunes which have become Sharon's anthems over the years. But I will point you to a couple. The Mighty Sparrow which ambles along at the start with Jim Murray strumming away on acoustic guitar while Sharon weaves patterns through it with her accordian. Robbie Casserly steps in with the drums and the tune chugs along into a brilliant Jack Maher guitar solo. Not to be out-done, Richie then steps in on Tenor Sax. If you haven't arrived in Chillville at the end of this tune, you've just got on the wrong train !

Another stormer goes by the title 'A Bag Of Cats' which sees Sharon, her sister Mary, Winnie Horan and Gerry O'Connor kicking off a reel on their violins. Each one of the band members build upon it until this wall of sound one by one until the crescendo reaches Michael Flatley proportions. The camera pulls back to take a view from behind the audience for a while. The whole place is bouncing.

All members of the band have been mentioned except for one person. Nobody seems to notice him, yet if he wasn't doing his job, there would be no-one to drive the whole thing along. He's been in Riverdance, he's featured on Juliet Turner's Live Album, he's appeared with Eleanor McEvoy & the RTE Concert Orchestra at Dublin's NCH. He's Bass Guitarist , Paul Moore.

As for the guests...... well, compere/MC is Jon Kenny who does a bit of stand-up comic stuff and sings a couple of songs. He's no mean singer either, sort of a cross between Johnny Cash and Meatloaf.
As for the real singers, Roesy is the first to be heard. As well as being vocally gifted he does a bit of painting too. He could pay off the mortgage, whichever carreer path he choses.
The Brennan Sisters ( another clan !) are definitely worth keeping an eye (and ear) open for in 2007. I've heard, from a reliable source, that they could be releasing their debut CD later this year.
Damien Dempsey is Dublin's answer to Billy Bragg. I've No Alibi is a song about his opinion on these boy bands and the like. I share his point of view completely. There's no point in arguing with him anyway - you should see the size of him !
Declan O'Rourke is another classy singer. Galileo has even been publicly endorsed by Paul Weller.
Dessie O'Halloran first appeared on Sharon's Diamond Mountain Sessions album. Everybody loves him.
I first heard about Mundy early last year when Mike Moloney played 'July' on Ocean FM - it's already an anthem.
If there are CDs available by any of the above, I'm on the look out for them.

The show draws to a close with a 3-song encore which sees the entire cast on stage. My 2006 Summer holidays were taken in Ireland. It appears that I missed this show by just a couple of weeks......If only I'd have known about it earlier.

I might have been a bit naughty, playing this DVD before Christmas. Santa, however, didn't appear to be too upset because he left me the double CD on Christmas Day !

Watch RTE's Late Late Show - Ring of Fire

Downtown Dublin for Christmas Shopping, Christmas Lights and Carroll Singing

CELINE CARROLL
Bewley’s Café Theatre, Grafton Street,
Dublin
Saturday 18th November 2006

I popped into Tower Records in Wicklow St. and bought myself a copy of the new Beatles album. It didn’t get released in the UK until the following Monday so I was quite looking forward to getting back home on Sunday to don the headphones and get a head start on the rest of the UK. However, there was someone, a bit more special than a mere mini-exclusive on the Fab Four, who was my real reason for jetting over to Ireland.

Buying a CD is a token gesture of support, going to a concert in a nearby town is considered to be an act of dedication to some, so where does that leave a weekend return flight and overnight hotel on the fan club ladder ? The focus of this attention is Celine Carroll, the act of support was fully justified.

Most of the tables in this candlelit cabaret were occupied when Celine took to the stage. Her band remained silent while she sat at her piano and delivered Apologise. It was dedicated to yours truly and warmly received by all. From the first clap onwards the trend was set by a receptive audience in this intimate setting. All attendees shared the same intentions. They were here to absorb and appreciate the uncomplicated quality of Celine’s own music.

Her band joined in from song 2, Long Time Here. Reading across the stage from left to right, they were Siobhan Lennon, (assistant vocalist). Celine Carroll, (piano & acoustic guitars), Jim Tate (5-string bass), Jerry Fehily, (drums), Dave McGinley (lead electric & acoustic guitars).

Siobhan was perfect. Her vocals were so well matched with Celine’s that you’d swear they were sisters. Assistant vocalist as opposed to backing. She even had her own solo contribution on Take It All In which was duly appreciated by all present.

Jim Tate’s left hand was weaving some grand patterns up and down the neck of his bass guitar. However, the opening bars of Pink Floyd’s Money failed to convince Celine that she should increase his fee.

Jerry was faultless on his un-miked drumkit although his face was obscured from view by one of his cymbals.

Dave on lead guitar(s) also gave a top class solid performance. He’s by far removed from the ‘prima-donna’ type of lead guitarist, but he should have his own mike as we missed out some grand one-liners. He even had time to offer a ‘bless you’ to a sneeze on one of the front tables.

As for Celine, we were treated to 21 of her very own songs. There were enough new songs to convince me that there is already plenty of material for a further 2 more albums to add to her existing releases. Her 2 hour show felt as though it had lasted for just 2 minutes.

Her songs are uncomplicated and intelligible. Her influences range from Sir Paul McCartney (check-out Grey Sky Blue) to Gilbert O’Sullivan (Better Than This). Celine says that she has been cleaning the stairs or walking along the beach when the inspiration kicks in

From what I witnessed tonight, I see no reason why Celine Carroll should not be up there alongside (and above) the cream of Irish female singer/songwriters.

If I have any misgivings, Celine Carroll deserves far more radio airplay.

Did the show warrant the journey ?– most definitely.
The Beatles Album ? – the jury’s still out

Set List

1. Apologise
2. Long Time Here
3. Grey Sky Blue
4. Slow My Wheels
5. Itch
6. Love Disappears
7. Take It All In
8. Yeah
9. Fool
10. You’re Still Here

Interval

11. We’ll See
12. Sunny Day
13. I Believe In Love
14. Home
15. Standing On My Own Two Feet
16. Watching The Wheels Fall Off
17. I Don’t Mind
18. So Wrong
19. Better Than This
20. You’re Every Beat Of My Heart

Encore
21. Sweet Heart Of Mine

Celine's web site : http://www.celinecarroll.com
Interesting link : http://wikicompany.org/wiki/Bewley's

Cara Dillon’s Orchestra Pit Manoeuvrements in the Dark

CARA DILLON
Opera House
Buxton
Sunday November 12th 2006

I spent the first 23 years of my life in Buxton, so any visit back there is a little bit special. Surprisingly enough, this was the first time I set foot in the Opera House since I left the town. A town which I still refer to as home. Way back then, the Opera House was a cinema but it has since been lovingly restored to its original status.
(Check this BBC Radio Derby link for the panoramic view)

All the nooks and crannies of this beautiful example of Victorian architecture were as I had left them. However, with the cinema screen removed the place looked entirely different from how I had perceived it. The stage went back almost forever. It appeared even more oversized with the orchestra pit boarded over. Cara’s 4-piece band’s instruments, although widely spread, looked lonely on this chasm of a stage.

This plentiful supply of space was also available to the audience. The gathering of 250 to 300 were comfortably embedded in a sea of olive green velvet upholstery. Silver-grey hair seemed to outnumber the 30-somethings by about 3 to 1. So before the show got under way I had more than a gut feeling that the audience were going to attentive and composed.

At 7:30 prompt a fresh-faced young man, acoustic guitar in hand, ambled on to the stage and sat on the 2nd chair from the left. The softly spoken lad introduced himself, “Good evening, I’m John Smith”
Oh yeah, I thought….with a name like that, you’re really going to get yourself noticed. And he began to play.

A couple of random chords strummed on his guitar, held in a conventional manner, did nothing to change my mind. Then, suddenly, he flipped the guitar on its back, percussion sounds of varying pitches, chords appearing from all over the place, and he began to sing. He voice was akin to Peter Gabriel and the songs were as haunting as those by Damien Rice. Believe me, this kid is marvellous.

His 5-song, 40 minute set was all too brief. 3 of which were from his recently released album The Fox and The Monk. Autographed copies of the album was available after the show. Each song was vocally delivered in this mesmeric Rice/Gabriel style. If that wasn’t enough to command your attention, you were visually drawn in with the trickery on his guitar. During The Green Man he was retuning the top string whilst continuing the melody on the other 5. The subject matter was equally diverse. Pay attention to The Axe Mountain (not on the album) is a fictitious tale of a murderer on the loose on Dartmoor.

He interspersed the songs a few lines of smalltalk. Although his words were few, he did display a dry sense of humour. An example of this was his amazement over the difficulty in obtaining a website domain name. He claimed that even the Korean address was taken up. Incidentally, his website is http://www.acousticsmith.com


John’s setlist follows :-

1. Winter
2. So, so
3. Green Man
4. Axe Mountain
5. Seeds

After the interval, Cara and her band arrived on stage. The band came on first. Sam Lakeman on keyboards on the left, James O’Grady on flutes, whistles & Uillean pipes on the right. Centre left on acoustic guitar & BVs, John (yes him again) Smith. They played the opening bars of She Moved Through The Fayre before Cara arrived on stage for what was going to be an entertaining, yet abbreviated set. The reason for the abbreviation was because Cara is expecting twins. I’ve no idea when, but by the looks of things, soon.
Erin the Green saw the Uillean pipes making their first appearance of the evening. A quick glance at the stage floor proved that the lighting crew were paying attention.
After Where Are You Now, Cara explained that she hadn’t actually been pigging out on chicken pies, but she was actually expecting twins. Cara claimed that one of nature’s quirks for a young lady in this condition is that 2% of the brain cells get destroyed. In her particular case, she said that it could be more. The other night she managed to create a new word – manoeuvrement.
Cara mentioned that covered orchestra pit seemed to distance her from the audience. James later claimed that being pregnant affected her balance and that was the real reason that they were placed so far back.
Cara left the stage to sit-down for a while. The remaining band members then delivered a set of tunes entitled, The Rights Of Man.
Cara returned for a couple duets with Sam. The first being Garden Valley, the latter being There Were Roses. Audience participation was requested for this one. The chorus lines were warmly delivered by a healthy number and Cara applauded us afterwards.
Sam departed to be replaced by John for another duet. Both were seated and delivered a brilliant love song entitled The Lass of Loch Royale which was about a man who sets out to sea leaving his beloved behind.
The rest of the band returned to play a collection of jigs & reels. Cara remained seated, playing the bodhran. James claimed that they’d only just given these tunes titles, namely, John’s Intro, James’ Tea Chest and Sam’s (on guitar) Huntsman.
Cara got back on her feet for Black Is The Colour which received a singular, Whooh! from a young lady in the audience.
At around 9:30 Cara closed with P is for Paddy. Looking understandably tired, Cara thanked the Buxton audience and said that shoe hoped to be back very soon. My personal message to Cara is the title of Track 2 on her After The Morning album – if you’re still curious, buy it.
Cara and the band returned for the obligatory encore. It was a collection of jigs & reels which saw Cara playing the violin.

Cara’s setlist
1. She Moved Through The Fayre
2. Erin the Green
3. Where Are You Now
4. A set of tunes – The Rights Of Man
5. Garden Valley
6. There Were Roses
7. Lass of Loch Royale
8. A set of tunes – Intro/Teachest/Huntsman
9. Black Is The Colour
10. P is for Paddy
Encore – A set of untitled jigs & reels

Roots, Trad Arr, Acoustic .... It's the New Wave

Let's big it up for Seth Lakeman. I tend to avoid the TV these days, escpecially when it comes to music. After all I'm 'up to here' with X-Factor and I reach for my headphones whenever my son flicks through his ear polluting electronica ! TV & music in our house is a lethal combo I'm telling you.
However.....
I was just about to amble up to the pub for the Saturday night half-gallon and while I was waiting for the missus to get herself ready I put TOTP2 on. Cliff Richard dancing away through We Don't Talk Any More....a couple more from somebody else and then.....Seth Lakeman - White Hare.
This lad has hit the big time , You Tube has got him on GMTV, Sunday AM, Sharon Osborne, BBC R1
Freedom Fields (different CD sleeve than the one I've got !) is in the album charts.
This is excellent news for not only Seth, but the entire acoustic movement. Music I've been pleading to be played on radio stations for years is now being championed by Seth Lakeman............and if you like what you hear, check out his sister-in-law Cara Dillon. And if you want more after that, then there's Eleanor McEvoy, Celine Carroll, Frances Black, Mary Black, Juliet Turner, Eimear Bradley......and lots lots more.

SETH LAKEMAN on the SHARON OSBORNE SHOW

An Entertaining Tale from the Rufus Court Chester

ELEANOR McEVOY
Alexanders Jazz Club, Chester
Thursday 5th October 2006

As I queued outside the venue, patiently waiting for the doors to open at 8:00PM prompt, I just took a moment to ponder. Is this just becoming an annual routine? This was the 3rd time in as many years that I’ve come to see Eleanor McEvoy at this venue. I’ve dragged the missus away from her regular evening episode of Emmerdale, she’s not best pleased. We’ve arrived early because if we didn’t then we won’t get a decent seat. Eleanor won’t get behind the mike until 9:30. All this lot will have an hour and half’s worth of drink inside them by then. Is it really worth the hassle? Then the rain falls…..

As luck would have it we brought along a couple of friends, time passed quickly and it wasn’t long before the sound technician was at the desk and lights were dimmed. Eleanor popped up from nowhere and launched, accapello, into the opening lines of a slowed down I’ll Be Willing.

From the off the audience, whose ages spanned the spectrum, were spellbound. Every song was greeted with full attentiveness from all and each one received timely and generous applause. This was not lost on Eleanor and it was best summed up when a voice in the crowd enquired about the prospect of an Eleanor ‘Live’ album. “If I ever made a Live album, I’ll probably make it in Chester”.

This was Eleanor’s first UK concert since the release of her latest, and in my opinion, her best album, Out There. The album is a perfect example of pigeon-hole unfriendliness. Further evidence of her versatility was backed up with the array of instruments lined up across the back of the stage. The only one she didn’t have a go at was the barstool upon which her violin was resting.

In the afternoon prior to this show Eleanor was appearing at Liverpool’s Radio Merseyside being interviewed by Billy Butler. As well as correcting him on the actual venue, this was an ideal opportunity for her to encourage prospective attendees to shout out requests for their particular favourites. So as well as a healthy representation from her Out There album, there was a bit of audience participation.

Eleanor herself joined in with off-the-cuff song selection with a special lyrically adapted version of Joni Mitchell’s Cary, which contained a reference to Alexander’s Jazz Club.

This was yet another terrific performance by Eleanor. No doubt she will always be welcome to return to Alexander’s again and again – no doubt I’ll be queueing outside too – whatever the weather.

Chester setlist

Acoustic Guitar
1. I'll be willing
2. Fields of Dublin 4
3. Quote I Love You Unquote
4. Non Smoking Single Female
5. Whisper A Prayer To The Moon
6. Only A Woman's Heart
7. Did You Tell Him

Violin
8. Driving Home From Butlers
9. Paddy Carthy's Reel
10. Wrong So Wrong

(Interval)

Acoustic Guitar
11. Isn't it a Little Late
12. Days Roll By
13. Joni Mitchell's Cary (lyrically adapted for Alexanders)
14. Did I Hurt You (audience request)

Bass Guitar
15. Little Look

Mandolin
16. Suffer So Well

Electric Guitar
17. Ave Maria (audience request)
18. Territory Of Poets
19. The Way You Wear Your Troubles

(Encore)
Electric Guitar
20. Biochemistry
21. Apologise (audience request)


Editor's Notes

1. Said hello to a couple of very keen followers - Martin & Sue. If you think that a drive up to Chester from Essex was an act of dedication, they told me the were taking in the UK tour. The following night's gig was on the Isle of Aran ! Check the link to Tim Symes' review , Martin & Sue get a mention. (Tim's personal journey was from Taunton to Wolverhampton).

2. We were given lift to the Chester gig by Mr. & Mrs Butler - and after the show they gave us a lift back.....you could say we were Driven Home by Butlers.

3. Eleanor received the odd shout out from the audience for one or two songs (I don't shout out myself) but after the show I did mention a brilliant cover of I'll Be Your Baby Tonight by Bob Dylan. I heard it a couple of years ago on an RTE Radio 1 concert but I've never witnessed her do it at a gig.....now go and check Tim's setlist.

4. Eleanor closed with Apologise (Check out the cheeky Radio Caroline jingle between the opening chords on the Podcasts). I think that its rather fitting that she did. My next scheduled live gig is Celine Carroll in Dublin in November. It was the same title , different song, which sparked my interest in Celine.

Martin & Sue's UK Tour Report
We’re back and recovering from a holiday of a lifetime. We can hardly believe that 8 days seem to pass so quickly especially when you consider all that we packed in. Yes, if you haven’t guessed by now we are the folks Eleanor talked about in her recent pod cast.

The planning started some time ago when we decided that the joy of seeing Eleanor and the destinations on her UK leg of her tour had us hooked.
The adventure really started on Thursday 5th setting off from deepest darkest Essex and driving the 213 miles to Chester. Despite the rain we managed an open top bus tour of Chester and had the full devoted attention of the tour guide as we were the only ones on tour. Alexanders in Chester was an excellent location and a very well attended evening. We were both worried and amused when in the second half she declared that after a conversation with the promoter in Arran no tickets had been sold. Of course we knew that at least two had been sold or at least that’s what we hoped as the arrangement was to collect at the venue. We could hardly resist at the end of a superb performance letting her know that we too were Arran bound, much to Eleanor’s amazement.

The journey to Arran was long and took most of the day on Friday, but we managed to get there in time for the 15:00 ferry. On arrival we had some more concerns, a notice that ferries may be delayed or cancelled due to bad weather greeted us. Something that wasn’t accommodated in our tight schedule! Fortunately the ferry was prompt and we hoped that the tour bus had made it too. If we were thinking of a song to sum up Arran on Friday it was definitely ‘The Rain Falls’. Torrential rain fell most of the afternoon and drenched us on our way to eat at a local restaurant. The McAlpine hotel, venue for the concert and our room for the night was just yards from the ferry terminal. The highlight of the hotel was the hospitality and the enthusiasm of Tam the hotel manager and promoter for the evening. Tam had an incredible sense of humour and this was evident in the sign displayed at reception – ‘Any unattended children will be sold as slaves’. The audience was small but not exactly just the two of us, about 30 people in an airy ballroom in the hotel with a magnificent mirror. We manage to fight through the crowds and get a table in the centre at the front and our quest for the day was rewarded with a fantastic performance including our request from Chester of ’To Sweep Away A Fool’. The audience were very appreciative and it was pleasure to have no background distractions of a bar in the same room, which usually brings with it washing glasses and stocking up.

Saturday morning the sun shone on Arran revealing the true beauty of the island and encouraged us to take a short walk along the coastal path.
But no time for resting when you’re OUT THERE on tour! We boarded the ferry and bid farewell to Arran. Next stop Coatbridge. A much shorter journey once we had reached the mainland but complicated by a SatNav failure. Resorting to a manual option of a map book and roadsigns we successfully reached the Georgian Hotel, once again venue and our bed for the night. We had expected to eat in the bar before taking our seats but had taken no account of Scotland playing France at football and a 5pm kick-off didn’t make eating in the bar a peaceful choice. So we set off to see what Coatbridge (small suburb of Glasgow) could offer and the best we could find was a kebab supper i.e. with chips. We guessed that France had scored with the roars and cheers from the bar and it all ended 1- 0 to Scotland. The venue for the concert was a large function room at the side of the hotel with a bar. The audience were the largest and the nosiest of the tour and the promoter even had to ask people to be quite during the first support act (well done that man). As Eleanor took the stage they were far quieter. She was brave enough to sign ‘C’est bien’ in the second set, but it was well received particularly as the Scots had won.

The journey was getting shorter each day. Sunday 8th October and Edinburgh was our destination. Just a 40 minute drive and no boats! We had decided that Sunday required some luxury for us and we checked into the Sheraton Spa and spent most of the afternoon indulging in pure relaxation in the Spa.

After dinner in the hotel we walked the rain drenched street of the Holyrood district and after asking directions from a couple of students we found the Cabaret Voltaire club. A small venue with no windows, which appeared to be set in the vaults of a tall granite building. The audience were quiet and very appreciative and some had travelled far. A man buying CDs after the concert had travelled down especially from Aberdeen (about a 4 hour drive)and was quite a recent follower. In fact he had heard the Out There CD in a music shop and was immediately enthralled. Our own discovery of Eleanor had been while she was supporting the Homespun tour in 2005 and we were delighted to hear an acoustic version of ‘Effortless Cool’. We were also surprised to hear ‘I hear you breathing in’ from Yola, which we hadn’t heard live before.

Monday 9th October and heading back to England. We had more travelling today to get down to Doncaster and the A1 provided us with a scenic journey through the borders. Unfortunately not both of us could attend the concert in Doncaster as an Open University exam needed Sue in London. We had told Eleanor in Edinburgh so she wasn’t too surprised when Martin attended with another woman – his sister who lives near Doncaster. She had a wonderful evening and got her copy of ‘Out There’ signed for her birthday. Recognised a few people from the Wath-Upon-Dearne festival in April and Ruth joined Eleanor on stage for a duet of ‘Only a woman’s heart’.

The Hull venue was the smallest. The New Adelphi Club is situated in a residential area of Hull quite close to Pearson Park. The crowd was few in number (about 35), but they were appreciative and there was plenty of banter, particularly when Eleanor asked if an Irish woman with a van would be required to pay a parking ticket. We were rewarded for our request in Arran and Eleanor finally played an excellent version of ‘Trapped Inside’ -a delight! Perhaps in recognition of the local connections with Homespun she also played a Homespun number, ‘You are here’. We had hoped that Dave Rotheray would make an appearance but unfortunately he wasn’t in town.

Thursday 12th October, and we had finally reached the last destination of the tour (for us anyway) in Wolverhampton. We thought it only right that just before the concert, we presented Eleanor with a token of our appreciation and the most appropriate gift was a ‘set list bag’. The bag contained a bottle of Beaujolais wine, Jameison whisky, Champagne, coffee,milk and of course bread. In return she played ‘Its mine’, ‘My own sweet bed tonight’ and ‘Biochemistry’. We were also thrilled to hear ‘Memphis Tennessee’ and ‘Stray thoughts’ for the first time on this tour.

We never tired of seeing Eleanor play for 7 nights and there were always changes to the set list. In total we must have heard about 40 different songs with regular appearances of ‘Non smoking single female’, ‘Fields of Dublin 4’ and ‘Suffer so well’. It was all the fun we had expected it to be.
And of course the finale was to arrive home and find that we even got a mention on Eleanor’s latest Pod cast. What a holiday!

Sue & Martin

Interesting Links



WOLVERHAMPTON 12-OCT-06 REVIEW by TIM SYMES



ELEANOR McEVOY - THE WAY YOU WEAR YOUR TROUBLES
(Balcony TV, Dublin)

Out There is up there so go out there, get into it and be where it’s at.

OUT THERE
Eleanor McEvoy
(Released Sep 11 UK, Sep 8 ROI)

It never ceases to amaze me how some people are not only just creative but they can also set new standards as they do so. One such person who possesses such a talent is Eleanor McEvoy – and I rest my case with her latest album , OUT THERE.
OUT THERE is Eleanor’s 6th album and in keeping with the trend set on all her previous releases , it’s so much different from the one before. Each album I could happily return to and leave playing uninterrupted, but this latest offering is more complete as opposed to themed.
The opening track is also her latest single, Non Smoking Single Female. On first hearing I didn’t really like the song , but after a couple of takes all the clichés from those classified ads start to raise a smile. The backing music comes straight out of one of those 60s movies which always seemed to be set in London with voices and mouth movements invariably out of sync. The following track, To Sweep Away A Fool, is completely different and has a Streets of London style acoustic guitar running through it. Track 3 Wrong So Wrong, is as different again. It has a dabbed violin with ethereal synthesiser & warming bass delivering a steamy and sultry sound….. and so the diversity goes on ranging from Blues (The Way You Wear Your Troubles) through classical (Interlude) to Hill-Billy Country (Suffer So Well)
Look out for a stripped down cover of Marvin Gaye’s Mercy Mercy Me. She really manages to get you to focus on the lyrics and just how true they still are today. The Fields of Dublin 4 asks questions of how The Celtic Tiger economy is changing the character of Dublin folk.
I’ve only had this album a few hours, but I do believe it’s Eleanor’s best yet. Current favourite track is So Much Trouble – a mandolin backed song about a wife’s discovery of her husband’s web of deceit.
Out There sees Eleanor McEvoy playing a whole range of instruments, ably backed by Liam Bradley on drums and the occasional whistle.
Recorded in Norfolk and produced at Metropolis, London.

Gig reviews , maybe. Question is, can he do interviews?

CELINE CARROLL

Every once in a while you'll hear a song on the radio which just hits you straight away. It will stay with you day-in, day-out and you will stop at nothing to get hold of a copy.
Such was the case with Apologise which was played on Mike Moloney's Irish Album on Ocean FM (Sligo/Donegal).

The combination of melody, vocals piano and violin would together melt the coldest of hearts.
Proof of the quality of the violinist requires just a namecheck - Maire Breatnach.
I hope it won't be too long before we associate that same quality mark with the singer and author of this song - Celine Carroll

Apologise can be found on an album called Itch. (Happy Trails Records).This album contains 10 quality songs all written,sung and produced by Celine. Celine also plays lead acoustic guitar and piano. Maire is featured on several other tracks the album.
Lyrics and samples are available on Celine Carroll's web site.

How I obtained the album is another story and I can safely say that I must have been the first person in the UK to get a copy. You should be able to buy Itch from Road Records and Nova Records, 9 Surrey Street, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 5AZ.

I met Celine in her hometown of Dublin the other day and she kindly agreed to take part in an exclusive interview.

Celine, Itch is a wonderful album and it has an almost ˜live" feel to it. How did you achieve this?
I purposely only had a few run- throughs of the songs with the band because I wanted everyone's playing to be spontaneous, kinda edgy, everyone playing off each other.'TIGHT BUT LOOSE' became our motto in the studio. In order to achieve this, we had one full rehearsal. When it came to recording, we set ourselves up in different rooms in the studio, put on our headphones and started playing. We could all hear each other playing. And it just sounded so natural and right.

I love the violin on Apologise and I've since discovered that the violinist is the legendary Maire Breatnach. When did you first encounter her and how did you get her to agree to perform on the album?
I always knew I was going to put a string arrangement on Apologise. I had recorded the strings myself on keyboards during the preproduction of this song. By the time I got to record it, together with the live feel of all the other songs, it was obvious that we'd have to record live strings. Enter Maire. My engineer, Ciaran Byrne recommended her. I called her up, had a chat, sent her my demos of the track. She liked the song and Bingo,came in and put it all down in a flash!!!!.
It was that simple.

Maire appears on other tracks too....
Yes, She layered violin and viola on Home, Itch, Slow My Wheels, Grey Sky Blue(awesome)and Flying .

While we're namedropping it would be wrong not to mention the other musicians involved...including yourself
My guitarist is Dave McGinley from Dublin, a wonderful musician, Paul Moore also from Dublin on bass and Jerry Fehily all the way from the Peoples Republic of Cork on drums. He's just amazing.
The entire band were great. Even Ciaran, my engineer played a mighty trombone solo on one track.

You've written all the songs on this album and your previous (debut) album Catch You As You Fall, have any of these been recorded by anyone else?
I've had one track from a previous album called Don't Get Me Wrong recorded by Frances Black. I think at the time, Frances was taking a departure from the folk angle that has appeared on all her other albums. She was going for a different feel on this particular album. Don't Get Me Wrong suited what she was doing and it became the title track of the album.

Is there a follow up album in the pipeline?
Not at the moment. Trying to shift this album on the masses is keeping me busy. But I do have a lot of songs ready to do battle. I just need someone to sponsor the musical war!!

You've no doubt been pleased with recent live shows, when is the next one and are there any hopes for touring Ireland and beyond?
We are in Bewley's Cafe Theatre in Dublin this Saturday, August 19th. It's a great gig because the venue is very intimate and cosy. Suits my style of playing and singing. After that, hopefully some gigs in the Autumn.

Your music has a rare quality of appealing to all ages. Is this fact reflected in the audiences at your live shows?
Absolutely. We get a great mix of ages. And I notice that everyone has their favourite song and they all pick different songs. With one exception-Bird In A Cage seems to win hands-down everytime with everyone.

A message to your fans (past, present & future)
Come on in, the door is still, and always will be, OPEN!!
Happy Trails,
Celine.

Celine Carroll...Thank you

Editor's Note
I must thank Celine Carroll for agreeing to take part , without whom this interview would never have happened. I would also like to thank Bernadette from Celtic Cafe for encouraging me to do this.

Recommended Links
Celine Carroll
Maire Breatnach
Frances Black
Celtic Cafe
Ocean FM

It isn't rocket science - these tracks from Stevenson will send you off the rails

I would just like to call your attention to an unsigned singer/songwriter.
All I will say is think of Sarah McLachlan, give her a lovely Belfast accent and throw in a dash of disenchantment from male disappointments.
Now click on the image above and listen to Laura Stevenson.