The Gloaming interview in Irish Times

Martin Hayes: “One thing I wanted to make sure was that this would not be a collaboration where we’d all just go on stage and do our own thing. This has to be its own thing: a collaboration between us all. And I think there’ll be enough in there to please many people and displease many people too.”

“Sometimes I felt it sounded like the most traditional music I’d heard in a long time,” he discloses, “and then at others, it sounded like the most modern music I’ve ever heard. We have to trust one another but it’s as much about not being scared to try something that maybe nobody will like.

“It won’t be the end of our lives if it’s outright rejected, which it could be. Because you could live your life trying to get everything just exactly right, but nothing happens – in life or in music – unless you take chances.” (Times) >>>

Emer Mayock, Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola, Steve Larkin, Donal Siggins: another heavenly line-up

Steve Larkin fiddle Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola voice Donal Siggins mandocello/guitar Emer Mayock flute/whistles/fiddle

Another line-up of our dreams, calling themselves, The Listeners, has just been announced on the Music Network site >>> “Emer Mayock and Donal Siggins met in Dublin in the1990s amidst the busy music session scene in the city at that time. They have played music together since then, recording and touring extensively in Ireland and abroad.

After meeting fiddle player Steve Larkin in the mid-90s, their shared interest in repertoire from distinct regions and their enthusiasm for newly composed material signaled a musical connection which has since developed between the three musicians.

They have now put together a group with singer & songwriter Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola whose deeply rooted sean-nós singing style of Inis Oírr is counterbalanced by her innovative approach to Irish music.”

Apart from their forthcoming appearance at Love:Live Music in the Sugar Club on the 8th of April, so far the only other date listed for them on Music Network is:

SATURDAY 9 APR, MITCHELL STREET, TIPPERARY TOWN

• Simon Ryan Theatre, Tipperary Excel Centre
• 8pm, €15/€10 (conc.)/ €5 (children)
• 062 80520
• Promoted by Tipperary Excel Centre
• www.tipperary-excel.com/

Update

NEW TOUR DATES

THURSDAY 11 AUG, CASTLETOWNSHEND, CO. CORK

• St. Barrahane’s Church
• 8pm, €15 / (children under 13 years free)
• 028 36193 or 028 33752
• Promoted by St. Barrahane’s Church Festival of Music

SATURDAY 17 SEP, CLIFDEN, CO. GALWAY

• St. Joseph’s Church
• 8:15pm, €15 / €12
• no booking required
• Promoted by Clifden Arts Society

Téada launch group app

A dream line-up: Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Iarla O Lionaird & Thomas Bartlett

Pic by Thomas Bartlett http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=651967637&sk=wall

My sense of the word “band” in music isn’t right for a group of friends that play together from time to time, especially when those friends are such significant “figures” in their own right. So I don’t think this is a band in that sense because each member is so well known for other work they do and, I would guess, relishes so much their musical individuality they would never be contained or restrained by such a notion.

But they are using the word themselves and that’s exciting in and of itself – they obviously believe the grouping has some future, and what a dream line-up: Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Caoimhin O Raghaillagh, Iarla O Lionaird & Thomas Bartlett! So let’s hope the grouping gets plenty of airing both live and digitally very soon.

They recently spent a few days at Grouse Lodge writing & recording and Thomas Bartlett got a few photographs to record this historic coming together >>>>.

They’re trying to come up with a name too >>

Kilfenora Ceili Band painting by Michael Hanrahan

A canvas of the legendary Kilfenora Ceili Band will go under the hammer in March.

And there have been expressions of interest from as far away as the US.

Measuring 20in x 44in, the painting by Michael Hanrahan has been given a guide price of between €1,000 and €1,500, but could well exceed that, according to auctioneer Rory Guthrie of de Vere Art Auctions.

Formed in 1909 in Kilfenora, a small village on the edge of the Burren in north Clare, the group attribute their longevity to staying true to traditional instrumentation and repertoire and by keeping unnecessary innovation to a minimum.

“Seeing them perform is incredible and that’s what I tried to get on to my canvas,” Mr Hanrahan said. (Independent) >>>

Slide’s new website

A bit like the Irish economy, Slide’s website was in dire need of scrapping and a completely fresh start. (I was planning to contact them about it myself.) And that is exactly what happened. After a week or so without a site, Slide is now back online in great shtyle altogether (powered by WordPress). It’s got all the content you’d expect, including tour schedules, recordings, video & stills gallery etc.; but also a few things you wouldn’t: push puzzles to solve based on band publicity shots imposed on various backgrounds (“our fun yet infuriating puzzle page”). The only thing I don’t see is a blog-type communication – something that might bring the fans closer with more regular updates & insights. Just a suggestion. Otherwise, great job.