Athy hits new high

The Athy Bluegrass Music Association (ABMA) are always improving their product. Sometimes it's in details, like this year's festival programme leaflet listing concerts, venues, artists, and sponsors; and sometimes in quantum leaps. Back in 2003, when the Bluegrass Patriots were last here, the big leaps were a bill with two heavy-duty international bands, and the Sunday afternoon concert (2.00-6.00 p.m.), which gave the festival another day. Last year's leap was the Thursday evening free concert at the Clanard Court Hotel, which extended the festival a day in the other direction.

This year the ABMA continued all these features and took some big steps further, made possible by using the dignified, welcoming setting of the Carlton Abbey Hotel in central Athy. The bar-restaurant (formerly the abbey chapel) was the setting for the gospel concert by both headline bands on Sunday noon, and for afternoon shows by Acoustic Grass (Ulster) on Friday and Hog's Rose (Leinster/Connacht) on Saturday. These were part of a Gig Trail which also featured Tennessee Hob, Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly, and Fair City Grass at White's Castle and Smuggler's Inn. And on Sunday evening, after the formal end of the festival, the courtyard in front of the Abbey held a relaxed jam by the headliners, the Bluegrass Patriots and 4 Wheel Drive. Both these superb bands were on top form and full of high spirits despite (or because of?) working and playing hard throughout the weekend. Some impressive jams took place after the evening concerts at the Rugby Club, as well as in the afternoons in Clancy's Bar.

All the bands on the main concerts, in fact, seemed to be on top form. The host band, Woodbine, opened the first two evenings in particularly good voice. Acoustic Grass, second out on Thursday and first on Sunday, were in amazing form for a band which (by their own account) gets together about twice a year. The two main pillars of acoustic country and old-time music in Ireland, the Niall Toner Band and the Rough Deal String Band, were as good as we've heard them, which is saying a lot. But the two Cork bands - the Kevin & Geraldine Gill Band and Dark Road - both made powerful impacts. Even though Dark Road played their whole set sitting down, they were worth watching for their movements alone; this is a band with complete control over the dynamics of the music.

The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday main concerts all took place in the main hall of Athy Rugby Club, which made a fully equipped auditorium seating 200 people (the Saturday night audience well exceeded this). The sound, by Tony Cardiff, was equal to the best there has been at an Athy Festival. Oh, yes - and there was perfect weather throughout the weekend, and the Festival's main sponsor, Albert Dunne Car Sales of Athy, will sponsor next year's Festival as well. Thanks to all the sponsors, the performers, the venues, and the ABMA for an outstanding weekend.

Richard Hawkins