Bluegrass Patriots wind up their tour, 20 July

Willie MacDonald (mandolin), Danny Rogers (bass), Glenn Zankey (guitar), Mark Leslie (banjo) (photo: Enda Donnelly)

Thanks to Enda Donnelly of Fair City Grass for these photos of the Bluegrass Patriots at the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin, on Monday 20 July. It was the last show of their twelve-day tour of Ireland, in which they played in all four provinces and topped the bill at two festivals - Athy, Co. Kildare (9-12 July), and Ardara, Co. Donegal (18-19 July). Enda reports:

It was a good lively enthusiastic performance from the band even, given that they had played a lot of gigs/festivals up & down the country in a short time & are winging their way back to the USA by now. It wasn't a packed house, being a Monday night & recessionary times, although not a word was mentioned!

The PA results were excellent from a single Rode high-quality mike & used very well by the band. The addition of a fiddle & great vocalist [Bobbie Vickery], giving a powerful rendition of a couple of classic bluegrass songs, gave the band a new lift. The friendly crowd seemed to enjoy the show with enthusiasm.


Willie MacDonald, Mark Leslie, Bobbie Vickery (fiddle), Glenn Zankey, Danny Rogers (hidden) (photo: Enda Donnelly)

Mark Leslie and Bobbie Vickery of the Denver band High Plains Tradition were playing banjo and fiddle respectively for the Bluegrass Patriots on this tour, in place of Ken Seaman and Dan Mitchell. Ken, unfortunately, was prevented from travelling by major health problems. The Patriots have made many friends in Ireland since their first trip in 1995, and all our sympathies and best wishes for a happy outcome go to Ken and his wife Mary.