Tom Hanway on the move: UPDATE

Tom and his Stelling Swallowtail banjo

Tom Hanway played two shows during this past weekend: one with his own Bluegrass Pals band at John Mac's, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, on Friday 15 January at 9.00 p.m., and the second with the Bluestack Mountain Boys (formerly known as the Bluegrass Brothers) at Geraghty's, Westport, Co. Mayo.

At present, Tom is next scheduled to appear on 30 January 2010 with the Molly Hicks, taking part in the annual Colfer's Country, Bluegrass, and Americana weekend at Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford. Keep up with the band by visiting Tom Hanway at his website or MySpace. For bookings, contact Tom Hanway at 087 204 7926 or by e-mail.

Update 19 Jan.: Tom forwards this third-party report on the Friday show:

On 15 January 2010, last Friday night, American ex-pat Tom Hanway & his Bluegrass Pals played to a delightfully packed house at John Mac's Café Bar, Harbour St., Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. This charming laid-back club had every sofa, lounge chair and bar stool taken or reserved, with a rapt audience who stayed put the entire night and listened intently.

The band delivered with two generous sets followed by two encores of hard-driving bluegrass featuring Tom’s untamed 5-string banjo, with forays into old cotton-field blues and R&B, gospel, honky-tonk, and rounding out the show with Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Elvis, and alt-country anthems.

Tom Hanway & his Bluegrass Pals are Barry Coffey, guitar, vocals; Tom Hanway, banjo and guitar, vocals; Pete Mulkerns, fiddle and vocals; Justin Whelan, bass and vocals; Howard Whelan, mandolin and vocals. Stepping in for Howard was Joe Meehan on mandolin.

BIB editor's note: By bad luck, Tom's weekend dates could not be featured on the BIB in time as we were away attending the Sixmilebridge Folk Club's Winter Music Weekend in Clare. Brendan Walsh and the Club have built up an excellent compact festival, combining many genres of music in thirty-five shows by ten acts during the weekend. Worth anyone's presence - though to judge by attendances this year, the venues will need to double their capacity...