Events in the next ten days

Taken from the BIB calendar (please check also the 'Weekly sessions' section of the calendar)

Fri. 31st: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Regional Cultural Arts Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal


FEBRUARY 2014

Sat. 1st: Sacred Harp singing to celebrate second birthday of Sacred Harp Singers of Dublin, 12.00 noon to 4.00 p.m., the Franciscan Friary (new room, accessible from 80 Cook St.)
Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Ballina Arts Centre, Ballina, Co. Mayo

Sun. 2nd: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Matt Molloy's, Westport, Co. Mayo
Down and Out Bluegrass Band, Tilt, 451 Ormeau Road, Belfast, 5.00-7.30 p.m.

Mon. 3rd: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork
The Broken Circle Breakdown (film), Crosshaven Film Club, Cronin's, Crosshaven, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m.; also at Riverbank Arts Centre, Main St., Newbridge, Co. Kildare, 8.00 p.m.

Tues. 4th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), available for booking
The Broken Circle Breakdown (film), St John's Arts & Heritage Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry, 8.00 p.m.
Belfast Bluegrass monthly session, upstairs, Errigle Inn, Ormeau Road, Belfast, from 8.30 p.m.

Wed. 5th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Mill Bar, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare

Thurs. 6th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), St John’s Arts Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry
Down and Out Bluegrass Band, Ballymoney Town Hall, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim (part of the 'Cultural Crossings' programme)

Fri. 7th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Co. Antrim

Sat. 8th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Marketplace Theatre, Armagh city, Co. Armagh

Belfast Bluegrass, 4 Feb. - and Down & Out gigs, 2 and 6 Feb. 2014

Thanks to Richard Leeman for the news that the next monthly Belfast Bluegrass session will take place on Tuesday 4 February 2014, upstairs in the Errigle Inn, Ormeau Road, Belfast, starting at 8.30 p.m.

Richard, who is guitarist and singer for the Down and Out Bluegrass Band, also reports that:

... the band are playing a session on Sunday 2 February in Tilt, 451 Ormeau Road, Belfast from 5.00 to 7.30 p.m. and also playing a gig on Thursday 6 February in Ballymoney Town Hall as part of their 'Cultural Crossings' programme of events. More details are available here.

FOAOTMAD old-time festival, 14-16 Feb. 2014

The Friends Of American Old Time Music And Dance (FOAOTMAD) will be holding their 20th annual Old Time Festival at Queen Elizabeth’s High School, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 2ST, England, on 14-16 February. Full details of the lineup are shown on the poster (left) and the FOAOTMAD website.

E-tickets for the Gainsborough Festival can be bought through the FOAOTMAD website using Paypal. Pre-booking is advisable; payment can also be made by post, with stamped addressed envelope. FOAOTMAD's weekly news blog announces this week:

Deadlines for postal and e-tickets for Gainsborough – By mail to be received by Monday 10 Feb. and via the website by late afternoon on Wednesday 12 Feb. Otherwise you take your chances…

Band and gig news

Bat Kinane & the Whole Hog Band (above) will release their new album, Ordinary days, in late March 2014 and launch it in the Tramway Theatre, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, on 29 March.

Bat (far left in the photo), a member of the successful rock band Glyder up to its split, turned to folk rock and Americana in 2010 with his album A lifetime to kill, which received critical acclaim and regular airplay from John Creedon and Niall Toner on RTE1, as well as on regional and international stations. The Whole Hog Band (guitar/mandolin, fiddle, bass, drums, three vocals) plays bluegrass, country, folk, Americana, and a little bit of Irish, with rock attitude. Ordinary days, which incorporates the band's Americana sound with Bat’s original compositions, was produced, engineered, and mixed by Bat in his own Téach Rock Studio.

Guest musicians on the album include Percy Robinson (steel guitar), Paul Kelly (fiddle, mandolin part), and Martin Cooney (5-string banjo). Second from left in the photo is Cathy McEvoy, who will be playing fiddle in the Cabin Sessions in Dundrum, Dublin, tomorrow night (Thurs. 30 Jan.). Bat sends this link to the album's title track on YouTube; bluegrassers who want gigs in Wicklow might also take note of another song by the band.

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And speaking of playing in Wicklow: thanks to Brendan O'Regan, who is opening a new series of roots gigs in Arklow tomorrow night (Thurs. 30 Jan.) with Leslie Dowdall & the String Factory. Brendan writes that the other members of the Factory are

John Nolan and John Hunt, fine musicians on a variety of stringed instruments. Venue is Arklow Bay Hotel, time 8.30 p.m., and adm. 10 Euro. I know it's not quite bluegrass but is certainly rootsy!

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Thanks to Vincent Cross in New York for the news that his latest album, A town called normal, is now available as a free album download from his website.

Vincent will also be joining top songwriters such as Honor Finnegan, Roy Bookbinder, Lowell Levinger, and Bob Wright at this year's International Folk Alliance in Kansas City, and will then spend spring touring in California. Read the full details, including the tour schedule, here. Vincent closes with 'Keep on Keeping on!' - good advice for practically any occasion.

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Thanks to Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland for the news that this coming Saturday (1 Feb.) the Rockies Club in Cork will begin their 2014 entertainment programme with a visit from one of their most popular visiting bands, Two Time Polka, who combine the swing of an amplified Cajun dance band with bluegrass drive. Admission is free.

'The Broken Circle Breakdown' in Ireland, Jan.-May 2014

The sensational Belgian bluegrass film drama The Broken Circle Breakdown, which has been breaking cinema attendance records and boosting opportunities for bluegrass bands on the Continent, will be shown from 30 Jan. 2014 at many art cinemas throughout Ireland. The schedule, as shown at present on the Access Cinema website, is as follows.

Thurs. 30 Jan. Sligo Film Society, The Model, the Mall, Sligo town, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 3 Feb. Crosshaven Film Club, Cronin's, Crosshaven, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 3 Feb. Riverbank Arts Centre, Main St., Newbridge, Co. Kildare, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 4 Feb. St John's Arts & Heritage Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry, 8.00 p.m.
Thurs. 13 Feb. Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin, 8.30 p.m.
Sun. 16 Feb. Galway Film Society, Town Hall Theatre, Galway city, 8.15 p.m.
Mon. 17 Feb. The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 18 Feb. Ramor Film Club, Ramor Theatre, Virginia, Co. Cavan, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 24 Feb. Athenry Film Club, Athenry, Co. Galway, 8.15 p.m.
Tues. 25 Feb. Fermanagh Film For All, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 25 Feb. Clonakilty Film Club, Co. Cork, 9.00 p.m.
Wed. 26 Feb. Rockabill Film Society, Skerries, Co. Dublin, 8.30 p.m.
Thurs. 6 Mar. Sailearna Film Club, 8.15 p.m.
Mon. 10 Mar. East Cork Cinema Club, Great Island Community Centre, Orelia Terrace, Cobh, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 10 Mar. Sulan Film Society, Briery Gap Cultural Centre, Main St., Macroom, Co. Cork, 8.30 p.m.
Wed. 12 Mar. Abbey Centre, Tirconaill St., Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 17 Mar. Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 18 Mar. Kilkenny Film Club, Set Theatre, Kilkenny city, 8.00 p.m.
Wed. 19 Mar. Dunamaise Arts Centre, Church St., Portlaoise, Co. Laois, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 24 Mar. Naas Film Club, Moat Theatre, Naas, Co. Kildare, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 25 Mar. Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 25 Mar. Cinemax, the Quay, Bantry, Co. Cork, 8.30 p.m.
Thurs. 3 Apr. Cork Cine Club, St John's Central College, Cork city, 8.00 p.m.
Fri. 4 Apr. Newcastle West Film Club, the Desmond Complex, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 8 Apr. Tuar Ard Arts Centre, Moate, Co. Westmeath, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 15 Apr. Droichead Arts Centre, Stockwell St., Drogheda, Co. Louth, 8.00 p.m.
Thurs. 17 Apr. Tech Amergin Community Arts and Education Centre, Waterville, Co. Kerry, 8.00 p.m.
Wed. 7 May Source Arts Centre, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, 8.00 p.m.

More about the film is on the Access Cinema website. A video trailer can be seen on the website of the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin.

Pete Seeger, 3 May 1919-27 Jan. 2014

Pete Seeger, who played the most vital role of any individual in the resurgence of tradition-based American music (and especially the 5-string banjo) since the 1940s, died yesterday at the age of 94. His influence as a performer, teacher, and writer was felt throughout the world. The above photo from Uri Kohen, organiser of the annual Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival in Co. Mayo, shows Pete (right) before an audience in Israel in 1964, being introduced by Uri's father (centre).

Also from 1964: Ruth Ellen Gruber sends to the European Bluegrass Blog (EBB) a link to live recordings of a Pete Seeger concert that year in Prague. Ruth considers this the seedbed for the Czech bluegrass scene, which is now probably the most vigorous in Europe. The recordings are a further illustration of what a dynamic performer Pete Seeger was.

More detail is in an earlier post on the EBB. The Wikipedia article cited there is a very comprehensive account of Pete Seeger's career (though the section on the 5-string banjo and Pete's playing style is misleading).

Update: Tributes to Pete Seeger by John Lawless, Jens Kruger, and Tony Trischka have already appeared on Bluegrass Today, and more can be expected.

Award to Kathy Barwick

Many in Ireland will have enjoyed the music of multi-instrumentalist and singer Kathy Barwick (left) from California, either on record or (especially) during her tour in 2013 with Gary Ferguson.

Good news from Bluegrass Today: last weekend Kathy received the award for Best Dobro Player in the Northern California Bluegrass Awards. Read the full awards here.

Sacred Harp news: updated

Thanks to the FOAOTMAD weekly news blog for the news that the 19th Annual United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention will be held on the weekend Fri. 19th-Sun. 21st Sept. 2014 at Lomas Hall, Stannington, South Yorkshire, England. Registration is now open on the Convention website, and among other options there is the possibility of staying with local singers.

Meanwhile, on this side of St George's Channel, the Sacred Harp Singers of Cork now have their own YouTube channel, with (at present) 216 videos on it.

Update 28 Jan: The Sacred Harp Singers of Dublin announce:

Please join us for some singing this Saturday (1 Feb.) afternoon from 12.00-4.00 to celebrate our second birthday. We will be singing in the Franciscan Friary in a new room, which is accessible from Cook St., number 80.

Another treat

The BIB editor reports:

Back from seeing the Nation & Blackwell Band, with Gary 'Biscuit' Davis on banjo, last night at the first show of their new tour - in 'Ireland's biggest little venue', the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre at Naul, Co. Dublin. Strong vocals from Southerners (including an alumnus of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys), great classic and original material, award-winning instrumental work, lots of fun, and an outstanding 'shake-and-howdy' after the show.

My wife Carol, who has very exacting standards, says she has waited five years to hear this sound. They're in this country for the best part of two weeks; all dates are on the BIB calendar.

The Allen Family - available for bookings

Thanks to Pete Allen (US, resident in Britain), who writes:

I would like to introduce you to my family. We are a family of six (English Mom and American Dad) living in the UK and we play bluegrass, country, and old-time music. Please consider our family band for your event, have a listen, and visit us at:

www.reverbnation.com/peteallen

www.reverbnation.com/rpk/peteallen (press kit)

www.britishbluegrass.co.uk/html/the_allen_family.html

The photo shows (l-r) Pete, Toby, Ruby, Josh, and Geary. To request a CD, call Pete on +44 1843 822085. Contact the band by e-mail.

BIB editor's note: The Allen Family's recordings on ReverbNation leave no doubt of their solid, hard-driving, enthusiastic, and old-fashioned sound [that adjective being a strong commendation in my book] in both bluegrass and old-time music.

Vote for PineCone!

If you've ever enjoyed an Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival at the Ulster American Folk Park at Omagh, Co. Tyrone, the chances are you have good reason to thank PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, which has made it possible for us to see, hear, and meet many fine musicians from North Carolina.

We now have a chance to help PineCone in return, and all it costs is a minute of our time, if that.  PineCone is among the NC non-profit organisations who are in the running to receive a 'technology makeover'. The two organisations with the highest number of votes will receive new office and network equipment worth a combined value of $35,000 from Milner, Inc.

PineCone does wonders with what it has, but it badly needs more - most of its budget goes straight to its programmes, paying artists, sound engineers, facilities, marketing, and related costs. Anyone, anywhere in the world, who approves of what PineCone is doing can help by voting for it - and this can be done once a day, every day from now up to and including Sunday 26 Jan. We can also help by spreading the word, and by Liking and sharing the voting site on Facebook, Twitter, and favourite social media sites.

New music touring programme from NI Arts Council

Though some of the instruments shown above are not (yet) part of mainstream bluegrass, thanks to Angela Warren of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for this news, which should be of interest to all involved in bluegrass up there:

A new Northern Ireland Music Touring programme by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, encouraging musicians, promoters, and venues to apply for funding worth £150,000, is now open.

The funding programme has been developed in response to the Arts Council’s new five-year Strategy for Music which aims to support a more ambitious, dynamic, and cohesive approach to our music heritage, and in particular to genres such as jazz, world music, chamber music, and contemporary music.

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music at the Arts Council said: 'At the heart of this new funding programme is the Arts Council’s commitment to promote access to the best in music, whatever your tastes – classic, jazz, traditional, folk, electronic, or contemporary. The Northern Ireland Music Touring programme aims to help artists and producers work more closely with promoters and venues, so that together they are developing new audiences for year-round, high-quality music on tour.'

Applications are now being invited for the Northern Ireland Music Touring programme. For more information, click here.

The full Arts Council of Northern Ireland Music Strategy is available to view online and in a downloadable format.

For more information, photography, or to discuss interview opportunities, contact Angela Warren by e-mail or 'phone (02890 385 226). 

NB: the Arts Council’s Music Strategy also focuses on the development of year-round programming, and (we quote):

is likely to be beneficial for local artists and audiences alike, reflecting the diversity of Northern Ireland’s society and culture, contributing to the growth of the music sector. In turn its aim is to stimulate and support the creation and performance of music throughout Northern Ireland, ensuring it is enjoyed by a wide audience across the region and by all the groups, traditions, and communities within it.

Events in the next ten days - plus comment

Taken from the BIB calendar (please check the 'Weekly sessions' section of the calendar as well):

Tues. 21st: High Plains Tradition (USA), Church of Ireland church, Bruff, Co. Limerick, 8.00 p.m.; tel. 086-3027976
Martin Gilmore (USA), O’Neill’s Bar, Buttevant, Co. Cork, 9.00 p.m., with Jacob's Ladder (vocal harmony group); tel. 086-8168692

Wed. 22nd: Martin Gilmore (USA), Rory Gallagher Music Library, Grand Parade, Cork city, 1.00 p.m.; tel. 021-4924919
High Plains Tradition (USA), Dolan's Bar, Dock Road, Limerick city, 9.00 p.m.; tel. 061-314483

Thurs. 23rd: Martin Gilmore (USA), Tigh an Cheoil, Baile na nGall, Ring, Co. Waterford, 9.00 p.m.; tel. 087-0640542
High Plains Tradition (USA), St John's Theatre, Listowel, Co. Kerry, 8.00 p.m.; tel. 068-22566

Fri. 24th: High Plains Tradition (USA), Tearoom Sessions, Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary, 8.00 p.m.; plus Martin Gilmore; tel. 087-1205353
Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Seamus Ennis Cultural Arts Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin

Sat. 25th: Dangem Bluegrass monthly Bluegrass Get-Together, Lisburn Island Arts Centre, Co. Antrim, 10.00 a.m. to noon [see Dangem e-newsletter, which urges: 'Enjoy bluegrass music responsibly']
High Plains Tradition (USA), Mannion's Bar, Balla, Co. Mayo, 9.00 p.m.; plus Martin Gilmore; tel. 087-2296018
Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band, Leap Castle, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary; 9.00 p.m.; for tickets, text 087 2238040

Sun. 26th: High Plains Tradition (USA), Pikers Lodge Hotel, Lough Gowna, Co. Cavan, 7.30 p.m.; plus Martin Gilmore; tel. 086-2268567
Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Festival of American Country, Bluegrass and Roots, Colfer's, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford

Mon. 27th: High Plains Tradition (USA), Pikers Lodge Hotel, Loch Gowna, Co. Cavan, 8.30 p.m.; plus Martin Gilmore; tel. 086-2268567
Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), The Stage Inn @ Mick Murphys, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare

Tues. 28th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Cunningham's Upstairs Venue, Main St., Kildare, Co. Kildare
Elephant Revival (USA), Clonmel World Music, Raheen House Hotel, Co. Tipperary

Wed. 29th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Barry’s, Grange, Co. Sligo
Elephant Revival (USA), Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford city

Thurs. 30th: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), The Black Box, Belfast
The Cabin Sessions, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Dundrum, Dublin 14: the Cabin Crew [Spats Davenport (gtr), Con Butler (bs), Gerry Fitzpatrick (dob), Cathy McEvoy (f), Christian Volkmann (hca)] with special guests Tom Horan (folk/country), Mike & Carena (Latin folk), Emma Butler (contemporary); 9.30-11.30 p.m., adm. free

Fri. 31st: Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), Regional Cultural Arts Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

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This slice of the BIB calendar begins halfway through the High Plains Tradition tour and ends halfway through the Nation & Blackwell Band tour; so it's a prime period with two fine US traditional bluegrass bands in Ireland, and the highly regarded neo-old-time string band Elephant Revival playing two concerts.

Thanks to Ray O'Brien for already publishing this slice of calendar yesterday on his Bluegrass in Ireland Facebook. Ray also posted a message from Tennessee fiddler Evie Andrus, who will be in Dublin, Belfast, and Galway in the near future and will be glad to know of sessions she can join. Evie can be contacted through Facebook.

High Plains Tradition began their tour last Thursday with a show that broke new ground for bluegrass in Leinster. Thanks to Sean MacManus and the committee of the Ashbourne village hall restoration project for presenting in concert HPT, supported by Woodbine and Della Belle, to a paying-in audience of over 450 people - most of whom had not heard bluegrass before but nonetheless gave them a standing ovation.

HPT were also extremely well received at the 15th Shannonside Winter Music Festival, a weekend of fine music in cheerful and intimate settings - photos from which are beginning to appear on Facebook.

Thanks to Paul Lee of Musiclee.ie for his spring schedule including shows (mostly at Whelans in Dublin) by the Stray Birds (16 Feb.), the Revelers (30 Mar.), Tish Hinojosa and Anny Celsi (6 Apr.), Tumbling Bones (10 Apr.), and Cahalen Morrison and Eli West (8 May). More details and website links are here.

The new-format updated schedule for coming events at the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre at Naul, includes the Nation & Blackwell show there this coming Friday (24 Jan.).

Finally, a treat from ArtistWorks, who send this splendid video of two of their online teachers, Mike Marshall and Tony Trischka, jamming on 'Paddy on the turnpike'.

Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival 2014: lineup announced

Thanks to C. Paul 'Dobroman' Lyttle of Moniaive in south-west Scotland for the news that the next Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival will be held on 26, 27, and 28 September 2014, with the full lineup consisting of two American, two Scottish, and two English bands.

The four-piece band of Carpenter & May (USA) will headline Saturday night; and the Whitetop Mountain Band (USA), whose latest CD cover is shown on the right, will headline Friday night. Also on the bill are the Dirty Beggars (Scotland), the Mairs Family Band (Scotland), Dalebilly (England), and the Jaywalkers (England). Tickets will be on sale from April onwards. More details are on the Festival website.

HPT tour - beginning THIS week

The BIB editor writes:

Thanks to Ray O'Brien for a reminder that High Plains Tradition, another splendid US traditional bluegrass band, is due to begin a tour here even earlier than Nation & Blackwell. On Ray's 'Bluegrass in Ireland' Facebook page you can find their complete schedule and Ray's own enthusiastic endorsement.

The BIB already has the schedule on its calendar and plenty more about them in various places, so I'll add only that the band to which I belong will have the honour of playing support to HPT at their first show of the tour, at Ashbourne, Co. Meath, this coming Thursday night; and that my family and I will then see and hear as much as we can of them at the Shannonside Winter Music Weekend directly after.

As I said on the BIB last September, 'High Plains Tradition made a great impact on their two previous tours (July 2010, October 2012), and no one who loves solid traditional bluegrass with plenty of fun should miss them.' And I'm similarly looking forward to seeing Nation & Blackwell.

Nation & Blackwell tour, beginning next week

Thanks to Nigel Martyn for this release on the forthcoming tour by the Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA), with detailed bio information. The schedule is as Nigel sent it; we have added the Leap Castle date on 25 Jan., as reported recently on the BIB. Further location and contact details are on the BIB calendar.

After more than forty years of playing bluegrass music, Curtis Blackwell still captivates audiences with his high, powerful voice and the sincerity expressed in his singing. He is a member of the Atlanta Country & Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame and a former member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, replacing Peter Rowan. He has performed on the Grand Ole Opry and travelled extensively throughout the eastern U.S. performing at many of the historic bluegrass festivals. In June of 2010, Curtis Blackwell was honored by the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky, as one of the official Legends of Bluegrass! His expansive repertoire of songs seems endless, and when it comes to bluegrass, as many have said, he's the real deal!

Chuck Nation was a member of Louisville, KY's legendary contemporary bluegrass group, the Bluegrass Alliance, whose alumni include Sam Bush, Vince Gill, and Tony Rice. Chuck has played at most every major bluegrass festival, has performed across the US, Europe, Japan, Alaska, Canada, and at such prestigious venues as the Grand Ole Opry, the New Orleans World's Fair, and the Savannah Music Festival.

Gary 'Biscuit' Davis, National Banjo Champion, from Winfield, Kansas, has won the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship in 1979, 1988, 1996 and 2012. He became Dolly Parton's bandleader in 2002 and co-producer of her bluegrass album Halos & horns. He has toured nationally and internationally with Dolly and currently heads up the band at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Being a whiz with both guitar and banjo, Gary is one of the most sought-after studio session musicians in east Tennessee. He is fluent in many musical styles, from bluegrass to swing and jazz. He is an awesome lead guitarist and brings many innovative techniques to his guitar and banjo styles.

Susan Nation has played and sung at festivals and concerts thoughout the south-east, including the famed Savannah Music Festival, and recorded with different groups through the years. In addition to performing with Nation and Blackwell, she is a favorite on-call bass sideman and singer for various regional groups, including the Curtis Blackwell Band, the Hoyles, and the widely popular Americana group, Bluebilly Grit. Her solid timing on bass, coupled with her high tenor and lead vocals, helps to balance out this talented group.

Fri. 24th Jan. - NAUL, Seamus Ennis Centre
[Sat. 25th - Leap Castle, Roscrea]
Sun. 26th - CARRIG ON BANNOW, Colfer's
Mon. 27th - BALLYMORE EUSTACE, Mick Murphy's
Tues. 28th - KILDARE, Cunningham's
Wed. 29th - GRANGE, Barry's Public House
Thurs. 30th - BELFAST, Black Box
Fri. 31st - LETTERKENNY, Regional Cultural Centre
Sat. 1st Feb. - BALLINA, Arts Centre
Sun. 2nd - WESTPORT, Matt Molloy's
Mon. 3rd - KILWORTH, Village Arts Centre
Wed. 5th - SIXMILEBRIDGE, Mill Bar
Thurs. 6th - LISTOWEL, St Johns Theatre
Fri. 7th - LISBURN, Island Arts Centre
Sat. 8th - ARMAGH, Marketplace Theatre

Detached notes

Thanks to Ray O'Brien for publishing and passing on this news from Peter Larkin in Co. Galway:

Dobro master Troy Brenningmeyer of Lessons With Troy will be visiting Ireland this summer and is very interested in running a 3-4 days summer school on dobro.

Dates, venue, and prices are TBC but this is a must for any learner/intermediate dobro players who would like to expand their knowledge.

If you think you may be interested in this, please contact Peter Larkin on this number, 087-9953555. This is sure to be very popular, so get your names in fast; places will be limited.

More details, including Troy's biography and a link to his YouTube channel with sample video lessons, are on Ray's Bluegrass in Ireland Facebook page.

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Thanks to Ray also for publishing this link to a fine report by Michael McGlynn on the performance of 'Come away to the skies: a high lonesome bluegrass mass' by Dr Tim Sharp and his choir, backed by Dublin bluegrass musicians, in Taney church, Dundrum, on 29 Dec. 2013.

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Many will remember Marty Marrone (right) as guitarist and singer with Greg Cahill's Special Consensus on the band's first visit to Ireland back in 1995. Marty is now putting the same punch behind a powerful traditional-bluegrass band from Minneapolis-St Paul, the High 48s. You can see a feature on the band, including an eight-and-a-half-minute introductory video, on Bluegrass Today. And in this year of the centenary of the beginning of the first world war, there is a connection to that era - and to the railroad theme of the band's coming album - shown on their website.

The Cabin Sessions, 30 Jan. 2014

Gerry Fitzpatrick announces the first show of 2014 in the Cabin Sessions series, 'Acoustic Music at its Finest', at Uncle Tom's Cabin in south Dublin (not far from Dundrum Luas station in the city direction):

The January Cabin Sessions will be on Thursday 30 January. We have the full Cabin Crew (Spats Davenport, Con Butler, Gerry Fitzpatrick, Cathy McEvoy, Christian Volkmann) and our special guests are:

Tom Horan (folk/country)
Mike & Carena (Latin folk)
Emma Butler (contemporary)

9.30 till 12.00, admission FREE. Hope you can make it!

If you or someone you know would like to perform at the Cabin Sessions, let Gerry know by e-mail. The Sessions are particularly interested in featuring local musicians and singers.

Ireland in BU for Jan. 2014

The January 2014 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine contains the annual guide to festivals of bluegrass and related music all over the world, with several hundred events listed; and as usual Ireland has not scored badly among countries outside North America, coming second (with four festivals) after England (with six).

Be warned - the BU list includes only those events whose organisers bothered to send in an entry, so the showing for countries outside North America bears very little relation to reality. For instance, none are listed for the Czech and Slovak republics, which between them probably hold more bluegrass festivals than all the rest of Europe put together. But in any international context, it's good to see the scene here coming off well...

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In addition, Shannon W. Turner contributes to this issue an article on Music City Roots, the concert series in Nashville, TN, hosted by Jim Lauderdale, who will be in Ireland at the end of February for the 10th Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival - and he may not be alone. The article quotes the series producer, John Walker, as saying: 'We're going out to film a Music City Roots show in Ireland in March...' More information on that, if and when we get it.

Sandra Venn Ramdhanie

Niall Toner sends the sad news of the death of Sandra Venn Ramdhanie, whom many will remember as a vivacious member of the Sackville String Band circle and girlfriend of Imor Byrne (half of the band's fiddle duo in 1976-7). The funeral service was held at 11.00 a.m. today in Marbella, Spain. Niall writes:

I understand that she died as a result of pneumonia which began to develop only recently, in fact about two weeks ago. She had been living in Spain, and we had lost touch to some extent. However, she did e-mail me after spotting that photo of an early Sackville lineup, which included Imor.

One of Sandra's great talents, and there were many, was that she could do great vocal impressions of all the bluegrass instruments by making a 'gling' sound with her mouth, a bit like lilting. She often performed her versions of 'Salt Creek' and 'Bill Cheatum' after our shows in the Stag's Head and/or Tailors' Hall. I had always intended to get her to record such a track for me but, sadly, never got around to it.

Sandra is survived by her brother Richard, her sister Karla, her daughter Tanith, and her son Tanin. She was also a member of the Irish Witches' Circle, based at Clonegal Castle, just up the road from here.

Coming soon at the Red Room

Thanks to Sharon Loughrin of Ireland's premier house-concert venue - the Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone - for this news:

We've Charlie McGettigan and Colin and Janet Henry playing here tomorrow (Saturday) night. After that it's a French-Canadian cajun group called De Temps Antan on Tuesday 28 January. Next is a fabulous folk/americana group from Pennsylvania called The Stray Birds on Tuesday 11 February, followed by more cajun on Saturday 29 March, this time from Louisiana, a group called The Revelers.

The BIB mentioned De Temps Antan in May last year as a trio performing Quebecois traditional music (which is where Cajun came from). Their page from the Brookfield Knights artist roster is here. Other dates for Ireland shown on the BK website are as follows:

Fri. 24th: The Black Box (Out To Lunch Festival), Belfast
Sat. 25th: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Sun. 26th: The Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Tues. 28th: [the Red Room]
Wed. 29th: The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim

The BIB posted dates in Ireland for the Stray Birds on 1 Jan., in a post on shows at Clonmel World Music in the first half of 2014. Dates for the Revelers will appear as soon as possible.

New gigs for Martin Gilmore, 22 and 23 Jan. 2014

Thanks to John Nyhan for the news that singer, songwriter, and bluegrass guitarist Martin Gilmore (right), who is coming over with High Plains Tradition and playing support on several of their dates, has two more solo dates added to his own lively schedule. They are:

Wed. 22nd: Rory Gallagher Music Library, Grand Parade, Cork city, 1.00 p.m.; tel. 021-4924919

Thurs. 22nd: Tigh an Cheoil, Baile na nGall, Ring, Co. Waterford, 9.00 p.m.; tel. 087-0640542

These dates are now on the BIB calendar, together with all other dates Martin will be playing, either solo or with HPT.

Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band at Leap Castle, 25 Jan. 2014

The Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA): (l-r) Gary Davis, Chuck Nation, Curtis Blackwell, Susan Nation

Nigel Martyn's schedule for the Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band tour (see the BIB for 3 Jan.) mentioned a 'house concert' on 25 Jan., and more on the subject has just been received from Tom Stapleton in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, who sends new year greetings and goes on:

Delighted to announce our winter gig for Leap Castle (9.00 p.m. Sat. 25 Jan.) is the Nation Blackwell Bluegrass Band - and what a band! Curtis Blackwell (Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys) joins mandolin/fiddle multi-award winner Chuck Nation and Gary 'Biscuit' Davis, Dolly Parton's banjo whiz and co-producer. They are all driven along by Susan Nation on double bass. 

Close harmony vocals and superb instrumentals are their trademark. Nation & Blackwell is an award-winning bluegrass music band consisting of renowned performers who deliver toe-tapping music that engages and entertains an audience from the moment they take the stage until the rousing applause at the end!

The gig is the usual with tickets reserved by tel-texting 087 2238040.

Tom Stapleton
Mountheaton
Roscrea
Co. Tipperary
Mobile (+353) (0)872238040
Land line (+353) (0)505 21647
Facebook

Big night at Ashbourne, Thurs. 16 Jan. 2014

We posted two days ago the news that when the splendid High Plains Tradition from Colorado open their tour a week today (Thursday 16 Jan.) at the Pillo Hotel, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, they will be supported by Woodbine. Word reached us last night that Della Belle (Eamonn and Lorraine, left) from Louth, with P.J. Power on dobro, will also be on the bill. It looks like being a hot night...

You can see and read more on Ray O'Brien's 'Bluegrass in Ireland' Facebook page. Thanks, Ray!

Dirk Powell in Ireland, 7-17 Jan. 2014

We regret that news has only just reached us of a tour by Dirk Powell (USA) in Ireland, in which he is teamed up with Irish musicians Brendan Gleeson, Mike McGoldrick, and Francis Gaffney. The tour began last night in Dublin, and tonight the ensemble is in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The full schedule from the Dirk Powell website is shown below. We have no information whether the koala will be present.

Tues. 7th: The Sugar Club, Leeson St., Dublin 2; 8.00 p.m., €18 / €13; 01 4750224 or Music Network

Wed. 8th: Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow; 8.00 p.m., €18 / €16
01 2724030

Thurs. 9th: Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare; 8.00 p.m., €16 / €14; 065 6843103

Fri. 10th: Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo town; 8.00 p.m., €18 / €15; 071 9161518

Sat. 11th: The Dock, St George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim; 8.30 p.m., €18 / €15; 071 9650828

Sun. 12th: Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin; 8.00 p.m., €18 / 16; 01 2312929

Tues. 14th: Station House Theatre, Clifden, Co. Galway; 8.00 p.m., €12 / €10; 095 21699 (information only)

Wed. 15th: Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, Birr, Co. Offaly; 8.00 p.m., €18 / 16; 057 9122911

Thurs. 16th: Triskel Arts Centre, Christchurch, Cork city; 8.00 p.m., €15 (full) & €13 (early bird); 021 4272022

Fri. 17th: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare; 8.00 p.m., €15 / €12; 045 448327

Events in the next two weeks

The pace of events has begun to quicken, so here's an excerpt from the BIB calendar, starting with tonight's session in Belfast. Yesterday would have been the 90th birthday of Earl Scruggs (right); this coming Saturday, the Center commemorating his life and music will open in his home town of Shelby, NC. Note that for the opening show of the High Plains Tradition (USA) tour (16 Jan. in Ashbourne), the HPT will be supported by Woodbine (Athy) and Della Belle (Dundalk) to open this new venue for bluegrass with a bang.

The Shannonside Winter Music Weekend (16-20 Jan.) has been the focal point for acoustic music in Ireland every January since 2000.

Thanks to Chris Keenan for the news that the previously announced show by Joy Kills Sorrow (USA) in Whelan's, Dublin, on 19 Jan. has been cancelled. The updated schedule for events up to 26 Jan. at the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre in Naul, Co. Dublin, can be seen here; it includes the first show in the Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA) tour, on 24 Jan.

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Tues. 7th: Belfast Bluegrass monthly session, Errigle Inn, 312-20 Ormeau Rd, Belfast; 028 90 641410

Sat. 11th: Earl Scruggs Center opens in Shelby, North Carolina

Tues. 14th: Weekly bluegrass jam in central Dublin resumes: from 9.00 p.m., Sin E, Lower Ormond Quay

Thurs. 16th: High Plains Tradition (USA), supported by Woodbine (Athy) and Della Belle (Dundalk), the Pillo Hotel, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, 8.00 p.m.; tel. 087-9762337

Thurs. 16th-Mon. 20th: Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, Sixmilebridge/Bunratty, Co. Clare; full lineup here (High Plains Tradition (USA) with Martin Gilmore, Fri. 17th, Sat. 18th, Sun. 19th); Tim Rogers & Clew Bay Critters; many more; tel. 086-1571847, e-mail

Thurs. 16th-Sun. 2nd Feb.: Celtic Connections festival, Glasgow, Scotland

Mon. 20th: High Plains Tradition (USA), Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, 8.15 p.m.; plus Martin Gilmore; tel. 087-7921171

Tues. 21st: High Plains Tradition (USA), Church of Ireland church, Bruff, Co. Limerick, 8.00 p.m.; tel. 086-3027976
Martin Gilmore (USA), O’Neill’s Bar, Buttevant, Co. Cork, 9.00 p.m., with Jacob's Ladder (vocal harmony group); tel. 086-8168692

Belfast Bluegrass is back: 7 Jan. 2014

Thanks to Dangem Bluegrass for announcing the first Belfast Bluegrass session of the New Year:

When you first begin seeing bluegrass jam sessions up close, you will not believe what is happening before your eyes. Men and women standing together with instruments (guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and bass); after the instruments are tuned, by the fourth beat of the kickoff, all the instruments will be playing.

What you will witness the first Tuesday night of each month at the Errigle Inn, 312-320 Ormeau Rd, Belfast, is a wonderful legacy left to us by Bill Monroe, a legacy from the time when he invented bluegrass music over fifty years ago. You see, when those men and women will be playing together and will be making wonderful music.

So if you can play even a little, come along. If you can’t play but love great acoustic music, come along and just listen and enjoy.

Tuesday 7 Jan 2014 8.30 p.m.
The Errigle Inn
312-320 Ormeau Rd
Belfast, Co. Antrim BT7 2GE
Tel. 028 90 641410
E-mail

See the full text, with photos, here.

Weekly jam resumes in Dublin

Thanks to mandolinist John Denby for the news that the weekly bluegrass jam in central Dublin will resume for the New Year, commencing on Tuesday 14 January at 9.00 p.m. in the bar Sin E on Lower Ormond Quay.

Alec Somerville adds to Canadian military history

Alec Somerville with the banjo at the Canadian War Museum, 17 Dec. 2013 (photo: Ashley Fraser of the Ottawa Citizen)

On 27 January, three weeks from today, the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa will put on display an English-made 5-string banjo, the sole example in its collection of a musical instrument that belonged to a soldier. The exact identity of the banjo's owner is not yet known, but there's no doubt about the man responsible for its finding a home in Ottawa - old-time singer and clawhammer-banjo player Alec Somerville.

Alec (who was born in northern England, spent most of his career in Canada, and is now resident in Donegal - see the BIB for 15 Sept. 2012), bought the banjo two years ago in England; the vendor knew only that it had come from clearing out an old house. It was not in playing order, but fortunately the original skin head survived; and on the inside were written the names of twenty-eight men from places in Canada, and 'Paris Aug 24th 1917'. They had clearly been members of the Canadian armed forces on the Western Front, at the time of some of the heaviest fighting of the first world war.

By diligent research, Alec has established the identities of twenty-five of the signatories (thirteen born in Canada, ten in England or Wales, one in Jamaica, and one in Belgium) and has been in touch with some of their descendants. He and the banjo have been filmed for a special edition of BBC TV's 'Antiques roadshow', which will be shown to commemorate the centenary of the start of the war; and before Christmas he travelled to Ottawa to donate the instrument to the Canadian War Museum, where research will continue.

You can read more in an article by Peter Simpson that appeared on 18 Dec. 2013 in the Ottawa Citizen. More photos of the banjo (including one of the inscribed vellum) and a list of the names can be seen here.

Thanks to Ray O'Brien...

... for publishing the above poster on his Facebook page when for some still unknown reason we couldn't get it to appear on the BIB. OK, the schedule we published included county locations and links to venue websites, but this one looks a great deal better.

Thanks to Ray also for this information: Elaine Lyons has announced that bluegrass bands will be welcome at the Clonmel Busking Festival, to be held this year on 7-10 August. Bands who would like to take part should contact Elaine by way of the Festival's Facebook page.

Happy New Year from Wookalily!

Thanks to Wookalily, the 'female-led Americana folk band' based in Portadown, for their new year newsletter:

We hope you've had a successful and happy 2013 and we wish you a great 2014. We also want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support on our musical journey thus far.

2013 was a wonderful year for the Wooks: we featured on the Daughters of Bluegrass album entitled Pickin' like a girl, released early 2013 alongside a lot of our musical heroes such as Stella Parton (Dolly's sister), Dale Anne Bradley (five-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year!), Pam Tillis, Laurie Lewis, Sierra Hull, and Laura & Anna Maybelle Cash (Johnny's granddaughter).

We were invited to play a six-month-long residency in the cosy Sunflower Bar and Music Venue in the heart of Belfast, where we built up a loyal fan base of live music lovers and generally had the craic. We also started recording our debut album at Millbank Studios in Lisburn, which is due for release this May. The album will feature some guest singers, previous band members, and our new singer Lyndsay Crothers. We're very excited about the album and can't wait to unleash it on the world.

The newsletter includes quotes from press reviews, dates of upcoming shows, and a performance video that can also be seen on YouTube.

News from Michael Miles and Ken Perlman

Thanks to two of the supreme clawhammer-banjo maestros, Michael Miles and Ken Perlman (both of whom toured in Ireland in the spring of 2013), for their latest e-newsletters.

Michael's newsletter begins: 'This year was my time to reach out into the world and find collaborators who wanted to create and share musical visions with me.' The dozen examples listed include Chris Keenan (who arranged the tour of Ireland); music teacher Brunella Carlberg, who involved students from Beirut, Dublin, and Chicago in a joint musical project; and the Hal Leonard corporation, who will be publishing two new books by Michael in 2014, Folk songs for clawhammer banjo and Bob Dylan for clawhammer banjo.

Full details are in the newsletter, which ends with a gift - a downloadable pdf file of an arrangement of 'O Tannenbaum' for solo fingerstyle guitar. Our condolences go to Michael on the loss of his mother during 2013, at the age of 94.

********************

Ken Perlman's quarterly newsletter for winter 2014 includes new contact data and news of his performance schedule and of his forthcoming book on the fiddle music of Prince Edward Island, which will be published in the coming spring by Tennessee University Press as the inaugural volume in its Charles Wolfe series. A website on this music is likely to be launched soon.

Ken's performance and instructional schedule for the next three months includes a tour with the renowned fiddler and musicologist Alan Jabbour. Their joint CD Southern summits is an exemplary collection of fiddle-and-banjo duets on twenty-three fine tunes - a real listening pleasure.

In February in New York, Ken will also be the soloist in the premiere performance of Harold Schiffman's concerto in three movements for clawhammer banjo and orchestra. All this and much more news can be seen on Ken's newly refurbished website.

Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band in Ireland - revised schedule

The Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA): (l-r) Gary Davis, Chuck Nation, Curtis Blackwell, Susan Nation

Thanks to Nigel Martyn and his Old Flattop agency for an updated schedule for the forthcoming tour in Ireland by the Nation & Blackwell Bluegrass Band. Almost all the dates are as shown on the BIB on 20 December, but a few changes have been made so that the schedule is now as follows:

Fri. 24th Jan.: Seamus Ennis Cultural Arts Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin
Sun. 26th: Festival of American Country, Bluegrass and Roots, Colfer's, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford
Mon. 27th: The Stage Inn @ Mick Murphys, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare
Tues. 28th: Cunningham's Upstairs Venue, Main St., Kildare, Co. Kildare
Wed. 29th: Barry’s, Grange, Co. Sligo
Thurs. 30th: The Black Box Theatre, Belfast
Fri. 31st: Regional Cultural Arts Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

Sat. 1st Feb. Ballina Arts Centre, Ballina, Co. Mayo
Sun. 2nd: Matt Molloy's, Westport, Co. Mayo
Mon. 3rd: Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork
Tues. 4th: AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING
Wed. 5th: Mill Bar, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare
Thurs. 6th: St John’s Arts Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry
Fri. 7th: Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Co. Antrim
Sat. 8th: Marketplace Theatre, Armagh city, Co. Armagh

Nigel adds: 'There is a private house concert near Roscrea on 25 January. E-mail me for details if anyone is interested.

'There is also an available date on Tuesday 4 February. E-mail me if anyone is interested in staging a gig or a house concert in the southern counties of the country, bearing in mind they will be in Co. Cork the day before and Co. Clare the day after.'

Nigel also sends a poster image showing both the band and all the dates; we regret that for obscure technical reasons the BIB cannot yet reproduce this, but it will be on Ray O'Brien's Facebook page.

Tickets now on sale for Gainsborough festival

Joseph Decosimo and the Bucking Mules

The Friends Of American Old Time Music And Dance (FOAOTMAD) announce in their weekly e-newsletter that e-tickets for the Gainsborough Festival can now be bought through the FOAOTMAD website using Paypal. Pre-booking is advisable; payment can also be made by post, with stamped addressed envelope.

The Festival will be held at Queen Elizabeth’s High School, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 2ST, England, on 14-16 February. US artists taking part include the Bucking Mules (Joseph Decosimo and friends; 2012 Clifftop band winners), the Rutro Ramblers (Rich Hartness and friends), Trevor & Travis Stuart, and Matt Gordon (clogger). UK performers include Grey Wolf, Bones Creek, Stompin’ Dave Allen, and Appakella.

The e-newsletter also announces a rare opportunity to buy a Cedar Mountain 'Dwight Diller' banjo, pre-2005; shows by touring US musicians in Britain; and news of Kate Lissauer's 'La Fuente de Musica' workshop week in Spain (10-17 May 2014). More details of these and other news items can be found here.

Clonmel World Music gigs in the first half of 2014

The Stray Birds (photo: Jake Jacobson)

A few days ago the BIB announced that Elephant Revival (USA) will be appearing at two shows in Ireland later this month, one of which will be at the Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, as part of the Clonmel World Music series.

Gerry Lawless at Clonmel World Music already has an active programme drawn up for the first half of the New Year; it is shown on the CWM website as seen below, where the links are to performance videos of the bands:

Elephant Revival (USA), Tues. 28 Jan.
The Stray Birds (USA), Thurs. 13 Feb.
The Revelers (USA), Thurs. 27 Mar.
Birds Of Chicago (USA), Thurs. 8 May
The Paperboys (CAN), Wed. 4 June

At present the only information available on other dates in Ireland to be played by these bands is for the Stray Birds (see photo above), a three-piece with hard-edged trio vocals and Monroesque mandolin work who should be a treat for fans of traditional bluegrass. Their schedule is:

Tues. 11 Feb.: The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
Wed. 12 Feb.: The Black Box, Belfast, 7.00 p.m.
Thurs. 13 Feb.: Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Fri. 14 Feb.: The Lodge, Mallow, Co. Cork
Sat. 15 Feb.: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Sun. 16 Feb.: Whelan's, Dublin 2

Schedules for Cajun supergroup The Revelers and for Birds of Chicago and the Paperboys will be published on the BIB as soon as we learn the details.