Thom Moore celebrated in Sligo, 1 Feb. 2019

The BIB editor writes:

The Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo, announces for tomorrow night (Friday 1 Feb. 2019) 'The Thom Moore songbook', a celebration of the songwriter Thom Moore, who died last year and (to quote the theatre) 'had Sligo inextricably woven into his work, his songs, and his heart'. Many musicians will be taking part.

The show starts at 8.00 p.m.; tickets are €25 (€12.50 under-18s), and can be booked online or by 'phone (071 9161518). Those who remember the music of Pumpkinhead and Midnight Well, with their fusion of Irish and American traditions through Thom Moore's outstanding songwriting, will be particularly interested.

Lonesome Ace Stringband (CAN) TONIGHT in Antrim - in Kilkenny on 6 Feb.

L-r: John Showman, Max Heineman, Chris Coole

A week ago the BIB noted that Moving On Music (MOM) had sent a reminder of their coming presentations, which include the show by the Lonesome Ace Stringband (CAN) at the Duncairn Centre in Belfast on Sunday 3 Feb.

The Lonesome Aces begin their tour in Ireland tonight at the Old Courthouse in Antrim town, and MOM's latest e-newsletter deserves quoting at length:

Masters of their trade, The Lonesome Ace Stringband bring grit, skill and abandon to old-time, Appalachian folk songs and fiddle/ banjo tunes. [...] The music comes from a tradition that has inspired and brought together generations of people. Themes of love, loss, hard work and hardship, faith, and everyday life, speak to everyone. You’ll feel the energy of three musicians playing the bejesus out of those instruments and loving every minute. Their music is a type of polished grit, performed with a refreshing vibrancy that is seldom heard. It is a pleasure to behold. Playing Belfast, Antrim, Derry, Omagh, Portaferry. Full details on the site.

MOM's field of operations is in Northern Ireland, and old-time enthusiasts in the rest of Ireland should note that the band's final show in this tour will be in Leinster - at the Watergate Theatre, Parliament St., Kilkenny city, on Wednesday next week (6 Feb.) at 8.00 p.m. Tickets (€12/ €10) can be booked online here.

Kristy Cox (AUS) receives Golden Guitar award

Also on Bluegrass Today: the news that Kristy Cox (AUS) received the Golden Guitar award for the 2019 Bluegrass Album of the Year at the Toyota Country Music Association of Australia Awards last Sunday. Her album Ricochet was released a year ago, and the album, together with a single from it, have hit no. 1 on the Bluegrass Today charts since then.

A tour in Ireland by Kristy and her band (11-19 May 2019) is scheduled as the first major project by the vigorous new Mygrassisblue.com agency (see the BIB for 22 Nov. 2018). More info is on the Mygrassisblue.com blog.

Award-winning band for Westport 2019

Blue Summit: (l-r) Sullivan Tuttle, A.J. Lee, Jesse
Fichman, Chad Bowen

The BIB published on 14 Jan. details of the lineup for this year's Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival (7-9 June). The ten international acts taking part - six of them from North America - include Blue Summit (USA); and we've just learned, thanks to Bluegrass Today, that at the Northern California Bluegrass Society's annual awards last Saturday, Blue Summit was Best Bluegrass Band; A.J. Lee was Best Female Vocalist and Best Mandolin Player; and Sullivan Tuttle was Best Male Vocalist and Best Guitar Player.

Sullivan's elder sister is the celebrated Molly Tuttle, and both of them, together with A.J., were in the family band The Tuttles with A.J. Lee.

We Banjo 3 US tour - well under way

The Kings of Celtgrass, We Banjo 3, are well into their 'Roots to rise' tour in the USA (see the BIB for 9 Jan.) and report that despite adverse weather,

we’ve had an amazing week in Ohio, selling over 3000 tickets in 5 nights. We’re sold out tonight in Rochester NY and we’re sold out the next two nights in Colorado and New Mexico.

More news is on their Facebook. The 'Roots to rise' tour 2019 is partnered with Mental Health America (MHA logo above); a donation from each t-shirt sold during the tour will be donated to MHA.

3rd BAND Festival, 21-23 June 2019

Thanks to Riona McGrath for this news of the third BAND (Bluegrass And Nashville Dunfanaghy) Festival, to be held early this summer:

BAND 2019 will be taking place on the weekend of 21-23 June in Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal. We'll be starting to announce the lineup in the coming days on www.thebandfestival.com/ and on our Facebook page. You can see some BAND 2018 highlights (and a glimpse of what is to come for BAND 2019!) at https://www.facebook.com/TheBANDFestival/videos/401097613793170/.

Red Wine is celebrated on Bluegrass Today

Thanks to Richard Thompson for a major feature on Bluegrass Today on our friends Red Wine, Italy's premier bluegrass band and fit to stand (as they have done many times) beside top performers from the US bluegrass scene.

Red Wine celebrated forty years as a band last year - notably at their tenth annual Bluegrass Party. held on 17 November in their home town of Genoa (Genova) - and the videos in Richard's article include a musical tribute by Hot Rize, who have also just celebrated forty years since they first got together.

The article is, indeed, a substantial contribution to the history of Red Wine from the very beginning, with long quotes from all the present members, some past members including Beppe Gambetta, and American friends. Sample quote from bassist Lucas Bellotti: '...there is nothing better than a Guinness to make things happen.' When can we hope to see and hear them in Ireland again?

Ken Perlman, regular B.M.G. contributor

The BIB reported on 16 Oct. last that the latest record release by clawhammer banjo maestro Ken Perlman (USA), Frails & frolics: fiddle tunes from Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, & elsewhere on clawhammer banjo, had been reviewed in B.M.G. magazine, which had also published a major interview with him by David Cotton.

B.M.G., published by Clifford Essex in London and the oldest fretted instrument magazine in the world, is now a quarterly. From autumn 2018, Ken is contributing to it a regular column on clawhammer banjo.

His teaching throughout the year includes the new East Tennessee Banjo Academy (14-20 July 2019); Ken will be one of the teachers of old-time banjo, while Greg Cahill of the Special Consensus (now on tour in Ireland) will be on the bluegrass banjo teaching staff. Much more news is on Ken's website, where Pat Kelleher's review of Frails & frolics on the BIB for 4 Mar. 2018 is quoted in the review section.

Sideline (USA) tour dates, 9-14 July 2019

Thanks to Dave Byrne jr for this major announcement from mygrassisblue.com:

We’re happy to be announcing the venues for the Sideline tour this July.

We’ve worked hard to get what we feel is a sufficient geographical spread of venues. We’re excited about all venues, but presenting Sideline in Ireland’s oldest continually operating theatre, the lovingly restored Victorian gem that is Waterford’s Theatre Royal, should be a highlight. As will bringing bluegrass to the INEC in Killarney. Finally, a Sunday Sideline session in Dublin’s welcoming Unitarian Church should round the tour off nicely. We just hope the bluegrass community in Ireland will share in our excitement and come out to see the guys!

Full details can be found on the tour page of the blog here, where tickets will go on sale in early February.

BIB editor's note: The mygrassisblue.com blog post has ample facts, photos, videos (including the band's own introduction to themselves), quotes from qualified and enthusiastic reviewers, an audio track of 'Handsome Molly', links to their four albums, and more. See also the mygrassisblue.com Facebook.

The tour dates, as shown below, are now also on the BIB calendar.

Tues. 9th July: An Grianan, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Wed. 10th: Andersons Live, Kempten Promenade, Sligo town
Thurs. 11th: Mullingar Arts Centre, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Fri. 12th: INEC Acoustic Club, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Sat. 13th: Theatre Royal, Waterford city
Sun. 14th: Unitarian Church, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2

Update 23 Mar.: Note new venue for the 10 July date.

Sharing the big tent

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announces that it is joining forces with Folk Alliance International and the Blues Foundation during this year's GRAMMY® week to honour the nominees for Best Bluegrass Album, Best Folk Album, Best Traditional Blues Album, and Best Contemporary Blues Album. The event will be held at 2.00-5.00 p.m. on Sat. 9 Feb. in the No Name Bar, 432 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Exemplifying the connections between the genres, the Punch Brothers, with bluegrass roots and instrumentation, are nominated for Best Folk Album. The nominees for Best Bluegrass Album include, of course, our friends of the Special Consensus, who will have to get from Naul. Co. Dublin (where they play on 8 Feb.), to LA in time to attend the Grammys ceremony. More details are in the IBMA news release.

2nd Old Time Gathering in Lisdoonvarna - just a month from now

The FOAOTMAD news blog includes in today's updates a reminder that the 2nd Annual Irish Old Time Appalachian Music Gathering will be held a month from now (22-4 Feb. 2019), centred on the Roadside Tavern, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare.

Old-time enthusiasts who are not yet registered for the Gathering should sign on here. Payment can be made here by PayPal, or at the door - the cost for the weekend is €10.00 per participant if paid by 31 Jan. 2019, and €15.00 if paid after 31 Jan. or on arrival. Updates of information on the Gathering will appear on its Facebook.

Lonesome Aces (CAN) in Belfast, 3 Feb. 2019

Following the BIB post of 19 Dec., Moving On Music send a reminder of their forthcoming presentations, which include the show by the Lonesome Ace Stringband (CAN) at the Duncairn Centre in Belfast on Sunday 3 Feb. Doors open at 7.00 p.m.; tickets (£14/ £10 conc.) can be booked here. The Moving On Music announcement includes a link to the band's video of 'Going across the sea'. Full dates for the Aces' tour are on the BIB calendar.

'It would be hard to overstate what a good fiddler John Showman is [...] While Showman's fiddling is the centrepiece of the band's sound, it is joined by Coole's and Heineman's equal skills on banjo and bass' (Sarah Bryan, reviewing the Lonesome Aces' Old time album in Old Time Herald, xiv. no. 1)

Bill Frisell Trio at the NCH, 21 Feb. 2019

The National Concert Hall in Dublin announces its February 2019 schedule, which includes a concert by Bill Frisell and his Trio on Thursday 21 February. The NCH writes:

Baltimore born jazz guitarist Bill Frisell has created a sound his own and his own place in music. Although steeped in the jazz tradition, his music includes shades of rock, country and bluegrass [emphasis added by the BIB], among various other styles. His lyrical melodies combined with a unique sound, make him one of the most singular musicians of his generation. One of the most acclaimed guitarists in contemporary music, he has just released the solo album Music is which reached Number 1 in the Billboard Jazz Charts.

He comes to Dublin with his estimable trio - Tony Scheer on bass & Kenny Wollesen on drums - and a wealth of songs from a stellar career.

You can hear his version of 'Wildwood flower' here, from his album The best of Bill Frisell, vol. 1: folk songs. The album has guest musicians such as Jerry Douglas (dobro) and on banjo Danny Barnes, who interviewed Frisell for Fretboard Journal.

Bill Frisell can be heard playing with the meta-folk musician Sam Amidon (clawhammer banjo) on 'Walkin' boss', a traditional song recorded by Clarence Ashley, Jerry Garcia, and Niall Toner, among others. Tickets for the NCH concert can be bought here.

The Local Honeys (USA) in Ireland, 8-16 Feb. 2019

Thanks to Uri Kohen for this news, specially welcome for old-time enthusiasts:

The Local Honeys from East Kentucky, USA, are no strangers to Ireland as they visited before and had the chance to play some gigs around the island. However, this February they will tour Ireland for the first time before returning to play the 13th Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival.

It is a mini tour with only a small window of opportunity to see and hear this superb outfit, and music fans should do their best to catch them live.

The Local Honeys are composed of Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs. Stokley from the rolling hills of the Bluegrass, and Hobbs from the foothills of the Appalachian region have developed a sweet sound of the bluegrass kissing the mountains.

They have dedicated themselves to the preservation of old music and the creation of new music. Their songwriting often reflects subject matter that little girls ought not to talk about. This element played a strong impact in the production and creation of their debut album, Little girls actin’ like men. Including both traditional and original songs, Little girls showcases the Honeys' ability to tear into hard-driving fiddle tunes, sing the high lonesome sound, and tell a damn good story.

Tour dates
Fri. 8th: Bridge St, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Sat. 9th: House concert, Westport, Co. Mayo
Sun. 10th: McGing's, High St., Westport, Co. Mayo
Mon. 11th: House concert, Co. Londonderry
Thurs. 14th: The Sky & The Ground, Wexford town
Fri. 15th, Sat. 16th: Cork city (more details to follow)

For more details, follow their Facebook Page.

BIB editor's note: The Local Honeys are coming to Ireland from an extensive tour in Britain, where, as they posted yesterday (Martin Luther King day), they are

trying to debunk Appalachian stereotypes and bigotry by spreading our songs and stories and a bit of our unique and beautiful Kentucky culture.

They make their point with the Don Rogers song 'I'm a Kentuckian' (also on YouTube). We also recommend their a cappella 'Gloryland', videoed on Tim Farmer's 'Homemade Jam'.

Update 25 Jan.: Thanks to Colin George Appleby for his comment below, and (in advance) for his advice.

Memories of Shannonside 2019

Thanks to Des Butler for this report and photos from last weekend's Shannonside Winter Music Festival:

Well, the music extravaganza that happened in Bunratty and Sixmilebridge over last weekend is over for another year. Bluegrass tastes were well catered for with the Munich String Band [above] and the Petersens [below] playing at different locations throughout the Festival - and what playing. Hearing the flawless playing from these musicians makes one feel that you don’t want the sessions to ever end.

The best wine was kept till last though, with the final concert on Sunday afternoon featuring the Petersens and the Special Consensus [above] finishing up the proceedings. What an afternoon, and what can be said about the Special C. that hasn’t been said already. This award-winning band just leaves you begging for more with their expert musicianship and great vocals.

It would be impossible to see all the performers at this Festival given the amount of bands playing here, but I did make sure to see the Cintron Brothers [above] as I had enjoyed their magnificent Latin and Flamenco dance music at this festival in the past, and again they did not disappoint with music that lifts the spirit and makes one think of sunny climates and the passion that goes with this great guitar playing.

Blues fans, of which I am one, were not disappointed with some great Delta blues covers performed by the Catfish Blues Orchestra [above]. Their interpretations of some of the great Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, and Little Walter classics was nothing short of outstanding.

Jamming sessions, which took place every evening, were ably led by Pat Kelleher, John Nyhan, and Niall O’Rahilly, with members of the Petersens and the Munich String Band joining in at different junctures.

Again, all thanks for organising this Festival go to Brendan Walsh and his team and to John Nyhan.

Update 23 Jan.: The Mygrassisblue.com report on the Festival can be seen here.

Spring 2019 in the Black Forest

Thanks to our good friend Patrick Fuchs, director of the 17th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival, and Matthias Buschert, Bühl city press officer, for details of this year's event (Fri. 17-Sat. 18 May).

The lineup is headed by four high-powered acts from North America which are (or very soon will be) familiar to Irish audiences: Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, who topped the bill at Dunmore East in 2016; Jeff Scroggins & Colorado and the Henhouse Prowlers, who have both toured here several times; and the Lonesome Ace Stringband, who begin their first tour here nine days from now. Also on the bill are the German bands Bluegrass Breakdown from Berlin, Dieselknecht from Dortmund, and Stereo Naked from Cologne.

As the BIB has said before: if you want a spring break in a pleasant town on the edge of the Black Forest with two days of high-quality bluegrass in an excellent civic auditorium, Bühl is your best bet.

More big news from Westport, Co. Mayo

Following last Monday's news of the 2019 Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, thanks to Uri Kohen for this major update:

Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival are excited to announce the latest addition to the already impressive 2019 lineup.

Highly acclaimed and much loved American duo Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay will return to Ireland this June for a short tour which will end with a headline performance at the festival. Although they will tour as a duo, they will have some special friends with them on stage at the two shows at the festival. More news to come soon.

Thanks!

The BIB editor writes:

Carol and I send our warmest thanks to the members of the Dublin bluegrass community who helped to give our visiting friends from Belgium and Denmark very pleasant memories of their trip. As well as seeing the Special Consensus in magnificent form at Dun Laoghaire, Thierry and Signe have gone home with a high regard for the people and the picking standards on the bluegrass scene here - and indeed on the Dublin old-time scene as well, which they witnessed at Bill Whelan's venerable Saturday Cobblestone session. Thanks again!

Coming SOON at the Red Room

Thanks to Sharon Loughrin of the Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone (Ireland's premier house concert venue for bluegrass, old-time, and related music), for this news:

2019 is shaping up to be as busy as 2018 despite all intentions otherwise! Our Special C. gig booked up within 24 hours of sending our text message out to the regulars, such is the deserved popularity of the band. I'm glad to hear you had a good time at their gig, I'm looking forward so much to having them back at the Red Room this Tuesday [22 Jan.].

Feel free to advertise our Lonesome Ace Stringband concert on 5 Feb. - anyone who wants to get in touch to book a seat is very welcome. Once the text goes out to regulars in a week or so, I'd expect it to fill up quickly. There's certainly lots of good music planned for this year: we've confirmed bookings right up to November, so plenty to look forward to!

JigJam tour three continents, Mar.-May 2019

Tullamore's JigJam announce:

The first dates of our World Tour are here! 2019 is our biggest ever year of touring. We feel privileged and humbled to be able to perform at so many incredible places. We hope to see you somewhere along the way!

We're also delighted to announce that our new album Phoenix will be released on May 17th! You can pre-order the album and a host of other cool exclusive offers HERE!

After performing in Glasgow on 1 Feb. and at Whelan's in Dublin on 6 Feb., the tour (sponsored by Culture Ireland) will consist of twenty-five dates in the USA (2 Mar.-16 Apr.), nine in Australia (19-28 Apr.), and five in Zimbabwe (1-5 May). More details and links for online booking are on JigJam's online tour schedule.

Mygrassisblue.com, the Special C., and more

Thanks to Dave Byrne jr and the rest of the mygrassisblue.com team for this link to the report of Thursday night's show in Dun Laoghaire by the Special Consensus (USA) on mygrassisblue.com's own (and very attractive) blog. The report includes four photos - taken from the front row - of the band on stage, and one of its leader Greg Cahill at the merchandise table in the Pavilion's foyer. Dave writes:

I was reminded throughout the performance [...] why we started this little endeavour of ours [mygrassisblue.com] in the first place. We would love more of this kind of awesomeness in Ireland. Yes please.

Visitors to the mygrassisblue.com website should treat themselves to a look through its photo gallery, comprising many photos taken in the course of visits to the States - images of bluegrass people and the world around them that are good as one will find anywhere.

Update 22 Jan.: Much more of Dave jr's photography, of all kinds of subjects in many countries throughout the world, can be viewed on his own website.

Already on the short list

The BIB editor writes:

It's still only the middle of January, but seeing and hearing the Special Consensus (USA) at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, on the second date of their tour, is already on my short list for peak musical experience of 2019. I've heard the quartet in various configurations many times in the last twenty-three years, but never with such overwhelming effect. All dates for their tour are on the BIB calendar. Don't miss an opportunity of hearing them.

Mile Twelve news

The fans and friends that Mile Twelve (USA) have made here, in the course of successive tours organised by John Nyhan, will be interested to learn that the band are scheduled as headliners at this year's big La Roche Bluegrass Festival on the edge of the French Alps.

In addition their mandolinist David Benedict (winner of an IBMA Momentum award for Instrumentalist of the Year) has released an album, The golden angle, which receives a Highlight Review from David J. McCarty in the Jan. 2019 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited. The title track was released as an audio single six months ago (see this Bluegrass Today feature), and in October Mile Twelve released a video of the band performing 'Dorrigo', another tune from the album, which can be seen on Bluegrass Today or YouTube.

Rachel Baiman (USA) in Ireland, 1-3 Feb. 2019

Thanks to the FOAOTMAD news blog for the news that Rachel Baiman, who toured here last spring with Molly Tuttle, will be touring this side of the Atlantic from 22 Jan., with her recent four-track EP Thanksgiving. Some - possibly all - of the dates will be with the Rachel Baiman Trio.

Most of the tour will be in Britain (including an appearance at Celtic Connections in Glasgow), but a check of her online schedule reveals that the last three dates will be in Ireland:

Fri. 1st Feb.: Cleeres, Kilkenny city, 9.30 p.m., €15
Sat. 2nd: JJ Harlows, Roscommon town
Sun. 3rd: Glens Centre, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, 8.00 p.m., €12/ €10 (online booking available here)

Special C. in Ireland - and in BU

Today the 2019 tour of these islands by the Special Consensus (USA) begins, with their appearance this evening in Colfer's at Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford. The personal appearance calendar in the January issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine includes dates in their tour, together with the picture below.

The January issue also includes the annual BU list of bluegrass festivals, in which Ireland is represented by Westport and Dunmore East - not all our eligible festivals, of course, but as many as are shown for any other country outside North America.

The Special Consensus

Cooking, bluegrass style

The Bitter Southerner online magazine has just published an article by Jennifer Justus on cooking at home, with special reference to recipes published by (or attributed to) Tammy Wynette and other prominent women of country music.

The BIB wishes to draw attention to The Bluegrass Music Cookbook by Penny Parsons, Jim Clark, and Ken Beck, published in 1997 but still available and unrivalled in its field. It holds a generous 375 recipes (three from Jackie and Greg Cahill of the Special Consensus), AND Parsons' data on the 180 bluegrass people who contributed recipes make it a valuable Who's who of the US scene at the time it was published: Alison Krauss is named on the back cover as 'one of the brightest young stars in bluegrass'.

Mules & Men at Tradfest, 25 Jan. 2019

L-r: John Denby, Lily Sheehan, Mark Corry, Luke Coffey

On 10 Jan. the BIB announced that Mules & Men would be playing in Dublin as part of the Temple Bar Tradfest on 19 Jan. This was incorrect: we're happy to announce that the band's gig will instead be on Friday 25 Jan. at the Old Storehouse, 3 Crown Alley, Dublin 2, from 11.20 p.m. The Tradfest website says:

This Irish four-piece band based out of Dublin are pioneers of the Celtgrass scene. Bound together by a shared love of folk and bluegrass, Mules and Men have been reinterpreting these classic sounds into a unique and contemporary style of their own. With three-part harmonies, blazing string playing, and inspired original material, they are a truly mesmerising act.

Caludo (CH) in Ireland, July-Aug. 2019

Our Swiss friend Stefan Behler has toured Ireland several times with Mala & Fyrmoon, and now writes:

I will be on tour in July/ August with a new band. Mala decided to continue as a solo performer [see the BIB for 4 Nov. 2018], so Fyrmoon was dis-banded.

But I found a great fiddle player, Catie Jo Pidel from Minnesota, who now lives in Zurich. Our new project is called Caludo [also on Facebook], and we have Vincent Zurkinden again on bass.

These are our so-far booked gigs, and more to come:

Wed. 24th July: Ryan's Bar, Kilkenny city
Thurs. 25th: Sin E, Cork city
Fri. 26th: Crowleys’s Bar, Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Mon. 29th: Matt Molloy's (Yard Bar), Bridge St., Westport, Co. Mayo

Thurs. 1st Aug.: Sunflower Folk Club, Belfast
Fri. 2nd: Nancy’s bar, Ardara, Co. Donegal
Sat. 3rd: JJ Harlows Bar, Roscommon town

Organisers can contact me at stefan.behler@bluewin.ch if they would like to book us. During our tour, we need to loan an upright bass. so if anybody has an instrument that is available during that time, please get in touch with us.

Caludo call their music 'Swissicana (noun) /ˈswis-ə-ˈkä-nə/: folk music with bluegrass drive'. Four videos are on their website and more on YouTube.

Comments on the BIB

The BIB editor writes:

For some time now the headnote to this blog has included the words: 'Send in news or queries by e-mail, please; we can't send a direct reply to a comment on a post.' Nonetheless, queries keep arriving in this form. The latest, from 'Trigger' (the only identification) inquires about the dates for this year's Omagh bluegrass festival.

First of all, my apologies for having put 'Omagh 2019' in the title of a post, when it should have read 'Omagh 2018'; this is now corrected. The dates for this year's festival (Fri. 30th Aug.-Sun. 1st Sept. 2019) have been on the blog calendar since early December 2018, and they can also be seen in the right-hand column of the blog, where there's a list of major events of 2019. So -

• Please e-mail me if you have a query; there are three links already on the front page of the blog where you can do so, and now here's another one; and
• If you're looking for information, please make sure that that information isn't already on the blog.

In response to the other comment received today, anonymous abusive comments about anyone will not be published.

13th Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, 7-9 June 2019

Thanks to Uri Kohen, leader of the festival organising team in Westport, for this release:

Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival will return for the thirteenth time on 7-9 June to Westport, Co. Mayo. The organising team has created a unique lineup with no less than ten international acts, of which some of them have never played Ireland before and some never played a bluegrass festival in Ireland before. Full programme and tickets will be available from the festival's website from 1 February.


The local aspect of the programme will see the return of the iconic Old Time Session of Tim Rogers [above left] and the rare and much loved performance by the Rocky Top String Band [above right].

The Golden Trio [above left] of Bill Forster, Ger O'Donnell, & Leo Hayes, as well as unique kids' programme by Kids Classic [above right] will represent the national side. Niall Hanna [left] from Northern Ireland will headline the Sunday concert, and the international section of the programme will see acts from USA, Canada, UK, France, and Holland.

These acts will include The Big Chimney Barn Dance (USA), The Local Honeys (USA), Blue Summit (USA), Haakon Oyen & Clara Delfina (USA), Switchgrass Delta (USA), Jessica Pearson & the East Wind (CAN), Bluegrass 43 (F), Red Herring (NL), The Lowly Strung (GB), Molly & the Blackbriar Band (GB), and more to be announced.

As always, there will be many open sessions for everybody to enjoy and take part. See you in Westport!

The Big Chimney Barn Dance

The Local Honeys

Blue Summit

Haakon Oyen & Clara Delfina

Switchgrass Delta

Jessica Pearson & the East Wind

Bluegrass 43

Red Herring

The Lowly Strung

Molly & the Blackbriar Band