Rhiannon Giddens, Francesco Turrisi, and more at the NCH, 7 Oct. 2021

The National Concert Hall (NCH) in Dublin is marking its fortieth anniversary with a series of concerts under the title 'Refractions', for which tickets will go on sale tomorrow (Fri. 10 Sept.). Four weeks from today, Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi will curate and host 'Prism', the first of two concerts in which 'Giddens uses her art to excavate the past and reveal bold truths about our present.' Also taking part are Emer Mayock (flute, uilleann pipes, fiddle) and Niwel Tsumbu (guitar), who both feature on the latest Giddens/ Turrisi album, They’re calling me home, recorded in Dublin and released earlier this year. The title song was written by Alice Gerrard. The concert will be at 8.00 p.m. on Thurs. 7 Oct. on the main stage (tickets €20) and also on livestream (€10).

Also of likely interest to BIB readers from this series: Andy Irvine will be giving a concert, 'The Woody Guthrie project', on Sat. 2 Oct., with Rens van der Zalm (fiddle, mandolin, guitar). Time and ticket prices are the same as above.

BIB editor's note: I believe Andy Irvine was the first person I ever heard play 'Cluck old hen' on 5-string banjo, in O'Donoghue's on Leeson St. in the early 1960s.

Chuck Armstrong reviews on No Depression the recent Elektra compilation album Home in this world: Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads, with fourteen contributing artists. I found it hard to reconcile the two sample tracks shown on video with what the reviewer says about them.

© Richard Hawkins