Nickel Creek at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, 30 Aug. 2023

The National Concert Hall, Dublin, announces the highlights of its programme for August, among which the Nickel Creek concert on Wed. 30 Aug. is prominent. The concert will take place at 8.00 p.m. on the Main Stage, with support by the Guatemalan singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno. Tickets are €45, €40, €35, and €27.50, depending on location, with a 10% discount for Friends of the NCH or for Groups of ten or more. The NCH blurb reads:

Nickel Creek are the trio of Chris Thile, Sarah Watkins, and Sean Watkins. After a nine-year absence, the platinum-selling, Grammy award-winning trio are set to return in 2023 with the highly anticipated album, Celebrants. Together a sum of more than their staggering parts, the trio revolutionized bluegrass and folk in the early 2000s and ushered in a new era of what we now recognize as Americana music. [...]

Celebrants is a bounty of 18 disparate but loosely connected songs written collectively during a creative retreat in Santa Barbara in early 2021. The result is perhaps the most audacious yet accessible release of the Grammy-winning trio’s 34-year career.

The entire enterprise is, naturally, shot through with the trio’s virtuosic picking and shiver-inducing harmonies. The lyrics - addressing love, friendship, time, and the universal travails of travel - combine the poetic and plain-spoken, hitting a sweet spot of ethereal and relatable as bridges are built, crossed, burned, and rebuilt.

© Richard Hawkins

The Common Good - for Dunmore East 2023

As an introduction to their appearancez at the coming Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival (25-27 Aug.), thanks to Richie Foley of Youghal for this descriptive review of The Common Good, written by Niall Toner after they played at this year's Kilkenny Roots Festival:

The Common Good are a recently formed six-piece band consisting of top-notch musicians and singers from Counties Cork and Waterford, with a unique approach to a wide range of covers and originals, a great mix of vocals and instrumentals, and a wonderful fun approach to their live performance. The main focus is on a twinning of mandolin, played by Richie Foley, and acoustic guitar played by Ted Farrell, which gives a 'folksy' sound, but there's nothing twee here, as their complex and exciting solos are backed up by an ensemble that can truly rock. This solid rhythm is provided by Barry Lawlor on bass and the youthful Paddy Moloney on (very) solid drums. Kieran Ahern plays rhythm guitar and sings, and Karl Prendergast is superb on keyboards and vocals. With three great singers, and a very high standard of musicianship all round, all combined with great humour, The Common Good epitomises truly what a great band should be.

Even the relatively obscure instrumentals, like those by Bela Fleck and Cory Wong, or the more well-known piece from Horslips, were delivered in a truly entertaining way, with one vocal highlight being a cover of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby's 'The way it is'.

This is a combination of guys whose common aim is to entertain, and that they certainly did to a full house at the Left Bank as part of Kilkenny Roots 2023. Highly recommended for every occasion!

Niall Toner. May 2023

Double Header concert at Dungarvan, 13 June 2023

Thanks again to John Nyhan for this poster image and information on the Double Header concert to be held at the Copper Buoy Bistro & Wine Bar, 86 O'Connell St., Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, on Tuesday 13 June at 8.00 p.m. John adds these details of the musicians:

The Demolition String Band, based in Hoboken, New York, feature:
Elena Skye on mandolin, guitar, and vocals.
Boo Reiners on banjo, mandolin, guitar, and vocals.
Sam Barnes on fiddle.
Their music is rooted in bluegrass, country, and mountain music.
_________________________________
Ray Barron is the wonderful mandolin player and leader of the excellent Two Time Polka.
Hank Wedel is a great guitarist and singer. He is one of the finest exponents of roots music and a fabulous entertainer.
Robbie Barron (Ray's son) is a great guitarist and is much in demand as a session musician.
______________________________________
This double act should make an incredible concert. Booking is advisable.
Tel. 087 604 0542 or 087 792 1771

BIB editor's note: The Demolition String Band have often played in Ireland in the past. More information about them, with a video of their 'Sailor girl', is on the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival website. The dates for their current tour here (8-18 June) are on the BIB calendar.

© Richard Hawkins

Session Americana (USA) for Ireland in 2024?

Thanks to Loudon Temple of the Brookfield Knights agency in Britain for the news that the Boston-based 'roots collective' Session Americana (above), who last toured here in the autumn of 2019, will be touring in Britain in the spring of 2024 and have expressed interest in coming back to Ireland for up to two weeks. Loudon writes:

They have earned legendary status, particularly among their peers, but also with those who have been lucky enough to share the same room during one of their barnstorming performances. Personally speaking, Session Americana put on one of the finest shows I have ever had the great pleasure to promote and, therefore, it is a huge pleasure to get the chance to work with them again.

The band is always something of a moveable feast, their revolving doors policy attracting some of the biggest names on the circuit to join them on stage. The backbone always remains the same, however, and it's as powerful as any. There are far too many great live videos to see, so we decided not to select anything in particular. After all, their reputation says it all.

If you'd like to grab them for a slot on your programme, please let me know what date/s might be available. They will tour England/Scotland from March 25 to April 7 next year and have expressed keen interest in returning to Ireland for a run that could be 7-14 days, depending on level of interest, immediately thereafter. It would be helpful to me if you indicate that preference might be date/s wise time to help us look at sensible routing options.

The band comprises Ry Cavanaugh, Billy Beard, Dinty Child, Jim Fitting, and Jon Bistline.

© Richard Hawkins

Danny Burns: video of 'Someone like you'

On 1 June the BIB reported on the release by the Bonfire Music Group/ Pinecastle Records of the single 'Someone like you' recorded by Danny Burns; the song was previously a hit for Adele, but has solid bluegrass instrumentation here.

Danny Burns, born and raised in the north-west of this island, has been based in the USA for years and made a mark on the scene there with his 2019 debut project, North country, recorded in Nashville with artists such as Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminski, and Critter Fuqua. 'Someone like you' is from his new album Promised land, featuring additional vocals by Tim O'Brien. The video can be seen on John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today or on YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins

Some of the 'Americana' artists in Celtic Connections 2023

The organisers of Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Scotland, announce the release of their thirtieth anniversary programme for next year's event (19 Jan.-5 Feb. 2023). Tickets can be bought today by anyone in the festival's 'Celtic Rover' supporters club, and will go on sale to the general public tomorrow (12 Oct.).

The festival's roster of 'Americana' (which includes the Chris Thile and Sam Amidon concert on 13 Nov.) lists shows by Sierra Hull and Rachel Baiman (20 Jan.), the Lonesome Ace Stringband and the Magpies (21 Jan.), and Nickel Creek and Lau Noah (29 Jan.).

Update 12 Oct.: Three weeks ago the BIB reported that the Special Consensus (USA) would be at the festival, and the band's online tour schedule shows them as playing there on 29 Jan.

Update 1 Nov.: The latest Celtic Connections e-newsletter includes the Special C. in the lineup, along with many others.

© Richard Hawkins

Annie Keating Band in Ireland, 5-9 Oct. 2022

Thanks to Brendan O'Regan of Arklow Roots Music for the news that Americana artist Annie Keating and her band (right) will be playing at the Whale Theatre ('excellent venue, intimate and roomy!', according to Brendan), Greystones, Co. Wicklow, on Thurs. 6 Oct. at 8.00 p.m. (doors 7.00 p.m.). Tickets are €15.00. The YouTube video of her song 'Marigold' can also be seen on the Whale Theatre website, and her tenth album, Bristol county tides, on which 'Marigold' is recorded, can be heard and bought on Bandcamp.

The Greystones concert is part of a tour of fourteen shows, eight in Britain and six in this island:

• Tues. 4th Oct.: Sunflower Public House, Belfast, 8.00 p.m. (doors 7.30 p.m.), £16.50 (£15.00)
• Wed. 5th: Sea Church, Ballycotton, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m., €15.00
• Thurs. 6th: Whale Theatre, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, 8.00 p.m., €15.00
• Fri. 7th: Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin, 8.00 p.m. 
• Sat. 8th: Balor Arts Centre (with Midnight Preachers), Ballybofey, Co. Donegal, 8.00 p.m.
• Sun. 9th: The Playhouse, Derry city, 8.00 p.m., £18

© Richard Hawkins

The Raines - featured in RTÉ Guide

See the BIB of 19 June for Roger Green's enthusiastic report on the Galway-based trio The Raines (also on Facebook) at the Galway Folk Festival earlier this month. Diligent readers of the RTÉ Guide will have seen that the current issue (25 June-1 July) includes a two-page illustrated feature, 'Here come the Raines', chiefly consisting of an interview with Yvonne Tiernan (centre in photo, with Ruth Dillon and Juliana Erkonnen) by Janice Butler.

© Richard Hawkins

Bringing It Home and BAND Festivals merge in Dunfanaghy Music Festival, 24-26 June 2022

The BAND Festival (Bluegrass And Nashville Dunfanaghy) announces that it will be joining forces this year with the Bringing It Home Festival in Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal, to produce

one bouncing Summer Festival! There will be music throughout the bars in Dunfanaghy Village from Friday through to Sunday night on the weekend of the 24th-26th June as well as a wrap-up night on Monday 27th!

The bluegrass (and related music) elements will be provided by Luke and Lily of Mules & Men and by Donegal's own Erdini. Full details of the combined lineup are on the Bringing It Home website and the BAND Facebook.

© Richard Hawkins

I Draw Slow in Ireland, 10-16 June 2022

Dublin's I Draw Slow (above), who have just been playing in North Carolina, will be in Ireland this month with three concerts on their schedule:

• Fri. 10th June: Whelans, Dublin 2, €17.50
• Sun. 12th: Cloughjordan Amphitheatre, Co. Tipperary, €27.55 [marked 'Postponed' online]
• Thurs. 16th: Galway Folk Festival, Monroe's, Galway city, €27.50

They have also completed 'their most ambitious album to date', for release in the coming autumn on the Compass Records label.

© Richard Hawkins

New single from Danny Burns (after Adele)

Danny Burns, born and raised in the north-west of this island, has been based in the USA for years. John Lawless writes in Bluegrass Today: 'His 2019 debut project, North country, turned heads across the Americana music scene, recorded in Nashville with contributions from artists like Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminski, and Critter Fuqua.' He is now signed up with the Bonfire Music Group/ Pinecastle Records, for whom he is preparing an album, Promised land, for release on 21 October. A single, the Adele hit 'Someone like you', with additional vocals by Tim O'Brien, is being released today (1 June). It can be heard in full on Bluegrass Today, and also on the usual download and streaming platforms.

© Richard Hawkins

We Banjo 3 at MerleFest 2022

Galway's We Banjo 3, originators of Celtgrass, will perform this coming weekend at MerleFest, Wilkesboro, NC. In his No Depression article 'Through the lens: exciting roots artists not to miss at MerleFest 2022', Amos Perrine has a fine photo he took of We Banjo 3 on stage at the 2018 MerleFest, and writes:

You may think you know this Irish band, but their online performances during the pandemic have demonstrated a dramatic shift in their songwriting. Some call them a great Irish-Americana band, I say you will not see or hear a better band all weekend.

Update 28 Apr.: In the Bluegrass Today feature 'Photos from 2022 Old Settlers Music Festival', there are twenty-five fine photos by Amy Price, beginning with two of We Banjo 3, and also including - to mention only those who have played in Ireland - the Del McCoury Band, the Steep Canyon Rangers, and Peter Rowan. The Rangers include founder member and guitarist Woody Platt, who recently announced that he will be leaving the band (see here).

© Richard Hawkins

Darren Flynn to release 'Big blue moon', 25 Mar. 2022

A year ago (see the BIB for 24 Feb. 2021) Darren A. Flynn (left), award-nominated Americana musician and songwriter from Dublin, released his debut solo single, 'Mountain whiskey', on all music platforms. The song received airplay on national radio (e.g. Brian Lally's 'Country time' on RTE Radio 1, several shows on RnaG), and also internationally in Australia, the UK, and the US, where it has featured on several nationally syndicated shows such as KAFM 88.1's show 'Bluegrass and beyond'.

Thanks to Darren for the news that his new single 'Big blue moon' is due for release on Friday 25 March, and can be pre-saved or pre-added on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and Tidal via this link. Drums are certainly present, but the instrument in the foreground is undeniably the impressive 5-string playing of Johnny Butten. What the BIB said about 'Mountain whiskey' can also be said here: 'it's a hard-driving song which would make a powerful bluegrass number', and it's not too hard to imagine 'Big blue moon' being delivered by (say) the Del McCoury Band.

Darren is also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Bookings: e-mail or (00353) 85 1022649.

© Richard Hawkins

Kilkenny Roots Festival, 29 Apr.-2 May 2022

Smithwick's Kilkenny Roots Festival ('by now a national institution and an international buzz-phrase among the Americana / Roots movement', as stated at the head of its Facebook) will be held on the long weekend Fri. 29 Apr.-Mon. 2 May. Tickets can now be bought for many of the concerts: see the Festival's latest e-newsletter.

Most of the Americana acts announced so far could be loosely labelled as honky-tonk, country rock, or singer/ songwriter. The artist most directly involved with American traditional rural music is the 'new old-time' guitarist and singer Jake Xerxes Fussell of Durham, NC, born in GA, whose father introduced him to documenting traditional culture; he has since worked with distinguished folklorists, field collectors, and musicians. The most comprehensive biographical account of him is on the Festival website, where there is also a video of his song 'Jump for joy' and audio of 'Raggy Levy'. He is scheduled to play in Ryan's Bar; on Sat. 30 Apr. at 7.00 p.m., and on Sun. 1 May at 2.00 p.m. His tour schedule also lists the following dates in Ireland (part of a European tour):

Tues. 3rd May: Bello Bar, Portobello Harbour, Dublin 8, 7.00 p.m.
Wed. 4th: Cathedral Quarter, 109-113 Royal Ave., Belfast, 7.00 p.m.

© Richard Hawkins

Celtic Connections 2022: latest news

The organisers of Celtic Connections, 'the UK's premier celebration of Celtic music', announce that this year's event in Glasgow, Scotland, is continuing to 6 February, with over sixty vibrant live shows on offer.

Acts in the 'Americana' section of the programme have suffered from the continuing pandemic, and cancellations include the Lonesome Ace Stringband, Aoife O'Donovan, and Rachel Baiman with Cahalen Morrison. However, the Transatlantic Sessions on 4 and 6 Feb., Heidi Talbot & Dirk Powell with Kim Carnie on 5 Feb., and The Dead South on 21 Mar. are all still shown as going ahead.

© Richard Hawkins

Arklow Roots Music: Zoom concert, Sat. 5 Feb. 2022

Thanks to Brendan O'Regan of Arklow Roots Music, who sends this news:

Hi all, glad to announce next Zoom gig after a long break! It’s on Sat. 5 Feb., 8.00 p.m. and performers are:

Michelle Lewis (USA) Michelle has performed on tour in Arklow before at Harbour Bar before it was the Asgard Theatre!
Findlay Napier (Scotland)
Rachel Grace – upcoming singer from Wexford, recently on tour with Mike Hanrahan and Eleanor Shanley

Brendan writes that plenty of material on the artists is on their websites, YouTube, Spotify, Bandcamp etc. The concert is on a donation basis, as before. Places are limited. You need to register in advance for this concert; after registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting. The image at the head of this post is from the Facebook event page.

© Richard Hawkins

Singer/ songwriter Zoom concert from Arklow Roots Music, 23 Oct. 2021

Thanks to Brendan O'Regan of Arklow Roots Music in Co. Wicklow, for the news that he will present an online concert on Zoom on Saturday 23 October, with US singer/ songwriter Jesse Terry, supported by Gillian Tuite from Co. Meath and Lynda Cullen from Co. Wexford - three singer/ songwriters in the round. Brendan adds: 'Those interested need to e-mail to book.' The image above is from the Facebook Event Page.

© Richard Hawkins

Rye River Band live at the Brazen Head, Dublin, from 23 Oct. 2021

Thanks to Pat Burgess of the Rye River Band (right) from Leixlip, Co. Kildare, for this welcome news:

Just a note to let you know that the Rye River Band are returning to their well worn residency in the Brazen Head, Dublin 2, on Saturday night 23 October with a 9.00 p.m. start. It’s been a while to say the least, but great to restart again. Thank you for your wonderful support for our live streams during lockdown.

Rye River's recording of 'Copperhead Road' can now be heard on YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins

Nanci Griffith, 1953-2021

(photo: Julie Jacobson/ AP)

Des Butler sends this sad news:

Nanci Griffith, the Grammy-winning folk and country songwriter whose popular recordings include 'Love at the Five and Dime', 'Once in a very blue moon', and 'Outbound plane', died Friday 13 August 2021; no cause of death has been given. She was 68.

Born 6 July 1953 in Seguin, Texas, and raised in Austin, Nanci Caroline Griffith began her performing career as a teenager, playing at clubs and festivals around Texas. She attended the University of Texas and began a career as a teacher.

She released several albums, including Lone Star State of mind and Little love affairs that demonstrated her powers as a writer as well as an interpreter of others’ work. Among her best-charting country radio singles from this era were 'Lone Star State of mind', 'Trouble in the fields', 'Cold hearts/ closed minds', and 'I knew love'.

Griffith was also the first artist to record Julie Gold’s 'From a distance', which Bette Midler later cut in 1990 to massive pop success. Griffith’s recording of the song was successful in Ireland and helped endear her to performers like Mary Black, who championed her work and recorded a version of 'Once in a very blue moon'.

Though Griffith never got to experience a big radio hit with her own recordings, her songs were often recorded with greater success by others. 'Love at the Five and Dime', from The last of the true believers, earned Kathy Mattea a #3 country hit in 1986. Likewise, 'Outbound plane', which Griffith had written with Tom Russell for Little love affairs, ended up as a Top 10 hit for Suzy Bogguss in 1991. Other artists who cut Griffith’s songs include Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Maura O’Connell.

Her album Other voices, other rooms (1993) had a guest list that included Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Iris DeMent, and John Prine, who sang on her version of 'Speed of the sound of loneliness'. Other voices won a 1994 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

In July, it was announced that Griffith was among the incoming class of the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Nanci Griffith 1953-2021: RIP

We Banjo 3 on Deering Live, 13 May 2021, 8.00 p.m.

Deering Banjos announce that Galway's We Banjo 3, originators of 'Celtgrass', will be interviewed on Deering Live tomorrow (Thurs. 13 May) at 8.00 p.m. - the first time that a full band has appeared on Deering Live. The interview can also be seen on YouTube.

We Banjo 3 first played in the USA in 2012 and have since become 'fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home', with an established foothold in Nashville. In Deering's words, they

continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience. WB3 seamlessly converge the shared and varied traditions of Americana, bluegrass, and Celtic music with pop-sensible songcraft to create a truly unique and gratifying signature sound.

© Richard Hawkins