Celtic Blunder...

Every now and them something comes along too crap-tastic to be believed. Something so vile, so repugnant one can scarce muster words to fit the experience. I witnessed such an event last night at the Sprint Center in the form of Celtic Thunder. Thank God my ticket was free. Now before you lambaste me as a bitter ex-singer with a jealous axe to grind let me give the show the only props I can. All the musicians are extremely talented. Twenty year old Keith Harkin sang what may be the best Mountains of Mourne I have ever heard and the scant traditional music was lovely for the most part. But I digress. I'm not trying to write a review. I'm here to rant. I'm pressing the rant button right.......now. People; listen very carefully. If you listen closely enough you'll hear the faint sound of Tommy Makem turning over in his grave. I'm not dense. I understand this is a pop show. I understand that it's the McDonald's, at best, of Irish music. I understand its demogrpahic is youngish women with disposable incomes and fuzzy conceptions of what Celtic music really is. I understand that Celtic rock, which I enjoy, bridges the gap between younger cultures and exposes them to traditional Irish music they might otherwise miss. I get it. And it's valid. What I can't understand is how anyone sitting in that crowd could be thinking, "You know...if I don't hear Knights in White Satin tonight I shall be sorely dissapointed. That's right. Knights in White Satin. Along with Desperado, Puppy Love, and I Want to Know What Love Is. Foreigner, for God's sake? Really? I think Sean O'Malley, with whom I was sitting, said it best. "This is an insult". Cotten candy stagecraft for a short attention span culture without the means or desire to discover what real Irish music is. Phil Coulter, what were you thinking putting this together? Is this really what you want the American populace to walk away with as the definition of Irish Music? I won't even push my own pub. I'll push all the pubs that allow traditional music to thrive. Find one close to you. Go see Eddie Delahunt. Go see Bob Reeder. Go see Tom Dahill. Go see The Quiet Men. Just don't let this show become your picture of Celtic Music. Then again, if you like a little Foreigner with your Jigs and Reels, this might be the show for you. Who am I to say? I could just be a bitter ex-singer with a jealous axe to grind.

Weston Wellie's Race

Even though the Weston Irish Fest is over now it is still fun to look back. We had this photo sent in and couldn't help but put it out there. This is real dedication and the best costumes I have ever seen. If you thought finding a mouse in your beer was bad!!