This afternoon found me wa-a-a-y over on the lower west side—at the World Financial Center, in the Winter Garden. I'd never been there before, and it's a nice venue—really looks like a greenhouse/conservatory and has large palm trees inside. The program was traditional—traditional Irish, that is.
The group: Danú; the program: Christmas in Ireland: An Nollaig in Éirinn; the cast: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (Flute, Whistles), Benny McCarthy (Button Accordion, Melodeon), Donal Clancy (Guitar, Vocals), Liam Flanagan (Fiddle, Tenor Banjo), Éamon Doorley (Irish Bouzouki, Backup Vocals), and Martin O'Neill (Bodhran (Irish Drum), Piano).
No printed program, so the only titles I actually remember were Miz Fogarty's Christmas Cake (apparently fruitcake gets a bad rap in lot of cultures) and Apples in Winter. There were some of the de rigeur snippets of humour (Scots' tight-fistedness) including a wee story from Mr. McCarthy. It seems that on a Christmas shopping trip to Dublin, he found a perfect parking space but inadvertently left his accordion on the back seat. When he returned—yep, back window was busted out, and on the back seat ... two accordions.
The music included traditional reels, jigs, and other dances all played with, what seemed to these ears, extreme authenticity. Unfortunately, Ms. Amhlaoibh was suffering from bronchitis and slight laryngitis (she was also scheduled for Lead Vocals).
Not my cuppa tea, but I'm glad I broadened my Christmas/Nollaig horizons.
ConcertMeister
(Part 1 of 2)
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