It's over, and it's been wonderful.

There will be pictures up when we get home, but we are back at the hotel after a terrific North Texas Irish Festival, and we have some good news. Coming up Saturday night anfd Sunday for brunch, Legacy, along with Jimmy Crowley and Mairtin de Cogain, will be appearing at Celtic Crossing; more on that when we get back.

Highlights of the weekend included great sets by Clandestine, Ed Miller (who had Jil Chambliss and Scooter Muse of Henri's Notions playing alongside him), Slide, and the return of our friend Maggie Drennon, who has been battling illness for the last few years. Her voice was impeccable, like she'd never been away.

Last night's sessions were split up; there were three Irish sessions, and one Texas-flavored singer-songwriter circle that was awesome. While Lauren stayed with the straight sessions, I went to the Texas session, led by the Trinity River Whalers and Betsy Cummings of Beyond The Pale. Put it this way: it's the first session I've been to here where I could sing along, like on the rendition of Billy Joe Shaver's "Georgia on a Fast Train". It was different, and a lot of fun.

All right, enough for now, back to Memphis tomorrow!

Feel Good Friday!

Please enjoy this selection by Smithfield Fair from the Scottish Festival in Arlington, TX. "Long Ships" is always a crowd pleaser and encourages participation.


The Cracker & I are on the road to the North Texas Irish Festival today. We have a full weekend of good music, good food, good friends, good craic! Hope to see you there!

Music at Celtic Crossing!

I just found out that the Celtic Crossing has a special show tomorrow night (March 3rd). There will be a seisuin first, then at 8 pm a show with Danny Burns and Laurence Nugent. For more information, see the Celtic Crossing's Event Schedule.

Now I haven't seen Danny Burns, but the Cracker & I saw Laurence Nugent with Aoife Clancy on a couple of occasions and were mightily impressed. If you want to check them out, try their myspace page.

Maybe we'll see you there!

Feel Good Friday

With all the talk about Eileen Ivers playing in area this spring, I am reminded of the first time I saw her play. We were at CelticFest Mississippi in 1995 and one of the headliners that year was Mick Moloney with Eileen Ivers & Seamus Egan. This was the first year that we went to CelticFest, and the Cracker wasn't even sure he would like Celtic music. (He's come a long way!)

This clip is Eileen Ivers & Seamus Egan with John Doyle, who will be playing at NTIF next weekend, and it is from shortly before that first (for us) CelticFest.

(I know it's long and there's a woman talking at the beginning, but be patient and you'll see why these folks are at the forefront of Celtic music today.)

Upcoming Events

My friends at MAMA have asked me to put this up for everyone. Unfortunately, I'll be at NTIF for this concert, but encourage all you Celtophiles to check it out.

Sara Grey and Kieron Means
8 p.m. Saturday, March 7, 2009
Otherlands Coffee Bar
641 S. Cooper
901-278-4994
Tickets are $12, available at Otherlands and Davis-Kidd Booksellers
More information is available at the MAMA website


In addition, another friend has sent me this list of Celtic event coming up this spring:

March 14
Feile Franklin
Irish dance and music performances on Main Street. Two stages of continuous dance and music
615-591-8500
www.historicfranklin.com

March 21
Celtic Soul
Eileen Ivers
with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra
For tickets and information, check here.


April 4
Celtic Celebration
Memorial Auditorium, Chattanooga
Eileen Ivers is playing
Chattanooga Symphony & Orchestra 423-267-8583
www.chattanoogasymphony.org

May 16-17
Gatlinburg Scottish Festival and Games
Concerts, highland athletics, bagpipe competitions, dancing & demonstrations
800-568-4748
www.gsfg.org

Feel Good Friday!

This week's selection is Ashley MacIsaac from Cape Breton--brilliant fiddler, but controversial in life. This is a traditional fiddle tune, but with his own twist.

Texas--Celtic-Style!

In one month, the Cracker and I will be heading to the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas. This is the 2nd largest Irish Festival in the US. We've been going to the festival, one or the other of us for 11 years and is it worth the trip! In addition to the music at the festival, which is held at Fair Park, the host hotel is the scene of some great seisuins! Every meeting room, bar, hallway, nook and cranny will have a group of folks making music! (A group of our friends in particular tend to favor a back hallway.)

The festival itself is nothing to sneeze at. They offer 11 headlining acts and 28 featured acts, filling Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday with Irish music (well, actually they throw in a little Scottish and even Breton, or French Celtic). For you dance aficionados, there are several dance schools in attendance and the local feis coincides with the festival. They have a stage just for the little ones and lots of vendors selling their wares (I've been known to start my holiday shopping here).

Performers include the following:
Liz Carroll & John Doyle
Mairtin de Cogain
Jimmy Crowley
Seven Nations (ROCK ON!)
Ed Miller (the "Token Scot")
Needfire
Jiggernaut
"Scottish" Rogues (kick-ass drumming & piping!)
Poor Man's Fortune & Bourree Texane (the Brittany connection)
Jim Flanagan
the triumphant return of Memphis favorite--Clandestine!
and many more!

Here's a video that gives some of the flavor:



We'll be stopping for the requisite Whataburger on the way down, and eating at one of our very favorite restaurants--Cafe Brazil--probably several times while in Dallas. It's a great event, not a bad drive, and awesome music! Join us!