Monday, August 21, 2006

Milwaukee Report #1: Gráda

I had a chance to see some of our Kansas City Irish Fest performers previewed at the Milwaukee Irish Fest this past weekend. Regular readers here will have picked up on some the bands that I'm personally really excited about seeing at the Fest this year. Luka Bloom, Hothouse Flowers, John Spillane, etc.

Let me add one more to the very top of my list and encourage you to do the same: Gráda.

Unbelievable. I'm not overstating it when I say that this band will change the way you think about traditional Irish music. They are a perfect band for us here in Kansas City, because what they do on stage is like nothing so much as jazz. Every member masterful on their instruments (fiddle, guitar, flutes and whistles, bodhran, and a stand up bass), they would leap off their melodies like skydivers and go on improvisational tears, before always landing back on firm traditional ground. Selections ranged from raging instrumentals to songs by Galway girl Nicola Joyce sung in a clear, lovely voice that will bring tears to your eyes. What a fantastic show, and how fantastically lucky we are to have this band coming here in a few short days. Do. Not. Miss. Them.

9:30 on the Pub stage on Saturday, 6:30 on the Pub Stage on Sunday.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Dan, this is a band I was looking forward to seeing but since I will be working 9 hours a day at the Fest on Saturday and Sunday I will have to go somewhere else to see them. They are playing in St. Louis on September 22 at The Dubliner and on September 23 in St. Charles at the Failte St. Charles in Frontier Park. I love a road trip!

Anonymous said...

As grammar trends go...
This. Drives. Me. Crazy.
Cease and desist.

Danny Regan said...

Get. Over. It.