Monday, August 10, 2009

Suggestion Box

This coming weekend, as I've told you three representatives of the Kansas City Irish Fest will be flying up to Milwaukee for the granddaddy of all Irish festivals, the big tater, The Milwaukee Irish Fest. We've all got our agendas up there, Laren, Rory and I and mine is talent scouting. With something like 16 performance venues, MIF is the best place I can imagine to audition the musicians who we may see here in K.C. in fests to come.

I'd like your help with this, even if you're not coming with us. Go to Milwaukee's website, www.irishfest.com. Check out the schedules. If you see a band you're curious about, have heard before and been impressed by, whose name you like, a band your cousin plays in or anybody you'd like me to see for whatever reason, let me know. I'll be there all four days. Between Laren, Rory and I, we can cover pretty much the whole schedule. So come on. You know you've been wanting to tell me where to go. Here's your chance. We leave Thursday afternoon.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Salsa Celtica.

That really sounds different.

Enjoy the trip. Hope you find and after hours session that has a tuba again.

Give my regard to all the Milwaukee Board, since I've been fired from KCIF see if they have an opening for me.
Ed Scanlon

Anonymous said...

3 cents worth:

• Andreas Transo, Friday at 4:00 at the Pub Garden Stage (because I've heard him and he's good!)

• Salsa Celtica, (just because the name sounds impossible)

• Captain Mackey's Goatskin and Stringband (becuase it's Jimmy Crowly and Mairtin de Cogain!)

martha said...

Thanks for asking! Echoing the previous poster, I've been meaning to ask you to catch Captain Mackey in Milwaukee. The fiddler is Valerie Plested, the side guitar player is Don Penzien. These fine folk also have their own band, "Legacy", and their own festival, CeltfestMississippi. Hope you enjoy the augmentation!

kevin said...

Going beyond 'Echo' and taking it all the way to outright 'Reverb' let me also put in about my fourth shameless plug on this BLOG for the group named 'Legacy'.

They have been the hardest working Irish Trad group in the lower midwest/south for going on 16 years now.

Valerie (Fiddle/Vocals) and Don (DADGAD Guitar/Bodhran/Vocals) are normally joined onstage by Justin Murphy (Flute/Guitar/Vocals) who is a big name in American Irish Music circles in his own right and has played just about everywhere including regular extended gigs at McGurk's in St. Louis, MO.

In a festival situation, however, there's a long list of 'guests' that usually join Legacy including, but not limited to, Jim Flanagan (Guitar/Vocals) of Hattiesburg MS, Richie Stafford (Fiddle/Flute/Whistles/Vocals) of New Orleans LA, Albert Alfonoso, the famous Bodhran player/maker from Texas, and Timothy Britton (Uilleann pipes/flute/whistles) of Fairfield, Iowa.

Timothy is a one-man show all to himself and is arguably the best living American Uilleann pipe player.

So... enuf said. Dan... Milwaukee will be your chance to meet Don and Valerie as they help out Mairtin De Coagain and Jimmy Crowley.

Did I also mention they are some of the nicest folks walking around on the planet?

Legacy's primary WEBSITE...
http://www.legacyirishmusic.com/

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in any way with Legacy or any of their parent companies or wholly owned subsidiaries. I'm just a fan.

kevin ( followup ) said...

Sorry Mart...

Meant to type 'Cogain' and
not 'Coagain' in last post.

Hmmm... 'Coagain'... sounds
like a million dollar name
for a new drug to help
people that have thin blood.
ROFL

Anonymous said...

1. 3 pints gone-playing in the snug

2. childrens red hair contest

Anonymous said...

Justin Murphy was in Weston about seven or eight years ago and was a brilliant flute player, who was well-respected by other musicians and well-liked by audiences, as well as being an all-around nice bloke. Any band Justin's in should be good for the money, I'd think.