Wexford Grooves Weekend
June 14, 15, 16, 17 2007
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Wexford Grooves Weekend Comes Early This
Year The 9th Wexford Grooves
Festival happened in glorious sunshine on the weekend June 15-17, 2007. The event, brought forward a few
weeks, was timed to coincide with the final weekend of the special one-off
Summer Wexford Opera Festival.
All in all it meant that Wexford had one it’s busiest weekends on the
cultural front in a long time with opera, classical recitals, choral
concerts, art exhibitions plus all the gigs on the Grooves Trail. And the Grooves Trail did not disappoint.
With over fifty gigs throughout the weekend there really was something for
everyone. The highlight for most was folk legend Paul Brady at White’s Hotel
on Saturday night. Accompanied
by piano and guitar Brady had a rapt audience hanging on his every word as he
delved into the more popular end of his enormous back catalogue. Even Arthur McBride got an
airing! His between song banter
suggested a man at ease with himself. Special mention should be made of the
really excellent sound – something one does not always get in Wexford. Wexford Arts Centre were very much to the
fore on the Saturday with Spanish classical/flamenco guitarist Agustin Maruri
charming a lunchtime audience and the Zrazy/Carolina Herrera double-header
delighting an audience with a mix of jazz, bossa nova, Cuban and South
American music. Zrazy’s Carol and Maria opened proceedings with a beautifully
laid-back set before handing over to the Colombian Herrera. The latter’s
whistle-stop tour of the music styles of Central/South Americas was awesome.
The full Zrazy band finished out a marathon evening’s music in fine style. Prize for “Most Full-On” band of the weekend must surely go
to Los Langeros (from the Cork “langer”!). Described as a “ska-tinged
punkabilly” band the five piece produced a sound which was very definitely
not operatic. How to describe? Take a piece of country, bring it up the
mountains – Appalachians probably – and kick the shit out it but just before
it expires give it a death metal heart transplant, a Bible and a collection
of Edgar Allan Poe stories and a goat’s horn of bat’s blood. And serve! Cajun band Two Time Polka had their
annual festival jamboree on a packed Charlotte Street Sunday afternoon. The
sun shone, the children danced and the beer flowed. Probably the best fun of
the weekend. Brian Meakin returned to the Westgate
Tavern to give a Blues master class. That voice, that guitar … something raw,
elemental and truly captivating about the guy. If you ever saw Rory Gallagher live you will know where
I’m coming from. Moonshine featuring Johnny Moynihan,
Frank Hall and Lena Ullman graced the weekend with two gigs, the better of
the two being a Saturday afternoon gig at The Wren’s Nest on the quay front.
The band plays trad and folk that started here and in Scotland, crossed the
Atlantic and travelled inland from the American coast past the Appalachians
and into the backwoods of the American South. Songs like Cotton-Eyed Joe (traditional) and Worried Man
Blues (Carter Family), and tunes like the traditional Lost Train Blues and Jenny
On The Railroad (Carter family) show where they are coming from. Effortlessly
entertaining. Al O’Donnell, another former member of
Sweeney’s Men along with the aforementioned Johnny Moynihan, shared the bill
with Niall Toner’s band at the intimate Maggie May’s. I had never seen him in
action before and was really taken with his guitar playing and his singing.
Like Moynihan he is as happy singing folk songs from either side of the
Atlantic. Dick Gaughan rates his Al O’Donnell 2 album from early 70s as one
of his all-time favs. The Niall Toner Band followed Al with
what seemed like a natural progression. Niall, Clem and Dick are the best
bluegrass band in the land. They perform a mix of self-penned numbers and old
standards and traditional songs. Highlight of the evening was the audience
assisted Ledbelly song Irene with which Al O’Donnell helped out. And another act sharing an interest in
both Irish and American folk is Noel Shine & Mary Greene. Their Sunday
brunch session in the sun (with Carolina Herrera) at White’s Hotel was
sublime. Indeed Mary and Carolina were superlative in their compliments for
the other’s singing! Lots of other highlights on the Grooves Trail ... Wexford
big band Some Like It Hot had ‘em dancing and jiving at the Riverbank House
Hotel … Swinging Bluecats brought the house down at the tiny Thomas Moore
Tavern … Fean & Travers shoed their class and pedigree with a feast of
celtic rock and r’n’b at La Speranza … “B” and the Honey Boys introduced
Wexford audiences to the Amy Winehouse-like blues/soul singer Miss “B”. … Dylan
Bible Band wound up a big weekend’s programme at The Sky & The Ground ...
Hollywood Slim and The Fat Cats made their first visit to Wexford ... likewise young funk/soul rebels
Hipple Street … hip-hop band Messiah J & The Expert and local rock band
TASC made Shooter’s very much the place to be Saturday night ...
celtic/reggae/blues collective Butterfly Band stuffed The Crown on the
closing night. Til next year! Bands on the Grooves Trail: http://www.wexlive.com/grooves/groovesbands.htm Printable weekend schedule: http://www.wexlive.com/grooves/images/bandtable.pdf Wanna
become a friend? http://myspace.com/wexfordgroovesweekend Festival
supported by Diageo, Wexford County Council and Wexford Borough Council. |