The 2022 review

Dear Reader –

Nothing too taxing this week - I hope you enjoy some 2022 reflections and highlights in today’s letter.

**All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

These were the biggest things this year - the five letters that interested you guys most…

  1. A new residency begins (Oct)

  2. When you play the wrong song (Nov)

  3. Keeping the head right (Sept)

  4. One we’ll always remember (March)

  5. The review (May)

Where else but Sligo?

2022 was the year we got the show back on the road.

It’s easy to forget that this time last year pubs and restaurants were still closing at 8pm. Live music had yet to return in any meaningful way and we were budgeting for 50% capacity in music venues.

It all changed at the end of January however. Quickly in one way but slowly in others. Bit by bit confidence returned and venues filled. Theme Night #29 (Freedom) in May saw the return of a full Hawk’s Well for the first time and by the time October’s Musicals Theme Night came along there wasn’t a ticket to be found.

Coolera Dramatic Society’s Christmas pantomime made its long-awaited comeback, as did the Sligo Jazz and Sligo Summer Festivals.

It was a year Seamie and I found a new Monday home in Bree’s, and a year where we welcomed a huge number of new teenage performers to our Teenage Theme Nights. It was a year where I expanded my teaching philosophy, with new students, teachers and books, and a year where we opened for classes in Rathcormac for the first time.

Getting the show back on the road takes more than simply keeping it there however, and so 2022 was also a year where I got to create a bit less than I would have liked - in terms of writing music, recording podcasts and some other bits and pieces. Nothing that can’t be rectified in 2023 however!

Overall though a fantastic year - musically, socially and psychologically - and one on which I will look back fondly. Thanks for your part in that, and see you in 2023!

 
 

What’s New?

  1. THEME NIGHT PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR: For impact, Luda, for energy and communion between audience and performers, Joe, and for craic, Seamie.

  2. NEW MUSIC OF THE YEAR: Thanks to letter reader Des Power for sharing this wonderful playlist of some of his 2022 favourites. You’ll definitely find something you like on it.

  3. GIG OF THE YEAR: Theo Katzman in Galway in August. To give you a flavour, here’s a live album of his.

Finally…

My favourite new song of 2022 - has to be this one (from June).

 
 

Till next time - Kieran.

 
 

Kieran Quinn