Songwriting, groaning, swinging and roaring...

Dear Reader –

Young songwriters and old(er) crooners - all in today’s letter!

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

In a nice coincidence, last week I heard from Maria Carbonell (below, right) asking me to participate in her final year project. Maria is in BIMM Dublin and about to finish her degree there. And then a few days later I spotted on social media that Étáin (below, left) is releasing new music on April 22nd.

Maria won the inaugural Young Songwriters Award in 2015 and Étáin succeeded her in 2016. It was lovely to hear that music is still playing a large role in the lives of these two young ladies.

It hasn’t been possible to run this event for the last few years but now, the 3rd Young Songwriters Showcase will take place in The Model on Good Friday 15th April.

We have a great line-up of teenage musicians ready to show off their original material.

AND a special guest performer (see What’s New section below). Tickets available here.

Where else but Sligo?

A big week for Sligo as our third-level institution formerly known as IT Sligo attained university status. It is now called the Atlantic Technological University and this news was a big boost to our region. Congratulations to all involved.

Thanks to The Old Market St. Swing Band (pictured below) who asked me to play with them at the celebration day on Sunday and also at the more formal event on Monday. It was great fun as always - one highlight being staff and students alike dancing in the corridors while their bemused counterparts stood in the lunch queue beside them.

What’s New?

1. PADDY KEYES: I still remember Paddy’s final Teenage Theme Night performance in 2019, and emcee Julie Gaine announcing to the packed theatre afterwards that he had made Niamh Crowley cry in the wings.

   I’m not sure will he ever surpass that musical achievement to be honest, but he’s doing his best (!), and released a great debut single last week called Tomorrow. Next week’s Young Songwriter’s Showcase (see above) will feature an exclusive performance of this song by Paddy himself.

2. THE GROAN ZONE: I heard this phrase last week and loved it. It refers to where we go when we have to do the things that make us groan. The things we don’t want to do but know have to be done and may even be good for us. Thanks to Pete and Jen for introducing it to me.

3. JOHNNY GALLAGHER AND THE BOXTY BAND: This week in 2021 we recorded a batch of In The Lamplight episodes in the Hawk’s Well Theatre. Including live performances from a number of artists and bands. It would be hard to beat this one for energy however. Check out the below video, especially 18:05 where you can see Johnny roaring at me that he wanted more!

Finally…

Here are the aformentioned Old Market St Swing Band, as featured in Theme Night #27 backing Aileen Concannon. Just gorgeous.

Till next time - Kieran.

One we'll always remember...

Dear Reader –

The full spectrum of emotions in today’s letter…

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Moment of the year (so far) took place in the Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin last Wednesday night. Legendary commentator George Hamilton was one of the guests on that night’s Second Captains live show, and we were hoping he might sing his party piece at the end of the interview.

We had heard that he liked to sing Piano Man (in C), but it was only when he arrived just before the show that he confirmed he was going to do it. Thankfully Luke Devaney and I had stopped into Kevin Flannery in the Record Room on the way up to get a C harmonica, and once we got the go-ahead, the four of us in the band (Luke, Ken McDonald, James Blennerhassett and I - see pic below) huddled around my phone ten minutes before showtime listening to the various intricacies of this song.

It’s not that the chords are that difficult, but Billy varies the structure of each verse slightly. Not by much, but just enough to be annoying!

Anyway, off we went. George had the crowd nicely warmed up with a series of anecdotes about his time with the Irish soccer team, but nothing could have prepared any of us for what was about to happen when he stood up to sing.

I won’t try and describe it, because you can watch what happened here, or better still, sign up (just €5 a month) and listen to the full interview and song here.

What a moment, but what an overall experience too. Second Captains produce brilliant (and funny) sports journalism, but also do things the right way and the lads couldn’t have been more welcoming to us over the few weeks.

Where else but Sligo?

In sadder news, only a few weeks after I wrote a column about our dog Olaf, (pictured below with his buddy Cookie) he was killed last week. The column tells you all you need to know about him, including an unfortunate prediction of the cause of his death.

He was a much-loved dog. Although he demanded his comforts, was a bit stupid, sometimes peed and pooed where he shouldn’t, you couldn’t but like him. His enthusiasm was infectious and he’ll have the place well warned when any new dogs arrive to doggy heaven - that’s for sure!

Our house is quiet and sad this week, as anyone who has lost a pet will know, but our neighbours, friends and the people of Sligo have been amazing since it happened.

What’s New?

1. THEME NIGHT #29: Thanks so much for all your suggestions in response to last week’s letter. The setlist is nearly complete, but I still have a small bit of room if anyone has some last-minute ideas!

2. PIANO DAY: Today is the 88th day of the year, so it’s World Piano Day. This tradition goes all the way back to 2015 (!) when German pianist and composer Nils Frahm declared it so. So show the piano in your life some love today!

3. FOUR THOUSAND WEEKS: I’m enjoying this book by Oliver Burkeman at the moment, and one rather dry line from it stuck with me after the events of the week. You’ll have to have watched the Piano Man video to know what I mean.

   “The extraordinary psychological benefits of community singing are not reduced when the vocal instrument is of mediocre quality”. No offence meant to our brilliant audience last week!

Finally…

This song was also sung on stage in the Liberty Hall Theatre last week, and there’s a great bounce to it. I have been singing it since!

Till next time - Kieran.

Freedom!

Dear Reader –

It’s all things Freedom today, as the preparations for Theme Night #29 begin in earnest.

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Look at that page below. Full of possibility. Ready for ideas. I love the thought of it filling up and forming the basis of what we’re aiming to make our best show yet.

If you have any ideas - for songs, performers, anything at all, please hit reply to this email and send them on. Thanks!

Where else but Sligo?

Speaking of freedom, it’s been a while since I last spent ten consecutive days outside of Sligo, but I just did, and returned on Saturday.

And while I love opening my world up for a while, I count myself lucky that I always look forward to coming home too. There are always three big moments on that journey - crossing the county boundary at The Curlews, driving under Ballydrehid Bridge to enter our parish, and then the turn into our house. Home.

Those feelings of rejuvenation, of excitement, of comfort - it’s easy to take them for granted, but they form the basis of so much of how I live my life. And in today’s world where millions of people are being forced to abandon their homes, it’s worth taking a moment to be thankful.

What’s New?

1. FREEDOM QUOTES: Kris Kristofferson famously described it as ‘just another word for nothing left to lose’. Then I found this description in a book this morning - ‘freedom is the ability to suck at something without caring’. Any other examples? Again please reply to this email and send them on!

2. SANDY KELLY: This time last year we published our interview with Sandy Kelly on our podcast In The Lamplight. It remains one of my favourite episodes. What a story, what a storyteller.

3. FREEDOM SONGS: Here’s how this idea has been interpreted recently by Pharell Williams, Jon Batiste, and Beyonce. Will they make it onto the Theme Night #29 setlist - time will tell!

Finally…

It’s hard to beat this one however…because when I’m asked about my favourite piano player, I always find it hard to look beyond this man. Touch, technique, taste, he had it all. Skip to the solo at 2:05 and see what I mean. Or just watch the whole performance - the climax to a 1964 live show in Denmark.

It’s called Hymn to Freedom - Oscar Peterson’s sole original composition on his classic 1962 album Night Train.

Till next time - Kieran.

Music and memories...

Dear Reader –

Have you ever heard a song and been immediately transported to another place and time? I just love how music can do this. A few examples of it in this week’s letter.

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Firstly back to last week’s letter however, where I wrote of my excitement at being asked to join the Second Captains lads on stage at the Liberty Hall Theatre for a run of live shows.

There were many highlights - the lads never shy away from covering the role of sport in bigger world issues but always do it in a thoughtful way, coated with humour, music and high production values.

My favourite moment happened on the Friday night. As part of the show, I had been asked to play a piece written by the late Swinford pianist Conor Walsh, and that night, March 11th, happened to be his anniversary. After the show, an old friend of his approached me with tears in his eyes and thanked me for playing his buddy’s music. He proceeded to tell me the story of where he was six years previously when he heard the news, of how much he missed him, and how hearing his music that night kept him alive in some way.

A reminder that you never know who is in the audience on a given evening.

Where else but Sligo?

Here’s one of the big vocal talents in the current crop of local teenage musicians. Simply stunning. Her voice will hopefully make memories for many in the future.

Leah Davidson with What a Difference a Day Makes from Teenage Theme Night #25. Thanks to Sean Carleton for the video.

What’s New?

1. MY LAST SLIGO WEEKENDER COLUMN: 76 columns later, here it is, with some reflections on a wonderful experience.

2. IRELAND v ENGLAND: Shane Horgan’s famous 2006 try was featured on one of the Second Captains shows during the week. Watch it again here in the context of a beautiful story, written by his brother Mark about his experience that day. No music here, but what a memory!

3. HEARDLE: A previous edition of this letter featured Wordle, the word puzzle which has taken the world by storm. Here’s Heardle - the musical version!

Finally…

Guitarist Jim Meehan passed away last week. He was a kind and gentle soul, always supportive, passionate about music and fair play for musicians. He was a key player too in the formation of the Sligo Jazz Project.

A tasty player in his own right, I always enjoyed listening to him over the years playing with the likes of Gerry Grennan, Felip Carbonell and Amy O’Hara (below). Here he is in 2016, performing with Amy at Theme Night #14.

Rest in Peace Jim.

Till next time - Kieran.

Teenage superstars...

Dear Reader –

Current 6th Yr and emcee Senna O’Hara was introducing a younger performer to the stage during last Saturday’s Teenage Theme Night #25. She told the story of how the song about to be sung was the song she sang on her very first Teenage Theme Night in 2019. She remembered the pun with which then-emcee Callum Wall had used that night to introduce her. So in a lovely moment, she brought things full circle and said she would use the same words now that the tables had turned.

The song: Bowie’s Life on Mars?

The line: “This is Ciara Courell, and she’s out of this world"!

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

But first…we’re off to Dublin tomorrow, and I can’t wait!

I’m a huge fan of Second Captains - the Irish sports podcast with an illustrious international reputation. So it was a nice surprise to get a call recently from producer Mark Horgan asking me to put a house band together for their upcoming 6-night run in Dublin’s Liberty Hall Theatre. It starts tomorrow, and Sligo will be well represented with Luke Devaney, Mark Kennedy and Ken McDonald joining me in the band.

Mark put together this beautiful piece when Jack Charlton died in 2020. It features music from the late Conor Walsh. Both shared a love of football and fishing on the Moy. I always loved Conor’s music and it will be an honour to play this piece live.

Where else but Manorhamilton?

Or Manor, as the lads from Grooveline call it!

Bronwyn, Cian, Evan, Glenn, Matthew and Tarach made the long trip along the N16 on Friday night and blew us all away on the first night of Teenage Theme Night #25. Energy, musicianship, entertainment - these guys had it all (see pic below). They are a band that seem to be going about things the right way - working hard on their instruments, their songs and their sound - all the while having fun. You can hear their music here.

I’m singling them out here because it’s so rare that we get a fully formed band at these nights and they certainly brought something fresh to the shows. They were by no means the only stand-out performers however. 2020 graduate Jack Courtenay (pictured above) and 2017 graduate Gillian Brennan returned and showed where you can get if you continue to work at your craft. And without mentioning any more names, there was huge variety and lots of memorable moments provided by the current crew.

There is a real sense of momentum after the weekend, and we’re all now looking forward to two more Teenage shows before the school year finishes - details in the What’s New section below.

What’s New?

1. YOUNG SONGWRITERS AWARD: The return of this event - Friday April 15th in The Model. An opportunity for the teenage musicians of Sligo (and maybe even Manorhamilton!) to showcase their original music.

2. TEENAGE THEME NIGHT #26: Our 6th End-Of-Year showcase will take place in the Hawk’s Well Theatre on May 14th and 15th. Tickets went on sale today so your favourite seats should still be available.

3. DOGS: Last week’s Sligo Weekender column is about my dog, and how he risks his life for love.

Finally…

We were all brought back to the early 1990s at Teenage Theme Night #25 this weekend by Katherine McBride and her band. In her own words - ‘what a banger’.

Till next time - Kieran.

Repetition, rumour and refunds...

Dear Reader –

Our Ransboro daffodils (courtesy of our neighbour Patrick Downes) bring hope and the promise of brighter days when they arrive each year. They took a battering recently with all the wind, but are still looking great. So today’s letter is brought to you by….the letter R.

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

Repetition.

I had a breakthrough as a teacher this week. As students get older and more accomplished, I think it’s important that they get to pick a good proportion of the songs they want to learn. This means firstly that they are more likely to want to work at it, but also that I get exposed to lots of new songs that I might otherwise have never heard.

Some are difficult, and require a degree of real learning on my part. Here is the story of how one such choice made me realise that real learning on the piano (and elsewhere) is about more than just repetition.

Where else but Sligo?

Returning.

We’re trying something new at this weekend’s Teenage Theme Night #25.

I love to see past Teenage Theme Nighters continuing to include music as a central aspect in their lives. So many are still playing, writing, studying and even releasing music. Opportunities to perform can be tricky to come by, so at this weekend’s shows, for the first time, we have decided to feature one Teenage Theme Night graduate each night.

So come along and give them a big welcome. First up…each singing one song related to the theme (Questions) and one of their own choice, are Jack Courtenay (2020, Friday), and Gillian Brennan (2017, Saturday).

What’s New?

1. RUMOUR: Please note, in response to a question I have been asked regularly in the last week, Theme Night #29 tickets are NOT sold out. There are plenty left for everyone! Look here if you don’t believe me.

2. RASTAFARIAN: Eoin Troy and Gráinne McCarthy were good enough to interrupt their social outing in Connolly’s last night, and joined us to sing this great Bob Marley song.

3. REFUND: Congratulations to Ciara Herity, who won last week’s competition and got her Theme Night #29 ticket money refunded.

Finally…

Jimmy Ruffin was the original singer of this great Motown song. The title is a question of course, and so it will feature this weekend along with many other great songs on Friday and Saturday in The Model.

Till next time - Kieran.

Announcement - Theme Night #29

Dear Reader –

Good morning! Tickets go on sale this morning (Tuesday) at 11am for Theme Night #29. First though - here’s how we announced the theme last Friday.

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The Big Thing

It’s a broad theme, the broadest live theme in quite a while, so we'll have songs from a huge variety of artists and genres. From Queen to Christy Moore and from Nina Simone maybe even as far the musicals!!

Tickets go on sale this morning.

All you have to do is call into the Hawk’s Well, ring the box office on 071-9161518 (and be nice to them!), or click here from 11am to secure your tickets.

And check the What’s New section below for a special offer (today only).

Where else but Sligo?

No words needed today - just this pic from last Saturday morning…

What’s New?

1. GET YOUR MONEY BACK: A special prize for one lucky person buying their Theme Night Tickets today. Go to my Facebook page any time after 11am today for details. **NB Competition is now closed.

2. WILL: Will Smith’s memoir. What a story. What honesty and insight. What a book!

3. TEENAGE THEME NIGHT #25: Vocal and performance coach Sinéad Conway was having fun at rehearsals last week (see below pics with emcee Rosha McDonnell). The show takes place on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th March in The Model. Tickets now available here.

Finally…

Speaking of Will Smith, from his pre movie-star days, here is some classic early 90s rap.

We’ll do our best to shake the room in May - can’t wait to see you then…

Till next time - Kieran.

The theme has been picked...

Dear Reader –

Thanks so much for the overwhelming number of responses to last week’s letter. Some of you replied by email, others (including some prominent members of the Theme Night ensemble) preferred to be more public with their suggestions.

Now I’m not sure where this idea that I’m not a fan of musicals has come from, but I can assure you all that it has as good a chance as any other theme of being selected…when I sit down and try to pick a theme for Theme Night #91!

All hyperlinks in bold.

The Big Thing

All joking aside, the theme has been picked (!), and will be announced on my social media later this week.

Keep an eye out for next Tuesday’s letter, as it will contain details on your special early access to tickets for Theme Night #29. As usual, this access will be only for subscribers to this letter.

Tickets will go on sale to the public next Tuesday morning at 11, so this email will arrive in your inbox before that, with details on how you can access tickets before that time. So don’t miss it!

Dates for the shows are May 5-7.

Where else but Sligo?

It really was lovely to hear back from so many of you on the Theme Nights.

Some of your favourites surprised me I must say. Some of the shows you mentioned I had almost forgotten, such as the Michael Jackson night and the Burt Bacharach night. Theme Nights #13 and #15 - the shows in which we were joined by the Sligo Academy of Music Sinfionetta - also featured prominently.

The words you used to describe the nights blew me away, and gave me a great insight into what you as audience members and performers look for in these shows.

And then the real craic started with the suggestions for the next theme. The likes of Queen really will have to be looked at soon, there were some interesting thoughts on re-using themes we have done already, and I especially loved the detail into which some of you went in your submissions (including two full setlists) on why a particular theme should be picked.

As always, the two groups of people I keep in mind when picking a theme are the performers and the audience. It needs to be something that will challenge and interest the musicians yet crucially must be entertaining too. Especially this one - our first one back with full capacity theatres - it needs to be a big party I feel, and we’re certainly going to do our best to make it so!

What’s New?

1. THE PRODUCERS: A musical it may be (!), but I can’t wait to see this. Karen Gordon always pulls out all the stops for her shows, and with Niamh Crowley as musical director there’s no way it’s not going to sound amazing. Great cast too! It’s on in early April but you’ll need to book tickets soon to avoid missing out.

2. MICKEY MORAN: This Derry man gave me my debut for Sligo back in 2000. Even then he had been coaching teams for many years, so to see him finally win his first All-Ireland title as a manager last Saturday was heart-warming to say the least. This picture shows him kissing the particular spot of turf in Croke Park from where his team’s last-minute wining goal was scored.

3. SUPERBOWL SHOW: I love this short article on why this year’s show in particular worked.

Finally…

Not from an official Theme Night, but it was mentioned by one of you as a highlight this week and I’m not going to argue with you. It’s just gorgeous. I first fell in love with this song when I heard Sinéad sing it on a show we did to celebrate the lives of Bowie, Prince and Leonard Cohen in 2017.

This version is from October 2020 on In The Lamplight.

Till next time - Kieran.