17 new songs!

Dear Reader –

On the week when we heard 17 new songs written by our teenage crew, here are two young men performing a song about being 17. Written by a man called Sam and performed by two more Sams…here’s Seventeen Going under - the latest release on our Theme Nights YouTube channel.

The Big Thing

Two great Theme Nights Unplugged gigs last week - in Lillies on Wednesday and in Roscommon Arts Centre on Thursday. I just love these nights - they bring me such joy - playing great music with a wonderful crew of musicians - this time it was Aileen, Dave, Seamie and Sam (plus Bianca, Hayden, Saibhe and Alicia in Roscommon). It was such fun playing all that great Paul Simon and Sting music again.

Back to a big show this Friday though for the last gig of the Theme Night #33 run - in Ballyshannon with a huge crew of both Sligo and Donegal musicians involved - still some tickets here.

Where else but Sligo?

Last Friday saw my favourite night of the Teenage Theme Night calendar - the Young Songwriters’ Showcase.

17 original songs from our teenage crew - almost twice last year’s total - and huge variety throughout the night. In particular I enjoyed the initiative shown by each ensemble to not only compose but arrange and rehearse the pieces themselves. And bring in the gear. And emcee the show. And provide huge support to each other. This is something we try and foster through the programme and so it was great to see real life concrete examples of it.

There is a different energy in the room when original songs are involved. More honesty, vulnerability, openness and hence nerves. But the atmosphere was so supportive. A huge thanks to all who came along for filling the theatre and getting into the spirit of it.

There were of course highlights, and we will discuss these in the coming weeks as we choose which song we will record this year. A special word regarding Pro Murray and his band though. We recorded Pro’s White Foyer after last year’s event and it was lovely to see Pro back this year out of the love of playing his own music.

And what a song he showcased. Pro has grown so much over the past year as a songwriter and performer - and it was great to see him with a band who match his musicianship - Michael Clancy on guitar is a great player and a TTN regular (and told me recently that I was in school with his brother!). Pro’s own brother Sean was on bass and I had never met Morgan McNamee before but my he is a tasty drummer!

Pro and the lads will also feature on this Friday’s Ballyshannon Theme Night…

What’s New?

1. NIAMH FARRELL: Her Fields of Gold video from Theme Night #33 is getting huge feedback. Watch it here if you haven’t already.

2. THEME NIGHT #33 PICS: Some fantastic photos of the Sligo run taken by Kris Manulak. See them here…

3. SO FUNNY SLIGO COMEDY FESTIVAL: Started this Sunday - and the reports are already fantastic. One of the big events is this coming Friday in the Clayton Hotel - and all money raised is going to the Irish Lung Cancer Community.

Finally…

On the subject of comedy - here’s a classic song of the genre.

Till next time - Kieran.

One of the great Theme Night moments...

Dear Reader –

What a week! My thoughts on a wonderful few days are below in the Where Else But Sligo section, but we’re hoping to keep the magic going this week at the latest Theme Night Unplugged gigs with Aileen, Dave, Sam and Seamie. Upstairs in Lillies on Wed and in Roscommon Arts Centre on Thurs. Tickets here.

And we got this recording of one of the big moments from the shows…

The Big Thing

First though - usually on this day we would be announcing details of the next show. It’s a bit different this time of course - the details are already out there - but just a reminder that the next Theme Night is in Vicar St on Thursday May 16th 2024.

Have had a few queries about the theme - Beginnings - so without giving too much away all I’ll say is that it’s a great umbrella term under which we can perform many of the standout songs from the last few shows - as well as keeping things fresh with some new offerings.

It’s shaping up to be another famous Sligo night in Dublin…get your tickets here (but not for long)…

Where else but Sligo?

I could write forever on last week’s shows.

Firstly I got a huge kick out of our visiting artists. I’ll always remember the surprise and joy on Mike Hanrahan’s face when he heard our choir singing the start of Beautiful Affair, and Niall McCabe lifted the roof with Roxanne on Friday. They both immediately got what the Theme Nights were all about, and contributed on and off stage to a great week.

But our Sligo crew brought the magic too. Niamh Farrell, Joe Hunt, Emily Meades, David Keane exposing my dark side (!) and of course Niamh Crowley on the tin whistle. Our choir have never sounded so good and I thought Sam Regan on alto sax on Englishman in New York played beyond his years. The infamous Graceland provided some interesting talking points too!

But the moment without a doubt happened on Friday and Saturday night - when 18-yr old Anna Rose McLoughlin (pictured below) sang Bridge Over Troubled Water. I met Anna Rose a couple of years ago as part of our Teenage Theme Nights and knew immediately that she was special.

However as I said on stage, despite her clear talent I did think long and hard about giving the big finale number to someone so young. But she is tough too - nothing seems to faze her - and she delivered on both nights. I loved how she was gone off stage almost before the song was over - and when we coaxed her back on she got an even bigger reception.

It’s back to the Leaving Cert books for Anna Rose this week, but thanks for giving us all that moment!

What’s New?

1. THEME NIGHT #33 IN BALLYSHANNON: We have been working behind the scenes on this one too - and will be releasing the names of the 15+ local artists involved tomorrow on social media.

2. YOUNG SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASE: Takes place this Friday 16th in The Model. 18 new and original songs written and performed by various members of our Teenage Theme Night crew. Plus graduate Leah Davidson.

3. OUR ACTIONS MATTER. ALL OF THEM. In the midst of the Theme Night madness last week I was stopped in my tracks with some sad news, and brought back to an earlier version of myself. Reminded that no matter what you do in life, the most important thing is how you treat others.

Finally…

It wasn’t quite this version that Anna Rose sang - but it’s so good - especially the piano playing…

Till next time - Kieran.

Some big questions to be answered...

Dear Reader –

So why Sting and Paul Simon anyway??

PS the shows are not quite sold out so you can get the last few tickets now…

The Big Thing

That’s the big question we are looking forward to answering for you all this week!
But there are some others too…

• There has been great feedback regarding the last few shows and the variety of performances in them. So can we maintain variety in this show while being limited to the music of two artists?

• What similarities are there between the two men? And what differences?

• What new performer is going to make their mark on the Theme Nights?

• How do Willy Wonka and Mo Salah fit in to the music of these two gentlemen?

• And how can we fit ALL the amazing songs they have written into one show?!

Finally, I really can’t wait to welcome Niall McCabe and Mike Hanrahan to Sligo and to share the Theme Nights stage with them.

Niall is from Clare Island and is just back from a series of USA, UK and Irish tours with the likes of Sharon Shannon, Mary Black and Ed Sheeran.
Mike hails from Co. Clare and still performs with Stockton’s Wing as well as currently writing, recording, and touring with Eleanor Shanley. Oh and he has played alongside Michael Jackson - must ask him about that one!

Where else but Sligo?

Sligo - we have your Valentine’s day sorted!

The latest in our Theme Nights unplugged series…love this line-up too!

Tickets (only a tenner) on sale Friday morning at 10 here.

What’s New?

1. BRIGID OF THE FLAME: New release from one of our Music Club members!
   Fantastic achievement and a powerful song from Helen Cantrell. Watch it here.
   Helen and over a dozen members of our Music Club will be joining us on stage this Wed and Thurs too…

2. TRACY CHAPMAN AND LUKE COMBS AT THE GRAMMYS: This version of Fast Car - great to see Tracy looking so happy too!

3. FIRST MORRISSEY, NOW IMELDA MAY: Our Teenage Theme Nights are catching the attention of some big-name artists. Last November Morrissey shared Keelan Murphy’s performance of his song Jack The Ripper. And then last week Imelda May shared Cara Carleton’s performance of Black Tears - loving Cara’s vocal and the horn section that accompanied her. Well done to all.

Finally…

One of this week’s visiting artists - Mike Hanrahan - with Stockton’s Wing singing Beautiful Affair.

Till next time - Kieran.

"Back off"!!

Dear Reader –

Don’t you love that feeling when someone brings up something you said years ago?!

The Big Thing

A big few weeks ahead!

Our Theme Night take on the music of Paul Simon and Sting.

Roscommon, Ballyshannon and of course Sligo.

AND we have just released a small number of extra tickets for some of the Sligo shows.
Get them here.

Where else but Sligo?

We were out recently with a family we have known a long time. It was our first time to have a drink together and the conversation was great all around.

A few members of the family had been to me for lessons over the years and the mother recounted the story of a phone call she made to me almost ten years ago, when one of her daughters was a young teenager and not practising.

“Do you remember what you said?”, she asked me.
“No”, I said fearfully, hoping that my younger self hadn’t let me down!

“You told me to back off”, she said, “and you were dead right - look at her now - she’s a beautiful player”.

Now I would hope that I was a little more polite than that (!), but the point I was making remains valid.
As long as a student is enjoying coming to lessons, there are times where a bit of patience from parents regarding practice is no harm, especially at certain stages of life. Better to have a good student who enjoys playing than a great one who doesn’t play any more.

What’s New?

1. STING DOCUMENTARY: I love this Sting album. And here’s an account of how it came together…well as much of it as can be found on YouTube anyway!

2. GUINEA PIGS: Loved this piece from young Sligo man Joe Gorman - on his generation’s relationship with the internet.

3. JURGEN KLOPP: One man said to me last Friday when the news broke - “We remember where we were when the Twin Towers came down, and we’ll remember where we were when we heard Jurgen Klopp was leaving Liverpool”. For Liverpool fans maybe (!) - but for the rest of us - well there’s no doubt that football fans will miss him.
   Here’s something to warm your heart (with an Irish link)…

Finally…

One of the songs from the aforementioned Sting album…what a band!

Till next time - Kieran.

Frost is all Over...?!?!?!

Dear Reader –

Here it is. As promised - from last year’s young Songwriters’ Showcase - Pro Murray with White Foyer.
Also featuring Jayne Feehily.

A huge thanks to Rory and Rummy at TemperHound Productions and Luke at The Blue Room Recording Studio for making this happen.

The Big Thing

The Best of Sligo with The Best of Irish.
With help from Donegal and Leitrim too it must be said!

It was another fantastic weekend in The Model with over 100 performances over the course of four shows. Happy heads everywhere - from first-timers to seasoned campaigners. Lots of great music - Hozier, Kodaline and The Cranberries were especially popular - and as always there were some great moments including the following…

• The first time we had uileann pipes on a Theme Night!

• Our horn section figuring out that the arrangement was in the wrong key and immediately transposing by pencil to the right key. All 30 mins before the show!

• The devastation when people realised how bad the storm was and that they mightn’t get to sing their songs that night…and then the joy when the show went ahead.

• All of our multi-instrumentalists - love to see the versatility of some of these teens.

• And finally I loved Pro Murray’s live performance of the above song - great to see how it can grow legs in the hands of capable musicians…

Where else but Sligo?

Our three Teenage Theme Night graduates last weekend. Each with their own story.

Emily Meades (2018) sang Imelda May’s Black Tears on her very last Teenage Theme Night. It was so good we asked her to do it again in Vicar St in 2019. And it was lovely to see some of our current crew inspired by her. Emily sang it herself on Friday night, but it was just as exciting to see Mimi Lee and Cara Carleton firstly choose it and then deliver it on the following two shows.

Sam White (2015) sang Galileo - also the song that he sang on his last Teenage Theme Night appearance. Peter Watters accompanied him on violin that year, and it was lovely to see Leo Tarrant (who I’m guessing was 7 yrs old in 2015!) accompany him equally beautifully this time.
Sam was part of the very first Teenage Theme Night, and remembered the times when each performer got to sing two songs just so we could make up one full set. No such problem this weekend!

Ryan Scanlon (2022) is a force of nature. Guitar, bass, drums, vocals - he can do it all, and he can entertain the crowd too. A generous soul, he lives for his music and it was great to see him back on our stage. He brought a band with him - great musicians all - and they entertained us with some Thin Lizzy and a song of their own.

What’s New?

1. SPELLING BEE: Mental stimulator or time waster? Not quite sure - but it’s fun.

2. BILLY JOEL NEW MUSIC?! Surely not?! He has only released one new song since 1993.
   But yes there is a song and possibly more on the way - according to The Guardian…

3. ST. THOMAS: They’re calling it the best ever score to win an All-Ireland final…

Finally…

One of the highlights from this weekend - OK The Mary Wallopers are a bit old for our shows - but Trevor Horan and the gang did a fantastic job on it!

Till next time - Kieran.

The whole shack shimmies...

Dear Reader –

The month of January is shimmying away nicely…ready to break out into full dance in the coming weeks!

The Big Thing

The set is almost finalised. My family are firmly sick (!) of Sting and Paul Simon music. All the various Theme Night departments are working away on their briefs. The choir is sounding great already. Mícheál ‘the whole shack shimmies’ Kearney is back for more.
And for the first time we have invited some outside artists to be part of Theme Night week.

Yes folks we are just over three weeks out from Theme Night #33 and the excitement levels are building. In me anyway! The first rehearsal took place last Sunday with a Theme Night newcomer - and without giving away too much - if everyone can bring the level of preparation (and humour) that this guy did then we’re all in for a fantastic week in February!

A few tix left for the Wednesday night, and just the very odd one for Thurs/Fri/Sat.
Find them (quickly before they go!) here.

Where else but Sligo?

It was during one of the online Theme Nights that Rory Maitland and his brother Drew saw this video and decided that they wanted to work with these ladies. The result was this song and video, and we all enjoyed the process so much that we decided to find a way to do it again.

So we offered one performer from our annual Young Songwriters’ Showcase the chance of a similar experience - to record an original song in Luke Devaney’s Blue Room Recording Studio and to take part in a video for that song shot by TemperHound Productions.

Leah Davidson (see below) was the chosen artist in 2022, and now our 2023 song and video is also ready for release this coming Friday. It’s called White Foyer - written and performed by young Bundoran man Pro Murray and we can’t wait to show you all the video here next week.
The 2024 Young Songwriters’ Showcase will take place this coming Feb 16th in The Model and lots of teenagers are currently putting the final (or first!) touches to their songs. Find out more here.

What’s New?

1. NEW TERM UP AND RUNNING: Welcome to all the new and returning students who are beginning the new term of piano lessons this week. As we try and do every term, we have added some new features this week and are looking forward to the sound of music returning to Strandhill, Rathcormac and homes across the county.

2. THE DARTS!: TVs were full of it recently - here’s 90 secs of amazing drama!

3. TEENAGE THEME NIGHT #31: The Best of Irish. 100+ of your favourite homegrown songs.
   This weekend. All weekend!

Finally…

Emily is our featured graduate this Friday night. And I love how her performance of this song in Vicar St five years ago has inspired two of our current teenage crew to sing it this Saturday and Sunday!

Till next time - Kieran.

Lighting a musical fire...

Dear Reader –

The year is firmly up and running - hope it’s been good for you so far!

The Big Thing

New year new Teenage Theme Night. The 31st of the series.
And yet more teenagers joining our programme - great to see it!

2024 started with a busy few days of rehearsals for next week’s shows. It’s one of my favourite themes each time it comes around - The Best of Irish - and here’s what I learned from the teenagers this time…

• The songs most in demand are as follows - Falling Slowly, Take Me to Church, Chasing Cars, This Town, Zombie and (in no small part thanks to our graduate Emily Meades) Black Tears.

• Hozier is amazing. And so popular with our younger generation. Am loving all the new songs of his I’m learning as a result.

• Bands are back! We have more bands than ever taking part, including our first all-female band.

• At an age where many are still finding out who they are, a bit of charisma stands out a mile. And Ben (below) has both in spades…

• And best of all - the future for music in this part of the country is bright!
  

Where else but Sligo?

My first piano teacher passed away last week.

Kathleen O’Hara was her name, and I used attend lessons with her on the grounds of the Ursuline Convent in a long building that isn’t there any more. There were wooden benches in the hall and I used get my homework done there while my brother went in for his lesson. Fights about who would go in first (or last)!

Kathleen was a lady though. And a great teacher. She gave me the building blocks of technique and theory that stand to me today, and although I had no interest in the grade system and exams, she gave me enough leeway with my choice of pieces outside of these to light my musical fire.

Her funeral was a celebration. There was lots of amazing music played by her (no surprise here!) incredibly musical family. My favourite was hearing Give me Joy in my Heart as the recessional hymn (with the congregation singing two parts) - what a happy soundtrack by which to be carried out of a church.

Rest in Peace Kathleen.

What’s New?

1. JANUARY: It’s my favourite month of the year. Another 52 of our four thousand weeks have passed since it was last here. But it’s the best (but not only) chance to make the next 52 better!

2. CAHOKIA JAZZ: By Francis Spufford - great fiction book set in the golden age of jazz. The main detective is also a mean piano player - what’s not to like?!

3. NEW TERM OF PIANO LESSONS: Last few slots available - we start next week. More info here.

Finally…

We’re building up to our big release of Pro Murray’s song and video this coming Jan 19th.
First though the previous two videos in this series - starting with Waiting by Corcra.

Till next time - Kieran.

Amazing or warped?!

Dear Reader –

Firstly, a final thought for 2023 - it’s somewhat fatalistic, but also nicely reassuring.
It’s in the chorus of this Theo Katzman song - thanks Eoin/Aileen and the Theme Night Choir…

The Big Thing

It was lovely to hear the pianos of the various houses we visited over Christmas being played by children of all ages (and even the odd adult). From Twinkle Twinkle to Blinding Lights and The Bare Necessities, plus the usual smattering of Christmas songs, the sound of music really adds so much to a home.

So - if you are full of fresh resolve this January to bring more music into your life, have a look at the various learning options we offer - we are currently enrolling for piano lessons (in-person and online) and our Music Club.

Where else but Sligo?

One of our Christmas traditions is the Coolera Car Treasure Hunt.

Jim Doyle (below, left) has an amazing (or warped, depending on whether you get his clues or not!) mind, and this year set a 52-clue cryptic hunt around our parish in order to raise money for the Sligo branch of the Irish Kidney Association (and to test the strength of various marital and family bonds).

You pick up the clues on St. Stephen’s Day and have until New Years Eve to figure it all out, driving at a snail’s pace around the peninsula with various combinations of family in the car, staring hawk-like out the window for something that might vaguely resemble an answer. And then when you get one trying frantically to make it look like you haven’t in case a competitor spots you…

We had my brother’s 6 and 5 year-old children with us for one stint last week, and one particular interaction summed the whole thing up.

Children: What are we looking for?
Adults: We’re not quite sure. We’ll know it when we see it.
Children: So how do we know what to look for?
Adults: Just keep looking…
Children: But we can’t look when we don’t know what we’re looking for…
Adults: F***ing Jim Doyle!!!

We managed to smile for this picture at least, although Sorcha’s is through gritted teeth!

What’s New?

1. BALLYSHANNON GIGS FOR YOUR DIARY: The Kings of Cool play the Abbey Arts Centre on Jan 20th, and then we return there with Theme Night #33 on Feb 23.

2. A THOUGHT FOR 2024: Inspired by a trip back to my old school…

3. CATHY JORDAN!!! With Feargal Murray - on this beautiful Brendan Graham song.

Finally…

There was even an obscure reference to this band on the treasure hunt.
Happy New Year everyone!

Till next time - Kieran.