Dear Reader –
Some insight into the crazy world of the musician’s brain today, some must-see shows over the next few weeks, and a tribute to a giant of a man.
The Big Thing
This week is workshop week!
Always a favourite of mine in the teaching term - it’s where I meet lots of our younger students in groups and try to show them a different side of music to what they get in their regular lessons.
Yesterday for example we spoke about the differences between clapping on beats 1 and 3 of the bar and doing so on beats 2 and 4. I showed them this Harry Connick Jr video where he tricks an unknowing audience to change from clapping on the 1 and 3 (musicians don’t like!) to the 2 and 4 (musicians like!).
Have a look - it’s short - and see if you can spot the drummer cheering when he pulls it off - trying to do this was the highlight of yesterday’s workshop.
Where else but Sligo?
One morning last September Joe Shannon told us a story.
It was a story from his teenage days about a prank his friends played on him. Young Joe had been secretly writing letters to a mystery female penpal for a number of weeks now, and this was the day he was finally going to get to meet her.
Little did he know that the letters had been part of an elaborate set-up and this gorgeous girl in a floral dress hadn’t a clue who he was when he walked up for his big moment. Torn between keeping a brave face and the heartbreak he was feeling inside, he walked away and never saw this beautiful lady again.
Thankfully many years later Joe could see the bright side of this story and he had a great laugh telling it to myself and Georgie (and thousands of listeners) last September on Ocean FM.
It summed him up really - honest, positive and full of craic.
Soon after he told the story Joe sang Both Sides Now. The feeling and passion with which he sang it moved many people that day and I remember leaving the studio with that feeling of having experienced something real.
Sadly Joe passed away yesterday and is now looking at life from the other side - so on behalf of all in the Theme Nights thanks Joe for all you brought to our shows over the years. I’ll never forget the feeling in the room when you sang Rocking All Over The World and indeed many of us, in the Theme Nights and beyond, will never forget the feeling you gave us when we met you.
Rest in Peace Joe.
What’s New?
HAWK’S WELL 1: I had a great Saturday night out last weekend at Shaun Purcell’s musical Esmeray. I love Shaun’s music - and Stardust sung by Éabha, Niamh, Aoife, Kieran and Ryan - was a real highlight.
HAWK’S WELL 2: Am hoping to get to see No Crows this coming Saturday too. What a band!
HAWK’S WELL 3: Can’t wait to see what Karen Gordon and her crew do with One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest! On at the end of this month…and still a small number of tickets here.
HAWK’S WELL 4: I won’t be seeing much of three of my friends for the next while - Sinéad, Luke and Niamh are part of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change - a musical comedy directed by new Hawk’s Well Theatre director Kieran Griffiths. Apparently they are going into full-time rehearsals for the next few weeks - I can’t wait to see what results that brings!
Finally…
Take a moment…
Till next time - Kieran.
