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Dirk Powell,Brendan Gleeson,Francis Gaffney,Mike McGoldrick

Venue: Hawkswell Theatre
Town: Sligo
Date: 10/1/14

The connection between Irish and American traditional music is a never ending font of exploration and surprises,yielding as it does turns and byways which can bring together Louisiana,Roscommon and West Virginia in the space of three or four minutes.Tonight was no different,as this quartet-all connected in different ways-engaged us completely for more than two hours,before we were reclaimed by minus temperatures.A packed house were treated-with the unadvertised but most welcome addition on bodhrán of John Joe Kelly-to music which took its cues variously from Clarence Ashley,Frank Harte,and Charlie Lennon,to name but three.

Opening with a waltz from Dirk,about a man who lost his house in a flood,the weft between fiddle,guitar,whistle and five string had begun to spin its magic,and Brendan Gleeson,as characterful a singer as he is a thespian,showcased his mandolin and vocal skills with a rough hewn version of Any Old Time.With this kind of music,it is all about referencing and homaging sources,as Mike played a tune written about Corcoran'sMill ,in Co.Roscommon which segued into Say,Darling,Say from Mr.Powell.

Throughout proceedings,Francis kept up the steadiest of rhythms on guitar,but proved himself a fine vocalist also,with a standout version of When The Breakers go Back Full Time,itself bookended by a lush waltz.All too soon,it was over ,but not before a couple of encores,of which Waterbound,Dirk's tribute to his grandfather,also recorded by Mike a few years ago,was spellbinding in the extreme.The New Year isn't even two weeks old, but this gig has set the bar very high indeed.A cracking night.

Oliver P. Sweeney
Pictures Neil King (not taken at gig)