Bigger, better, bluesier
Going out
Ciara Moynihan
Castlebar opens its doors again this June Bank Holiday weekend to a host of international performers for the Guinness Castlebar Blues Festival. This year – the festival’s 18th – is a heady mix of great free gigs in the town’s bars and clubs, and three big-name concerts in The Royal Theatre and Event Centre.
The festival, the biggest in several years, kicks off on Friday, June 4, with the beautiful and talented Imelda May in concert in The Royal. From listening to rockabilly and blues songs (by the likes of Elvis, Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent) from an early age, May has turned these songs into a cool, swinging fusion that’s both classic and oddly modern. Her debut album, ‘Love Tattoo’, is lusciously retro, but as fresh as 2010. And her live gigs are fierce.
May’s own favourites are the big, bawdy stomper ‘Johnny Got a Boom-Boom’ and the delicate ‘Falling in Love with You Again’, which was inspired by her husband (and band guitarist) Darrel Higham. Other band members include Dave Priseman (trumpet, bugle horn & percussion), Al Gare (bass) and Steve Rushton (drums). Since her appearance on ‘Later… with Jools Holland’, and at the Grammys with Jeff Beck performing a Les Paul tribute, May’s career has exploded from the small stages of Dublin’s bars to international acclaim.
The festival’s other headline gigs – Willie Nelson on the Saturday night and Status Quo on the Sunday – need no introduction.
The free gigs taking place in Castlebar’s top pubs and clubs will showcase the cream of the Irish, UK and international blues scene. Dubbed the Blues Trail, the shows in this truly impressive free-gig series will swing into action on the Friday night and keep on filling the air with blues all weekend. Bands on the trail include Big Daddy and Dingo, Peter Lang, Ali and the DTs, Beauty and the Beast (Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson) and Peabody and Earl.
Randall ‘Big Daddy’ Webster has been playing the blues for over a quarter of a century. His four-octave voice and impressive fretwork, coupled with Mark ‘Dingo’ Russell’s brilliant violin will make for a gig to remember.
Peter Lang is known as one of the fathers of modern American finger-style guitar. Lang has performed or toured with Ry Cooder, John Fahey, Chet Atkins, The Nitty Gritty’s, Emmylou Harris and Leo Kottke. Good company indeed.
Ali and the DTs are an Irish band described as Otis Redding, Muddy Waters and Blind Willie Johnson shoved into a bottle with a modern day version of The Doors and Nick Cave and shaken vigourously. To find out what that might sound like, head to The Bungalow at 10.30pm any night over the weekend.
Australian showstopper Hat Fitz makes a welcome return to Castlebar, this time with a beauty on his arm – Cara Robinson. The two have toured the world together, and played two stomping gigs in Geraghty’s pub, Westport, last year. Robinson is the perfect, soulful foil to Hat Fitz’s raw and rugged, gutteral style and amplified acoustic blues.
Guitarist/vocalist Dave Peabody and pianist Colin Earl are two true musical veterans of the international music scene. Dave has gained recognition on the blues circuit having performed consistently since the mid ’60s. He has been voted UK Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year 1995, 2000 and 2001. Colin, inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis, was a founder member of Mungo Jerry and played on the band’s first three albums, as well as No 1 singles including ‘In The Summertime’.
Other bands of note blazing the Blues Trail include Parchman Farm, Schied & Hansbury, Left Right and Centre, Mark Black Roots Band and Chicago Red.
Also, in association with Destination Castlebar, there is a family fun day on the Mall on the Sunday. A number of blues bands will perform for the general public. Rockabilly band Joe Fury and the Hayride and the BataFada Samba Band will also play. A vocal workshop for younger fans will take place on Saturday with Cara Robinson.
For more information on the festival, including the gig schedule and a handy map of the town and the blues venues, visit www.castlebarblues.com.
