#3 and a Bonus

Last Friday night was Hercules Mulligan's monthly gig at Tir Na Nog. The Marquise and I were in attendance ( as usual). It was also the third event in what has turned into a full blown month long Celtic extravaganza for me. The guys (and gal now) have undergone some membership changes and they have been in flux for a couple of months now. Hopefully with the addition of a fiddle/concertina player, Julie Ross and (hopefully) a banjo player TBA, they can start getting all the Little kinks ironed out and begin to create a really neat sound for themselves. All the parts are there, they just need experience as a group. It takes a little while when you only play once a month.

The bonus was I went to see Seven Nations (again at Tir Na Nog) last night. The Marquise and I saw them there about a year ago and we were not impressed. They took forever to do their sound check (about an hour), the volume was way to high and the music all became jumbled into one big, distorted mush of sound. Well, I figured with the new sound system at the 'Nog that I'd give them another listen. I was much more impressed this time (even though the ads said they started at 8p and they didn't start 'til 9p). Their sound check was a reasonable amount of time. They still had the volume up to high, but the new speakers could handle it. They got a new piper since last time and he looks all of about 16, but I'm sure that is just my age talking. Their fiddler is phenomenal. He has developed into a much more central figure in the group than he was last time. Probably their biggest problem was the small crowd out there. It is always much harder performing to a small group. (although, as a member of said small crowd, we did our best to keep things going on our side). I ended up leaving at the break. It was already 10p and it was a school night, after all. I will see them again, next time they are in town.