How am I supposed to remember all the way back to yesterday? Blogging is hard. Wait, it’s coming to me, I went to a concert! I bet most of My Gentle Readers guessed that. It was a great one, Liz Hanley was joined by Eamon (rhymes with hey hun) O’Leary and Jefferson Hamer. It was at the new Irish Arts Center on 11th Ave. Google told me that the fastest way to get there was the D to Seventh Avenue. As I know to be at the back of the train it’s walking from Broadway to 11th. Sounds like it’s four blocks then a block south. It is four blocks and then a block south, but the west side of Manhattan is like a TARDIS bigger on the inside than the outside. Normally through four blocks correspond to walking two miles but it was raining so it becomes six. Relative dimensions are affected by the weather. It was raining, harder than it was supposed to. The plan was to meet Dan there. He couldn’t arrive until showtime 8:30 but arrived at 8:00 to snag good seats. When I arrived, I was delighted to find that they asked for proof of vaccinations and provided masks. I was already wearing my KN95.
I have no idea when I last saw Liz, or more to the point when she saw me. It’s not like there was ever a time we saw each other often. Yet she instantly recognized me with my mask on. How do people do that? I assume only my closest friends can. Do I have horns that I never noticed that make me recognizable? Maybe the Mark of Cain on my forehead? I am now going to resist going of on a tangent discussing the logical gymnastics you have to do to make the early chapters of Genesis consistent. That proves how good the show was that I am resisting.
The show was not in the theater of the IAC café. It was oddly set up, there was one couch well placed for watching the show and one comfy chair. I asked permission to move the other comfy chair in the room which was off to the side next to mine for Dan. The nice people at the center moved it for me. That’s because they didn’t trust me to not knock over the camera set up next to it. I wouldn’t trust me either.
This was Liz’s gig and she asked Eamon and Jefferson to join her. They made an album together 10 years ago. Liz fiddles, Eamon was on bouzouki, and Jefferson on guitar. I still get a kick out of the bouzouki, a Greek instrument becoming a staple of Irish music. Eamon just flew over the “Western Sea” from Ireland, not just for the show. I explained to Dan that there is a substance in the Irish air that conveys musical talent and inspiration on those that breath it. That’s why Ireland produces so many great musicians despite its small population, about the same as Brooklyn and Queens combined.
They did a variety of songs, some of Liz’s originals, traditional Irish ballads, a song of Eamon’s, and instrumental tunes, or chunes as the Irish say. Liz said tune. They did jigs and reels. Do not ask me the difference. The music goes to different dances, but I don’t know one from the other or from a slip jig. I think when people dance a slip jig, they slip on a banana peel. Maybe they wear a slip. Did you just say I should “get reel?”
I’m officially frustrated because the performance was wonderful, and I don’t know how to explain why. I suspect that means that they played exactly the right notes at exactly the right time. But it’s not just that. That’s technique, this is art. Perhaps the art is in finding the exact right time. I know that’s where I had the greatest difficulty playing an instrument. It’s even more important with multiple performers, they have to not just be perfect in isolation, they have to mesh perfectly.
Now matter how they did it I loved it. I’ll be playing them on Gord’s Gold.
It was still raining when we left but not as hard. Dan had an umbrella that he let me share. I told him that I’d emphasize that he doesn’t know how to use an umbrella when I blogged. That explains the title.
Wise Madness 