Some of Kellys were at the Lakeside Arts Centre a couple of weeks ago for Daoiri Farrell's concert on what we think was his first visit to Nottingham. Playing to a sold-out auditorium Daoiri began with an unusual version of “The Shamrock Shore” with additional verses new to us. He then went on with “Blackwaterside” and a lighter ballad, “Sweet Portadown”.
But it was with stunning versions of songs from the singing of Liam Weldon that he really left a mark – “One Starry Night” and the powerful, angry “Blue Tar Road” were flawless – I have to say that it was on “Via Extasia” that his real quality shone through. An unaccompanied voice with a soaring melody full of ornamentation and vivid images held everyone spellbound.
Daoiri told us that the Lakeside was his seventeenth gig in just three weeks and his last before going back to Dublin but on this appearance alone we should be seeing him back this way again very soon!
The Lakeside Arts Centre provided another amazing concert on Wednesday evening with Dervish taking to the stage and what a gig that was! Dervish haven’t been round this way since before the pandemic but they are back with a vengeance – and a new CD – “The Great Irish Songbook”.
We had the usual blistering sets of reels and jigs, barn dances, slip jigs, hornpipes and, of course, Cathy Jordan singing in both Irish and English.
Stand-out moments in the first half had to be the opening set of tunes – “Kitty, Come Down to Limerick” and the heart-rending
“Donal Og” from Cathy sung in English from a translation by Frank O’Connor. In the second half we had even more great music – including a great version of that old standard, “The Galway Shawl” which is on the new CD.
They were not allowed to leave the stage without two encores!
We were lucky to be able to host an after gig session at the Victoria Hotel in Beeston with Brian McDonagh on mandola and Tom Morrow on the fiddle after they had finished up at the Lakeside. A perfect end to a great evening – and many, many thanks
to the staff at the Vic for what was a bit of a late session.
Dervish are back on the road for gigs in Camden Town and Wiltshire over the bank holiday weekend.