Saturday Concert - 6th October

Proudly sponsored by the
PERCY FRENCH HOTEL, STROKESTOWN

Following spectacularly successful concerts over the last four years, the Féile Frank Mc Gann experience continues on Saturday night 6th October with the exciting double bill line up of Buttons & Bows and Arcady in concert.

For those of you who want to know more about these great musicians, read on.. For those of you who want to really enjoy the rich wealth of tradition that will be on stage, make sure you get to this concert, which has been kindly sponsored by the Percy French Hotel, Strokestown. The high expectations of Féile Frank Mc Gann‘s fifth year combined with this lively line-up can only mean that the atmosphere is sure to be electric and the craic mighty.

Arcady

Since the formation of Arcady in 1988, dedication to the traditional music of Ireland combined with virtuosic musicianship have made Arcady one of the most respected traditional bands in Ireland. After the band's very first performances, it was assured that "Arcady are going to drag traditional music cheering, clapping and stromping through the 90's" (Garrisson Festival review, 1990). Dirty Linen were soon to describe Arcady as "a band with its own vital identity ensured of a place among the first rank of Irish traditional groups".

The original Arcady was formed by bodhran, bones, and percussion player Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh shortly after leaving De Dannan in 1988. Initially an eight-piece group, Arcady has gone through numerous member changes. Among their most illustrious alumni are Sharon Shannon, Frances Black, Se..n Keane, and McDonagh's De Dannan bandmate Jackie Daly. Arcady recorded and released their debut album, After the Ball, in 1991 and their second album, Many Happy Returns, was released four years later. Many Happy Returns was said to demostrate that "individually, every member of the band shines as an inventive and virtuosic lead player".

After the cessation of the band in 1996 when McDonagh joined Riverdance as lead percussionist, the coming together of two of the original Arcady artists today makes for a solid bedrock for the band's reformation. Patsy Broderick's piano playing is described in live performance as "propelling the medley along brilliantly outstanding" and the percussion of Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh is recognised as the "central heartbeat" of the band. His production of the album Many Happy Returns, which was described as "expert and beautifully arranged..a return to a repertoire of Irish music's traditional standards, because it takes tunes and songs from the very core of the tradition, presenting them in exciting and contemporary arrangements" (Dirty Linen, 1995) is continued now with his formation of a new band. 2007 sees the emergence of the third line up of Arcady.

Reformed after 10 years, the band original band members - Patsy Broderick on piano, and frontman McDonagh on bodhran -are joined by Seamie O'Dowd on guitar; Rick Epping on Harmonica and Concertina; Jonas Fromseier on Banjo; and Maureen Browne on fiddle. The new line-up of Arcady echoes many of the old sounds, but with new elements and musical relationships that undoubtedly make for something new.

The introduction of harmonicas from Rick Epping and the inimitable guitar playing of Seamie O'Dowd to the musical profile of the band represents an accommodation of new blues sounds, heralding new dynamics and experimentations as well as a fresh take on unifications of the blues and Irish music traditions. Here are some quotations from reviews of Arcady's live performances so far: "The entire ensemble, playing with an air of confidence, conveyed elements of Appalachia as well as evoking the spirit of the West of Ireland".

On occasion when too many diverse influences converge musically, the result can be turn out to be rather contrived and pretentious, but not with Arcady. A relaxed and apparent informality couldn't conceal a tight presentation based on mutual respect, restrained virtuosity, and a love of playing together". "Overall, an engaging and gratifying performance".

Arcady members are:

Johnny Ringo McDonagh - Percussion (Bodhrans, Bones, Triangle)
Patsy Broderick - Piano
Rick Epping - Harmonicas, Concertina, jaws harp
Seamie O'Dowd - Guitar, Fiddle, Vocals
Jonas Fromseier: Banjo; Bouzouki
Mairead Ni Fhlatharta - Vocals
Seamus O'Donnell - Saxaphone, Flute, Vocals

Discography

After the Ball (Shannachie, Dara)
Many Happy Returns (Shannachie, Dara)

Buttons and Bows

Springing onto the scene in the early `80s with flamboyant brio, came Buttons and Bows, a trio consisting of button accordionist Jackie Daly and the fiddlers Manus and Seamus Maguire who had come together in regular sessions in Kinvara, Co. Galway. Buttons and Bows was originally the title of their 1984 debut album (referring to the members’ instruments but eventually attached itself to the name of the band.

Accompanied on record by Garry O’Briain’s mandocello and Charlie Lennon’s piano, Buttons and Bows took a global view from the outset, and the excellent The First Month of Summer saw sources such as French-speaking Canada for “Iles de la Madeleine” and “The Joyous Waltz”, the Shetlands for “Margaret’s Waltz” and Northumbria for the pipe tune “Sir Sidney Smith”, while the outstanding track was Daly’s version of the German-American J.J. Kimmel’s “Fitzmaurice Polka”. Seemingly simple, but founded on massive collective experience, the band’s music sparkled with a joie de vivre reminiscent of the dance band era. Buttons and Bows reconvened with O’Briain as a full member in 1994 for the equally animated Grace Notes.

The line-up for this exciting concert is Jackie Daly, Garry O’Briain and Manus McGuire.

Jackie Daly

One of Irish music’s most respected players. Particularly famed for his Sliabh Luachra influenced polkas and slides. Born in Kanturk, Co. Cork, where he began playing harmonica, tin whistle and melodeon at the age of seven, learning initially from his father's repertoire. On his return from a spell living in Holland, Jackie started playing with fiddler Séamus Creagh, and their duet album is credited with reigniting wider interest in the Sliabh Luachra style and repertoire. Jackie has been a member of some of the most influential bands to perform and record Irish music on both sides of the Atlantic, including Dé Danann. He now lives in Milltown Malbay in west Clare, where he can be heard regularly playing at sessions with local musicians and visitors. Jackie Daly has won last year’s TG4 Musician of the Year Award.