10/13/00: On Being a Member of the Irish Scene

A few years ago, I was visiting my friend Emma because my roommates were bugging me again, and Emma was playing this cool music. This random event in my life led to me being dragged to a few different bars, introduced to a few bands, and basically embarking on a whole new phase of my life. So I blame Emma for everything, and so should you.

Fridays are usually The Prodigals days, which are my favorites. I like them so much that I made a set list for them, featuring their lyrics and stuff. Anway. The Prodigals play Irish-type music but speeded up like rock-n-roll. They call it "jig-punk." They’re all really good musicians and the sweetest guys, too.

  • Brian plays kick ass drums and is the kind of guy who notices when you get a haircut. If he weren't engaged I'd marry him like that. I'm always seeing him around. He's usually drunk. ~_^ No, seriously, I run into him all the time and it's always great to see him 'cause he's a sweetie.
  • Andrew’s bass always amazes me, seriously. He apparently studied at Juliard and I don’t think the Prodigals would sound like the Prodigals without him. Once when a drunk guy tried to grab me, Andrew shooed him away and told me that if that guy bothered me again, he, Andrew, would have him, the drunk guy, removed from the bar. I thought that was very sweet. He's a little grumpy, though, which gave rise to the famous ditty (sung to the tune of the Wild Rover): "Andrew is grumpy/ he always wears black/ you can say hi to him / but he won't answer back." But really, he's a good guy.
  • Greg plays the button accordion, which is a small accordion that sounds more like a harmonica than one of those big annoying French kind of accordions. It usually carries the melody of the jigs. Greg also sings and functions as leader of the band, and he's a very lovely person with a wonderful smile. And nice arms, too. Also his girl Smitha kicks butt.
  • And then there's Ray. Oh, Ray Kelly. Sing to the tune of Wild Rover, "Ray is so sexy / he plays the guitar / he could get any woman/ who walks in the bar." He's a darling and it's fun to watch the drops of sweat run down the side of his face. ::sigh:: Hi, guys.

    (At this point I feel it behooves me to point out that I am a fan of the Proddys, and not a groupie. There is a specific difference between the two, a specific borderline over which I have NOT crossed. I'm a bit smarter than that.)

    I know other stuff about the boys, but it's probably stuff I shouldn't put here, where any riffraff could read it.

    Moving on, Saturdays are Black '47 days. Now, these two bands -- the Prods and 47 -- aren't the best of friends, but there are many links between them. Anyway. The name comes from the worst year of the Irish Famine. Did you know that when the Irish Famine was over, only 1/4th of the population of Ireland remained? The rest had all died or emigrated. Amazing. Anyway, 47 is not as trad as the Prods are. 47 is a bit more hip-hop/reggae. This was, I believe, mainly the influence of Chris Byrne, who now is doing Seanchai (see below). I've seen 47 only a few times but they're a big name band in the "scene." Once I saw them playing at Shea Stadium -- it was "Irish night." 47 is a great band but I'm not really "friends" with them the way I am with the Proddys.

    As for Sunday, Sunday USED to be Seanchai night. Then Chris decided to quit 47 to focus on Seanchai (pronounced Shan-a-key, it's the Irish word for Storyteller) and Seanchai became a Friday night deal. So basically we see Seanchai when the Proddys are out of town, as they are frequently. We'd see them more often but the crowd has gotten a little annoying lately. It's all little high school kids. It's like being at a freshmen frat party. I mean, come ON.

    But I digress. Seanchai is Irish hip-hop. Don't think House of Pain or I'll smack ye one. "Say it loud say it proud I will stay an unrepentant Fenian bastard!" They're very angry about the sitch in Northern Ireland. Personally, though I love to sing the rebel songs and I have more of an affinity for the IRA than say RUC, I think the whole situation is so out of hand that the only side to be on is the side of peace and conflict resolution. Taking sides in someone else's civil war is always disasterous. But that said, I'll still make the appropriate hand gestures during Fields of Athenrye.

    No doubt I will have more to say on the subject of the Scene at some point, because it's a big part of my little life. But I'm tired and it's time to close this file.

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