Last night was our first performance of the 2012 St. Patrick’s Day season! March is the one month of the year that an Irish band is sure to find steady work and this year is no exception. St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) falls on a Saturday this year and it will be a 15 hour… Read More Fairfield
October has very nearly come and gone with nary an update. I knew that this school year was going to be a busy one but I was unprepared for just how busy. Luckily I will have a chance to tweak my schedule considerably come January but in the meantime it’s all I can do to… Read More October Irish session
The October Irish session is today so this is my big chance to get the September Irish session recorded before I fall even more hopelessly behind. We had two sessions in September, each one delightful in its own way. During our usual Saturday session time, it was just me, Ric, and Tim jamming on a… Read More September Irish sessions, a wee bit late
We had a great group of friends at our August session and we were especially excited to see Frank, a superb musician (flute and tin whistle) who I haven’t played music with in over five years. Also in attendance were Dave (fiddle and Irish flute), Dennis (concertina), Robin (fiddle), Keith (guitar, vocals), Kevin (harmonica), Abram… Read More August Irish session and changes afoot
Today was one of those absolutely perfect Iowa City summer days and we were lucky enough to spend a couple of felicitous hours at Uptown Bill’s. Among the players today: Marc (guitar, mandolin, and fiddle), Maia (fiddle), Guy (fiddle), Wendy (tin whistle), Will (fiddle), Tim (guitar), Annie (fiddle), John (guitar), Arianne (fiddle), Abram (fiddle and… Read More July Irish session at Uptown Bill’s
“I thought of the word.” Tom Gilsenan said to me yesterday when we took a break during the Irish session. “It’s diaspora.” I looked it up last night when I got home and he’s right, it does describe our little informal group of musicians who began playing together at the Gilbert Street Uptown Bill’s a… Read More June Irish session at Uptown Bill’s
It’s really hot. We staggered to the library for storytime this morning and lurched home again but that was all the outside time that we could manage today. Susan Pagnucci was the guest storyteller today and she had some great ideas of ways to bring the story home, including a shadow puppet theatre! You know… Read More Shadow Puppets
I’m sure that the day is all too rapidly approaching when our children have no interest at all in attending a rock concert with us but today is not that day! We took the boys to Des Moines yesterday to the Every Family Rocks music festival at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. I think this is… Read More Every Family Rocks
I’m sick. Liam had some sort of virus a little over a week ago and I think he shared it with me. Generous child, that one. I’ve been knocked flat in bed all day. In many ways, I’m really lucky this unpleasantness landed on a rare day off for me when Joe is home taking… Read More I can’t find a pen
Today, on my 33rd birthday, I have been married for nine years to my best friend. Today is the only day that we are both 33 and then tomorrow, he turns 34. Happy birthiversary to us! True fact: I actually thought I was 31 all year and was rudely awakened at my last melanoma check… Read More Happy birthiversary to us!
Tara McGovern 