I had forgotten it was Bank Holiday - the rain should have provided a clue... but after a somewhat boozy weekend, the social calendar for God's Little Acre ( a slim document) was not at the forefront of a slightly addled memory. But shopping was necessary so a venture outdoors was required - and Mr Marmion rang, spluttering expletives about a lost chisel which was necessary to do some mundane but urgent household task - so he was out to play after securing this vital implement... we arranged (as ever) to meet at the Swan in the Rushes in the Artists' Quarter... the cure was jointly taken - and we noticed a gang of people with instruments - obviously part of the local street festival planned for today - which I assumed had been hit by the monsoon season. Not sure how they were lured into playing - Frank may have had words - but they did. And craic was had... the congregation of worthy constituents (as Charlie Parker might have said) essaying forth on guitar, whistles, mandolin, bodhran (someone who could actually play that maligned of instruments - an unusual occurrence, it has to be said), violin and vocals plus some dude who played the spoons before exiting. You can spot professionals - or at least those who have experience of playing in public - by the way they pace the show. The instrumental diddle de dee of reels, jig, etc was broken up with songs and varieties of tempo - rather than the hours-long slam down tedium in D major that usually passes for an 'Oirish' session round here. And a weird sense of déjà vu - I can't sing anymore so now operate in purely instrumental areas, acoustic and electric - but several of the songs were from one of my old acoustic repertoires - especially 'Pancho and Leftie' and 'Leaving Louisiana.' Mr Marmion managed to join the proceedings and play and sing his composition 'Doolin.' Some (a small sour bunch) of the locals didn't like it and decamped to the other bar. What dull people... But everyone else enjoyed it - and a pleasant surprise on a cold, wet Bank Holiday. In this burg of few surprises, especially musical. The impromptu muse not too welcome round here, despite the efforts of the improvisational few... A cool bunch... based in London, they are the Northern Celts and run a session down Camden Town way at the Constitution ('predominantly a geezers' pub' - swelp me, guv'nor)- worth a visit - every second thursday...
The photos are rudimentary, to say the least - from my mobile phone camera and the light was tricky- but somewhat arty, in a smoky, blurred (and cheap) manner... perhaps...
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