Where the Irish of the Delaware Valley meet
Philadelphia Trad Musicians Far A Field
So I just got back from playing at the Dublin Irish Festival in Ohio. The thing is absolutely enormous (they estimated the crowd at 100k and I believe from the sea of humanity on Saturday night). One huge tent houses the Ward Irish Music Archives and each year it changes its contents when travelling. The walls of this 100 foot long tent had
a great collection of photos and info about early pipers, ceili bands, single performers etc. and in the far end there was a very large screen playing a video of compiled footage from a number of sources. I'm chatting away with the fella in charge when I hear this ceili-type band playing from the video. In a few moments I realize the guy on the button box is none other than Kevin McGillian. I was curious who he could be playing with when on the screen comes Bill and Joan McKenty, Roy Rogers and Ed Reavey Jr. discussing his dad's music! It was apparently a video Mick Maloney made a few years back and here it is playing on a huge screen at a festival in Ohio. It is making the rounds at a number of events this year from PA ( the Celtic Fling thing at the Ren Faire, which took place already) out to Missouri and beyond. Amazing. It made my night.
Bob
a great collection of photos and info about early pipers, ceili bands, single performers etc. and in the far end there was a very large screen playing a video of compiled footage from a number of sources. I'm chatting away with the fella in charge when I hear this ceili-type band playing from the video. In a few moments I realize the guy on the button box is none other than Kevin McGillian. I was curious who he could be playing with when on the screen comes Bill and Joan McKenty, Roy Rogers and Ed Reavey Jr. discussing his dad's music! It was apparently a video Mick Maloney made a few years back and here it is playing on a huge screen at a festival in Ohio. It is making the rounds at a number of events this year from PA ( the Celtic Fling thing at the Ren Faire, which took place already) out to Missouri and beyond. Amazing. It made my night.
Bob
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Permalink Reply by Joan McKenty on -
Hi Bob, That was actually a video made by Ed Reavey, recorded by the video department at Drexel University. The purpose of the video was to record "The Philadelphia Set" which was danced in Philly years ago. Ed's purpose was to preserve the dance itself for posterity. It was fun. Shortly after we completed it we played it on a stage at the Ceili Group Festival. I think that was 2002. I'll never forget it - I was laughing throughout the entire thing because there was some fellow in the audience, shirtless, doing some kind of inspired modern dance that people in an altered state of consciousness do - and it was to the Philadelphia set! It was a riot.
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