Monday, September 03, 2012

Sober, Sulky and Soaking at the 2012 KC Irish Fest



















I almost pitched a fit Saturday at the Kansas City Irish Fest.  I had rearranged my weekend in order to catch McPeake's 1 p.m. set.  Only after arriving did I discover that the Isaac-related storm soaking the region had delayed the Belfast band's appearance.  The act's road manager told me he wasn't certain when they'd play. 

A reasonable man would have consoled himself with a few beers and a shot or two of Jameson.  Unlike the majority of fun-loving festival-goers, I refused to slake my thirst. 

I pouted in the rain as the solid Nebraska-based duo Ellis Island played.  A pleasing outing by the durable Kansas City institution Eddie Delahunt improved my mood. 

McPeake put me back in the dumps.  The band with an illustrious past finally began playing shortly before 3 p.m.  The new generation of McPeakes is very talented.  Its pleading for Facebook likes (a pet peeve) and a boast about a recent collaboration with someone associated with Michael Bublé turned me off.  The band seems to have Hollywood- or at least Michael Flatley- in its sights.  I wish it luck, but that's just not my thing. 

My disappointment in McPeake and my misguided teetotalism affected my response to Goitse.  I fell in love with the young traditionalists at the festival's small Park Stage last year.  Goitse's performance on the significantly larger Miller Lite Stage just didn't connect with me.  The band seemed much more calculated than I remembered.  I executed an Irish goodbye when the sun revealed itself as the versatile Canadian band Scythian entertained its lubricated fans.

The takeaway?  Leaving whiskey in the jar was a mistake. And Eddie Delahunt wins again.


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I reviewed Hearts of Darkness' Shelf Life at Plastic Sax.

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Hal David has died.  "I Say a Little Prayer" is my favorite Bacharach and David song. No, wait- it's "This Guy's in Love with You."  Or maybe it's "Wives and Lovers."

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"Face To the Sky" is the second promotional video for John Cale's forthcoming Shifty Adventures In Nookie Wood album.

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A recent Euclid Records blog post almost causes me to miss my stint in music retail.  Almost.

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The excellent New Albion label has called it a day.

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My doppelgänger does a nice version of "Suspicious Minds"

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I'm the subject of light-hearted smack talk around the 24:00-minute mark of the latest edition of the The Mailbox podcast.

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Kansas City Click: Horace Washington hosts Monday's jam at the Blue Room. 

Everette DeVan performs every Tuesday at the Phoenix. 

Dirty Bourbon River Show plays Wednesday at Trouser Mouse.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

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