Fine concert last Sunday at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs NY (http://www.caffelena.org/), with Shannon and Matt Heaton opening for Old Blind Dogs. Shannon and Matt did an enjoyable set (wouldn’t have minded a longer one!) of trad tunes, songs and originals, including an especially nice new tune, “The Shady Spot,” featuring very strong flute playing. Old Blind Dogs gave just the kind of performance a fan would want–nice mix of stuff from the cds, performed with great energy (there’s a jam band lurking in there somewhere when they get the rhythmic stuff going). Rory Campbell was in good form on low whistle and pipes. The Caffe is a great venue, about the size of a large living room, and we had seats about ten feet from the musicians. Good time.
That must have been a great night. I’ve heard both acts, though not together, and not in such an intimate setting. I talked with Shannon Heaton a bit at the break–as it turns out, she taught flute to the daughter of the guitarist in our band when she was living in Evanston. She seems like a lovely person and I enjoyed her flute playing very much.
carrie
She taught a Whistle class at this last St. Louis Tionól, and she is quite talented. I didn’t get to hear her in concert, as something came up near the end of the class that seemed to interfere with her plans. I would sure like to have a chance to hear them together.