Hello, all! I made the two-hour drive up to Logan, Utah last night with my sister Mimi for a GREAT Cherish the Ladies concert. I’ve never seen them in concert before, or even heard their CD’s. It was a great concert! I can’t believe how talented they all are. We were up really high in the highest balcony so I only got far-away glimpses of Joanie’s famous O’ Riordans, but they sounded unbelievable. Their lead singer was also spectacular on the whistle.
My only complaint about the show would be that the girls talked too much in between tunes. Their stories and anecdotes about how that particular tune came about (they played many of their own compositions, which were really lovely) were interesting, but since each one took 5-10 minutes, I wished they had spent more time playing and not doing so much talking.
Other than that, it was a GREAT show. After the show we got autographs from the group and got to talk to Joanie for a minute (and get a picture with her). Mimi asked her if she had been the whistle-player on the LOTR soundtrack. (I remember the debate about who the player was a few months back, and hadn’t heard if it was ever said for sure who it was.) She said she had indeed recorded 8.5 minutes for one of the soundtracks, but she thought it was the second movie coming out this year that her piece was on. She said that they had wanted her to record all of the soundtrack but she couldn’t fit it into her schedule when they needed her, so she just did some for the second movie.
Anyway, I thought a lot of you might like to know that last bit–we sure did. It was a great concert and I hope you other whistling Utahns got to go, too!
I was there too - I swear Joanie Madden has computer chips in her fingers - how else could she move them that fast!?! Beautiful music, foot-tapping music…and already looking forward to their three nights with the Utah Symphony next year. I agree the tune set-ups were somewhat over-long, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed it. We met Joanie too and got an autograph - “To Susan, Keep whistlin’, Joanie” - yeah, right - her “whistlin” is enough to make your retire your Feadog. Had a great time!
I too was there, and I loved the concert! I enjoyed the whole thing, even the talking in between the tunes, because all the women were very funny and entertaining. After the show I shook hands with Joannie Madden, and I told her I was a new whistler. She wrote in my CD book “To Michael, Keep Whistlin’!” It was a great time!
Again NEXT YEAR in the same place? THAT AIN’T FAIR!!!
We had a CTL concert locally in March of 1999. Given the programming of Irish Music in this burg, that means the return engagement should be St Patrick’s weekend 2147.
Glad to hear you made it - and the two hour drive wasn’t too much!
I made it to the Porterhouse session in Covent Garden on Sunday, though my input was minimal; I joined in two polkas on the whistle, nothing on the Mandolin as everything was too fast for me, and sang on the chorus of a couple of songs. But my face is now recognised, and it’s given me somthing to aim for - even the fact that I could play the two Polkas at the required speed was minimally cheering, in a “I can see the mountain summit from down here” way.
The session itself was driven by two fiddlers, both absolutely amazing, which is possibly why the tunes were playes so fast. Yesterday was also London Marathon day, so the place was heaving, and the faces of people coming in and hearing the music were priceless.
To my relief, there was another Mandolin player also clearly out of his depth, and an accordianist who couldn’t keep up, so I wasn’t the only one sitting listening for 3 1/2 hours!
My only complaint about the show would be that the girls talked too much in between tunes. Their stories and anecdotes about how that particular tune came about (they played many of their own compositions, which were really lovely) were interesting, but since each one took 5-10 minutes, I wished they had spent more time playing and not doing so much talking.
5 or 10 minutes? HA!
You know, its an artform (the patter) and can save a lot of energy for the songs you do play. I went and saw Dougie MacLean (the guy who wrote “Caledonia” and others) in Berkeley last fall.
The guy is a master at time extension in concert. I swear he only played 8 or 9 songs but the concert lasted 2 1/2 hours with lenghty intermission. Every song had an extended, and I mean extended, explanation. Several factors were at work here that “sold it”.
One is that he is a really personable guy onstage.Second is that Americans are suckers for any kind of Brit Isle accent and think its cute. Another is that he uses the damndest guitar tunings I have ever heard, mostly but not all, on the same guitar. A different tuning for each song. Then he puts a capo on and re-tunes! More time-gobbling.
Each explanation surely took longer than it took to write the song.I found out all kinds of stuff about him. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks on his little home Island off Scotland by the end of it (and the locals commenting on the lad who done good).
His songs are very long and if you like his style, you’d love it cause they;re all pretty similar. Descending bass line, clear steel-string acoustic guitar pluckin’. Some sing-alongs which require that the chorus be taught and we’re not talking about a three word refrain here. The final sing-along was Caledonia (a great song for sure) and I think we sung it to bed about three times.
As I am a middle-aged musician kind of guy, I really appreciate that he pulls it off, by himself with no need for roadies or anybody. And hey, if you’re alone, you get invited places. I think he invited everybody to the bar, or maybe that was the Battlefield Band. Oh well, consider it all part of the art…
All in good fun.
On 2002-04-16 01:20, The Weekenders wrote:
Americans are suckers for any kind of Brit Isle accent and think its cute.
Truer words were never spoken.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s cool that at least one of the whistle players on the LOTR soundtrack is a confirmed fact now? Or did I miss it a few months ago if this was already found out? Anyone know who the other player(s) were?
On 2002-04-16 11:05, Cees wrote:
Am I the only one who thinks it’s cool that at least one of the whistle players on the LOTR soundtrack is a confirmed fact now?.. Anyone know who the other player(s) were?
Yeah, I posted the following info a couple months back…
For those who have wondered Joanie Madden actually did not play any of the music for the FOTR LOTR soundtrack. However there were two Irish musicians who did play: Alan Kelly and Alan Doherty from the Barleyshakes (as reported on tolkienonline.com & http://www.thebarleyshakes.com). I’ve never heard of the group but apparently they flew down to New Zealand to record with Howard Shore. Alan Kelly played the bodhran and Alan Doherty played the recorder and Irish flute (I was also a little upset to find that the whistle was not played).
…I’m glad to hear that Joanie will be playing in the upcoming films. Maybe they’ll have her play the theme for Eowyn/Rohirrim as she stands on the ramparts of Edoras (as seen in the TTT preview).
Stonewall
[ This Message was edited by: Stonewall on 2002-04-16 11:44 ]
On 2002-04-16 11:43, Stonewall wrote:
Alan Kelly played the bodhran and Alan Doherty played the recorder and Irish flute (I was also a little upset to find that the whistle was not played).
Stonewall
Thanks for the info, Stonewall. I must’ve missed that a few months ago. Are you SURE the whistle is not in FOTR? My sister has the soundtrack and though I haven’t listened to it very much, it sure sounds like a whistle to me–not a recorder or flute.
On 2002-04-16 11:58, Cees wrote:
Are you SURE the whistle is not in FOTR?..it sure sounds like a whistle to me–not a recorder or flute.
I’m pretty sure. I read the stuff about the recorder on one of the credible LOTR movie sites and CLEARLY remember inwardly groaning that they had to use it. Oh well, I guess its one of those recorders that has redeemed itself.
