I’ll be making a trip to Boston a few days before and stay until a couple days after Christmas. We’ll be staying in the Harvard Square area.
Can any of you direct me to whistle shops in the area?
Also, though we’ve got a few concerts we will go to (Boston Camerata, Christmas Revels), do any of you know of places where we could hear good Irish music? I’m not looking for a session to play at, but rather simply a good group or a good place near the Square to listen to.
Thanks.
Try the Burren in Davis Sq. Somerville. It’s a 5 minute subway ride from Harvard Sq.
Here’s a link to other sites.
Those links probably cover the session/ITM scene, although I haven’t had a look at that list in a while. Also check the Somerville Theater’s schedule on-line, to see what they have coming up, sometimes ITM groups play there.
As for whistle shops, I don’t know of any really. I mean you can probably still find a few Susato’s hanging around at Von Huene retail shop (the Early Music Shop), but other than that, I haven’t seen any whistles in stores around town, although there must be some Gens and Sweetones here and there. No high end stuff right here in Boston, at least not to my knowledge.
Loren
Not sure about Irish music (but it’s certainly played there sometimes…) but I had to throw a recommendation to my favorite folk/acoustic club. Club Passim is right there in Harvard Square, on Palmer Street…maybe a 5 minute walk from that famous newsstand. 
Highly recommended.
aww, if you’d waited just a couple weeks you could’ve come to BCM Fest (Boston Celtic Music Fest), which takes place right in Cambridge and one of the venues is Club Passim. other than sessions and whatnot I don’t really know…
I wish there was a good whistle or Irish music shop in Boston. You’d think there’d be enough of a trad music scene to support something like that, but I guess not 
I’ve resigned myself to ordering cds online.
cheers,
Sara
Skip the whistle shops in Boston. Or at least make time to go see Eric Royer. Sometimes at local places or in the square. You will enjoy his music.
I’ll second this recommendation. Passim is in the space once occupied by the legendary Club 47 - one of the birthplaces of the 1960s folk music revival. They now serve light meals, but the preformance space hasn’t changed much in the past 45 years. I saw Paddy Keenan play there a few years ago.
Thanks to each of you for your comments. This is very helpful and just what I needed.
I’ve read about the Black Rose as well. Thumbs up or down? Sean Cunningham will be playing some of the nights we are there. Frank Ryan on a couple of others. Anyone heard them?
Have fun at the Boston Camerata concert. I’ve seen them 5 or 6 times over the years, and I’ve never been disappointed. This year’s Christmas program, based on their French Christmas music CD, is one of my favorites.
Sounds like you just miss the Boston Celtic Music Festival in Cambridge the w/e of January 13th & 14th.
Lots of Irish music!!
My wife and I really like their music and decided to create a Christmas vacation around them – a good group to listen to and a great place to visit. It’s a bit far from Hawaii, but we’re looking forward to being there. My wife attended Wellesley for part of her college years and so this will be something of a return visit for her. (So far, the weather looks like it will be tolerable with none of the bitter cold spells that hit Boston now and then.)
Sounds like you just miss the Boston Celtic Music Festival in Cambridge the w/e of January 13th & 14th.
I would like to be there for that, but university life picks up again right before then and there’ll be classes to teach.
So, anyone heard Sean Cunningham?