Lúnasa and Tim O'Brien USA Tour

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A reminder that Lúnasa and Tim O'Brien are doing a 4-week tour in the USA starting February 25. Concert details here:

http://www.lunasa.ie/lunasa-tourdates/

I'll be at the Seattle date, where I've seen Lunasa at the Triple Door before and it was a fantastic concert. I can't wait to hear what Tim does with this group on mandolin and (presumably) vocals. Tim is always amazing, and Lúnasa is a killer act, if you're at all interested in Irish traditional music.

[Mark Christensen]

I'll be at the Alberta Rose show in Portland, should be great, looking forward to hear what they come up with together. I'd love to hear a version of Tims "Irelands Green Shore" Have fun!

[Jim_G]

I caught their show here in Massachusetts over the weekend. I know nothing about Irish music, I just happened to be checking tour dates for Tim O'Brien and saw that 'hey, he's playing 2 towns over, at a venue I never heard of!'.

There were indeed plenty of vocals from Tim. The first set opened with Tim on guitar and 2 guys from Lunasa. He was doing his honky tonk-ish stuff to start. The rest of the band came out one at a time and the tunes gradually turned more Irish, until last was the flute player who joked that he didn't think Tim was ever going to invite him on stage, and that he was only getting paid half. That was just the start of an endless string of quips from him. The big reveal for myself and my wife was the Pipe player. Phew, he was incredible and put the whole thing over the top.

The second set was heavy on Lunasa instrumentals. Tim came back out periodically to join them. Before the night was through he played guitar, mandolin, and fiddle.

I did pick up a couple of CD's, including the second one from Lunasa. Still digesting that. I noticed that the guitar and fiddle players on the CD were not the guys who played the other night. I didn't know what to make of the guitar player, who did talk a bit during the night. At one point they called him Pierre, this small French guy they picked up, and indeed he was speaking with a french accent. Later it was revealed his name was Ed and he was a Brit. He also looked to be singing harmony with Tim, but the mike was pointing over his head, so you couldn't hear him.

I hope this is okay and not too much of a spoiler. I'm still new around here and not sure about the rules.

[Colin Lindsay]

I didn't know what to make of the guitar player, who did talk a bit during the night. At one point they called him Pierre, this small French guy they picked up, and indeed he was speaking with a french accent. Later it was revealed his name was Ed and he was a Brit. He also looked to be singing harmony with Tim, but the mike was pointing over his head, so you couldn't hear him.

I hope this is okay and not too much of a spoiler.

Fake accent, false name, can't use a mic, pretends to sing.... sounds like some of the Irish performers I know...

[Dagger Gordon]

I believe Pierre or Ed is Ed Boyd - who is best known for his work with Flook. A great player.

[Jim_G]

I'm pretty sure his name really was Ed. During some of the quieter numbers in the second set, you could tell he was very good.

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Yep, that's most likely Ed Boyd on guitar, who joined the band shortly before the last time I saw them a couple years ago.

The fiddler who has been with them for most of their history is Seán Smyth, but I think he only performs with them occasionally now in Ireland, since he's gone back to practicing medicine as a "country doctor" on a more full time basis. On the longer international tours they use other fiddlers. I don't know the name of the current one, but he must be good to be playing with this group.

Looking forward to seeing them here with Tim O'Brien in a few weeks.

[Gerry Cassidy]

I caught their show here in Massachusetts over the weekend. I know nothing about Irish music, I just happened to be checking tour dates for Tim O'Brien and saw that 'hey, he's playing 2 towns over, at a venue I never heard of!'.

There were indeed plenty of vocals from Tim. The first set opened with Tim on guitar and 2 guys from Lunasa. He was doing his honky tonk-ish stuff to start. The rest of the band came out one at a time and the tunes gradually turned more Irish, until last was the flute player who joked that he didn't think Tim was ever going to invite him on stage, and that he was only getting paid half. That was just the start of an endless string of quips from him. The big reveal for myself and my wife was the Pipe player. Phew, he was incredible and put the whole thing over the top.

The second set was heavy on Lunasa instrumentals. Tim came back out periodically to join them. Before the night was through he played guitar, mandolin, and fiddle.

I did pick up a couple of CD's, including the second one from Lunasa. Still digesting that. I noticed that the guitar and fiddle players on the CD were not the guys who played the other night. I didn't know what to make of the guitar player, who did talk a bit during the night. At one point they called him Pierre, this small French guy they picked up, and indeed he was speaking with a french accent. Later it was revealed his name was Ed and he was a Brit. He also looked to be singing harmony with Tim, but the mike was pointing over his head, so you couldn't hear him.

I hope this is okay and not too much of a spoiler. I'm still new around here and not sure about the rules.

Someone at this show posted a video on YouTube. I caught bits of it yesterday. Looking like it will be a fun show. I've seen Lunasa quite a few times and I've seen Tim once, but I've never seen them together! LOL!

I get to see them at the new Musical Instrument Museum theater which is one of, if not the best room in the Valley of the Sun. Also catching the Sierra Hull show at the same venue, both shows are one week apart. Gonna be a good March!