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1 Recording complete…

Our vision of having Kieran’s album finished by Christmas looks like becoming a reality – we finished recording the last three songs Monday and Tuesday and I mixed it over the next couple of days – a few minor edits, mastering then we’ll be away! It’s going to be called The Road so Far and is Kieran’s first solo album.

As Charlie Watts said of being in The Stones for 25 years – ‘five years of playing and 20 years of waiting around’ – a sentiment no doubt shared by Mark as he takes a break during this week’s session…

0 Live CD and other recording news…

The live recording from Dan’s Memorial concert is just about finished – we should have a tidy little 12 track CD available for sale in the not too distant future, featuring some of the highlights from that memorable night. Stay tuned…

The other big news is that we’ve locked in the recording dates for completing Kieran’s debut album as well – next Monday and Tuesday it’ll all happen and the completed album won’t be far behind that. Definitely a pre-Christmas (2012) release!

This Sunday morning you can hear us on the wireless as we play live to air on radio 3RPP – click on the link in the gig guide to your right and you can stream it online if you’re not in the area. Should be a cracker and a great way to warm up before our fantastic Sunday afternoon monthly residency at the Bay Hotel in Mornington.

0 McNeilly turns 50…

Our illustrious bass player Mark McNeilly turned 50 on the 27th so we celebrated his birthday in style yesterday at our regular Bay Hotel gig in Mornington.

Frosty had turned his half century into a week long affair, raising the bat repeatedly to all corners of the ground. He started on Tuesday and continued on through to the time of writing, so needless to say he turned up at the gig looking as white as his hair. A couple of stabilisers, however, and he was in fine fettle.

Mark has played in the Irish scene for 30 years – Dan O’Connell’s gig was testament to that – on that night he played banjo in Tara, bass in Seldom Sober, bass, banjo, whistle and guitar in Shanakee and bass and banjo in Highland Paddy. He needed a bex and a lie down at the end of that little lot!

He is a stalwart, a doyen, an ornament and one of the best blokes you could ever hope to meet. Happy birthday McNeilly!

0 Celtic Club – magic night!

Dan O’Connell’s 10th Anniversary memorial concert was an amazing night – a room full of people, a lineup of some of the best Celtic bands ever assembled in Melbourne and a great celebration. We also raised $4,500 for the Very Special Kids Charity which was also fantastic!

Paddy Fitz and Friends, Tara, Shanakee, Seldom Sober, Allan and Ross O’Connell, Cooney’s Brew and Highland Paddy all performed on the night with a myriad of special guests popping onto the stage over the course of the evening.

The night was recorded and filmed and we’re (as in me, Dave Walker) currently cobbling it all together and working on producing a live album and DVD of the night. More details on that to come in the next few weeks.

The next show for Shanakee is this Sunday at The Bay Hotel in Mornington, followed by our regular at the Celtic Club on November 4th. Look forward to seeing you there!