Made it into the office in time to catch up with the Dublin parade, online. Yes, there was one in London as well - goodness knows, I was wise not to head out to that! Apparently, they finished in Trafalgar Square, where there was to be a free party. Now, as I snuggled in the comfort of the office, I marvelled at the downpour outside! Yep, definitely better indoors - ironically, sunny in Dublin too. Well, live long enough, you see it all..
So, I mustered myself out in time for this concert. Start time was advertised as 7. As I made my way towards it, you could hardly miss it - a green glow was visible for some distance.
More photos (and a lot of short videos) here. Inside.. funnily dressed people in the bar, just inside the door. Think sparkly green bow ties. Tricolour flag bunting everywhere. I followed my nose, past the bar and toilet (where the ladies reads "cailíní", rather than the more typical "mná"), to where a gent was standing at the end of the hall. "Kíla?" he asked, helpfully indicating the function room.
Oh my goodness, it's like a GAA function room! And like any GAA function room worth its salt, the bar was open to the side - pity they were understaffed, though! and I had to laugh when I asked for white wine, she started to pour red before I corrected her, then accidentally poured me a glass of rosé. Which she called "rose". Hey-ho, third time lucky..
Funny that it said IN CAPITALS on the ticket that this was standing. 'Coz it wasn't. Well, I was as happy to sit, thanks. First up was Gráinne Hunt, whom I'd never heard of, who entertained us mightily with her solo act of voice and guitar.
After her, we had the small army of kids with instruments that you couldn't fail to notice on the way in. Seems this is an initiative that started some years ago, and brings young practitioners of Irish music together from across the city! Mhuise, it was lovely to listen to. Took me right back. And most of them in GAA jerseys, yet! with a preponderance of green ones. (One of them obviously couldn't lay hands on one, and had wrapped herself in an Irish flag, instead.) They performed some trad pieces, and once they had, we had a break while their chairs were removed from in front of the stage.
They were duly followed by a folk group called The Phoenix Collective (not "Collection" as on the schedule). Hmm. Accomplished musicians, with no sense of passion. I mean, when you've heard The Dubliners' version of songs like The Auld Triangle, or The Irish Rover.. this just sounds very - vanilla. The vegan version of Irish music, I call it. They were encouraging people to dance, but honestly..
The evening was redeemed by the most excellent Kíla, with their wild, psychedelic take on trad rock. Oh yeah. And for them, we danced. You couldn't not.. and the house rocked. Lá 'le Pádraig shona daoibh go léir! Roll on the next one.. as I left, a young trad group was still rocking the bar. Would love to come back here next year. Watch this space..
Tomorrow, I would have loved to go to Betrayal, with Up in the Cheap Seats - but by the time I started looking, cheapest tickets available were £84. Not that keen. So, thinking of a film. And as before, soaring ahead at the top of the list is Maiden, a documentary about the British sailor, Tracy Edwards. It's about the time she skippered the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race - their boat was called Maiden. Anyway, not only does the trailer have dramatic shots of high seas, but also an interesting side story about the British gutter press and the things they called them. Because, you know, any group of girls gathered together does excite such schoolboyish "humour" in the gutter press' minds. Closest showing to me is still in the Curzon Bloomsbury, and being in the DocHouse programme, it's nice and cheap. So, after missing two opportunities to go to it last week - third time lucky? Da boss is still on holiday, so not here to lead me astray..
However, I am keeping Tuesday free, when he's back! See, he was talking about having a discussion (with wine) with the design team. And that's the only night I can make.. wasn't going to do anything exciting anyway.
On Wednesday, I'm back with Let's Do This, for another restaurant trial. This time it's French - Le Sacré Coeur - and we're again meeting in The Crown beforehand. These Meetups are proving very handy for my knowledge of London restaurants! Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend - had holiday days left over from last year that I had to use by the end of this month. Well, that's what the system said..! and who am I to argue?
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