I just came from two incredible Danu concerts-- Milwaukee at the Irish
Cultural Heritage Center and Chicago at the Old Town School of Folk Music
(Saturday
and Sunday nights-- what a weekend!) This was the first time I've been able to
see the band since discovering their music about a year ago. All I can say is
they were dynamite. No doubt inspired by two fanatical freezing cold
Midwestern audiences just dying to get their blood flowing, the band created
their
patented whirring tornado of high-pitched treble sounds, pumped at twice your
normal speed and volume. Audience ecstasy ensued. So overjoyed was the Chicago
crowd that when button accordionist Brendan McCarthy opened the second set by
joking that he was going to do the rest of the show alone because everyone else
had gone home, the audience applauded as though that had no problem at all
with the prospect. Surely listening to his fingers fly across the accordion
could
easily fill an entire set worth of enjoyment.
But lets face it, there's no slackers in this band, and no matter who is
highlighted, the effect is equally thrilling. Flautist Tom Doorley caused
perhaps the most sensation of all-- he seems capable of climaxing the melody of
every reel with the perfect cap. Violinist, oops, fiddler Oisin McAuley, whether
accompanying a sad song or a fever pitch jig, was equally infectious. Even
singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, when she wasn't gracing the folk songs of
Britain, Ireland, and America with her beautiful singing, could keep you
spellbound
with her tin whistle playing.
At either end of the stage is the rhythm section-- Eamonn Doorely on the
enchanting bazouki (a kind of cross between a twelve string guitar and a banjo)
and Donal Clancy on acoustic guitar. The band was so tight I didn't even
notice that their bodrhan/uillean piper was on leave of absence for the birth of
his child. They just stomped their feet a little louder on the stage to
compensate.
The band played a lot of music from a new CD to be released in spring-- I
think the title was When All Is Said and Done. (A new DVD, One Night Stand,
will be released in March.) For vocal songs, they played a Bob Dylan song as
interpreted by Joan Baez, "Farewell Angelina," and "County Down" from The Road
Less Traveled, and a few other new songs in Gaelic and English. For
instrumental pieces, I recognized the accordion showpiece "The Moving Cloud/Ril
Gan
Alnm," and jigs and reels from just about all their 5 albums. All I can say is,
if
you have a chance to catch this leg of the tour, check them out! And if not,
don't worry, because they will be at ALL THREE DAYS of the 25th annual
Milwaukee Irish Fest in August. -===- om-==-=- Nick
<A HREF="http://www.irishfest.com/">Welcome to Milwaukee Irish Fest, a
celebration of Irish music, cultural and her</A>
Wed 02/02/05 Cincinnati, OH 20th Century Theatre

Fri 02/04/05 Lakewood, NJ Strand Theatre

Sat 02/05/05 Charleston, WV State Theatre

Mon 02/07/05 Kennett Square, PA TBA

Thu 02/10/05 Pawling, NY Towne Crier Cafe

Fri 02/11/05 Somerville, MA Somerville Theatre

Sat 02/12/05 Albany, NY Winter Celtic Festival

appearing with "Edmonton Folk Music Festival"

Sat 08/06/05 Edmonton, AB Gallagher Park

Sun 08/07/05 Edmonton, AB Gallagher Park

Mon 08/08/05 Edmonton, AB Gallagher Park

Fri 08/19/05 Milwaukee, WI Irish Fest

Sat 08/20/05 Milwaukee, WI Irish Fest

Sun 08/21/05 Milwaukee, WI Irish Fest

Fri 08/26/05 Bangor, ME National Folk Festival

Sat 08/27/05 Bangor, ME National Folk Festival

Sun 08/28/05 Bangor, ME National Folk Festival