[ Irish KC ]
Kansas City Irish Festivals, Music, Pubs, & Events by an Artist in Ireland

Can you guess which Kansas City organisation is bringing you one of the Top 50 Music Acts in Ireland Right Now next?

The Irish Times weekly guide to entertainment, The Ticket, a few days ago produced a list of what it considers the Top 50 Music Acts in Ireland Right Now, or Right Then if you prefer. And one of the acts, so far, is currently scheduled to play in the Kansas City area. Can you guess which one?

Let’s have a look at the list through Kansas City Irish eyes, whatever that means.

I’m very happy to see Mick Flannery in at #46. He hasn’t played Kansas City yet, but since former part-time KC resident and fellow Corkman Máirtín de Cógáin gave me Mick’s debut album, Evening Train I’ve been meaning to tell you about him.

Damien Rice is at #34 and Kansas City - or at least Lawrence - has been treated to this miserable son of Ireland more than once, and I reckon you can expect to again.

At #28 is Colm Mac Con Iomaire, a founder member of Kila who appeared in Kansas City as part of the Once movie /Swell Season thing with Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, what with him being a member of The Frames and all. And that Swell Season/Frames/Hansard act is at #11 on the list. But check out Colm’s solo album The Hare’s Corner - one for trad fans that crosses over - I’ve mentioned it before.

A certain little band called Snow Patrol is at #22, and another outfit called U2 is at #18. And the Fab Four’s place on the list is not safe at all. One more dud album and they’re off, if we can even wait the 5 years.

The never not popular Divine Comedy is at #12, and when Neil Hannon visits Kansas City again you can expect another intimate performance from a legenday Irish act, though probably not that Father Ted Eurovision spoof horse thing.

Bell X1 played KC last year. They’re at #9 on the list and I’m probably the only person left who refers to them as the rump Juniper - who you’ll remember in their full form included Mr. Damien Rice.

At #5 in the list is Lisa Hannigan, who skipped Kansas City on her first solo tour. Given that she partnered Damien Rice on all tours following the “O” album, including a rather successful gig in Lawrence with The Frames in support, I wouldn’t be surprised if you get a chance to see her again.

At #1 is David Holmes. And you’ll have heard music by the Belfast man in a cinema near you, for this musician, DJ, producer, composer, is a very successful film scorist, or whatever the term is. His MySpace page only has short samples - which is rubbish but here it is anyway.

And back to the questions I asked you. At #32 is Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill. From the Irish Times list:

Clare-born fiddle maestro Martin Hayes first met up with Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill in the 1980s, when they were members of Windy City fusion band Midnight Court. A musical match was struck when the fiddler returned to his musical roots and the Cahill came along. Theirs is a fluid relationship that has produced some brilliant albums (especially 1999’s “Live in Seattle” and last year’s “Welcome Here Again”). But the true measure of the partnership is in the live shows, when each sparks off the other and the music transcends the setting.

And you can see them perform in Kansas City, courtesy of the Missouri Valley Folklife Society, on Friday, May 8, 2009 at Unity Temple on the Plaza, 77 West 47th Street. Tickets are $20 - a bloody bargain compared to prices in Ireland I can tell you - and you can find out more from the MVFS.

The Hayes & Cahill concert is posted on the Kansas City Irish events calendar.

To be honest I don’t know if Iarla Ó Lionáird (#36) ever played in KC as part of the Afro Celt Sound System, or if Cathal Coughlan (#27) has ever played in KC either solo or as part of Fatima Mansions.

And I should know if The Script (#41) have played or are going to, but the pop-soul rocksters are just so big that they either already have or are certainly going to.

Can you see any other KC connections I’ve missed?

This entry was posted on Monday, April 6th, 2009 at 7:41 am and is filed under 1-eolai, Bell X1, Bono & U2, Damien Rice, Events, Frames, Kila, Lisa Hannigan, MVFS, Snow Patrol. You can follow responses via my RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.