It was an evening of old-time mountain music of such quality that it was almost heartbreaking. The Foghorn String Band pulled out all the stops on the last night of their tour of the Province to have the Lyric audience hollerin' and whoopin' for more like berserk barn-dancers.
This was one of the most extraordinary nights of inspirational traditional
music that I have ever witnessed. And the hugely encouraging thing about
the delights on offer from the Open House Festival at the Lyric (Moving on
Music on the rest of the Ulster dates) was that these were no old men making music on mandolin, banjo, double bass, guitar and soaring harmonies.
This is the next generation who will ensure that the music of Applachia has come back full circle to be shared with Irish, Scots and multicultural audiences in Europe. It sits proudly alongside fine traditional music of all types on this island and throughout the UK.
Playing old-style round a single microphone, we heard a repertoire including the songs of the Carter family, the Louvin brothers, blazing Kentucky fiddle music from the Bluegrass State and old gospel sounds that the young men of the String Band, who are based in Portland Oregon, have learnt from their grandparents as well as music sources. The Grayson and Whitter song Short Life of Trouble, well known from Ralph Stanley's recording, was one of my Foghorn favourites.
The evening was opened by shape-note tenor and music professor Tim Eriksen
who had no need of amplification for his song style. The musicologist's voice is familiar from the Jude Law and Nicole Kidman movie Cold Mountain and indeed he sang three of the songs on the film's soundtrack. He is also currently working with Hollywood star Billie Bob Thornton on his next movie and tells a fine tale alongside his music. He's taking a number of mastercalsses this week too. Check www.openhousefestival.com for details.
The twinkle-toed Ira Bernstein, who is based in North Carolina, also hardshoed his way into our hearts with his song skills and flatfooting and clogging dances. He was accompanied by virtuoso banjo-player Riley Baugus, also from the
Blue Ridge Mountains. Riley is the singing voice of Irish actor Brendan Gleeson in Cold Mountain and has an hilarious dry raconteur's wit as well.
All the artistes came together for a prolonged finale which raised the rafters. It made for a joyous oldtime gospel Sabbath sound at a feverish pace, which could only lift the spirits of all of us lucky enough to have seen them on this tour. All praise to the funders!
