Last night, I happily attended the Lúnasa gig to mark the launch of their latest album Lá Nua. This has been in the shops for the past four weeks or so.

However, if you are a listener to Mad For Trad, you’d actually have heard it two weeks before anyone else did. But, that’s not what this post is about.

I love live music. There’s only one thing better than going to a gig and that’s playing a gig but last night, I was immensely happy to simply sit and listen.

To say this gig was absolutely amazing would not do it just is. Every single musician in Lúnasa gave it their all last night. It was obvious from every one

of them that they were there to have a great night and as a result, the audience picked up on that and the whole night came together really well. I know

from gigging myself that nights like that are rare and it was definitely the highlight of my year so far to be on the other side of the gig to experience it.

Lá Nua is a fantastic album that continues to enforce the Lúnasa trademark sound but it is so much more than we’ve ever heard from Lúnasa before. With every

album they get tighter but the arrangements in this album personify what Irish traditional music is all about for me. Great tunes, played well, by people

who love every note their playing, by friends who enjoy playing music with each other with intricate arrangements and ornamentation. When you listen to

Lúnasa you don’t hear the flute, pipes, fiddle, guitar or bass, you hear one sound. That’s great but at times, I’ve feel that it almost eliminates the

showmanship that most musicians enjoy demonstrating. Lúnasa have incorporated just the right amount of individuality by letting each instrument take the

lead or the dominant role at different times in different tracks. Kevin Crawford for example plays the whistle like no other can. He’s got a style that just

blows me away every time. He’s got a great stage presents as well. Cillian Vallely certainly get his fair share of the spotlight. He plays haunting slow airs

filled with emotion and played with the most amazing skill. Sean Smyth, one of the founding members of the band is electric. He’s got a very different style

than Kevin and when changing from one musicians solo to the other, it’s like getting a breath of cold air to wake you up after you get settled in a warm

seat. Ha-ha. That’s the best way I can describe it. When the two play together, it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. They jell seamlessly

without effort. Then again, the same can be said for all the musicians in the band. Paul Meehan, the guitar player has amazing rhythm. He seems so quiet and

relaxed but wow that man sticks the entire sound together. Trevor Hutchinson has an abundance of experience. I would guess that he can play any style. He

seems to just lie across the Lúnasa sound adding a core that helps to make the sound immediately identifiable. Of course, there are other groups with bass

players, but the structure he brings almost makes up the trademark signature of Lúnasa.
Now, there’s one thing to be aware of when I’m listening or playing Irish music, Take me as I am, or don’t take me at all. I become unreserved, uncaring,

unfazed by anything. All inhibitions go out the window. It is the most relaxing thing I can do.

I’m telling you this to introduce you to my thinking when I’m in that kind of environment.

At the gig last night, they had played about four or five sets and the place was hopping! The buzz was unbelievable. The people who came were obviously fans

of Lúnasa in particular.

They introduced a set of tunes by saying that it was one from their first CD, The merry sisters of fate. Kevin commented that when they released it, people

told them they’d win awards for it. My heart nearly leapt onto the floor beside me. I’d been told of how this set of tunes is completely different live to

listening to it on CD. In fact, it was this set of tunes that was used to introduce me to Lúnasa for the first time. I remember the night and the place and

the time still because it honestly changed my outlook on traditional music and gave me a whole collection of artists to link to from this band. The set is

called “Good morning nightcap”.

But, what if they didn’t play it? What if they were talking about some other insignificant tune on that album? I couldn’t take that chance. They! Had! To!

Know! I! Wanted! “Good morning nightcap!” So, I made it known… To Emma’s complete and utter mortification, I shouted it as loud as I could. It just came

out! Before I could stop myself. The thought’s running through my head were, I’ll not forgive myself tomorrow if they play a different tune and I didn’t

shout something……… So, I did! I can’t help these things. Nor would I want to! Ok, they may not have heard me, and they probably already had made

their mind up to play good morning nightcap but I don’t care. I took the chance! Sometimes, you just have to grab the bull by the horns and give him a good

talking to. And that’s what my brain did last night.

A few people around us turned suddenly, I think I frightened them. Hahahahaha.

Na. I still don’t care. I was too over joyed to hear this fantastic piece of music played live.

The only thing that bothered me a tiny tiny bit is Emma cannot understand how cool that is. How fantastic it is for me to finally hear it live. I suppose

when you’re not a musician, you just don’t have the same meaning behind some music. Or, maybe you do but …. ah, who knows?

So, after they finally played it, I was on cloud nine for the rest of the night. In fact, I’m still on cloud nine. I haven’t stepped down yet. Nor do I

want to for a long time yet. I listened to the video that I’ve now included below a few times today and I remember why this tune is so damn fantastic.

Sorry if you don’t get it. But to explain, right, it starts off with the drones on the pipes. Then the regulators play a theme that will continue through

the first bit of the first tune. Then the guitar comes in with that cool rhythm. Then the fiddle. The way they build up the tune is completely unusual and

it really complements every instrument. Even the second tune. When you hear it, you’d think it’s in e minor if you are a whistle or a pipe player until you

let it sink in a little and you realise he’s playing a C whistle with the same fingering as the E minor on the D when in fact he’s playing D minor on a C.

ON the third tune then they go to G with everyone joining in. It is just amazing.

After the gig, I was delighted to meet up with all the members of the band except Sean. Emma spoke to him while I was talking to Cillian for an extended

amount of time. As anyone who knows Irish traditional pipe players, you’ll know that when we get together, we can talk for hours on end about different

pipes, pipe makers, tuning, new sets; new players… the conversations can go on and on forever! I got the CD signed as well.

I’d write more but my lunch break is ending shortly so I better get back to do some work and this has already gone to three A4 pages so you’re probably sick

of reading.

A few other things to remember as well were, before the gig, we got talking to two sisters from Donegal. Eleanor and Unna. Eleanor plays the concertina and

Unna plays the flute. I could tell they were as delighted to be there as I was. The two of them were great craic and actually regularly play at a session

that I’ve not been to in quite a while. Funny, although we’ve been going there for quite a while, we’d never crossed paths before Thursday night. I get the

impression that their family is very musical. I can’t wait to have a few tunes with them in the next month or so.

After the gig, I was approached by Mikey Smith, a piper legendary for his technique. He gave me a CD that he recorded a few years ago and I’m still enjoying

it even now as I write this. Mikey has always impressed with his very tight piping and this quality is very much pronounced in this album.

Over all, Thursday’s Lúnasa gig was the best gig I’ve been to in a very long time. I can’t wait until the next one.

The video I’ve been talking about? Good morning nightcap. Hearing is believing.

Slowing things down a little:

Featuring the guitar at the start: This fella is fantastic.

I have two other videos. I might upload them if people ask me to.