North Texas Irish Festival?

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 10:31 AM

Barry,

Thanks for outlining the membership in that group. I wondered how many of them might actually be Tommy's sons.

SRS

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 11:18 AM

The entire Dublin crowd ( has beens ) will be there this year.

Think one of the Dixie Chicks got hithed to a gamblin Dub, that would explain the attractiun. Course that's not saying some of the old foagies that are comming would be that stupid, but ya never know.

We will be hanging around the Workshops at the Automobile Museum, sans Instruments OC 'cause such things get stolen so easily.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 12:35 AM

has beens ? Dixie Chicks ? old foagies?

I don't get it.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 12:51 AM

He doesn't, either. :)

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Marion
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 01:19 AM

Unfortunately, Jed, the idea of a girl pouring beer in a Lonestar shirt was a suggestion, not an offer. I plan to be too busy pouring the meds.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 12:26 PM

Tommy Makum 1950's phoagy ... now I don't get that?

Old hairy hippyy pipers and fiddlers spakin with Dub accents, nor that.

For the uninitiated, the Dubs have been long moved into, and established, in Dallas. Dubs are people from Dublin who speak with a funny Irish accent, sorta like a New York drawl but the Irish kind. Also the Dubs don't mix well with Irish country folks - Culchies.

Dixie Chicks are not playing at the Irish Festival BTW.

Jed I ain't slaggin you am I? besides I like your music.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 07 - 10:54 AM

My wife and I are going to NTIF because she wants to hear Tommy Makum. I don't know anything about Irish music. Are there any other "Must See" acts? Do you have any personal favorites to recommend? Thank you in advance for your help.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 06:25 PM

Sorry to say that Tommy will NOT make the festival. He is poorly again and in hospital. I just got the news today.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 06:28 PM

Must see?

Cathy Ryan
Makem Brothers
Brian McNeill
Ed Miller
and me!

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 06:28 PM

And another Mudcat group - ROUND THE HOUSE from Tucson ... gotta see them and say a Mudcat hello!

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,Sharon G
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 06:40 PM

Thanks Jed-
We're practically counting the hours...

And if you come to one of our sets, we have these really cool green mini-frisbees this year that have our new logo on them.

See you ... Friday or Saturday?

Sharon

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 09:46 PM

I'll look forward to saying hello sometime over the weekend, Sharon. I'll check the shedule to see where you're at ... maybe at the hotel?

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 01 Mar 07 - 07:18 AM

After talking to my folks I'll be watching out for one of Ireland's top fidders and best kept secret, Matt Cranitch. He also is the author of the first authorative book on Irish dance fiddling since John Roach's work way back in the 1900's.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 01 Mar 07 - 08:54 AM

Matt is with Sliabh Notes?

Another must see fir NTIF this year.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,Sharon G
Date: 01 Mar 07 - 10:44 AM

Very sad to see that Tommy Makem won't be at the festival...that would have been very special.

FYI the schedule has been updated, and Round the House (my band) will be on the Trinity Stage at 1 pm Sunday as well as the Pub Stage 11 am Sat and Claire Zucker will be teaching a clogging workshop 1 pm Sat, with Round the House backing her up.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 01 Mar 07 - 11:02 AM

Thanks Sharon. I'll come to one of the shows.

I'm on Trinity at 8:30 on Friday, 2 on Saturday and 3 on Sunday.

I'm on the Star & Harp Pub Stage on Saturday at 8.

I'm leaving shortly to pick up Tom Leighton at the airport - and the festival begins for me. I have Karen Mall coming in today too, and my son Jaime so we'll be working tonight on the music at the hotel (I know, I know, rehearsing is cheating, right?). And tomorrow I have a TV spot in the AM and then our last rehearsal. I still have to find an amp for Tom's piano - and get materials to the festival grounds ... it'll be a full weekend ... and I am looking forward to it.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Wesley S
Date: 01 Mar 07 - 11:08 AM

What's the TV spot ? Perhaps my 6 year old might let us watch something other than Higgley Town Heros.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 01 Mar 07 - 11:44 AM

I'll be on the NBC 5 morning program, between 10 and 11 AM. Probably a "teaser" or two and 3 minute spot at 1030 or so - but I don;t know, so you'll have to watch and see.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Mar 07 - 04:38 PM

refresh for the weekend

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 04 Mar 07 - 12:00 PM

Beautiful weather for a festival in Texas this Sunday morning. There's still plenty of great music to go including Round the House at 1:00 and Jed Marum on the same stage at 3:00.
- Phil

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 04 Mar 07 - 10:22 PM

All was well with our trip, except on hearing the weather for Saturday AM, cold weather, we elected to stay with friends, about hour and a half south of Dallas, on Friday night and stayed until late morning. It was bitter cold for us, used to S Texas. Arrived around 2PM to a traffic jam all over the Fair Park Complex. There was two other events going on at the same location and time as the NTIF!

Very very bad planning there!

It took us nearly an hour to get the last 2 miles and parking about half a mile away from the activities. About an hour before we entered the traffic jam our friend called and was a little worried. Not to worry sez I - not knowing how well Dallas FP managed to screw up access to the NTIF - we'll be there in no time. Yeah right!

Never been to this venue before and was shocked to see the mass of people there. Also to add salt to the soup, they mixed up the workshops and stages and stalls in a big malee of people, some well on the way to being drunk while in a crowded place. But happily such merry souls could not get a hold of an electric guitar which is what I have seen before in such surroundings.

Because everything was higgledy piggledy one could scarcely hear what was happening even over the loudspeakers. So if one wanted to hear a band perform - we went to see Sliabh Notes 7PM Sat Trinity Stage - sitting near the front was the only option.

Generall impression, for those who have worked in a modern mechanical plant where there is radio over the PA, the experience was about the same. Some you could hear some you could not. The noise was horrendous, people were shouting sometimes AT one another.

We stood not three feet from a fine Irish Piper ( not on the roster of
booked artists ) playing without an amplifier, and we could barely hear what he was doing - ie regulator, decoration etc.

A very bad arrangement all the way around.

Nonetheless for specialist vendors, other Celtic activities eg Scottish Clans, it was a great event. Lots and lots of sales! Some were roping the dollars in by the thousands. No kidding!

Since the Sunday weather forecast more cold on the way, we moved on Saturday night around 9.0 PM, and driving south back through Fort Worth were soon laid out relaxing with refreshments in our friends warm house. We played a few tunes on some TWs brought from Ireland by our Irish friends. Very very nice! real Irish whistles ...yummm yummm.

Seen some mighty custom Bodhrawns, loved to take one home but could not afford.

Recommend next year but not to listen to music, more like a good weekend to test your appetite for beer and other things.

Noisy but interesting, shame about the nasty crowds- bad planning? - and bad luck with a near 30s wind chill.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 04 Mar 07 - 11:24 PM

Record crowds, lovely weather, great music on all stages.

I particularly loved Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman - but Grada and The Makems were wonderful. Didn't see/hear much of Cathy Ryan, since I was opposite her for my shows - but spent some time with Ed Miller and Brian McNeill, on and off stage.

One of the very best non-headline acts was Tin Smith [Link Fairy]. A very very fine band from the DC area - a real treat.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 12:22 AM

Here's that link.

Sorry I didn't make it over, various reasons, none great, but pressing nonetheless. (Also, the cold wind kills my eyes--dry eye is a bitch.) I suspect I'd have been gnashing my teeth over the traffic--the main reason I rarely drive to Dallas (45 miles away). I think the train to the bus would be an excellent option if the train between Fort Worth and Dallas ran later in the evening than it does.

I'm glad to read that Jed and sorefingers had a good time. I don't know about the recommendation, though, sorefingers--if you can't hear the music, that's bad enough, but to go hang out in a crowd of people, many of them drunk Texans?

SRS

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 11:54 AM

http://www.nbc5i.com/community/10992678/detail.html Link Leprechaun

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 12:29 PM

Hey hey - cool. Thank guest.

Ya think I'd have at least combed my hair!!

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 12:43 PM

You have a head, it least. I was starting to wonder.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 01:01 PM

LOL!

You know ya just can't have too much.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 06:38 PM

Forgot to mention most of the stuff was inside of big barn type buildings so there wasn't that much outside in the cold wind.

Never seen anything like it anywhere- in the world - ever in 50 years of Irish festivals!

I think a lot of noisy drunks were inside this year because it was so cold outside. And that is what ruined our trip. And mentioning drunks, it was great business for the Dubliner owned bars of Dallas and their services at the festival. Odd too when I consider that south of the Mason Dixon line anything stronger than root-beer is nearly criminal in most places and criminal in quite a few. So much for Southern Evangelical influence. This NTIF was a drinking convention with a live music for wallpaper and craft stores for entertainment.

Next time - if there is one - we will be shopping and sipping the beer instead of trying to do the concert thing.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: SouthernCelt
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 08:26 PM

Sorefingers, I find it interesting you've talked so much about the drunks ruining the entertainment. I had apologized to Jed in an off-board communication not too long ago about leaving a pub show of his early because the drunks started drowning out his songs (and requesting songs that aren't the kind of thing I'd want to hear from someone of Jed's genre). I told him that's why I preferred festivals and shows of that type because the drunks didn't interfere with the music. I guess that's not true in all cases.
SC

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 01:55 AM

My son was browsing the vendors behind an older Irish couple. Her cellular telephone dropped out of her purse. My son picked it up, caught up with them, and returned the telephone to her. She thanked him, then reached into her purse and pulled on a rather nice blue leather cell phone case. Instead of putting the telephone in the case she shook it in her husband's face – "See now, I've almost lost my mobile and it's all the fault of your bloody teeth!"

Snapshots of some of the people, places, and things from this thread can be viewed
here
- Phil

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 08:57 AM

For all the talk about drunks at NTIF, and out 50,000 people there have been some; I didn't see any. Not one.

I love the pics, Phil.

If you wanted to sit and listen to music, on the main stages - there were few distractions. The stages and audience areas are pretty well organized. Each seats about 800 with standing room for half again that number - while festival traffic can pass in view and within sound - beyond the seating.

It is less then an ideal, concert sort of environment - but managed pretty well for an indoor facility and a very large crowd.

Most people attending enjoyed the event, braved the crush of the crowd patiently and saw some great music.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,Claire, RTH
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 02:26 PM

NTIF was wonderful. Big coodoos to the fabulous volunteers that make this happen every year. The music is definitely the featured element of this festival, not the beer. And even though there are tons of vendors, the music, dance, workshops really are the pride of the event. Probably the most rewarding part of this festival for me (besides performing) is hearing other bands and having a chance to talk about our mutual efforts in the music business.

Jed - I can't believe I only saw you for 10 seconds, and that was when I was rushing around doing the band business thing. Next time we cross paths, we will have to make some time to talk.

Phil, it was great to meet you. And the photos are great, though you caught me when I was in another world with that song. It is interesting to see how intense I look when singing those solo pieces.

All the best,

Claire

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 05:43 PM

" it was like a Bluegrass Festival in the middle of a busy Interstate intersection "

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 05:46 PM

You're welcome, glad you enjoyed the clip. Thank you for recommending some good acts to see. Shit howdy, the festival was fun, what with the drinking and all. My drunken Texan moma and drunken Texan wife shopped at all the booths. They were the ones with cow horns and beer holders on the baby stroller. My drunken Texan kids played with all the other drunken Texan kids at the Urchin area. I just hung around the stages, drinking and bothering people. Then we all piled back into the truck, with my drunken Texan moma and drunken Texan dogs passed out in the back, and weaved on down the road playing all our new cds way too loud and tried to find the ranch. Took us two days.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: nosluap57
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 11:00 PM

Maybe sorefingers was totally p*ss*d about the traffic getting to Fair Park, in part caused by other events being held simultaneously? And that set the tone for his entire NTIF experience?

I'm sorry if that is the case, but the SCMA has no control over Dallas traffic, much less what other events are happening at Fair Park. I hope he decides to give it another try next year, because NTIF is one helluva festival. Take the shuttle bus from the hotel next year, it may not be any quicker, but it sure will be less stressful, and you might end up making a new friend or two on the way.


The sound technicians did a great job, considering the stages are setup in what are basically warehouses with concrete floors. I had no trouble at all hearing the bands on the big stages (Trinity and Shamrock).

I've attended NTIF for 21 years, and have never seen an obnoxious drunk. Pretty remarkable when you consider the numbers of people that attend.

Sorefingers, I hope you do decide to return next year, and for many more after that. That way NTIF could take on another entirely different quality for you as it has for me - it has become an annual "family reunion". I see friends there from all over the country that I only see that one time a year. Whether they be other volunteers or musicians, it is always such a treat to catch up on old times and renew those friendships.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: GUEST,CN
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 02:42 PM

Just got back from the weekend in Dallas - a great event organised by a terrific bunch of people. I wasn't aware of any excessive drinking, and have nothing but praise for the sound people who do pretty well in a difficult situation.

I was surprised to see so many people in period dress of different types - very much along the renaissance fair model. There were an awful lot of dogs there too, many of whom were also in fancy dress of various types.

A great event nonetheless.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 10:34 AM

Uncle Phil snapped a few pics and I've added them to a quick slide show here.

Thanks Phil!

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: SouthernCelt
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 12:57 PM

Hey, Jed.

I tried viewing the slide show and it says I have to log in (as you) to view (and edit, upload, etc.). Am I doing something wrong?

BTW, did you get my last letter/package of info?

SC
(Wayne Anderson)

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: JedMarum
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 01:27 PM

Well I have 'em running on my website now.

Yes - your package came while I was out of town. I've just gotten back today, so I haven't but looked through it, yet. Thanks kindly. I'll have a few days to review the material the next few days. I appreciate you thinking of me with this info.

Subject: RE: North Texas Irish Festival?
From: SouthernCelt
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 01:39 PM

Thanks for the prompt reply. Took a quick look just now.

Be sure to get back to me either PM, e-mail or on here with more info on your Jackson Crossroads Reeanactment appearance in late April. I'm going to try to make the Saturday event but I'd like to know when you'll be appearing so I can be sure to be there at the right time. The venue website doesn't really have much info on the event features except for the reenactments and the reenactors-only portions.

Thanks again,
SC

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