First Sessions

I made my first attempt at playing in the pubs this weekend. I went into Belfast Friday night planning on going to a few pubs just to listen to music and have a drink. Christina Lind and I met another friend of ours by the City Hall and went to Kelly's Cellars. I've been there a couple times and like it because it actually feels like a cellar. We had planned on meeting someone at Madden's later on, so we made our way there. Madden's is rather dark inside but has a warm, cozy feeling to it. A bagpiper and a mandola player were starting to play when we got there. Both were great and I visited with them for some time.

"Where's your fiddle?"
--Hazlett, a Belfast Mandola player
"In Newtownabbey"
--Me
"Nah mate, you never come to Belfast without a weapon."
--Hazlett

An American fiddler showed up, along with an American banjo player. I thanked them for the music and got up to go back to my table but they put the fiddle in my hands. I played a song that I knew for them, and they joined in. I didn't know any of their tunes but sat for one more with them.

The fiddler from Madden's told me about a session on Saturday evenings at the John Hewitt. The session was well underway when I got there at 7. A left-handed fiddle, a bohdran, a mandolin, a banjo, an accordian, and five flutes surrounded two tables in the front corner of the place. This corner was elevated above the rest of the pub and had just enough room for everyone. I liked the feeling of the musicians being apart from the rest of the public. All of the gentleman were older locals that knew each other well, but were very welcoming to a young American with questionable musical talent. I was bought two pints besides the one I had gotten myself. I had a faint memory of one of the tunes they played, but not enough to play it well. I didn't get much playing in to speak of because of my slow ear-to-brain-to-finger reactions, but did start to get the flavor of real Irish music. I will return the this session.

Zach Silverman and Brad Robinson met me at the John Hewitt, and after a stop at the American Embassy (McDonald's) we made our way to The Hercules. The Herc has music on its second floor, which feels like a cave because of its lack of windows. This was a large session, and I cannot recall how many people or instruments were there. I heard from others at the session that one fiddler and one flute player were notable and well known in session circles. The musicians there were also quite friendly but the atmosphere was a little more intense. There were more than enough instruments there to get lost in all the racket. It will take several sessions to really get into the swing of the music and learn to pick out the tunes and play them. It's a lesson I should have learned years ago, but here I am. I will make the most of the time and opportunity and immerse myself in some of the the finest music there is.