Thursday, September 18, 2008

ICONS Day 3: Not hard to get through a "soft day"

Early Sunday evening, ICONS Director/Grand Poobah Brian O'Donovan looked out from the stage at the misty dusk and told the audience, "As you can see, we imported some soft Irish weather just for the occasion."






Although somewhat warmer and more humid than one might usually expect in Ireland, the last installment of ICONS 2008 did indeed have the feel of a "soft day" in the Auld Sod. Fortunately, Footworks had the appropriate footwear.











Of course, ICONS seeks to recreate aspects of various Irish life, history and culture, such as offering tea and various goodies:









Or displaying documents and exhibits and providing expertise on Irish ancestry in the Genealogy Tent:










Or inviting four-footed friends with Irish connections:








Not to mention other kinds of creatures:









* * *
While Sunday still felt somewhat summery, the drive to Canton revealed more than a few leaves beginning to change their colors. So it was quite appropriate for ICONS to feature a program of songs, dances, stories and other customs related to harvest time from American, Irish and Breton traditions, presented by Revels Repertory Co.


Revels is well-known for its annual Christmas show in Harvard University's Sanders Theater, but in recent years has become quite the movable feast: They also put on events to commemorate the arrival of spring and summer, and their autumnal "River Sing" will be this Sunday (Sept. 21). Revels Repertory Co., or "Revels Rep," brings Revels programs to public venues and schools throughout southern New England.

* * *

Besides featuring individual acts in the conventional stage manner, the festival also is in the habit of organizing once-in-a-lifetime-type events that pull together various performers. These include "summits" for various instruments: banjo (Alison Brown, Louis McCarthy, Solas' Seamus Egan and Crooked Still's Greg Lizst); guitar (Tony McManus, John Doyle, Donal Clancy -- that's him in the photo below -- and Lunasa's Paul Meehan) and fiddle (including Tommy McCarthy, Solas' Winifred Horan and Sean Smyth of Lunasa).

One of the most anticipated of these was the pairing of Cape Breton fiddle legend Jerry Holland (a native of nearby Brockton) and John Doyle. Holland's battle with cancer over the past few years has been a point of great concern for his many friends and fans, but by all accounts he seemed fit as always – and enjoyed himself immensely.

John looked like he was having a good time as well.
(Disclaimer: I wasn't able to attend the Jerry-John duet; this photo was taken by Paul Wells.)

* * *
For me (and I suspect I'm not alone), a good music festival needs a really wide-ranging volume control. It can't always go up to 11. Yes, I love the pulse-pounding stuff that a Lunasa or Le Vent du Nord offers up.
Le Vent du Nord, staying dry


















(L-R) Cillian Vallely, Sean Smyth and Paul Meehan of Lunasa

But I also like the more "middle-range" spectrum inhabited by the likes of say, Liadan (particularly when all of them sing together), or Chulrua.











And for quiet intensity, it's hard to beat Tony McManus, or a tentful of harps, AKA Harpalooza, one of ICONS' perennial favorites.

















So, with all due respect to Nigel Tufnel: No, not everything needs to go up to 11.

(Coming up next: The ICONS Finale)

No comments: