Tomorrow begins Irishfest. I am about half Irish and the Reddess is about just barely out of Galway. Irish culture fascinates me because it is at once God-haunted and remarkably earthy. We love our words. In those ways, it represents a quintessential strain in Catholicism.
But we want to focos on the music. One of the best artists of eration is Delores O'Riordan and her band, the Cranberries. She has managed to write one of the best (if not the best) anti-war anthems (and, yes, they are important just as we must honor warriors) in Zombie.
But she also wrote a wonderful song about families. Not foolishly sentimental and not mindlessly transgressive. Listen to this - really listen - and see if you don't cry. We Boomers love our popular music. This is as good as anything our idols ever produced.
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Zombie Zombie Zombeh beh beh beh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Sorry...I get carried away this time of year.
One of my favorites is U2 (Bono-hubba hubba) Sunday Bloody Sunday.
This made me think back about an Irish friend that could drink all night at a bar, hit on every women, not spend one penny and everyone would love him. The only thing better then that was a redheaded Irish girl.
Any acts particularly worth checking out this year?
I don't know if there is anyone better than usual. There is the wizard Natalie McMaster. I'm not the Gaelic Storm fan that some people are, but they are very good. I am sort of interested in catching the Pogeys and the Screaming Orphans, but there is always someone who will surprise you at Irishfest. I have never heard much of Milwaukee's Whiskey of the Damned, but, from what I have heard, they may be the type of band that you wouldn't expect a Culture Con like me to like, but I do. Sort of like Black 47, the Pogues and the Dropkick Murphys. (Someday I'll post on why this makes perfect sense.) I know that WOD does a great version of the Molly MacGuires.
And, whatever you do, don't forget to stop and pet the Irish Wolfhounds. Magnificent creatures.
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