Journal - Tim O'Brien

Past Thursday evening, I moseyed over to the Errigal Inn bar on Ormeau Road to take in an anticipated concert: featured artist Tim O'Brien and friend Ray Bonneville. I guess it is rather strange to hear American bluegrass-folk-country-blues music in Belfast, but the crowd was very supportive and full. I admit it felt a bit awkward attending an event like this on my own, but the relatively high price (in student terms) and the bluegrass unfamiliarity discouraged anyone of my friends from attending as well. And when the music started, the awkwardness ended.

First up was Ray, who I would most succinctly describe as a more bluesy Bob Dylan. His combination of electric guitar, vocals, harmonica, and stomping feet made for an enjoyable hour-long set. Tim switched places with him, and although I was initially surprised not to see a mandolin, I was pleased to see him use various instruments throughout the show: guitar, fiddle, bouzouki. His song about visiting Ireland ("Talkin' Cavan" on The Crossing) might not have been the most appropriate choice for a Belfast crowd (the lyrics "his people are what you call West Brits, they're the ones that treated my people like dirt" wasn't received with much laughter), but they soon forgave him after he sipped on Guinness between songs and described how when he plays bluegrass tunes, "I'm just playing Irish music through another filter." The audience became more engaged and enthusiastic as the set progressed, especially after bringing out the fiddle and then some good old repertoire like "Kelly Joe's Shoes." Ray came back for a few songs at the end, including "Working on a Building" and "Forty-Nine Keep On Talking," which recalls a trip the two made down south to Richard Thompson play in Memphis and visit Louisiana Mardi Gras. The audience easily convinced Tim to return for two encores, including one with the hauntingly beautiful "Brother Wind." I'm pretty sure most people left satisfied after 2 1/2 hours of quality music.

It was quite interesting for me to hear Tim mention that he hears Irish music behind most of the bluegrass he plays. He explored these connections on two good albums (The Crossing and Two Journeys), using songs and musicians from both sides of the Atlantic. Tim has also been a part of the Transatlantic Sessions, a gathering of top musicians from Ireland, Scotland, and Nashville, now in it's third installment. You can watch all six episodes of the Transatlantic Sessions 3 (featuring musicians like Jerry Douglas, Darrell Scott, Russ Barenberg, Paul Brady, Ronan Browne, Donal Lunny, Aly Bain, Julie Fowlis, and Catriona McKay) from the RTE website here. I highly recommend checking it out, and seeking material from any of the other musicians invited to participate.

It was a timely quote because I just had just finished writing an essay for my Irish Traditional Music class on "The Irish Origins of Appalachian Folk Music," dealing with exactly this point. Many people have commented on the similarities of music from Ireland and Scotland and that of American folk music, particularly that originating in the mountainous Appalachian region, noting commonalities in everything from culture and feel to instruments and specific songs. There are good historical reasons for this, dating back several centuries. In the 1600s, thousands of people from Scotland settled the Ulster Plantations in northern Ireland. Many of these "Ulster-Scots" or "Scotch-Irish" then emigrated to the United States during the 1700s after economic difficulties and religious persecution. Once in America, a majority of these people slowly pushed west and south, though the Shenandoah Valley to the Appalachian mountains and beyond. It is therefore not surprising that they brought many aspects of their culture (including music) with them, and it was maintained in the relatively-remote mountains of the upland South.

Sorry for that boring bit of history, but I think it's interesting to trace the transatlantic links exemplified in music. This migration also explains other things besides music, from the popularity of whiskey and homemade alcohol ("moonshine" in America or "poteen" here in Ulster) to the regional dialect of "Pittsburghese." That language connection itself deserves a separate blog post. I shall wrap this up for now, but maybe I'll talk more about these musical connections in terms of specific songs if I get the initiative to do so one of these days. Until then, cheers!