Twangs For The Memories

After a year off in 2008, the Galway Americana Festival is back. And it’s ready to rock. For those confused by the catch-all term “Americana”, the good souls behind the festival put it like this: “Americana is a label loosely used to describe alternative modern country music, music with that ‘twang thang’ which isn’t strictly country in the ‘Nashville’ sense of the word, but nonetheless shares common roots.”

In other words, the festival is a celebration of root-and-branch American folk. The aim is to offer a degree of diversity, so that there is something on offer for everyone.
Why Galway? Because the organisers wish to showcase the shared musical heritage of folk and Irish traditional music.
Previously, the festival has played host to many well-regarded names, including Mollie O’Brien, Jack Lawrence (from the Doc Watson band), Hungry Hill, Grada, Niall Toner, Moonshine and The Lee Valley String Band.
This year, headliners include Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan from the United States of Blues and Folk, rockabilly veterans Spellbound, Bill Evans, Megan B. Lynch and Irish bluegrass doyen Molly Hicks.
Elsewhere, The Lazy Blues Band will be trying to persuade you to cry into your beer in Monroe’s Tavern, while out in Kinvara, Mark Brown of New York’s Uncle Buckle will be doing his, erm, thang.
Having been exposed to Tom Waits at an early age, his own performances have been likened to a stiff shot of Jonathan Richman quirkiness with a pinch of the aforementioned Waits thrown in for good measure.
For the final night of the festival, the entire city should be hopping. John Martin and Boucherie will be injecting some Cajun heat with a set in Monroe’s Tavern. In the Roisin Dubh, meanwhile, Vermont singer-songwriter Erin McDermott, tipped as a bluegrass artist to watch by no less a figure than Tim O’Brien, will be accompanied by Matt Schrag on mandolin and backing vocals for an early evening show. Then No Banjo will be taking to the stage for a night of deep dirty grooves and vocal harmonies.
For many, the high point of the festival is going to be the appearance of Clive Barnes, launching his new album Ghost Country. Home-turf appearances by the Wexford guitarist are now becoming fewer and farther between as he continues to make inroads in Europe and the US, picking up guest slots with David Crosby, Dr. John, the Blind Boys of Alabama and ‘the old dog hisself’ Seasick Steve.
He’s been nominated as Best New Acoustic Guitarist by Frets magazine and his last record was named album of the year by US publication Acoustic Guitar – so it remains to be seen how much longer he can be labelled as our best-kept secret. His Crane Bar show kicks off at 6.30p.m. Best to arrive early.
P.J. Curtis, who almost certainly knows more than anyone else about the links between Irish music and its descendants on the other side of the Atlantic, will be casting some light on the subject at the City Museum at 2.00 pm. Just in case you think this raises the danger of everything going erudite, there’s a barndance in the Museum’s courtyard at 3.30p.m. with music provided by old-time country band Moonshine.
The Galway Americana Festival runs September 10 – 13