Been a while since I posted on here. What with Covid and the other dreaded one also beginning with ‘C’ getting in the way (My partner Louise is on the mend from the latter). Just purchased your latest album…..a great listen as always. Wish you were able to tour over here again. Seems an age since seeing you in Cardiff 2015 and then Gateshead (after some generosity from yer man) later that year. Wasn’t able to get to any of your gigs thereafter. Hope your Vicar Street gigs go well. All the best for Christmas and the New Year. Steven & Louise
Christy's reply
I wish the same myself…Sunday night was always a great night in The Marsden Inn. Jim Irvine master of ceremonies.Jim Sharp had a Sunday night club as well, I think it was up around Ponteland…..follow the Blue Star
I wasn’t being rude with the half an inch thing. Honestly. Oh hell, the Internet is full of holes waiting for us to fall in them
Christy's reply
Never crossed my mind…I met a man in Mytholmroyd once. He said “I’ve only got 12 inches but I don’t use it as a rule”. That was it. Never saw him again.
Hi Christy, all the best with the upcoming gigs. Finally we’ve decided to visit Dublin and to enjoy your gig in Vicar street. On the bucketlist for over a decade 🙂 All set, hotel, flights and additional PCR tests booked. I heard the rumor that seating capacity needs to go down to 50%. Let’s hope for the best things work out, and otherwise retry Christmas 2022!!!!
Difficult times with Covid 🙁 Stay safe and hopefully till the 17th of january!
Love, Frank & Heleen, Arnhem Netherlands
ps: maybe inappropriate to ask for requests, but would love to hear Trent Reznor’s Hurt. Beautifull done by jou and by johnny cash as well.
Christy's reply
Hurt appears every now and then..its never been a regular in the set…sometimes I have no control over the set..the songs take over and I just gotta follow them..gotta keep on the right side of them for they run the show….heres hopin we can all get together again and raise the roof ….loosin a few slates
Following up some MacColl leads… Charles Parker was the BBC producer for the Radio Ballads + many fascinating programmes. It turns out there’s a Charles Parker Archive Trust, with heaps of info… http://www.cpatrust.org.uk I think I may be there sometime…
Hello Christy,
Well, so far I’ve only come up with one solution to the 50% thing at gigs, and I’ve no idea if it’s even possible.
It would be to run two shorter gigs each day, with the odd numbered tables full at the first and the even numbered tables full at the second.
With vicar street’s busy schedule and people coming from all over the world, this would mean everyone would still get to hear you, even if the gig was a bit shorter than usual. Everyone would keep their original seats, with a change in time for half the listeners.
No idea how this could work from your point of view. It sounds like a very heavy ask.
Anyway, back to the serious stuff
So it’s the lack of half an inch that’s important. And thank goodness for it.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
Thanks Rebecca for your suggestion..
The situation is being carefully considered by the Promoters, the Venue and my own steering committee..
I tend to keep out of these discussions…better for me to keep match fit ..banging the Atkin, warbling the Ballads, tapping the Drum…
I still dont know precisely what is happening except that tomorrow’s gig is on..
its a dilemna but everything possible is being done to find resolution
Hi C. I’ m curious, by way of distraction from all the drama, to know whether Aidan was at the Sneem gig on 30th Aug of 2013 or same date in 2014 ? I know that Boys of Barr na Sraide was the song of the night in 2013, however I was on football duty in 2014, the Mayo replay in Limerick, so I ‘m not sure if it was on the setlist then. Little did we think that would be the last year before the famine started !! Anyway much and all as it would be delightful to hear The Boys in Vicar St tomorrow I think it’s rather unlikely, however maybe the shortened version from INEC on 26th June this year could be fitted in ? In fairness there are some mighty new songs to be sung to the listeners. Wishing you, crew, management and all in Vicar St and Aikens etc as well as all performers and promotors well in these troubling times. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
Your on the ball there H…we well remember your absence upon our return to the Pyramids of Sneem
Myself and the girlfriend are coming on Monday 6th to Vicar Street. Any chance you could do the Boys of Barr na Sráide, I first heard you sing it in the Sneem hotel a few years back. I’m up in Dublin now and always have good memories of home when I hear it. As the mother says, “Christy is the only one that could ever sing it right”. No panic either way. Can’t wait Monday.
Kind Regards
Aidan
Christy's reply
Good man Aiden..Its highly unlikely that Sigerson Clifford’s beautiful song will be aired tomorrow night…in fact,I dont think I’ve aired it since that night in Sneem back in 2013,
I’m reminded of a Sunday night in 1967..I played in the Skillet Pot Folk Club in Birmingham and Mick Hipkiss sang “Barr na Sráide”. I was smitten straight away. Mick gave me the song the following morning at his home in Erdington…Mick was a fine singer and his Family were always welcoming when I played at his great club
Hi Christy, thank you for your quick response. I admit I don’t want to change jobs with those who now have to find a solution to this dilemma…
Thank you for the thought-provoking “December 42”. It definitely helps no to forget and that’s the “least we can do” – in my country unfortunately more and more necessary as there’s a dangerous development in recent years that proves the necessity of projects as the “Stolpersteine” Dietmar has written about before and songs like that, as only a few people are left to talk themselves about what they had to endure and what happened to millions of innocent victims.
Hi Christy and all, with a slight delay in the delivery chain I’m now enjoying your new cd over and over again. Great mixture of old and brilliant new songs. I’m so much looking forward to the concert on 16th – exactly two years after my last concert in Vicar Street when you made me so happy with dedicating Fairytale of N.Y. to me :-).
But now I read about the new restrictions in Ireland with the 50% capacity for concerts. Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask and it’s too early but nevertheless I try it: As the concerts are sold out (I guess with 100% capacity): how does it work now? Lottery? Additional concert on another day? As I have to cancel flight and accomodation rather soon in case my ticket will be cancelled it would be great to know a soon as possible :-). Currently I still hope that it works out somehow. Stay safe and enjoy the gig on Monday
Birgit
Christy's reply
Hi Birgit..
As I write, Aiken Promotions, Vicar Street and my Management are working to resolve this latest setback….as details emerge we will let you know….
Thank you for your feedback on the album….it is being well recieved
Following the MacColl theme (and a Northern hijack of this cyberspace, today…) There’s a treasure trove of EM info via http://www.wcml.org.uk – if ‘Ewan MacColl’ is put into the website search box. Quite fitting as the museum is near Salford Uni and Art Gallery…all well worth a visit.
Agree with Pam – wonderful to see film of Mrs Miller, Jimmy and a junior MacColl.
Dave
Christy's reply
I reckon I first heard of Ewan MacColl when The Clancy Brothers sang “The Shoals of Herring”…that was back in 1962… 5 years later I saw Ewan & Peggy Seeger play The Mucky Byre Folk Club, St Andrew’s, Fife….then a year later at the MSG Club in Manchester…I got a gig at The Singer’s Club in London a year later and shared a stage with Ewan & Peggy..looking back across the decades this was a milestone on my journey….Ewan was at the heart of the Folk Revival..he also wrote many classic songs for us to sing, encouraged us to sing them, he led the way..Peggy Seeger continues to inspire..we heard her play two years ago here in Dun Laoghaire when she performed with their son Calum MacColl..it was a wonderful gig….
Some of Ewan’s songs will outlive the memory of Him who write them…
“Green Grows The Lily O….right among the Bushes O”
Hello Christy,
I want to thank you for your suggestion about carrots. I’ve no idea how random or off the cuff it felt to you, but it has actually helped.
It made me think of reindeer, lovely gentle furry things and, if they visit, they must be separate from me.
It made me laugh too.
Dave and I must have been at the same gig at the Bridgewater Hall. Hearing you sing The first time ever I saw your face sent me scurrying off to learn it. I’m still working on it. It needs tons of breath control to sustain those lines. All things listeners can’t see. You did a fabulous job with it. You also sang The least we can do. It was such a good night. I was on the third row next to a man with a beautiful Irish accent. Yas from Hong Kong was in the balcony.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
let us hope that we can have more nights like those
Hi Christy and all,
Can I echo Dave about the EM documentary, it’s brilliant, arranged for it to be recorded while I was away and first thing I watched.
Loved the part where his mother is singing. I remember visiting Salford in the late 50’s we had relatives who had a shop there, it was a complete culture shock. I’m Bury born and bred so hardly had a ‘silver spoon’ background, but kids had no shoes, even adults walking around bare-footed, the streets did Indeed look like something out of Dickens to quote Peggy Seeger. Very different area now, but what a lot of wonderful people it produced. Pam
Christy's reply
I spent happy days in Bury…Gigg Lane, Black Pudding, John Wiilie Lees ale, The Valley Folk, The Pack Horse Inn Birtle, walking dogs up The Valley
My eldest son hits 40 today. His day will start with his 3 excited kids…mine started with the MacColl doc – what a treat! The reason I mention my son in the same paragraph is the powerful words that EM used about his relationship and love for his five kids – if ever someone had a gift with words… being self taught is no bad thing.
I’m sure that anyone linked with your music would benefit from seeing this wonderful programme – ‘Set the night on fire’ – SKY Arts. It’s so well made, with brilliant interviews and archive footage. I loved his line (that could also have made a good title) ‘Salford was my Paris’…
‘genius’ has to apply to MacColl and so interesting to see the number of key arts/ music people with whom he collaborated. Before the family catch up later, I’m making a list of EM related items to follow up – BBC Radio Ballads for starters (I’ve heard a few and all are amazing)
Last, but not least (for now)it was good to see/ hear Barbara Dickson. Talk of ‘First time ever I saw your face’ was spot on… it also took me to the last time I saw you at The Bridgewater. That night , your version of that fine song was magnificent.
Hi Christy,
I was introduced to your music when I was about 15 by a friend and have loved your music since. I’ve probably a copy of all your albums to date and have attended plenty of your gigs over the years and enjoyed them all! Your album Live at the Point has always been in my car stereo since I bought my first car at 17. I’m now 30, engaged and now even my fiance loves your songs too. I look forward to sharing your beautiful music with my own kids in the future one day. Your music has been a big part of my life growing up so I want to thank you for giving me all those brilliant tunes all these years. Keep up the good work Christy! All the best -Andy Lovett
i first saw you live in 1977 in Ballisodare and I’ve lost count of the number of your gigs I’ve been to. But one thing I can say is that I never saw a bad one.
I do however have a request, I was watching the Lockdown sessions yesterday and in one you mentioned about doing a gig dedicated to Ewan McColl. i have a suggestion, how about a McColl/Jimmy McCarthy night?
Dear Christy,
My youngest sent me word that in the Chilean elections one of the 2 front runners is nostalgic for a return to Pinochet’s dictatorial rule.
Such horrifying news, i hope the 4711er from Chile can tell me that news is wrong.
It put me straight in mind of the great ‘taking tea with pinochet’ from the box set…..when i saw her recently take tea with pinochet and laud him ….
We live in hope that the spirit of Victor Jara will overcome.
Regards
Rory
Hi Christy and all,
Back from ‘family duty’ south of the country again, at least I missed the storms. Been dipping in guestbook all the time. Really envious of concert goers and can’t even share experiences of new album, mine is coming from my granddaughter via the big man in the red suit with the white beard, it sounds incredible, but got to wait till the 25th.
Manchester tarts still plentiful on Bury market,, along with hot-pots, meat and tato pies and that famous pudding with a blob of mustard. Cheers Pam
Hi Christy
Been a while since I posted on here. What with Covid and the other dreaded one also beginning with ‘C’ getting in the way (My partner Louise is on the mend from the latter). Just purchased your latest album…..a great listen as always. Wish you were able to tour over here again. Seems an age since seeing you in Cardiff 2015 and then Gateshead (after some generosity from yer man) later that year. Wasn’t able to get to any of your gigs thereafter. Hope your Vicar Street gigs go well. All the best for Christmas and the New Year. Steven & Louise
I wish the same myself…Sunday night was always a great night in The Marsden Inn. Jim Irvine master of ceremonies.Jim Sharp had a Sunday night club as well, I think it was up around Ponteland…..follow the Blue Star
I wasn’t being rude with the half an inch thing. Honestly. Oh hell, the Internet is full of holes waiting for us to fall in them
Never crossed my mind…I met a man in Mytholmroyd once. He said “I’ve only got 12 inches but I don’t use it as a rule”. That was it. Never saw him again.
Hi Christy, all the best with the upcoming gigs. Finally we’ve decided to visit Dublin and to enjoy your gig in Vicar street. On the bucketlist for over a decade 🙂 All set, hotel, flights and additional PCR tests booked. I heard the rumor that seating capacity needs to go down to 50%. Let’s hope for the best things work out, and otherwise retry Christmas 2022!!!!
Difficult times with Covid 🙁 Stay safe and hopefully till the 17th of january!
Love, Frank & Heleen, Arnhem Netherlands
ps: maybe inappropriate to ask for requests, but would love to hear Trent Reznor’s Hurt. Beautifull done by jou and by johnny cash as well.
Hurt appears every now and then..its never been a regular in the set…sometimes I have no control over the set..the songs take over and I just gotta follow them..gotta keep on the right side of them for they run the show….heres hopin we can all get together again and raise the roof ….loosin a few slates
aaaarrggghh http://www.cpatrust.org.uk !!!
Hi Christy
Following up some MacColl leads… Charles Parker was the BBC producer for the Radio Ballads + many fascinating programmes. It turns out there’s a Charles Parker Archive Trust, with heaps of info… http://www.cpatrust.org.uk I think I may be there sometime…
I hope all works out well for gigs.
Dave
Hello Christy,
Thankyou. It seems to me that you’re doing a great job. All the energy is in the right place.
Rebecca
Hello Christy,
Well, so far I’ve only come up with one solution to the 50% thing at gigs, and I’ve no idea if it’s even possible.
It would be to run two shorter gigs each day, with the odd numbered tables full at the first and the even numbered tables full at the second.
With vicar street’s busy schedule and people coming from all over the world, this would mean everyone would still get to hear you, even if the gig was a bit shorter than usual. Everyone would keep their original seats, with a change in time for half the listeners.
No idea how this could work from your point of view. It sounds like a very heavy ask.
Anyway, back to the serious stuff
So it’s the lack of half an inch that’s important. And thank goodness for it.
Rebecca
Thanks Rebecca for your suggestion..
The situation is being carefully considered by the Promoters, the Venue and my own steering committee..
I tend to keep out of these discussions…better for me to keep match fit ..banging the Atkin, warbling the Ballads, tapping the Drum…
I still dont know precisely what is happening except that tomorrow’s gig is on..
its a dilemna but everything possible is being done to find resolution
Hi C. I’ m curious, by way of distraction from all the drama, to know whether Aidan was at the Sneem gig on 30th Aug of 2013 or same date in 2014 ? I know that Boys of Barr na Sraide was the song of the night in 2013, however I was on football duty in 2014, the Mayo replay in Limerick, so I ‘m not sure if it was on the setlist then. Little did we think that would be the last year before the famine started !! Anyway much and all as it would be delightful to hear The Boys in Vicar St tomorrow I think it’s rather unlikely, however maybe the shortened version from INEC on 26th June this year could be fitted in ? In fairness there are some mighty new songs to be sung to the listeners. Wishing you, crew, management and all in Vicar St and Aikens etc as well as all performers and promotors well in these troubling times. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Your on the ball there H…we well remember your absence upon our return to the Pyramids of Sneem
Hi Christy,
Myself and the girlfriend are coming on Monday 6th to Vicar Street. Any chance you could do the Boys of Barr na Sráide, I first heard you sing it in the Sneem hotel a few years back. I’m up in Dublin now and always have good memories of home when I hear it. As the mother says, “Christy is the only one that could ever sing it right”. No panic either way. Can’t wait Monday.
Kind Regards
Aidan
Good man Aiden..Its highly unlikely that Sigerson Clifford’s beautiful song will be aired tomorrow night…in fact,I dont think I’ve aired it since that night in Sneem back in 2013,
I’m reminded of a Sunday night in 1967..I played in the Skillet Pot Folk Club in Birmingham and Mick Hipkiss sang “Barr na Sráide”. I was smitten straight away. Mick gave me the song the following morning at his home in Erdington…Mick was a fine singer and his Family were always welcoming when I played at his great club
Hi Christy, thank you for your quick response. I admit I don’t want to change jobs with those who now have to find a solution to this dilemma…
Thank you for the thought-provoking “December 42”. It definitely helps no to forget and that’s the “least we can do” – in my country unfortunately more and more necessary as there’s a dangerous development in recent years that proves the necessity of projects as the “Stolpersteine” Dietmar has written about before and songs like that, as only a few people are left to talk themselves about what they had to endure and what happened to millions of innocent victims.
Hi Christy and all, with a slight delay in the delivery chain I’m now enjoying your new cd over and over again. Great mixture of old and brilliant new songs. I’m so much looking forward to the concert on 16th – exactly two years after my last concert in Vicar Street when you made me so happy with dedicating Fairytale of N.Y. to me :-).
But now I read about the new restrictions in Ireland with the 50% capacity for concerts. Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask and it’s too early but nevertheless I try it: As the concerts are sold out (I guess with 100% capacity): how does it work now? Lottery? Additional concert on another day? As I have to cancel flight and accomodation rather soon in case my ticket will be cancelled it would be great to know a soon as possible :-). Currently I still hope that it works out somehow. Stay safe and enjoy the gig on Monday
Birgit
Hi Birgit..
As I write, Aiken Promotions, Vicar Street and my Management are working to resolve this latest setback….as details emerge we will let you know….
Thank you for your feedback on the album….it is being well recieved
5 foot 8 and a half
5 foot 2 and a half
The half is very important
The H block album landed yesterday.
It’s numbered.
https://www.thelarkstore.ie/products/h-block-album
If I’d had another half inch I could have been a policeman
Hi Christy
Following the MacColl theme (and a Northern hijack of this cyberspace, today…) There’s a treasure trove of EM info via http://www.wcml.org.uk – if ‘Ewan MacColl’ is put into the website search box. Quite fitting as the museum is near Salford Uni and Art Gallery…all well worth a visit.
Agree with Pam – wonderful to see film of Mrs Miller, Jimmy and a junior MacColl.
Dave
I reckon I first heard of Ewan MacColl when The Clancy Brothers sang “The Shoals of Herring”…that was back in 1962… 5 years later I saw Ewan & Peggy Seeger play The Mucky Byre Folk Club, St Andrew’s, Fife….then a year later at the MSG Club in Manchester…I got a gig at The Singer’s Club in London a year later and shared a stage with Ewan & Peggy..looking back across the decades this was a milestone on my journey….Ewan was at the heart of the Folk Revival..he also wrote many classic songs for us to sing, encouraged us to sing them, he led the way..Peggy Seeger continues to inspire..we heard her play two years ago here in Dun Laoghaire when she performed with their son Calum MacColl..it was a wonderful gig….
Some of Ewan’s songs will outlive the memory of Him who write them…
“Green Grows The Lily O….right among the Bushes O”
Hello Christy,
I want to thank you for your suggestion about carrots. I’ve no idea how random or off the cuff it felt to you, but it has actually helped.
It made me think of reindeer, lovely gentle furry things and, if they visit, they must be separate from me.
It made me laugh too.
Dave and I must have been at the same gig at the Bridgewater Hall. Hearing you sing The first time ever I saw your face sent me scurrying off to learn it. I’m still working on it. It needs tons of breath control to sustain those lines. All things listeners can’t see. You did a fabulous job with it. You also sang The least we can do. It was such a good night. I was on the third row next to a man with a beautiful Irish accent. Yas from Hong Kong was in the balcony.
Rebecca
let us hope that we can have more nights like those
Hi Christy and all,
Can I echo Dave about the EM documentary, it’s brilliant, arranged for it to be recorded while I was away and first thing I watched.
Loved the part where his mother is singing. I remember visiting Salford in the late 50’s we had relatives who had a shop there, it was a complete culture shock. I’m Bury born and bred so hardly had a ‘silver spoon’ background, but kids had no shoes, even adults walking around bare-footed, the streets did Indeed look like something out of Dickens to quote Peggy Seeger. Very different area now, but what a lot of wonderful people it produced. Pam
I spent happy days in Bury…Gigg Lane, Black Pudding, John Wiilie Lees ale, The Valley Folk, The Pack Horse Inn Birtle, walking dogs up The Valley
Hi Christy
My eldest son hits 40 today. His day will start with his 3 excited kids…mine started with the MacColl doc – what a treat! The reason I mention my son in the same paragraph is the powerful words that EM used about his relationship and love for his five kids – if ever someone had a gift with words… being self taught is no bad thing.
I’m sure that anyone linked with your music would benefit from seeing this wonderful programme – ‘Set the night on fire’ – SKY Arts. It’s so well made, with brilliant interviews and archive footage. I loved his line (that could also have made a good title) ‘Salford was my Paris’…
‘genius’ has to apply to MacColl and so interesting to see the number of key arts/ music people with whom he collaborated. Before the family catch up later, I’m making a list of EM related items to follow up – BBC Radio Ballads for starters (I’ve heard a few and all are amazing)
Last, but not least (for now)it was good to see/ hear Barbara Dickson. Talk of ‘First time ever I saw your face’ was spot on… it also took me to the last time I saw you at The Bridgewater. That night , your version of that fine song was magnificent.
Time for a cuppa now…
Have a great day.
Dave
Hi Christy,
I was introduced to your music when I was about 15 by a friend and have loved your music since. I’ve probably a copy of all your albums to date and have attended plenty of your gigs over the years and enjoyed them all! Your album Live at the Point has always been in my car stereo since I bought my first car at 17. I’m now 30, engaged and now even my fiance loves your songs too. I look forward to sharing your beautiful music with my own kids in the future one day. Your music has been a big part of my life growing up so I want to thank you for giving me all those brilliant tunes all these years. Keep up the good work Christy! All the best -Andy Lovett
Hi Christy
i first saw you live in 1977 in Ballisodare and I’ve lost count of the number of your gigs I’ve been to. But one thing I can say is that I never saw a bad one.
I do however have a request, I was watching the Lockdown sessions yesterday and in one you mentioned about doing a gig dedicated to Ewan McColl. i have a suggestion, how about a McColl/Jimmy McCarthy night?
Conor
Dear Christy,
My youngest sent me word that in the Chilean elections one of the 2 front runners is nostalgic for a return to Pinochet’s dictatorial rule.
Such horrifying news, i hope the 4711er from Chile can tell me that news is wrong.
It put me straight in mind of the great ‘taking tea with pinochet’ from the box set…..when i saw her recently take tea with pinochet and laud him ….
We live in hope that the spirit of Victor Jara will overcome.
Regards
Rory
Hi Christy and all,
Back from ‘family duty’ south of the country again, at least I missed the storms. Been dipping in guestbook all the time. Really envious of concert goers and can’t even share experiences of new album, mine is coming from my granddaughter via the big man in the red suit with the white beard, it sounds incredible, but got to wait till the 25th.
Manchester tarts still plentiful on Bury market,, along with hot-pots, meat and tato pies and that famous pudding with a blob of mustard. Cheers Pam