Irish songs were best

Press, 17 November 1977, Page 6

Irish songs were best

By

SANDY SOUTHON

A packed auditorium at the Town Hall last evening proved the old saying that, “there’s a little bit of Irish in everybody’s heart.” They, were there for an Irish; mght with the Irish Rovers, and were determined to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately the sound system at the Town Hall was up to some old tricks and the promise of "a fantastic party ” b> the Irish Rovers was never quite kept. The evening was a happy one: the kind of evening you might expev to find at an Irish pub There were jokes at* ut drinking paddy jokes, and anti-Lnglish quips. But a lot of the banter

between the members of the i group was lost, muffled by]; the sound system and then musical backing. J A good variety of folks songs and ballads was pre-1 sented. of Scottish, Canadian, h Australian, and New Zealand!' origin. i 1 However, the Irish songs; drew the most applause, ii Many were there to hear the : Irish Rovers sing Irish songs. * The ballads received the; most response from the]' audience. Songs like "A. Daisy a Day” drew the audience in. and they sang ; along with the group ini' “Lilly the Pink." “The Drun- ] ken Sailor,” and "Whisky in.; the Jar.” j . There were also songs'; which told a story, such as

the one about the Australians I going off to World War I,| jcalled, appropriately, “Thei ■Band played Waltzing: ■Matilda.” j A beautiful Irish loveisong by George Millar! I was enthusiastically re-I iceived, and the audience; j would obviously have liked i imore from him. It was un-j fortunate that this was the] only solo he sang, as his. voice had a rich quality not] unlike that of Roger Whit-; taker. The backing of guitars,: banjo, accordion, tin whistle,] | violin, and drum were] played to perfection by the group. The Irish Rovers will give] ■ another concert in the Town] Hall before TVI cameras.