Gig Reviews

Grafton Street Dazzles Portland!

by CelticFawn on Nov.17, 2009, under Gig Reviews, Grafton Street

While visiting Kells, a wonderful Irish Pub in Portland, Oregon, I was privileged enough to get to see Grafton Street perform. What a treat! Between the magic of the fiddle, the pounding of the Bodhran, the distinct tones of the harmonica and the guitar, and the wonderful vocal harmonies, Grafton Street had the audience on their feet, clapping and dancing.

Made up of Pat Buckley (Rhythm & Lead Guitar & Vocals), Chris Miskow (Bass Guitar & Vocals) and Bob Soper (Fiddle, Guitar & Vocals), a combination that knows how to rock the house! I have to admit, while I was trying to take pictures and take in the whole experience of the group, I found it difficult to not abandon my “duties” and just enjoy the show. Songs like Ramblin’ Rover, Black Velvet Band keep you wanting to hear more. The crowd was also fun to watch during the performance. It was great to see people from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds sharing a common interest. Barriers seemed to no longer exsist during the show.. everyone was bound together by the love of the music being laid out before them. It was a wonder to behold.

The teasing and joking was also a big hit with the crowd (and yes, it was a huge crowd). The one that stood out for me was when they tried to get the “birthday boy” a dance. It sounded a lot like a singles ad and had me laughing. The great part was that it worked. What a way to get a date! It was great craic and everyone, including myself, were having the time of their lives. The band’s philosophy of “whip the audience into a frenzy” is a winner.

During the break, I did get a chance to talk to them a bit. And got a copy of their CD, titled Slainte, which is available at their gigs. It is a definite must have in my book. I’ll go into more detail on the CD in another post….

You can see Grafton Street live at Kells, both in Portland and Seattle.

Kells (Seattle) Nov. 27 & 28, 9:15pm $5 cover

Kells (Portland) Dec. 4 & 5, 9:30pm $5 cover
Kells (Seattle) Dec. 9 & 10, (Pat Buckley Solo) 9pm
Kells (Seattle) Dec. 11 & 12, 9:15pm $5 cover