This concert marked a welcome return for Eddi Reader and the Alan Kelly Gang to a very popular venue that had hosted the musicians on previous occasions over the years. It was prior to Covid when the band last came through town and tonight they were intent on making up for lost time with a rousing and uplifting performance that had the capacity crowd delighted with the music and the craic.
Eddi was in fine voice as always, and you can never tire of hearing her sing. Her vocal range was as powerful as ever and the joy of being in the moment shone forth from her gypsy soul. Her wickedly playful sense of humour is never far away and the between-songs banter was always a tonic. Whether she was berating the Irish people for stealing the Book of Kells from the Scottish , with the help of the Vikings, or acting out the part of her Mother back in childhood memories, Eddi commited to the performance with everything that she had in her vagabond heart.
Alan Kelly has been a household name in Irish traditional music circles for over 20 years now and his piano accordion expertise is right up there with the finest musicians that Ireland has produced. His band comprises Sligo guitarist Shane McGowan, singer and flautist Steph Geremia, and Jim Higgins on percussion. Eddi is joined by her husband John Douglas on guitar and vocals and they have been a couple since their marriage back in 2013. He has written songs for Eddi’s solo albums, including the SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS project that earned her an MBE back in 2006. Tonight, John opened the show with a short solo set that included songs from his new album and cover versions of songs by Prefab Sprout (We Let the Stars Go) and Van Morrison (Across the Bridge Where Angels Dwell), with Eddi on harmony vocals for the latter number.
Highlights of the main performance included songs from across Eddi’s back catalogue with Find My Love, Vagabonds, Ay Fond Kiss and Dragonflies (dedicated to Sinead O’Connor) particular highlights. Edie also sang a wonderful version of Mona Lisa in honour of her Mother and the parties that used to take place in their council house back in old Glasgow. Eddi used her Scots brogue throughout and was never short of a skip and a sway in tune with the superb music that the band delivered.
Alan played a series of jigs and reels at certain stages of the song set and the virtuoso musicianship of the band members was both exciting and impressive. Steph played beautifully on flute and whistle in addition to singing with a sweetly toned vocal on songs Navigator (a Pogues song), Get Up Jack, John Sit Down and on the encore, The Garden. An accomplished performer and a fine harmony foil for Eddi in her songs. The guitars of both Shane McGowan and John Douglas were always inventive and the way in which they dove tail around the various rhythms was always engaging. On percussion Jim Higgins provided the engine room and never dropped a beat as he drove the tempo of the songs forward.
Two songs from Alan’s repertoire included the Shetland Sky and the Oblique Jig, while Eddi dipped into the CAVALIER album to pick out stirring versions of Maiden’s Lament and Meg O’ The Glen which finished with some intricate jamming among the players. Pangur Bán and the Primrose Lass was laced with fun performances and an addictive melody, while Your Welcome Willie Stewart was another encore tune that had the audience clapping and shouting along to the celebratory chorus.
It was a night to remember and a real triumph for the superb Venue Theatre, nestled in the heart of Ratoath village and providing a consistently high level of variety and entertainment to the local community.
Review and photograph by Paul McGee