Electric Picnic

The Excitement of the upcoming Picnic made me think of this amazing Picture from the Picnic 2008 when both Stef and The Bonus Party played, alongside Wilco, Conor Oberst and Nick Cave and Elbow. It was one of the best bits of skit ive ever had, heres a Picture of Myself, Sean and Co getting caught stealing Elbows gargle, and Guy Garvey being delighted that we did!

A Gentleman and the Greatest SInger and Lyricist in the World!

The Boozey Swine In NYC

The Foyle Folk Festival

Played at this Amazing Folk Festival on Saturday night In Derry. I cant express how much of a great time I had. Never before have I ever encountered a bunch of Individuals as nice and as Hospitable and also as talented. Every single act on that poster above played a stormer and Im glad I could bring home some of their music on C.d's.

Junior Johnson from Belfast owns probably the greatest country singing voice ive heard in the Country, He played a fantatsic set with a cover of a Kristofferson song "The Middle" that I had never heard before, but It was superb. His song "The Ballad of Glasgowbury" Is something to behold.
Paddy Nash and the Happy Enchilada's blew my mind with their Uptempo,Uplifting Country Rock. This band restored my faith in Music In Ireland almost to see the fun they were having coupled with some really great songs. Bill Bragg Jeans being a standout.
Conor O Kane (AKA TecknoPeasent) Is the last true Folksinger in Ireland, The Jinx Lennon of Folk. I cant even begin to say how brilliant a songwriter this man is. He has no Myspace or any music on the Internet and definitely no Facebook, You'll have to go to Derry to catch him Sing, But he's a man that youd travel for!
Here comes the landed Gentry played last and were Bloody Briliant. Wally from this band organised the Festival and played in about 4 of the bands all day. They should make the man president of Derry, The hospitality he showed to Myself and The Mighty was amazing! Such a bunch of Inspiring individuals who live and breath Music.

Stef played an absolute stormer of a set including one of my Favourite songs of his "If I ever had a dog". You can see how the non-stop touring has honed Stef into an even better performer, It was a pleasure to watch him belt through the old standards such as Downtown and Dark haired Girl.

The Foyle Folk Festival is one of the loveliest experiences of my Music Life, and I cannot wait to get back to Derry to sing again. Thanks so much to Wally for everything and to the Lads from The Landed Gentry and to every single on of the people who helped make the day as special as it was.

Fuck that Bollox from the pet shop anyway :)

New "MTV Tullamore" Presenters at Castlepalooza

CASTLEPALOOZA

How are we now ?

Hello There.

Anyone that knows me will know that Im not down with this kind of Crown. Blogging and Networking and the likes...... However, I have decided to set up this page to act as a website for some Shite - Talk and any Extra- Cirricular singing work I'll be doing outside my Beloved Band on an Island. The First of which is to FINALLY release "Doomsday", the collection of bedroom demo's I made 4 years ago. Theres some very early demo's of some stuff that ended up on "The Sound Sweep" and some songs stretching as far back as our first year in the Band!

I also want to make an E.p with the bunch of Flagrant young lads I had in the "Temper Folk Band" a few years back, and a Completely new buzz Called "The Town Council". Before all that However, I am fucking Crazy excited about getting our new Band on an Island album started, We have a Title and 21 songs to pick from, All of which I love!! We are going to put everything into this record and emerge next year a Band to be reckoned with!

So anyways Im off to play the Foyle Folk Festival In Derry on Saturday with Stef. I Cant wait. If I'm still motivated to write on here after the weekend, then I'll let you know how it Went.

(Im fully aware of my Atrocious use of CaPitaLs where they are not supposed to be, Sorry!)

Pat Rafter

Ciaran x