However, his obvious ease with the position belies the fact that he joined the programme just last year, as a successor to Glen Hansard and Jerry Fish.
Now that the show’s musical format has been established, he’s confident that its visual style and interview segments can be developed and expanded. This year sees a significant departure in that respect.
“I came in on the third series,” he says, “and my function was as MC – most of my work was done off the screen, in terms of winding up the audience, telling jokes, that kinda stuff. I would have been one of several people saying that it should develop into being more of a television programme instead of just a filmed gig, mainly because all the stuff Philip (King) will tell you about Dingle being magic is all actually true.
“The public might perceive this as my programme because I’m presenting it, but this is Philip King’s baby. It came out of his world. I mean, Philip sounds like an ad for the Kerry tourist board, but what he talks about does happen, there is something special goes on in that week. But the thing is that up to now we weren’t showing it, you were just seeing people sitting in a church.
“So people were starting to think we should develop this and actually show some of the other stuff that happens. I mean, a lot of it can’t be shown; it’s probably not fair to show some musician falling over a piano at four in the morning, but at least you’re in a very picturesque town with loads of locations, the bands are staying all day and hanging around, or staying extra days ‘cos they love it so much. You get performers playing in the pub or busking.”
Or, for that matter, being interviewed in various unorthodox locations.
“I’m very happy to get up in the morning and do a piece with Horslips or go down the beach with the Asian Dubs,” Kelly says. “We did full days, everyone was exhausted, but you couldn’t call it hard work. Obviously if you film something in a church, the danger of solemnity is enormous, but most music programmes are filmed in godforsaken industrial estates. And the artists get it pretty quickly – there’s no point in going around with laminates on. You’re going to have your dinner in the pub with everyone else, and your fan club is gonna be there too, so get used to it. It’s just a relaxed thing, you get music sessions every night, Alabama 3 playing with Seamus Begley, this kinda stuff.
“Last year, Mark Lanegan’s band were the only ones who looked a bit freaked, but within a day they all wanted to stay. Cowboys Junkies loved it. Seeing the Asian Dubs on the main street with all the gear, the clothes, it’s fantastic. Or Gavin Friday last year in the silver brothel creepers.”
As a long time fan, an obvious highlight for Kelly was the first full-on Horslips performance in some 25 years.
“Well, the Horslips reformation has been a slow process,” he says. “We’ve all done our bit to encourage that in various ways, but the difference with this one was that there was electricity involved. It suited them ‘cos it wasn’t like doing the Stadium. I think they had the time of their lives. They arrived and there was a session on and Charlie got the fiddle out. The next day during the soundcheck I walked up the gravel road to the church and all I could hear coming out of the wall was ‘Dearg Doom’. I realise this mightn’t mean anything to a lot of people, but I was hearing that for the first time in 25 years. I just sat outside and kinda fell apart, I mean I really did. And then I snuck in and hid and watched them privately rehearsing tunes.
“It was amazing, the highlight of my professional life for sure. I felt 13 again. And it was incredible on the night. Unlike the other gigs, it was packed with Horslips fans: people travelled from Derry. When they broke into ‘Dearg Doom’ and ‘Trouble’ there was a lot of love in the room.”
And the biggest culture shock of the week?
“Rufus! Rufus and Martha Wainwright know Ireland quite well. But Rufus is very camp. Actually, there’s a village not far from Dingle called Camp, we wanted to bring him there. But the biggest culture shock was when Brian Lally, my producer on the radio, asked him to do something, and Rufus said sure and Brian said, ‘Sound as a trout’. And Rufus went, ‘Whaaaat?’ And Brian said, ‘Lovely hurlin’.’ And Rufus said, ‘My gaaad – what’s this guy sayin’?’ And you’d people coming up to him going, ‘I knew your father, he was a great singer’. He was great though.
“Stars came over from Canada, and their bass player went into overdrive with excitement when he found out Horslips were playing. He was brought up on them. He rang his father going, ‘You’re never gonna believe this – I’m in Ireland and they haven’t played for 25 years and I’m on the bill with them’.”
It was that kind of week…