In fact, perhaps the biggest surprise is that it has taken so long for them to do so. In any event, Friday July 11 saw the world premiere of Once Upon A Time on a big screen in Eyre Square as one of the highlights of the Galway Film Fleadh.

The footage was all captured over a single night at one of the band’s legendary Christmas shows in Vicar Street and depicts the band in all their splendour against a stunning backdrop, ably assisted by a chorusline and trapeze artiste amongst other wonders. The film is directed by the band’s own Lance Hogan, and if you want to catch some of its flavour, they’ve put a three minute trailer on YouTube.
Once Upon A Time is already being hailed as “an Irish Stop Making Sense” (a reference to the legendary Talking Heads concert film) and although in these days of camera phones and jittery little video phone clips we are to a certain extent immune to the allure of the moving image, there is still something about the onscreen capturing of such intense passion and energy that makes for a ravishing visual experience. Even a veteran music video director like Kevin Godley, who has worked with U2,the Police and Peter Gabriel as well as 10CC was transfixed by the unique Kila sound, which he likened to ‘Africa crashing into Ireland’.
The very talented Iain Archer will be taking a little time out from his normal touring schedule to give a songwriting workshop on the afternoon of Saturday July 19 at the Seamus Ennis Centre in Naul before he hits the stage there later that night. It’s another indication of how innovative the little North County Dublin venue can be when it comes to throwing in the odd off the scale event. The previous day Mick Hanly will also be giving a songwriting workshop in advance of his gig at the centre that evening. In keeping with its commitment to preserving the memory of one of the country’s most important performers and collectors of traditional music, the venue now has a regular session every Sunday as the backbone of an eclectic musical programme that sees it play host to an array of acts from outside of the traditional fold as well as within. The next couple of months offer up gigs by the now UK based Carmina on Friday July 25, UK folk legend Julie Felix, who has worked with Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan and filled the Albert Hall, and will be playing at the centre on Sunday July 27 as part of a tour marking her 45th year in the business. At the other end of the spectrum there’s a relative newcomer performing on Saturday August 23 in the shape of Justin Townes Earle. There’s a lot riding on that surname though as it gives you a hint of this performer’s pedigree. As son of Steve Earle, expectations were always going to be high, and while some might have been daunted, the signs are that, like his father, he has a fair few killer tunes in him.
An established legend, Albert Lee will be showing how it’s meant to be done when he brings his distinctive blend of country and rock and roll to the venue on Thursday August 28. Two days later Emer Mayock and Jean Michel Veillon will be there with the promise of two of the finest flute players around and a damn fine guitar player too in the form of Donal Siggins to help round out the musical interpretation of Irish, Breton and newly composed tunes.
In the United States, the Hot Club of Cowtown has been featured on The Grand Ole Opry, Mountain Stage, A Prairie Home Companion, and numerous other radio and television programs. In the UK they have appeared extensively on radio and TV as well as touring extensively there. Among the youngest members ever to be inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame, in 2006 they were honored to be the first American band ever to tour in Azerbaijan while they’ve also toured a few less exotic places with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and the likes. On Sunday September 7 they’ll be rounding off the Seamus Ennis Centre’s Summer programme.
Flook have been keeping pretty quiet over the last while, but after John Joe Kelly’s moonlighting as part of a new ad hoc band with former bandmate Mike McGoldrick, guitarist John Doyle and Altan’s Ciaran Tourish and Dermot Byrne is out of the way, the band will be playing a string of festival dates over the course of the summer, including a stop off at the Belfast Feile on Monday August 4. The Feile is now a vast organic collection of events spanning the literary and political as well as the musical, and this year there is a reflective tone as many of the events look back at the events which shook Belfast 40 years ago. As well as the high profile gigs from the likes of the Four Of Us and Brian Kennedy, there are also a couple of hidden gems tucked away in the mammoth brochure (it runs to seventy six pages) among which, taking place on Sunday August 3 in St. Gall’s GAA Club on the Falls Road, is Simple Songs of Freedom, a commemoration of the songs, such as ‘We Shall Overcome’, which formed the imaginary soundtrack to the unfolding conflict in 1968.
Australia’s Marcia and Damian Howard and The Ploughboys have been gigging around the country and there are still a few chances left to catch them as they play Athlone’s passionfruit Theatre on Sunday July 20, the Roisin Dubh in Galway on Monday July 21 and they’ll be part of the Fiddlers Green Festival in Rostrevor on Wednesday and Thursday July 23 and 24 and Boyle Arts Festival on the following Sunday.