During the early stages of public reaction to the documentary, some members
remained quite coy about the whole affair -
“The "No Disco" Planxty special was very well made and all
four of us got to see it - Andy, Liam, Dónal and myself. The usual
rumours have started up again. Who knows what will happen...” Christy
Moore, 6th April 2003 (Courtesy of http://www.christymoore.com/news/christychatarchive3.htm
– accessed 20.02.2004)
This “No Disco” documentary proved ultimately to be a catalyst for a series of events beginning with a trial re-union of the four original members of the group.
“Planxty played an unannounced gig in The Spa Hotel in Lisdoonvarna,
Co. Clare on 11th October. It was the first gig that the original band had
played since August 1982.…. It was very exciting to be back on stage
together. We must have played for over two hours to a crowd jammed into the
hall at The Royal Spa. The audience seemed very happy that we were back!”
Andy Irvine, October 2003. (Courtesy of http://andyirvine.com/about.html –
accessed 20.02.2004)
Following this the band announced 10 new concerts in Ennis, Co. Clare and Vicar St, Dublin (and probably new releases on CD/DVD).
Vicar St played host to the re-united group on Wednesday 18th February…
The crowd rose to its feet as the four members took their respective places on-stage – this re-union was long overdue in many people’s opinion and Planxty had already set very high standards. Thankfully all four members are still working musicians with over four decades of professional performance experience to their credit, so the pressure to perform seemed to sit like water on a duck’s back.
Liam Óg threw back the head and opened up the performance with a blast
on the ancient (but now legal) uileann pipes, Andy and Dónal followed
suit strumming out on the (now widely accepted) bazoukis and Christy initially
took a back seat and contributed some backing chords on the keyboards. And
so Planxty embarked on wonderful evening’s performance – and a
very evenly divided set.
Switching instruments, switching singers, each member took it in turns to
take centre stage with songs or instrumentals – combining age-old melodies
and songs with contemporary arrangements and using this material to highlight
historical and current issues.
Planxty steered the ship through a world of emigration, love, betrayal, robbers,
landlords, rebels, and outlaws, thieves and beggars – welcome to their
world!
Songs such as The Good Ship Kangaroo, The Raggle-Taggle Gypsy and As I Roved
Out/The Night Visit allow Christy to depict an Ireland of emigration, spurned
lovers and conscripted soldiers. Likewise songs such as The Blacksmith, The
Jolly Beggar and The West Coast of Clare enable Andy to recreate a landscape
of opportunists, blaggards, betrayal and nostalgia!
Liam Óg and Dónal coloured the set with beautiful, haunting
instrumentals such as Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór, Merrily Kissed
the Quaker and they also provided fascinating accompaniments to Christy’s
and Andy’s songs.
The criticism that was piled on a young Planxty, has proved character building for each of the members of the band: in turn, this has resulted in great interaction between band and audience. These are the people who thirsted for innovation in their music and who protested against the Precedent, the Institution, the Man…This is the band who wouldn’t be told what was or was not acceptable as Irishmen and as folk musicians! (Whoever said progress was a slow process wasn’t talking about Planxty!!)
Vicar St also affords the perfect conditions for such a band – it allows
the required intimacy for involvement between Planxty and their audience,
and yet it’s big enough to cater for the huge demand for tickets.
The atmosphere created by the music and the banter with the band, (whether
its Christy’s quick-minded quips and responses to hagglers or whether
its Liam or Andy’s gentle, humorous and endearing explanations of the
music) made everyone feel like they were immediately involved in a big, brilliant,
living-room session.
This formula has worked with resounding success and the proof is in the commercially popular (and critically acclaimed) music of Planxty and the current sound of Irish folk music.
Protest, innovation and anti-establishmentarianism are still reflected in the solo material of all four members today. Christy Moore will sing the traditional folk alongside South American folk songs and the contemporary Jackson Browne, Arlo Guthrie or Shane MacGowan songs. Andy Irvine will perform with Irish, Eastern European, or Native Australian instruments in the same song. Liam Óg O’Flynn feels at home, whether performing on tin whistle in a small session or on uileann pipes with an orchestra behind him. And Dónal Lunny has been described by U2’s Bono as “the Quincy Jones of the Irish music industry” because of his diversity in so many different disciplines of music.
In spite of their great experience performing and their broad mindedness
towards music, it is interesting to note that Planxty haven’t lost their
sense of vulnerability and they haven’t become complacent or egocentric
over the last 22 years.
“When we first recorded 32 years ago all the songs were ancient and
had stood the test of time. It will be interesting to see how the performers
have stood this same test.” Christy Moore - 1st January 2004
(http://www.christymoore.com/news/christychatarchive.htm – accessed
06.02.2004)
However history will report that four talented, experienced men, came together again, to create great music, in a wonderful setting, to an enthralled audience – and it worked!! ‘Nuff said.
Review by Eoin Kelly and used with kind permission.