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Singers' Night
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Though there are plenty of traditional Irish music sessions about town,
one of the best such sessions is held in Devitt's on Camden Street
every Thursday night.
The Genuine Article
As every dubliner, or visitor to our city knows, there are plenty of places about town where you can sample a bit of traditional Irish music. You'll hear a bit of fiddle-playing, a guitar, no doubt and perhaps a bodhrán too, the tunes will be genuine Irish trad or folk songs. What is less well known is that there are also places where you can catch a genuine Irish Session, and these are the places where you'll get not just a sense of Irish music, but also a sense of the atmosphere that created those songs.
One of the best examples of such a session is currently to be found at Devitt's on Camden Street on a Thursday night. The session is open to all. Rather than having a group of musicians in their corner, and an audience sitting around them, the genuine session involves the audience. As Martin Black puts it: “Everyone is here either to sing or to listen”. There is no distinction between artists and audience, and that is what creates the genuine atmosphere. By sitting down, you become a part of the session, and you may well be asked for a tune yourself.
There is a certain custom around these sessions, which the novice visitor ought to be aware of. First of all is silence: “to sing or to listen”. Out of respect for whomever is singing, or playing, silence is expected from anyone who is not singing along, or playing an instrument. If you can play the guitar, bring one along, and join in. If you can't, bring a song, or even a good story. Secondly, there is turn-taking. So that every one gets a chance to sing, and to encourage those who might be too shy to simply burst into song, these events tend to have an MC of sorts, who oversees the whole affair. Each person takes a turn, going around in a circle. Whoever's turn it is, gets to choose a piece they will sing, or play, and everybody else either joins in or listens. It doesn't have to be an Irish song, any song will do.
Devitts
78 Lower Camden Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01-4753414
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