Keith Harkin 2017.

So its been a hot minute since I’ve done any sort of blog post…I am sorry. Weddings, travel, back injuries galore, ya its been a tad hectic around here. But for those of you who have stuck with me I have one seriously fun post!

I had the pleasure of getting to see Keith Harkin in concert yet again. Basically if the guy is in town I am trying my darnedest to go see him. Essentially the only time I’m not there in the audience blown away by his talent is if I absolutely could not miss work. That’s just about the only thing that’ll keep me away.

I never tire of seeing Keith, because he is the musical equivalent of fine wine, he gets better with age. I had a particularly wonderful time at his last concert in Dallas at the historic Poor David’s Pub. Keith has really honed his style and is uniquely himself, a true artist’s artist. He cares about his music, he’s not out to please people and do what’s popular at the moment. His evolution of art is not to keep up with others but to nurture his own individual voice both literally and figuratively.

Please tell me I’m not the only one getting serious Stevie Ray Vaughn vibes here.

I cannot encourage you enough to check out this class act. Keith is by far one of my favorite artists out there. He manages to bring all demographics together with his art, music that everyone from the grandest babies to the greatest grandparents can enjoy. True art is timeless and knows no boundaries, this is something Mr Harkin truly exhibits. You can find more info, buy merch, etc through his website and be sure to follow him through his twitter and instagram

Keith Harkin at Poor Davids

Hello all! Today’s post is all about my fabulous Saturday night. I was fortunate to attend/handle merch at Poor Davids Pub for the Keith Harkin gig, and man it just never gets old…I look forward to every gig of Keith’s like its the first time, and when its all over I leave even happier than the last.

Fortunately this go around I was actually able to step away from the merch table for a bit and snap a couple of pics of the opening act, Phoebe Hunt and Connor Forsyth. All I can say is wow! The amount of style and artistry they brought to each song was astounding. Both are phenomenal writers Connor is master of the keys and Phoebe’s voice is the kind of voice that you would want to have singing the soundtrack of your life. The depth, soul, and incredible variety this lady displays is absolutely mind blowing, not only does she have the voice of an Americana bluesy gypsy angel she can tear it up on the fiddle as well as the guitar. Can you tell I have a bit of a girl crush working? This duo is musical perfection and I implore you to see them live. Keep up to date with Phoebe and Connor through http://phoebehuntmusic.com/home 

Odds are if you’re a regular here on my blog you know my love for Keith Harkin’s music. If this guy is in town I go to his show, simple as that. Keith is not to be missed. I am constantly in awe of this gentleman, his vocals are so strong and invoke so much emotion, his skills as a song writer are incomparable, and his ability to merely play the guitar in such a way you’d swear he was playing with a full band is just outstanding.  I’ve been pretty blessed in my concert outings and have see many a highly skilled artists, but I can truly say Keith still stands out as one of the most talented acts I’ve ever seen. The man doesn’t hold back, he pours his heart and soul into everything he does and it so evident in his music. The crowd, setting, and how tired this weary traveler is have no bearing on his performance he truly lays it all out there and its pretty magical to experience firsthand. If you’re fortunate enough to live somewhere Keith has a gig you really HAVE TO GO! Keep up to date with this phenomenal guy through his website and his various social media platforms (facebook, twitter, and instagram )

As always Keith absolutely killed it, and was kind enough to play several of his new songs. Just when I think this guy cannot get any better he does, the new songs are just out of this world amazing and have me chomping at the bit for his next album…which according to Keith shouldn’t be too far off now. YAY! So now more than ever is the time to hop onto the Harkin bandwagon because I know he’s only going to continue to grow stronger and stronger as an artist, which is really saying something because this guy has Herculean musical strengths 😉
describing his parents’ “domestic bliss” 😉
Everytime this guy plays he shares his soul and its just beautiful.

This guy is the best and that’s all there is to it.

Now here are some pics my sister snapped of me working the merch table…and amazingly I don’t look as lazy as last time 😉
See I’m even grabbing shirts here!Of course it wasn’t all hard work though haha 😉

I had such a wonderful time and want to thank everyone of you who came out to show your support, and an extra thank you to those of you who had to put up with me selling merch again. I really hope you all enjoyed this post and that you show these multi-talented musicians your love because they really deserve it. Happy Wednesday.

An Evening with Keith Harkin

Last Thursday I was fortunate enough to attend/work the merch table for the Keith Harkin gig at Poor Davids Pub.

The night started off with a stellar performance from The O’s (sorry I didn’t take any pictures I was manning the merch table at that time). I must say Poor David’s certainly knows how to pick talent, not once has there been an opener that I was unimpressed with. But I have to admit The O’s particularly blew my mind. They are true performers, their music is absolutely spectacular, and their between song banters are priceless. Lucky for me The O’s are a Dallas based band so they have lots of local gigs coming up, but they also do quite a bit of expansive touring so if you’re not a local fret not. Check out their site http://wearetheos.com/ listen to their music, go to a gig, and have a blast!

Now for everyone who bought merch thanks for being so sweet and patient with me, I’ve never worked in any form of retail (I’ve always been on the creative side of work) so this was quite a new experience for me. Despite being “out of my element” I had an absolute blast, interacting with everyone was quite a fun experience, and I hope I get to go it again soon! I think I met just about everyone who came out that night, you all are excellent shoppers 😉

Here are some pictures my sis took of me looking like the least helpful merch worker in the world. To be fair though these were taken after the show when less shopping took place.

I swear I did more than just stand around with my hands on my hips. 

Keith you sir are a joy to work with.

After the O’s Keith took the stage and delivered an incredible performance as per usual. After seeing an artist perform live several times suddenly their shows can seem a little less exciting, but I’ve seen Keith on multiple occasions and I still walk away saying “That was the best show yet”. I think its because Keith has found the perfect balance to his gigs. By playing his own original songs, Celtic Thunder favorites, and classical covers like End of Innocence and Heart of Saturday Night Harkin has insured that no matter your musical taste there will be something that you will absolutely love. You can check out his site here http://www.keithharkin.com/ and keep up to date on touring and find all the links to his other social media platforms that are full of good craic!

Now Thursday was a good night, but it was a very emotional one too. Just the night before, fellow Celtic Thunder performer George Donaldson passed away. One particularly touching moment of the night was when Keith performed Caledonia as a beautiful tribute to his dear friend. George is a great man and will be sorely missed.

As you can imagine everyone who knew George is incredibly shaken, and his friends and family would really appreciate that you respect their privacy as they go through the difficult grieving process. Should you wish to make a gesture to George’s family you can make a donation to help further his daughter’s education through the Celtic Thunder site https://www.celticthunder.ie/content/george-donaldson-0

Let us remember to tell those in our life how much we love them, we never know long we have on this earth. God bless you all and Rest in Peace George.

Keith Harkin at Poor Davids Pub

On Saturday I had the great pleasure of seeing Keith Harkin perform at the awesome venue that is Poor Davids Pub. If you aren’t familiar with Mr Harkin I demand you remedy that this instant! The blog can wait http://www.keithharkin.com/videos/ So good right? Well let me tell you this Keith is just as amazing (if not more so) live as he is recorded. Keith’s talent feels of a different time, like back when musicians were musician, not just people with the right connections, and is it any wonder? Keith has been passionate about music since he was a small child, singing at the age of four, and learning classic songs like “Everybody’s Talking At Me” and “Where Do You Go To My Lovely” from his father. His father is also the man who gave him the push (and cab fare) to audition for the Irish singing group Celtic Thunder, that he has been with since its very beginning in 2007 and continues to sing and write songs for to this day. As if that wasn’t enough Harkin is also signed with Verve, put out his debut self titled album in 2012, which he wrote several songs for, and even managed to do a solo tour across America last spring. Just thinking of all the work this man does makes me tired 😉That smile thoughDave Bakey, a badass guitar player and all around great guy, was supposed to accompany Keith, but unfortunately he fell sick and couldn’t make it. So not wanting Dave to miss out on some of the fun Keith gave him a call that way we could all tell him how much we love him. Too sweet.The man sings his heart out!Sassy face 😉Even though he was super busy needing to pack up and hit the road he stuck around to talk to fans and sign merch…and even take a pic with little sis and I. What a guy!
Regardless of your personal taste in music I can guarantee you will enjoy the musical stylings of Mr Harkin. Keep up to date with Keith through Celtic Thunder http://www.celticthunder.ie/tour his official website http://www.keithharkin.com/ and/or through his various social media platforms https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keith-Harkin/110997345657482 https://twitter.com/keithharkin http://instagram.com/keithharkin

PS the holidays are fast approaching and nothing could make a better gift than Keith’s self titled album which can be purchased anywhere you find music really, but here are some links through Celtic Thunder http://www.celticthunder.ie/content/keith-harkin-keith-harkin-cd Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Keith-Harkin/e/B0090QIRDW/ref=sr_1_2_acs_ent_artist?qid=1385510527&sr=8-2-acs and Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/keith-harkin-keith-harkin/24997900?ean=602537115488

Hope you all enjoyed this post and that you have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jake Shimabukuro Concert.

On Sunday night I had the great pleasure of attending the Jake Shimabukuro at The Kessler concert with my family. We had first heard of Jake through a PBS special and we were instantly captivated by this incredible musician. Jake grew up in Hawaii and began playing the ukulele from a very young age, as the years went by and Jake grew up he found himself inspired by “Guitar heros”. While at a Van Halen concert he couldn’t help but feel “that’s what an ukulele concert should be like” this lead him to experiment with different styles of playing resulting in the amazing sound he has now, mixing the traditional Hawaiian with classic rock and roll guitar riffs, and let me tell you I never knew that someone could shred on a ukulele like that! The variety of styles of music Jake can play on one ukulele is truly something incredible to behold! If you ever have the opportunity to see Mr Shimabukuro you must seize the day and buy those tickets, you are in for such a treat.

Like I said…the man can shred!

I hope you all enjoyed my pictures, and that you all check Jake out http://jakeshimabukuro.com/ the man is the stuff of musical legends! Have a very happy Tuesday.

Ronnie Fauss and JD McPherson Concert.

Last Thursday I had the great pleasure of seeing Ronnie Fauss and JD McPherson in concert. The show had sold out, but since the original venue was outdoors (The Belmont) and it had been raining all day, it was moved to The Kessler, well a change of venues and a change of plans meant I was going to be able to have an incredible night full of music, dancing, and of course some concert photography, this is me we’re talking about afterall.

First act was Ronnie Fauss. Admittedly my expectations are never really high to opening acts…I’ve heard some great ones and I have heard some real doozies, much to my delight Ronnie was fabulous! He is a Dallas based singer songwriter who draws influences from John Prine and Steve Earle. His music ranges from moody “bad boy country” to upbeat storytelling country. You can check out his page here  http://www.ronniefauss.com/ and if you have to opportunity to see him you should!

 Then JD McPherson took the stage. JD McPherson has something for everyone, honestly if you have the ability to hear I cannot comprehend you not liking these guys. There style is a mix of the kind of music they like, Rock n Roll, Rhythm and blues, rockabilly, etc. JD’s current album Signs and Signifiers is the perfect blend of old and new and shows the true artistry of these incredible musicians! You can find out more about the band here http://www.jdmcpherson.com/news.html

Almost as soon as they hit the stage people were out front just ready to start dancing, and oh boy did they dance! Seriously if you ever have the opportunity to see these guys DO NOT HESITATE! BUY THOSE TICKETS! You will not be sorry you did. I have been to my share of concerts and these guys are the best band I have ever seen!

Jimmy Sutton kills it on the bass!

Ray is a mad man on the keys! I’m pretty sure his hands move at the speed of light!

JD is just a rock star I mean really.

Doug is a phenomenal saxophone player!

Jason is an incredible drummer, I have no idea how he does it!

I love how JD and Jason are basically making the same face.

 Love the way this shot turned out.

 I had the most amazing time and cannot express how wonderful these guys are, just do yourself a favor and go see them. Hope you all liked the pictures Happy Wednesday.

Concert Photography.

So the other night I went to a concert, with some of my favorite people. It was a really great venue…for being up close and doing a little photography! We got their shortly after the doors opened, so I was able to position myself quite close to the stage. Added bonus though, was that I brought my 300mm lens, so I could get right in their face all from the comfort of my seat. This was my first time photographing a concert, with all the equipment I would normally leave at home, because of rowdy concert goers. But since the setting was really relaxed I was able to get some great pictures of Elizabeth Wills, Emmet Cahill, and Keith Harkin.

Elizabeth Wills was the opening act for Keith, now I will be honest my expectations for an opener are always pretty low. But in this case was pleasantly surprised with Elizabeth. She has an amazing folksy sound and pretty much everything she preformed was her own. So be sure to check her out http://www.elizabethwills.com/!

After Elizabeth, Keith Harkin of Celtic Thunder was up, a nice surprise though was that Emmet Cahill came too. Emmet is new to Celtic Thunder he joined in 201o, and I must say is immensely talented for someone so young (21) he has a beautiful classical voice and winning personality. You can check him out at http://www.emmetcahill.com/ There is much more information about him on his website, including a long list of musical accomplishments, that would take quite a while to list on my blog, so be certain to pop on over and check him out.

Emmet Cahill and Keith Harkin. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate how adorable these two are? 

Keith Harkin, the main reason everyone came. Keith has been with Celtic Thunder from the beginning, 2007. His musical style is sort of hard to define, some of his influence include Tom Waites, Neil Young, The Beatles, and Bon Iver, so there is a little something for everyone when he performs. Keith not only tours with the world-wide phenomena that is Celtic Thunder, but he does individual tours, rocking out with his McPherson guitar and wonderful vocals, and winning hearts all along the way. All of his fans are currently waiting on his solo album, it has taken a good bit longer than originally thought, mostly because he has signed with someone new, just a little somebody known as DAVID FOSTER! Color me impressed. David has discovered house hold names like Michael Buble and Josh Groban. So I am certain even bigger things are in store for Keith. http://www.keithharkin.com/

Keith Harkin. Good grief! The way he plays guitar is like nothing I have ever heard before! So much talent.

His hands just fly when he is playing his guitar!

He was just killin’ it. and I loved every minute of it. When the concert ended, the guys stuck around to pose for pictures and sign things, so naturally I had to say hello, how much I love their music, and of course have my picture taken with them. It’s not everyday you get to be around gorgeous Irish musicians is all I am sayin’.

Keith was real sweet, even though just about every woman in the place was clamoring for his attention, he managed to give real attention to his fans individually (myself included) *swoon*.

Then I went and said hi to Emmet. He was such a sweetheart, great people skills, and really down to earth. He and I actually talked for a little bit, so that pretty much made my night. *swoon again*

All in all I had an amazing time and can’t wait to see these guys again. I hope everyone enjoyed this post! Happy Tuesday!