Shine’s Sunday Session

When wifey and I first moved here we were regulars at the Sunday evening traditional Irish session in Shine’s Bar. Since becoming gainfully employed on Monday mornings, we haven’t found our way out there for a good stretch of time.

I had it in my head to make the extra effort to make it out this week and was awfully glad I did. Shine’s session differs a bit from other traditional sessions in that the musicians make use of amplification, meaning that the music can be heard throughout the pub. It also serves to equalise the differing volumes between instruments – a common problem at some sessions; after all, guitars are naturally quieter than, say, banjos or accordians.

I headed down with the aul bodhran and a wee clip microphone, and put the goatskin to good use. I had forgotten the virtuosity present at this session. I was particularly taken with this piece, where our fiddle player set down her instrument to give us a turn on the Irish whistle during which we discovered another benefit of the electrified session – reverb for our whistle player. Lovely.