The Odeon was a big cinema at the St Peter’s Square end of Oxford Rd…sadly,demolished a few years ago. When I got the Joni ticket,I queried the gig venue as I often saw films there…come the night,it was ideal…curtain over the screen,well set up stage and spot on acoustics. Bonus that a few of us found the stage door and I have an autographed ticket,fifty plus years on…
Planxty played The Apollo,Ardwick Green…support for Rita Coolidge,when I saw you…the sound was great for the audience and I remember being chuffed to hear ‘Kangaroo’l..Last time I was at The Apollo was the Dylan gig….have seen him and bands there a few times.Always cracking nights and some Ry Cooder gems..as we walked in for 2024,Dylan,I laughed…nostalgia for the venue,but my feet stuck to the carpet…like the old days!!
And don’t forget to tell them, “This fella is gonna get shot in the head, the guy who wrote the Swamp Dirge to the old miners tune “Drill ye Terries Drill that the Clancy Brithers and Tommy Makem used to sing, I met Tommy my Dutch Incle would have him over to dinner every night he was in town, Tommy’s sons The Makem and Spain Brothers too ; best Scottish Gaeltacht band: Breabach, Dervish and I’ll get back to you on the others, I just smoked some grass prescribed for PTSD …. If you only knew lol good night and God bless
Hey Christy Im a big fan of yers and I live by your music, the whole gang at planxty is making the world explode and as we are in WWIII depending on the results of this US election I would like to offer you my songs to look at, and if God allows they will give you some insipiration. Im a Tipperary Whiteboy Leveller and Stone Thrower straight out of Roscrea and working on my Disertation for MIT on quantum physics and computer architecture crossed with artificial intelligence in the search for the definition of true consicousness say the soul perhaps, but its a hard fight.
My first song the Swamp Dirge is from our childhood club in the old run down Lost City of Tryon park in my neighborhood where 2 kids just had their heads cut off in front of their parents by cartel siccarios but it was family business so nothing to worry about. So it is an IRA union song that I wrote
The second song is about the Aztecs in Mexico City and I called it Tenochtitlan its original name and that is the second song of how they were good people following the Mexican version of Christ Quetzelcoatl when a bad ruler snaked him out of power the Lord of Slavery and Human Sacrifice Tezcatpotlica, so please feel free to hear these songs and ill hope you forgive me if I post a link to the swamplords website where you can here my music here : https://www.swamplords.org/general-1
You and the rest of Planxty should be heard by the true Irish and the Dannan, God bless you all
Sean Constantinus Joseph Blaakman Bourke out of Roscrea Tipperary I am
Hi Christy, talk of past concerts on here and your recent experience in Dundalk got me thinking, whatever happened to concert etiquette? I went to a concert last week, I won’t name the band but lets just say the behaviour of some ‘fans’ certainly wasn’t cool (for cats). Some turned up off their heads on ale or coke (and I don’t mean Cola) some talked all the way through songs others coming and going to the bar/toilet mid song instead of waiting till a song was over to ‘squeeze’ past. I must admit I have been know in the past to ask people to please ‘shut the f**k up’ but these days when there is more than one of them and they are half my age, twice my size and coked up to the eye balls I reluctantly try to bite my lip. People might argue that they have paid their money so can behave as they wish, but if you are going to sing over the artist at the top of your voice at least know the lyrics.
Christy's reply
its not an entirely new phenomenon….I can recall events in 60’s 70’s 80’s that were almost intolerable but I needed the fee…a full scale riot in a dance hall when Planxty played support to Sean Thomson and The Everglades in Sligo back in 1972…..everyone found the fighting more interesting then the music ..we kept playing lest we might not get paid….playing a club in West Belfast in ’84 .. fully tooled , blacked up, camouflaged squaddies walked through the audience as I sang Irish Ways , Irish Laws….talk about atmosphere….another night in Longford there was a noisy card school at the back of the room during my set….Moving Hearts played The Parkway in Limerick 1982 ish … a stand up gig and a young couple on the floor goin at it…yer man hiding the salami….we never missed a beat, nor did they…and there were worse night then that …but Judge Judy is starting in 5 minutes
Many thanks for this forum…it’s a special place to share info and emotions.
Before hitting the sack last night,I flicked through the day’s content…focusing on the fab review from Salut(their newsletter is also brilliant) and the raw emotions of the harrowing news posted by Rory.
Thanks to Pat’s Dylan review,today has started with me realising some personal Dylan links …July 1981,Dylan had recently hit 40 and was playing in Birmingham – the nearest gig to home. My late wife and I got tickets,had a great roadtrip .I can recall the post gig euphoria that we’d seen a Bob gig…and,who knows,he might never tour again!
Fast forward to November,2022. My 70th birthday on the horizon…at what cost and hassle,I’ve never found out,my two adult sons sourced three tickets for Dylan and co at Manchester Apollo – similar gig to Pat’s post.To date,the only time the three of us have attended a gig together and it was very special. Immaculate band sound,intense atmosphere and well chosen setlist. The night finished with “Every grain of sand’…a Dylan harmonica break and Good night…perfect…
Have a good day all
Dave
Christy's reply
I started this page that converstions might ensue….my wish has been fulfilled….I enjoy these communications
Hey Christy, hope all’s well with you. Today, we rode the Harley’s about 250 miles and stopped by Woodstock NY, the original event site is actually in Bethel Woods near Woodstock. It was a perfect crisp Autumn day, about 50f which is about 10 Celsius. There’s a monument there now commemorating the musical miracle. It lists the 32 performances. Anyway now I’ve been to Woodstock, Knock and Lisdoonvarna all’s left is the Feast of Cana. Looking forward to Vicar Street in a few weeks, that’ll have to do ! Cheers, Brian.
August 15th, 16th and 17th 1969
Richie Havens
Sweetwater
Bert Sommer
Tim Hardin
Ravi Shankar
Melanie
Arlo Guthrie
Joan Baez
Quill
Country Joe McDonald
Santana
John Sebastian
Keef Hartley Band
Incredible String Band
Canned Heat
Mountain
Grateful Dead
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Janis Joplin
Sly & The Family Stone
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Joe Cocker
Country Joe & The Fish
Ten Years After
The Band
Johnny Winter
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Sha Na Na
Jimi Hendrix
Christy's reply
it was such a good weekend…I first saw the Film in Paris smoking some fresh Morroccan Hashish….later saw it again in London and finally in Dublin…outstanding
Just back from a Bob Dylan concert. A bit different to Slane ’84, this was 5000 people indoors, but a great gig. Not a ‘best of’, new versions of some oldies, It aint me babe, Desolation Row, all over now baby blue, and the rest of the set was from his album Rough and Ready Ways. Fascinating stuff. Mind you he didn’t stray very far from the piano, but stood up for most of the set. And the voice, yes it is still there!
Tremendous. It was a privilege to be there.
Christy's reply
last time he was here he was in behind the piano all night…..
Hi Christy,
The raised beds all wed, fed and put to bed.
Garlic overwintering like a bastard.
Last of the parsnips lifted and buttered.
Parsnip soup ? Who knew ?
The new fad ceirnin nearly here.
Lucky to have heard most of the songs,
at recent gigs. Looking forward to hear how the
sequence sounds. We went to see the hurler at the
Taibhhearc this weekend. Them Hollywood boys
spend millions making shite. And our boy gets a film
over the line for under ninety grand. Well watchable.
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
christy, i found this on bbc that is one tiny glint of light amidst the horrors…..
There is one image that keeps a Gaza musician going like no other – that of the territory’s only concert grand piano.
Khamis Abu Shaban had finally risked returning to the music school at which he taught – and which owns the piano – a few months into the current conflict.
What he saw, at the Gaza branch of the Palestinian music school, the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, was “a catastrophe”.
“More than half of the Conservatory was burned. All the instruments were broken, thrown outside. You start seeing cases of instruments as soon as you get close to the Conservatory on the streets. Violins, we had more than 50, completely smashed. Cellos, more than 40, completely smashed.”
Guitar teacher Khamis Abu Shaban, in a black shirt, playing an electric guitar on stage – lit from the front with a dark background behind.
Image source,Khamis Abu Shaban
Image caption,
Guitar teacher Khamis Abu Shaban was delighted to find the piano intact
Altogether, the Gaza branch of the Conservatory used to have more than 400 instruments – both Western classical ones and traditional Arabic instruments such as the oud, qanun and nay, a type of flute. Khamis says he felt “completely destroyed”.
But then he saw something which lifted his spirits.
“The only… instrument that I saw standing was the grand piano. Honestly, I smiled when I saw it. I smiled and I laughed.”
BBC journalist Tim Whewell, dressed in blue shirt and chinos, leans over the hammers of the grand piano – examining it with a French restorer, dressed in a mustard coloured jumper, in 2015
Tim Whewell examines the piano in 2015 after it survived a previous bombing and was restored by French music technician Claire Bertrand
The Yamaha concert grand also withstood bombing in a previous war between Israel and Gaza’s rulers – Hamas – in 2014, and was carefully restored the following year by a French music technician. It became a symbol for many of aspirations that the territory could develop a flourishing musical culture.
“I started talking to the piano,” says Khamis. “I asked: ‘Are you the only survivor of all the instruments? You don’t want to die?’ I really laughed.”
He learns about a boy who started playing the violin after he lost his hand in an airstrike. And he finds out about the second near-miraculous survival of the grand piano.
It is too dangerous for the teachers and students to resume lessons at the music school, because of Israeli military operations in the area around it in north-west Gaza. Instead, they have started giving music lessons to tens of thousands of displaced children living in the makeshift camps where many Gazans now reside.
They teach outdoors, under canvas awnings, or in schools and shelters run by UNRWA, the United Nations agency that supports Palestinian refugees.
A music session held outside in a Gaza camp led by teachers from the Gaza branch of Palestine’s National Music Conservatory – one man stands, surrounded by several people of all ages sitting down. Two are playing ouds, or guitars. The group is smiling and laughing.
Many of the music sessions are now held outdoors in camps for those displaced by the war
“Life goes on, and even with all this death around us, people need anything that can make them… not happy – no-one will be happy in this period – but something that can make them smile, be able to continue with life,” Khamis says.
The teachers – who are using whatever borrowed instruments they can find – include former students of the Conservatory, such as 16-year-old violinist Sama Nijim. One of her students is Mohammed Abu Eideh, a boy who lost his right hand in an airstrike.
He used to play the oud – his favourite instrument – but this requires two hands. So Sama devised a way for him to learn violin instead – by tying a violin bow to his arm with a scarf, so that he could bow without the use of a hand.
Mohammed Abu Eideh, who lost his right hand in an airstrike, being taught violin by 16-year-old Sama Nijim. Mohammed has a blue scarf tied around his stump to hold the violin bow in place. Sama, in a blue hoodie and pink headscarf, is helping him to position the violin.
Mohammed (L) who lost his hand in an airstrike is now learning the violin, by tying the bow to his affected arm
Such versatility on the part of the staff can also be seen in teacher Osama Jahjouh’s fashioning of a nay – or traditional flute – out of a plastic pipe, because the Conservatory nays have been lost.
Fuad Khader, who created a children’s choir in Jabaliya refugee camp in the north of Gaza, says that at first it was difficult to persuade parents to let their children take part in the activities.
“They asked: ‘People are dying, and you want to teach kids to sing?’” he says. “But I just told them: ‘Everyone has to do something. I’m a musician. And this is my job.’”
Another teacher, Ahmed Abu Amsha, says the music lessons had a transformative effect on the children.
“After a week, the families came to me and told me: ‘You have changed our kids. They are getting better. They are singing, they are laughing.’”
A group of children, dressed in an array of pastel shades, smile and laugh, with their arms around each other’s shoulders.
Parents report their children being much happier as a result of the music lessons
But he adds: “Sometimes we are singing a song – and suddenly there’s a big explosion, that makes us go silent and look at each other. And I say: ‘Don’t worry, let’s continue.’ I have to be strong in front of the children. And in some moments, they forget they are in a war.
“But when they go, I’m not strong,” he says.
“It’s like I’m sucking the bad energy from the kids. And when I try to go to sleep, it’s a horrible feeling… [I will be] thinking of a kid – how he’s seen dead bodies in the street, and his father is dead, and his sister and his uncle… Each child has a story to tell, and I try to heal them.”
As for the grand piano, Khamis Abu Shaban hopes students will one day be able to play it again.
A group of children – four boys and one girl – sit on a brown patterned sofa outside, holding a long straight type of flute to their lips
The children learn various instruments in the camps – here they are playing the nay, a traditional flute
He says that when he last saw it, several months into the war, he lifted the lid and found that some of the strings had been cut and some of the hammers broken.
“I’m familiar with how an instrument can be damaged,” he said. “A hammer cannot be broken just by shock waves, for example. Someone has opened it and started sabotaging the inside.”
But Khamis’ delight at having seen the piano is undiminished.
“Now, I see it still standing in front of me,” he laughs. “It’s telling me: ‘I’m not one to die. I’m still here for you. And I will stay.
rory
Christy's reply
some say that writing or reading this makes one anti semitic….
A great bonus in the review section of ‘The Observer’ paper …a lengthy piece by Amy Key – an author of a Joni Mitchell book,long time fan,who recently saw JM play The Hollywood Bowl…fab descriptions of the audience emotions at the gig.
The only time I saw Joni is etched in my memory…The Odeon,Manchester,Spring,1972. Solo Jackson Browne opened, followed by solo Joni Mitchell. Guitar,dulcimer,piano and her amazing voice…an epic night.Two young artists with lifetimes ahead of them…
D
Christy's reply
Where was The Odeon ? Played a big Cinema in Ardwick Green once…..it was a dedicated Rock venue and did not suit Planxty at the time..Packie Manus Byrne lived out there …always made strong black sweet tea
On a brilliant Autumn day,it was a great walk for papers…Mary’s right about the insightful Guardian/Observer review…
As the years go by,and I’ve been listening to some artists for 50plus years,it’s fascinating to play music across the eras.With many,I’m drawn to the simplicity and class of early songs…Joni Mitchell and Neil Young,huge influences on each other- ‘Rhe Circle Game’s and ‘Sugar Mountain’…wisdom beyond their years,now classic songs by composers barely out of their teens…
Right now,I’m playing the first Planxty LP…and recalling where and when I bought it and first put stylus to vintl… And soon,’A Terrible Beauty’.,to be relished and added to the collection
Hello Christy,
I was in Settle yesterday morning. Joined a protest on the market square. Justice for Palestininans. Stop arming Israel. Got talking to a lovely woman. She’d been to Palestine. Told her about Martin Leahy’s song. Posted on Facebook about it with pics. It has has got very little response. I have 4500 Facebook contacts. They are from all over, many musicians. I think people must feel frightened of being seen to do things?
Love your latest set list and latest adventures with Michál Bennett. It’s great to come to gigs in different areas and hear the songs from each place. Also loving how the words lie down for you.
Morning Christy,
Heading out for the Sunday papers (including the Observer and looking forward to reading A Terrible Beauty review – ‘stirring tales of the polemical and the personal’ by Neil Spencer.
The cover looks stunning. Just listened to Black and Amber by Briany Brannigan – a powerful lead song. Comhghairdeas a Christy
2022 Dylan gig…2024 is wishful thinking! D
years get tossed around in the old fuzz box
Hi Christy
The Odeon was a big cinema at the St Peter’s Square end of Oxford Rd…sadly,demolished a few years ago. When I got the Joni ticket,I queried the gig venue as I often saw films there…come the night,it was ideal…curtain over the screen,well set up stage and spot on acoustics. Bonus that a few of us found the stage door and I have an autographed ticket,fifty plus years on…
Planxty played The Apollo,Ardwick Green…support for Rita Coolidge,when I saw you…the sound was great for the audience and I remember being chuffed to hear ‘Kangaroo’l..Last time I was at The Apollo was the Dylan gig….have seen him and bands there a few times.Always cracking nights and some Ry Cooder gems..as we walked in for 2024,Dylan,I laughed…nostalgia for the venue,but my feet stuck to the carpet…like the old days!!
Nearly release Friday!
Dave
Stuck to the carpet
them was the days
And don’t forget to tell them, “This fella is gonna get shot in the head, the guy who wrote the Swamp Dirge to the old miners tune “Drill ye Terries Drill that the Clancy Brithers and Tommy Makem used to sing, I met Tommy my Dutch Incle would have him over to dinner every night he was in town, Tommy’s sons The Makem and Spain Brothers too ; best Scottish Gaeltacht band: Breabach, Dervish and I’ll get back to you on the others, I just smoked some grass prescribed for PTSD …. If you only knew lol good night and God bless
In Tipperary so Far Away…..
Hey Christy Im a big fan of yers and I live by your music, the whole gang at planxty is making the world explode and as we are in WWIII depending on the results of this US election I would like to offer you my songs to look at, and if God allows they will give you some insipiration. Im a Tipperary Whiteboy Leveller and Stone Thrower straight out of Roscrea and working on my Disertation for MIT on quantum physics and computer architecture crossed with artificial intelligence in the search for the definition of true consicousness say the soul perhaps, but its a hard fight.
My first song the Swamp Dirge is from our childhood club in the old run down Lost City of Tryon park in my neighborhood where 2 kids just had their heads cut off in front of their parents by cartel siccarios but it was family business so nothing to worry about. So it is an IRA union song that I wrote
The second song is about the Aztecs in Mexico City and I called it Tenochtitlan its original name and that is the second song of how they were good people following the Mexican version of Christ Quetzelcoatl when a bad ruler snaked him out of power the Lord of Slavery and Human Sacrifice Tezcatpotlica, so please feel free to hear these songs and ill hope you forgive me if I post a link to the swamplords website where you can here my music here : https://www.swamplords.org/general-1
You and the rest of Planxty should be heard by the true Irish and the Dannan, God bless you all
Sean Constantinus Joseph Blaakman Bourke out of Roscrea Tipperary I am
Thanks for sharing
Escaped Hurricane Helene & made it up to the Windy City for a few songs: https://youtu.be/ammkKVVwXpE?si=UM3yYzvrJZAOJO2G
Love the new record. All the best,
Dylan
you’re sounding real good Dylan Walshe, thanks for sharing….keep up the good work
Hi Christy, talk of past concerts on here and your recent experience in Dundalk got me thinking, whatever happened to concert etiquette? I went to a concert last week, I won’t name the band but lets just say the behaviour of some ‘fans’ certainly wasn’t cool (for cats). Some turned up off their heads on ale or coke (and I don’t mean Cola) some talked all the way through songs others coming and going to the bar/toilet mid song instead of waiting till a song was over to ‘squeeze’ past. I must admit I have been know in the past to ask people to please ‘shut the f**k up’ but these days when there is more than one of them and they are half my age, twice my size and coked up to the eye balls I reluctantly try to bite my lip. People might argue that they have paid their money so can behave as they wish, but if you are going to sing over the artist at the top of your voice at least know the lyrics.
its not an entirely new phenomenon….I can recall events in 60’s 70’s 80’s that were almost intolerable but I needed the fee…a full scale riot in a dance hall when Planxty played support to Sean Thomson and The Everglades in Sligo back in 1972…..everyone found the fighting more interesting then the music ..we kept playing lest we might not get paid….playing a club in West Belfast in ’84 .. fully tooled , blacked up, camouflaged squaddies walked through the audience as I sang Irish Ways , Irish Laws….talk about atmosphere….another night in Longford there was a noisy card school at the back of the room during my set….Moving Hearts played The Parkway in Limerick 1982 ish … a stand up gig and a young couple on the floor goin at it…yer man hiding the salami….we never missed a beat, nor did they…and there were worse night then that …but Judge Judy is starting in 5 minutes
Made the mistake of reading about the Tr*mp rally in NYC…now playing Woody Guthrie and thinking of his guitar logo…D
fingers crossed..that the third time might be lucky
Mornin’ Christy
Many thanks for this forum…it’s a special place to share info and emotions.
Before hitting the sack last night,I flicked through the day’s content…focusing on the fab review from Salut(their newsletter is also brilliant) and the raw emotions of the harrowing news posted by Rory.
Thanks to Pat’s Dylan review,today has started with me realising some personal Dylan links …July 1981,Dylan had recently hit 40 and was playing in Birmingham – the nearest gig to home. My late wife and I got tickets,had a great roadtrip .I can recall the post gig euphoria that we’d seen a Bob gig…and,who knows,he might never tour again!
Fast forward to November,2022. My 70th birthday on the horizon…at what cost and hassle,I’ve never found out,my two adult sons sourced three tickets for Dylan and co at Manchester Apollo – similar gig to Pat’s post.To date,the only time the three of us have attended a gig together and it was very special. Immaculate band sound,intense atmosphere and well chosen setlist. The night finished with “Every grain of sand’…a Dylan harmonica break and Good night…perfect…
Have a good day all
Dave
I started this page that converstions might ensue….my wish has been fulfilled….I enjoy these communications
Hey Christy, hope all’s well with you. Today, we rode the Harley’s about 250 miles and stopped by Woodstock NY, the original event site is actually in Bethel Woods near Woodstock. It was a perfect crisp Autumn day, about 50f which is about 10 Celsius. There’s a monument there now commemorating the musical miracle. It lists the 32 performances. Anyway now I’ve been to Woodstock, Knock and Lisdoonvarna all’s left is the Feast of Cana. Looking forward to Vicar Street in a few weeks, that’ll have to do ! Cheers, Brian.
August 15th, 16th and 17th 1969
Richie Havens
Sweetwater
Bert Sommer
Tim Hardin
Ravi Shankar
Melanie
Arlo Guthrie
Joan Baez
Quill
Country Joe McDonald
Santana
John Sebastian
Keef Hartley Band
Incredible String Band
Canned Heat
Mountain
Grateful Dead
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Janis Joplin
Sly & The Family Stone
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Joe Cocker
Country Joe & The Fish
Ten Years After
The Band
Johnny Winter
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Sha Na Na
Jimi Hendrix
it was such a good weekend…I first saw the Film in Paris smoking some fresh Morroccan Hashish….later saw it again in London and finally in Dublin…outstanding
Just back from a Bob Dylan concert. A bit different to Slane ’84, this was 5000 people indoors, but a great gig. Not a ‘best of’, new versions of some oldies, It aint me babe, Desolation Row, all over now baby blue, and the rest of the set was from his album Rough and Ready Ways. Fascinating stuff. Mind you he didn’t stray very far from the piano, but stood up for most of the set. And the voice, yes it is still there!
Tremendous. It was a privilege to be there.
last time he was here he was in behind the piano all night…..
Hi Christy,
The raised beds all wed, fed and put to bed.
Garlic overwintering like a bastard.
Last of the parsnips lifted and buttered.
Parsnip soup ? Who knew ?
The new fad ceirnin nearly here.
Lucky to have heard most of the songs,
at recent gigs. Looking forward to hear how the
sequence sounds. We went to see the hurler at the
Taibhhearc this weekend. Them Hollywood boys
spend millions making shite. And our boy gets a film
over the line for under ninety grand. Well watchable.
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
some good movies comin out of Éire these days….
christy, i found this on bbc that is one tiny glint of light amidst the horrors…..
There is one image that keeps a Gaza musician going like no other – that of the territory’s only concert grand piano.
Khamis Abu Shaban had finally risked returning to the music school at which he taught – and which owns the piano – a few months into the current conflict.
What he saw, at the Gaza branch of the Palestinian music school, the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, was “a catastrophe”.
“More than half of the Conservatory was burned. All the instruments were broken, thrown outside. You start seeing cases of instruments as soon as you get close to the Conservatory on the streets. Violins, we had more than 50, completely smashed. Cellos, more than 40, completely smashed.”
Guitar teacher Khamis Abu Shaban, in a black shirt, playing an electric guitar on stage – lit from the front with a dark background behind.
Image source,Khamis Abu Shaban
Image caption,
Guitar teacher Khamis Abu Shaban was delighted to find the piano intact
Altogether, the Gaza branch of the Conservatory used to have more than 400 instruments – both Western classical ones and traditional Arabic instruments such as the oud, qanun and nay, a type of flute. Khamis says he felt “completely destroyed”.
But then he saw something which lifted his spirits.
“The only… instrument that I saw standing was the grand piano. Honestly, I smiled when I saw it. I smiled and I laughed.”
BBC journalist Tim Whewell, dressed in blue shirt and chinos, leans over the hammers of the grand piano – examining it with a French restorer, dressed in a mustard coloured jumper, in 2015
Tim Whewell examines the piano in 2015 after it survived a previous bombing and was restored by French music technician Claire Bertrand
The Yamaha concert grand also withstood bombing in a previous war between Israel and Gaza’s rulers – Hamas – in 2014, and was carefully restored the following year by a French music technician. It became a symbol for many of aspirations that the territory could develop a flourishing musical culture.
“I started talking to the piano,” says Khamis. “I asked: ‘Are you the only survivor of all the instruments? You don’t want to die?’ I really laughed.”
He learns about a boy who started playing the violin after he lost his hand in an airstrike. And he finds out about the second near-miraculous survival of the grand piano.
It is too dangerous for the teachers and students to resume lessons at the music school, because of Israeli military operations in the area around it in north-west Gaza. Instead, they have started giving music lessons to tens of thousands of displaced children living in the makeshift camps where many Gazans now reside.
They teach outdoors, under canvas awnings, or in schools and shelters run by UNRWA, the United Nations agency that supports Palestinian refugees.
A music session held outside in a Gaza camp led by teachers from the Gaza branch of Palestine’s National Music Conservatory – one man stands, surrounded by several people of all ages sitting down. Two are playing ouds, or guitars. The group is smiling and laughing.
Many of the music sessions are now held outdoors in camps for those displaced by the war
“Life goes on, and even with all this death around us, people need anything that can make them… not happy – no-one will be happy in this period – but something that can make them smile, be able to continue with life,” Khamis says.
The teachers – who are using whatever borrowed instruments they can find – include former students of the Conservatory, such as 16-year-old violinist Sama Nijim. One of her students is Mohammed Abu Eideh, a boy who lost his right hand in an airstrike.
He used to play the oud – his favourite instrument – but this requires two hands. So Sama devised a way for him to learn violin instead – by tying a violin bow to his arm with a scarf, so that he could bow without the use of a hand.
Mohammed Abu Eideh, who lost his right hand in an airstrike, being taught violin by 16-year-old Sama Nijim. Mohammed has a blue scarf tied around his stump to hold the violin bow in place. Sama, in a blue hoodie and pink headscarf, is helping him to position the violin.
Mohammed (L) who lost his hand in an airstrike is now learning the violin, by tying the bow to his affected arm
Such versatility on the part of the staff can also be seen in teacher Osama Jahjouh’s fashioning of a nay – or traditional flute – out of a plastic pipe, because the Conservatory nays have been lost.
Fuad Khader, who created a children’s choir in Jabaliya refugee camp in the north of Gaza, says that at first it was difficult to persuade parents to let their children take part in the activities.
“They asked: ‘People are dying, and you want to teach kids to sing?’” he says. “But I just told them: ‘Everyone has to do something. I’m a musician. And this is my job.’”
Another teacher, Ahmed Abu Amsha, says the music lessons had a transformative effect on the children.
“After a week, the families came to me and told me: ‘You have changed our kids. They are getting better. They are singing, they are laughing.’”
A group of children, dressed in an array of pastel shades, smile and laugh, with their arms around each other’s shoulders.
Parents report their children being much happier as a result of the music lessons
But he adds: “Sometimes we are singing a song – and suddenly there’s a big explosion, that makes us go silent and look at each other. And I say: ‘Don’t worry, let’s continue.’ I have to be strong in front of the children. And in some moments, they forget they are in a war.
“But when they go, I’m not strong,” he says.
“It’s like I’m sucking the bad energy from the kids. And when I try to go to sleep, it’s a horrible feeling… [I will be] thinking of a kid – how he’s seen dead bodies in the street, and his father is dead, and his sister and his uncle… Each child has a story to tell, and I try to heal them.”
As for the grand piano, Khamis Abu Shaban hopes students will one day be able to play it again.
A group of children – four boys and one girl – sit on a brown patterned sofa outside, holding a long straight type of flute to their lips
The children learn various instruments in the camps – here they are playing the nay, a traditional flute
He says that when he last saw it, several months into the war, he lifted the lid and found that some of the strings had been cut and some of the hammers broken.
“I’m familiar with how an instrument can be damaged,” he said. “A hammer cannot be broken just by shock waves, for example. Someone has opened it and started sabotaging the inside.”
But Khamis’ delight at having seen the piano is undiminished.
“Now, I see it still standing in front of me,” he laughs. “It’s telling me: ‘I’m not one to die. I’m still here for you. And I will stay.
rory
some say that writing or reading this makes one anti semitic….
Thanks for sharing Rory….blood continues to boil
I haven’t the reach of The Observer but have somehow managed to get this review + Q&A interview seen by 3000+ people so far https://www.salutlive.com/2024/10/christy-interview-will-do-it-up-for-posting-just-before-album-release-nov-1.html
It’s a hugely impressive album
Well done Colm Randall……its 55 years since we first me….very few listeners left from the Golden Time
A great bonus in the review section of ‘The Observer’ paper …a lengthy piece by Amy Key – an author of a Joni Mitchell book,long time fan,who recently saw JM play The Hollywood Bowl…fab descriptions of the audience emotions at the gig.
The only time I saw Joni is etched in my memory…The Odeon,Manchester,Spring,1972. Solo Jackson Browne opened, followed by solo Joni Mitchell. Guitar,dulcimer,piano and her amazing voice…an epic night.Two young artists with lifetimes ahead of them…
D
Where was The Odeon ? Played a big Cinema in Ardwick Green once…..it was a dedicated Rock venue and did not suit Planxty at the time..Packie Manus Byrne lived out there …always made strong black sweet tea
Hi Christy
On a brilliant Autumn day,it was a great walk for papers…Mary’s right about the insightful Guardian/Observer review…
As the years go by,and I’ve been listening to some artists for 50plus years,it’s fascinating to play music across the eras.With many,I’m drawn to the simplicity and class of early songs…Joni Mitchell and Neil Young,huge influences on each other- ‘Rhe Circle Game’s and ‘Sugar Mountain’…wisdom beyond their years,now classic songs by composers barely out of their teens…
Right now,I’m playing the first Planxty LP…and recalling where and when I bought it and first put stylus to vintl… And soon,’A Terrible Beauty’.,to be relished and added to the collection
Dave
Hi, here is The Observer Review 4 out of 5 again ! https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/oct/26/christy-moore-a-terrible-beauty-review-stirring-tales-of-the-polemical-and-the-personal?CMP=share_btn_url Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Not sure how “words” became “eors”
???
Hello Christy,
I was in Settle yesterday morning. Joined a protest on the market square. Justice for Palestininans. Stop arming Israel. Got talking to a lovely woman. She’d been to Palestine. Told her about Martin Leahy’s song. Posted on Facebook about it with pics. It has has got very little response. I have 4500 Facebook contacts. They are from all over, many musicians. I think people must feel frightened of being seen to do things?
Love your latest set list and latest adventures with Michál Bennett. It’s great to come to gigs in different areas and hear the songs from each place. Also loving how the words lie down for you.
Rebecca
Morning Christy,
Heading out for the Sunday papers (including the Observer and looking forward to reading A Terrible Beauty review – ‘stirring tales of the polemical and the personal’ by Neil Spencer.
The cover looks stunning. Just listened to Black and Amber by Briany Brannigan – a powerful lead song. Comhghairdeas a Christy
Friday’s gig was amazing! Great to be with my cousins for their FIRST ever CM gig!