Hi Chrsity,
Off to your show tonight in the Slieve Russell with my grandad Mick, his partner Marie and my girlfriend Chloe. I have seen you about a dozen myself but my grandad has being going to you for near 50 years! The first timexhe saw you as with Planxty in the Temperance Hall in Longford. He would love if you could play John O Dreams tonight.
In the women’s prison there are 17 women .
Just saw a report on Scotland’s Lilias centres, hope they are working.
I know you sang and spoke of the horrors in Armagh Prison.
There must be a better way.
Fine music tracing such incarceration.
Rory
Saw you a couple of times when in the UK and before migrating in 2005 and want to repeat the experience again with my wife – we saw Mary Black a few years back in Melbourne and would like to see her again too.
Possibly coming to UK in 2026 but almost certainly 2027 and hope to be in Ireland in September 2027 to take in some of the Ryder Cup but also to hopefully get to see your good self
Appreciate plans next year and the year after may not be in place yet but any guide as to when tours may be would be much appreciated as we will aim to build our trip around those dates either in 2026 or 2027 – don’t suppose an Australian Tour is on the cards?
If god is on our side, she’ll stop the next war..
Y’know..with all the bad news served up in our lounge rooms each night, we sometimes lose sight of the good people doing good things
– from all walks of life, careers, beliefs…
We can focus on love, music & laughter whilst not forgetting those in need
Here’s to the endless pursuit of fairness!
Sing another song boys!! (& girls!)
Hello Christy,
The very best of luck to Dave for his day at the library in Manchester.
Sounds like we’re all very busy at the moment. The last two nights I’ve been singing at folk clubs. Monday was a Zoom session with bits of the Topic Club.
Last night was a sing around session with the Panther Club in Cleckheaton (cleckhuddersfax…)
I’ve been working my socks off on the guitar but, to help my nerves and fingers, I had a guitarist there on Monday night (Steve!)
A reliable help and support that’s letting me play the guitar a bit but not have to rely on myself.
The songs have always been the thing for me, so it’s a good way to get out there and progress on the guitar without driving myself nuts with the nerves.
Talking of the Curragh, it’s been celebrated in Yorkshire the last two nights, along with Billy Gray’s dusty adventures.
Give it a couple of decades and I’m hoping to be confident enough (and nimble fingered enough), not to need a friendly neighbourhood guitarist holding my musical hand.
In a city centre cafe…scran and caffeine before setting up today’s Central Library music event. Just walked past The Free Trade Hall,looking just as it always did,despite it now being a posh hotel.
So many memories of days and people gone by…some recall is hazy,but one memory is in sharp focus…over 50 years ago.A Sunday night in the local folk club….Intrigued by the young,Irish singer….he looked like a builder,played mellow guitar and sang so melodiously…it was the start of a continuing journey….I’m in my home city but feeling
close to The Curragh,Dooneen and Spancilhill…
When does the word CEASE mean nothing?
When it applies to Gaza’s Cease Fire.
Keep singing of Gaza please.
How is the Yellow Bog near Allen Wood?
How is young Andy, will he sing again soon, with or without you, as some littlemark once sang?
Has Arthur’s Day reappeared in the repetoire?
Have the plastic paddies left the street singing in San Fernando?
A friend told me he was coming to Limerick to see you on this ‘final’ tour, i told him to keep coming back, good for many more years i’d say?
My 3rd child went to Paris to see Finn play, but like Ireland did we not just perform in snatches?
Just a ramble i know, no direction in this post, but i watched the sunrise yesterday over Ruberslaw, listening to Local Hero’s theme thinking back of watching a famous victory on sunday past spent with my lifelong Toon supporting son as i wondered at life’s endless beauty, but then i worried that i’d become the judge watching the gardener pluck the daisies off the lawn. Must care more!
Rory
Hi Christy
Loved your music since first hearing tracks on the late Martin Kellner’s radio show over here in the late 1980s – definitely hoping to see you like this year if you’d stop selling out gigs so quickly please!
I’ve just had nearly 2 months working in and around Newbridge delivering parts to the new brewery at Littleconnel – my customer and all the lads (and a lass) are from Stuttgart, and were delighted when I sent them all Joxer Goes To Stuttgart to listen to, very popular and I’ll let you know if it gets into the German Top 40!
Best Regards
Andy
Woke up 5am and saw Orange Man tweet about Kennedy Center remake, imagined Wagner playing for Hitler wanna be, so depressing. Scrolled further and saw Spider Stacy post about gig in Boston with Drop Kick Murphy and Pogues. Supposed to get medical procedure on St Patrick’s Day but Doctor said too dangerous, ex smoker ticking time bomb. So idea is get all Irish musicians to come across the pond and have Irish Woodstock against fascism, maybe you’ll join. I’m you tube famous at Pogue concert 3/17/2008 Fairytale in New York crowd surfing when my son drops me at end, Drop Kick Murphy On 01/13/2023 Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced Ken Casey displaying my shirt after Conor Magregor wanna be smashed into me from mosh pit. Your rendition of Motherland in Dublin I won’t forget. Maybe U2 can come incognito if their Israeli bankers let them. I’m watching CNN as I write this, Gaza getting pounded again. Woodstock was the beginning of a movement that changed the world, maybe Irish Musicians can plant the seeds of a new movement.
RIP Jesse Colin Young….class guy,musician,activist…writer of a favourite Iain Matthews song,’Darkness,darkness’…now playing as I finish a ribbling notes for tomorrow.
Very many thanks for wonderful reviews of Oysterband gigs in Germany…not only detailed,but I can picture the venues from far away…
I had the band in mind last Friday….my grandson’s 11th birthday. He was born when I was at an Oysterband gig at The Lowry Theatre…a great night in many ways.
So many fantastic songs across the genres and wonderful music with the incomparable June Tabor…always up for a challenge as well.The cover of Jefferson Airplane’s ‘ White Rabbit’ rocked many a venue…
I didn’t see the band as often as Birgit,but several gigs in a variety of venues leave fabulous memories….for them,many thanks…great work,Birgit.
Keep the NET going,Christy…I’m rambling on about the Manchester folk scene/Bill Leader at Wednesday’s event….you’re being mentioned in despatches!
Hi Christy and Dave, I hope I may answer here to Dave’s recent request for a little report on the Oyster goodbye tour in Germany 😊.
I went to five out of seven gigs. Three were standing venues which I actually prefer for that kind of music, one of the mainly seated ones was in a church which made up for it with great acoustics, and they had some space at the side/back to stand (and towards the end of the gigs they changed into standing venues 😉).
The setlists changed only slightly from gig to gig.
Alan’s solo song was a different one from the one he played at the England gigs I went to in November. He played Mississippi Summer in England, here he played Wide river to cross (by Buddy and Julie Miller) with Ian and JJ singing harmonies to the chorus (apart from one gig when they “forgot” 😉). In Bochum he surprised the audience and his fellow band members by singing Only God knows (what I’d be without you) from the Beach Boys which suited perfectly.
The songs covered their long journey with songs like Molly Bond from when they started playing together and not even have thought of writing songs themselves, Deserter, All that way (meanwhile dedicated to Trump instead of Brexit and British politicians), 20th of April, Everywhere I go, Diamonds on the water, Roll away, Northern light, Shouting end of life, You could leave right now, World turned upside down, Uncommercial song, A river runs, When I’m up, Spirit of dust, One green hill, Blood wedding, Granite years (not in playing order).
In the church they added Blackwaterside, in Bochum they added Road to Santiago and We shall come home.
Not only the band members had tears their eyes when finishing every evening with “Put out the lights” as it was the last time they did so in each city.
The audience was always singing along quite well and in some locations it was like back in the old days when we restarted “don’t be afraid” when the song was officially already “finished”. Alan then joined in again with his guitar and the band just enjoyed us singing without them, they smiled with a kind of disbelieve what’s going on😅. Bochum was the highlight when the audience and Alan echoed the chorus of don’t be afraid with everywhere I go at the same time (it fits 😉) and as JJ put it: they stood there “bemused and smiling”, waiting to play their last song.
Their long-term drummer Lee (1990-2008) was in the audience at the Cologne gig. Nice surprise to see him there.
I’m looking forward to see them one last time in Germany end of June at one of my favourite locations in Bonfeld (in the park of little castle with a beautiful family-like atmosphere where one visitor once pointed out so aptly: we come here even if there’s no music as it just feels good to be there, the people are so friendly, everything is lovely decorated etc👍). The Oysters played there at the “Folk im Schlosshof” and at the Blacksheep festival (3 and 2 times afaik) and so it’s a great location for them to finally say goodbye to Germany.
I’m glad that I had the privilege of listening and enjoying their music for more than 30 years. My first Oyster gig was the Celtic Christmas Show in Dusseldorf in December 1992 together with the Pogues and Christy’s younger brother Luka Bloom. We were exhausted already before the Pogues began to play… And from then on it was the band I’ve seen live most often. Luckily they came over to Germany regularly and as I live in a densely populated area there was always one or sometimes two gigs nearby. Sure it’s sad that they quit but their music will stay part of my life forever. And I’m really thankful for many, many hours with brilliant music, meaningful lyrics and meeting many nice Oysterheads along the way.
Sorry, the text got longer than planned 😉
As the tour is over right on time for St. Patrick’s Day I’m listening again to Irish music and gave the Terrible Beauty another spin that had to pause for the Oyster week😉
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you☘️
Birgit
Sad to hear the news from North Macedonia – they never came home 😮💨
Christy's reply
Thank. you for your post…I’ve never witnessed the Oyster Band ….your post tells me that I have missed out on something special….
You also remind me of my times in Germany….many happy gigs in great venues to such welcoming listeners….only in Germany does one recieve a standing ovation before the gig starts !….also great respect there for longevity….and great participation in long encores…. I think my longest encore ever was in the Markethalle in Hamburg…I send greetings and belated “Thank You” to all German songsters
Hi Christy
Positive vibes…courtesy of KLOF mag and the excellent newsletter….’The Monday morning brew’…this week,#94.. it includes a great film by Myles O’Reilly (as always…),which is also on YouTube….A profile of Peter Doran and family…’A day well spent with the Dorans’…a boost on a cold,gloomy day…
Hello Christy,
Loving the opulence and obsessiveness. The stubbornness was meant for guitarists, but could go the pipers too. It’s taken Steve four years to get all the bits of his pipes made and stuck together.
I thought I spied the elegant fingers of Seamus Ennis there on the right. And the rest of him watching Liam intently.
Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Rebecca
Hi C the consensus on the many comments on that facebook clip suggests : Left to right Mick O’Brien, Willie Reynolds, Des Shannon, Bill Ochs, The Lavin brothers, Liam O Flynn, Tom White, and Seán Reid. For a bonus point it’s Padraic Griffin’s Bedford !! H
Finally booked my next trip to Ireland. 18 days wondering around visiting new spots and old favorites. The highlight being a night in Castlebar, I am looking forward to seeing you on stage again.
Brendan
Hi Chrsity,
Off to your show tonight in the Slieve Russell with my grandad Mick, his partner Marie and my girlfriend Chloe. I have seen you about a dozen myself but my grandad has being going to you for near 50 years! The first timexhe saw you as with Planxty in the Temperance Hall in Longford. He would love if you could play John O Dreams tonight.
Thanks a million ya Legend
Shane Maguire
In the women’s prison there are 17 women .
Just saw a report on Scotland’s Lilias centres, hope they are working.
I know you sang and spoke of the horrors in Armagh Prison.
There must be a better way.
Fine music tracing such incarceration.
Rory
Hi Christy
Saw you a couple of times when in the UK and before migrating in 2005 and want to repeat the experience again with my wife – we saw Mary Black a few years back in Melbourne and would like to see her again too.
Possibly coming to UK in 2026 but almost certainly 2027 and hope to be in Ireland in September 2027 to take in some of the Ryder Cup but also to hopefully get to see your good self
Appreciate plans next year and the year after may not be in place yet but any guide as to when tours may be would be much appreciated as we will aim to build our trip around those dates either in 2026 or 2027 – don’t suppose an Australian Tour is on the cards?
Hope you are well
Chris currently in Canberra
If god is on our side, she’ll stop the next war..
Y’know..with all the bad news served up in our lounge rooms each night, we sometimes lose sight of the good people doing good things
– from all walks of life, careers, beliefs…
We can focus on love, music & laughter whilst not forgetting those in need
Here’s to the endless pursuit of fairness!
Sing another song boys!! (& girls!)
Hi Christy
An epic,wonderful day…I have a gig with John o dreams now….I’ll do my best to ramble about the highlights tomorrow…
Viva Bill Leader…what an impact he’s made.
Night all
Dave
Hello Christy,
The very best of luck to Dave for his day at the library in Manchester.
Sounds like we’re all very busy at the moment. The last two nights I’ve been singing at folk clubs. Monday was a Zoom session with bits of the Topic Club.
Last night was a sing around session with the Panther Club in Cleckheaton (cleckhuddersfax…)
I’ve been working my socks off on the guitar but, to help my nerves and fingers, I had a guitarist there on Monday night (Steve!)
A reliable help and support that’s letting me play the guitar a bit but not have to rely on myself.
The songs have always been the thing for me, so it’s a good way to get out there and progress on the guitar without driving myself nuts with the nerves.
Talking of the Curragh, it’s been celebrated in Yorkshire the last two nights, along with Billy Gray’s dusty adventures.
Give it a couple of decades and I’m hoping to be confident enough (and nimble fingered enough), not to need a friendly neighbourhood guitarist holding my musical hand.
Love to all 💚
Rebecca
Hi Christy
In a city centre cafe…scran and caffeine before setting up today’s Central Library music event. Just walked past The Free Trade Hall,looking just as it always did,despite it now being a posh hotel.
So many memories of days and people gone by…some recall is hazy,but one memory is in sharp focus…over 50 years ago.A Sunday night in the local folk club….Intrigued by the young,Irish singer….he looked like a builder,played mellow guitar and sang so melodiously…it was the start of a continuing journey….I’m in my home city but feeling
close to The Curragh,Dooneen and Spancilhill…
Dave
When does the word CEASE mean nothing?
When it applies to Gaza’s Cease Fire.
Keep singing of Gaza please.
How is the Yellow Bog near Allen Wood?
How is young Andy, will he sing again soon, with or without you, as some littlemark once sang?
Has Arthur’s Day reappeared in the repetoire?
Have the plastic paddies left the street singing in San Fernando?
A friend told me he was coming to Limerick to see you on this ‘final’ tour, i told him to keep coming back, good for many more years i’d say?
My 3rd child went to Paris to see Finn play, but like Ireland did we not just perform in snatches?
Just a ramble i know, no direction in this post, but i watched the sunrise yesterday over Ruberslaw, listening to Local Hero’s theme thinking back of watching a famous victory on sunday past spent with my lifelong Toon supporting son as i wondered at life’s endless beauty, but then i worried that i’d become the judge watching the gardener pluck the daisies off the lawn. Must care more!
Rory
Thank you, Christy, for your kind and encouraging words. They keep me going! I send you my love,
Hi Christy
Loved your music since first hearing tracks on the late Martin Kellner’s radio show over here in the late 1980s – definitely hoping to see you like this year if you’d stop selling out gigs so quickly please!
I’ve just had nearly 2 months working in and around Newbridge delivering parts to the new brewery at Littleconnel – my customer and all the lads (and a lass) are from Stuttgart, and were delighted when I sent them all Joxer Goes To Stuttgart to listen to, very popular and I’ll let you know if it gets into the German Top 40!
Best Regards
Andy
Woke up 5am and saw Orange Man tweet about Kennedy Center remake, imagined Wagner playing for Hitler wanna be, so depressing. Scrolled further and saw Spider Stacy post about gig in Boston with Drop Kick Murphy and Pogues. Supposed to get medical procedure on St Patrick’s Day but Doctor said too dangerous, ex smoker ticking time bomb. So idea is get all Irish musicians to come across the pond and have Irish Woodstock against fascism, maybe you’ll join. I’m you tube famous at Pogue concert 3/17/2008 Fairytale in New York crowd surfing when my son drops me at end, Drop Kick Murphy On 01/13/2023 Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced Ken Casey displaying my shirt after Conor Magregor wanna be smashed into me from mosh pit. Your rendition of Motherland in Dublin I won’t forget. Maybe U2 can come incognito if their Israeli bankers let them. I’m watching CNN as I write this, Gaza getting pounded again. Woodstock was the beginning of a movement that changed the world, maybe Irish Musicians can plant the seeds of a new movement.
Hi Christy
RIP Jesse Colin Young….class guy,musician,activist…writer of a favourite Iain Matthews song,’Darkness,darkness’…now playing as I finish a ribbling notes for tomorrow.
Dave
Hi Christy and Birgit
Very many thanks for wonderful reviews of Oysterband gigs in Germany…not only detailed,but I can picture the venues from far away…
I had the band in mind last Friday….my grandson’s 11th birthday. He was born when I was at an Oysterband gig at The Lowry Theatre…a great night in many ways.
So many fantastic songs across the genres and wonderful music with the incomparable June Tabor…always up for a challenge as well.The cover of Jefferson Airplane’s ‘ White Rabbit’ rocked many a venue…
I didn’t see the band as often as Birgit,but several gigs in a variety of venues leave fabulous memories….for them,many thanks…great work,Birgit.
Keep the NET going,Christy…I’m rambling on about the Manchester folk scene/Bill Leader at Wednesday’s event….you’re being mentioned in despatches!
Dave
Hi Christy and Dave, I hope I may answer here to Dave’s recent request for a little report on the Oyster goodbye tour in Germany 😊.
I went to five out of seven gigs. Three were standing venues which I actually prefer for that kind of music, one of the mainly seated ones was in a church which made up for it with great acoustics, and they had some space at the side/back to stand (and towards the end of the gigs they changed into standing venues 😉).
The setlists changed only slightly from gig to gig.
Alan’s solo song was a different one from the one he played at the England gigs I went to in November. He played Mississippi Summer in England, here he played Wide river to cross (by Buddy and Julie Miller) with Ian and JJ singing harmonies to the chorus (apart from one gig when they “forgot” 😉). In Bochum he surprised the audience and his fellow band members by singing Only God knows (what I’d be without you) from the Beach Boys which suited perfectly.
The songs covered their long journey with songs like Molly Bond from when they started playing together and not even have thought of writing songs themselves, Deserter, All that way (meanwhile dedicated to Trump instead of Brexit and British politicians), 20th of April, Everywhere I go, Diamonds on the water, Roll away, Northern light, Shouting end of life, You could leave right now, World turned upside down, Uncommercial song, A river runs, When I’m up, Spirit of dust, One green hill, Blood wedding, Granite years (not in playing order).
In the church they added Blackwaterside, in Bochum they added Road to Santiago and We shall come home.
Not only the band members had tears their eyes when finishing every evening with “Put out the lights” as it was the last time they did so in each city.
The audience was always singing along quite well and in some locations it was like back in the old days when we restarted “don’t be afraid” when the song was officially already “finished”. Alan then joined in again with his guitar and the band just enjoyed us singing without them, they smiled with a kind of disbelieve what’s going on😅. Bochum was the highlight when the audience and Alan echoed the chorus of don’t be afraid with everywhere I go at the same time (it fits 😉) and as JJ put it: they stood there “bemused and smiling”, waiting to play their last song.
Their long-term drummer Lee (1990-2008) was in the audience at the Cologne gig. Nice surprise to see him there.
I’m looking forward to see them one last time in Germany end of June at one of my favourite locations in Bonfeld (in the park of little castle with a beautiful family-like atmosphere where one visitor once pointed out so aptly: we come here even if there’s no music as it just feels good to be there, the people are so friendly, everything is lovely decorated etc👍). The Oysters played there at the “Folk im Schlosshof” and at the Blacksheep festival (3 and 2 times afaik) and so it’s a great location for them to finally say goodbye to Germany.
I’m glad that I had the privilege of listening and enjoying their music for more than 30 years. My first Oyster gig was the Celtic Christmas Show in Dusseldorf in December 1992 together with the Pogues and Christy’s younger brother Luka Bloom. We were exhausted already before the Pogues began to play… And from then on it was the band I’ve seen live most often. Luckily they came over to Germany regularly and as I live in a densely populated area there was always one or sometimes two gigs nearby. Sure it’s sad that they quit but their music will stay part of my life forever. And I’m really thankful for many, many hours with brilliant music, meaningful lyrics and meeting many nice Oysterheads along the way.
Sorry, the text got longer than planned 😉
As the tour is over right on time for St. Patrick’s Day I’m listening again to Irish music and gave the Terrible Beauty another spin that had to pause for the Oyster week😉
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you☘️
Birgit
Sad to hear the news from North Macedonia – they never came home 😮💨
Thank. you for your post…I’ve never witnessed the Oyster Band ….your post tells me that I have missed out on something special….
You also remind me of my times in Germany….many happy gigs in great venues to such welcoming listeners….only in Germany does one recieve a standing ovation before the gig starts !….also great respect there for longevity….and great participation in long encores…. I think my longest encore ever was in the Markethalle in Hamburg…I send greetings and belated “Thank You” to all German songsters
Hi Christy
Positive vibes…courtesy of KLOF mag and the excellent newsletter….’The Monday morning brew’…this week,#94.. it includes a great film by Myles O’Reilly (as always…),which is also on YouTube….A profile of Peter Doran and family…’A day well spent with the Dorans’…a boost on a cold,gloomy day…
Dave
Hi Christy
Tragically and sadly, Stardust and Deportees back in current news…
No wonder that Woody always sounds so relevant.
Dave
Hello Christy,
Loving the opulence and obsessiveness. The stubbornness was meant for guitarists, but could go the pipers too. It’s taken Steve four years to get all the bits of his pipes made and stuck together.
I thought I spied the elegant fingers of Seamus Ennis there on the right. And the rest of him watching Liam intently.
Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Rebecca
North Macedonia’s equivalent to Stardust, thinking of the lost and the left. Deadly corruption . They never came home
Rory
Hi C the consensus on the many comments on that facebook clip suggests : Left to right Mick O’Brien, Willie Reynolds, Des Shannon, Bill Ochs, The Lavin brothers, Liam O Flynn, Tom White, and Seán Reid. For a bonus point it’s Padraic Griffin’s Bedford !! H
Finally booked my next trip to Ireland. 18 days wondering around visiting new spots and old favorites. The highlight being a night in Castlebar, I am looking forward to seeing you on stage again.
Brendan