Last updated: Monday, January 22 1996 Note: Questions, comments, suggestions, and submissions should go to: George Keith (please read the submission guidelines before submitting a session) Here is the list I have of sessions around the world. If you know of a session or two I don't have listed, or if you have any more info on any of these, please pass it along, and I'll plug it in (and when doing so, it'd be nice if you followed the guidelines below, as it saves me large amounts of valuable time). The more info I have here, the more useful it will be to everybody. Any gripes, questions, comments, free lunches, large sums of money out of the kindness of your hearts, etc. can (and should) be directed to me too. I will do my best to accomodate. :) So far, these are almost entirely Irish, but this was not intended to be a limitation. If you know of Scottish sessions, Cape Breton sessions, Welsh sessions, or even Breton sessions (is there such a thing?), label them appropriately and plug 'em in. I suppose there should be some limits though, so I'll draw the line at those things that are "celtic" and decide the specifics on the fly. I doubt I'll be too picky until this list gets big anyway. In general, this list is for people who want to find a place to _play_. This is NOT a concert listing, nor is it a list of places to dance (unless the band lets visitors play on a walk-in basis). Perhaps we need seperate lists for these? ** Recent additions/subtractions: ** -- A new session outside Lille, France. -- Rose & Crown session (NE England) moved to The Tanners Arms -- Cape Town Session has moved to McGinty's Pub -- NYC session at An Beal Bocht is on Sundays. -- Tommy Nevin's session in Evanston, Il is every Sunday -- New session in Wichita, Kansas -- Houston Session changed again. -- Session in France (Cafe de la Fontaine) added. -- Pub in Bunbeg (Hudi Beags) is now spelled correctly? -- New session at the Warehouse in Tallahassee. -- Session in Syracuse, NY. at the Limerick pub. -- Performance pub in Salt Lake City (no session) removed -- Session added at Gepetto's in Salt Lake City. -- Several sessions added in Ireland -- Two sessions in New Jersey -- A few new session at the Gloccamorra in NYC -- A few more sessions in France -- A new Session in York, Pennsylvania -- A new session in Butley, Suffolk (England). -- A new session in Kingston, Ontario. *********** Administrative Stuff ****************** ** Caveat: ** I am not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained here. This list is sometimes inaccurate, and unreliable. Since this makes life much easier for me (lower maintenance for me to do), it will probably not change. ** Submissions: ** (please read before submitting) When submitting a session, it'd be nice if you used something like the format I used in the list (example below). If you don't, I will still plug it in, but it'll take longer. I'd rather have an unformatted submission than an indefinitely delayed one. STATE/PROVINCE/ETC: ---------------- City: --Establishment, (street address), has sessions every third tuesday of the month, starting at 7am and ending around 8am the following wednesday. [. . . . . . ] Contact: [name] [email_address] [phone_number] If you don't provide a contact, I will use your name and email address as the contact (I won't put a phone number there unless you give me one). If you prefer I didn't do this, just tell me so, and I won't. Another important point to make: If you are submitting a session description, please check for typos. I certainly don't know whether that pub in Timbuktu is called "The Plough and Star" or the "Starry Plow", and this kind of stuff is important to the person leafing through the phone book... ** Copyright: ** This list is supposed to be a service to the general public. You are free to copy it, mail it to friends, publish it in your next tourist guide or do whatever you like with it, just as long as you provide some acknowledgement of *this* list as your source. Give credit where credit is due. Thank you. ******************************************* Lastly, if you happen to be passing through Providence, RI and feel like playing a few tunes, drop me a line or give me a call, and we'll see what we can arrange! --Georgi AUSTRALIA: Canberra: --The Phoenix, East Row, Civic, Canberra, Australia. Starts around 9 until 1130 or later Friday and Sunday nights. Very crowded on Friday, less so on Sunday. Mainly Irish and beginners get a fair go at Sunday's session. Melbourne: --Leinster Arms, Gold St. Collingwood, has sessions Sundays 5-6pm till midnight. They tend to be pretty much straight Irish with, at the moment around 15 players. Quite high quality with tendencies to obscure tunes. Sydney: --Carlysle Castle Hotel, Newtown, has informal sessions from 8:30pm till late. All musicians and singers welcome. When you see the Red-Haired girl you know you are at the right place. All kinds of music is welcome with the focus on Irish. --Kitty O'Shea's Oxford St Paddington has a session from 3.00 til 6.00 with musicians and singers featuring almost exclusively Irish tunes and songs. ======================================================================= CANADA: BC: ---------------------- Vancouver, BC: --CB Vets Legion, last Friday of the month at Broadway and Cambie, contact Kevin Dooley. From: David Dalton --the W.I.S.E. pub, 254-5858, Sunday jams 5--9 p.m. usually mix of celtic music, acoustic blues and folk, varies. From: David Dalton MANITOBA: -------------------- Winnepeg: --The Irish Club (On Erin St. in Winnepeg's West End) holds sessions on the first Tuesday of each month starting around 9pm in the upstairs pub part of the Club and its a great room with great acoustics. I've played there three times and the layers vary from intermediate to very very skilled. There was also a good mix of players including a banjo, two accordians, three flute players and three fiddlers and about three or four whistle players. Allan Meltzer Aaron Newman adds: [Sessions at the Irish club] begin 8-ish, with a good-sized group of people in attendence(~20). I'm the guitarist with long hair.Say hi. Also, there's a harper's circle at the same location on the last thursday of every month. I've never been, so I can't say much more other than I know some great harpers who go. From: WSIMPSN2@UWPG02.UWINNIPEG.CA NEW BRUNSWICK: --------------------- Saint John: -- The Royal Canadian Legion. Charlotte Street . Saint John Ref: Stuart B Hook. 506-847-0010 E-Mail hook@mi.net NEWFOUNDLAND: ---------------------- St. John's: --The Blarneystone, on George Street. This pub also features Celtic music most nights of the week - 7 days a week during the summer months.However Wednesday nights are more eclectic and the Folk Club welcomes any "Folk" who want to sing or play. You may here Celtic, The Blues, Recitations, Classical, you name it we've got it!! From: "Fergus A. OByrne " --The Ship Inn, Time 4:30 pm, Saturdays (may move to Sundays) Relatively new session hosted by Rob Murphy (flute player with Tickle Harbour) Well attended just now! NOVA SCOTIA: -------------------------- Halifax: --Gus,s Pub (902-902-423-7786) ,on the corner of north and agricola st. Every monday eve. usually beginning around 8:30 lasting until 12:00 or 1:00am.The music is Irish Traditional with the usual regional cape breton set as well,but basically it is kept within the Irish theme. The music is usually high spirited but not at breakneck speed(We are trying to slow down) allthough sometimes it can really zip along at a good clip.the stronger players usually start it off with myself on fiddle Jon goodman and Sean dempsey on flute and whistles rob gordon on guitar and Bouzouki and Marc Currie on Bodrhan. All players are welcome both novice and experienced alike,no egos that I know of as yet??? It can be imposing at times to new players but it only seems like that From: Tino Bonomo bonomo@atcon.com Tel. 902-477-8420 Gus,s Pub. 902-902-423-7786 ONTARIO: ---------------------- Kingston: -- The Irish Folk Music Club holds a mainly traditional session each Month on the First Friday, commencing approximately 8:00 p.m. and continuing until the hanging of the last dog. The usual venue is the RCHA Club at the corner of Ontario and Clarence St. in Kingston. The venue sometimes changes at the last minute so it is sometimes wise to phone in advance until one is on the mailing list. If you plan on attending, call me at the numbers below: Jack Hickman Personally Guided Tours of Historic Kingston, Ontario Voice 613 546-7597 Fax 613 546-3468 e-mail jhickman@fox.nstn.ca Ottawa: Monday night starting about 8:30 - Rasputin's 696 Bronson Avenue Tuesday night starting about 9:30 - Celtic Cross 265 Bank Street Thursday night-Starting about 8:30 - Cock Robin 56 Byward Market (non-smoking) All sessiuns are mainly Irish and Scots but Cape Breton, Ottawa Valley and Quebecios traditions are represented. There is a good variety of chorded instruments, flutes fiddles and even a hammered dulcimer represented at all Ottawa sessiuns. Call Allan Meltzer at (613) 565-3635 or e-mail ao275@freenet.carleton.ca for more information. =========================================================================== CHINA: Hong-Kong: (ok, I know it's not really IN China--yet. But it's more geographically consistent this way) --The Hermitage, 42 Kennedy Road, has a mixed tunes session every 3rd Thursday of the month, starting at 8pm. All acoustic instruments/types are welcome, but the emphasis tends to be British Isles music. Update: The bar is being pulled down in July, and no new home has been found... --Delaney's, every Sunday afternoon at 3-ish (3:45 is common). It is hosted by what the management likes to call the 'Delaney's Boys', young talented Irish musicians brought out on contract. Music is mainly Irish. All players are welcome, but should be forewarned that breakneck speed is the norm. From: Jon Glusman =========================================================================== ENGLAND: Cambridge: --The Man in the Moon on Norfolk St. has Sunday Irish sessions. "L." Berman adds: The sessions here usually start around 9.30pm. Variable but fairly formal almost entirely Irish with occassional Shetland and Scottish tune. --Royal Standard in Mill Road.....Much more give and take at this one. Also mainl-Irish but non Irish Tunes are slightly more accepted here. Beginners marginally-more welcome than at the Sunday session but they need to show respect and restraint. From: "L." Berman Chesterfield, Derbyshire: --The Three Stags Heads, Wardlow Mires has sessions on most saturday nights. These are usually hosted by one of the locals and take the form of a singaround or playaround, depending on who is in. Sort of halfway between folk club and session I suppose. Occasionally they have a pipers getogether. A classic, unchanged (Elizabethan?) pub out on the moors. Fine ales and plenty of local colour... Cumbria: --The Greyhound in Pica(?) has a session on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Phone 946 861 235. --The Queens Hotel in St Bees has a session on the first Sunday of each month. Phone 946 823 997 --Old Friends pub, Soutergate, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12.England, has a session from 9pm on. fiddles, concertina, flute, guitar, bodhran (a good one!) - very friendly session, people usually travel a fair distance so it's very social. Feel free to contact people if you are passing through on other days, as it's not out of the question to quickly convene is musicians are passing through... Contact: Gordon Jones (guitar) e-mail gordon@hartown.demon.co.uk Durham: --Colpitts Hotel has trad sessions on a Monday night. Finmere: --The Red Lion pub (officially in Little Tingewick but no-one's heard of that) every month. Next one is 10th of Feb. From: Dave Gabol Butley, Suffolk: -- The Oyster Inn, on the B1084, tel. (0394) 450790, it is near Woodbridge, between the old RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge bases. Every Sunday evening, beginning at 9pm till closing. Contact: bob norway Ipswich, Suffolk: --Lord Nelson on Fore street has sessions every tuesday. Contact for info. Ed: This is not really a trad session (people play anything from music hall stuff to Jethro Tull and REM--with a little trad here and there), but I included it anyway... There's not enough in this list to be too picky yet. Faversham, Kent: --The Bear Inn, Market Place. Session every Thursday 21:00 onwards. The session is mostly of Irish music but nobody gets turned away for playing other sorts. All levels of ability are encouraged. Contact: John Drouot Hexham: --The Tap and Spile has a Northumbrian session on the last tuesday of each month, starting around 8pm. --The Ship in Wylam has Border and Scottish Smallpipe sessions on the 1st Thursday of each month. Kidlington: --The 6 Bells... Friday eves. It was quite cozy when I was there, well kept beer, nice crowd response, small, free pints (on the whim of the owners, which was quite generous when I was there) From: Edward A Beimborn Lancaster: --Three Mariners, on Wednesday nights. Fiddles and banjoes predominate, with the odd whistle and flute. Leicester: --Jolly Miller on Conduit Street, Leicester, England every Tuesday. A variety of musicians attend, including two or three flutes, two concertina players, and several whistle players. Morpeth: --The Tap and Spile has Sunday lunchtime (12-3pm) sessions. Newcastle: --The Feathers Inn in Hedley on the Hill in Stocksfield has a session on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Phone 661 832614 for info --The Cumberland Arms in Byker has irish sessions on Sunday lunchtimes (at least). Excellent beers, friendly environment and (now) a good floor. --The Irish Centre near Blackfriars has Friday night sessions. Phone 91 232 9422. --The Tanners Arms, on New Bridge Street ( at the West end of Byker Bridge). Unfortunately, the Rose and Crown was demolished to make way for Newcastle's new quayside development. Needless to say we did the decent thing and drank the place thoroughly dry on the last night. The session is still one of the best Northumbrian sessions for miles around and it's still on odd mondays of the month i.e. 1st, 3rd and 5th. That way you don't have to know whether there was a session last week to know if there'll be one this week. (Also, it means we sometimes get to have one two weeks running!) North London: beginner/intermediate sessions: weds the Stags Head Camden 9-11pm sat. Charles I Northdown Street Kings Cross 9-11pm sunday The Steeles Haverstock Hill Belsize Park 9-11pm very advanced sessions: sat The Load of Hay Haverstock Hill Belsize Park 2-5pm sunday The Powerhouse Angel 1-3pm Oxford: Lucy's club in Walton St, on Sunday lunchtimes every 5 weeks. Next one is on 10th July. Nottingham: --Brittannia Inn in Nottingham, England, also takes place on a Thursday, and consists of several fiddle players, an excellent banjo player, a concertina player and a couple of flute players; with various visiting musicians usually passing through. --The Limelights Bar next to the Playhouse host L'Assemblie Francaise on the first wednesday of each month. Phone 115 941 8467. A popular gathering of midlands pipers, hurdy gurdy and box players who perform Massif Centrale type music. --Behans Bar off Maid Marion way is a nouveau-irish pub in the basement of the Forte Crest Hotel which has an irish jam session on Wednesday nights anchored by local band Da Dog. Dublin Guinness! --O'Rourkes off Alfreton Road has an irish session on Monday nights. Several fiddles, mandolins and flute players from the local band scene and a nice cosy room make a good atmosphere. Good selection of stouts and sympathetic management... Sheffield: --Fagan's Pub on Broad Lane. Tetley's and Guiness too! Every day except Thursday(pub quiz!) 8-11pm plus |Sunday lunch..Other sessions take place at the Red House, Solley St and Dog&Partridge most nights, all Irish pubs. Manchester has a big session scene but I don't have details, Teeside: --The Golden Lion in Sedgefield has a session run by the Northumbrian Pipers Soc on the 2nd wednesday of the month. Phone 740 20098 =========================================================================== FRANCE: Cafe de la Fontaine, Verlinghem (59 Nord) near Lille Traditional Irish Music Session on every last thursday of the month 8.00 pm Run by "Grains de Celtes", fiddles, accordion, guitars, flutes; uillean pipes. Paris: Quiet Man (The) (1) 48 04 02 77 5 rue Haudriettes 75003 The best place in PARIS (Sure, I'll get a free pint) Session on Tuesday from 8-9 PM until very late Wednesday (singing) Saturday from 5 PM until very late (not regular) Ti Jos (1) 43 22 57 69 30 rue Delambre 75014 Thursday from 10:30 PM until late (not sure in summer). You can meet members of the Irish association. Molly Malone Lounge Bar (1) 47 42 07 77 21 r Godot de Mauroy 75009 Every Monday Lille: --Cafe de la Fontaine, Verlinghem (59 Nord) near Lille. Traditional Irish Music Session on every last thursday of the month 8.00 pm Run by "Grains de Celtes", fiddles, accordion, guitars, flutes; uillean pipes Contact: Christophe MARTIN - Phone 20 54 03 90 Lorient: (Brittany, France) --Pub The Galway Inn 97 64 50 77 18 rue de Belgique 56100 LORIENT Every Wednesday. (Every day but overcrowded during the "Festival interceltique de Lorient") Quimper: (Brittany, France) Ceili 98 95 17 61 4 rue Aristide Briand 29000 QUIMPER Session every month, last Sunday. Most of the sessions are not very regular in summer. I just mention the places where I've been. There are some other places in Paris (Mulligan's, Johnny's) and a lot of sessions I dont know in Brittany. =========================================================================== GERMANY: Cologne/Koeln: -- Distel (=name of pub). Every third Saturday of the month. Reportedly "very good." Gustavsburg (near the city of Mainz / Rhine): -- Gerber's Cafe, Am Gerberhaus 1, has a session the first monday of every month. There's a some amateur and semi-professional musicians (have you ever seen a professional German musician playing Irish traditional music?). It's great crack with mandolines, bouzoukies, fiddle, bodhran, guitar etc. From: METZ@MZDMZA.ZDV.UNI-MAINZ.DE =========================================================================== IRELAND: DONEGAL:--------------------- Ballyshannon: --Sweeney's White Horse Tavern. They have a session Friday nights at 9:30 that is absolutely out of this world. If our experience is any indication, it may start slowly but eventually more and more locals will join in and the place will be jumping in no time. [and yes you can get beer there]. The session is downstairs from the main bar [and yes they have a downstairs bar as well]. The music is all traditional and the age of the musicians varies from 12 to 82! A great time overall. and from Gavin Burnage: This is a Donegal session run by Fermanagh men! I think I went to it last August. I was taken to it from Derrygonnelly, Co.Fermanagh, by Jim Hoy, the local box and fiddle player (nephew of the venerable Mick Hoy who was a stalwart for music in Fermanagh down the years). On the way, we called into Belleek to collect John Gordon, a great old fiddle player. Both these are excellent musicians, and well worth a listen. John has a lot of Scottish tunes as well, including some of those Scott Skinner "techno" jobbies, but I wouldn't describe his music as Donegal style. The same is true of Jim Hoy - he has loads of stuff, but is very much a Fermanagh man. There was also a young piano accordion player there - Lawrence ?MacQuaid (can't remember for sure). I joined in and got a pint or two of beer for my trouble. A good session indeed, though I was a bit worried by the cellar when I first arrived. It soon warmed up nicely. Bunbeg: (in the Gweedore area of Northwest Donegal.) --Teach Hudi Beags, Mondays... Francie Mooney (no Proinsias O Maonaigh) Last summer there was also Donal Lunny and a few weeks later his brother Manus. It's always a great session (or even concert) to hear, but - referring to Francie's daughter Mairead - other, rather unexperienced musicians like me and my friend are just "poor guys" (because of the speed!!!).... Kilcar: John Joe's (15 miles NW of Killybegs on the coast road), on the main drag every Friday night. That session features the finest Donegal music from people like James Byrne (no relation) and Peter Carr. Everybody who goes through Donegal stops there. Tell 'em David and Kim from Indiana sent you. Ed: I was here this past summer. Great tunes, great fiddle playing (of course) and a very friendly environment. This is the real thing, tradition-wise. Ventilation could have been better though. As a non-smoker I found it very uncomfortable after a couple hours... CLARE:----------------------- Doolin: -- O'Connors, and McGann's, every night, one or the other, with, among others, Yvonne Casey and Mary & Tola Custy on fiddle, Eoin O'Neill and Cyril O'Donoghue on Bouzouki, Jamie Storer& Iain Lamb on guitar. Great nights, begins at 9, ends well past 1. From: UTWO@JHUVMS.HCF.JHU.EDU Ennis: -- Brogan's on Tuesday night, -- Cruise's (Siobhan Peoples and P.J. King) and May Kearney's on Wednesday night, and -- Ciaran's on Thursday night (often includes the fellows who recorded as 'Fisherstreet'). May Kearney's was most like what I am accustomed to in U.S. sessions. There are many places in Ennis that do this, I got a little brochure at the Bord Failte office, put out by Guinness, of what places have traditional music on what nights. Feakle: -- with P.J. Hayes (no additional info) CORK:------------------------ Cork: --Corner House, Coburg Street Monday nights: assorted members of the Lee Valley String Band Thursday nights: various musicians inc. Mick Daly, uilleann piper Denis Brooks and members of the Moynihan Family --An Spailpin Fanach, South Main Street Tel.: 021-277949 Tunes every Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday night with Seamus Creagh and Friends (inc. Mick Daly, Aidan Coffey, and Eoin O'Riabhaigh) --The Gables, Douglas Street Tel.: 021-313076 Tuesday nights: The Four Star Trio (Con O'Drisceoil, Johnny MacCarthy, and Pat Ahern) Sunday nights: Traditional Songs with a special guest singer every week. --The Lobby (opposite the City Hall) Tel.: 021-311113 Mondays: folk and bluegrass Tuesdays: Niall Vallely and Gerry McKee Fridays: Derek Hickey and Liz Doherty --An Tabhairne Caidrimh, North Main Street Saturday and Sunday nights: Padraig Kelleher (flute) and Friends --The Pier Head, Blackrock Tel.: 021-358401 Thursday nights: Seamus Creagh, Matty Teehan and Friends --The Heron's Perch, Glanmire Tuesday nights: Tomas O Canainn, Charlie Healy and Friends Those who asked about sessions might like to know of a great traditional irish session in glanmir village, on the outskirts of cork city every tuesday evening. We have both singing and playing. It begins at 9.30 pm every tuesday evening of the year. Glanmire is just under four miles from the centre of Cork city. The session is held in the heron's perch pub. Beidh failte mhor romhat! From: Tomas_O_Canainn@IRUCCVAX.UCC.IE DUBLIN:---------------------- From: Seamus Keleher The Ferryman Wednsedays with uilleann Sir John Rogerson's Quay, piper Mick O'Brien. Way down the south side A daily session as well. of the Liffey river O'Donoghue's Every night, 1st and 15 Merrion Road near sometimes the 2nd floor St. Stephen's Green Slattery's Sunday 11am. Have been 129 Capel Street, 3 blocks on other nights as well left of O'Connel Street, 2 north from the Liffey river Don't stray northward! Gogarty's Sunday-Wednesday, Enter Fleet Street, upstairs a few blocks into the Templebar area The Temple Bar Sundays, late afternoon Templebar, see above From: Seamus Keleher --Hughes's Pub, in Chancery Street (behind the Four Courts, on the North side of the Liffey) has at least one session every night of the week. For a few years, it has been a focal point for traditional players. GALWAY:---------------------- Flanagan's intersection Lower Dominick St and Helen St Monroe's Tavern > Probably every night .. Dominick Street area Taylor's Bar Lr Dominick St Waterfront beside the canal The Quays > Probably every night .. Quay Street area Naughton's Also the Crane Bar and Club A/ras na nGael (45 Dominick Street, through the big wooden door) which is hard to find. Taafe's Weekdays at 4:30pm Quay Street The Crane Sundays 12 noon with Near Domenick Street left at Flanagan's on the right The Lisheen Jackie Daly was playing At Taafe's bear there on Tuesdays (gig) right, on the left U/ras na nGael Club for Gaelic speakers 45 Dominick Street (open to all, and late!) Enter through big with impromptu sessions door to courtyard Taylor's Bar, Monroe's Tavern, Busker Brown's, Flanagan's have had sessions in the past, unsure about the present.. From: Seamus Keleher and Frank Gibbons KERRY:--------------------- Dingle: --An Droichead Beag pub--Eoin Duignan plays uillean pipes and tin whistle on T, TH, F, Sat beeg. at 9 or 9:30 From: UTWO@JHUVMS.HCF.JHU.EDU -- O'Flaherty's which is the place everyone starts when looking for music) and at Maire De Barra's. Killarney: --Buckley's Session every night that College Street I believe I've been there.. --Molly Maguire's, on road to (slightly past) Muckross, has small ceilis on a weekend night on some regular basis, and occasional sessions. MAYO:---------------------- Westport: Matt Molloy's .. probably every night I would guess. From: Seamus Keleher KILLARNEY:---------------------- Kerry: Buckley's .. every night I'd say .. friendly place From: Seamus Keleher =========================================================================== JAPAN: Tokyo:--Kashiwa Hall, 8-4-17 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku has a ceili once a month, with a beginner session from 2-5 just before. Email to pnakagaw@asij.ac.jp (Patty) for more info... =========================================================================== THE NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam: -- Mulligan's, Amstel 100, (020)622 1330. Session every Sunday evening starting around 6 pm or so, unless there is a concert that conflicts. You can check the concert schedule on the Web . The sessions I visited in July 1995 were small but high- quality, with some excellent Irish guests passing through. The small size of the pub keeps the crowd size and noise down, and offers great acoustics. Guiness on tap. -- O'Reilly's. One block west of the Dam (west of Madame Tussaud's, specifically). Session every Sunday evening, starts early, peters out by 11:00. Although advertised as a session, the atmosphere is more like a gig, with a set personnel of fiddle or mandolin, bass guitar, bodhran, and guitar. Drop-ins are welcome, but be ready for a mike to be placed in your vicinity and to play some pre-arranged sets. Guiness on tap. --Fiddler's Green, Schildwolde: every 3rd Saturday of the month from 21:00 onwards. --O'Ceallaigh's, Groningen: every Sunday from 17:00 onwards. --Durty Nelly's, Amsterdam: call for info --Kroeg van Klaas, Groningen: call for info --Toby's Bar, Winsum: call for info For up to date information on sessions and concerts, call me or the SO on: +31 5950 2420 and let us know you heard about it on Irtrad. We're also always happy to find a place to stay for visiting musicians. From: Corine M. Nugteren ============================================================================ NORWAY: Oslo: --Queens Pub, Stenersgate. Tuesdays from 9pm. --Dubliner Folk Pub, Raadhusgate 28. Saturdays from 2pm. From: daniel.papuga@ima.uio.no (Daniel Winfree Papuga) ============================================================================ SCOTLAND: Dunblane (Scotland). --Stirling Arms Hotel, Dunblane. (Town Centre) has an open session, 8:30 to 11:30 every Sunday. Mostly Scottish or Irish, but with almost anything thrown in. Fiddlers, Singers, Squeeze-boxes, even an electric piano (me). Usually run as a round with everyone who wants getting to play or sing: also lots of plain session (the whole lot of musicians acting as a band to whoever is playing). For fun. Contact: Leslie Smith. lss@cs.stir.ac.uk. Dundee: --The Fisherman pub on Fort Street, Broughty Ferry near Dundee Scotland, has a regular traditional music session every Thursday night. This consists mostly of Irish music, with some Scottish. Instrumentalists include Mike Ward on the fiddle (founder ex-member of the Tannahill Weavers). Other instruments include several fiddle players, two flute players (including me!), a concertina player (also me!), and the occasional appearance of Scottish lowland/border pipes. The session starts late (around 10.00 PM) and is usually of a high standard. Glasgow: --Sharkey's Pub, (phone: 041-429-3944) located behind the Citizens' Theater in The Gorbals, has sessions every Monday night. I made it to the session twice and both times there were at least ten musicians in attendance, including Brendan McHugh (who runs the session) and his father Jim--both of whom are great fiddlers--and Brendan's brother, who, if I remember correctly played the bodrhon. Brendan's mother served pints. It was easily the friendliest session I ever attended, but since it was in Glasgow, which has the most friendly people per capita anywhere, this should not have come as a surprise either. This was an Irish--Sligo-style music, as opposed to a Scottish music session. I assume it is still running, but have not corresponded with Brendan since then. :-( ============================================================================ SWEDEN: Malmoe: --The Pickwick Arms, every Tuesday ============================================================================ SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town: -- McGinty's Pub, Holiday Inn--Garden Court, Main Road, Newlands, Cape Town. tel:(021) 61 1105. Sessions are every Wednesday night, from 8:30 until 11:30pm. To confirm telephone Dwight Muller at (021) 938 1251 during working hours, Mon - Fri (021) 26 1282 after working hours. personal e-mail: dwightm@aztec.co.za foschini e-maqil: foschdat@aztec.co.za Recently a number of young ex-classical musicians have joined us and are powering away at the tunes, relieved to discover after so many years of classical slog that making music can be such fun! (Most of them report that they had more or less resigned themselves to giving up music altogether). We are approx. 12 to 15 musicians nowadays with instruments ranging from a predominance of fiddles to flutes, whistle, bouzouki, guitar, mandolin and bodhran. We would welcome any trad musicians passing through or visiting our beautiful city with "ceol agus craic"!! ============================================================================ USA: ALASKA: ------------------------ Anchorage: --The Java Joint, at the corner of Spenard and Benson, has a very active Irish Jam Session every Wednesday night at 8:00p.m.Some of the players are members of Gael Force and Nightwind. Also, every January, Anchorage is host to the Anchorage Folk Festival which also features many groups who play traditional Irish tunes. From:Postmaster@Skeeter.alaska.net ARIZONA: ----------------------- --Folk Shop, (2525 N. Campbell Ave.) tel: (520)881-7147. Has a "Celtic/Old-Time jam session" on Tuesday nights from 8-11 pm (EXCEPT for 2nd Tuesdays -- Beware: 2nd Tuesdays are Bluegrass). This is a very friendly, open group with fluid membership and a fairly eclectic selection of tunes. Usually 10-20 people show up, with a good mixture of fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo etc. Tunes being played depend on who's there, but it's roughly half Irish and half American tunes. For more information about the Celtic music scene generally, Don Gest remains the best source of information at: (520) - 327-4809. For those who want to play on nights when the Folk shop is playing bluegrass: Incipient Irish session - once a month - whichever week the 2nd Tuesday falls in, so usually the 2nd THURSDAY, 8-11 at the Harp & Shamrock, 7002 E. Golf Links Rd. For more info - contact Sharon Goldwasser (520) 298-3014. Friendly people, newcomers welcome. For now we have mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, harp, bodhran, accordion & sometimes whistle/flute. For more information: people can contact (me) Sharon Goldwasser (520) 298-3014 or c/o my spouse: CWilliamson@Pimacc.Pima.edu. CALIFORNIA: ---------------------- Berkeley: --The Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck (2 blocks south of Ashby), (510)841-2082. Monday evenings. A dance-centered activity, which runs from 8:00 to 9:00 officially, then some dancers remain on the floor while a session forms on the "stage," and the dancers dance to whatever happens to come floating off of the stage. Guinness and other ales on tap. The one night I was there I got the impression most musicians were old-time oriented, and played Irish on the side. Good mix of instruments. artrob@Csa2.LBL.Gov (A Robinson) adds: The emphasis in your discription on dancing is correct. But I believe the current schedule is Irish set dancing lessons (7pm to a little before 9 pm). At 9 pm or thereabouts, there is dancing to music provided by whoever is there. The Irish fidders I know do not seem to regard this as a session spot. They prefer the Plough and Stars in San Francisco (see next). --Freight and Salvage CoffeeHouse (most Tuesday nights) Addison off San Pablo in Berkeley Telephone (510) 548-1761 (various, often Celtic, and they feature concerts other nights) Chico: Every Friday 4-7 pm at Duffy's Tavern (corner of 4th and Main) in Chico, CA. Music is traditional Irish. Most regular players are from the local group Reel Time, but all are welcome. Instruments present usually include banjo, bodhran, button accordian, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and whistle. Generally a loud, but fun, crowd. We also have an informal session every Tuesday evening at various locations in Chico. Inquire on Fridays or email: taylgr@shasta.csuchico.edu San Francisco: --The Plough and Star, Sunday evenings. Very good, high quality, completely traditional Irish with a good mix of instruments.The night I was there, however, they didn't seem particularly friendly. I minded my manners, laid back and kept quiet on guitar, and enjoyed myself anyway. Perhaps I was there on a bad night, or maybe they would rather see your face a few times before they loosen up. From: tacker@ceas2.keh.utulsa.edu (Chris Tacker) artrob@Csa2.LBL.Gov (A Robinson) adds: --The Plough and Stars, 116 Clement Street, San Francisco 94118; tel: 415- 751-1122. I've not been to the Plough on a session night, but as noted above, this seems to be the main opportunity in the San Francisco area for traditional Irish musicians to gather and play together. Several Irish fiddlers I know attend regularly. I believe things start around 9 pm. Irelands 3a: Geary Blvd. -- ? Night Molly Malones -- Night Abbey - Every other Wednesday The info on these three was from Pat Brack, a keyboard player from San Francisco who stops by our sessiun when she is in town on business. Sorry I didn't get addresses or numbers. Surely someone in the SF area could fill in the details. From: mallette@bcm.tmc.edu (Lawrence E Mallette) Santa Barbara: --Rusty's Pizza Parlor I got this one a couple of years ago from a folk music journal from SanDiego area - I haven't been myself. From: mallette@bcm.tmc.edu (Lawrence E Mallette) COLORADO:------------------ -- Aurora (Denver suburb): Sheabeen Irish Pub, East Iliff Avenue at Chambers Road [tel: (303) 696-6131] open irish session every Tuesday from 8:30 til midnight contact: bartender at the above number very informal, everyone welcome, lots of fun, and the best Guiness in Denver! Boulder: (Does this still exist???) --Giovanni's Pizza, on Table Mesa Rd. They play every Tuesday from about 9:00PM until closing. From attending the "Boulder Jam", I can tell you that they prefer experienced musicians, but appreciate a good audience. Colorado Springs: --Poor Richard's Restaurant (324 N. Tejon). Open Celtic jam on every Thursday. Playing starts around 8pm and goes 'til 10. All Celtic styles and experience levels are welcome. --Margarita at Pine Creek hosts a local celtic band, Blarney Pilgram, on the first Friday of each month. No addmission or cover. Starts at 7pm and runs until 10pm or so. Once in a while this degenerates into a jam but usually it stays a straight gig. --Black Forest Community Center - The Black Rose Acoustic Music Society meets on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at the Black Forest Community Center on Black Forest Road, just Northwest of Shoup road. The evening is divided into two parts: 7:30-9:30 is reserved for 20-minute mini-concerts - sort of an Open Mike Night. 9:30 until people give up is made up of jam sessions. There have mainly been blurgrass/country sessions but other styles are welcomed. There is a small Celtic contingent there. D.C.: --------------------- Washington: --Nanny O'Briens, 3319 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington 20008; tel: 202-686-9189. When I was in there, they said that traditional Irish music sessions are on Mondays at 9 pm or so, but it's best to be a little early because it's often crowded. Since I was only passing through town, I wasn't able to check it out in person. From: artrob@Csa2.LBL.Gov (A Robinson) mallette@bcm.tmc.edu (Lawrence E Mallette) adds: Nanny O'Brien's (3319 Connecticut Avenue NW) (Also near red line Metro station.) Monday night 9PM. which is the only session in the DC area; Zan McLeod hangs out at this session, and there were two great uillean pipers as well. FLORIDA: ---------------------- Delray Beach: --The Irish Cottage, 2713 Federal Highway, Delray Beach, FL 407-272-2078. The session is Sunday evenings from 8:00pm. Serious musicians are welcome to sit in with the house band during the Thursday-Saturday peformances. Orlando: --Session every Wednesday night, at a previously selected home, starting at 7:30 P.M. and ending aroung 11:00 P.M. Mostly Celtic tunes with a few Old Time thrown in. All levels welcome! Contact Kathy Bender (kathy_bender.westinghouse-pgbu@notes.compuserv.com) or KC King (kcking@interramp.comp) via e-mail, or call (407) 679-5338 for more info and directions. Tallahassee: -- The Warehouse (706 W. Gaines St., 222-6188) has sessions every first Saturday night of the month, beginning at 7:30 p.m. (beginners welcome, especially at that time) and ending in the wee hours. Free beer for pickers, and the owner sometimes orders pizzas if he's having a good night. Being a provincial capital, we're not loaded down with hot celtic players, but it's a nice mix of advanced intermediate, beginning intermediate, and beginners (most of whom sit obediently behind the more advanced players). We have fun, the beer's on the house (even Guiness on tap), and I rarely miss it (I'm the "alpha" guitarist). The best way to be sure of a specific date would be to give Gordon at Gordon's String Music a call at +1 (904) 386-7784. From: Contact Steve Hodges (hodgess@freenet.fsu.edu) at 904/574-4115. GEORGIA: ---------------------- Atlanta: --Manuel's Tavern, 602 N. Highland Ave., (404) 525-3447 has a session on the second Sunday of every month. This is a Comhaltas session, led by piano accordion player Bernard Lane. Other instruments include harp, fiddle, whistle, flute, guitar, bouzouki, bohdran, and voice. The session starts at 4 pm and goes until 6 or later. It is preceeded by an Irish music workshop at 3 pm, with instruction on whistle, flute, fiddle, guitar, and bodhran. Contact: Bernard Lane (404)873-5621 --Fado Irish Pub, 3035 Peachtree Rd., (404) 841-0066 Session Monday nights, starts between 8-9 pm until closing. Good whistle/flute mix, good number of fiddle players, bodhran, guitar, have recently had uillean pipes, mandolin, concertina, and bouzouki as well. High skill level, but willing to work with beginners/intermediates during breaks and after session. Contact: Peter Blayney (404)325-8188 newroad@mindspring.com Mike Simpson (770)916-3736 whistler@mindspring.com ILLINOIS: ---------------------- Brookfield: (western suburb of Chicago): --Irish Times, 8869 Burlington, has open sessions every Wednesday night, starting around 8-9pm. The attitude here is a less formal than at the Abbey. The people who play here all know each other pretty well, as well as each other's tunes. They don't get too many new faces here, since it's not in the "Irish Music Central" area of Chicago (up around the Abbey and Rogers Park). This is really too bad, since it's a nice session in general. They have a nice balance of instruments, and the people who play them are good. There is also plenty of room for the beginner, should he/she feel like starting a tune. Several of the musicians here also like non-Irish tunes, (American, Scottish, Macedonian, Rumanian, etc -- usually heard off the album of an Irish musician), but there isn't usually more than one or two of these played per night. Tempos are quite brisk (occaisionally exceeding the limits of what some people consider good taste) and the acoustics leave much to be desired (it's often difficult to hear one's self). Still, it's one of the friendlier sessions in the area. Champaign: --Phoney Mahoney's, 1206 N. Market St., 351-5855 An informal Celtic jam session welcoming players of all levels--meets every first and third Saturday from about 9-12. Schedule subject to change, so call Phoney's or contact Siobhan at ssen@students.uiuc.edu Chicago, IL: --The (Irish) Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace [(312)478-4408], has sessions every Sunday night from 8pm on. This is the "hub" of Irish music in Chicago. In spite of the acoustics, some of the best musicians in town play here regularly: Larry Nugent (flute-whistle), Brendan McKinney (pipes, flute, whistle), Dennis Cahill (guitar), Jim Dewan (guitar), Joseph Sobol (cittern), John Williams (accordion, concertina), Liz Carroll (when she's not busy doing something else), Marty Fahy (piano and accordion), Martin Hayes--before he moved to Seattle, and just about anybody else who plays/played in the Broken Pledge Ceili Band. This place has a reputation for technical intensity (within the limits of good taste, of course). It also has a reputation for a higher level of seriousness than other local sessions, as the people here are interested in "real Irish music", as opposed to "Irish-ish music" (An example to clarify: Steeleye Span tunes would almost certainly *not* be appreciated here). There is little singing, save for the occaisional sean-nos song sung on distinguished invitation. (one of the session anchors usually does the inviting...) The Abbey can be intimidating for a novice, but is a *great* place to go for the serious Irish musician, and a fine place to learn new tunes. --The Hidden Shamrock (on Halsted, a couple doors south of Diversey) has sessions on Sundays starting at around 5:30pm (7pm, if there's a game). This is one of the best sessions in town, with a great mix of common and rare tunes together. It is usually run by either Larry Nugent or John Williams, along with a good back-up player (Joe Sobol, Dennis Cahill, or Jim Dewan spring to mind). It can be noisy, but the atmosphere is very friendly, and the room is usually comfortable. There is also rarely more than 8 people, so it stays cozy. --Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox St [(312)282-7035] has sessions on Alternate Sundays around 2:00pm. The first couple times it was earlier,but they soon thought better of it. This session is on the off-weekend for the Nevin's session, neatly filling in the early-Sunday hole when Nevin's isn't happening. The session is held down by Liz, Jimmy Keane, and Pauline Knealley(sp?). Your milage may vary on who shows up, of course. Evanston: --Tommy Nevin's Pub [1450 Sherman -- (708)869-0450] has sessiuns every Sunday afternoon at around 2:30pm. These are usually well-represented, with reasonably hard tunes and strong musicians. INDIANA: ---------------------- Bloomington: Bear's Place, on 1316 E. 3rd St. Starting at 8pm on the 1st and 3rd sundays of each month. Typically from 5 to 15 musicians show up, and from 50 to 120 people come to listen. Guinness and Harp are on draft, and Bear's Place is well air-conditioned, very necessary in an Indiana summer. An unobtrusive sound system is used to throw more sound out to the listeners. From: Rick Gagne --The Wild Beet, 4th and Walnut Streets in Bloomington, has sessions every friday, from 6-8pm. The Wild Beet is a non-smoking acoustic music club with excellent food, beer, etc. They are calling this an "Irish Happy Hour". Each Friday an experienced Irish musician will be on hand to lead the session. Grey Larsen will lead on January 5th, 12, and 19th. Porter: --The Spa & Finn McCools: Has some of the best music you will find in this area. David James (of hammered dulcimer fame) hosts a show with friends every Thursday night around 8pm. Each week, they bring in another musician or two. Guests that have been there when I have have been Jimmy Keane, Larry Nugent, John Williams, Bud Kelly, Liz Carroll etc... If you would like to play along, just tell him you're a musician, and he'll call you up for a few tunes. As the night progresses, it will become more and more like a regular session. This is only about an hour outside of Downtown Chicago. PS: If you should happen to go here, mention to David that you heard about it here... --Georgi KANSAS: -------------------------- Wichita: --The Artichoke, 811 North Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214, 316-263-9164 hosts a free, open Celtic jam on the first Monday of each month. The session starts around 7:30pm and typically goes to around 10pm or so. All normal, acoustic session instruments are welcome. All styles and ability levels are welcome. Contact: (Dean) <316-263-7963> LOUISIANA: ----------------------- New Orleans: Kerry Pub Wednesday Nights This is a new traditional Irish session. I was in N.O. at Thanksgiving and heard they had a session there, so I went. There were two others there, a guitar and a hammer dulcimer player, and it turns out this was their first session. I haven't heard how it is going. The Kerry Pub is in the French Quarter, about a block from (and on the same street as) the old Jax Brewery (now an indoor mall). From: mallette@bcm.tmc.edu (Lawrence E Mallette) --O'Flahertie's I heard it's on Friday evenings, so anyone in the area might want to check it out and report on it. I'm not going to be there for a while, so I can't. From: tesuji@miso.wwa.com MARYLAND: ------------------------ Baltimore: --J. Patrick's Restaurant and Tavern, 1371 Andre Street, Baltimore (Fort McHenry area); tel: 410-727-9482. Session usually runs from about 9:30 pm until closing time at around 2. It is anchored by Peter Fitzgerald, a local resident of Irish birth and a fine banjo player. No singing to speak of at this session but a lot of very fine playing and room for beginners to hang around the fringes (there are good people to listen to even if you are not playing). Jesse Smith hangs out at this session (18-year-old fiddle protege of Brendan Mulvihill) and Kieran O'Hare a fine uilleann piper. I go to this session and enjoy it very much Contact: "H. Harrison Heath" MASSACHUSETTS: ---------------------- Amherst: --Amherst Ale House, on Route 116 in South Amherst. A little mini-mall on the left sode of the road going south, about 2-3 miles South of the center of Amherst. Sessions are on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays of the month. Playing seems to start around 7:30pm, and goes 'till 11pm or later. A man named David Delabar (though I'm not at all sure of the spelling of the last name) seems to be one of the organizers there, and is one of the best musicians (playing Northumbrian pipes and whistles). As I said, it's fairly low-key, with enough decent musicians to make for a good session without anyone so overwhelmingly good to intimdate the less experienced players. They made this out-of-towner feel welcome! Great brews there, too. From: "Mr. Paul Wells" Contact: William Tiernan Boston: Soon after my last posting of the Boston session scene I of the demise of a few more sessions here, including the Green Dragon Saturdays cancelled for the summer. Sarsfield's in cancelled both of their sessions (Friday and Saturday) ================================================================ Day/Time 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 + MON ( Green Briar -------------------+) TUE ( Brendan Behan -----------------+) ( Irish Embassy-Norton ------------ ) ( The Druid --------------------) WED ( Mr. Dooley's ------------------+) ( O'Malley's --------------------+) THU ( Paddy Burke's -----------------+) FRI ( The Druid ------------------------) SAT ( Brendan Behan --------------------) ( The Druid ------------------------) SUN ( O'Leary's ----------------------+) ( Common Ground ------------------) ( Irish Embassy pub --------------+) ( The Druid ------------------------) ( Mr. Dooley's ------------------+) ============================================================================== The Burren Sundays at 6pm 247 Elm Street, Davis Tommy McCarthy:fiddle Square, Red Line Stop Louise Costelloe:banjo Somerville The Druid Tues. & Fri-Sun at 6pm 1357 Cambridge Street Shay Walker:guitar/songs Inman Square Noel Scott:accordion Cambridge O'Leary's Sundays at 8:30pm 1010 Beacon Street Jimmy Noonan:flute St.Mary's (T) Stop Noel Scott:accordion Green Line C Train Vin Costelloe:guitar/songs Brookline McGann's Sundays at 4pm 197 Portland Street Roger Burridge:fiddle Near North Station Patrick Hutchinson:pipes Boston Brendan Behan Tue: 9pm Larry Reynolds? 378 Centre Stree Sat: 6pm Tommy & Louise? Jamaica Plain Green Dragon Saturdays at 9pm 11 Marshall Street Alan Loughnane:fidle on Freedom Trail Mike Reynolds:accordion Boston Green Briar Mondays at 9pm (Comhaltas) 304 Washington Street Larry Reynolds:fiddle Brighton Deeney O'Malley's Wednesdays at 9pm 110 Dorchester Street Noel Scott:accordion at corner of Broadway Cillian Vallely:pipes South Boston --Irish Embassy pub, Friend Street, Boston Cillian Vallely(uilleann pipes) & John Murphy(fiddle) --Paddy Burke's, Portland Street, Boston. Cillian (uilleann pipes) & Billy Kelly (banjo+guitar) --Mr.Dooley's, #77 Broad Street, Boston (take haymarket exit southeast expressway) (617) 338-5656 or (800) 560-5655. Alan Loughnane (fiddle) & Shay Walker (guitar) --Irish Embassy in Norton Sheila Falls-Keohane (fiddle) and Tim Keohane (guitar) Quincy (Suburb of Boston): --Malachy's Pub, corner Granite St & President Lane, phone number unknown; sessions every Wednesday starting 9:30pm; lots of tunes, minimal singing; bright particular stars Aidan Maher (Dublin - fiddle), Tommy Kierce (Clare - box), "The Horse" (Clare - bodhran & spoons), Bill Black (New York / Cape Cod - banjo); other visitors and regulars as well. Nice pub with youngish but very respectful crowd. Contact zouki@aol.com for further particulars. Stow: --Coffee Tea & Melody, (Stow Shopping Plaza, Rt. 117, Stow, MA) tel: (508)897-3250. Sessions on Sundays:4-8pm. nice group of players and listeners. The proprietor (John) tries to get trad. musicians in on fridays and saturdays also. MINNESOTA: ---------------------- Minneapolis: --Kieran's Irish Pub, on Thursdays from 9-12. Most of the usual suspects from the Sunday sessions show up, Jode Dowling is a regular, as is Martin McHugh. Kieran's is at 330 2nd Ave S in downtown Minneapolis. The session is not as solid as Sunday nights at The Well, but you know how it is in Minnesota: the colder it gets, the more people show up for sessions. :) St. Paul: --O'Gara's which is at Snelling and Selby. The Irish Well closed in April. Your description is still apt - I played there last Sunday with Laura Mackenzie, Daithi Sproule (just done with the Altan tour!) and a couple of the Clumsy Lovers. ***CLOSED***: --The Irish Well, on the corner or Prior and University Ave. Sessions on Sunday nights starting around 9:30pm. Sean O'Driscoll plays here regularly, and Laura MacKenzie and Daithi Sproule have been known to stop by on occaision. Some other regulars include members of the local band "The Clumsy Lovers". Nice place. NEW JERSEY: -------------------- -- The Grasshopper...an Irish bar right in back of the meadowlands has a session every sunday night.... -- The American leigon in Union has a session/ceili the second sunday of every month.... (not january) sorry, but no phone #'s or addreses..... Marty Langer NEW YORK: ---------------------- Albany: --Eighth Step Coffeehouse, 14 Willet Street, (corner of Washington Park) The session is on the third Sunday of every month from 4:00 until 8:00. Musicians of all levels are welcome. Playing tends towards fast reels and jigs. There are 14 to 20 regular musicians including a piper, a few flute players, some fiddlers, a couple accordion players,as well as others playing bouzoukis, banjos, guitars, and whistles. This is the Sean O'Riada Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Erin. The person to call is Ann Marie McGlaughlin at (518)370-3700. Buffalo: --Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road The session is on the third Sunday of each month from 4:30 until 9:00. It might be held on a different Sunday if the third is on or near a holiday. There are usually from 15 to 25 musicians, step and set dancers, and a bit of an audience. The person to call is Bob Williams at (716)652-0368. Ithaca: --McCauber's Pub, just off of the corner of Aurora and East Seneca on Aurora, also just off of the Northeast corner of the Commons The session is on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th(when there is one) Sundays of the month from 7:00 until 10:30 or 11:00. Musicians of all levels are welcome. Playing tends towards fast reels, but the group is quite open to any type of and more than willing to play at moderate speeds. There are five or so regular musicians playing concertina, accordion, fiddle, flute, whistles, and banjo. The person to call is Mark at (607)273-2093. Kingston: --During the summer, there is a "Fiddle and Folk traditional music sessiun on the lawn of the Senate House Site in Kingston, New York. 12 noon to 1 PM. All traditional musicians are invited to join us for a lunchtime jam session. It is held in the museum in case of rain. This is not a performance. We just sit around and play tunes and sing songs for an hour. All traditional instruments are welcome. Contact BobLusk@AOL.com (914) 338-8587 New York City:----- Sundays: --Ryan's Irish Pub 8:30pm+ Fiona Doherty and friends its a bar, no cover, guinness, woodpecker, harp room to dance, but people don't always address 2nd Ave between 9th & 10th Streets , Manhattan, NYC --Irish Rover, Just off Steinway St. on 28th AVe. in Astoria, Queens. It starts around 8:00. All I know about it is that Tom English, the best bodhran player in NYC, is playing there. --Lily's on 4th Ave. in Bayridge, Brooklyn, has a session earlier in the day (5-9pm) run by Tom Dougherty. Tom is a fabulous accordianist; I expect this session is very traditional. Mondays --Paddy Reilly's 2nd Ave. and 31st St. Manhattan, NYC $5 cover charge 11:00pm+ Eileen Ivers and Seamus Egan are the starters, oftern joined by talented folk passing through the city like Jerry O'sullivan guiness, cider, harp, whatever its a bar folks will dance worth the money i'm there every monday (Ed: this may not be much of a _Session_, and sounds more like a concert to me.) --Mona's (Avenue B between 13th and 14th Streets) Tuesday Muldoon's ==> *****GONE******* --St. Dymphna's Bar & Restaurant, 118 St. Mark's Place, btw. 1st Ave. and Avenue A, in lower Manhattan. Traditional Irish music session every Tuesday night from 9:30 p.m. until about 1 a.m. For further information, call (212) 254-6636. FYI, St. Dymphna (sounds like nymph-na) lived in Ireland in the seventh century and is the patron saint of mental illness and nervous dispositions. Wednesdays -- Flannery's 7th Ave. & 14th St Manhattan, NYC (212) 929-9589 dancing and music 10:00 - 12:00 no cover also a bar, but has a dance floor, always 30-50+ people are set dancing that's how i started, dance if you know it beg for an experienced dancer to lead you through if you don't. (Ed: According to Joshua Mittleman, this is a "ceili session". Dancing is the main focus, musicians are welcome to come and play. --The Scratcher (5th Street @ Cooper/Bowery/Third Avenue) -- Gloccamorra Bar - 3rd Ave and 23rd St.,Manhattan. Every Wednesday - 7:30 This is a friendly session with no professional-caliber players. All musicians are welcome, especially players just getting started with Irish Traditional Music. Thursdays Paddy Reilly's 2nd Ave & 29th st Manhattan, NYC @ 11:00pm no cover, never been to this sessiun, but if they didn't have talent, they wouldn't be at Paddy Reilly's most likely traditional An Bheal Bocht (445 W. 238th St. Riverdale (Bronx), starting around 10:30. It's not always on, and they have no phone; you have to show up and take your chances. They also have excellent performance Fridays and some Saturdays. --Kate Kearney's, located on 50th Street between Second and Third Avenues. Brian Conway, one of the greatest fiddlers now playing Irish music, and Don Meade, impressario of the Blarney Star concert series that takes place on Fridays, are the starters, and the sessions are always of high quality. (If this information sounds familiar, it is because Brian and Don used to run now-defunct Tuesday night sessions at Muldoon's). The sessions start at 8:30 and finish at 12:30 a.m. Fridays Blarney Star, on Church St. in Manhattan, (43 Murray St. just off Church St.) NYC $10 cover, famous folk from all over, thus the money 2 sets 9:00 & 10:30 never been there, but these are the Friday night concerts that have been happening for years at the Eagle until the lanlord tried to double the rent with the lease renewal, so the Eagle has landed but the flight continues at the Blarney Star. (Ed: Denis O'Driscoll pointed out that these are strictly concerts, but also mentioned that they used to turn into sessions at the Eagle, but was not sure whether or not this carried on to the Blarney Star) Contributed by: connol@green.cooper.edu (Carolyn_Connolly) --Kate Kearney's (50th St & 2nd Av) every Saturday. While not necessarily an open session, Andy McGann usually alternates who plays with him: one week, Gus Murray, a local accordion player, and the other week, accordion player John Cronin and myself on keyboard. Any musician he knows is in the place will usually get called up to do a spot. (Unfortunately, I'll be off for a few weeks to Ireland leaving August 13 so I may miss your visit. Otherwise we could have tried to connect. Maybe next time.) Rochester: --Rochester Brew Pub, 800 Jefferson Road, Henrietta The session is on the last Sunday of the month from 4:00 until 7:00. Musicians of all levels are welcome. There are usually about 20 musicians. The playing speed is a good one for most, not fast, not to slow. A wide variety of tunes are played and visitors are encouraged to throw in their favorites. The person to call is Dave Halligan at (716)334-3345 --McGinnity's, 534 Ridge Rd. West at 9pm. on the 2nd Friday of every month in their large back room. 15-25 people, some dancers, good overall atmosphere. Some people arrive at 8:30, in order to player slower and learn new tunes. contact: Lou Hillman lbhndp@rit.edu --The Rochester Brew Pub on Jefferson Rd. has a session on the last Sunday of every month from about 4-7PM. It's a nice, relaxed session with a good mix of instruments. Call the Irish Events Hotline at (716)234-ERIN for more events and information. From: robn@vainamoinen.roc.servtech.com (Rob) Syracuse: --Limerick Pub, (Walton St. between Clinton and Franklin Streets), <315/475-1819>, has sessions the first Sunday of the month starting at 3 P.M. The group is so far under 8 musicians and we play a whole spectrum of styles and speeds. The contact person plays flute. Other instruments include fiddle, whistle, guitar. The club owner is a lover of the mucic and all are welcome, players or not. This is a very friendly place. Email contact is hnusbaum@mailbox.syr.edu but the coordinator is Tom Hourican at 607/749-4223. Utica: --Slackers Coffee House, 20 Main Street, Yorkville, (315)736-1931 The Session is the first Thursday of the month from 7: until 10:00. Musicians of all levels are welcome. We play a fairly wide variety of tunes (reels, jigs, polkas, slip jigs, hornpipes, O'Carolan tunes). Playing tends towards dance speed. There are usually four to eight regular musicians. Of the better musicians, there is one accordion player, a few fiddlers, a bohdran player and a guitarist. We also meet every Thursday for most of the year for group practices. This is a Chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Erin). As for the session, anyone is welcome, musician or not. Just call me for the location. I can be reached at (315)339-4526 or gruczad@rl.af.mil NORTH CAROLINA: ---------------------- Charlotte: The Celtic Trader has jams on Thursday nights around 8. From : Craig Whitehead (C_whitehead@queens.edu) Greensboro: The Blind Tiger: Walker Ave. at S. Elam Avenue attracts musicians on the last sunday of each month. Music, ale, and craic flow freely from 5 until 8. OHIO: ------------------------- Columbus: --Tara Hall Pub (social hall adjacent to St. Patrick's Church, 376 E. Naughten St. downtown; just off of Cleveland Ave. near Columbus State Community College and the Columbus Convention Center). Session is second Friday of the month starting at about 8:30PM and ending around MN, 1AM, 2AM, depending on who's there. Ged Foley of the House Band usually leads, playing fiddle. Sometimes the adjacent room is cleared for step dancers. OREGON: ----------------------- Portland: --East Avenue Tavern, East Burnside Ave., Monday nights. the tavern is owned by Mike Beglan, a Cavan man who plays the button box. He also hosts the session. The session usually starts around 9 or 10pm. From: Mick Mulcrone --The County Cork Public House, on SE 37th & Hawthorne, has an Irish session every Sunday afternoon beginning at 4:30 and running until 7:30 or later. It's generally an all-levels affair. Contact: Dan Compton, at 233-9091, e-mail at danfran@teleport.com. PENNSYLVANIA: ----------------- Philadelphia: --Mermaid Inn 6745 Germantown Ave. (@Mermaid Lane) Phila. PA Wednesdays from about 9 PM to closing ( 1 to 2 AM). A fiddle intense, friendly, mainly Irish session. There have been nights when the lone tin whistle or banjo has played with a string accompaniment of ten fiddles. On the average, seven or eight players of fairly reasonable skill play for three or four hours. More an organic session than an organized session. New players and out-of-towners are more than welcome, even if they are fiddlers .. :=) For information call either (215) 247-9797 or Chris Brennan-Hagey (215) 233-2077. From: Jack Crowley --Irish Center (Commodore Barry Club) Emlen St.@Carpenter Lane Philadelphia, PA Fridays from about 9 PM to closing (1 to 2 AM) Occasionally a splendid session, just as occasionally a washout. Certain evenings are predictable successes, such as the Friday before the Philadelphia Irish Festival, and the Friday of the Christmas Ceili. The best evenings are better than the Mermaid sessions, with the same level of hospitality. It's worth a try, in any event. It is more likely to attract the older players, many of whom have jobs that conflict with the late Wednesday night timing of the Mermaid session. The Philadelphia area has more than its share of excellent traditional musicians, many of whom prefer to play in the comfort of private house sessions. If they venture out at all, it's usually to the Irish Center. From: Jack Crowley The Session at the Philadelphia Irish Center (aka Commodore Barry Club) Carpenter Lane and Emlen Lane, in the Mount Airy Section of Philadelphia, Currently on Friday nights at 9pm till ?, but will be moving to Sundays afternoons at 2pm starting 1/95. Great facility, great music, beginers encouraged, dancers welcome. For Information call (215) 843-8051 or Joan McKenty (215) 887-2574. Pittsburgh: --Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle Irish Pub, 2329 Penn Ave, in the Strip District (downtown), phone (412) 642-6622, there's a traditional Irish session every first and third Sunday of the month, starting around 5pm. Attendance and skill level vary--but it's always friendly and open, & usually small (you can hear yourself). The pub-restaurant setting is congenial, staff are very Irish and support the music and traditions (ie-free drinks for musicians). York: --Charlie & Johnny's, 1500 South George St, York, (717)843-1994. The session is on the third Sunday of even numbered months from 5:00 until 8:00. This is a bimonthly session as of February, 1996. Sessions have been held here before, they just were not regular. Previously, about ten musicians have shown up. The person to call is either Jim or Cushla Srour at (717)792-3999. RHODE ISLAND: ----------------- Providence: "check out AS220; there's a session there once a week. " (From rec.music.celtic, June 1994) (Ed: More info on this would be appreciated) From: mallette@bcm.tmc.edu (Lawrence E Mallette) SOUTH CAROLINA: --------------- Charleston: -- Horse & Cart Cafe, 347 King St., Chareston, SC, (803) 722-0797 has open Irish jam sessions every Tuesday starting at 8:30pm and ending around 10:30. Contacts: Bill Stillway, iopa@aol.com (803) 886-8360, Carol Savage, carol_savage@macgate.musc.edu, Rick Hamrick, ohamarick@awod.com. Columbia: --Publick House (2307 Devine St. 803.256.2207). A restraunt bar that caters to the college/professional crowd during the week, but has a nice session on Sundays at 7pm. An informal mix of music, more like a house party than a typical session. A nice feature is that each person playing gets to do a tune or song in turn around the circle, so more experienced players don't dominate the session. The turn taking also gives a nice mix of tunes from Celtic, old-time, klez, and a few swing tunes. Usually attended by various members of two local contra bands, with players from Northern GA. and N.C. attending from time to time. Good selection of Beers on tap, the owner and the staff love the tunes, and slowly building a listening base. TENNESSEE: -------------------- Nashville: Davis-Kidd Booksellers has a monthly session, on the 3rd Saturday of every month, from 8-10pm.We have a diverse group of players ranging from the best Nashville has to offer to some pretty raw beginners. We have a great time every month with a very appreciative crowd, and a smoke free environment. For more information, contact Andi Wolfe: wolfead@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu TEXAS: ------------------------ Austin: --Colorado Street Cafe, 705 Colorado St. *** CLOSED *** --Draught Horse Pub. 4112 Medical Parkway, Austin. MONDAY nights, 8:30-? Hosted by Austin's own" Crazy Jane & the Bishop." Austin's best session venue yet; Irish atmosphere in a brew pub w/ more than 30 beers on tap (free for musicians) Runs the gauntlet of the Celtic tradition: mostly Irish but also Scottish, Welsh, quite a bit of Breton, even Gallician, & sometimes Cajun(?!).Contact: Larry Rone (LRONE@HRW.COM) or (512) 443-5225 --O'Bryan's Pub & Grill. 619 Congress Ave. Austin. WEDNESDAY nights from 8:30-? New Irish pub with full menu and bar. Sessions just getting started, but looks like a good crowd most nights. Free beer for musicians. Several of Austin's Celtic bands represented. Tune in later for updates. (512) 476-4764 or (rarii@io.com) --Senor O'Brien's Restaurant. 624 W. 34th St. Austin, (512) 451-9555. Every SATURDAY night from 8:00-? Number & proficiency of musicians varies widely, but sometimes a really great session in which folks from all over show up. Dallas: --Session every Wednesday at George Wesby's Pub, 2713 Commerce at Crowdus. (214) 742-8318 The same group that used to be at the Tipperary Inn - mostly local musicians and others that pass through. Starts around 9." When I went in mid-January the group was small (7 including myself). Music was varied - mostly Irish, some bluegrassy stuff, and a fair number of vocals. Houston, Texas: -- McGonigle's Mucky Duck Pub, 2425 Norfolk, phone 713-528-5999, located near the intersection of Kirby and the Southwest Freeway (Hwy 59). Go 2 blocks north of Frwy to Norfolk, turn right, go about 300 yards east to the pub. This is the top acoustic music venue in Houston, with live music 6 nites a week. Moving the session here gave the owners another night when they didn't have to worry about booking traveling or local acts (Monday is open mike night), and yet could still sell some beer (great Guiness on tap, etc). The Duck is actually the top local venue for traditional Irish and Scottish music. The session is still on Wednesday nites, but now starts right at 8 pm and goes until maybe 11 pm to 1 am. The players actually sit on stage in a semicircle, with one central mike to pick up the sound of all the players. The stage is actually only a low riser in one corner, but to someone just coming in it looks a bit formal and like a performance. Nevertheless, we really do try to keep it very much like a session, and visitors are truly welcome. A brief word of introduction will surely get you a place in the circle (and a pint), or just get out your instrument and make a noise. Interestingly, with the change in venue and miking, attendance is way up. Now maybe 60 to 80 non-players come by to hear the music. Its great to see this level of interest in Irish music. From: mallette@bcm.tmc.edu (Lawrence E Mallette) (713.529.6508 for questions) UTAH: --------------------------- Salt Lake City: --Crompton's roadside attraction--small canyon restaurant has trad sessions usually every saturday night. Also in SLC, there is step dancing every tuesday night at 6pm in the basement of the Cathedral of the Madeline. From: UTWO@JHUVMS.HCF.JHU.EDU -- Gepetto's Restaurant (Holladay), 2340 E. Murray-Holladay Road, 272-1061, first, third and fifth Monday of each month, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Mix of celtic and old-timey, all skill levels welcomed. Mary, 355-9288. VERMONT: ---------------- Burlington: --The Dockside Cafe, 209 Battery St., 802-864-5266. Has sessions every Wednesday evening, starting at 7:30pm in the winter and 8:30pm in the summer. This is an extremely friendly session in a pleasant atmosphere. Contact: Brian Blais bblais@cns.brown.edu --The Cafe No No, 143 North Champlain Street, (802) 865-5066 Has sessions just about every saturday starting at 1pm and ending at around 5pm Contact: Paddy Mckenzie (802) 863-9529 The Cafe has an e-mail address: rchild@cafenono.com or kaxelson@cafenono.com VIRGINIA: ----------------------- Alexandria: --Tiffany Tavern, King Street, Old Town, - Tuesday Nights (I don't know any specific times; probably starts around 8:30-ish) This just started a few weeks ago, by some folks who wanted an alternative to the session at Nanny O'Brien's in Washington DC on Monday nights. I think the plan is to have a slow jam to start off with for the less experienced, then on to the faster stuff. Since its a new thing, I don't know if any particular format has developed, but I'm sure its mostly Irish - with a good dose of Scottish courtesy of the Potomac Valley Scottish Fiddle Club (plug plug). Tiffany Tavern is usually a Bluegrass club, so this is a bit of a departure for them. Hope it keeps going. Charlottesville: --Blue Ridge Ceilidh Club. Right now were are an intermediate seisiun with a twist. We currently meet every Sunday from 1-5pm in the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Charlottesville, VA. I encourage our people to play music from the whole spectrum of Celtic music, although Irish and Scottish predominate. We are small now and looking for new members. I am currently looking into places to have real seisiuns. I will e-mail any changes. People may reach me thru snail at: The Blue Ridge Ceilidh Club c/o Michael Carr HCR 01, Box 46A Dyke, VA 22935 or,(804)985-8469 or, mcarr@onyx.pvcc.cc.va.us --White Horse Pub, in Virginia Beach, has a session every Wednesday night. Informal, group-of-friends type thing. mail "John C Atkeson@NCG244@noaa" for info Roanoke: --Mill Mountain Coffee in the Market Square Monday nights in Roanoke, VA. Starts around 8pm and hosted by Ullian Piper Bert Mitchell. WASHINGTON: --------------------- Seattle: --Conor Byrne's pub on Ballard Ave. in the Ballard district. Sunday nights. Byrne, the owner/proprietor, plays fiddle with the Suffering Gaels. From: Mick Mulcrone William Galloway adds: On Sunday nights from 9 or 9:30 p.m., there's a session at Conor Byrne's pub in the Ballard neighborhood. I've seen Martin Hayes there a couple of times. The caliber of musicianship is high but everyone is welcome. --The Old Pequliar 1722 NW Market Street, Seattle (Ballard) They have live sessions every Sunday night, and feature other live bands on other nights, particularly Fridays and Saturdays. This pub seems to be the main hangout for Irish immigrants in the Seattle area. #include From: shamus@eskimo.com (Jay Mottern) Spokane: --There is a Celtic jam every tuesday night at Cafe Espresso Delicioso, N. 706 Monroe st. Running from 8-11pm the session welcomes newcomers and players of all experience levels. WISCONSIN: ---------------------- Delafield (between Milwaukee & Madison): --The Carpenter's Pub (location unknown) has sessions on some Fridays. Call the owner, Aelred Gannon for more info. Madison: --Mickey's Tavern, 1524 Williamson St., (608)251-9964 Wednesdays, 9:30-close. A small, rural-looking bar, offering cheap beer, free for musicians. The weekly setting is usually noisy, crowded, and smoky, even filling up to standing-room capacity, but can occasionally be quiet enough to play something besides jigs and reels en masse. Musicians: several regulars of commendable repertoire, plus 5-10 intermediates. Friendly, low-pressure, but 95% Irish, 100% traditional. 1 each of uillean pipes, banjo, bouzouki, flute, then lots of fiddles, and sometimes a box or two. From: Alan Ng, agng@students.wisc.edu, dated 9/95 Milwaukee: --Nash's on (about) 13th and lincoln. South side of town. Every weds and sun from about 9 pm till the wee hours. I think that some are getting a bit bored with it there (not enough free beer) but it goes on. From: Edward A Beimborn --The Nomad World Pub, Just west of the Corner of Brady St. and Farwell in Milwaukee's galmorously dingy east side, (414) 224-8111 has sessions tuesday night, starting at 9:15pm (ish) ending around midnight. Contact: Dan Beimborn danb@execpc.com (414) 332-9923 ========================================================================= WALES: Newport, Gwent: --Engineers Arms, Near the main railway station. Sessions every Wednesday starting at about 9 pm - a mix of Welsh,Irish,and English Tunes. Contact: rgriffiths@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Griffiths) Cardiff, Glamorgan: --The Yellow Kangaroo, Off Newport Road, Opposite Clifton Street. Sessions Wednesday 8:30 pm and Sunday 8:00 pm Contact: rgriffiths@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Griffiths) That's all folks...