The Swell Season

It must be Wednesday, because I received a call in the delicate hours of the morning warning me of a Latte landing. Yes he’s back comrades, and determined to ruin my stealthy recovery from the previous week.

“The Swell Season is in town” he purred, no doubt calling from that blessed IPhone.

I was in need of some music therapy consideration the current climate of financial doom.

If you saw the delightful film Once then you might know the success of the film gave birth to the principle writers and actors (Glen Hansard and Marketa IrgIova) performing songs in a collective unit know as the The Swell Season.

Rightfully it won an Oscar for best original song (Falling Slowly) thus propelling them from small town to Tinsel town.

If you did not the see the film then you will be punished by the hands of Dick Cheney; gunfire or Water boarding… the choice is yours.

The band takes its title from a book by the same. It was written by Josef Skvorecky and takes place in Nazi controlled Czechoslovakia about one mans love of music and the chase of unattainable women.

The film is set in Dublin, in the present day and plays closely to the themes in the book.

Go and see the Film... it’s unconstitutional otherwise.

This time the venue was in Central park, which was most thoughtful considering I live there. From my elevated advantage point I could see Rumsey playfield in its entire panoramic splendor.

However not impressed to watch the show from the tree house, Lousy Latte suggested backstage where the art of pressing flesh could be conducted.

Sadly we missed the two opening acts the soulful Liam O Maonlai (Hothouse Flowers) and Patty Griffin.

Right on time Glen and Marketa bounced on stage and swept into Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic followed by the hit Falling Slowly huddled closely on the piano stool, which drew great cheers from the crowd.

Marketa’s cardigan has to be a contender for Knitwear for the year.

From then on it was songs from the film interlaced with a Michelle Shocked cover and a couple of Frames songs which Glen fronts when he is in a rock ‘n’ roll mood.

Indeed, during the show the band’s numbers swelled (pun very much intended) to bass, violin and guitar augmenting beautifully the richness of the songs.

The band where dressed in Thrift store chic and the combined cost of their clothes must have added up to the price of a Bruno Magli shoelace. Glad to see Oscar triumph hasn’t dampened their busker attire.

Being Irish, Glen’s story telling was vintage Dub, funny, heartfelt and self deprecating. There was one story that humbled his new found fame. A fan in Ireland requested an autograph for his friend. He said his friend loved the music however she was deaf!! Priceless who need Oscars?

As a final song they came back on joined by the brilliant shoeless Liam O Maonlai for a gorgeous version Dylan’s Forever Young.

Oh to be in the woods with an enthusiastic crowd soaking up delicious music. It restores my faith the human spirit and all because of mahogany, spruce, wire, ebony, ivory, steel string and vocal chords. OK a little electricity for the PA, but you get the drift.

Music; what a healer?

Let us repair to the bar and rejoice in it's afterglow...and naturally we did over a most agreeable Syrah.

Swell indeed