Come Here To Me!

I really should go to more gigs, as I remarked to a friend post Ted Leo at Whelan’s. Granted, I’ve a ticket to see Leonard Cohen in the back garden of a certain Countess’ Sligo home, but beyond that there isn’t much on the radar for me. Joanna Newsom in Dublin come September is now added to the list. The fact the gig is at the Grand Canal Theatre is just another incentive, owing to the fact I’ve not seen the place yet. All reviews of her sold out Olympia performance suggested I was a moron for spending the money on anything else at the time.

My main interest in the music of Joanna Newsom no doubt comes from the folk influences present, and the sound of the harp is something that one occasionally encounters in Irish traditional music, though nothing like here. I purchased The Milk Eyed Mender on a hunch a few years back, and completely fell for her music from there. Ys, a themed album of songs ranging from around 8 to 12 minutes,was mind-blowing, with the harpist joined by the sounds of an orchestra. The album was well received, even breaking into the Irish Top 50. We’ve great taste, we do.

Above: The Roots feat. Joanna Newsom, didn’t see that coming either.

Folkies like myself will no doubt mingle with the hipest of the hip for the night, and I’m personally hoping for a set that leans more towards her earlier material, though her latest effort is still most worthy of praise, an impressive triple album.

See you there.

Joanna Newsom at the Grand Canal Theatre, 14th September. Tickets from €33.60 including booking fee from Ticketmaster.ie