Tír Na HiFi

This could be an interestiing gig, I'd hope to go but not yet certain I can be free.
John

Uncle Monk
Whelans Upstairs, Wexford Street. -Thursday 29th April - 8.30pm
€17.50 (€15.50 if booked in advance)
Uncle Monk is an indie-acoustic duo featuring Tommy Ramone (Last surviving member of the Ramones) on vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo and dobro, and Claudia Tienan on vocals, guitar and bass. Uncle Monk's music is rooted in old-time and bluegrass influences. To this mix they have added unique musical textures to create a sound with a new sensibility. Click names in blue for more details and links to the music.

I might stoll down to this one myself. What's not to love?

it was a good gig, a little odd in that Claudia Tienan, Tommy Ramone's other half, seemed somewhat 'removed' from proceedings and frankly 'not the full shilling". Her vocals were delivered near rather than into the mic and her vocals were mostly incomprehensible.. that said when Tommy came in on harmony it really clicked and the result was more than the sum of their parts... if you follow me.
It was a clean mandolin & guitar & vocals arrangement (musically and physically) and I loved its purity. If the Carter Family had been a duo it might have sounded a bit like this.
After the gig we chatted and I bought a CD. A nice guy but certainly focused on getting the €15 first and chat after. I don't blame him, a European tour might be fun but it's hardly profitable.

Support came from Louisiana Joyride, a duo where she can really sing and play guitar and he can really play guitar and sing. They're bloody good and fit into that Gillian Welch/David Rawlings mould but without the songs (yet). Personally I think a few more covers near the beginning of the show would have been useful to bring the crowd in but they had an EP to sell and were, to some extent, selling it.
http://www.myspace.com/louisianajoyride