Review of The Parting Glass at Chapel Off Chapel
Feb 25, 2015 16:50:24 GMT 10
Post by thebraff (Braffy) on Feb 25, 2015 16:50:24 GMT 10
www.melbartsfash.com/107253
The Parting Glass – An Irish Journey - Performance Review
What: The Parting Glass – An Irish Journey
Where: Chapel Off Chapel
When: 21st February
Performed by: Damien Leith and the Black Velvet Band
One of the most authentic Irish pubs I have ever been into wasn’t even a pub to begin with. The Parting Glass emits the most intimate Irish pub spirit without having even one Guinness poster.
The show started with a song from the Black Velvet Band in a concert format. There were only music instruments on the stage. Soon after that, we discovered that we were in Ireland, in a pub, overhearing a table near the stage. There, a son and his father were waiting for a taxi as they were chatting. They had a short reunion after five years and the son was about to go back to Australia. The father was an intelligent and humorous free-spoken Irish man, whom one cannot help but keep eavesdropping on for his responses to his son and the band.
Damien Leith is the lead singer and the guitarist of the band. He also performs both the son and the father as they chat during the intervals between the songs. As the time passes their chat becomes more serious and emotional. Leith stays behind the microphone all the time, but still he manages to deliver the dialogue between the two characters sensationally.
The story of the son was particularly touching for me because of the parallelisms to my own life. Among many things, migrating to Australia means leaving so many people behind, on the other side of the world. And you are expected to do something important, since you went all that distance. The Parting Glass subtly portrays this situation and its effects.
There is a beautiful story going on which makes everything else happening on the stage much more meaningful. Nevertheless, the highlight of the show is the music. Each member of the Black Velvet Band performs the songs masterfully. One can feel and see how they enjoy the music they are making. Leith is a passionate singer with a very powerful, silky voice. They are just amazing together. They are playing beautiful Irish songs. When I sit in a live performance, I usually just sit and listen carefully without moving. However this time I caught myself tapping my foot and even singing along one time. I blame the rest of the audience for that, they kept singing, tapping and clapping all the time.
The show was structured brilliantly. The story adorned the songs and the songs intensified the story. Hence the show turned into an experience rather than a spectacle. If someone asked after the show, I might have insisted that I have been to Ireland, had a beer in a local pub and met some of the people.
4.5 stars
The Parting Glass – An Irish Journey - Performance Review
What: The Parting Glass – An Irish Journey
Where: Chapel Off Chapel
When: 21st February
Performed by: Damien Leith and the Black Velvet Band
One of the most authentic Irish pubs I have ever been into wasn’t even a pub to begin with. The Parting Glass emits the most intimate Irish pub spirit without having even one Guinness poster.
The show started with a song from the Black Velvet Band in a concert format. There were only music instruments on the stage. Soon after that, we discovered that we were in Ireland, in a pub, overhearing a table near the stage. There, a son and his father were waiting for a taxi as they were chatting. They had a short reunion after five years and the son was about to go back to Australia. The father was an intelligent and humorous free-spoken Irish man, whom one cannot help but keep eavesdropping on for his responses to his son and the band.
Damien Leith is the lead singer and the guitarist of the band. He also performs both the son and the father as they chat during the intervals between the songs. As the time passes their chat becomes more serious and emotional. Leith stays behind the microphone all the time, but still he manages to deliver the dialogue between the two characters sensationally.
The story of the son was particularly touching for me because of the parallelisms to my own life. Among many things, migrating to Australia means leaving so many people behind, on the other side of the world. And you are expected to do something important, since you went all that distance. The Parting Glass subtly portrays this situation and its effects.
There is a beautiful story going on which makes everything else happening on the stage much more meaningful. Nevertheless, the highlight of the show is the music. Each member of the Black Velvet Band performs the songs masterfully. One can feel and see how they enjoy the music they are making. Leith is a passionate singer with a very powerful, silky voice. They are just amazing together. They are playing beautiful Irish songs. When I sit in a live performance, I usually just sit and listen carefully without moving. However this time I caught myself tapping my foot and even singing along one time. I blame the rest of the audience for that, they kept singing, tapping and clapping all the time.
The show was structured brilliantly. The story adorned the songs and the songs intensified the story. Hence the show turned into an experience rather than a spectacle. If someone asked after the show, I might have insisted that I have been to Ireland, had a beer in a local pub and met some of the people.
4.5 stars
kudos to Damien and the Black Velvet Band. Hope all the guys have seen this. Thank you so much for posting it Braffy 
