USA, Chicago

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Tue May 03, 2005 1:19 pm

SESSIONS (in Chicago unless otherwise noted)

SUNDAY: The Forge 9pm (Burr Ridge) w/Kevin Henry, Pat Cloonan (most Sundays but on the 1st Sunday of every month they alternate with - Jeremy Lanigan's Irish Pub,3119 W. 111th St., 773-233-4004); The Curragh (Schaumburg); Celtic Crossing on Clark St 6-9pm w/Larry Nugent; Chief O'Neills on Elston Ave 5pm w/Brendan McKinney; Galway Arms; Hidden Shamrock on Halsted - mid-afternoon ; Abbey Pub 7pm w/John Daly and Kieran O'Hare; The Grafton; Ballydoyle Irish Pub 5pm-7pm (Downers Grove); Tommy Nevins (Evanston); Moher's Pub on Devon Ave 2-4pm

MONDAY: Quigley's Irish Pub (Naperville) 7pm 1st and 3rd Mondays only and sometimes on the 5th Monday

TUESDAY: Celtic Knot 7pm w/Gus (Evanston); Cullen's

WEDNESDAY: Fado; Irish American Heritage Center 7:30pm; The Grafton; Mickey Finn's (Libertryville); The Kerry Piper - home of the Murphy Roche Irish Music Club Session (Willowbrook, across from Dell Rhea's Chichen Basket, take I-55 to Route 83 North. At the first light turn right, then right again in front of the Holiday Inn. Go to the stop sign. The Kerry Piper is on your right.)

THURSDAY: Molly Malone's (Forest Park)

Chicago Reader (free weekly newspaper) is great for musical happenings (updated Thursday PM).
http://www.chicagoreader.com/listings/static/folk.html

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Sun May 15, 2005 3:30 pm

Chicago Reader is great for musical happenings in the Chicago area.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/listings/static/folk.html

jeff_lindblade · Post by **jeff_lindblade** » Mon May 16, 2005 10:04 am

Thanks for the Naperville Quigley's plug Jim.

To be totally accurate, the session @ Quigley's is only the 1st and 3rd Mondays of any given month with the odd 5th Monday usually thrown in for good measure. We get going about 7pm and play till everyone has had their fill (of either pints or tunes).

Pipes, flute, fiddle, accordion, concertina might be in attendance on any given night.

If you are thinking of visiting our little snug for some tunes, feel free to pm or email me at ganainm2003 at hotmail. I'll be sure you get sorted out.

All the best

Jeff

psmithltd · Post by **psmithltd** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:50 pm

Be careful about the Forge session - It's only there some of the time. They alternate every so often with a place called... er... I can't quite remember. Anyway, it's something like one sunday at one and the other three at the other, but I've always relied on someone else to let me know what it is the week I'm in town.

Kevin Henry's sessions are a lot of fun - all those old guys are great players, I've always had a blast.

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 6:23 pm

Things on the south side are very wobbly at this time. The Forge has recently undergone ownership changes and hangs by a thread. The other place is a smoky, noisy, sh*thole and the only reason I go are the great tunes and good fellowship of the older musicians. Communications between the landlords and the musicians at both places are sporadic at best, and we often find these sessions canceled without warning.

If you've flown hundreds of miles, I wouldn't count on these sessions. Phil, I make a point of being hard to contact on weekends, too, so please don't count on me being a tour guide

If you know the old boys, have taken lessons with them, played occasional sessions with them int the past, have met them at festivals, etc., and you have contact info, give them a call.

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:29 pm

The rule of thumb is to call the venue first (or call someone you know) to verify. Bar owners choke on the words "don't come on down here tonight" so the phone info might not be accurate.

Being 'wobbly' is the norm for almost every session. Something changes, like adding in a big flat TV screen right where the session is, and then the session vaporizes.

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:38 pm

:roll:

Regardless of the status of these two sessions, I most respectfully but firmly decline to be a tour guide for strangers.

There's plenty of music going on in town, anyway.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:10 am

Given the recent updates, is there any change / further info on the Tuesday night sessions?

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:30 am

I am going to be in the Chicago - Schaumburg Illinois / Highland & Dyer Indiana area August 7-13th. Any ideas on places to see Irish Groups playing - looks like I'm likely going to miss the sessions (I'm probably not ready yet).
We don't have too many Irish groups here in mid Kansas although I will see Flook at K-State next Spring.
I know about Kitty O'Sheas (brother in law worked at the Hilton), but I'd rather find some local / less commercial venues. I was thinking there were places around North Halstead in "New Town", but it is so long ago I'm not sure what the area is like.
Any input would sure be appreciated. I used to live in the Chicago area so I can get around pretty well if I have a reliable address/ phone number etc. Would especially appreciate it if anyone is aware of venues in the NW Indiana area.
Thanks a lot!

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:02 pm

Martyrs on Monday night - www.martyrslive.com . Session at 6pm with John Daly; music (free) at 9pm - 12am - two sets.

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:19 pm

Jim McGuire wrote:Martyrs on Monday night - www.martyrslive.com . Session at 6pm with John Daly; music (free) at 9pm - 12am - two sets.

Thank You - I can find North Lincoln!!! Might have some pizza too!

greg · Post by **greg** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:16 am

hi jim im going to chicago next week and was wondering if you know of any pubs that have a whistle player

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:11 pm

Patrick Finnegan might know. Also, there is always a whistle player at the IAHC on Wednesday night 7:30pm - 9:45pm. If the north side is convenient, you might arrange to meet with Tom MacMahon.

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:14 pm

I'll be in Chicago about three days in May (around the 18th--I'll have to check my calendar) for the Adobe InDesign thingie that's going on at the Holiday Inn (I think--Gawd help me navigate; I've never been to Chicago before).

I won't curl up and die if I can't get to a session, but I thought as I'd be there anyway, and it's gotta be better than watching TV in my room, I'd ask for either suggestions, or a place to find suggestions.

Thanks, all!

Marguerite

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 7:04 pm

This Sunday, July 23rd, the Irish Music School of Chicago (see www.irishmusicschool.com <http://www.irishmusicschool.com/> ) will host a delightful evening of traditional tunes. The concert will be held at the Irish American Heritage Center in the Fifth Province Pub, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The Irish American Heritage Center is located at 4626 West Knox Avenue, just East of the Edens expressway (I-94) Wilson Avenue (4600 North) exit. For information about the IAHC, its location, and its activities, see http://www.irishamhc.com/.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for kids (17 and younger) and $75 for a family of 5 or more. The benefit concert will also feature performances from many of Chicago's top Irish musicians, like Liz Carroll, John Daly and Jackie Moran, the teachers, and of course the students themselves.

Proceeds from the concert will go to help to fund the Irish Music School students traveling to compete in the all-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, Ireland's biggest international music competition; this year's edition will take place in Letterkenny, County Donegal, in Ireland's picturesque northwest. It is an outstanding opportunity for these young people to meet and play with their peers from all over the world, deepen their appreciation of their music, learn more about Irish language and culture, and make new friends. The Students will attend a week long school called the Scoil Eigse before the Fleadh begins.

The Irish Music School of Chicago is founded on the philosophy that Irish music students should learn their music through examples provided by peers, instructors, and older musicians, particularly senior immigrant musicians who have been playing music since childhood. The school draws on the collaborative efforts of many different Chicago area Irish music teachers. Tunes are taught by aural transmission (i.e. "by ear") in a variety of learning situations ranging from structured classroom settings and private lessons, to the rough and tumble of a pub session; instructors and students alike make extensive use of recordings instead of relying on transcriptions. Many students practice together outside of school functions, and it is not unusual for one or both parents of a child student to attend lessons or sessions as participants. Several of the young up and comers in the group have a parent or older sibling that plays traditional music, and some of the parents played traditional music as children and have decided to re-visit the experience. For information about lessons and sessions please email sean@seancleland.com.

Bringing generations together for some tunes helps to create the kind of environment that allows traditional music to flourish, an environment where traditional music making as an activity is not the exclusive preserve of a supremely talented few, but a normal, every day leisure activity shared and enjoyed by many.

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