Words and music come together at unique concert
Just Alice (the stage name of Alice Laffan) accompanied by Keith Glover on the Shruti Box performing at the 'Verse and Resonance' evening in Carlow Methodist Church Photos: Michael O'Rourke Photography
THE CARLOW Beo programme at Carlow Methodist Church featured a unique event titled , which saw performances of poems by local poets set to music by local musicians.
The event was organised by Carlow poet Patrick Mitchell, who paired eight poets, including himself, with eight musicians, who then had two months to set one of their poems to music.
Aside from Patrick, the poets who participated in the event were Feargal Ward, Tracey Walsh, Eoin Patrick McMahon, Hugsie, Leon Fay, Thomas Kavanagh and Niamh Lyons. The musicians who took part were Emmet Jones, Just Alice, Dave O’Neill, Hugsie, Asophonics, Duane Ayres, Daniel Craig and Adrian O’Connell.
Patrick said that he was inspired to put the event together as his friend Emmet Jones, who took part in the event, had previously set one of his poems to music. He said that putting the poem to music transformed its meaning in a beautiful way.
“If you heard a poem that came out and the poet could be saying it in a jovial way, but then the musician could interpret it as more sombre. You have this very good contrast between the two different vocalisations of the same words,” Patrick said.
So when Anton Scheele, who is the Carlow Methodist Society steward, approached Patrick and asked him to put together an event for the Carlow Beo programme, Patrick said that he might have an idea.
Anton told Patrick that he could “to an extent do whatever you want”, but requested that it not be “too mad for a church”.
According to Patrick, the night went “extremely well” and he is hoping to make it an annual event.
Patrick thanks all of those involved in making the event a success, including Gavin Glover, who played drums and percussion during the performances.
