Let the Fun Begin…or the Storm?

Summer was a whirlwind!

 It was fun, amazing, and over way too soon! I knew it would be that way. sigh.

The last two weeks allowed us to get back into a rhythm with school, catch up on make-up sessions for work, and take a breath before the fall festival season. Today was the start. Haley, Dylan, and I headed to Ship Bottom, NJ today for their annual Irish Festival. This would be the 3rd year the kids played here but last year, as we were getting ready to leave, Haley had a little run in with a toothpick that left her spending the day in an ER and the evening in surgery. (See this post for details.) This morning, however, we made it into the car toothpick-free.

The kids played a nice set right after Mass. They included a couple tunes they've composed together. (Their composition "sessions" go something like this…Dylan fools around with a guitar chord sequence. He finds something he likes and plays it over and over then Haley decides she'll add some fiddle on top of it…and poof! They have a new tune.)

Not the best picture but with the bright sunlight behind them it was difficult.

There was a really cool little spot near the stage tent with music notes as part of the bricks. Dylan is a bit camera shy but Haley jumped right on it.

From Ship Bottom, we headed back across the state to Philly. We met Haley's friends and fellow Converse Trio band members, Alex and Keegan, at St. Declan's Well for the weekly Irish music session. The kids love when they get to play with Kevin and Fintan! Dylan jumped in at the end to rehearse with the others for their next stop…a promo appearance for next week's festival, the Philadelphia Ceili Group's 40th Anniversary Irish Festival, on the radio station WXPN with Gene Shay.

We walked the block to the station from St. Declan's. The full moon, clouds, and city skyline all lit up were really pretty…the pictures just didn't do it justice but here's one try.

The station was much bigger than any of the others we have been to. The others were tiny little places with one or two (if they have a couple stations in one tiny building) rooms they broadcast from. This station is in the basement at World Live Cafe and there are a number of broadcasting rooms including a very large room where the kids played. The walls have really cool art all over them and in the main station area, the walls are covered by the signatures of famous people who have been to the studio.

It took some time for them to set up the big studio room with mics. The kids rehearsed and joked around then once everything was set up, they were on air.

Sitting in the studio, we were a little confused as to when they were actually broadcasting but people listening at home said they sounded great.

We left right after they finished to get the kids home to bed. School in the morning! Looking forward to a great festival and a lot more fun next weekend!