Exile - Songs & Tales of Irish Australia

with Shane Howard, Paul Kelly, Leah Flanagan, Ewen Baker, Aine Tyrrell, Lynnelle Moran, Declan O'Rourke, Pauline Scanlon, John Spillane, Sean Tyrrell, Paddy Fitzgerald, Greg Sheehan, Michelle Burton, Nick Martin
Hamer Hall, Saturday 20th February 2016

I had heard that this concert was going to be one but I had also not been working so was going to have to miss it. Luckily I got a call at the last minute to come along and take photos. I ended up having to come a bit earlier than expected as Hamer Hall does not allow photography during the actual show so I could only take photos of the dress rehearsal. I don't often get to see the show I am taking photos of without the camera so I was happy enough with this outcome.

The show is based around the Irish experience in Australia and combines Irish and Australian performers with historical anecdotes in the inter-song text and narration and contemporary songs from the artists. It did remind me of the Vancemonian Lags a bit but this show focusses on the one country. In addition to having the most Greeks outside of Greece, Australia also has the most Irish. For some reason I thought the USA would have more.

There were quite a few people in the show I had not seen before and I got to meet Áine Tyrrell's father after hearing about him in the anecdote about Port Arthur for quite a while.

After the dress rehearsal I went to get dinner and then came back in to watch the show sans camera as I had been given a ticket. It was good as they had to rush through it towards the end of rehearsal due to running out of time. The show had sold out and did do an east coast run in Sydney and Brisbane.

Walking out into the many thousands of people in town for the White Night Festival I was glad to have gone, but equally glad to not be going into the city.

Links:
http://www.shanehoward.com.au/
http://www.paulkelly.com.au/news
http://leahflanagan.com.au/
http://www.ainetyrrell.com/
http://www.declanorourke.com/
http://www.paulinescanlon.net/
http://www.johnspillane.ie/
http://www.seantyrrell.com/