GBS @ SOPAC
The second half opened as it’s been for this tour – Alan playing a traditional tune on the mandola while sitting on the drum riser. Bob joined him on the accordion a few measures into the song and those two played though the first tune, then Séan came out with his bodhran and began the second tune with the drum beat. Kris and Murray then joined with guitars and they went into the Irish Washerwoman with the chorus of Ise da B’y thrown in there for good measure. I had thought the last few times I heard this that they were each singing a different verse of the song at the same time. But tonight I was close enough to see/hear they were singing “Hip yer partner Sally Tibbo, Hip yer partner Sally Brown, Fogo, Twillingate, Moreton’s Harbour, all around the circle!”
Britt delivered Alan’s black electric guitar and When I Am King was introduced. They commented that they were in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday and Barack Obama was giving a speech and they tried to get in to hear it but it didn’t work out. There was mixed audience reaction of cheers and boos at the mention of Obama’s name and Séan tried to declare neutrality since they were from Canada. “After all, we don’t care. It won’t affect us at all,” he declared, tongue firmly planted in cheek. I knew that statement was far from the truth in his view.
All photos were taken by Michele from LI. Thanks so much, Michele! I sure enjoyed including them in the review.
“For all you know, Murray could be Prime Minister!” Alan added. At which point Vic turned to me and said, “Yeah Murray’s got the Moxy (moxie)  for it.” I laughed out loud and I think I punched his arm. But sadly there is some truth to Alan’s statement. I bet most Americans have no idea who the Prime Minister of Canada is. But, trust me, everyone in Canada knows who our president is and who is running. Then Séan talked about how they were trying (unsuccessfully) to get to see Obama in Raleigh the other afternoon before the show. “Yeah, Obama first, then us. I guess that means Obama opened for us!”

Alan countered with “Yeah! He jumped up on the stage and sang Molly Malone with us, too! He’s Irish – you know - O’Bama!” Well, that cracked Séan up as well as the rest of the audience. Some remembered the day last year when Russell Crowe got up and sang Molly Malone at Shamrock Fest in DC. Then Alan announced, “We put before you an amusing scenario in which I launch my campaign to become King. Vote for me and the world will sing, when I am King!” That was the best intro to When I Am King I’ve ever heard!
As the King ended his song, he announced, in his best politician voice, “I’m Alan Doyle and I approved this message.”

Séan began the intro to the next one. “This is a song about relationships that don’t work out according to the liner notes. I’ve gone through 30 or 40 of them. It’s all about personality. They’d look good on paper, but…some people like butter and some like margarine and that’s it, it’s out of your hands!”

Then Alan interrupted laughing, “Yeah, yeah, we’ve got a great relationship on paper there! That sounds like a business deal!”

“Well, Alan, will you tell us about your history, did you have any failures in relationships that you’d like to share, ones that didn’t work out?” Séan asked with an evil look.

Alan stood there sheepishly for a bit, squirming and thinking, got close to the mic, shook his head and stated, “O’Bama is Irish!”

Then Séan began speaking about how he and Alan knew a band that had just split up over personality conflicts. “Alan, you said when that band that was friends of ours broke up, you said it was a perfect example of this. That they were good musically, but that it was all about personality conflicts.”

“Yes that’s true,” nodded Alan. He looked at Séan. “Is this what they mean by musical differences?”

“It means I hate you!” Séan said, stomping his foot and sticking out his tongue and laughing.

“No, that means after all these years someone’s a total arsehole!” said Alan, “The news release always says ‘musical differences’ but that is bandspeak for I hate your guts. I can’t stand to be around you for more than five minutes!”

Don’t you think the intro to this song is getting a bit dark?” Séan asked. “Maybe we’d better just sing this song and go our separate ways afterwards,” suggested Séan.  Then they both agreed that they’d just better sing and Séan launched into Long Lost Love. What an intro that was! I’m still puzzling over it.
Breaking up & making up
Captain Kidd was next. I thought it was a perfect placement with the slo intro to the set of tunes, morphing into everyone loudly singing and playing fast. These guys are masters at their art!

Tonight I was right in between Séan and Alan. Alan came right out to the edge of the stage in front of me several times. I could have tied his shoelaces together if I had been inclined. He was that close. At any rate, I noticed that Kris is playing very quietly or not at all till the first chorus, and then lightly again until the next chorus. Nice effect.

Alan raised his arm in triumph at getting the audience to particpate and dance!