Traditional Irish Music
About Irish Sessions
What is an Irish Seisiun?An Irish session, much like nature itself, is populated with all sorts of characters and curious creatures. This in itself is quite a bit different from other styles of music and musician groupings. Heavy metal, Hip-Hop, Country Western; these styles tend to draw from a demographic of people with common backgrounds, interests, and social uniforms. Irish sessions however, have a wide variety of species to be found gathered around the tables of a typical pub.
At any one session you might be apt to find an octogenarian near a teenager, professionals seated by day laborers, evangelicals next to atheists, republicans seated by democrats, Red Sox fans next to Yankee fans. Such is the magic of this peculiar type of communal music that it can draw folks from all walks of life. In spite of this variance, there are some very easily recognizable species that are common to this particular style of music in this rather unique setting.
With a minimal amount of research, (it only took four pints of Guinness for me) you too should be able to spot these unique, yet all-too-familiar stereotypes at any session in North America.
A Field Guide to North American Irish Session Stereotypes
As we study the particular behaviors of some of the Common Session Species in the ensuing paragraphs, a few useful tips should become obvious.
First, however, a bit of useful information regarding our analytical rubric. For example, a typical ornithologist (a.k.a., bird watching geek) might classify and research their subjects with a rubric along these lines:
Common Loon
Gaviidae, Gavia immer
Call Sound: A loud, wailing laugh, also a mournful yodeled oo-AH-ho with middle note higher, and a loud ringing kee-a-ree, kee-a-ree with middle note lower. Often calls at night and sometimes on migration.
Features and Behavior: A large, heavy-bodied loon with a thick, pointed, usually black or dark gray bill held horizontally. In breeding plumage, head and neck black with white bands on neck; back black with white spots. In winter, crown, hindneck, and upperparts dark grayish; throat and underparts white.
Primary Habitat: Nests on forested lakes and rivers; winters mainly on coastal bays and ocean.
Using this exact format, we shall now explore and hopefully get a better understanding of, the various species that commonly populate a typical North American Irish Session.
And now, for your contemplation,
A Field Guide to North American Irish Session Stereotypes
Wanda Wiccan
Bizaro hairylimbicus
Primary Instruments: Whistle, Flute, Fiddle, Shaky Egg
Features and Behavior: Raven-black hair; body piercings - most of which cannot be seen; Random Celtic knot tattoos; Describes herself as a 'Celtic Priestess' (Celtic always pronounced with hard K sound); Lives with at least three cats, owns every episode of Xena: Warrior Princess and Charmed on DVD.
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