Former Folk session on DVD and CD

FOLK and Trad sessions recorded in the 1970s by RTE featuring acts such as The Dubliners, Tommy Makem, Paul Brady, Horslips, Andy Irvine, Jimmy Crowley, Freddie White and others are now on release on DVD and CD formats titled Ar Stáitse. The Ar Stáitse series features archive footage from a host of top names in Irish music, live in concert recorded and transmitted on various dates in the 1970s. This first volume from the series brings fans the best of Irish music from Folk to traditional and Celtic Rock. Aired once again in late in 2010 on TG4, the series features some great performances from The National Stadium in Dublin and Cork's Opera House, among other venues. Among the gems is an epic rendition of Furniture by Horslips as well as classics such as The Town I Loved So Well sung by Luke Kelly with The Dubliners. Andy Irvine delivers an excellent version of The Plains of Kildare while the original version of Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down Con Shine is performed by Cork's popular Folk singer Jimmy Crowley. The late Tommy Makem is in fine fettle as he belts out Farewell to Carlingford as well as a song that was a hallmark of his performances with The Clancy Brothers The Leaving of Liverpool. Freddie White has two songs on this set including a fine rendition of Ain't Misbehavin'. It is good that RTE in association with Irish Music Licensing (IML) have released these important live recordings and for followers of Folk and Trad, tinged with a little bit of Celtic Rock these CDs and DVDs are essential for the collection. One can only hope that these releases become a commercial success and that this will influence the powers that be to release other live recordings from these sessions when those Folk stars were in their prime during the 1970s. Old the recordings may be but they will be Folk gold for many fans. â€â€œ TG.