Shamlog

The Indulgers, are launching into the outdoor concert season with a visit to Vail and the Street Beat at Checkpoint Charlie. The band will also play four shows in all at Fado Irish Pub’s - St. Patrick’s Week Festival in Lodo, Denver, the Dnote in Arvada and Nissi’s in Lafayette. The Indulgers earned awards in 2008 and not for the first time, they also completed building a new studio and set about recording new material. One of Colorado most enduring and successful touring bands, there’s nothing quite like The Indulgers at Fado on St Patrick’s Day.
See the band’s new video and download “Whiskey Tonight” at
www.shamrocker.com

Vail - Checkpoint Charlie - Bud Lite Street Beat Festival - March 11th 6pm (WED)
Arvada - DNote - March 13th with special guests (FRI) - 8:30pm
Denver - Two shows at FADO - March 14th (SAT) 2pm & 7pm
Denver - Two shows at FADO - March 17th (TUES) 2pm & 7pm
Lafayette - Nissi’s - March 20th (FRI) 7pm

The Wild Mountain Celts
at THE CALA INN, Dillon Sat. March 7th at 8pm
and THE EXCHANGE TAVERN, Westminster Sat. March 21st at 8:30pm
A trio featuring the best of Irish Folk Songs
Available for house parties, concert halls and your local Irish bistro.

Fergal Murray (Guinness Brewmaster) reads the toast at 11pm. Feb 13th 2009 at FADO Irish Pub. The Indulgers performed, kicking off the run to St. Patrick’s Day.

by Dermot O’Gara

JUST about everybody knows that St Valentine is the patron saint of lovers. You may have known that he was a priest in Rome in the third century, and if you’re really on top of your game, you may even have been aware that he died in jail, but you probably didn’t know that his final resting place is Dublin.

In fact the good priests of the Carmelite Order have been looking after his remains in their priory in Whitefriar St, just off Aungier St in Dublin, for over 160 years. We have a good deal of information about St Valentine, but separating the fact from the legend is a bit like trying to separate a teenage couple at a school disco. Fertility festival
It seems he was martyred in 269, supposedly for marrying couples against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II who felt that single men made better soldiers. Legend would have it that he died for his faith on February 14th of that year, and that this is why we celebrate him on that day. However, it’s likely that the fact that we celebrate St Valentine at this time of year is more to do with the ancient Roman spring fertility festival of Lupercalia, which like many other pagan holidays was christianised when in 498 Pope Gelasius decreed that February 14th would be St Valentine’s Day. But how did a Roman Martyr, who had never even set foot in what was later to become an island of saints and scholars, end up in a Dublin church. In the 1820′ and 30’s, a Carmelite priest by the name of John Spratt had earned a reputation for his work with the destitute citizens of Dublin’s Liberties. A man of apparently boundless energy, Spratt started the building process of the Carmelite church in nearby Whitefriar St in 1825. Exhumed
Ten years later, he was invited to speak at the Jesuit Church in Rome, the Gesu. The elite of Rome came to hear him, including representatives of Pope Gregory XVI. As a token of recognition of the work of Spratt, the Pope ordered the exhumation of the remains of St Valentine from St Hippolytus cemetery near Rome to be shipped to Whitefriar St Church, in Dublin. In November 1836, the remains were received with great pomp and ceremony, but with the death of Spratt some years later, the remains ceased to be of major public interest. Some 40 years ago however, they were restored to the public eye having gathered dust for decades in the nether regions of the priory, and are now featured in a purpose-built shrine in the church itself. This year on February 14th, at 11am and 3.15pm, as has become customary, there will be a special celebration of St Valentine in the place where he now rests, Whitefriar St Church. Carmelite priest, Fr Tony McKenny will celebrate mass and conduct a ring blessing ceremony for engaged and married couples. It would appear that neither cohabiting couples nor teenagers need apply!

THE WILD MOUNTAIN CELTS will be playing at The Exchange Tavern in Westminster on Feb 14th - St Val’s Day at 8:30pm

Check out the new - Whiskey Tonight - right here

Cheers……….

Pogue Mahone’s is back. In fact, the new ownership had a big helping hand from the old ownership and the eastside, well Parker, pub is back. We also hear the sad news that O’Shea’s in the DTC/Greenwood Village area is no more. Lots of pubs in the DTC, maybe that was too much of a good thing for the area. An expansion at Nallen’s downtown could be in the works and downtown Denver will get another super-pub with Irish ties in the New Year.

It’s a big year for the Guinness Brand in 2009 so watch out for bigger than ever promotions, this might be a very good time to join the 1759 Club at Guinness.

There’s an excellent Irish menu available at THE EXCHANGE TAVERN in WESTMINSTER.

We’ve noticed the SPD clocks now up on the walls, as they tick/tock away to SPD. 121 days to go they say.

Happy Thanksgiving ye all.

Wish Come True:
The 25th Anniversary Compilation Music CD

As part of our celebration of the Foundation’s 25th Anniversary in Colorado, we have been fortunate to be supported by Nissi’s Live Music and Bistro, the award-winning Boulder County music venue. Nissi’s has gathered a collection of songs by the performers who play at Nissi’s–local favorites and national artists.

The CD is a labor of love put together by the performing artists and the management of Nissi’s. “It’s a privilege to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” says Nissi’s owner Teresa Taylor. “We have always been amazed by the life-changing effect the Foundation has on so many lives here in Colorado.”

Artists included Nina Storey, The Subdudes, Firefall, Newcomer’s Home, Something Underground, Richie Furey, Mollie & Tim O’Brien, Ash Ganley, Rebecca Folsom, Taylor Mespie, Jimmy Ibbotson, Mary Huchins and THE INDULGERS “New Frontier”.

Never before has an eclectic mix of Colorado-based national acts been gathered onto one CD. This is a first for the Colorado music scene.

“This is one of the best compilation CD’s we’ve seen in a long time,” says David Heitman, president of The Creative Alliance, the firm that donated the design of the CD’s cover art and liner notes. “The artists that are on the CD represent the best musicians and singers in the region, and they’ve never been gathered onto one CD before. This is a musical treasure.”

While mostly shored up in the studio for the rest of the year, three members of The Indulgers (Renee, Mike and Damien) will skip out for a few gigs at Colorado area Irish pubs that really capture the sounds and vibe of the folk trio we called The Wild Mountain Celts.

This wee band formed in March of 2007 at the request of former All-Ireland GAA champion from County Cork, Mr Colm O’Neill. The idea to perform songs of the National Schools of Ireland and favorites written by other famous Irish men like Jimmy MacCarthy, the well-loved tunes of The Waterboys, Shane McGown and Christy Moore and here and there a few originals. Playing around Colorado at venues such as Swallow Hill, the Taste of Colorado Festival, Trinity Irish Pub, Fado Irish Pub, Celtic Tavern, Celtic House & many house parties, the Wild Mountain Celts have quickly enjoyed bringing pure honest Irish folk music to new audiences.

Plans to record a “Live” CD are in the works.

Catch the Wild Mountain Celts in Nov.

Sat Nov 8th - Celtic House Pub, Parker at 8pm

Sat Nov 15th - Exchange Tavern, Westminster at 8:30pm

Fri Nov 28th - Trinity Irish Pub, Evergreen at 8pm

A tough choice or not. Do Teddy’s like the porter or the larger.

Teddy gets around a lot, look out for him to keep us posted on his travels.

Turns out he’s in County Clare this past week.

Brilliant time had by all in Estes over the weekend.

Great town and vibe. Huge crowds attending Celtic Fest activities and what a party both Friday and Saturday night at Lonigan’s. Plans to do it all again next year are already in place. Book a room in Estes for next year and you won’t be sorry. If you’re in Estes pop into Lonigan’s and tell Dave the Indulgers say Hi.