The Craic continues.
Having celebrated a milestone in recent weeks, the festival is offering a follow-up on Friday night, April 28 at the Wolfhound in Astoria
“The Craic Session is basically the Craic Fest in a more intimate setting with a one-night music fest of Irish artists,” said founding director Terence Mulligan.
It’s a free event at the Rory Murphy-owned venue made possible by the support of the Cultural Immigrant Initiative and Council Member Julie Won. [RSVP at thecraicfest.com.]
“Loah performed at the CraicFest four years ago and we’re delighted to have her back as our special guest,” said Mulligan, who hosted CraicFest 25 in New York this spring.
“We are fortunate to have an artist of her caliber. It should be a special show. She’s a phenomenal talent,” he added.
Mulligan said that is also true of Scott, a first timer at a Craic event.
Loah is the stage name of Sallay-Matu Garnett, who sometimes collaborates creatively with her sister, Emma Garnett (stage-name: Feather/Fehdah). Loah, who is of half-Irish, half-Sierra Leonean descent and was raised in Kildare and West Africa, “has released 3 EPs of a hypermodern fusion genre she nicknamed ‘ArtSoul.’ [see loahmusic.com].”
Scott is also from a musical family, the most well-known member being perhaps her mother, Mary Black.
Reflecting on CraicFest 25, Mulligan said, “It exceeded our expectations. All the films, all three nights, were sold out.
Terence Mulligan, film director Jim Sheridan, Tourism Ireland’s Alison Metcalfe and Adrian Sibley, the producer-director of “The Ghost of Richard Harris,” following a Q & A about the documentary during the recent CraicFest 25.
“The kickoff concert was a bit of a challenge and a slight departure for us in that we had music and standup comedy. It was the first time we had something like that and it went really well. We had the right acts.
“We were fortunate to have a major star, Colin Quinn, come down. Colin really set the tone for the night. He was great and it was nice to see someone like that embrace the Craic Fest and to see it for what it is,” he said.
“It elevated the stature of the festival, even after 25 years. It put the festival on another level. It leaves the door open to other major headliner comedians and musicians to perform at our festival.”
Film director Jim Sheridan was an interviewee for “The Ghost of Richard Harris” and he turned the tables on filmmaker Adrian Sibley for the post-screening Q & A.
“He did it much better than I would do,” Mulligan said with a laugh.
He added about Sheridan, a founding board member in 1999, “He’s been there every step of the way.”
As for April 28, Mulligan said, “Loah’s a major headliner now. Four years on, she’s more established here in New York. She plays festivals all over the world. She’s been at the Irish Arts Center a few times.
“This is great, because it opens the door to another audience throughout New York City who know her from social media. It opens the door to music lovers and a mainstream crowd.”
Aoife Scott.
Scott is “more on the traditional end” in comparison to Loah, but together, he said, they “represent a cultural renaissance that’s going on in Ireland.”
Mulligan said, “We’re fortunate to have two headliners come over in a month when there really isn’t a spotlight on Irish music.”
Other guests for the Craic Session on April 28 are to be announced.
