Band Members:  James Blennerhassett - Bass, Rod Quinn - Drums, James Hallawell - Keyboards, Pat Gribben - Guitars

Set List:  Get On With Your Short Life, A Better Man, For One Kiss, Margaret Barry, Raglan Road, Curragh of Kildare, Crazy Love (inc Tupelo Honey, Have I Told You Lately), The Island, Different God, Christopher Street, Ballad of Killaloe (inc Dry Your Eyes Mate, ,Ae fond Kiss), Carrickfergus, Walk on the Wild Side leading into Captured (including Dirty Old Town & Wild Mountain Thyme). You Raise Me Up.

Aisling Kiernan.........
Well…..our first time at the Celtic Connections Festival.  What a treat.  The theme for the trip for us was…..Cheap as Chips!  Ha ha! Got the one cent flights Ryan Air, or now fondly known as Brian Air!!

The Glasgow Concert Hall is a lovely venue.  It’s quite big, but still intimate.  I believe its about 10 years old, a fab facility and very well cared for.  Got the ole glad rags on and headed there to soak in the atmosphere.  Great seats (well done Marie!).  Centre stage, about 5 rows back.  Noticed the stage was set up for the band…so was looking forward to that.  The support act were very good, three musicians, a Trumpet & Fiddle playing Canadian (he played them both together at one stage!), and two men on guitar and accordion. Excellent music.  And then it was time for our Brian!  He came onto stage just himself, and started “Get on with your Short Life”, and then the band came out and joined him.  The band, James Blennerehasset on bass guitar, Pat Gribben from Belfast on guitar, James Hallawell from UK on keyboards, Rod (?) from Dublin on drums.  And the main man in front.  Looking mighty fine!  He wore jeans and a chocolate brown shirt & jacket.  Gorgeous on him.  And he was supporting that lovely stubbly look!  Looking really fab!  Like a fine wine, getting better with age BK!!

Lovely show.  No set list, just go with the flow.  One women shouted for 'Different God', and so they played it.  Haven’t heard it in ages as you need the band for it, so it was brilliant, always goose-bumps stuff.  He did all the usual favourites.  He wooed the Glasgow audience, and they loved it!  And so did we!  Great trip, well worth the effort.

Went to the Festival Celtic Club after the show and we were shouting for MORE at nearly 4am!  Such talent, Boo Hewardine was brilliant, just brilliant.  And Cherish the Ladies with Harp, Fiddles, Tin whistle, Accordians, Bodhran, Keyboards…….AND Irish Dancers just in case that isn’t enough!!  The night ended with a French trad band, two brilliant guys on fiddles with a band, sooooooo good!  Disappointed that the Main Man didn’t join them on stage, but hey, even he deserves the night off to relax now & then…ha ha!!

Really really enjoyed it…even called back to the Concert Hall for an afternoon Trad session the following day.  Brilliant Festival for sure, well done Glasgow.

Really enjoyed BK….First New Years Fix!…..Roll on Eurovision! AISLINGxxx