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SXSW 27: Fleadh Austin
When legendary music manager Frank Murray (the Pogues, Thin Lizzy, etc.) announced he wanted to make Fleadh Austin a revel that would rival St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Boston, New York and other Irish-American metropolises, we smiled. That would be lovely, wouldn’t it, daydreamed the Irish half of my brain.
Frank Murray, Kay Gourley and Dara Murray
Pronounced “flah,” fleadh is Gaelic for festival. Murray lined up some of his Irish acts — Broken Records, the Lost Brothers, Julie Feeney, Villagers, the Minutes, the Mighty Stef and the Coronas for the St. Paddy’s party at the Fourth Street Fort (former Levi’s Fader Fort and, normally, American YouthWorks). Hey, maybe the intersection of SXSW and the “wearing of the green” would produce shamrocks and rainbows. (BTW: I learned the Irish don’t wear green on March 17. Americans do.)
Triona Kelly and Niamh Kelly
In the middle of the afternoon, the first fleadh in Austin felt awfully mellow. The Irish stood in the mild sun, the Texans in the deep shade, each seeking a different precious commodity.
Folks lined up for the Guinness, for sure. (That’s I bet I’ll always take.) But where were the masses? The carousing?
Later that night, the bands and the local banshees loosened up. A quick walk-by revealed a euphoric revelry my Celtic ancestors would have cheered.
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