THE big music fair in Millstreet, Co Cork, offered the best of all, worlds to people of all types. This one day outdoor event in the tiny town was miles removed from your regular rock festival.
Hordes of teenage rock fans were not much in evidence at the Green Glens arena yesterday afternoon, but families with children were thick on the ground.
The main reason for this was the music lineup, an eclectic mix of country, trad, folk and popular with a bit of jazz and cheese thrown in for good measure. The promoters pitched the event, as a family day out and backed it up by letting children under 10 in tree and providing plenty of children's entertainment.
Three stages were set up for his inaugural music fair and the Green Field stage was the biggest and most crowded attraction of the day. During the afternoon, Irish artists such as Furry Village, Brian Kennedy, Paul Brady, and Naimee Coleman entertained a fast expanding crowd.
Galway band Furry Village could be described as Moving Hearts meets Ozric Tentacles, and their beat driven trad got the revellers up and onto their feet. When.the band performed its current hit single, She Moved through the Fair, they sounded like a sorted Simple Minds.
In the next field stood The Examiner tent, where a selection of lesser known artists proved they have the talent to be in the big stage league.
Canadian Ron Sexsmith won plenty of admirers in, the Exaniner tent with songs like Nothing Good, Strawberry Blonde, and There's a Rhythm. The country influence is there all right, but it has been filtered through so many post punk influences, it will hardly be recognisable to the good ole boys. First Chance I Get evokes the generation of Buddy Holly, while Secret Heart is a torch song which burns the soul.
Despite his very obvious folk appeal Mundy was probably the rockiest act of the afternoon and he knocked em off their sandals with songs such as The Stone, Gin and Tonic Sky, Pardon Me and To You I Bestow.
Finally, the World Stage played host to the likes of Wally Page, who has written some of Christy Moore's best known songs; punk icon Tom Robinson cult Canadian folk rocker, An Di Franco, and Irish traditional superstars Allan.
Brian Kennedy had the privilege of performing twice on the main stage, first in his own right and later on as Van Morrison's right hand voice. Kennedy's own set featured a song by The Man, Crazy Love, plus his current hit Better Man and forthcoming single Live, Love and Happiness.
Cowboy Junkies cast such a spell when they perform, you'd swear there was a coven of witches working a frantic hex behind the Statuesque singer Margo stage, has a strong presence, and when she sings in that lonesome, romantic voice you'd want to run away with her and live happily ever after in a trailer park.
The band includes Margo's brothers, Pete and Michael and between them they command, a hushed reference for songs like Misguided Angel, Lost My Driving Wheel and Sweet Jane. Absolutely sweet and forlorn.
