Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today is the day we celebrate all that is Irish. So don some green, grab a pint and tap your toes to some Celtic music. Or better yet, in the next few days celebrate the holiday by getting out there and enjoying some live music. Since St. Patty’s day falls in the middle of the week, some celebrations took place last weekend, but there are still a few opportunities to get out there and enjoy some shows inspired by this holiday associated with all types of merriment.
On Saturday night at the Iron Music Hall, you can be sure that the dance floor will be shaking and the Guinness will be flowing when the Celtic-punk band The Big Bad Bollocks plays its annual St. Patrick’s Day show at the Northampton venue. The tables in front of the stage will be cleared out to make room for a dance floor and the music will begin at 7 p.m. And this year is extra special because it’s the band’s 25th anniversary of playing their raucous St. Patty Day’s show at the Iron Horse.
The Bollocks, of Northampton, are one of the longest running local bands, having formed in 1989. The band, which is led by wild man John Allen (who is British, not Irish) have gone through various lineups over the years, but they have always remained true to their sound, which has been described as “the Sex Pistols meets the Pogues” — although Allen refers to them as a “New England Pub Rock Band.”
Over its lengthy career the band has released a number of recordings, with the best known being 2000’s “Night on the Tiles” featuring tracks like “Drunker Than I Was,” “Thirteen Pints” and “Drinkup Yabastards,” which give you a good idea of what the group is all about. The Bollocks have toured heavily and have shared the stage with the likes of the Dropkick Murphys and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. They even had a song, “Tidza,” appear on the teen television show “Dawson Creek.”
In recent years, the band has slowed down a bit. Allen has been involved in various projects, including writing the book “Marmite Cowboy” that chronicles his life in Britain and move to the United States. And since the Bollocks do not play many shows these days, that is one more reason why this annual St. Patrick’s Day show is so special.
“Our Iron Horse gigs are like a family reunion which welcomes new members,” Allen wrote in an e-mail. “We don’t play very often these days, but our years of touring the Northeast and the U.K. have provided us with a solid and instinctive performance. We have a lot of fun, and I’m not satisfied unless everyone in the place is having as much fun as we are.”
And the Bollocks are not going to let a milestone like the 25th anniversary of these St. Patrick’s Day shows go unacknowledged.
“We will have past members — Patrick Owens of Shelburne Falls joining us, as well as Johnny Memphis of WRSI fame,” Allen wrote. “Both played with the Big Bad Bollocks in the early days. We will also be doing a little tribute to David Bowie and Lemmy of Motorhead.”
So it sounds like this annual show, which is always a good time, is going to be even better than ever this year — so don’t miss out.
And of course, the best time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is on St. Patrick’s Day itself, and if you head to the Iron Horse tonight at 7 p.m. you can do just that with Zoe Darrow and Friends.
Darrow, who grew up in Blandford, is an accomplished fiddler who first picked up the instrument at age 4. She launched her career when she was 12 as a member of the Fiddleheads, a group that also included her dad Phil Darrow on guitar and Tom Coburn on piano. Darrow has been a longtime favorite here in the Valley, delighting audiences with her Scottish, Irish and Cape Breton fiddle tunes.
In addition to the Fiddleheads, Darrow has been a member of the Gaslight Tinkers (she left that band last year) and Trio De Pumpkintown, a group that includes Peter Irvine and Tim Eriksen of Cordelia’s Dad.
But these days she bills her shows as And Friends, to better accommodate the revolving group of musicians she now performs with. The lineup changes from show to show but often includes her father. So if you are curious to know who she will be playing with tonight you will just have to be there. What I can tell you about the show is that it will be a delightful evening of music, heavy on the Irish tunes with even a bit of step-dancing from a musician who never disappoints.
The Iron Horse Music Hall is at 20 Center St.
Tickets for the Big Bad Bollocks are $12.50 in advance and $15 at the door. Zoe Darrow tickets are the same price. You can purchase by phone at 413-586-8686, online at: www.iheg.com or at the Northampton Box office, 76 Main St. in Northampton.
If you are looking for something a bit quieter, you might want to head over to the Warwick Town Hall for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner and dance.
The dinner part of the event will begin at 6 p.m. and will, of course, be the traditional corn beef and cabbage dinner. Then after the dinner you can head upstairs for a night of music with the band Rice. You’ll have to get your St. Patrick’s Day fix with the meal because Rice is not a Celtic band, but the music they play is music you can dance to.
Rice, which grew out of an informal jam session between friends back in 2014, plays a mix of styles, so expect to hear a bit of American rock to twangy Americana with a bit of jamming in between. The group is led by Phil Simon (guitar, vocals) of Warwick, who is the owner of Simon Says Booking in Orange and also the founder of Warwick’s Old 78 Farm Fall Festival, now in its seventh year. Joining him in the band is Eric Engman on bass, Dave Noonan on drums, Brian DiMartino on guitar, Courtney Parker and Patty Tuitte on vocals, Steve Benson on pedal steel and mandolin, and Joshua Leach on guitar.
The band will play a mix of classic covers and original songs written by Simon.
Tickets for the dinner are $10.50 for adults, $5.50 for children 12 and under and free for children and under 3. All dinner proceeds benefit the Trinitarian Congregations Church of Warwick. Donations for the music will be accepted to help play the band and to support Wooden Fender’s ongoing endeavor in memory of Jeff Wallace to keep live music happening in Warwick. Suggested donation is $5. Wooden Fender is a project of the Warwick Arts Council.
A few weeks ago I let you know that the one and only Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman (from the Saturday Night Live band) would be performing at the French King Restaurant in Erving on Saturday, March 19. We have some good and bad news about that show. The bad news is that the show is sold out, but the good news is that this is great for the French King. Since it sold out well in advance, it will hopefully pave the way for more events like this one.
The other good news is that those of you who scored tickets are in for a real treat. Ohlman delivers a full out rockin’ show and was one of the standout performers at last month’s June Millington Retrospective in Northampton. And even if you couldn’t get tickets for this show, Ohlman frequently visits our area and already has a show booked at the Iron Horse Music Hall for August 20. Tickets for that show are on sale now.