Yoke Shire presented another of their Celtic music concerts last night on St. Patrick’s Day at The Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, Massachusetts. It was a foot stomping, hand-clapping, singing along good time for everybody in the large function room. The three men who make up Yoke Shire know how to throw a St. Patrick’s Day celebration as well as play their myriad of instruments with outstanding ability.Although Yoke Shire usually records and performs as a progressive hard rock power trio, they have found a lot of success in the area with their Celtic gigs as well. Their CD Awakening Celtic Spirits has been selling steadily since it was released in 2011. Last night’s concert was a prime example of why this trio can do pretty much whatever it puts its collective mind to.
The trio opened with an instrumental number, with drummer Brad Dillon getting quite a percussive stomp out of his bodhran. Mandolin player Craig Herlihy picked a lot of sweet sudden notes that were adeptly punctuated by his brother Brian Herlihy’s acoustic guitar chords. “Hills O’er County” featured Craig Herlihy’s handsome low tenor enriching the song and more so in harmony vocal with Brian Herlihy.
Craig Herlihy’s harmonica barked out the initial notes to U2’s “Trip Through Your Wire” from the Irish super group’s Joshua Tree album. Marked by the steady rocking beat from the bass and drums, it cleverly blended the modern with the acoustic folkish style.
“Donegal” was a gently swaying tune with a palpable Celtic beat, bulbous and strong, allowing the guitars and vocals to swing around it. “The Moonshiner” featured a beautiful Irish whistle melody. The Herlihy brothers served up more of their rich handsome vocal timbres in their fit-so-well harmonies. The song was already great when Brian was singing alone but when Craig joined in, the thickness of their voices made for a good broth of texture. You can feel the history and the centuries of this music as they’re singing.
Craig Herlihy’s lead vocal on “The Foggy Dew” was even richer than his previous few numbers, and he made you feel the centuries of refinement that went into shaping these ancient lyrics. His majestic piano notes created a wide sweeping feel and Dillon’s shimmering cymbal work were a treat for the ears.
Some of these songs sound as if they were originally written or arranged to play in a row. “Ten Years Ago On A Dark Night” allowed Craig Herlihy to dart copious mandolin notes across the room while the boys’ broad sweeping vocal harmony jutted out over their instrumentation beautifully. “Whiskey In The Jar” found drummer Dillon turning it into thumping, stomping sing-along during its timeless chorus: “Whack for my daddy-o.” And, of course, everybody’s favorite drinking song “Finnegan’s Wake” got its party vibe from assertive mandolin and guitar strumming, pushing the song into a warm, boisterous frenzy. Craig Herlihy’s mandolin melody was sparkling, shiny notes, each with a life of its own.
“Danny Boy” was the warmest ballad of the evening, owing to the boys’ lush vocal harmony and the take-your-sweet-time method of unfurling the song. Another U2 song, “With Or Without You” was performed by Brian Herlihy on acoustic guitar, his loping, lilting melody line played through some kind of electronic device to capture the easeful glide of the U2 album recording. It was another successful blend of the old and the new. It wasn’t Celtic folk music but it was certainly Irish. U2 has always incorporated sonic elements of the traditional Irish music they heard growing up in their homeland.A rapidly played jig then got the boys finessing subtle nuances out of their instruments. The song burned with passion. Craig Herlihy played some fierce rocking organ chords and drummer Dillon laid down some heavy fills, a loping, lilting rhythm. Next up was another traditional Irish party song, “McNamara’s Band,” which the boys made into a fun highlight of the evening. In fact, Yoke Shire should probably record it and put their version up against Bing Crosby’s on the internet. The steady marching beat from Dillon inspired a table of serious drinkers in the room to get up on the carpet and dance a jig.
The boys soon followed up with “Irish Rover” and its sweet, tidy, bouncy mandolin notes. “I’ll Tell My Ma” pleased with its jaunty rhythmic upswing. “Rattlin’ Bones” was another foot stomping fun number but with a tender vocal from Brian Herlihy letting the song breathe in between the hearty choruses. “Star Of The County Down” drew its strength from bracing mandolin and guitar supported by Dillon’s bodhran. The percussion instrument punctuated the song with wide, fulsome beats. Craig Herlihy’s harmonica filled out the song nicely, its melody and fisted bodhran made people want to stomp their feet, and they did.
Craig Herlihy sang “Rising Of The Moon” in a lower timbre, resonating sharply over his lovely piano notes. A song about Noah’s Arc and unicorns, which the boys said is one of their most requested songs, played out with a pop twist as organ chords swept smokily in, infused with swirls of fun, like circus theme music.
Yoke Shire rendered “Isle Of Man” so that its descriptive lyrical verses make you picture the time and place the song is about. The boys were soon into “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” which they recorded on their Awakening Celtic Spirits album. It turned the room into a festive sing-along. Craig handled the vocals with aplomb, infusing the words, written about Ireland for a New York City production in 1912, with ever greater positive warmth, and joy.A wide beat coming from the bodhran and bass drum marvelously supported the deep, low vocals on “Rosen The Bow.” Tricky rhythmic stops marked the “Wild Rover” with its immediate descends, and its strong vocal harmonies were another plus, as were Craig Herlihy’s racing mandolin notes. “Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral” was rich in melody and harmony.
“Too Ra” was the perfect close out number to Yoke Shire’s two hour plus set. The audience loved them so much, they had to come out for an encore, which included their acoustic Yoke Shire Celtic infused version of Led Zeppelin’s “The Battle Of Evermore.” Trading vocal leads, the brothers conjured a mystical feel. Their mesh of mandolin and acoustic crept across the room as the bodhran made a unique substitute for John Bonham’s bass drum.
Yoke Shire certainly kept the room fully satisfied and entertained. It was the kind of event that made you wish every day can be St. Patrick’s Day.