It seems like years ago now that brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn, better known to most as Ye Vagabonds, released their second album The Hare’s Lament. I managed to catch them at the end of last year in Bristol, before which they performed at Cecil Sharp House from where David Weir sent a glowing live review for Folk Radio readers to enjoy.
For the last few months, artists have been attempting to fill the gap left by live performances with a variety of online offerings. The Mac Gloinn brothers have set about this in a very homely and relaxed fashion, and it has to be said, it seems to suit them perfectly. Anyone that has seen them live will testify to the warmth and engagement they master from a stage, something that’s not lost from these casual performances from their back garden.
With their new series of videos, they set out to share “the songs we sing at home that rarely make it to the stage.” To date they have shared two: Michael Power and a Shed Jig…the latter find the duo lilting, a form of singing that goes under other names as well and is common in the Gaelic speaking areas of Ireland as well as Scotland.
Although these videos are free to watch they are funded by Ye Vagabond Patreon subscribers – you can help support Ye Vagabonds by becoming one here: www.patreon.com/yevagabonds