SHAMROCK FEST 2009

Shamrock Fest 2009
by Jason Walsh
photos by Jez Beasley

The skies seemed clear on the pilgrimage north along I-95, and the hopes were that the forecasted downpour expected for the day in DC would prove to be wrong. As those familiar sites came into view, the Pentagon, Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, it seemed that the sun would burn itself out of the dismal gray that blanketed the city. Fans began to roll in at 1pm and the two opening acts started on opposite ends of the parking lot at RFK, throwing down their blend of traditional Irish Rock, before audiences could even find them.

“Yeah, I don’t know why they had it so spread out this year,” Mike Ayres of Charm City Saints said. “They told us gates opened at 12:30, but we didn’t see people coming in until one. We actually stalled ‘til about ten after just so some people could get in.”

Regardless of a packed audience, the boys from Baltimore continued on with their street punk influenced take, entertaining those who found their way to the stage.

“It is a great chance to play in front of people that might not normally come and check us out at a punk rock club like the Ottobar or Sidebar Tavern. Plus, it is one hell of a good time. Good music, lots of free beer. What more could you ask for?”

On the other end of the lot, the Gobshites from Massachusetts were also on hand with their unique style of tearing up traditional Irish standards or covering classics like Black Flag and the Ramones in an unexpected way. The nine-piece from Foxboro came a long ways for their first appearance at the Shamrock Fest.

“We’re psyched to do it because we wanted to do it for a long time,” Peter Walsh of the Gobshites said. “Our fiddle player played in Charm City Saints before and he played it, and we have friends in the Pubcrawlers, who played the last couple years and every time it happened, it was coinciding with South Boston’s parade, which we’re doing tomorrow. We couldn’t line it up and this year, it worked out, the stars aligned, and we found Jesus under the biggest star and got to play.”

Walsh, the guitarist and lead vocalist of the band, said this style of fusing hard, aggressive rock with the elements of Celtic music has always been one that has spoken to him.

“What I like about it is it’s so fucking honest,” he said. “Even like punk rock, which it never should have happened to, it matters about how old you are and how pretty you are, and it never should have been that way and it wasn’t until marketing got their hooks into it. What I like about this is that it’s almost a badge of honor to have lived through some shit and play this type of music. It’s the party, it’s the fun, it’s reality, if that’s your upbringing and the cool part is you don’t have to have the upbringing to enjoy it but that’s what attracted me to it. It’s just real.”

Returning for a second year was Cutthroat Shamrock from the foothills of Tennesee’s Smoky Mountains. Plundering with their blend of bluegrass and punk with pirate and Irish tendencies, the guys from down South were excited to be back, even as the skies began to drop the predicted rain.

“The crowd accepted easily even though the weather wasn’t as great as last year,” vocalist Derek McRotten said. “We feature Celtic influence in our music and we like to be known for that. A festival like Shamrock Fest draws a crowd expecting that genre and we were happy to give it to them.”

However not every entertainer on the bill of more than forty bands and DJs were playing Irish tunes. The Aggrolites and Dub Trio made their way to the Capital this year, dropping old school ska and dub beats. Fellow label mates from Savannah, Georgia, Passafire also came along for the ride. Keyboardist Adam Willis is a local who grew up in Alexandria, coming frequently to RFK in his youth for Redskins games.

“It is a hometown gig so I’m psyched,” he said. “As soon as we heard about it, we were like ‘we got to get on it.’ It seems like there is a lot of different kind of bands and it is, of course, a St. Patty’s celebration, but I feel like there’s a lot of different bands that are here doing unique sounds and styles, so we were just excited to get on board and share the stage with some bands we really like.”

It was also a home game for DC’s Scythian, who have played the festival every year and are renowned in the District for their energetic stage show. Danylo Fedoryka said that the steady stream from above and chill in the air did not discourage Shamrockers from having a good time.

“Every festival’s nightmare is having a cold, rainy day,” Fedoryka said. “They had the perfect headliner for this type of day, Flogging Molly, whose fans are diehard and who’d scoff at people who’d stay home ‘cause of a little inclement weather. Numbers were down a bit from last year, but the people who were there really wanted to be there and made the most of it.”

Promoters estimated 30,000 waterlogged patrons were in attendance this year and from the looks across the crowds that continued to grow throughout the day, not a sad face could be found. Fedoryka continued that this is the power of the Irish inspired sounds.

“Most people can identify with Celtic music,” he said. “Maybe since much of America was built on the backs of Irish immigrants, or maybe because it’s inherently catchy. Either way, the music lends itself to clapping your hands, jumping up and down, and letting loose.”

Fans descended on RFK from all over the country, but none may have come as far as foreign exchange student, Lenka Hemczeova. She is from Slovakia, studying English in Petersburg, Virginia, and coming to an event like the Shamrock Fest was an eye-opening experience.

“I loved it,” she said. “It was awesome. I enjoyed seeing how different kinds of people are and how they act. It was something different and it doesn’t matter how it looks outside, because if you like the kind of music and you enjoy it, it’s awesome.”

The Pubcrawlers may have not come the furthest distance, but they likely came from the coldest. Hailing from Portland, Maine, the eight-piece delivered a frothing audience what they call “the perfect soundtrack to a rowdy, drunken night out.” Fiddler Emily Freeman was happy to take part in the mayhem.

“It’s a really awesome feeling,” she said. “Just the fact that that amount of people are having such an awesome time and it doesn’t matter that the weather is kind of shitty like today. It’s a fine Irish day.”

Pubcrawlers drummer Andy Hercock agreed that a festival this large that caters to this style of music is a dream for a band like theirs.

“It’s more fun than we can possibly tell you. This is the biggest crowd we play for every year. The crowd is ridiculously receptive. They’re all extremely friendly.
They seem to love what we do and we love the energy from the crowd. It’s just a great time. We look forward to it every year.”

The brothers from Chicago’s South Side finally made their first appearance at the Shamrock Fest this year. Flatfoot 56 has carved a niche in Celtic street rock and did not fail in setting the crowd off. Vocalist and guitarist Tobin Bawinkel said the audience did not disappoint him either.

“They’re nuts,” he said. “It was a blast. We were kind of excited to see what to expect and when we got here it was raining, people beat the snot out of each other, and had a good time so the party atmosphere is still here.”

Bawinkel says the legacy of this ever-evolving style of music with Gaelic roots speaks to people worldwide, regardless of their background, heritage, or creed, and in these uncertain times, the messages translate fluidly.

“When people are struggling, music is something that always kind of has historically been something that encourages people a lot,” he said. “For me personally, one of the things that makes it so attractive to people is that it’s a music born out of a history of persecution and difficulty and whenever people have to deal with difficulty, they tend to make the best music because they’re singing about what they’re going through. Celtic music, inherently, is from people that are being oppressed but are trying to look for joy just in life and finding joy in the little things. That really speaks volumes to people that are just looking to have a good time and put off what the world has cast upon them and just put their head down and have fun while dancing.”

The last performance of the night was Flogging Molly, and as the rain continued to fall, barricades began to crumble, and the PA intermittently turned off, the folks who had gathered continued to sing along as the innovators from Los Angeles took the stage.

“We did it two years ago and that was a lot of fun,” guitarist Dennis Casey said. “It’s always funny to see people dressed in green and getting loaded. It’s kind of like nothing really changes much for us, but it’s great playing big festivals. I love doing it.”

Flogging Molly made the stop as part of their Green 17 tour, and after a short break, will be heading to Japan. Casey is proud that the music they do is appreciated by a legion of fans across the country and that a festival like the Shamrock Fest can showcase their patent sound.

“I think they’re great, especially for a band like ours,” he said. “There’s something to say for Irish and Celtic heritage and culture, because it’s so alive and vibrant in America. The fact that people like to celebrate their heritage and have events like this is really special and it’s great that they try to keep it all alive and celebrate their Celtic roots.”