Review: Wolfe Tones at Galeri, Caernarfon

Nov 12 2008

YOU either love them or loathe them, and clearly by the crowd’s reaction last Wednesday night the former was the case. writes GERALLT LLEWELYN.

Almost three hours of songs about Ireland’s troubled past from rebellion to famine was accompanied by cheers, clapping and vocal accompaniment.

A full Galeri was a comfortable setting for the Wolfe Tones, although a more club-like setting would be preferable since many punters wanted to dance along to the heart-racing melodies.

Whether or not the words of many of Brian Warfield’s songs actually registered with some of the audience is unclear, as the sad story of Joseph Plunkett’s execution- eve marriage to Grace Gifford or the ordeal of the 10 hunger strikers in Maze Prison hardly warranted rapturous whoops and yippees.

But maybe it was the Liffey Water’s reaction from within!

The evening was accentuated by a series of picture slides on the wall behind the band depicting Ireland’s past.

Images of eviction, past leaders, and historical archive events added greatly to the evening’s music.

The smiling faces leaving the building or heading for the bar testified to a successful night, bring on more of the kind.