Suppose you threw an Irish festival and no one showed up? This is what it seemed like to me last night in Glens Falls. The Third Annual Red Cross Celtic festival at the Glens falls Civic Center, featuring Kevin McKrell and Friends, Black 47 and more. This was how it was billed. I thought that Black 47, being the headliner would play last so I went to work till 2 pm. I picked up Mike and we headed to the civic center. We both were dressed in our kilts, we bought the tickets, walked into the center and there was nobody there. If you have never been to The civic center in Glens Falls, it's built into the side of a hill so when you enter at street level you are at the top of the seats looking down onto the arena floor. Now this is a hockey rink covered with what ever they use to cover it but you can realize the size. there were about 60 seats set up at one end in front of the stage. Vender's were set up on the rest of the floor. we walked down the stairs and walked around. The two of us were getting some pretty odd looks. Like they had never seen a kilt before. It's a CELTIC festival for God's sake. I opened the program and saw that we missed McKrell but Black 47 didn't start till 6:30 and it was only 4:45. On the next page it listed a second stage. Shawn Kelly was playing from 4-4:45, I haven't seen Shawn for a while and I was hoping he was running a bit late, or as we say, on Irish time. We found Heritage Hall and went in, about eight long tables set up across the room with a small stage in the corner. Thank goodness there was a bar in the room. Shawn was done but very happy to see us, the next act, Blarney, were getting ready. Blarney, features Scotty West on fiddle and keyboards, and Steve Gray on guitar and vocals. the room had about 20 people sitting around at different tables and Scotty says, " Since Steve Curran just came in we're going to start off with Steve Curran's jig." Now Mike and I are getting even more stares. I finish off my beer and head back to the bar for another, too late, they closed the bar at 5. Now I have to travel for beer. Down the hall, up a flight of stairs, a second flight, out into the lobby, back into the arena around the bend to the far corner of the place. I bought four. Now I have to travel the same route to get back to the Heritage Hall. I finally make it back and share my beer with the band. The sound guy makes the band stop around 5:45. I guess they wanted everyone on the ice for Black 47. Mike and I walk around and look at some of the vender's. I bought a white fur covered sporran for $40. Mike wasn't wearing one so we fit it for him and I didn't have to carry around his cell phone anymore. We then went over to the table for Celtic Attitudes t-shirts. this guy has some great shirts. I got a black shirt with a celtic knot on the front. On the back is a drawing of a celtic warrior, under it in large letters it says, Got Celtic. the drawings are by Kevin McKrell. some of the other shirts feature his art work. Mike got a black shirt with a pint glass on the front, it says "I prefer to drink my pint in peace", on the back it says, " But I can tell you are in need of a good beating, I am always willing to help a poor bastard out". Look for Celtic Attitudes t-shirts at the next festival you go to or you can find them at Celtic Treasures in Saratoga.

Now it's time for the band, or is it. they have been selling raffle tickets all day and now they want to give out cd's to the people that didn't win. they start calling numbers but most of the people have left. I look at the young lady standing next to me and ask, " Is it me or does this not look like a Black 47 crowd?" She laughs and says that half the people will probably leave. She was right. Finally the last cd is given out and the band takes the stage to a tremendous ovation, or as loud as 75 people in a arena that seats 5000 can get. you can't blame the band they played great, about 20 of us stood and danced in front of the stage, it felt like it was a private show which was kind of cool. they played the usual songs, everyone sang along with "Rockin the Bronx". They played a new song called " Downtown Baghdad Blues", the lyrics come from e-mails the band has received from fans fighting in Iraq. The hour long set ended with a great version of "Funky Ceili". Since it was an early night for the band they came out for one more and did " James Connolly" before inviting everyone to Davidson's after the show. Mike and I talked with Joe Mulvanerty, the piper and the base player. That's what I love about Irish bands, you can always talk or better yet have a few pints with the guys after the show.

So this is St. Patty's week, Don't forget Thursday night, if you are not going to hear Donnybrook Fair at the Egg or Tommy Sands in Schenectady, Michael will be on stage at Saratoga High in the Drama Club's production of " How to Succeed in Business", the curtain rises at 7. On Friday night the Saratoga AOH is holding their annual Family Feis at the VFW on Excelsior Ave from 5-11, a $5 donation to the division is all it will cost you for a night of Irish fun. Food and drink is available. Saturday is the big day, The Parade steps off in Albany somewhere around 2. his is as close to Mardi Gras the city of Albany ever gets. Bring the family and have a great day.