CELTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL

I drove up to the Sebastopol Celtic Music Festival on Friday. On the way up I stopped at Evan's house for a cocktail so I didn't get to Sebastopol until 8pm. The first act had already started: Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. I remembered the tremendous Martin Hayes gig from last year so I was expecting something good. It was good but it wasn't great. The main problem was the sound. I thought it was very muddy and not sharp. When the second act appeared - Richard Thompson with an acoustic guitar - I realized that it really was the way the sound was mixed that I didn't like. Richard Thompson's played a rocking set but I didn't recognize any of his songs. He didn't play either of my two favorite Richard Thompson songs - "From Galway to Graceland" or "Wall of Death". I guess I was a little disappointed.