SLIGO

‘So, Oleg… are you going with us to the mountains tomorrow?’.. That’s Anna. The question mark at the end of the phrase is purely symbolical. If Anna asks the question – you go. That’s a given. The question itself is rhetorical.

I try to chance it, ‘Anna you know, I am actually not feeling well’.

Anna is a straightforward woman. She is not easily manipulated, ‘Fresh air will do you good, you’ll feel better, trust me’.

‘It’s minus ten and my boots are not good’.

‘Don’t worry, we have a pair of good hiking boots for ya…’

‘Anna, there’s a lot of snow, my trousers are not made for Swiss Mountains..’

‘I got a pair a waterproof pants’

‘Anna….!!!!’

‘We leave at nine, I’ll have a coffee ready. You’re going to love it’.

That’s ‘NoCrows’ on tour in Switzerland. Anna is Swiss. She lives in Sligo and she is a musician. She plays cello, mandolin, guitar and piano, she composes, sings and teaches music.

But of course she is! Everyone who lives in Sligo is a musician. Even Anna’s cat plays piano.

Not only Sligo folk are musicians, they also are very healthy people. Take Eddie, for example. Eddie plays bass. When he doesn’t play, he runs. Where to, I don’t know.

We wake up. Then I crawl to the breakfast room. Then I have my double espresso with my first cigarette, by which time Eddie is already 65 miles away, half-way to Austria. 

They all run, climb mountains, swim in sub-zero temperatures, they are involved with sea rescue, mountain rescue etc. As that was not bad enough, their Swiss friends and relatives do exactly the same. At our last tour in Bern, they downloaded an app onto my iPhone. It was called ‘Steps’. It was a step counter. We would meet up for a coffee, get our phones out and compare our ‘Daily Goals’. It would usually make them laugh and leave me in tears….. Last time our friend Christina took out her phone it was showing something like 700 km. Which she did in one hour or so. 

Well. They are strong but I am smart. When I took my phone out and opened ‘Steps’, it displayed a message, ‘Congratulations! You’ve reached your daily goal!’. Everyone was quite impressed. 

They didn’t know that I fiddled with the ‘options’ menu and set my goal at 100 meters a day.

I love Sligo. It’s one of my favourite places on Earth and Sligo people are my most favourite people on Earth. Sligo music scene is phenomenal. ‘NoCrows’ are from Sligo. Anna’s cat is from Sligo. Most of the iconic names in Irish music are from Sligo. 

Today’s gig was a truly epic affair. We had 75(!) strong band on the stage. Full brass section, strings, choir, rhythm section, keys, guitars, soloists. Everyone was from Sligo. Except of me. I have to say, I feel honoured to be included in this bunch of exceptional musicians. The gig was organised by our good friend pianist Kieran Quinn, but I’m not going to give you any more names, as there are too many of them and they all are great. Google ‘Vicar Street’ venue and see for yourself. We played Rock, Jazz, Blues, Trad, even classical numbers, you name it. The gig was sold out.

What did Kieran ask me to play? Country and Western tune!! 

Well, somebody has to…. I guess.

I forgot to mention. Guys from Sligo also have a very specific sense of humour.

As our drummer described the event… ‘There was no dry seat in the house’.

I have to agree. There was not!