Poor Ould Goat review

A nice, unsolicited review of our last gig at The Shannon Pub, courtesy of Emily Dulanski (on buffalo.com). Thank's Emily!
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From the first acoustic chord over the din of the pub, "Poor Ould Goat"'s performance at Shannon's Pub Friday night went beyond background music and became the focus of the customers.

This Celtic rock band obviously derives its inspirations from the Irish culture, but their talented members play more than the classic "drinking songs." Although they appear to be four guys just having fun, they show knowledge of Irish music as well as fantastic musicianship.

Much of the band's music seemed to be arrangements of well-known Irish tunes and instrumentals. However, in addition to putting their own slightly modernized twist on these classic pieces, members of "Poor Ould Goat" have also written their own pieces in the spirit of Irish music.

Most of the musicians of "Poor Ould Goat" are capable of playing more than one instrument, as well. Instruments were changed in between or even during songs to get different effects. Among these were a small flute, a banjo, an accordion, an array of drums, and a guitar. This was quite an interesting mix between the classic and modern instruments.

Powerful vocals coupled with tempo changes kept the music interesting to listen to. Lyrics that told stories and a heavy downbeat kept the mood fun and light-hearted, like a dance. Many customers added to the atmosphere by clapping and all seemed involved with the performance.

"Poor Ould Goat" had a stage presence to match their performance. They were very relaxed and made jokes in between songs, such as offering a round of applause for their new matching beer holders. Their conversational tone and easy-going nature made the audience more comfortable.

The cheerful music of "Poor Ould Goat" was easy to listen to and well-fitting an Irish pub like Shannon's. They are a good band to turn to when in search of a peaceful evening.