Traditional Music in Richmond and Ashland, Virginia

Traditional Fiddle Tunes Sound Better Than They Sound!

Richmond, VA seems like a likely place for the nexus of old-time fiddle music and Irish trad.  It's not far from the mountains of Appalachia - a few hours drive to many of the major old-time festivals, such as Clifftop, Galax, Rockbridge and Mt. Airy, where hillbilly music thrives.  Richmond is also a fairly large, urban environment with Washington DC just 2 hours up I-95 North.  Another 40 miles gets you to Baltimore, then beyond that is Philadelphia, New York and Boston.  Celtic traditional music is strong all along this Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region.  Richmond also has its own annual Folk Festival taking place over 3 days each October with attendance around 200,000, making it the biggest folk festival in the country...even bigger than the national one!

Richmond, Virginia

The Richmond Folk Festival certainly hasn't hurt the participation in folk music by regular folks at a local level, and the fiddle music of Appalachia as well as the traditional jigs and reels of Ireland are now very well represented here.  The best examples being the Sunday afternoon old-time jam at Cary St. Cafe near Carytown and the 2nd and 4th Wednesday Irish Session at Rosie Connolly's in the city's Shockoe Bottom district. When combined the music covered between Cary St. and Rosie's is exactly the kind of stuff I want to be playing.  Strangely, (or not surprisingly?), only a couple other folkies besides me attend both of these meetups.  It seems most traditional and roots musicians, while aware of both the Celtic and Appalachian traditions, are either/or.

The reasons a person might voice for not liking Irish or Old-Time music are also the reasons for liking them:  Old-time with its crooked, repetitive, stand-alone tunes, open-tunings, regional quirks, and syncopation.  Irish with its multiple time signatures (4/4, 6/8, 9/8) and tune types (jig, reel, hornpipe, slide), noteyness, tendency toward "unusual" tonal centers like E-dorian, and tune sets of constantly changing keys.  These characteristics are what make each of them great, and what makes them an either/or for the majority of players.

I came to both styles of music at the same time, as a complete outsider, with no family connection, no personal history, and no familiarity with either idiom.  As a result I like both musics almost equally and see more similarities than differences.  I would consider both to be musically complete - containing all the melody and rhythm required when played by a solo instrument, but also conducive to an ensemble format where 20+ players can all play together.

The Blue Ridge Mountains - just west of Charlottesville, VA

Irish and Old-Time each come from aural traditions where you learn by ear and play by heart, forgoing classical training and scales and exercises in favor of simply learning the tunes.  There really aren't any other music communities happening in Richmond where large groups of amateur musicians get together simply for fun to play instrumental folk music in unison without taking "breaks" or solos.  Not blues, not jazz, not bluegrass, not acoustic guitar jams, not ukulele clubs.  Nope - in that respect Old-time and Irish are pretty similar...and valuable.

I cherish both the Cary Street Old-time jam and the Irish session at Rosie's as places to hear each type of music in a pure form from experienced musicians.  Cary St. is like a mini festival jam, where you get to go into a hypnotic, zen-like state for 3+ hours in a Deadhead bar on a Sunday afternoon while the music passes right through you at breakneck speeds.  Meanwhile, the Rosie's session takes place in Richmond's best and most authentic Irish pub, where the craic and the Guinness both flow freely.  Mad amounts of tunes come and go during the course of an evening.  As an ancillary member and newcomer to each of these gatherings, at this point I observe as much as I participate, although with each passing week I hope to understand more.

Call me naive, but I enjoy taking the music that I'm hearing at both of these sessions and introducing it to Ashland, the small town about 15 miles north of Richmond where I live, as part of the Ashland Old-Time Jam and Irish Session, 10am-1pm every 1st and 3rd Saturday in the listening room of Ashland Coffee and Tea, which I helped start earlier this year and continue to host.  I wish I had a better name for this friendly hootenanny.  The terms "Irish" and "Old-Time" seem so narrow and cliche.  Maybe Trad Festival Jam is another way of naming it.  It's that sound you hear at 11pm while walking the grounds of the Rockbrige Mountain Music Festival, combined with energy of the Tuesday night session at Brogan's Pub in Ennis (County Clare) Ireland.  That's what we're searching for and hoping to emulate.

Ashland, Virginia

Anyway, you can think of Ashland as an old-time jam that includes tunes in 6/8 time, and/or as an Irish session where individual tunes are played multiple times through.  The way I see it, both styles cover the tonal center/modes/keys of D, G and A pretty well.  It's not that much to ask of musicians from one tradition or another to come together and open their (beginner's) mind all over again.  Old-time might venture into C while Irish might venture into Eminor and other places.  I play tenor banjo/tenor guitar and I don't re-tune out of standard GDAE tuning, so in that way I suppose I lean slightly Celtic although I find old-time to be a little easier to pick up, for some reason.  Half and half.

I also see the Ashland session as kind of like the minor leagues of jamming.  A welcoming training ground, if you will.  While Cary St. and Rosie's are both open jams and excellent places to familiarize yourself with the nuances of the pure drop, there is a certain level of competence that's expected of the participants.  In Ashland I recognize that not all 5-string banjo players are Bela Fleck or Ken Perlman who can churn out jigs with ease, and also that not all flute players are well versed in obscure Kentucky and West Virginia tunes.  Neither am I for that matter.  But we make it work, and do so with a casual, anything goes type atmosphere:  mixing and matching, favoring repertory over style, but still treating these tunes with sensitivity they deserve.

Atlantic City for the Non-Gambling Beer Snob in Search of Culture

My wife had the opportunity to attend a conference in Atlantic City this month, and I tagged along with her.  We drove there via Norfolk, Virginia, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel, up 13N through the Eastern Shore into Maryland and Delaware, caught the Cape May-Lewes Ferry in Lewes and took it across the Delaware Bay to Cape May.  From there we took the Garden State Parkway to the Atlantic City Expressway.  This route didn't save any time and it cost more in tolls and ferry fares, but it was definitely more pleasant than taking crowded interstates all the way there.  From Norfolk all the way to Atlantic City is pretty easy going driving on rural old highways.

Cape May-Lewes Ferry

We stayed at Caesar's in Atlantic City, which is right on the famous boardwalk.  As far as hotel rooms go, it was very good - nice and clean with expansive views for not too much money.  Caesar's of course has a huge casino.  Thankfully, you can bypass the casino and slots altogether when exiting the building by taking the elevator to the 1st floor street level, which puts you out near the boardwalk.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to re-enter the building that didn't require you to walk by the casino, where smoking is still allowed.

Tun Tavern beer taps

The first place on my list to see was Tun Tavern, Atlantic City's only brewery, located near the Sheraton/Convention Center.  We went there twice and sat at the bar each time.  The service was always very prompt and attentive.  The Tun beers were really good, for the most part.  My favorite was the Irish Red, followed by the Munich Dunkel, then the Oktoberfest, the Oatmeal Stout and finally the Maibock.  I didn't care for the Pumpkin Ale, although some might.  They had other beers which I didn't try, including an American IPA, a Pale Ale and the Tun Light beer.  I ate one meal at Tun Tavern as well - a fresh fruit and chicken salad (healthy!) - and it was good too.  Definitely check out Tun Tavern if you are looking for a cool place to hang out that's away from the casinos and is not a dive bar.

Um, dive bars.  I had also heard about The Irish Pub - an old "authentic" Irish pub located a short ways off the boardwalk not too far from the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.  I made a point of going to this place too.  It was just OK.  I'm sure they see a lot of tourists in here but it was still kinda grungy.  The people working there are rather gruff and after one pint of Guinness it wasn't somewhere I felt compelled to linger.  It was kinda moldy and smelly in there too.  Check it out for yourself if you want though.

Speaking of the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, I was looking for something to do one afternoon so I decided to go in here.  I really liked it; more so than a lot of more serious or conventional museums.  The Ripley's museum had some freaky stuff, like German Wolpertingers - curious flying creatures that live in the woods, and a reproduction of a New Jersey Devil skeleton, based on eyewitness accounts!  I also saw a rooster that smoked cigarettes, a mermaid that was half monkey/half fish, a one-eyed seeing eye dog, a shrunken head, a life-size replica of the world's tallest man, a genuine Iron Maiden, a vampire killing kit, and much, much more.  Believe it, or not!

Ripley's Believe It or Not! - Atlantic City

One evening we were in search of a more "locals" type of place to eat off the boardwalk, and I had read about a tacqueria on Arctic Avenue, a few blocks away from our hotel.  So we walked in that direction but accidentally found our way into another place called La Finca.  This was a wonderful mistake to make, because La Finca turned out to be an awesome Dominican style restaurant.  Not what I was expecting, but even better!  We each got stewed or grilled chicken with rice, beans, salad and fried yucca.  Washed down with fresh pineapple juice.  Huge portions.  One of the best meals I've had in a long time!  When we were walking out I saw the tacqueria we had intended to go to, but now I'm glad we missed it in favor of La Finca.

I later learned that La Finca is located in Ducktown, a small section of Atlantic City that was traditionally Italian-American.  Nowadays it  is probably more Hispanic.  Culture is definitely lacking in AC, but if you want to experience a little bit of it stroll around Ducktown.  Despite its semi-rundown appearance, Ducktown seems to be a fairly safe, family-oriented neighborhood with many off-the-tourist-path ethnic restaurants, bakeries, pizzerias and groceries.

Atlantic City's well known White House Sub Shop is also located in Ducktown on Arctic Avenue, a few doors down from La Finca.  I had intentions of eating at White House for lunch one day, but when I went in there the place was packed and the subs looked like stomach aches waiting to happen.  So, I left and walked around the corner to Atlantic Avenue, where I found Jonuzi's Pizza.  Jonuzi's was pretty empty on this day, which I found appealing.  The pizza was awesome though: authentic New York style.  A massive slice!

Enormous pizza slice from Jonuzi's

Oh yeah, for cheap draft beers and a quirky, people watching atmosphere, check out the Bally's Wild West Bar.  They had Dos Equis on draft for $2 a cup as part of a 24/7 happy hour.  I wasn't really in the mood for pounding back beers when I went there, but at this cost it was hard to pass up having at least a couple of these while watching the baseball playoffs on TV.  Bally's is connected to Ceasar's so it's easy to get from one to the other without going outside.

Lastly, I suppose I should mention the Atlantic City Boardwalk.  You can walk for miles in either direction from the Ceasar's/Bally's/Trump Plaza midtown area.  There's tacky shops, questionable restaurants and, curiously, lots and lots of places to get a body massage.  I didn't get a body massage, but I did get an Atlantic City baseball cap for .99 cents!  The perfect hat for the world's playground!

Souvenir baseball cap - bought for .99 cents on the Atlantic City Boardwalk

On the drive back from Atlantic City we returned the way we came and this time had a couple hours to spend in the quaint, seaside town of Cape May, which I liked a whole lot better than Atlantic City!  We stopped in a little restaurant/bar by the water for soup and a beer.  I could have stayed there all afternoon and into the evening, but we had a ferry to catch.  I would like to go back to Cape May for sure!

Would I want to go back to Atlantic City?  Don't bet on it.  But I was able to enjoy a good brewery, a great restaurant and a fun museum in the midst of all that scuzzy tourism.  Plus, I got in some valuable banjo practice in the hotel room and I'm happy to report that I did not spend the first dime on gambling.  Right better.

St. John's, NL - Guide to pubs not on George Street

Laura and I visited St. John's, Newfoundland in late summer 2011.  We loved it! In the next installment of an ongoing series of articles about this harbour city on The Rock, here's a recounting of the non-George Street pubs we enjoyed.


Yes, non-George street.  Why? Well, the George Street party scene in St. John's, Newfoundland has been well documented.  It's like a mini Bourbon Street with more bars per capita than any other street in North America.  Every visitor to St. John's should have at least one late night bacchanal here - preferably a Thurs, Fri or Sat - and merge souls with the university students and tourists.  But, once the magic of George Street wears off, you may want to explore some of the nearby pubs on Water and Duckworth Street, as well as the neighboring village of Quidi Vidi.  You'll find these pubs to be slightly more sedate, but all the more interesting.  Here's a guide to some of the ones we darkened during our recent 8 nights in St. John's.

The entrance to The Ship

The Ship Pub - 265 Duckworth Street at Solomon's Lane
The Ship, as it is known, may be the best bar I've come across while traveling...right up there with Dick Mack's in Dingle, Ireland and Gamli Baukur in Husavik, Iceland.  The Ship Pub is so welcoming that I think it took only two visits before we felt like regulars.  We kept going back, stopping in almost daily for a drink or ten.  It's the place to meet interesting, intelligent locals who, in our case, shared a lot of the same interests and world views.  The Ship had both the Storm Red and Quidi Vidi Iceberg on tap, plus Black Horse, Guinness, Smithwick's and more.  The food is good too. I wish we had been there when Ricky from Trailer Park Boys stopped in this summer.  Some locals still refer to it as The Ship Inn, although it hasn't been called that in several years.  You can simply call it The Ship.


The Rose and Thistle
At first glance the Rose and Thistle looks like it may be fairly intimidating, with bikers of the tough-looking motorcycle variety lurking about and an assortment of weird-o's inside.  I suspect that we must also be weird-o's because we found this place to be quite comfortable and saw some really good music here.  It had a dark, dive bar vibe that reminded me of Cary St. Cafe in Richmond, VA. The beer is cheap too.  I think they had Labatt Blue Star for $2.75 a bottle.  Compare that to $8.25 for a pint of Guinness up on George Street!


The Duke of Duckworth
This sports bar is arguably the most well known drinking establishment in St. John's.  I haven't seen Republic of Doyle yet (that will change soon enough!), but I've heard The Duke of Duckworth is featured in some episodes of this popular CBC show filmed on location in St. John's.  (Or they are using a set that's made to look like the Duke of Duckworth). We didn't spend a whole lot of time in this pub, but it had a friendly, laid back atmosphere.


Nautical Nellies
Nautical Nellies had a cool, down to earth, hard-working staff of young ladies manning the place.  We were in there a couple times during slower parts of the day, so it was a good location to chill and reflect on how awesome Newfoundland is.  Nautical Nellie's has a prime location right in the heart of Water Street downtown, and on a nice day if you get a table by the large retractable windows it's a fine spot to have a drink and watch people pass.  Even big burly men holding hands then passing out head down on the table. What was the deal with that?  Traditional session with Graham Wells, accordion, and Billy Sutton, fiddle, on Sunday afternoons at 5pm!


Erin's Pub
This place doesn't make much of an effort to present itself as anything more than a dump.  No offense; I say that in the nicest way possible.  This is all the more unusual because it's surrounded by some upscale, trendy looking Water Street restaurants and the contrast between those places and this one is striking.  However, Erin's is the best place to hear traditional Newfoundland/Irish session music several times a week, which is why we went there in the first place.  If it weren't for that though, I probably would have chosen to go somewhere else.

Quidi Vidi Brewery is greenish bldg. on left. Scenic location!

Quidi Vidi Brewing Company
I highly recommend going on the brewery tour here and then sticking around for happy hour if the upstairs bar is open.  The tour costs $10, you get to sample all of their excellent beers and choose a complimentary one to have at the end.  The guy who gives the tour has a really funny, dry sense of humor.  At first you can tell he's done this many times before, but once he gets on a roll it's a whole lotta fun. We did it on a Friday afternoon and afterwards they opened the bar for a happy (three) hour(s)!  Folk musicians showed up to play and lots of people poured in for a good ol' time.  This might be just a Friday thing, and I think the bar is only open from 4:30 to 7:30pm, but that would be a good time to go.  Although I think they do the tour several times a day, several days a week. We met up with two girls and a guy here who had been hiking the East Coast Trail for several days.  They were ready to party so after some beers at the brewery we continued hanging with them until the wee hours of the morning, bar hopping at a few of the above mentioned pubs and on George Street, making for a most drunken night in St. John's and a powerful hurting of a hangover the next morning.  Yowza!

Inn of Olde
This little neighborhood place in Quidi Vidi is worth checking out for the kitsch factor.  It feels like your are in a hoarder's house/bar.  Knick-knacks and ornaments are everywhere, with no real rhyme or reason.  There's definitely an intriguing oddness to this place that makes it a stop on tourists' lists.  The owner Linda has a way with people and is instantly likable.  Both times we were there it happened to be early afternoon, so there weren't many others around.  Most folks walk in, get a beer, and then leave.  But, being the only real bar in the Quidi Vidi neighborhood, I'm guessing this place can get pretty hopping and goofy at night.  I hear it's a good place to get Screeched-In in a completely disgusting manner!   


Quidi Vidi Brewing's beers are at most bars, restaurants and corner shops.  All the Quidi Vidi beers are of a high standard, but try the QV Premium or Iceberg first. Storm Beer is a one-man operation that is every bit as good as Quidi Vidi.  The Storm Red might be the best Irish/Amber ale I have tried - or at least an equal to Colorado's Fat Tire and Blue and Grey brewery's Fred Red from Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Quidi Vidi Brewery as seen from East Coast Trail. So near yet so far!

I wasn't that fond of the Yellow Belly Brewery beers.  Granted, they were all out of their flagship St. John's Stout the week we were there, but the couple other beers of theirs that I tried left something to be desired; something wasn't quite right with the recipe.  Finally, obviously mass produced, but still made only in Newfoundland, the Molson products Black Horse and India Beer were liked very much by me, but what do I know? I don't think any of these beers are available in the States.


For my St. John's Restaurant Report click here.
Click here for my Walking, Running and Hiking Guide to St. John's.
And for a rundown of the live music I saw click here.