Martin Hayes & Denis Cahill

Review of their gig in Vicar Street, 25 Nov '99

Martin Hayes is an east Clare fiddle player who's got It in spades, and Denis Cahill shades in the harmonic and rhythmic context of the music on guitar. I went to see them last night and afterwards couldn't decide whether just to abandon my own attempts to make music entirely or to quit my job and devote the rest of my life to rhythm and melody.

I'm only a dabbler in diddle-ee-eye and Martin Hayes and Denis Cahill's album 'The Lonesome Touch' is I think the only trad album I've ever bought, but that's gonna have to change. Last night those boyos made my eyes pop.

On 'The Lonesome Touch' Hayes plays jigs and reels with astounding restraint, slowing them right down, giving care and attention to each note and making little adjustments to the rhythm as he goes to make the whole thing DANCE. It's like he distils the music to its essence, to the point of light that gives it life. It takes your breath away on record and by god it's twice as good live. And when he starts to shake that long frizzy hair and lets the dances speed up and up and up ... holy s**t. The bow is just a blur and every note is perfect and all you can do is stare in pure amazement.

Wowee. I was speechless afterwards. Sure wish I could go and see him again tonight

Cormac Parle