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By Brendan Donaghy
Beat magazine


Last Saturday night, my wife and I headed to the Black Box in Belfast to watch a band called the Belfast Cowboys. I didn’t know much about them. As usual, She Who Books Things had taken charge of this.

When I saw it written up on the calendar in our kitchen, I thought, local band playing bluegrass music. Cowboys, see? There’s a bit of a bluegrass scene going on over here right now, so I don’t think that’s an unreasonable assumption to make. I don’t have to explain the local bit, do I?

I was still working under those assumptions when we joined the queue to get in.

The American Guy

We were standing in line for no more than thirty seconds when we got talking to the man in front of us. He told us that he’d traveled over from the United States to see the band. Wow, I thought. That’s true fandom right there.

Then I thought, if this band from Belfast is so good that people travel across the world to see them, why haven’t I heard more about them?

Why don’t we have a statue on the grounds of City Hall to honour these world-renowned sons of Belfast? Or a mural?

I think I might have said something along those lines to the American. He gave me an odd look.

Me, exclusively, because my wife was now talking to a different American about hazelnut spread.

When I mentioned how much I like bluegrass music, I got another odd look. I could see he was now thinking I was drunk or stupid, possibly both. He was casting envious glances in the direction of the hazelnut conversation, wishing he was a part of that one instead.

All the Way from the USA

To cut to the chase, I found out that the Belfast Cowboys aren’t a bluegrass-playing band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Instead, they’re a 9-piece, horn-driven band that’s been going for over twenty years. And they’re from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Their connection with Northern Ireland comes from the Irish roots of lead singer and founding member Terry Walsh, whose ancestors hail from this neck of the woods.

And then there’s the music they play.

While they belt out a range of cover versions alongside some of their own material, most of their set comprises songs by Belfast’s very own Van Morrison.

Hold on. Isn’t that like an Irish band traveling to Freehold, New Jersey, to play Springsteen covers?

That’s exactly what it’s like. And they rocked it!

Traveling Fans

Note to other bands — if you want to create a successful atmosphere at your gigs, start by bringing your own fans. That’s what the Cowboys did. They traveled with what looked to be about a coachload of friends and family from Minneapolis.

Those people were enjoying their short stay in Belfast. They got up and danced as soon as the band came on stage and were still going at the finish three hours later. And I suspect that’s when the real party got started.

They were a social bunch and chatted away with the locals. Mostly about our way of talking. When you’re told you have a strong accent by someone from Minnesota, you know you’re having an interesting night.

“You guys say ‘wee’ a lot when you mean ‘little’.”

We do, to be fair. Especially at the checkout.

“Ok, go ahead and swipe your wee card. There’s your wee receipt. You have a lovely wee day now.”

Van the Man

The band filled their set with Van Morrison covers, and the blended audience of tourists and locals loved it. If Van himself had turned up, he couldn’t have done any better. For one thing, he doesn’t play his older material much these days.

You can shout for ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ as much as you like. All you’ll get is a sore throat.

For another thing, he doesn’t generate much of a happy, feel-good factor at his gigs. I’ve seen him three times and haven’t heard him speak to the audience once. The vibe he gives off is that people should be thankful that he’s turned up at all and remembered to bring his saxophone.

That attitude doesn’t bother some fans. They think he’s a musical genius who’s entitled to do what he likes. That’s not an opinion I share.

The Belfast Cowboys, on the other hand, looked like they were enjoying every second of their night. They bantered with the audience and played their music with a smile. That kind of attitude is contagious. It’s hard not to have a good time when the guys on stage seem to be having such a blast.

Maybe Belfast should stick a statue up anyway. Who’s going to know they’re not our own wee band?

This Aberg kid seems to have no weaknesses in his game.