Once Removed Rock Edmond Town Hall’s Dark Night Cabaret
Edmond Town Hall kicked off St Patrick’s Day weekend with the second installment of its four-week Dark Night Cabaret series on the evening of March 15.
While renovations continue to take place in the Edmond Town Hall’s main theater space, the series is offering the community an opportunity to come together and enjoy live entertainment in the upstairs Alexandria Room.
Opening act John Voket entertained the packed crowd, gathered at tables cabaret-style, before Connecticut-based Irish band Once Removed took the stage at 8:30 pm.
Once Removed consisted of members Pat Speer on lead vocals, Pete Blossom on guitar, Jim O’Donnell on harmony vocals, Pat Haddono standing in on bass for the band, John Hurley on guitar and vocals, and its former fiddle player and Newtown resident MorganEve Swain.
Ms Swain rejoined Once Removed for the special local performance and is currently part of the band The Huntress and Holder of Hands.
“Whiskey in The Jar,” “The Wild Rover,” “Here I Am From Donegal,” “I’ll Tell Me Ma,” “The Martin Greigh,” “Rocky Road to Dublin,” and “The Reason I Left Mullingar” were just some of the festive tunes Once Removed performed at the Dark Night Cabaret.
Between songs, Mr Speer engaged with the crowd. When he asked if there were any Irish attendees, a handful of people raised their hand. He kept the energy going, professing Guinness Stout to be his drink of choice and announced that the band would take song requests if they know it.
While most attendees enjoyed the music from their seats, some fans danced in the back of the room — letting out cheers and the occasional (and literal) cat call if the form of ecstatic “meows.”
The Dark Night Cabaret series opened the previous Friday with a performance of reggae and jazz by Thee MSM Band on March 8. Upcoming performances will include Jim Allyn Band & Friends on March 22 and Connecticut State Troubadour Nekita Waller, along with Newtown Poet Laureate Lisa Schwartz, on March 29.
Doors are scheduled to open at 7:30 pm each week, with an 8:30 pm curtain and run-time until 10:30 pm. Beer and wine is available onsite.
Tickets for the Dark Night Cabaret are $10 and are available at edmondtownhall.org.