Annapolis Irish Festival

We arrived at the festival at gate's opening and spent the morning exploring. I got my first taste of Ireland for the day with a Club Rock Shandy, a refreshing citrus soda with little bits of pulp, much like Orangina. Club sodas from Ireland, unlike most sodas this side of the pond, have very little sodium, so you actually feel refreshed when you finish the can.

We snagged The Rovers new CD from Jennifer, along with her signature, and our mission that morning became clear: we were on a scavenger hunt to find all The Rovers and get their autograph on Buy Us A Drink. From one stage to the other and across the fairgrounds, we were successful.

Satisfied with our morning victory, our plan was to grab an Irish lunch at Galway Bay during the heat of the day, so we left the grounds of the Festival for a bit. Disappointment met us in Downtown Annapolis when we found the power was out. The poor Galway staff were outside sweating and letting customers know they were closed. Who would have thought the staff at the festival would be cooler than the ones in the restaurant? I feel for the business the pub must have lost, but know we'll be back to make up for it.

Heading back to the festival, we set out our lawn chairs amongst the crowd in a shady spot. First, the Screaming Orphans. Cute, peppy, upbeat Irish girls singing pop music. I love the delicate sound they produce by harmonizing their voices. The Orphans had an amazing energy to them, their performance was a crescendo of animation, their drummer pounding wildly away and engaging the crowd to clap, dance, and sing.

I hadn't been able to find their old album East 21st Street anywhere, so I was happy to pick it up from the merch stand. The girl at the stand said the Orphans would be down after their performance for signing. And there we have it: another mission. With patience, we succeeded again.

The Rovers kicked off their performance rocking out on the bagpipes. The fiddle, drums, and guitar had the crowd buzzing as performers from other bands were invited onstage. As the sun went down, the rock concert feel took over and we couldn't help but abandon our comfy chairs to stand below the stage.

The lights, the sound, and the pounding of the ground got us pumped for the After Party at Fado Irish Pub.

I must say, Fado handled the crowd really well this time - we've attempted entry into the packed restaurant before on nights that the Rovers are playing to find an overbooked madhouse, but tonight the After Party was well-managed. There was room to stand and service from the bar was doable. We waited it out to the fun sounds of Icewagon Flu and our patience paid off when the Screaming Orphans left their table to mingle with the crowd before their set. We got the table where they had been sitting! Is that Irish luck?

Somehow, Screaming Orphans and The Rovers mustered the energy for another performance. They looked great from where we were sitting, but I imagine after such a long, hot day they must have been tired. What stamina musicians have.

After a day in the heat we had built up an appetite, so we ordered an Irish feast from our attentive waitress. My favorite from Fado is the potato wedges served with savory cheese dip. Salty and starchy, a perfect pub food.

The beer: Harp. My first Irish beer of the day, which is something I hope changes at the second annual Annapolis Irish Festival. Many other Celtic events are sponsored by Guinness, so why not ours? My only real disappointment with the festival itself was the lack of more authentic Irish food and drink (except, of course, my beloved club rock shandy.)

A woman and fellow festival-goer at a neighboring table ordered sliders that were delivered incorrectly, so Fado gave her another whole plate that she couldn't eat. She graciously offered the "extra" plate of sliders to us for free. More luck! She chatted with us for a while and we bought her a Guinness in return for her gift. What are strangers for?

Overall, the First Annual Annapolis Irish Festival was refreshing in its infancy. The vibe of the day was really focused on the music and the community that surrounds it. The Rovers asked the crowd, "Will you come again next year?" I say: yes.