SPECIAL HOUSE CONCERT
 ANTHONY JOHN CLARKE  On tour from the British Isles |
Irish Eyes  It is so rare to come out of a concert shaking like a leaf with emotion. Anthony has that knack of getting to your very core, shaking it around, then leaving you laughing with joy. This is particularly true in the intimate setting of a house concert. On CDs, you don't get the introductory back stories that lead you to a comprehensive understanding of the emotions that made a song emerge ... or the complex political events that shape the lives of the northern Irish.
Anthony John Clarke was born in Belfast on 18th October 1956. He started songwriting at the age of nine inspired by the sixties but it was only when he left Ireland and came to England that he pursued his passion for writing with any vigour. Lacking belief in his work, he languished in the shadow of others for too long, but the creator of Irish Eyes and the beautiful Seven In Ireland was destined to make a mark on the British contemporary music scene. Living in Liverpool afforded Anthony John the opportunity of performing his songs far and wide. Seven tours of the East Coast of the USA ensured him a small but loyal following there which remains loyal to him to this day. Bookings at clubs up and down the UK and recent developments including the vocal collaboration with Elizabeth van de Waal increased his popularity and made him an established folk name. Anthony has said that "People don't leave the house to be bored to death. You have a responsibility to entertain and avoid being self-indulgent. I avoid being professionally Irish as much as I can. Just because I'm an Irish songwriter doesn't mean I can't love the Kinks and the Small Faces, Wes Montgomery, Coldplay. I like the songs of George Formby. They were my first delight musically and I liked listening to them with my children as they were growing up. The songwriter has a responsibility. It's not enough to put a tune to some words or some words to a tune. The song is a vehicle for a notion that the writer has about something. If it wasn't, then the song would have no beginning, middle or end. It's not complicated. The notion is what starts the process and the completed song is the fruition. It invites others into the notion, the idea, the feeling, the celebration, the private moment. And if you can provide a laugh or two along the way it gets my vote" He has earned his reputation as one of the top singer-songwriters on the scene and his hard work and dedication to his craft are a credit to him ... for him, songwriting is indeed a craft. His shows are funny, challenging and extremely popular. Anthony John Clarke is one of the music scene's real gentlemen. Last seen here at our house concert six years ago, his return visit is one show you don't want to miss. Praises by others for his performances:
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Reservations required - call 631-425-2925 or email to info@fmshny.org Seating is limited - please reserve early Come early to meet — for wine & cheese and conversation! Bring a snack or dish to share — MUSIC STARTS AT 3:00 pm |
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His songs are fantastic, romantic, poignant. The lyrics are poetry set to music, with brilliant rhymes. They reveal a genuine feeling for modern Ireland that is not clouded by silly sentiment. His work is, in the main, gentle, not unlike that of the early Paul Simon.
