On
Location At
My most recent visit to Skipper's, a cool, laid-back restaurant/music
venue in Tampa, came about through my gal pal Kelli K. She invited
me to see a band called The Prodigals, an Irish jig-punk band
that she couldn't stop raving about. I had never heard of The
Prodigals before, but another Irish punk-style band I really
like, Flogging Molly, always gets me going, so I was game for
the show.
Upon arrival, we took care of business and made a beeline
for the bar. New Castle was my choice for the evening, while
Kelli went for the margaritas. The opening band, The Gita, was
already jamming out its set. The Gita's a local band I wasn't
familiar with. Prior to the show, my girlfriend told me she
couldn't describe their style, but assured me they were already
legends in their own minds. When I heard them at Skipper's,
I came to the conclusion that she was right about their style:
You really can't label them. The Gita played everything from
rap to rock, and I'm sure I heard a flute solo somewhere in
there at one point. I liked the band's diversity but not any
one song grabbed me. The crowd seemed receptive to their ever-changing
tunes, so it was all good.
We decided to head toward the back of the crowd. It was still
early in the evening, so I had time to peruse with my camera.
The crowd was a mix of styles and ages: a few hippies here,
a couple of punks there, throw in a few 9-to-5ers looking for
a good time. A wonderfully diverse yet mellow crowd.
When the prodigals finally took to the stage (several New
Castles and margaritas later), there was an immediate response
from the audience. Lead singer Gregory Grene, his trusty accordion
in hand, informed us of the fun-filled evening we were about
to experience, and boy was he right! As soon as the music started,
it created a wave of dancing across the crowd. Beer bottles
raised in the air began to sway with the rhythms, and people
sang along with the tunes. This band has an obvious following
and by the end of the evening's awesome set, I could see why.
There is no mistaking the base of The Prodigals' music: a
traditional Irish folk style. But the combination of Grene and
guitarist Ray Kelly's vocals emit a melodic and hard-edged sound
at the same time. The impetuous guitar style kicks the tunes
into punk mode, along with the incredibly strong rhythm support
of bassist Andrew Harkin and drummer Brian Tracey. Grene's accordion
skills are remarkable; he is definitely one of the best accordion
players I have ever heard. (His talented voice, aw-shucks smile
and charming Irish demeanor doesn't hurt, either.)
Although the lyrics and certain rhythms lean toward traditional
Irish tunes, strong driving bass lines and fast tempos give
them a harder edge without overpowering the melodic tone throughout.
This band experiments with many different styles, setting them
apart from the characteristics of the traditional Celtic music
scene. The lyrics were as powerful as the music; songs about
political unrest, love left on the way side, child murderers
and, of course, tying one on and all the good and bad that comes
with it (a quart of Cork dry gin, anyone?). Check out the band's
latest effort if you haven't already. Dreaming in Hells Kitchen
was released in November and kicks much ass with its mix of
folk ballads, Irish jigs, rousing marches and punk attitude.
Midway through the show I decided to snap some shots of the
band in action. The crowd was rowdy but courteous, and I was
able to get a few good close-ups. By the end of their set, I
was sold on the Prodigals. After the show, the bar began to
empty out and we were ready to hit another spot. We hung around
and met up with the band and they were quite friendly. We chatted
for a bit, and they posed for few group shots before Kelli and
I bade them farewell (The Hub was waiting, but that's a whole
'nother story!).
As usual, we enjoyed our evening at Skipper's. This favorite
local haunt is an oasis in the middle of frantic urban Tampa.
From killer bands like The Prodigals to an exotic menu that
offers regional favorites like gator (gator tail, gator black
bean chili, gator kabob hey, don't knock it till you've tried
it), everything about Skipper's says "Tampa." So rare in a town
where every club is trying to emulate a bigger, more exciting
city. But the "beautiful people" can have their laser lights,
rotating dance floors and silicone-stuffed bimbos.
As for me and mine we'll see ya at Skipper's, where yet another
undoubtedly awesome show awaits.
Eva Dark
Comment
on this in fhe forums