What's Hot - Fiona Molloy at Finnegan's Wake
(By Valerie Ridenour, Key West the Newspaper - 11/23/01)
Finnegan's Wake is as Irish as Paddy's pig, a great place to celebrate, which is just what we did. It was our fearless publisher/editor Dennis Cooper's birthday, and our girl Fiona Molloy surprised him with "Happy Birthday" and some appropriate comments. Dennis was tickled pink, of course.
Fiona began with a request for what I think is her best song, the haunting "Lili Marlene", which she sings in French, German and English. Her voice is ethereal and her acoustic guitar lovely. This is an emotional number that will get under her skin. She followed it with a traditional Irish clap-along ditty. Fiona always gets the crowd going with stops, starts, and speed-ups, often with everyone jumping in to sing along. Next she sings a ballad followed by a crowd pleaser, "My Irish Molly", which is fun. The customers love the sprightly Irish tunes, and nobody does them better.
"Lord of the Dance" is a beatiful song. Aaron Copeland used the melody in one of his compositions. It was an Angelican hymn in another time with only slightly different words. Ask for it; you'll love it! "Diamonds and Rust" is a haunting minor keyed song recorded by Joan Baez. Fiona does it better.
Next we hear another Baez classic, "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down", which has the entire room singing the chorus. Many of the songs in Fiona's repertoire are old favorites, but they have a new life when you hear them sung by Fiona's beatiful voice.
Fiona sings a song about the town in Northern Ireland she was born in, "The Town I Love So Well". If this one doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you can't have even a drop of Irish blood. "This Is My Homeland" is a charmer. "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" takes us back to a sweeter time.
Does she sing country tunes? John Denver's "Country Roads" and "Delta Dawn" prove beyond a doubt that she certainly does. The set ends with "Amazing Grace", with Shirley Murphy singing harmony. There are no dry eyes in the place, so Fiona lightnens the mood with the delightful "Puff the Magic Dragon". If you want to be really entertained and hear a spectacular voice, go down to Finnegan's Wake when Fiona's in town. It will be an intimate experience that will leave you feeling ...happy! You deserve it.
Stay cool
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What's Hot - Fiona Molloy at Finnegan's Wake
(By Valerie Ridenour, Key West the Newspaper - 7/20/01)
I was going to wait until Fiona Molloy comes back to town to run this review, but the evening was just too much fun to hold. Remember last week when the power went out leaving the whole town in darkness? That, naturally, was the night we decided to go out to dinner at Finnegan's Wake and listen to Fiona before going on to review a band in a late night joint. There was a room full of customers who couldn't get dinner. It was pitch dark except for tiny decorative oil lamps the staff found somewhere. When it appeared that the crowd was going to leave, Fiona jumped up on a stool near the door where a security light barely illumined her and began to play and sing . . . without amplification. For most musicians this would have been impossible, but it was anything but for Fiona!
Fiona Molloy plays acoustic guitar and is blessed with a beautiful, strong voice with angelic overtones. She sang songs everybody knew, and we all sang along. First was Steve Goodman's wonderful "City Of New Orleans". Our voices rang out, "Good morning, America, I love you," etc. Everyone cheered. This continued for some time until the power was restored. We finally had dinner.
Fiona sang crowd favorites she gets requests for almost every night. "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down" is one of those. An up-tempo Irish song followed, which got everyone into the act again.
Fioma Molloy is one of those singers who can make you laugh, then turn around and bring tears to your eyes. "Danny Boy", another request, did just that. Molloy's voice is so beautiful, when you combine it with a poignant tune you have an emotional audience.
I had a moment of sadness when she sang John Denver's country anthem, "Country Roads", remembering what a great guy John was. A request for "A Flower Of Scotland" got some good natured comments from our Irish lass.
Fiona Molloy's repertoire always surprises you. In the midst of the requests she sang "Delta Dawn", then on to "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor", which got the crowd yelling along.
If you like a bar where you can quietly listen to music, Finnegan's Wake is not the place. With a slate floor, a tin roof, and lots of glass, the crowd noise is intense. To hear Fiona or the other fine entertainers who perform there you want to sit near the stage.
"If I Had a Hammer" was excellent. I love "Wild Rover", which requires the audience to provide handclaps at the right times. If you goof, Fiona stops and gives you a lecture and instructions, then begins again.
I am always amazed that a singer with Fiona's talent isn't above showing her people a good time. Most think of themselves as divas.
Tunes kept rolling out, "Kansas City", "Tom Dooley", Abba's "Fernando", "Me and Bobby McGee", "Crazy". My favorite in Fiona Molloy's repertoire is the wartime classic "Lili Marlene". Fiona begins it in German, then sings it in French, and finally, in English. This is an emotional highlight, always moving. I request this one.
Fiona is gone now, but will be back the first two weeks of August, so plan to go hear her then. You'll have an unforgettable experience, I promise!
Stay cool
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Fiona Molloy - A Diamond Amongst the Emeralds
(By Steve Smith for "SEANACHAOI" 8/1/00)
The South Florida Emeralds had the distinct pleasure of being entertained by the most talented and versatile Fiona Molloy, the featured singer at Finnegan's Wake, at our July weekend in Key West. In addition to her regular Friday and Saturday night performances she did a special matinee for us Saturday afternoon, after our 3:00 p.m. meeting.
Her vocals are a stunning blend of all that is best from both the American and Irish folk music. Fiona Molloy has strength and sensitivity in equal abundance and is a talented guitarist. She has the ability to cross musical borders effortlessly. She did some old American folk favorites such as John Denver's "Country Roads" and songs from Joan Baez and Janis Joplin. Somewhere in the fog of more than a few half n' halves, I recall hearing some of the hauntingly familiar "Leaving on A Jet Plane" of Peter, Paul and Mary; and the old World War 2 song, "Lili Marleen." She performed our theme song "On the One Road" and did my old favorite "Danny Boy" both nights.
She even got some of our crew on stage to help her with "Sara, Sara." It's a song that if you don't sing the lyrics correctly, you'll end up embarrassing yourself. Try saying these lyrics three times quickly: "Sara, Sara, sitting in a Chevrolet. All day long she sits and shifts. All day long she shifts and sits. Sara, Sara, sitting in a Chevrolet." Or if you get that right, try this: "Sara, Sara, sipping on a bottle of Schlitz. All day long she sips her Schlitz. All day long her Schlitz she sips. Sara, Sara, sipping on a bottle of Schlitz." I thought it went quite well, but I wasn't one of the ones on stage. If you get a chance ask Frank, Murph or Keith for their take on this.
She later sang "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda." First she explained the background to the song, involving the tragedy met by Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in the First World. War. There wasn't a dry eye in the place when she was finished.
We were blessed to be entertained by such a fine young lady. She will be playing at Finnegan's Wake until the end of August. She then returns to the New York City area, where she is a favorite at numerous Irish Pubs, Festivals and shows. She does however manage to return to Finnegan's several times during the year, and is expected to be back next summer. I, for one, certainly look forward the hearing her again.
For more information on Fiona Molloy, check out her web site at www.FionaMolloy.com
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Fiona Molloy Back At Finnegan's Wake
(By Valerie Ridenour for "Key West THE NEWSPAPER" reprinted 6/16/99)
There's a gorgeous colleen in town who is most definitely an island girl. She moved from Northern Ireland to Staten Island and plays often in Key West. Her name is Fiona Molloy, and you can see and hear her at Finnegan's Wake Friday and Saturday nights. Fiona is often on Finnegan's schedule. Why, you ask? Because the girl has a splendid voice and really knows how to entertain.
Fiona began with a pair of waltzes that had a lovely lilting sound. Her strong, beautiful voice is reminiscent of Kathy Mattea, and sometimes, Joan Baez. I loved two tunes, "In the County of Armagh" and "The Girls of Colraine." There were people from England, Memphis, and Michigan, a diverse crowd indeed, and all of them fell in love with Fiona.....
Her next selection was one of my favorites, "The Last Farewell," which was an enormous hit for Roger Whittaker. Fiona accompanies herself on guitar and plays very well. A delightful up-tempo ditty, "My Irish Molly-O" was fun.
Fiona got the audience totally involved in "Molly Malone," and had them howling with laughter as they tried to keep up with her on a charmer, "A Log in the Bog Down in the Valley-O," in which they had to sing parts. As soon as they learned theirs, Fiona would speed it up. So who got lost as she finished in triple speed? Absolutely everybody! They loved it when Fiona reassured them they had done well saying, "I know it was fast, but it's boring if it gets slow." Wrong, Fiona. Girl, you could never bore anyone. The lass is definitely a fine entertainer!
Molloy romanced us with the beautiful, "Go Lassie, Go," which was recorded by both Judy Collins and Joan Baez. Fiona's voice is a lot like Baez's, rich and powerful, simply gorgeous. Bar patrons joined in the chorus. It was truly beautiful.
Fiona had a request from a girl from Kenya for some John Denver songs. She did "Country Roads" and "Annie's Song." We all loved it. John was such a great songwriter. Go to Finnegan's Wake and treat yourself to Fiona Molloy's music and wonderful personality. You'll not be forgetting her soon.
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Irish Eyes Smiling for Fiona Molloy
(by Eric P. Larsen for Island Entertainment printed 8/6/99)
Want to hear some real Irish music? Not some guy with a guitar offering free tequila for the kids while mangling U2 songs? There's only one place to go: Finnegan's Wake to catch Fiona Molloy.
Molloy has one of the nicest voices on the island, but isn't quite yet a resident. John Dillon, the owner, flys her down from New York every few weeks so she can play at the bar. "I came here from Northern Ireland," she said, "I came during Poker Run in '97 and fell in love with the place. I've been coming back ever since."
She said she plans to move here permanently one of these days. But until then, she has found a venue that appreciates the sad sweet sound of Danny Boy, and some of the more ribald Irish pub tunes.
Starting the evening with Shel Silverstein's "Unicorn Song," she then played a couple of Irish classics, "Wild Colonial Boy," and "Danny Boy." "Well, let's get Danny Boy over with," she said before starting the song.
Then she got five men on stage for "Sara, Sara." It's a song that if you don't sing the lyrics correctly, you'll end up embarrassing yourself. Try saying these lyrics three times quickly: "Sara, Sara, sitting in a Chevrolet. All day long she sits and shifts. All day long she shifts and sits. Sara, Sara, sitting in a Chevrolet." Or if you get that right, try this: "Sara, Sara, sipping on a bottle of Schlitz. All day long she sips her Schlitz. All day long her Schlitz she sips. Sara, Sara, sipping on a bottle of Schlitz." Then she sang a pretty obscure tribute to the War of 1812 - Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans."
After rounding out her first set with Patsy Cline and Linda Ronstadt, she sat down to talk about life in Key West. "I was trained for classical guitar and voice," she said. "I've been playing since I was 17. But I switched to folk music and joined a folk band." Like many immigrants from Northern Ireland, Molloy said she had enough of the violence. "I came from Derry to get away from the political strife in Northern Ireland," she said. "When I first got here, every time I heard a car backfire or other loud noise, I'd fall to the ground."
When not playing Finnegan's, Molloy plays Irish pubs from Connecticut to Pennsylvania. "But I've absolutely fallen in love with this town," she said. "I'll move here permanently some day." And chances are, you'll find her at Finnegan's. "I like the atmosphere here," she said. "I like the variety of people. We have an eclectic mix of young and old, military and tourist, university professors and beach bums."
Molloy said her main influences are folk giants like Joan Baez and Judy Collins. "And a lot of Irish music - from "Ghostriders in the Sky" to "Ave Maria," "Maggie," "Come by the Hills" and the Scottish song, "Wild Mountain Thyme."
Molloy's current stint at Finnegan's ends Aug. 14, then it's back to the Tri-State area for a while. But she'll be playing at Finnegan's again soon after. Have a pint and give her a listen.
