Weddings - Bar mitzvahs - Anything

On Friday, May 18th, Lisgar O'Connor took time out to celebrate with friends on the occasion of Luc's Birthday.

Lisgar O’Connor does the Little Chicago

The time has come to play once more on the northern shores of the Ottawa River. This time Lisgar O’Connor will grace the stage of Le Petit Chicago: 50 Portage Street in downtown Hull (one block East of Eddy Street and Les Terrasses de la Chaudière).

The show will be on Wednesday, June 6 at 9:30 PM and there is a $5.00 cover charge.

Since its opening three years ago, Le Petit Chicago has become a landmark for live music in Hull, hosting shows several nights a week.

The owner, Maxime Gauld, in true “aubergiste” tradition offers a variety of micro-brewery dark, amber and pale ales on tap, as well as several great wines, ports and cider. The brave can even try genuine Czech absynth (that’s 72 proof wormwood liquor - the lunchtime favourite of Van Gogh and the boys!)

Le Petit Chicago provides great ambience with a terrific stage, great sound and fantastic and colorful patrons. Write this down on your calendar and come and join us Wednesday June 6 for an exotic night of folked-up music.

Lisgar O’Connor of the Erin Isles, Take 2

Lisgar O’Connor of the Erin Isles, Take 1

March is here and before nature can turn from grey, white and brown to green, one must pick up the guitars, give a boost to the P.A. system, get out there and celebrate St. Patrick’s day and the arrival of Spring.

This year Lisgar O’Connor played two St. Pat’s gigs. The first at the Tonik, the cool student coffeehouse of the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), on Taché Boulevard in Hull, on Thursday March 15.

We were invited by the lovely Marie-Josée, manager of the UQO’s students’ association’s coffeehouses. She got out the truc qui roule (what Bill managed to understand as the “rolling truck”) and let the folked-up duo in to entertain the student body.

And the student body responded well, showed up en masse and ready to party with the two guys who brought folked-up music to Ottawa.

Thank you Marie-Josée, Marc-André and all the fabulous students of UQO for the great evening of fun and music at the Tonik.

Celebrate St. Patty's Day with Lisgar O'Connor - Twice!

Whoops! What with the crazy pace of modern life and what have you, it seems we've ignored the blog, regarding our recent February gig at the Depanneur Sylvestre in Gatineau, which was, as is the usual case, nothing but a pleasure for Lisgar O'Connor et al. But no worries: we will do better by the blog next time. But in the meantime, why not join us in celebrating St. Patrick's Day this week at a couple of venues?

On Thursday, at Bar "Le Tonik", at the University of Quebec in the outaouais, at 283, boul. Alexandre-Tache, in Gatineau, Lisgar O'Connor will take the stage at 10 p.m., with plenty of occasion-appropriate tunes. No cover charge, thank you very much. And, pray, don't forget your finery: for there will be prizes throughout the evening, which will begin at 8 p.m., with games and Celtic music!

And if that's not enough, there's also the charm-infused Royal Oak (Echo), at 221 Echo Drive in Ottawa, this Saturday, March 17, from 5-9 p.m. The bill is packed, with live music beginning at noon and rolling on into the night until the wee hours. And once again: not a hint of a cover charge. Moo hoo ha ha!

So, see you all this week - and bring yer singin' voices!

Sly and Bill

As the tomato said to the hammer: "time to catch up!"

Summer was almost over when the phone rang at Sly's apartment. It was a call from a faraway land: the "Land God gave to Cain" according to one of Canada's early explorers. A call from a bay adorned with seven islands (actually six, since one chickened out and sank a couple of centuries ago).

At the end of the line was Pierrot, Sly's old friend and music buddy. Pierrot was getting worried at seeing no update on Lisgar O'Connor's blog.

"I thought you guys had given up," he said.

Pierrot and Sly in 1976. How time flies ...

Well, no. Lisgar O’Connor doesn’t give up on the blog, they just get busy, and lazy, and distracted, while procrastinating and attending to other business.

March - We played the Royal Oak on Bank St. in Ottawa on St. Paddy’s Day

Bill and Sly are glad to be standing outside one of Ottawa's landmark pubs before performing to a full house.

Inside the venerable Royal Oak Pub on Bank Street

Though the evening was young, Lisgar O’Connor’s photographer was already taking blurry pictures on St. Pat’s Day at the Royal Oak. Thanks to Rick Smith of Metcalfe Music Entertainment who landed us that gig.

In April, May, June, July, August and September, we played at Daniel O’Connell’s!

Hey, we just love that place and it loves us back!

We played while they played soccer, but unlike France and Italy, we never mentioned anybody's mommy and kept a good head ...

And we played standing up wearing scuffed shoes and leather pants. After all, Lisgar O'Connor IS a fashionable band.

We played and sang our hearts out while making faces ...

And we wrote down set lists (or signed autographs, you decide) ...

And Bill soloed away while Sly enjoyed ...

And suddenly, Bill decided to make more faces!

Sly can make faces too!

In June, we played at the Charlotte Street Street Party

Lots of people, lots of kids, lots of good food and lots of talented musicians…

A friendly neighbourhood country band opened for us.

Neighbours just loved to have a chance to hop on stage and share their music with us.

Even a wandering fiddler joined in!

And finally, Lisgar O'Connor took to the stage and played until dusk ...

We also spent some time at the cottage ...

Where Bill got a facial ...

Sly washed in the lake ...

Dogs wore life preservers ...

... and skirts.

We brought the guitars and played, but nobody took pictures ...

We went to Bluesfest

... to see Wilco.

And enjoy the sun.

So now, we’re up to date. Keep visiting the blog to see where we’re playing next.

Also, if you were on our e-mailing list, Yahoo does not allow mass e-mailing anymore (Spam? What spam?). However, join our
Yahoo Group to see more pictures (click on the “Photos” link in the left sidebar). We will post messages every time we play or have a significant announcement, and, if you join the group, you will be automatically notified by e-mail.

Thanks again for your love and support and see you all very soon!

Sly and Bill

Lisgar O'Connor at Daniel O'Connell's Irish Pub on March 4 2006

“Our first appearance at O’Connell’s since July of 2005 felt like all the others before it,” said Bill. “I believe you have switched narrative forms,” said Sly. Sorry! For Lisgar O’Connor on March 4 2006, it seemed like old times at Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Pub at 1205 Wellington Street in Ottawa. The same friendly and courteous staff, the same great victuals and fine beers, and yes – the same appreciative audience! Sorry we forgot (mostly) to take pictures! There is this one, though …

Bill and Sly at Daniel O'Connell's Irish Pub on March 4 2006.

Lisgar O’Connor will appear at Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Pub once again on April 1 2006. We hope to see you there!

Lisgar O'Connor Returns to the Stage at Le Depanneur Sylvestre

On February 18 2006, Lisgar O'Connor had the pleasure of returning to the stage at Le Depanneur Sylvestre, at the corner of Fortier and Sherbrooke Streets in the Wrightville sector of Gatineau. As always, the staff and patrons were warm and friendly at this cozy venue.

For the past two years, the people at Le Depanneur Sylvestre have made substantial investments in their community. To find out more about this, and to check out upcoming shows, click here.

Bill and Sly, deep in concentration at le Depanneur Sylvestre. Jeez, cheer up, guys!

Lisgar O'Connor Opens Up 2006 at the Heart & Crown

Lisgar O'Connor appeared at the Heart & Crown Pub, in the Irish Village at 67 Clarence Street on January 4th, 2006. Despite the colder temperatures, quite a few hardy folk made it out for the traditional charm, friendly service, great beer and yes, live music!

Bill introduces a snappy number as Sly looks on.

"Big Ben," who celebrated his 21st birthday at the Heart & Crown, joins Sly onstage in a rendition of "Wish you were here."

Clockwise, from left: Bill, Sly, Jean-Guy, Michel and Larry - five guys who beat the cold!

Lisgar O'Connor at O'Connell’s: there's no business like show business

Lisgar O'Connor performing their own twisted version of "Dirty Old Town" by The Pogues.

One of the first things Bill and Sly learned when they entered the world of small-scale show business is that the stage is only one of the many elements of the show. All those long hours of practicing, choosing the right songs to build a repertoire, and improving our skills and dexterity amount to nothing if we don’t have a friendly venue and a keen audience.

That's why Lisgar O'Connor loves to play at O'Connell's. We've always been warmly welcomed by their friendly staff and their unique and colourful clientele.

Crooner Mike, who was attending the show Saturday, gave us his impersonation of Mick Jagger and asked us what is so sexy about the way the soon-to-be-retired rocker moves on stage. We see exactly your point Michel.

Saturday night, Sly had a cold and couldn't sing, so much that he earned the nickname "Laryngitis Sly". However, other singers and musicians in the audience pitched in to make sure the evening would go well. Ah ... Friendship and support ...

Bill and Julie the Unruly sang together to convince Sly to take his needle of antibiotics to avoid getting some damage done.

Julie Element came on stage to interpret a few of her original songs as well as some classics.

Crooner Mike and Casino Guy are mesmerized by Julie's rendition of "Echo Beach", and you can tell that Bill is impressed.

Jeff the bartender and Bill jam on Neil Young's "Down by the river".

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was when we realized that Jeff the bartender was a budding guitarist who shared Sly’s left-handedness. So, while waiting for a couple of pints of Guinness to settle for patrons, Jeff joined Bill on stage for a little jam.

Finally, late in the evening, several guests arrived from New Brunswick and graciously showed us a few steps of Maritime folk dancing. Tables were pushed away on the patio, Maritimers packed the floor and many onlookers gathered to enjoy the performance.

Lisgar O’Connor would never have guessed that breakdancing was so popular in New Brunswick.