Easter Sunday – morning news yielded this report –> Man Gets Stuck in Porthole at Bar in Essex. Lesson to be learned… Evacuated via properly labeled exits to protect your girth…

Aside from our regular Monday appearances, you have two more opportunities to come sing with us in the coming month.

• 9 May – Friday.  From 8:30 – 10:30, Rick Spencer and Joseph Morneault as LongSplice will be providing some historical colour in the tap room; mostly ballads and performed songs instead of the chanteys and call-and-response songs you’re familiar with on Mondays.
• 10 May – Saturday (the very next night).  The Jovial Crew will give a command performance from 8p – 11p in our usual taproom.  We really encourage you to come join us… and if you have any historical garb a-la- RevWar through War of 1812, please feel encouraged to put it on for the evening!  We’re to host a bunch of reenactors and give them a serious taste of our Monday night flavour!  Pass the word!

I know the other guys will bust my chops for my latin above, mais ils peuvent bec mon chou!

FInally spring has arrived!  But not without effort, considering yesterday’s rain/sleet/snow storm!  But next Monday the 7th is an auspicious occasion – Cliff will be back with us after two weeks of holiday and it is also the actual 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 (in this case, 1814) raid on Pettipaug (Essex) by British sailors and Marines who then burned the ship in the cove to the waterline and very briefly occupied the town – Jerry Roberts should be joining us to sing his song composed about that event, and I think it a good and momentous occasion to gather and celebrate our local historical colour!  One might go so far as to regard this as our 4th of July!

And don’t forget to look in on the events for the 1814 Commemoration!

It was a quieter holiday than last year and yet we all had a terrific time!  Our queen Cait did her duties to admiration, raising money for cancer research and the benefit 100 mile bike ride she’ll be participating in come the spring, and we warmly thank our guest musicians who stepped up to entertain us with their talents – Thomas WoLF, Dan Pardo, Brian Schiller, Terri Klein, Dave Lefkin… Now comes the bleary-eyed morning and a return to the work week… Cliff will be away on holiday for a couple of weeks but there’ll be three of us one week and then we’ll include a guest on the following Monday, so stay tuned. Come see photos from the two events here… If you have any photos to share, please contact me!  Thank you to all who came out either or both days and supported us!

It’s that time of year again, kicking off the start of warmer weather (Please God!!), the return of the snow birds, and the “official season” of good music!  Even our man Tim is back, so at both of these performances there will be four of us!  These are the events that you won’t want to miss and we want to see you at!

Saturday, 15 March – The Ivory, Deep River, from 6:30 to 10PM.  Start your celebrations with us in Deep River on Saturday… Such a good way to blow off some steam by throwing your head back to sing with us!

Then after you have rested on Sunday, come on out on Monday, 17 March – The Griswold Inn, Essex, from 6:30 to 10PM.  Our weekly venue!  We may be in the larger back room for the dinner crowd but you know how it gets when dinner is done.  Come help us raise the roof!

Permit us to present our Jovial Queen of 2014, Cait Clark!  She was crowned last night the 10th of Feb. with all due ceremony; tiara, sash, bouquet, certificate all presented by Capt. Cliff Haslam and overseen by the bandmates. Her duties will include promoting our upcoming St-Pat’s gigs and other performance venues over the course of the year.  Cait is an entrepreneur, hand crafting knit wear for you and your child, and you can see her Etsy Shop via this link.

As often as we have guests stand up to perform a song or tune or two, it usually is something somewhat spontaneous for the evening.  However, on Monday the 10th a couple of friends will be coming down from Massachusetts to borrow the mics for a few numbers – Greg Bacon & Liz Alexander, both members of the Stoneybatter Band. A little variety for your evening’s listening pleasure.

So this coming Saturday the 18th, we’re playing at Café Nine (on the corner of State and Crown streets) in New Haven – the objective, to raise funds for the city’s St-Patrick’s Day parade.  We’ll arrive to set up around 8, the show begins with the band The Amples and then we’ll do a couple of sets.  It’s a bar, so only 21 and older, please.  Come on down, all our fans from the New Haven area – this is another opportunity to participate with us on your home turf!  Check the flier here for details.

2013 wasn’t exactly a banner year but 2014 holds a lot of promise!

January is typically the “quieter” month for us, but Rick has a busy schedule – he won’t be able to be with us on Monday the 13th, so we’ll be joined by our very talented friend Rodney Brown.  (Where’s Brown?!? HERE’s Brown!!)   He has a repertoire of songs you don’t often hear at the Gris and you really should come down and join us!

So while we don’t all celebrate the same holiday for the same reasons, we can all agree that it is a festive time of the year and an excellent way to honour this is to join us on Monday for a glass of cheer and to sing yer hearts out… Does a body good!  Some of us dress up for the occasion – some in renaissance attire, some in simply something nice.  Tim’ll be back for the 23rd and the 30th, and you’ll want to come see him while you can!  Don’t miss out!

One of our fans off of the sub boat USS Mississippi is reenlisting in the Navy and he has chosen to take his oath while at the Gris with us!  Come on down and show the man and the service some love!  Bring other service men & women and those retired from the service to rejoice in this ceremony amidst our music of sea, shore, and pubs!  It’s December so we begin around 9. Spread the word!