Poitin: The Band from County Fargo

While conjuring up ways to even begin to write about the band Poitin (pronounced Pah-cheen), I realize that I am left at a loss for words.

Literally.

I’ve approached their music historically and then from a cultural level, and realizing that nothing can describe these people and their music justly, I’m approaching them from a human level.

So this is how it went down: Late on a Thursday night, I headed out to the Haney household where Poitin was having a practice session. Bonnie Haney, who does vocals and percussion in the band, and her son Greg, welcomed me warmly and gave me some food. I was led downstairs, where the band was taking a break, and was introduced to Jim Haney (vocals, mandolin, octave mando, and guitar), Don Rice (guitar, banjo, bass, vocals), Jason Thorstad (bass), and Alex Rydell (Fiddle).

Upon first impression, I thought they all must be family. The group spans generations (from 23 to 50 something) and I thought that certainly, for these people to understand one another and function together in the way they do, there must be ties as deep as blood. Surprisingly, they didn’t even start in the family.
Several years ago, an ad in the paper called for band members for a new Irish band called Poitin, named for an illegal Irish whisky, akin to moonshine. Jim and others responded and on New Years Eve in 2001, they had their first gig at O’Learys. Later, the man who had placed the ad and a couple of the original band members departed, necessitating a new line up. Through some mutual friends and acquaintances plus some good timing, a new incarnation of Poitin emerged. The original four, Bonnie, Jim, Don, and Theresa merged with Bettina, Pat, Jason, and Alex, plus Bob the sound guy and the rest, as we say in Moorhead, is history.

So as I sat there that night, after introductions, some humor, and a little bit of conversation, Don led off with his guitar, Alex’s fiddle kicked in, and the next thing I knew there was music.

At once, the room lit up with the light of each one’s life and love, as manifest in the song they were playing. Each member had a particular way of moving with the music that was a hybrid of dancing and playing their instruments, and it was apparent that all were engrossed in the collaboration of making music.
It’s difficult to describe it, but even sitting there watching, still a stranger, there was a sense of community. When the song was finished, the intimacy of music-making seemed to have been extended to me, as if by simply watching them create music, I had been invited into the fold.

There are many stereotypes that have accompanied the Irish, but after all the nasties of prejudice and racism, only one prevails that holds a grain of truth. It is often said that the Irish are among the most hospitable and friendly of peoples. Although this of course is a broad generalization, the members of Poitin were inviting and warm. And even though they aren’t all 100 percent Irish, as Jim says, “Everybody in the band, if they’re not ethnically Irish, they’re Irish in spirit.”
Even the very nature of the music they play is testament to this sense of belonging, as if each tune is a portrait of the tradition and legacy of a cultural heritage that is rich with pride, with life, love, hope and sorrow. Each note is an invitation to be a part of that legacy, simply by virtue of listening, of tapping your toes, of laughing, singing, clapping, or dancing.

Ultimately, Irish music is about sharing and community, and thankfully (since most of their shows are 21+) the band has 2 albums out, “Barley Mash” and “Winter Brew.”

Better yet, they’re releasing a third on on St. Patrick’s Day entitled “Down Down.”
The title is the name of a song the band played for me that describes a man who runs away, through streams and rivers, and finally falls in the Mississipi River, where he feels himself “drifting away.”

At the behest of Jim, Don told me its inspiration. “It’s not so much autobiographical, it’s my father’s life. He lived in Iowa back in the 30s and got in a lot of trouble, then moved to Chicago for awhile, and moved back to his hometown...people didn’t know what was going on when he did that.”

It’s easy to relate to the lyrics of this song, of family history and of those you love who are so very close yet so far away. Ultimately, it’s this relate-ability, not just to the music, to the history or the heritage, but to human commonality that has carried Irish music to the state of popularity that it has today.

From hauntingly pleasant melodies that waft and wander to rowdy foot-stompin’ tunes that make the audience stand up on tables and dance, Poitin and their music really are a treasure, a source of community heritage and a really great night out. Their light and life and the joy they so obviously garner from playing their music is contagious and we would all do some good to go out and support this band and receive their gift to the community.

So even if you aren’t Irish or you don’t listen to Irish music, check out Poitin. As Don says, “What I really enjoy about it is hearing all these different things coming out of every player. ‘Cause we got people who play bluegrass, people who play rock, blues, jazz, so it’s really… the synergy comes out of everyone playing together.” Jim chips in, “Don’t forget metal! We got a metal drummer.”

Certainly, for these individuals to come together as a band, as a family, from different backgrounds musically and personally, the music they play has got to be strong enough to hold them together, and if any tradition can do that, it’s Irish music.

And obviously, buy the CD! “Down Down,” again, will be released on St. Patrick’s Day while the other two albums can be bought at cdbaby.com.
Questions and comments:

If You Go:

WHAT: Poitin, Irish music
WHERE: Zorbaz, 402 W Lake Dr,
Detroit Lakes
WHEN: 8-12pm
HOW MUCH: No cover
WHO: All ages
INFO:(218) 847-5305, 847-0970

WHERE: Dempsey’s
WHEN: Sat, Mar 15, 3-5pm, 9-12pm
HOW MUCH: No cover
WHO: 21+ID
INFO: (701) 235-5913

WHERE: Aquarium
WHEN: Mon, Mar 17, 7-9pm, 11pm-1am
HOW MUCH: No cover
WHO: 21+ID
INFO: (701) 235-5913