This St. Patrick's Day, you can catch one Irish-music band that's reuniting and one that's on the verge of breakup.
The Mollys, a fixture of Tucson's rock scene in the late '80s and early '90s, will get back together for one gig at El Casino Ballroom.
Meanwhile, the more traditional Round the House will be saying its goodbyes.
For the Mollys, it's the band's first gig in four years.
Nancy McCallion, the band's leader, says the timing for a reunion felt right.
"It's been about 20 years since we first got together, and that's a nice round number," she says.
In the band's heyday, the members spent a lot of time on the road playing Irish-tinged rock. Their set is usually a mix of covers like "Foggy Dew," "All Around My Hat" and "The Wild Rover" and songs written by McCallion.
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Some gigs were more memorable than others.
"We had one great gig where we opened for Emmylou Harris at the Lincoln Center, and then the following night we played a nightclub in Jersey City where we played to about five people who were calling out for rock 'n' roll," McCallion says.
The band members (one of whom is Arizona Daily Star reporter Dan Sorenson) chose El Casino Ballroom for the reunion show because it's big enough to accommodate the band's legions of loyal fans.
"Last time, we did a reunion at the Boondocks, and it wasn't quite big enough," McCallion says. "There were people waiting outside."
Last Hurrah
For Round the House, which plays more traditional Irish music, this will be its last St. Patrick's Day gig.
The band plans to break up this summer when guitar player Mark Robertson-Tessi leaves for Florida, where the applied-mathematics student will do his postdoctorate studies.
Round the House will play not one, not two, but three gigs on St. Patrick's Day.
Musicians will start their day at O'Malley's on Fourth, then head to Auld Dubliner for an afternoon gig, and end the night at Fox and Hound.
But before all that, they'll have a CD-release party at O'Malley's on Friday.
The group's new album was recorded live at November's Tucson Celtic Festival & Scottish Highland Games at Rillito Raceway Park.
"It has a lot of the energy that we bring to live performances," says Claire Zucker, who sings in the band. "The songs are really nice quality, considering it's live."
Zucker says band members will still play Irish music around town, at places like the Auld Dubliner, which hosts Irish Sessions on Sundays, when musicians gather to jam.
But Zucker and her three band mates are also looking forward to playing new types of music and spending a little more time with their families.
"We're each married with two kids," she says.
Just because Round the House is breaking up doesn't mean the band will never play together again.
"We'd like to come back and do reunion shows," Zucker says, "but we don't want to find another guitar player."
ROUND THE HOUSE
CD-Release Party
• Where: O'Malley's on Fourth, 247 N. Fourth Ave.
• When: 7 p.m. Friday.
• Cost: $5 admission (entitles you to $5 off a CD, which is regularly $15.)
Round the House at O'Malley's on Fourth
• Where: 247 N. Fourth Ave.
• When: 1-3 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: Free.
• More info: 623-8600.
Round The House at Auld Dubliner
• Where: 800 E. University Blvd.
• When: 4-6 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: $5.
• More info: 206-0323
Round the House at Fox and Hound Smokehouse/Tavern
• Where: 7625 N. La Cholla Blvd.
• Ages: 21 and older.
• When: 9 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: Free.
• More info: 575-1980.
THE MOLLYS
20th-Year Reunion
St. Paddy's Party
• Where: El Casino Ballroom, 437 E. 26th St.
• When: 7 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
More Irish
Bernie & Red Irish Show
• Where: Desert View Performing Arts Center, 38759 S. MountainView Blvd.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
• Cost: $19 in advance, $22 at the door.
• More info: 825-2818.
Jamie O'Brien plays Irish and Celtic music
• Where: Himmel Park Library, 1035 N. Treat Ave.
• When: 3-4 p.m. Saturday.
• Cost: Free.
• More info: 594-5305, Ext. 3.
The Talliwackers play Irish drinking songs, ballads and jigs.
• Where: The Bayhorse Tavern, 2802 E. Grant Road.
• When: 7-10 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: Donations accepted.
• Ages: 21 and older.
• More info: 326-8554.
The Dusty Buskers play Irish, Western and Appalachian folk.
• Where: Plush, 340 E. Sixth St.
• When: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: Free.
• Age: 21 and older.
• More info: 798-1298.
St. Paddy's Day at O'Malley's
• Where: O'Malley's on Fourth, 247 N. Fourth Ave.
• When: 4 p.m. Wednesday.
• Cost: $5.
• Food: Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie and Irish stew will be for sale.
• Lineup: Cheat the Hangman
Trim the Velvet
The Dusty Buskers
The 7 Pipers
The Mcguire Academy Dancers
Hey Girl Hey
80s and Gentlemen
The Boogie Oogies
DJ Dibs
