By Julia Beauregard
Hometown Weekly Editor
The function room at the Needham Housing Authority (NHA) was packed last Sunday, March 12th, as residents and town locals traveled to see a St. Patrick’s Day themed performance by The Boston Rovers.
Penny Kirkland, one of the Board members, welcomed all of the attendees, who were dressed in festive, green attire.
“We’re almost world famous; we’re legends in our own minds,” one of the band members joked, before introducing themselves and beginning their set.
The band members consisted of Paul, who played the acoustic guitar and harmonica, Jim, who played the bodhrán, and Taylor, a multi-talented string player who played guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and the accordion. The talented bunch all participated in singing the various tunes they played.
The male trio played Irish ballads, pub songs, folk music, and sea shanties. Some of the songs they played included: “No Nay Never,” “Boston Harbor,” “The Gypsy Rover,” “Paddy Lay Back,” and “Drunken Sailor,” just to name a few.
As the music danced through the air, the seniors danced in their seats, clapped along, and participated in the sing-a-long songs.
The Boston Rovers engaged their audience members as they chronicled their travels throughout the world for their performances. They paired various sea shanties with the different places they visited or a story connected to a song they were about to play for their audience.
“We call these the High Holy Days of Irish music,” Jim joked with the crowd, as many people desired to indulge in listening to folk tunes to provoke the holiday mood.
The band played for well over an hour and all of the residents delighted in spending the afternoon in the company of others, while sharing snacks and laughs.
The Boston Rovers performance surely set the tune and the mood to kick off the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.
