folkefire. It’s not just one
By Daniel J. Curran
folkefire featuring Mike Phillips and Todd Bayles will take the main stage at Kells Pub on SW Second Saturday 24 October 8:30 - 11:30 P.M. No cover. No minimum.
folkefire is communal.
Mike Phillips is folkefire, which, for audience members, becomes communal. folkefire enriches and envelops those enamored with Celtic music for approximately half his set, moving to originals and covers of Pacific Northwest singer-songwriters, contemporary Irish artists and British rock legends with Irish roots for the other half, turning it into a communal experience, which becomes something greater than a song: a community. folkefire is a musical attention-getter, not background music. folkefire's musical acumen deserves to be listened to, not just heard in the background.
"I want to support people to have a great evening with their friends. Until I've released albums of my own, when people have a chance to know my music, I'd be honored to be a catalyst for joy, culture, or an enhancement to their evening," said Phillips.
Mike Phillips came upon the name folkefire (yes, with a small f) after much thought to his various life endeavors.
"In recent years, I coincidentally became really interested in the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). Eventually I decided to combine these two interests in my musical brand to further my hobby and maybe help turn the financial light on for others, too. Hence the name, folkefire, which is a combination of my interest in folk (people), folk music, and the FIRE movement, said Phillips.
His Celtic blood runs deep. He married his wife, Abbie, on June 9, 2023, at Lough Inagh in the Connemara region in County Galway. His Grandmother's side has a close connection to County Mayo: a tiny village, Corraun, near Achill Island, just across the water from one of Grace O'Malley's (the pirate queen) former castles. His Grandmother was born in London to Irish parents (from Mayo and Wexford) but was sent to Mayo during the London Blitz of World War II. His grandfather was related to Sean MacDiarmada of County Leitrim, who signed the Irish Declaration of Independence. He was considered the master organizer and was assassinated by the British for his role in the Easter Rebellion of 1916.
His Irish musical influence spans a range of Irish musicians. One of his primary role models is Irish singer-songwriter Mark Geary, whose inspiring music includes folkefire (Mike Phillips). Another pivotal musician is Glen Hansard. Like many of us, he had seen him in The Commitments but didn't really know who he was. He later learned about The Frames, but the music didn't resonate with him in a way that made him a fan. When the film 'Once' came out, it was his third introduction to Glen Hansard and his art, and it changed everything, since it was a pivotal time in his own life and artistry. His YouTube video visits also helped him gain admiration from notable busking musicians who continue on Grafton Street in Dublin.
I had the opportunity to catch a couple of Kells shows in downtown Portland with his friend and fellow musician, Todd Bayles, on accordion, guitar, and backup vocals. At both events, folkefire played spirited, crowd-inducing opening songs. It was nice to see the crowd in Kells so energetic. Together, they performed Irish Folk, Irish classics, and folkefire originals, strongly conveying the communal aspect of folkefire's music and lyrics through impressive individual vocals and harmonies with Bayles. Musically, it was rich, with Bayles adding strength to folkefire's aura.
Mike Phillips/folkefire's personal musical growth continues through his original writing, paired with his love of Celtic Irish music and the continued influence of several notable singer-songwriters. folkefire has not recorded anything yet for sale, but that time will come, and hopefully soon.