The Foxhunt, by The Chieftains, recorded live at the Boarding House in San Francisco, October 1, 1973. Recording produced by Owsley Stanley.

The Chieftains eventually became the best known proponents of traditional Irish music in the world, but at this point they were just about to break big. They had not escaped the notice of Jerry Garcia and other astute observers of the music world. Garcia personally invited them to open the show on a concert of Old And In The Way, a bluegrass ensemble that featured him, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, and John Kahn. Owsley was already set to record OITW’s set, and fortuitously he recorded The Chieftains’ set too.

The venue, The Boarding House, had been a ballroom, then a recording studio (the first location of Bill Putnam’s San Francisco branch, Coast Recorders) then a nightclub. It was the perfect location for Owsley to capture every bit of the energy of a live performance. The OITW recordings from the date became legendary as soon as they were released shortly after the concert. Now the Owsley Stanley Foundation, in cooperation with The Chieftains, is making this seminal performance available. The Foundation released digital files and an LP. Our tape album contains the same program as the LP, the entire concert of October 1, 1973.

This recording doesn’t resemble some audiophile recordings, which have each instrument carefully sculpted and occupyng it’s own space. This recording is much more about putting you right in the middle of the room with a band and an audience who are having a rollicking good time.

In short, there’s a party in your listening room, and you’re invited. Just cue up Reel One, grab a Guinness, and hit play.