Gold Rush

Here's a video that didn't quite make the cut, but I've posted it here. You can always delete the post. And you can also embed the vids you create here. Might be more apropos, newsy, etc.

Matching Ties-Duo, 2/15/08 Kulturscheune Schwanstetten, Germany

Here we are playing for the 4th time for our friends Harry Behr and family and all the folks at the KIS eV. in Schwanstetten, south of Nuremberg, Germany. This time we played in Leerstetten at their beutifully renovated barn/concert hall. The audience and the hospitality were great. Thanks a lot.

Death of Dave Bell, fellow musician and friend

We are very sad to report that our dear friend and bodhran player Scotsman Dave Bell passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 22nd, 2008 in Munich. Dave played bodhran, percussions, spoons and bones on the most recent Matching Ties CD "Across the Sea" and toured with us in our "Irish Quartet" with Colm O'Tuama from Dublin on tin whistles and Irish Flute, or played with Trevor and I as trio. Although Dave was fighting diabetes for some years, he always managed to be friendly and caring. We enjoyed his great sense of humor and adept conversation. Dave showed up spontaneously to play on many of our Munich gigs ,and was a key figure in the Monday night Irish folk sessions as well as in his duo "Hijinx" with Colm in Munich pubs. Our condolences to his girlfriend Bernadette. We loved him and will miss him sorely. So long Dave. Keep beating that bodhran in that big folk band in sky.

Matching Ties Duo U.S.A. Tour UT, MT, ID, OR mid to end Oct. 08

Our duo tour Oct. 14th-28th (may be extended to 11/2, subject to change) is already being booked. Dates are planned in Salt Lake City, near Darby and elsewhere in Montana, and possibly in Idaho and Oregon. The first planned date (tba) will be at our good friend Jay Toups' house in Lapwai Lane, Darby, Montana: http://concerts.jaytoups.com/. Promoters in this area, please contact us if you are interested in doing a show with us. Information about us and booking requests can be made directly from this website or with Jay Toups. Don't miss the chance to book us or come and hear us. Trevor Morriss from London is a great mandolin player and singer. We have done but few Matching Ties tours in the U.S., but hope to kick off a series of future tours with this one. Hope to hear from you all soon. Comments or requests can be made directly on this blog. Yours truly, Paul Stowe

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 07-08

Dear friends and fans far and near,

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from all the Matching Ties, and the Stowe family. We hope to see you all this coming year at as many concerts as possible. Please send me your e-mail addresses if you want to get on our mailing list (Newsletter) to receive out tour schedule regularly. Otherwise, the Matching Ties and Paul Stowe (solo) concert dates are always up to date on this site under: http://www.matchingties.com/schedule.html. I've enclosed a picture of all the boys in the band. We are really happy to have Georg Bähr on the violin (also plays with Trevor and I as a trio) and Thomas Kärner on the upright bass as steady and dependable partners in our quartet. They not only add a great deal musically, we also seem to be on the same wavelength musically. Thanks to all of you for a great year. I am sure the fun will continue as we enter our 23rd year as a band.

As there is no Stowe website yet I will include some Stowe news in this blog (see photo with a friend in Greece Aug. 07). Maria and I have been together for 20 years as of this Christmas. She still enjoys her 3 day a week job as a soial worker coordinating a day care nanny pool for the City of Munich Child Protection Service in that she hooks families who need day care for their kids up with available nannies. Elisa (13, 8th grade), is very good student and a talented musician on the flute and sings in youth choir with a regular schedule of concerts. She is also a singer in her first rock band. Being a native English speaking singer in Germany helps a lot too. She also plays volleyball in the local sport club. Eric (10, 5th grade) is also in the Gymnasium (academic high school) now and is also very musical, playing the violin and having his first go singing rock songs with a guitar buddy. He plays soccer also through the local sport club. His team is pretty good (3rd place), and Eric managed to put the ball in the net a few times himself as a forward. We'd love to hear from you whether regarding our family or Matching Ties. Please feel free to contribute your comments on this blog.

Matching Ties-Duo Sat. Nov. 17, 2007 in Attl, Germany with Chris & Elaine Dyde (GB)

Here we are again playing as a duo at an "Irish Night" in the Stiftung Attl a facility for handycapped people in the Wasserburg am Inn area and only 20 km from my house in Schönau. This was the 9th annual event . The audience is a real mix between people from "inside" and "outside" which means the local populace really support the events here which is very important for the contact that these "special people" need from the outside world. There was a lot of dancing and singing along. The highlight for us was being able to play on the same evening with our dear friends and music buddies, Elaine and Chris Dyde. They really have a great, mellow folk sound with Chris on the guitar, mandolin, bouzouki and vocals and Elaine on vocals and bodhran. We got together for a couple of songs at the end which was a lot of fun. Special thanks to Ben Leinenbach and Werner for the great organization and hospitality. Hope to see you again soon here in Attl.

Matching Ties Trio Nov. 9, 2007 Nattheim, Germany

Here's a picture of how a typical Matching Ties concert looks from our point of view; through the microphone. This was our 4th concert in Nattheim where our buddy Kurt Enslin (just left of microphone 1st row) started bringing top acoustic acts some 15 years ago. Our first show there was in 1992. Thanks to Oliver Weber and Gabi Kisanyik from the Volkshochschule Nattheim for organizing this show. Keep doing the shows here guys.