Paddy Gibney Music | Media - The Fayetteville Observer

« Excerpt From »
ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Fayetteville Observer
March 16, 2006

Holiday is about more than green beer

There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day — watching a parade, wearing green, feasting on a traditional Irish meal and hoisting a pint or three at your local watering hole. Here are a few you may or may not have considered.

Get into the beat.

Sure, there are the traditional Irish tunes of “Danny Boy” and “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.” But Irish music has even more to offer than these standards and drinking songs. From instrumentalists such as James Galway to the Celtic-infused sounds of Gaelic Storm and the Celt-punk band The Pogues, there’s something for everyone.

If you want to take in some live music, Fayetteville’s own Irish musician, Paddy Gibney, will be performing at Wheelers Nightlife on Friday at 10 p.m. and Huske Hardware House on Saturday.

Celebrating 2006
First Night Raleigh
By Stacy Peterson, Staff Writer
December 30, 2005

The biggest celebration is the 15th annual First Night Raleigh. Events are planned all day Saturday in downtown Raleigh and conclude with the lowering of the giant acorn as a tribute to the “city of oaks.”

I remember the first “First Night Raleigh” on New Year’s Eve of 1990. Although it was a new idea, thousands walked throughout downtown with their admission buttons and listened to the sounds of The Connells and Johnny Quest.

This year the tradition continues with tens of thousands of people expected downtown for the acorn drop, the people’s procession parade and activities from churches to the larger auditoriums of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Highlights this year include Bio Ritmo, Adrienne Young, Jason Michael Carroll and blues man Bob Margolin. The night will also include various jazz and classical groups, dance troupes and comedy. A button is still needed for admission and is available in advance for $9 at etix.com or today downtown for $12 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and younger. Check out www.firstnightraleigh.com for other events, including tons of children’s activities beginning at 2 p.m. at various downtown museums, or call (919) 832-8699.

While downtown, visit with Fayetteville’s Paddy Gibney at the Tir Na Nog Irish Pub on South Blount St. Call (919) 833-7795.

Best Bets
A Raleigh Rendezvous
December 30, 2005

Celebrating its 15th year, “First Night Raleigh” attracts tens of thousands of people to downtown for the annual New Year’s Eve acorn drop, the people’s procession and lots of entertainment. Performers this year include Bio Ritmo, Bob Margolin, various jazz and classical groups and others. You’ll also find dance and theater and lots of color. Admission is a button, available in advance for $9 at etix.com or today downtown for $12 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and younger. Learn more at www.firstnightraleigh.com.

Also in Raleigh, Fayetteville resident Paddy Gibney, who has maybe never heard an old Irish lullaby that he couldn’t sing, has a scheduled New Year’s Eve date at the Tir Na Nog Irish Pub, 218 S. Blount St. Call (919) 833-7795.

Out of the Rough
Irishmen challenge Cumberland County group
By Eddie Southards, Staff Writer
Sunday, June 12, 2005

The world’s best golfers will be competing in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst this week.

At the same time, a mini-version of the Ryder Cup will be taking place in Cumberland County.

A group of 16 golfers from Dublin, Ireland, are coming to Fayetteville to play against local golfers.

The event was organized by friends Randy Draughon and Jimmy Maher of Fayetteville. Maher is a native of Ireland and his brother is among the group traveling to America.

“For the ’99 Open at Pinehurst, I had some high school buddies come over,” Maher said. “They had a wonderful time and they all went back and told everybody what a great time it was.”

The groups will play 36 holes on Friday and Saturday. They will play alternate shot and best ball at Cypress Lakes the first day. On Saturday, they will play alternate shot and conclude with 20 singles matches at Gates Four.

“Jimmy and I are the featured pairing on Saturday afternoon,” Draughon joked. “He has a personal trainer but I don’t think it’s going to help him much.”

Maher said, “The rumor was I had a swing teacher. But that was for dancing for my celebration afterwards.”

The groups will get together Tuesday night to make up the pairings.

“We’ll try to match it up as evenly as possible,” Draughon said. “Their lowest player is a 6-handicap, so we’ll be giving them a couple of strokes from our top guys. We have a wide range of abilities, from low handicappers to a lot of 10 through 15s.”

“Randy hits every club in his bag the same distance,” Maher said.

The groups will meet Thursday night for opening ceremonies at the Chrome Bar & Grill. That will include the traditional exchanging of national flags.

Chris’ Steak House will be the site of the awards dinner Saturday night.

“We’ve got a trophy and we named it the Dub-ville Cup,” Draughon said, “for Dublin and Fayetteville.”

Some members of the groups plan to attend the U.S. Open for the first and final rounds.

Besides Draughon, the members of the Cumberland County team are Steve Kuykendale, John McClelland, Johnny Keefe, Blair Seaberg, Robert Thomas, Bryan Miranda, Paul Saucier, Tim Godwin, Curtis Jordan, Tony Burnell, Greg Mayhew, Tommy Moore, Gary Tew, Pat Barbour, Dan O’Connor, Tommy Smith, Randy Staten, Walter Quick and Jay Campbell.

The Irish group includes Maher, Andrew McCarthy, the director of the Fayetteville Soccer Association, former Methodist College professor George McGwire and local musician Paddy Gibney.

And who is the favorite?

“The Irish team would have to be favored,” Maher said. “I’ve played with some of these American lads and they don’t scare me.”

The American group plans to travel to Dublin next year for a return match during the real Ryder Cup,

“Next year, I hope to be a U.S. citizen,” Maher said. “I reserve the right to play on whichever team is favored.”

Glory Days is an old-time American celebration
By Stacy Peterson, Staff writer
Friday, May 27, 2005

GLORY DAYS CELEBRATION
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, May 30
Where: Downtown Fayetteville along Hay and Maxwell streets
Tickets: Free. (And the first 800 people get free ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery)

Glory Days founder Dr. Hank Parfitt believes he has the bases covered for the fifth annual Memorial Day celebration planned for downtown Fayetteville on Monday, May 30.

Apple Pie?

Covered with a new apple pie baking contest and benefit sale with proceeds going to families of deployed soldiers and airmen.

Baseball?

The Fayetteville Swampdogs mascot will be on hand throughout the day.

Hot dogs?

Plenty of them available along Hay Street.

Chevy's?

There's a good chance of spotting one with the selection of antique and classic cars, also along Hay Street.

Ice Cream?

It's free from Cold Stone Creamery for the first 800 visitors.

Watermelon?

The reigning North Carolina Watermelon Queen will be here to hand out free watermelon slices.

As the Monday, May 30 street fair takes shape, it looks like Parfitt may be right.

In many ways Glory Days has grown into an old-time celebration honoring our military leaders. The Arts Center, and now the Gotham Blues nightclub, transform for a few hours into an old USO club complete with a swing band and other musical guests.

Classic cars have become a big part of the party, and now, this year, apple pie takes center stage.

Many of our best bakers will offer their favorite recipes and creations for a contest that goes for best taste, appearance and originality, Parfitt said. The first-place pie wins $50, with $25 for the runnerup.

Anyone interested in applying can bake two apple pies in nine- or 10-inch pans with a note card of the recipe on the back. Call Candy Underwood at 321-6869 to sign up. You can also print a registration form from the service's Web site at www.ces.ncsu.edu/cumberland and clicking on the pie.

"It's a wide-open competition," Underwood said. "All folks need t do is cook them and bring them by 10 a.m. Monday."

The best pies, as judged by judges including City Council member D.J. Haire, will be auctioned for the family support group on Fort Bragg. Others will also be sold by the slice.

"I think that will certainly get this fat boy out," said Greg Hathaway, a local artist and one of the organizers of Glory Days.

The events get underway at 11 a.m. and last until 3 p.m. along Hay Street and down along Maxwell Street where a children's area is planned with the Fayetteville Patriots' jumping room and other activities such as face painting. Adults can also browse along with potters, wood craftsmen and other artists nearby.

Also at 11 a.m. is the wreath ceremony planned for the Freedom Memorial Park on Hay Street adjacent to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum.

While the streets will remain open to cars, organizers have planned carriage rides with a carriage and two Belgian horses for $5 per ride throughout the day.

"We want people to drive through town and see the revitalization downtown," Hathaway said.

Musically, Monday's Glory Days features lots of variety with the piano of Terry Jordan, the multi talents of Rene Minniefee, the ever-favorite Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerby, a local bluegrass band and the swing dance band at the Arts Center.

And then there is all of that food.

"I think the key for your readers is they shouldn't eat anything on Monday morning," Parfitt said.

Searching for St. Patrick
By Lisa Snedeker, Staff writer
Thursday, March 17, 2005

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in America more than in Ireland, says one Irish transplant to Fayetteville. ‘‘It’s not really as big a deal to Irish people as it is in America,” said Paddy Gibney, a local musician who was born and raised in Dublin.

‘‘It’s a religious holiday at home,” he said. ‘‘It’s like a Sunday for Catholics. You go to Mass. ”

St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland that celebrates the saint who introduced Christianity to Ireland.

Here, it’s a time to wear green and think about the Irish, especially for people who are from Ireland or who have visited the country.

Growing up, Gibney said, his family would get dressed up on March 17 and wear a bit of shamrock to Mass.

Gibney wasn’t a fan of the ‘‘wearing of the green” tradition.

‘‘I hated that,” he said. ‘‘I thought it was stupid to wear a clump on your clothes.”

After church, they would head off to watch people march and play -- typically in a cold rain -- in Dublin’s parade.

‘‘It’s not even close to what you have in New York, or even Savannah,” Gibney said.

New York City held the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1762. St. Patrick’s Day did not become a public holiday in Ireland until 1903.

Gibney only adopted the tradition of kissing the famous Blarney stone on his trips home after he had moved to America.

‘‘Until I came over here, I wouldn’t,” he said.

Gibney has been playing his Irish-style pub music in Fayetteville and the surrounding areas since 1996. He said he makes at least two trips to Ireland a year. He plans to return in June to see U2 perform in Dublin.

Tourism Ireland reports 7.4 million people visited the island in 2003, the most recent figure available.

Charlie Speegle, who is of Scottish descent, took a trip to the Emerald Isle in June 2004.

Speegle is a retired banker and president of Highland Country Club. He and his wife, Bonnie, went with a group from the country club for a week of golfing and sightseeing.

Speegle’s favorite place was Dublin.

‘‘It’s just a wonderful city,” he said.

Speegle said the Irish food they sampled in the Irish Republic’s capital city was excellent.

‘‘I would recommend the Lobster Pot restaurant as a fine place for an evening meal,” he said.

About an hour drive southeast of Dublin is the Powerscourt estate. Speegle said it’s a good place for lunch and a tour of the gardens.

Another of Speegle’s favorite restaurants was the Mustard Seed Restaurant at Echo Lodge, about 30 minutes from Adare.

‘‘A nice restaurant and place to stay,” he said.

Speegle also recommended staying at Adare Manor about 45 minutes south of the Shannon Airport in the town of Adare.

One of the main reasons Speegle went to Ireland was to play the link-style golf courses that run along the country’s rugged coast. He was particularly impressed with the Lahinch Golf Links, about 30 miles south of the Cliffs of Moher with a drop of about 600 feet to the ocean and spectacular views.

Gibney recommends that Americans who are planning a trip to his homeland stay in one or two places and take a lot of day trips.

‘‘The main thing to consider is the pace of the country,” he said. ‘‘People are laid back. Don’t try to travel around too much.”

Don’t miss sites including the port of Cobh, the ancient churches of the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, a 110-mile drive in southwest Ireland.

‘‘It’s one of the most beautiful drives I have ever taken on the planet, but I’m a bit biased,” Gibney said. ‘‘The roads are very, very narrow. It’s a bit hazardous, but it’s spectacular.”

Traveling in Ireland is slower than the United States because of the narrow roads. For example, in Ireland it can take four hours to drive between cities that are 135 miles apart, Gibney said.

Gibney suggested breaking a trip to Ireland into two parts: stay in Dublin for a few days and then stay in Kerry or Cork and head up the coast to visit the Cliffs of Moher and County Galway, home to the ancient peat bogs.

‘‘There’s something magical about the desolate coast lands,” he said. ‘‘You can almost see the Vikings landing. And there are some amazing pubs and restaurants in that region.”

You don’t have to be Irish to appreciate the beauty of the country, say Fayetteville residents who have visited the country.

Natives of Ireland and visitors agree: the Emerald Isle’s people are its best asset.

‘‘The people are what make Ireland because they are so friendly,” said Helen Robbins, who taught English literature at Campbell University before retiring. The longtime Fayetteville resident took an 11-day tour of the island two years ago.

Robbins, who is 81, recommends staying in smaller towns and lunching in pubs where visitors can meet the locals.

‘‘And ride around the countryside,” she said.

Robbins was most impressed with the Cliffs of Moher, which is evident from the number of photographs of the spot in her album.

‘‘The Cliffs of Moher was breathtaking for me,” she said. ‘‘It’s like going to the Grand Canyon. It made a difference.”

Other tourist spots on her trip to the southern part of the island included tours of the Ring of Kerry and Blarney Castle.

‘‘I did kiss the Blarney Stone,” she said. ‘‘I didn’t like it.”

Robbins, whose family’s origins lie in Holland and England, said she was pleasantly surprised by Dublin.

‘‘I was taken back by the city of Dublin and how progressive it is,” she said. ‘‘I wasn’t ready for that. I always think of Dublin and Ireland as not being as progressive as us. Well, they are. I was just amazed.”

Longtime Fayetteville resident and avid golfer Larry Rose spent more time on the courses than in the cities when he took a golf tour of Ireland for 11 days in May 2004.

‘‘We got up and ate and went and played golf and ate and played golf then went to a bar,” he said. ‘‘Then we did it again the next day.”

Rose, who grew up in Wrightsville Beach, is a retired colonel. He is now a personnel manager for Communication Technologies, which recruits ROTC teachers for more than 100 college campuses. He spent at least half his trip in Northern Ireland, where he stayed in Belfast.

‘‘We played one golf course on the northeast corner of the island and you could see Scotland,” he said. ‘‘I had a great experience up there. Everyone was kind and hospitable.”

The remainder of Rose’s trip was spent in Dublin. He stayed in bed and breakfasts as well as hotels.

‘‘I like Northern Ireland better,” said Rose. ‘‘I don’t have any ties to Ireland so the extent of my knowledge before was limited. It was a fabulous experience.”

That’s despite slipping on some wet steps and breaking his hand the day before Rose returned home. Rose played golf with the fractured hand not knowing at the time it was broken.

‘‘It was painful, and it wasn’t pretty,” he said.

Rose would like to return to Ireland to see more of the sites he missed on his first trip.

‘‘Next time we go I want to see more of the southern and the western part of Ireland,” he said. ‘‘I might even play a little less golf.”

St. Patrick's Day roundup of events
By Michael Futch, Staff writer
Friday, March 11, 2005

Coaches Sports Grill on Bragg Boulevard will host a CD-release party on Thursday, March 17 for the locally produced Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe album ''Uncircumcised.'' This duo of local musicians will perform a regular show in the private club that night starting at 10. Cover charge is $5.

Gibney is a native of Dublin, Ireland, who has lived in Fayetteville since 1987. The new album was recorded live at Wheeler's on Nov. 19. ''I think it's our best attempt so far to capture what we do,'' he said. ''It leans toward our soldiers. It's dedicated to them and their families.''

Night Train’s Southern rock wails
By Stacy Peterson, Staff writer
November 19, 2004

Making a living in a classic Southern rock band in today’s musical climate is a little like selling typewriters door-to-door. It’s a tough sell.

Still, The Night Train Band has done just that for a decade.

In fact, the local band recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with its songs charting on radio overseas and in independent markets, and with an impressive list of accomplishments.

Signing with a record label (Caprice Records, which is owned by keyboard player Joey Welz who once played with Bill Haley & His Comets).

Playing high-profile shows along the East Coast.

Opening shows for Southern rock heavyweights (The Marshall Tucker Band and .38 Special).

Becoming a regular visiting band in Nashville. Sometimes it’s a little hard for singer and leader Mike Allen to take it all in. After all, he started the band in his living room.

“The only expectation I had was to play with better guitar players than I am, to become a better musician,” Allen said.

Allen and the members of the band started out with a goal of writing good songs. It just so happened that their roots lay with the Southern rock music they grew up on.

“We didn’t aim for it. It just came out as our roots,” Allen said.

The band built a following in Fayetteville and around North Carolina with its high-energy shows before a chance offer came for the band to play at an industry showcase in Nashville.

The band came home to three recording contract offers and a bit bewildered by the whole thing.

“We just did what we did and didn’t think much about it,” Allen remembered. “That took everybody aback.”

The 10-year journey has taught the band many lessons. One of the most interesting is how Southern rock as a category is much more accepted outside the South.

“Even though you live down South, the biggest audience is up north and on the West Coast and Canada,” Allen said.

The band, which features members Gidgit Gifford, J.W., Mike Nordan, Sean Dodge, Dave Callaghan and Sean Ireland, has weathered a few storms along the way.

Drummer and singer Mark Phillips fell from a ladder and cracked his skull in March 2002. He lay in a coma and nearly died before making a recovery. He is still a friend even though he can no longer play in the band.

The band carried on, becoming known as “those guys from Fayetteville” in Nashville.

Locally, The Night Train Band is scheduled to play Saturday at the Firehouse Pub and at the Swamp outside Pope Air Force Base on Dec. 4. Allen said the band has been booked for New Year’s Eve at the Treehouse. In the meantime, songs “Outlaw Son” and “Good Times” continue to chart, according to the Music Review.

Other local music

Local favorites Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe plan to record a show tonight at Wheeler’s for an upcoming live CD. This will be the duo’s first recording together since the March 2002 show at Coaches on Bragg Boulevard. The show is set to begin at 10:30 p.m. Call 677-0055 for more information.

Fayetteville bands seem to be pretty good at self-promotion, especially when it comes to Internet Web sites. Here are few good examples to start with: www.the-fifth.com, www.nephilym.net, www.non-theory.com, FFOS at www.dissentrecords.com and www.dltoken.com.

‘Say When’ is out now
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
December 19, 2003 - Weekender

Huske Hardware House will host a second Art and Noise Festival on Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m.

The event, which benefits Fayetteville Urban Ministries, will feature performances by local musicians Visually Impaired, Dan Speller, Paddy Gibney, Earth Tones, Blue Nebula Trio and Sweet Agony; local DJs QKNV, Twilight, Sabotage and KGB; plus visual artists and a skateboard demo outside.

There will be a $3 cover, or bring a nonperishable food item or new toy. For more information, call 437-9905.

Diversions - A review - 2 actors take on 14 roles in ‘Stones’
By Stacy Peterson, Staff writer
October 5, 2003

.............Brocki and Shipley turned in outstanding performances . With so much dialogue and action, it is nearly mind-numbing to understand how they did it, even with coaching from local musician Paddy Gibney on Irish dialects..............“Stones In His Pockets” is sophisticated drama and comedy. It is also a lesson in acting, without Hollywood spotlights, and more importantly with passion.

Artists Perform For A Cause
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
August 1, 2003 - Weekender

A group of artists will sponsor events around town this week to support victims of domestic violence. The events, put on by Artists Against Domestic Violence in Our Community, will benefit the CARE Family Violence Center, the Rape Crisis Center and Child Advocacy of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and Fort Bragg.

Here are a list of events.
.......Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe at Huske Tuesday at 9 p.m. .......

Glory Days event was successful
Letters to the Observer
June 7, 2003

The Downtown Alliance’s Glory Days celebration on Memorial Day was a huge success this year. Although there was no follow-up coverage in the next day’s Observer, the Weekender article by Jim Washington before the event was much appreciated. For those readers who missed Glory Days, it is a family-oriented celebration that begins with a memorial ceremony, followed by a fun-filled street festival in historic downtown Fayetteville.

This year there were plenty of vintage automobiles, thanks to Jim Smith, “Cowboy” and the Cape Fear Classic Car and Truck Club. There were performers, including the Paul Reichle Band, Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe, the Stars and Stripes Singers, and the H.O.M.E. Youth Choir. ............

Hank Parfitt Member, Downtown Alliance, Fayetteville

Memorial Day - Festival ends with parade, Glory Days
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
May 23, 2003

The Festival of Flight ends Monday the same way it began..........The day includes a Memorial Day celebration at 10 a.m. at Freedom Memorial Park, a parade down Hay Street starting at 2 p.m., the Glory Days event downtown from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the festival’s closing ceremonies at 3:45 p.m......... Local musicians Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe, Kenny Huffman, the Paul Reiche Band, the H.O.M.E. Youth Choir and the Stars and Stripes singers will perform on Hay Street.......The Memorial Day parade starts at 2 p.m. Organizers expect as many as 50,000 downtown that day.

‘Stars’ make Cameo appearances on Oscar night
By Melissa Clement, Staff writer
March 30, 2003

".....Child Advocacy Center.....About 90 people attended the fund-raiser.....Musician Paddy Gibney entertained ......"

Area taverns plan St. Paddy celebrations
By Garrett N. James, Staff writer
March 14, 2003

".....St. Patrick’s Day is a day .....Coaches Sports Grill will celebrate the holiday.....Monday features performances by Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe......"

Safety in a Crowd? Local bands, nightclubs shocked by national incidents
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
March 2, 2003

"IND bases its band image.....decision to stop using pyrotechnics.....Fayetteville Fire Department does a thorough annual inspection.....check out Paddy Gibney at Wheeler’s..... Irish guitar players don’t use pyrotechnics....."

Get a slice or two of Skracht Apple
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
February 7, 2003
".....Singer and songwriter Nathan Davis.....jamming with violinist Bill Ayerbe.....should be an interesting combination..."

Calling all local musicians
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
November 29, 2002

".....I have a lot of CDs on my desk.....still here and going strong, such as Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe (I’ve got three from them)....."

Symphony kicks off season today
By Myron B. Pitts
October 20, 2002

".....Ayerbe will pull double duty.....violinist with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra....later.....with Gibney in "Voodoo Moon"......"

Voodoo Moon will rise over Club Metro
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
October 18, 2002

"Sun & The Moon Productions.....presents “Voodoo Moon” this Sunday night.....Local acts Rhythm Tide, Visually Impaired, Paddy Gibney, Bill Ayerbe and Zombie Dance will perform....."

Well-known locals to rock festival
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
October 11, 2002

".....Well-known locals to rock festival.....lineup features.....Irish singer/songwriter Paddy Gibney....."

Paddy Gibney gets new digs
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
August 23, 2002

The Irish Kid and his sidekick taking over Shagger’s Saloon? The place should be plenty big enough for the both of them.

Starting tonight singer and songwriter Paddy Gibney and partner Bill Ayerbe will transplant their regular Friday night gig from Babe’s Lounge at the Radisson Prince Charles Hotel downtown to Wheeler’s Nightlife on Raeford Road.

“We’re working on getting Guinness on tap right now,’’ said Wheeler’s owner Chester Wheeler.

Babe’s owners will soon turn the bar into a bistro. Gibney and Ayerbe played their final show at Babe’s last Friday, a memorable evening that saw about 500 people come through the doors of the small bar. “It was fantastic,’’ Gibney said. “We had people from the early days come by, when we first started playing there. It was really special.’’

Gibney began playing at Babe’s, by himself and later with violinist Ayerbe, in 1996. The pair gained a loyal following with their rollicking, raunchy shows of traditional Irish tunes and cover songs. “When I started people would come out of pity,’’ Gibney said. “That was the place I played my first regular shows and first developed an audience.’’

He said he will miss the gig and the Irish pub-like ambiance of Babe’s, but the time had come for a change. “I’ll miss the staff and I’ll miss the people,’’ he said. “It had a great atmosphere in that little room.’’

Wheeler’s, which includes a 4,400-square-foot night club and a smaller sports bar, is home to the Fayetteville Area Shag Association. Gibney said the club should be a good fit for him. “We’re going to import the whole crowd over there,’’ he said. “We’re going to take that large room and turn it into a small room. At least people will be a little more comfortable.’’

Hotel bar will become bistro
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
August 9, 2002

Next month downtown will lose a longtime live music venue and gain a new restaurant.

The owners of Babe’s Lounge, in the Radisson Prince Charles Hotel on Hay Street, plan to change the bar into a bistro with outdoor tables.

“We’re looking at a new concept,’’ said Radisson president Mike Geissler. “We will try to attract a downtown and business crowd and the hotel crowd, not one or the other. We will try to make it inviting from the outside, with outdoor tables and entrance.’’

Since the Radisson reopened in 1989, Babe’s hosted regular gigs by local musicians, such as jazz player Malachi Sharpe and Irish singer and songwriter Paddy Gibney and his partner Bill Ayerbe. Gibney and Ayerbe gained a loyal following over the past six years for their raucous Friday night gigs. The final show will be Aug. 16.

“I have many great memories there,’’ Gibney said. “I’ll miss the staff, and I’ll miss the people. That little room had a great atmosphere.’’

Geissler said the plans have been in the works for some time and will be completed in the next couple of weeks. The new restaurant should be open by September or October, he said. Some decisions have yet to be made, including whether they will change the name.

The restaurant will serve coffee and pastries in the morning and offer a light menu for lunch and dinner, such as pasta and salads.

“The kind of place you could get a drink or an appetizer after work,’’ Geissler said.

The bistro may offer light live music in the evenings, but won’t book bands anymore.

Despite Gibney and Ayerbe’s success (they usually packed the small space), owners felt it was time for a change.

“We want something that will draw people seven days a week instead of one day a week,’’ Geissler said. “Paddy was very successful and helped it stay around as long as it did. I see this as a move in the right direction.’’

Reactions vary

Reaction has varied from enthusiasm for a new restaurant to mourning the passing of a successful music venue. “It’s sort of sad,’’ said Dr. Menno Pennink, one of the hotel’s majority shareholders and a musician himself. “Paddy has been there a really long time and has been really good. But there were several reasons for us to make some changes.’’ He cited noise complaints from hotel guests among those reasons.

John Jenkins, owner of McDuff’s Emporium on Gillespie Street and president of the Downtown Alliance, hadn’t heard of the plan, but said it sounded good to him. “I always tell people, nothing is permanent but change,’’ he said. “In my personal opinion it’s a great idea. But I don’t know that you have to lose the live music to have the other.’’ He loves the idea of outdoor tables and a cafe-type atmosphere. “I happen to like that. It’s European and it’s a trend you see in a lot of revitalized cities. I never thought it would happen in Fayetteville, but people here are willing to sit outside. I walk down Hay Street and see it every night.’’

Other restaurants

Jenkins is of the opinion that a city can’t have too many restaurant options. He plans to add a tea room to his business. And owners of the building at 310 Hay St. plan to open another bistro by next spring. “As far as having another place to eat, I think that’s wonderful,’’ Jenkins said.

Local promoter and musician Thomas “Tip’’ Iuliucci has played and booked acts at Babe’s for years. He’s sorry to see it go. “It’s a huge blow to downtown,’’ he said. “Things were actually starting to happen, and I was happy to be a part of it. Paddy Gibney being gone will definitely hurt traffic. People would come downtown and then wander to other places. Now they will probably wander somewhere else.’’

Candidate has drive, character, compassion
Letters to the Observer
August 6, 2002

I have had the pleasure of living in this town for the best part of 15 years. While attending Methodist College, I played on the soccer team with a young man named Michael Stone. We called him “The Rock” due to his prowess as a goalkeeper. As kids we often talked about the future and our desire to contribute to the community. At 32, Michael is one of the most respected professionals in this town. He came to me recently when an opportunity came about for him to run for political office. I encouraged him to follow his heart. He will, therefore, be running as a candidate for the state House District 44. This is not only a great opportunity for Michael, it’s also a great opportunity for Fayetteville. Mike is no longer a soccer goalkeeper, but we still call him “The Rock.” He has the character, intelligence, drive and compassion to make this town a better place. I’m investing in a young man who understands how to improve our community, and I’m hoping Fayetteville will give Michael Stone the opportunity to show everyone why his friends call him “The Rock.”

I encourage people to get out and vote on Sept. 10 and again in November. It’s not just one’s duty, but it’s a privilege, just as it is to live in this great country.

Paddy Gibney, Fayetteville

Park to become playground for Sun Festival
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
June 21, 2002

"Music, a mythical menagerie and medieval magic.....featuring local rock, reggae and acoustic acts, belly dancers, performance artists, visual artists, costumed creatures and medieval sword fighters. .... Paddy Gibney and his partner Bill Ayerbe.....The free event is intended to expose people to the arts....."

Musicians to honor one of their own
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
May 31, 2002

".....Frank Hardwick’s name appeared on the bill of just about every benefit concert .....Hardwick died in January at age 51.....musicians will include.....Paddy Gibney.....Proceeds from the concert will go to the Cumberland County School Band fund. ...."

Tragedy won’t derail Night Train
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
March 8, 2002

".....Next weekend is St. Patrick’s Day.....one month since Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe recorded their gig.....CD will be available next weekend....."

Live CD to be recorded at Coaches
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
February 15, 2002

Have you always wanted to be one of the guys screaming “woooooh’’ on a live CD?

Show up at Coaches Sports Grill on Bragg Boulevard tomorrow night and maybe you can. Plus you’ll enjoy a rollicking live show and help out a good cause.

Fayetteville music fixtures Paddy Gibney, an Irish singer and songwriter, and Bill Ayerbe, a classically-trained violinist, will record their act for a CD to be released in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

“People who come to the shows have been pressing us to make another live CD,’’ Gibney said. “This seemed like a good way to do it. It’s always fun.’’

This will be the second live recording for Gibney and Ayerbe, who have weekly shows of Irish party music, originals and cover tunes at the Radisson Prince Charles hotel on Fridays, Coaches on Thursdays and Huske Hardware House on Tuesdays. That’s in addition to their on-again, off-again rock band.

“It’s been difficult to get the right people together for the band,’’ Gibney said. “But I think we’ve taken the duo about as far as it can go.’’

There will be a $3 cover charge at the Coaches show. The musicians plan to donate most of the proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Several of their friends and fans are taking part in a fund-raising triathlon for the charity this summer.

The Coaches gig will feature original songs, old Irish favorites and some of the duo’s cover versions.

They will record the show, mix 16 or 17 of the best songs in the studio the next day and ship it off to New York in order to have it ready by their next performance at Coaches, a St. Paddy’s party on March 16.

“We’ll use whichever songs sound the best,’’ Gibney said. “The smart thing to do is have an idea what’s going on the CD and keep those songs together. And not drink too much.’’

Ghouls, ghosts, goblins and...gore galore By Jim Washington, Staff writer
October 26, 2001

".....Voodoo Moon.....the Holiday Inn Bordeaux will have three aspects -- a masquerade ball in the hotel’s grand ballroom, a more relaxed and intimate setting in the Wellington Room and a costume party in Bowties. .....rock and dance music from Paddy Gibney, Bill Ayerbe..... classical and acoustic performances by Bill Ayerbe.....live music from Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe....."

Hispanic violinist combines two styles By Elena Bell, Staff writer
October 14, 2001

It’s the way he plays the violin for the songs “Bittersweet Symphony” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” that makes the crowd come back for more week after week.

They come to the bars at the Radisson Prince Charles Hotel, Huske Hardware House or Coaches Sports Grill to hear the soaring strings from the man who balances his pop music life with his classical symphony upbringing.

Guillermo Ayerbe, otherwiseknown as Bill, is popular in the Fayetteville live music scene along with his partner Paddy Gibney. Ayerbe is also the concertmaster for the Fayetteville Symphony.

Next Sunday, the New Jersey native will play a violin solo during a Fayetteville Symphony concert at Methodist College. International French guest conductor Dominique Fanal will direct the symphony.

“I’ve always loved the piece I’ll be doing,” Ayerbe said. “It has a Spanish flair to it and is technically, extremely difficult. It’s not the hardest out there, but one of the hardest.”

Ayerbe said when the conductor asked him to play it at the end of last season, he thought he was joking.

“He said he was serious. He said he thought I could do it,” Ayerbe said.

So for the past several months, in between his nightly gigs and his daily teaching lessons, Ayerbe has practiced the piece. And practicing the violin is something he’s done since he was 2 years old.

Ayerbe grew up in Jersey City, right across from lower Manhattan, with his Ecuadorian-born father and Puerto Rican-born mother. His family traveled to Europe many times and that is where, Ayerbe said, his father bought many of the violins the family would learn to play.

“My dad picked up a couple of violins from Germany and he’d already bought full size violins in New York,” Ayerbe said. “So he was planning ahead for us.”

Ayerbe started to learn to play the violin from his father when he was 2 ½ years old. His oldest sister, Martha, learned to play the piano and middle sister, Anita, played the violin as well.

“We were the Ayerbe Trio, and we won a lot of competitions in the New York area,” he said. “We never remember a time when we were not playing.”

Ayerbe went to his first professional violin teacher when he was 6 years old.

“I studied at the Ukranian Music Institute of America in New York,” he said. “The main goal was to get into Julliard or the Manhattan School of Music. That’s what I was prepping for.”

He stayed with the program for ten years. During his senior year of high school, Ayerbe auditioned for the New Jersey Youth Symphony.

“It was my first orchestra,” he said. “ I didn’t know anything about orchestral playing and after the conductor heard me play, he asked me to come back the next week to audition for a concertmaster, and I didn’t even know what a concertmaster was.”

Ayerbe found out later that it meant being first chair.

The orchestra traveled to Europe and played in London and in Belgium, where the King of Belgium was in the audience.

After high school Ayerbe opted not to go to Julliard.

“Looking back now I think I made a mistake not going because if I did I probably would be a concert soloist,” he said. “But everything happens for a reason.” Instead he went to New York University and Creighton University in Nebraska to study prelaw.

“I had that New York yuppie dream thing about being a lawyer.”

During this time, he continued to play violin with the NYU String Ensemble.

“We performed in great venues,” he said. “At every major concert hall -- Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Alice Tully Hall, all the ones in Lincoln Center.”

After graduating from college, Ayerbe worked for two years at an accounting firm in the World Trade Center. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, he started thinking about what he wanted to do with his life.

“I took two months off and traveled all over,” he said. “When I got back, I joined the Army. And that’s what brought me here.”

Ayerbe said during his time in the Army, he didn’t know that Fayetteville had a symphony. After he got out of the Army, he was introduced to it by some friends.

He met Gibney in 1998, at a local bar. Some friends convinced the two to play together.

“I had just finished a symphony rehearsal, and Paddy was playing the Great Guinness Toast,” he said. “We hooked up the microphone and we started playing ‘Hotel California’ and it has been a wild ride ever since.”

Ayerbe says his biggest challenge is trying to balance the pop versus the classical.

“Hopefully I can always do both,” he said. “My biggest dream is to play pop music at Madison Square Garden one night. And the next night play a violin solo at Carnegie Hall.”

All the world, all American By Jim Washington, Staff writer
September 28, 2001

"Representatives of 28 nations gathered in a room three days after the terrorist attacks.....even prouder right then to be an American.....Irish singer and songwriter Paddy Gibney and partner Bill Ayerbe....."

Folk duo is back with an edge
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
September 14, 2001

".....Bowties series.....Sept. 22 Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe will throw a “Halfway to Saint Patty’s Day’’ party....."

Paddy Gibney and Crew Celebrate New Album
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
August 17, 2001

After nearly four years of work over dozens of studio sessions with nearly 20 different musicians and producers, it’s finally done.

Paddy Gibney’s “Live-Love- Now,’’ the singer and songwriter’s first CD of original songs, has just been released on his own independent label.

“It’s a relief,’’ Gibney said during a recent rehearsal. “I finally have a record of my own original work.’’

Gibney and his current band will celebrate the CD’s release Saturday night with a show at Coaches Sports Grill on Bragg Boulevard. “Live-Love-Now’’ is available at Paradise Records on McPherson Church Road and CD Warehouse in Westwood Shopping Center.

Until now Gibney, who moved from Dublin, Ireland, to Fayetteville in 1987, has been known for his raucous, raunchy Friday night singalong shows at the Radisson Prince Charles Hotel downtown. At those shows, along with violinist and partner Bill Ayerbe, Gibney plays traditional Irish tunes, covers and a few originals if he’s in the mood.

The duo has been remarkably successful, packing the hotel bar and expanding the act to pubs in Wilmington and Durham. Gibney and Ayerbe have released two live CDs, “Shamrock n’ Roll’’ and “Live At the Shanakee,’’ and the single “Diana,’’ Gibney’s heartfelt tribute to Princess Diana.

All along Gibney has been painstakingly piecing together “Live-Love-Now.’’

“It was put together kind of like a jigsaw puzzle,’’ he said. “It took us so long to get the songs right.’’

Gibney and his fellow musicians, including Ayerbe, keyboard player Kerstin Hanson and guitar players Stanley Draughon, Greg Miller and Robert Grummer, had to work around each other’s work, family and gig schedules to get into the studio.

“It’s been a slow, hard process,“ Ayerbe said. “It feels like a huge weight has been lifted. Now we’ll see where it goes. After all the time and effort we’ve put into it, I can’t see us giving up.’’

They recorded at Sound on Sound Studios in Laurinburg. Greg Archilla, a local man who has worked with Matchbox Twenty, Edwin McCain and Neil Young, mixed the CD.

The result is a collection of powerful, emotional songs light years away from “Drunken Sailor’’ and “Friendly Little Cat.’’

“It’s going to confuse people,’’ Gibney said. “This music’s got heart. I almost feel naked putting it out there...Some people are going to laugh, others aren’t going to care, but some people are going to take it home and listen and understand where you’re coming from.’’

Gibney describes the songs on “Live-Love-Now’’ as rock, rock ballads and a little bit of pop. They are about love, faith, beauty, grief, sex and home.

“It’s a different part of who I am,’’ he said. “There are a lot of metaphors on there, about love and faith. I’m not particularly religious, but I have my faith.’’

The song “She Is Love,’’ for instance, is not about a girl, but God. “She fights for what’s right/she fights for what’s left/She fights for my dreams/In spite of myself,’’ Gibney sings on the track.

Now Gibney and Ayerbe are trying to form a more permanent band and find an acceptable recording deal. The current band includes Gibney, Ayerbe, Hanson, Draughon, guitarist Ricky Sparks and drummer Josh Rice. It’s a temporary lineup, since most of the musicians have other bands or projects.

“We’re trying to find the right cast of characters,’’ Gibney said. “I want everybody to feel the way that I feel and the way that Bill feels. I want to be a member of a band.’’

Gibney is pursuing a record deal in hopes the CD can be marketed and distributed on a larger scale and reach more people.

“I’d love to let somebody else worry about all that,’’ he said. “Success is how you gauge it. Being on an international stage is certainly success, but to me, as long as I’m getting better and people that I don’t know come up to me and tell me ‘that was a great song, I know just what you were feeling when you wrote that,’ I’ll be happy.’’

A little spice from Lazy Susan
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
July 20, 2001

......acoustic duo made up of Shannon Campbell and Kerstin Hanson, and local singer Paddy Gibney....."

Free time
June 23, 2001

"Live Music.....Friday nights at Babe’s in the Radisson Prince Charles hotel downtown, Paddy Gibney plays Irish tunes....."

Band reunites to celebrate summer
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
June 22, 2001

"..... local favorites the Paddy Gibney Band.....8:15 p.m. Paddy Gibney Band (rock) ....."

Music event is the cat’s meow
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
April 20, 2001

".....Irish singer Paddy Gibney and a full band, violinist Bill Ayerbe....."

‘Playwrights Exposed!’ even to a birthday girl
By Melissa Clement, Staff writer
February 25, 2001

".....Art erotica show.....muses were all out on Valentine’s Day.....performances featuring Jeremy Strothers, Paddy Gibney ....."

Hannibal would have loved this buffet
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
February 16, 2001

".....buffet’s name is Melinda .....strikingly attractive even in hors d’oeuvres.....Jeremy Strothers, Paddy Gibney, Folk You Harder and Alibi performed love and other songs....."

Alibi needs no excuse to jam
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
February 16, 2001

".....sign up for the Alibi fan club.....Irish songwriter Paddy Gibney....."

A night of erotica at Bowties
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
February 9, 2001

".....Love will bring them together.....Luna, a multi-multi-media event.....lineup includes Irish songwriter Paddy Gibney, violinist Bill Ayerbe....."

Musical Duo Makes Mark Here and Abroad
By Elena Bell, Staff writer
Friday, January 26, 200

"......belting out everyone’s favorite songs, especially the cat song......usually pack all the bars they play in.....have that gift of connecting with their audience....."

Voodoo Moon arts fest draws a wide variety
By Melissa Clement, Staff writer
October 8, 2000

".....Sun and Moon production.....Paddy Gibney wooed the crowd with his own brand of Irish drinking songs....."

Discover the world
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
September 22, 2000

".....Fayetteville British Club, representing the nations of Great Britain, will host the festival.....ranging from bagpipe and drum corps and Irish rock and roll from Paddy Gibney....."

Art and culture bloom
By Missy Stoddard, Staff writer
July 29, 2000

".....Fayetteville’s most successful community events -- Fourth Friday.....Paddy Gibney and Bill Ayerbe played a duet on Hay Street....."

A story behind every songwriter
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
June 9, 2000

".....Cape Fear Songwriter’s Guild.....Paddy Gibney’s band....."

Square festival a well-rounded arts event
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
May 5, 2000

".....Sunday on the Square is back.....Irish tunes of popular duo Paddy Gibney and violinist Bill Ayerbe....."

Party till you’re green in the face
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
March 17, 2000

".....list of things that evoke St. Patrick’s Day.....Irish music in this town pretty much begins and ends with our own Paddy Gibney. Ireland’s native son will perform at two venues ..... start the night off at Bowties.....over to Babe’s.....finish out the wild Irish night.....ditties you probably wouldn’t want your mum to hear....."

Irish eyes may turn to the Web
By Mikael Edmonds, Staff writer
March 13, 2000

".....Kiss me, I’m Irish!.....Friday is Saint Patrick’s Day.....Paddy plays.....Paddy Gibney, an Irish singer who’s playing the Radisson Prince Charles....."

Radisson ready for Latin dance on Saturdays
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
March 3, 2000
"Crowds already pack Babe’s.....to hear Paddy Gibney....."

A moment of reflection for all
By Larry Cheek, Staff writer
January 2, 2000

".....midnight millenium moment.....gathered in the plaza of the Prince Charles.....party to hear Paddy Gibney.....moon moment called for reflection.....more of Paddy Gibney..... his brief moon moment....."

They should be playing the happys
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
December 10, 1999

.....In other local music news, singer/songwriter Paddy Gibney has documented his insanely popular Friday night gigs with violin player Bill Ayerbe at the Radisson Hotel downtown on a live CD.

“It gets crazy down there, you can’t get a seat,’’ Gibney said. “We wanted to capture that feeling.’’

Gibney, a Irishman, and Ayerbe play everything from raunchy pub singalongs to traditional Irish ballads to “Free Bird.’’ The 17-song CD, called “Shamrock and Roll,’’ was recorded Nov. 12. Engineers set up microphones all over Babe’s, the hotel’s tiny bar, to encompass the whole crowd sound.

“It was insane,’’ Gibney said.

Gibney hopes to have the CD ready for sale (for $10) on Dec. 17 at his final Radisson gig before his big New Year’s Eve concert there.

Gibney fans have long awaited the first CD with his full band, including Ayerbe. That project, tentatively titled “Live Love Now,’’ is in the final stages and should be out early next year.

Friends rock ’n’ roll to help crash victim
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
August 13, 1999

".....night before Mother’s Day, Bill and Mae Ayerbe and their three children.....ran off the road and flipped several times.....concert seemed like a natural way for friends to show support..... raucous Friday night gigs at the Radisson Hotel with Irish singer/songwriter Paddy Gibney....."

Artists to frolic in the glow of Midsummer Sun
By Phillip Gilfus, Staff writer
July 23, 1999

".....world of “myth and magic” is coming to Fayetteville.....a place for creative-minded people to meet other creative-minded people.....Providing musical entertainment will be Patrick “Paddy” Gibney..... Gibney will perform with violinist Bill Ayerbe....."

Meet The Music
Fayetteville Weekly, July 7th-20th 1999

"..... play a mix of hard driving Pop and Rock music with a Celtic flavour.....Paddy is very careful in preserving his integrity on stage....."

A dream in his head, a song in his heart
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
March 12, 1999

Paddy Gibney will be singing about Finnegan’s wake and brown-eyed girls in an Irish bar this St. Patrick’s Day, but he’ll be dreaming of something else.

“Being on stage with my own band singing my own songs, that’s the goal,’’ he said.

Wednesday night Gibney will climb the stage at Shanakee Irish pub in Wilmington. He will play traditional Celtic tunes like “Cockles and Mussels’’ and “Wild Rover’’ As many as two hundred raucous revelers will pack the bar and sing along with every dirty word.

Dreams of singing his songs are what keep Gibney going when he plays places where people aren’t so friendly, places where customers are more interested in dollar Buds than the bog in the valley.

Gibney, who is 30, came to Fayetteville from Dublin, Ireland in 1987. He was a world-class soccer player who planned to play professionally until a local coach handed him something that he liked better — an acoustic guitar.

Musical seeds

Gibney is about six feet tall with thick muscles, a square jaw and blonde hair parted in the middle. He sports a gold earring and thick brogue, although not as thick as it used to be.

“I go back home and they tell me I’m turning into an American,’’ he said.

He’s sitting in a room overlooking a lake and a swimming pool. It’s in the house where he used to live with local urologist Dr. Bill Jordan and his wife when Gibney first came to the United States on a soccer scholarship.

There’s a storm raging and the power flickers on and off. Amplifiers and microphone stands are stacked in a corner.

“This is where I write and rehearse and develop new tunes,’’ he said.

Gibney grew up in a working-class Dublin neighborhood. His father was a flour miller. Gibney remembers his coming home dusted white.

The houses in his block were so close he couldn’t even think about following an early dream of being a drummer. A drum set would have kept the entire neighborhood awake.

Besides, between soccer and hurling, a combination of field hockey and lacrosse, he was too into sports to worry about music.

“I had too many athletic obligations,’’ he said. “I didn’t have time to be a musician.’’

Still, he was surrounded by music. He remembers his neighbors passing the guitar at pubs.

In his early teens, Gibney and his friends would compare favorite bands. He had never bothered to listen to any, so he claimed U2. He listened to the Irish group and was amazed by its political and spiritual power. U2 became a lifelong influence. The license plate on his green Jeep Cherokee spells out “U2 IRISH.’’

“I saw something in them more than just music,’’ he said. “It was a very spiritual feeling. It was more than tapping your foot and looking cool.’’

After high school Gibney played soccer at the club level with an eye towards going pro. The University of North Carolina offered him a four-year scholarship. He would have to do an additional year of high school in America.

“That actually helped. I figured I’d have a year to make up my mind,’’ he said. “If I didn’t like it I could always come back and play professional soccer.’’

He arrived in Fayetteville in August of 1987 with two other Dublin boys. He didn’t get along with his first host family, but he found a home with the Jordans.

“They’ve been like parents to me,’’ he said.

He attended Fayetteville Academy for a year. While playing on the school’s national championship soccer team he met Methodist College soccer coach Allen Dawson, a fellow Irishman. They had an immediate bond, and Dawson convinced Gibney to help him build up the Methodist program. Gibney agreed, and decided to switch his college plans.

“I’ve no regrets,’’ he said. “I know people said we were crazy to do it.’’

Several international players joined the team that year, including Gibney’s friends from Ireland. The team was nationally ranked every year he played.

Picking it up

During college, Gibney once picked up an acoustic guitar from a friend and started fooling around with it. Dawson saw Gibney playing and offered to loan him an old guitar he had.

“It felt natural,’’ Gibney said.

He taught himself to play from books, becoming “a dorm-room guitar player,’’ entertaining friends at parties.

Following graduate school at UNC he tried to launch his own transportation business, which failed.

“My heart wasn’t in it,’’ Gibney said. “Until I discovered music I lacked a purpose. Looking back I think music was always in my heart but I ignored it.’’

He got several gigs at Squire’s Pub singing the songs he had learned back in Ireland. People responded. A bartender friend got him a regular gig at Babe’s in the Radisson Hotel downtown, where he still plays most Friday nights.

“Any experience you can get playing in front of people is great,’’ he said. “It tells you whether you’ve got it or not.’’

He met Bill Ayerbe, a classically-trained violin player, a year ago while playing at Coaches sports bar on Bragg Boulevard.

“We clicked immediately, personality-wise,’’ Ayerbe said.

They started recording together within a few days. Ayerbe grew up in New Jersey and spent 10 years studying music in New York, but he shares Gibney’s passion for alternative music.

“I lean toward the heavier end and he leans toward the melodic end,’’ Ayerbe said. “I think about the marketability of the music and he’s the artist who wants to touch people. We balance each other out.’’

Under development

Gibney is now writing and recording songs for his CD. He has released a live recording of a show at the Shanakee last year and the CD single “Diana,’’ a tribute to Princess Diana.

He records with Ayerbe and a group of regional musicians at Sound on Sound studio in Laurinburg. The band plays a mix of hard-driving pop and rock music with a Celtic flavor, fronted by Gibney’s strong voice and Ayerbe’s distinctive violin sound.

“I fill in a lot of what an electric guitar would do,’’ Ayerbe said.

Gibney’s songs explore his feelings about leaving home (“Where Rivers Run Green’’), love, and relationships. “New Day’’ tells the story of an all-night conversation with a woman friends warned him away from. “Make Love In Love’’ expresses his desire for a meaningful physical relationship.

“Writing a song is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle,’’ he said. “It’s like the pieces are already there and I’m just putting them in the right place.’’

On stage Gibney can play the genial Irish host or berate the crowd, depending on what reaction he gets.

“He’s moody,’’ Ayerbe said. “Fayetteville crowds are not the greatest, and he takes it personally. But he makes it work for him. He starts giving the crowd a hard time until they pay attention.’’

After the CD comes out this summer Gibney isn’t sure what’s going to happen. He wants to tour with Ayerbe and a band, but everyone but him has a wife, family and full-time job. Right now he’s concentrating on writing.

“If I can do the very best album I possibly can as an artist I’ll be satisfied,’’ he said.

But he wants more than that. He l knows he can write better songs and the band can play better music than what he hears on the radio.

“I really believe that,’’ he said. “I’m naive, but I know I’m naive. The music I hear on the radio doesn’t move me. The essence of music to me is to affect people’s lives. And if you’re going to affect someone’s life, why not do it in a positive way?’’

In the meantime he’s going to enjoy gigs like St. Paddy’s Day. He may even throw in one of his own tunes between “Drunken Sailor’’ and “Come Out You Black ’n Tans.’’

“It’s wild down there,’’ he said. “I’m still developing a repertoire and a crowd, but I’m letting them into my musical world. I’m developing an audience and myself.’’

For details about Gibney’s performance at Shanakee Irish pub in Wilmington, call (910) 343-9590.

Honduras Hope concert a rockin’ success
By Jim Washington, Staff writer
March 5, 1999

".....Honduras Hope Festival at Misfits Pub Saturday was a breakout success.....Irish singer Paddy Gibney took the stage with his new band.....hard-driving set of Celtic-flavored original tunes and covers..... proves that someone cares....."

Conjure up a muse under the 'New Moon'
By Michael Futch, Staff writer
February 12, 1999

".....assembly of artists.....shed a little cultural light on the world.....variety of artists.....selections from singer/songwriter Patrick ‘‘Paddy’’ Gibney and violinist Bill Ayerbe.....different sound of popular rock....."

GARAGE SALE BENEFITS ACADEMY TECHNOLOGY
By Tameka Kenan, Staff writer
October 17, 1998

".....Fayetteville Academy's fifth annual garage sale.....Paddy Gibney CD, a tribute to Diana....."

Irish bard recalls Diana in ballad
By Larry Cheek, Staff Columnist
August 30, 1998

"Help me understand, why it had to be, she could walk on water, or so it seemed to me.''

Patrick Gibney wrote those lyrics in Dublin, Ireland, the day after Princess Diana died. That was one year ago.

"She must have come from God,'' he continued, before getting on a plane to come home to Fayetteville. "She's back with him forever. Budded here on earth to bloom in heaven.''

He wrote the rest of the lyrics to his song, "Diana,'' on the plane, found some musicians, got into a recording studio in Laurinburg earlier this year and now he has a song. His song. Diana's song.

Patrick (Paddy) Gibney was born in Dublin. On the night of the accident he'd been to a concert by the Irish band U2.

After the concert, he went to a party which included the band, and got home at 4 a.m.

"My mother was up watching TV,'' he said. "She was crying. I asked her what happened. She said Princess Diana had been in a terrible accident in Paris, that she had a broken arm and broken leg. I went to bed. When I got up the next morning, Diana was dead. I was in total shock.''

SOCCER SCHOLARSHIP

Patrick came to Fayetteville on a soccer scholarship in 1987 with two other Irish lads, Jim Maher and Justin Carey. He was 18 then.

Now, he likes to say he was born and raised in Ireland, but grew up in Fayetteville.

That's how much this town has meant to him, and now he's trying to make his living playing the guitar and singing. I listened to his recording of "Diana.'' I thought it was pretty good.

"It's a reaction to everybody else's reaction to her death,'' he said. "I'm one of those people who became a lot more aware of her through her death.''

I was at first confused by the feeling of this Irishman, and his mother, toward Diana, who was, after all, a British royal, and the Brits and the Irish have never been exactly close, unless locked in combat.

But I had forgotten the obvious. To the Irish, Diana was an anti-royal.

"Prince Charles came across as so pompous,'' he said, "and it's well known that the queen didn't like Diana. Diana stood up to the royals.

"She was a mother, too, who fought to make sure her children had as normal a life as possible.''

A friend of Patrick's lost a child some 10 years ago.

One day Patrick was standing at the child's grave and there, on the tombstone, he saw these words:

"Budded here on earth to bloom in heaven.''

"The words stuck,'' he said. "They're from the Bible. I don't believe Diana bloomed on earth.''

REMEMBERING GOD

There is a strong religious influence in his song.

Patrick says he is not an avid church-goer, "but my mother told me when I left home not ever to forget God,'' he said. "She said I could always drop by the church, have a little chat with God.

"I'm uncomfortable being called a religious person because I'm not a very good example. But God has blessed me and my family. I believe in him.''

Patrick plays every Saturday night in Wilmington at an Irish bar where his sister is bartending her way through nursing school.

He frequently performs on Fridays at the Radisson Prince Charles in Fayetteville, with the occasional accompaniment of Bill Ayerbe on the violin. Ayerbe is also on the record.

Patrick, who went to Methodist College, has talked with the Princess Diana Trust and says he will send it part of the proceeds from his record if the trust agrees.

"This song will be part of an album,'' he says. "It will also be a single, available within two weeks at Paradise Records.''

DETERMINED DOCTOR
By Robert Lamme, Staff writer
November 30, 1997

".....Patrick Gibney was an Irish exchange student at The Fayetteville Academy.....Gibney and his fellow Irish soccer players....."

Newspapers/Magazines Fayetteville Observer Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA November 1997 - Present

Newspapers/Magazines
Fayetteville Observer
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA

November 1997 - Present