Irish Songwriter, Onya

Most of my music blogs have focused on traditional Celtic music in Austin . But long before I started playing Irish music, I played alternative rock. I loved the scene, sought out new bands, and I was on top of all the great music that was happening in Austin. I kinda felt that way today too.

This weekend, I was in Dallas at the North Texas Irish Festival. They had a killer lineup with a three of the amazing Celtic bands in Austin ( The Tea Merchants , Sarah Dinan , and Poor Man's Fortune ). It was awesome! But one of the groups I found there was not Celtic except by blood. It was an pure brilliant group called Onya .

Onya is a beautiful singer/songwriter from County Donegal in Ireland. She is currently on tour in the U.S. and when I found out she was coming down to Austin before flying up to Boston for her own St. Patrick's Day experience, I knew I had to make it over to Mother Egan's Irish Pub to watch her play.

Fortunately, I made it back from NTIF in time. I pulled to the show just after it got started. Onya was absolutely amazing! Her vocals are incredible. Her songwriting, fun with a groove that made the Austinites at the pub look up and bob their heads. The only complaint. It was way too short.

Sadly, they were a last minute addition to the pub. The owners heard she was coming to town and jumped on the opportunity to book her. And I am so glad they did!

To top off the evening, it was also Onya's 25th birthday. So when their show ended, I joined the Austin tradition of showing the Irish the Live Music Capitol of the World... starting with Antone's .

We went over there and grabbed some drinks while we listened to the Blue Monday Band. Then, on a dare, Onya climbed up on stage and drew screams of excitement from the audience as she sang Janis Joplin's song "Piece of My Heart."

I have never heard the song done so well outside of Joplin. Even the band members finished the show, pumped up from her performance. It was bloody brilliant!

While we were at Antone's, we ran into a songwriter I met last week at an Austin Music Foundation meeting. Her name is Idgy Vaughn . She's another fantastic songwriter who's making a big name ofr herself around Texas, including opening for a number of great artists at Poor David's Pub in Dallas.

Knowing that Onya is looking to come back here soon, I introduced the two. They hit it off and the growing lot of us then wandered over to Fado's Irish Pub to drink some more. The group grew even more. Onya is like a magnet to people. Everyone wants to be a part of the Onya "experience". It truly is mind-boggling.

We sat and drank for a while celebrating Onya's birthday once more. I'd planned to take them home. But when they saw the bars were still open, we finished the night off with some shots and chatting with another Irishman we met in the bar.

When we parted, Onya looked like she had a magnificent time and said as much as they wandered on to the Driscoll to crash for a few hours before they fly out.

All in all, amazing. I can't wait until Onya returns to Austin this time next year. If it is even remotely like her live show at Mother Egan's, it will be a show long remembered in song.

Find out more about Onya at http://www.onyaonline.com/ .