James Yorkston feat. Kalyna Rakel ‘The Shearin’s Not for You’

Ten years ago I got a phone call from the great Adrian Crowley asking if I had a car, which I did, and would I mind driving a him and a few friends around Ireland for 4 days/nights of gigs? I was like, grand yea no bothers but can I bring my camera and film them?

I didn’t own a camera at the time but I had my mates DV tape camera. It had been in my possession for almost a year, I wasn’t prepared to give it back… yet. I just wanted to make another Youtube video… just one more, it’ll be better then the last one, promise I’ll give it back after ok? Don’t think he ever saw it again.

Jan 2010. I drove Adrian Crowley, Alasdair Roberts and James Yorkston, three absolute folk legends, around Ireland with one hand and filmed them with the other. Treacherous work but they were comfortable with their lives in my hands. The resulting film was this…

I love thinkin of how many other tour films this one started. I was on welfare at the time, and thought, right yea this is great, and ALL I want to do, forever. Government subsidised and all.

Exactly ten years later I was invited by James Yorkston to tour with him again. Four dates around Ireland in January. I was like, absolutely, amazin, who’s comin with us? There was nobody else planned so I suggested we bring a ray of sunshine I filmed in Clonakilty International Guitar fest called Kalyna Rakel. James liked her very rootsy vibes, so we recruited her to open for his shows.

“Who’s driving us James?”
“Oh, right, you don’t still drive Myles?”
“Shit no sorry”
“Ehhh… can Kalyna drive?”

…and so, Kalyna didn’t balk at the idea of having to provide us with a steady supply of her infectious positivity but also warm up James’ audiences AND drive us absolutely everywhere. Some woman in fairness.

So we hit the road in January, and had ourselves a time. A slightly exhausting time but a beautiful time. We tried our best to deviate from the usual arteries and experience some sights. There were vegan dinners, coffee searches, short sound checks, super attentive shows and the friendliest stay backs. I was again reassured that yep, this is all I want to do forever.
I filmed the entire journey for a doc I’ll be making for James but I bring to you this beauty! ‘The Shearin’s Not For You’. James would invite Kalyna up every night to sing with him and well, didn’t this song just melt everyone. A totally lovely folk duet. I love watching a song grow out of nowhere. Watching this be conceived and grow on the tour was one of the most exciting things, like a gardener watching his plant grow in timelapse! Racing in to existence. The lads were kind enough to plug out their DI’s and play the song for me acoustically before the last show in Workmans Club, Dublin. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, though I’m fairly bias having given birth to this child myself. Glowingly proud dad here.

Thank you again for making this video possible, so so very grateful for your patronage. See you here this time next month!!!

Sonas Ort

Myles

Kalyna Rakel on Instagram https://instagram.com/kalynarakel?igshid=ewql9jbby9ud