Sometimes little moments of serendipity happen. It was a sunday night a few months back, when Tom Robinson introduced a startling little tune through the radio box – it was something simultaneously tender and dark as hell and with the maturity of some chain smoking, heroin shooting Elliott Smith.

It was Aaron Shanley, from little old Lisburn – which is vast becoming the music mecca of Northern Ireland (I’m serious!). Just then, an email dropped into my inbox – “its Aaron here, I’d love to shoot a session with you some time”. Feeling’s mutual.

And a few weeks later more serendipity. Waiting at Botanic station to catch a train back to Lisburn – we’ve just filmed a session in a dark leaf-strewn alleyway – we decide to chance one more, fully expecting to be moved on by the helpful employees of Transtink corporation. Aaron starts playing. On cue, the train arrives, he keeps playing – he doesn’t break stride – one of life’s mutual little moments.

Aaron Shanley – Ripley Court Blues

Download for iPod (55.3 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, November 2009

NEXT WEEK: SKRUFF

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