February 2010
The first time Sean Johnston ever spoke on the radio was when he settled in behind a microphone at the James Street studios of 105.9 FM to launch Syracuse’s only Celtic rock radio show, “The Irish Power Hour.”
It was the program’s inaugural broadcast, on March 15, 2009, and Johnston – a broadcasting babe in the woods -- cleared his throat and took a leap. No dry runs. No rehearsals. And no parachute.
Just a dream, a fistful of CDs and plenty of cheek.
“I’ve convinced myself that if I put my mind to something, I’ll make it happen,” says Johnston, who by day works at Lamar Outdoor billboard advertising, and plays drums nights and weekends with Syracuse Celtic Rock band The Causeway Giants. “I didn’t know that I could be successful with it, but I knew I had what it took – because I was passionate about it – to get it started. I tend to do things and try to figure it out as I go.”
One of the things he figured out fast is how lonely the recording booth can be. He’d make jokes and hope somebody -- anybody -- out there was laughing. That’s when he asked friend and Lamar co-worker Cabrina Gilbert to sit in on a broadcast. Friends and family remarked on the pair’s on-air chemistry, and one visit quickly turned into full co-host duties for Gilbert.
The bantering duo trades barbs and zingers, in and out of the studio.
“Cabrina is one of the biggest assets to the show. And those are not my words. I’ve had other people say that,” Johnston says.
“Did you just say I have a big a--?” Gilbert fires back across the lunch table at the Tipp Hill Café, one of the show’s many loyal sponsors.
“Yes,” Johnston deadpans.
But seriously.
“The show is easier to do. I don’t have to bear all the weight of doing all the work myself,” Johnston says.
“Having back-and-forth is easier to do. Having somebody that’s compatible. I think it’s a very good fit.”
The hourlong show, which airs 6 to 7 p.m. Sundays on the radio and online at 1059TheBigTalker.com, features music by bands out of Ireland (Saw Doctors, The Prodigals, The Pogues), Canada (Searson, The Paperboys, The Town Pants, Great Big Sea) and the United States (Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, The Elders, The Young Dubliners), as well as Syracuse’s own The Causeway Giants.
Between songs, Johnston and Gilbert conduct live interviews with musicians, including Keith Roberts of the Young Dubliners and solo artist Seamus Kennedy. Or they chat with folks active with the local Irish community. On the first show, for example, Johnston interviewed Charles “Chow” Downey about the annual St. Baldrick’s Day Fundraiser at Kitty Hoynes, which Downey emcees. Last month, Chris Abbott, an organizer with the Tipp Hill Shamrock Run, stopped by the studio. Other guests have included Kate Costello-Sullivan, director of the Irish literature program at Le Moyne College, and Ann Johnston-Sullivan, owner of the Johnston School of Irish Dance (and Johnston’s sister).
Each week’s show might also feature fun like “Kick It or Stick It”. Gilbert and Johnston ask listeners if they should “kick it to the curb” or “stick it in the IPH playlist.” People vote on the IPH’s Facebook (which has close to 1,500 fans), or by sending e-mails and text messages. They also give away tickets to up coming concerts, ask trivia questions and have organized kick ball tournaments. All to promote the show and make it fun.
The Irish Power Hour, which pays the radio station for studio time and the services of a producer, offsets its expenses by selling advertising – both on the air and its Web site (www.irishpowerhour.com).
Sponsors early on were mostly limited to family and friends: In addition to sister Ann, brothers Patrick and Paul bought ads for their income tax prep and catering businesses, respectively, and father Gus paid to advertise his bar, Johnston’s Ballybay Pub on Richmond Avenue.
But over the past year, the sponsor base has slowly grown to include CNY Chiropractic, Caz Limo, Guinness, Blarney Stone Tavern, Kitty Hoynes, Tipp Hill Café, Bushmills and more.
“My ultimate goal is a percentage of all the profits from the show will go toward St. Baldrick’s,” Johnston says.
Profits so far have been elusive.
“But we’re getting close,” he says.
Gilbert and Johnston held their first live remote broadcast in January, from the Blarney Stone on Tipperary Hill. Not knowing what to expect, the pair were prepared to quietly eat their Blarney Burgers all alone in an empty bar on a Sunday night.
Never happened.
“Probably a hundred people passed through!” Gilbert says. “That’s the funny thing about doing the show. You’re in a what, 5-by-6-foot room, and it’s the two of us talking, and we don’t know if anybody’s listening. And then you put out there that we’re going to do this live broadcast at Blarney Stone… and the next thing we know, people start flooding in the door.”
So plan on future remote broadcasts. Also on tap for IPH: concerts.
The radio show, in cooperation with the Guinness Irish Festival (Sept. 10-11, 2010), are sponsoring a series of concerts to help fund raise to keep the festival free to the community.
“We’ve got other things in the works and our ultimate goal is to bring bands like Dropkick Murphy's, Flogging Molly and Great Big Sea. Maybe bring the Saw Doctors back from Ireland,” Johnston says.
The IPH also plans to sponsor Irish Music Awards at this year’S Guinness Syracuse Irish Festival.
Oh, one more thing: Johnston and Gilbert considered it a feather in their cap to be marching – and slinging barbs -- in the city’s St. Patrick’s Parade this year.
It doesn't get more Irish than that.
