‘Pawli’s Pub’ to transport visitors to Irish pub

Bill Callahan got a great sense of the kind of atmosphere found at a traditional Irish pub while vacationing in Ireland last year. Half of the duo Copper and Shrift (formerly the local trio known as Abel, Copper and Shrift), Callahan and Gregg Guetschow will try to recreate that kind of atmosphere with traditional Irish music Saturday, March 14.
The duo will help transform the Eaton Area Senior Center into Pawli’s Pub for a night. Named in honor of longtime businessman and Charlotte Rotarian, Frank Pawli, Pawli’s Pub will serve as an opportunity to raise funds for two worthwhile causes — the Eaton Area Senior Center and First Baptist Church’s Tide Me Over Program.
“We’re going to do three sets, which is the longest show we’ve ever done,” Guetschow said. “We’re going to get started the minute they open the doors.”
Guetschow said the music will help provide an enjoyable background to a great dinner. He said the duo has been working on a number of traditional Irish songs, most of which may not be familiar to most Americans. They will also, however, do a number of Irish classics known the world over, such as Oh Danny Boy and Irish Eyes are Smiling.
“The two most talented members of the band are still intact,” Guetschow joked. “There might be occasions, though were we have to get people out of the audience to maybe add some tambourine.”
Mayor Carrie Burch, also a member of the Charlotte Rotary Club, said the event is a joint effort between the Rotary Club and EASC. In addition to dinner and entertainment, the evening will feature a cash bar and raffles throughout.
It may also serve as the unofficial starting point for another proposed event that same evening, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl.
“There were two different organizations planning events that happened to find out about each other, we figured we could work together,” Guetschow said.
Doors open at 5:30 Saturday, March 14 at the Eaton Area Senior Center. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at Carl Reck Jewelers and the Eaton Area Senior Center.