CEOL AGUS CRAIC - Rare Visit by Irish American Fiddle Ace
By ERIN MULLAN
Ceol binn a bhaint as an saol! The fine folks at the Rogue Folk Club bring a world of music to Vancouver every year. You can give them a vote of thanks by contacting your local MP to express support for the Arts Presentation Canada program. This federal government initiative by Canadian Heritage provides critical funding to arts organizations like the Rogue and may be up for the axe.
Concert listings
The legendary Scottish singer Dougie MacLean will be at St. James Hall November 10......On November 13 there's an East Coast Celtic concert and dance at the Scottish Cultural Centre featuring Skystone, Murphy's Lagh and plenty more for an event that benefits the Vancouver Celtic Festival........Young Canadian fiddle ace April Verch and her band play St. James on November 14............Irish-Canadian singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing is in town November 21.........The dance floor will be full on December 3 when Vancouver's Paperboys hit St. James........The Rankin Sisters do two shows December 3 at Surrey's Bell Centre for the Performing Arts (with proceeds to benefit Atira Women's Resource Society and Surrey Women's Centre Society) and December 4 at Saint Andrews Wesley Church.........Due to a booking mix-up, the December date for Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas has been postponed for the time being.........The third Annual Danny Burns Memorial "Feed the Hungry Benefit" is December 12 at the Wolf & Hound. This not-to-be-missed event raises much needed cash to feed local homeless folk in memory of a great friend of the Irish community.........Singer Tim O'Brien plays St. James January 7........... 2005 also sees a probable April show for Afro-Celtic band Baka Beyond........Also in April: Scottish guitar whiz Tony McManus.........The great Irish band Danú are likely to be on the festival circuit this summer and back for what may be a final Canadian concert tour in October.........Young Cape Breton fiddle star Troy MacGillivray may be back for some west coast dates in July....Be prepared to get your nifties shoogled in August as the Scottish dance party masters return to these shores for some BC gigs......Australian songwriter and singer Eric Bogle looks to be here next fall.
Local motion
Take your kilt out for a spin at the next Scottish ceilidh dance on November 26 at the Scottish Cultural Centre. Easy dances taught and called to live music. No partner required. Lesson 7 pm, dance 8-11 pm. Details: www.rscdsvancouver.org or (604) 436-3193.........Also at the cultural centre are weekly Scottish Country Dance classes held on Monday nights, for all ages and skill levels. Info: (604) 737-7948.......The next Irish célíis November 20 at the Victoria Drive Community Hall. Martingale will provide the tunes and beginner and kids are always welcome. Details: (604) 709-4140.......For information on the Irish Set Dancing Social Group call (604) 934-8261 or (604) 731-9513, and for Irish dance lessons call (604) 253-5410........Irish traditional music sessions are held at the Irish Heather Tuesday and Thursday nights.......The Wolf and Hound has traditional sessions on Monday and Wednesday nights and, starting November 18, hosts a traditional French-Canadian session on the third Thursday of every month.
Recordings
Celtics Colours VIII is another fine compilation of artists from this fall's Cape Breton Island festival..........Pauline Scalon is a great young Irish singer with a solo release on Compass Records called Red Colour Sun.........The new live Shooglenifty disc is done and ready for release soon, at least in the UK.......2005 will bring a new Liz Carroll album, a joint effort with her touring partner Solas guitarist John Doyle.
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