CEOL AGUS CRAIC
Downtown Vancouver
Welcomes the CelticFest Invasion
By ERIN MULLAN
Ceol binn a bhaint as an saol! The rainy west coast seems a bit unreal as I file this column from Bangkok. Though it's sad to leave lovely Thailand and its wonderful food, the musical feast that is St. Paddy's and CelticFest is not to be missed.
Concert listings: Next week sees the sixth annual CelticFest Vancouver featuring a full-on five days of Celtic music, mayhem and an expanded downtown parade. The full programme can be found at www.celticfestvancouver.com but what follows is a few picks
The festival kick-off party on March 14 at the Yale, "The World's Greatest Ceilidh," which promises to be a fine night of tunes with Ashley MacIsaac, Spirit of the West member Geoffrey Kelly, Tom Landa of The Paperboys, Daniel Lapp, Oliver Schroer, host Tim Readman and plenty more
Also on March 14 DJ collective Beats Without Borders supply the sounds for "Afro-Celtic Connections" at Crush Champagne Lounge
March 15 sees Richards on Richards invaded by local Scots party posse The Real McKenzies
March 16 and 17 Spirit of the West play the Commodore Ballroom
Also on Paddy's night Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac is joined by The Sabir Sisters, some of Vancouver's best pipers and the De Danaan Irish Dancers at Richards on Richards for "The BIG St. Pat's Night Out!"
For the session hounds/night-owls/party animals in the crowd, there's a midnight music session hosted by Daniel Lapp featuring heaps of festival performers in the Artists' Lounge at 1014 Granville, open to the public but with limited seating
On March 18 myself and Salt Spring fiddler Jaime RT host a Great Big Session at Tom Lee Music Hall from 2 to 5 PM as part of CelticFest. It's only a fiver to get in but free for anyone with an instrument. Please come and join us for a few tunes, songs and a medicinal post-Paddy's night beverage!
You'll have time to recover from CelticFest before dancing the night away to Scots party masters Shooglenifty at St. James Hall on March 31
The full-band version of Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies are at St. James on April 11 following a brief tour of Australia
Jaime RT & Andy Hillhouse launch their latest CD Spark, probably on April 5 at St. James
The Rogue Folk Club celebrates its 20th birthday May 12 with B.C. stalwarts Pied Pumpkin
Hot young fiddle combo from Norway and Finland Frigg returns to the city May 12
Following on last month's Folk Alliance conference in Memphis, the Rogue Folk Club is hoping to bring three fine young Scottsh trad acts to town in the next few months: Malinky, Bodega and Emily Smith.
Local motion: Dance to the sounds of Irish pipes and fiddles at a traditional Irish ceili this St. Patrick's Day at the Victoria Drive Community Hall. All ages are welcome, no partner is required and all dances are taught. Music supplied by the Vancouver Céilí Band. Proceeds go to support the continuation of this great musical tradition in Vancouver. Phone (604) 709-4140 or www.vcn.bc.ca/ceili
For information on the Irish Set Dancing and Social Group call (604) 984-8261 or (604) 731-9513
The next Scottish ceilidh dance is March 30 at the Scottish Cultural Centre with live music by Calanais. No partner required, all dances are taught and previous experience needed, open to all ages
For information on the ceilidhs or Scottish country dance groups and classes around the Lower Mainland call (604) 536-9481or visit the revamped website: www.rscdsvancouver.org
Members of Blackthorn play Friday nights at Mahony & Sons Public House/Teach Tabhairne at UBC
The Wolf and Hound has traditional sessions on Monday and Wednesday nights
Irish Heather has an Irish traditional session on Thursday nights.
Recording news: Green Linnet Records is no more. Niamh Parsons' The Old Simplicity was the final release on the label that carried most Celtic music in North America from the mid 1970s to the mid 1990s. The last 10 years or so saw Green Linnet falter but thankfully Compass Records stepped in to rescue the amazing back-catalogue. www.compassrecords.com
Compass have released a personal fave disc on this side of the water: the debut from Irish trio Buille. Consisting of concertina whiz Niall Vallely, brother Caoimhín Vallely on piano and Paul Meehan on guitar, the band forges traditional Irish with jazz and classical
Look for the upcoming self-titled debut from Roddy Hart on the Compass label who has established himself as an emerging talent on the Scottish musical scene
Also coming soon on Compass is the latest from Nuala Kennedy: The New Shoes.
Questions, comments or complaints? Write me c/o The Celtic Connection, #741 - 916 West Broadway, Vancouver V5Z 1K7, or e-mail: maura@telus.net. [Erin Mullan hosts the Celtic music radio show In the Claddagh Ring, Friday evenings from 6:30 to 8 PM on CFRO 102.7.]
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