So far “Shindig” which is the title of the video here has been heard again and again and never gets stale. I love the energy and fusion of acoustic and electronic sound. This is Celtic rock with a Jazz,World and Funk edge. An exciting music to emerge from Wales.
Got this from their MySpace profile:
King Chiaullee are an acoustic Celtic music group from the Isle of Man. They have been playing together since they met up at High School in 1993. Their repertoire is made up mostly of original compositions mixed in with traditional Manx, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Breton, Cornish… Basically, if they like the tune, they’ll have it!
“an intoxicating mixture of traditional Manx, original compositions and tunes borrowed from the Irish and Scots repertoires”
Everyone in the band has a slightly different taste in music, which is reflected in their tune sets which can comprise of a lot of weird and wonderful ideas.
“audacious, intelligent and very exciting!”
The bands ambition is to take Manx music to the masses and to be a little bit different.
KC play mostly on the Isle of Man, however the band have also performed all over the world at Lorient Festival Interceltique (Brittany), Montreal Celtic Festival (Canada), Bethlehem Celtic Classics (USA), Chicago Celtic Fest (USA), Cwlwm Celtaidd (Wales), Lowender Perran (Cornwall), Derrygonnelly (N.Ireland), and even Dubai!!
http://www.myspace.com/kingchiaullee
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I love Manx music as well as the language itself. The words oddly resemble a cross between Icelandic and Welsh to me…well that’s just me. I was first introduced to Manx music by Emma Christian. Isle of Man is an Island between Ireland and Britain. It boasts a unique Celtic culture of its own.
It is hard to grasp the intensity of the impact made by these two artists in the world of Irish dance. They made Irish dancing such an irresistible art that young people are getting into it hoping to be the next Jean Butler or Colin Dunne.
Celticmusicfan salutes these two artists for setting the trail on fire, making Irish dancing a sought after form of art for generations to come.
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I could not put into words my reaction upon seeing Irish dancing for the first time. Without any background or reference, I was left with nothing to compare it to. I know tap dancing originated from this. I also know that it is like ballet only with minimal hand movements. There is something regal about this form of dancing…somehow ominous and even victorious in nature. This is how faeries should move like. After seeing this, I know I will never be captivated by any for of dance the way it has captivated my mind and soul. I never cared for Michael Jackson dance steps or Madonna’s choreography. Somehow they look pale in comparison to this.
A good reference about Irish dance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_dance and http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/irish_dance/
reppin for my clan & all my kinfolk,
everybody comin up cuz fa’real – we’ve been broke
far too long, so we gotta stay strong
scots, irish, welsh, manx, cornish, bretons, and on
for all my bards and poets, rappers and scribes
no matter where you come from, it’s time to thrive
so let’s do the damn thang, like snare, kick, swing
this is beltaine’s fire, check the style we bring
celtic soul, hip hop beats,
(taken from I Am, Beltain’s Fire)
On the other side of the spectrum there is an artist named Emcee Lynx who fuses something that is not typical but something that is of great importance. If you haven’t heard of Hip Hop band Beltain’s Fire then this is the best time to tune your ears and listen to this important artist behind the music.
I never listened to hip hop even in high school but this just sort of turn my ears 360 degrees. Mixing traditional instruments with beats and smooth rapping is refreshing to hear. This is not just electronic stuff, this is tradition meets street culture. This is young meets the old, a traditional frame of mind meeting the radical and instead of rebelling against one another, they sort of take this contrast and create a new art altogether.
Like Goth kids, You can’t hack the scene without naming bands like Bauhaus, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees or The Diary of Dreams. The same thing goes for Celtic Rock. Names like Dropkick Murphy’s, Seven Nations, Enter the Haggis and The Pogues are just few names that make up the entire umbrella of music. So , when you have the pass code, you’re in.
This music has never been more hip and relevant in today’s concert scene.
The Pogues have always served as an example of a band that never aims to please anybody for the sake of having a top 40 tune out there in the charts. They have created a style of their own without caring what critics say . There are even some song titles that can bring a shiver to anyone who thinks Celtic music is supposed to be polite and ‘safe’.
The scruffy voice of Shane McGowan is there to remind us , that what is Irish music if it’s just about glens and hills…and never about Guinness or Leprechauns. Surely , the naughty punk sensibilities should always remain if the spirit if the music has to survive. The Pogues along with other bands have brought the spirit of the music to the new century. And everyone keeps digging the scene, people of all races and geographical locations. This is the new age of Irish rock.
Celtic Music Fan 