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The High Kings August US Tour 2010 Plus Clannad’s Old Video from 1990

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

Hi guys. As always, our musical culture is alive and exciting. It is really great being alive in this generation , to see things happening and taking off. What I love about what I do is that , I am part of the pieces that make up the whole. Writers, painters, photographers and collectors are all part of the scene. We keep this culture alive. Without your help then this will not go on. So let us give ourselves a happy dance and check out for more news. I urge you to blog about the music you are passionate about, discuss it to people, write about it and play it in public. It is a treat to greet the day with passion .

Now for the news….

THE HIGH KINGS

August 2010 US Tour

New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland and St. Paul

The High Kings –Martin Furey, Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy and Darren Holden – exploded onto the folk scene in Ireland in 2008 with their self titled CD and DVD and quickly achieved platinum sales status there. Since then, they have become the most exciting Irish ballad group to emerge since The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem electrified the worldwide folk revival of the 1960s. The High Kings have revived a flagging Folk scene and brought well-loved songs back to the masses in three sell out Irish Tours.

The High Kings launched in America in March 2008. They created a buzz that led to their appearance on ABCʼs TheView and NBCʼs This Morning and they opened for Celtic Woman on their US tour.  In September The High Kings returned to the US to headline their own tour, performing from Boston to San Diego.

As word of their live reputation spread, the lads were invited to do numerous TV appearances in Ireland, including ringing in New Year 2009 with Tubrudy Tonight on RTE and performing their hit ʻFields of Gloryʼ to 80,000 sports fan at the All-Ireland final in Irelandʼs National stadium, Croke Park. They were the closing act on Pat Kennyʼs last show of the longest running talk show in the world, The Late Late Show, in 2009. The High Kings continued to tour throughout 2009 and they were voted, by the public, Best Newcomer and Best Folk Act at Irelands Music Awards 2009, sharing nominations with accomplished Irish acts, The Wolfe Tones and The Dubliners.

This year is set to cement The High Kings reputation as a phenomenal live band, as they have already completed a hugely successful Irish tour. The new album, Memory Lane, released by Universal Music in Ireland, debuted at No. 5 in the Irish charts and quickly achieved platinum status. The album features classics such as Fields of Athenry, Star of the County Down and Leaving of Liverpool.  The Cd will be released in the US early in the New Year. To preview it the band will be performing 5 shows in the States this August, see dates below.

Sunday August 15th, Irish Fair of Minnesota, Harriet Island, St Paul, 2pm, Main Stage http://www.irishfair.com

Monday August 16th, Cleveland Westside Irish American Club, 7:30 pm

Tuesday, August 17th, Chicago Irish Heritage Club, 7:30 pm, http://irish-american.org/

Wednesday, August 18th, Philadelphia, Brittinghams, /www.brittinghams.com/

Thursday, August 19th, New York, Connolly’s, 8pm, www.connollyspubandrestaurant.com

Source:
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More from Weekly Inspiration Edinburg

Here’s the official promotional video to Clannad’s 1990 single “In Fortune’s Hand”, taken from the album ‘Anam’. © 1990 BMG Records (UK) Ltd.  Interesting. I love that moving statue (of the Virgin Mary?) and the way the video is presented. But who doesn’t love anything by Clannad right?

Band:Caladh Nua,Celtic Cross and Paul Taggart’s Lone Piper

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 2 Comments

Today, I am inspired to think about kindness and what it does to people.  I tend to gravitate towards gentle people. Most of my longtime friends are gentle people. People think that there is something cool about bombastic attitude, you know the thrashing and all that. Perhaps there is safety in numbers. People love to be associated with the ‘stronger’ crowd . I know about bullying because I have been a victim. And it is not good. There is nothing to be gained in pain. And no one lives forever. One day we will shuffle off this mortal coil. Nothing remains but the good things you’ve taught to people( and even bad ones). let us all be remembered in kindness.

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Let me introduce you to a group of young ‘uns who are making glorious music from Kilkenny Ireland. Caladh Nua has been making traditional music with exceptional style. From the jazzy rendition of the traditional tune Cad e sin don te sin to the other energetic fiddling stuff, they stay interesting. For more info check their site out: http://caladh.net/

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Another band worth noting is New York based Celtic Cross. The vocals of Kathleen Fee  has a faint influence of Mary Black . Anyone who is into Pogues, De Dannan, Horslips and Planxty will love this energetic country tinged Celtic band. Check out their latest pics taken from the latest WFUV gig.

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Donie from Dublin has been giving me important links of the tunes he love. We have been chatting about 80s music and he sent me a link to a Phil Lynott video. I was very surprised because I have been missing this song.  Phil was a prominent member of Thin Lizzy-he WAS Thin Lizzy after all, and his legacy continues….

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New video from artist Paul Taggart.

He has a lot of interesting videos in his official channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/artistpaultaggart

This one is called “Lone Piper” from The Spirit of the Highlands  collection. Wow he does have a nice speaking voice. By the way, that is a beautiful painting. The colors are heavenly.

Happy Lughnasadh!

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 3 Comments

Hi guys. Just dropping by to greet you a Happy Lughnasadh.

…And there is a band that took the name of the same festival. Been listening to these guys for the past few days. I don’t have the new album yet. Do you have one already? If you do please feel free to share your thoughts.

Lá Nua – the new Lúnasa Album is Out Now.

The photos for the Hebridean Celtic Festival is here.

Ark by Brendan Perry and Mary Fahl’s Gravity(Tentative Album Title)

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 6 Comments

I spent my late teens listening to World/Medieval/Celtic/Fusion duo Dead Can Dance . I admit it’s the voice of Irishman Brendan Perry that really got to me. It’s a haunting baritone that reminds you of  quiet walks on a cemetery during a faintly windy night. I  almost own all of Dead Can Dance album (on audio cassettes) and most of them now on mp3s so I can bring them along when I travel.

You have to understand what it did to me when I heard that he just released a new album called Ark. This is closer to the sound ‘feel’ he did for Dead Can Dance. Recorded in his home studio Quivvy Church ( it’s really an old church in Ireland he bought and converted into a recording studio) this 8-track album will be something to treasure for years to come. A totally rewarding listening experience! Check out the latest news about Brendan Perry here.

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Mary Fahl is getting busy this year as two of her albums are about to be released : Mary Fahl: From the Dark Side of the Moon (to be released in 2010) and  Gravity (Tentative Title) – 10-song album to be released in 2010…I love this update! Recently I chatted with Mary about the three tracks that was floating around : Ghost of Me, Red Sunset and White Bird. These are demos she made with Bob Riley of Grace Pool. Bob passed away sadly and they were left forgotten .  Let’s hope Mary will consider re-recording them because they will blow your mind away with their beauty. Full discography here.

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Nigel Eaton

If you love excellent Hurdy-Gurdy music, then you should never miss Nigel Eaton’s  myspace page. He played with Loreena McKennitt (1996-2006) I love the sound of this instrument and I think it deserves more exposure.

About the Hurdy-Gurdy


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On Jenne Lennon

…She became a friend in facebook and wrote me a sweet message. As always Jenne will remain a favorite here @ Celtic Music Fan because of her wonderful talent and fresh approach in Celtic Music. How she sounds like? Here’s how she describes her music: A combination of Clannad, Lisa Gerard, Enya, Loreena McKennitt…plus let me add a passionate intensity close of Janis Joplin.

Listen to: http://www.myspace.com/jennelennon and read her blog. There’s also this interview I posted.   Check out her rendition of Marble Halls  from The Bohemian Girl, an Irish Opera by Michael William Balfe.

thanks to knoeful for posting this video and providing additional info…

(Jenne Lennon performs with Indiana University’s International Vocal Ensemble at the Mary Goetze farewell concert in April, 2007. Goetze founded both the IU Childrens Choir and the International Vocal Ensemble, giving performance opportunities and musical learning to youngsters as well as university students who are not music majors. Lennon is a Chicago based Celtic singer dubbed the Janis Joplin of Celtic Music! http://www.glencoerecords.com/ “I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble Halls” is also called “The Gipsy Girl’s Dream” It comes from the opera “The Bohemian Girl.”)

COMMANDO TRAD: A Cool Way to be Ambushed!

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

COMMANDO TRAD Mission 5 Avenue Mont-Royal

The new mission of the Commando Trad is online! With their weapons of mass tradition, 54 persons participated in this spectacular flashmob of traditional dance and music from Québec.

More Commando Trad videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/COMMANDOTRAD

Thanks to Alfred Montmarquette for sending this link through email.