albums

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.”)

A Good Suit of Clothes (Songs of the Emigrant Gael)

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 6 Comments

From the a capella verse of the first track Duthaich MhicAoid/Mackay County, one can’t help but be taken by the  highland singing of Fiona J Mackenzie. The voice and Irvin Daguid’s piano are like two old friends who finally meet-complimenting with beautiful results. All musicians involved in this project are exceptional.

Fiona has the nuance and lightness of voice but with just the right weight to add an air of mystery and authority. There is a combination of sweetness, palpable hope and poignancy in her singing echoing the sentiments of the Scottish exiles all over the world.

According to her, A Good Suit of Clothes is a title taken from one of the best known emigrant songs ‘ Mo Duthaich’ from South Uist. I am aware how Uist in the Scottish Hebrides have been a continuing force in the Gaelic revival with archives of songs being recorded by artists such as Julie Fowlis recently.

The production is superb and polished to flawless quality. The sound is crisp and clear with minimal reverb to make the instruments sound lush and alive.

Some of the tracks like Oran a Chiamalais/ Song of Homesickness and Illean Bithibn Sunndach/Boys Be Happy are fast toe-tapping tunes with acoustic guitars . While tracks like Cuir Culaibh Ri Asante/ Leaving Assynt Behind has a melancholy atmosphere and a haunting melody.

A Good Suit of Clothes is  what happens when exquisite talent meets excellent production techniques.The liner notes are very helpful. All Gaelic songs have English translations . Fiona is right when she suggested to me the importance of  the liner notes beside the music. On top of that, she also provided her own explanation and the story behind each songs, the composers and the lives they led .

If the purpose of this album is  a message in a bottle to those immigrants hoping they’d return…then it is a successful attempt wich will not only bring back long-lost friends  but a cavalry of guests , the passionate new comers who are drawn to the beauty of this type of music.

Credits:

Irvin Daguid (Piano and harmonium)

Fraser Fifield (Whistle and pipes)

John Goldie (Guitar)

Mary Ann Kennedy (Clarsach)

James Mackintosh (Percussion)

Anna Massie (Cittern and guitar)

Ed McFarlane (Double bass)

Mr McFall’s Chamber-Clare Sterling (violin) Robert McFall (violin)

Jane Atkins (viola) and Su-a Lee (cello)

Ian Muir ( Accordion)

Guy Nichoson (Percussion)

Simone Welsh (Fiddle)

Singers: Darren Maclean, Katie Mackenzie, Sineag Macintyre and Cathy Ann MacPhee

All tracks produced and arranged by Irvin Daguid.

Greentrax Recordings Limited.

You can purchase Fiona J Mackenzie here.

http://www.fionamackenzie.org/Basket.html

Thanks to geekbynight for posting this video and added info:

Scottish singer and educator Fiona J. MacKenzie sings Abu Chuibhl’. She is joined by her Gaelic Singing and Language Student Doyle Raines. This is part of a concert Fiona gave in Jimera de Libar, Andalucia, Spain on May 2nd 2010.


…..I love New Orleans not just by giving us Anne Rice, Poppy Z Brite , True Blood and a lot  more of exotica. What’s next? Maybe Mr Leprechaun will have his toe-tapping green humor on the beautiful side of the French Quarter. Here are some pics from facebook’s  Irish New Orleans


…….The album teaser of Dom Duff is out. This should thrill fans of Breton music with language entirely in Breton. Expect more exotic sounds and energetic performance from the guy himself.

…..Catch Welsh band Mabon performing at  Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Bretagne France , that going to be in August 6, 2010. For the performances in the month of August, check out their tour schedules link:

http://www.myspace.com/mabonband

……Another musician from Wales Oli-Wilson-Dickson combines the adventurous mood of Gypsy music and the Celtic music’s triumphant tunes .  If you are into Balkan stuff, or anything Central European with a twist of jig then this is your music. You can also visit http://www.fiddle.org.uk/

June 13:Music Pubs,Tours and Releases.

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If you are on our way to Cork and wants to know which music bar to go to next, don’t forget to visit de Barras. Situated in Clonkilty the West of Cork,  it boasts a one of a kind venue that already housed artists like Christy Moore, John Spillane and new up and rising acts. Feel its ne of a kind intimate ambience and diverse acts that make de Barras stand out as one of the best pubs in Ireland. Quotes ” Mark Mc Devitt, (Irish Examiner 2000) It is the presence of an unlikely musical venue that makes Clonakilty truly special however, to cross the well worn threshold of the shy and rather retiring de Barras Folk Club, is to enter into a world full of possibilities. The possibility that anyone, literally anyone, might ramble in of the street and do a few tunes.” Contact: DeBarras, 55 Pearse St.,Clonakilty, West Cork, Ireland Phone : +353 (0)23 8833381 Booking Enquiries: +353 (0)23 8836549 TUES  email: eolas@debarra.ieCheck out  www.myspace.com/debarras and www.debarra.ie for this month’s gig guide……………………….There is one site directory that will tell you the best bars in town. www.irishpubs.com has not only the lists of categories, it also has a user friendly interface that will guide you while you click for the pubs near you. It says Your Guide to the best pubs in Ireland and Irish pubs around the world. It includes categories like Entertainment, live Music, Trad Music, Disco Bars. Sport, Food. Smoking facility, Accommodation,  Parking. Job opportunities etc.(Job opportunities? Hmmm…) You can even add your pub to the list or sell it!

And now for some music news……….

Clockwise from top: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Alan Stivell, Pierrick Lemou and band, Lily Neill, Eddi Reader with band and Julie Fowlis (Pictures courtesy of their respective websites).


The 15th Hebridean Celtic Festival has a line up of interesting artists. From 14th to 17th of July, expect to be enchanted, possessed and stirred up by some of the most beautiful music in the world. Here are the artists to play in the event:

Runrig (Mainstage Saturday) Breabach Mainstage Saturday) Treacherous Orchestra (Mainstage Friday) Imelda May (Mainstage Friday) Julie  Fowlis (Mainstage Friday) Afro Celt Sound System (Mainstage Thursday) Blazin’ Fiddles (Mainstage Thursday) Adrian Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds (Mainstage Thursday) Iain Morrison’s Ceòl Mor / Little Music (An Lanntair Saturday) The Poozies (An Lanntair Friday) The Fox Hunt (Breasclete Wednesday / An Lanntair Thursday) Anniversary Concert (An Lanntair Wednesday 7.30pm) Oidhche Chiadain (An Lanntair Wednesday 3pm) Alasdair White & Jane Hepburn (An Lanntair Thursday 3pm) Mhairi Hall Trio (Harris, Thursday 8pm / An Lanntair, Friday 3pm) Mànran (Clan MacQuarrie, Friday 8pm) Ceilidh Bands Norrie acIver’s Dance Band (An Lanntair, Wednesday) Anna Fraser Dance Band (Breasclete, Wednesday)
Deoch an Dorus (Stornoway & Borve, Friday)

According to the site news: Thousands Expected as Festival Sales Reach Milestone

 

People from countries as far away as the USA, Canada and Australia are expected to visit Stornoway this summer as the Hebridean Celtic Festival announced it has already sold more tickets this year than it did for the entire event last year…

Add HebCelt Fest in facebook follow the feeds and also in twitter and myspace

Julie Fowlis , our Scottish lass is in the midst of a  tour to promote her new album Uam. According to Folk Radio Uk, Uam is an extraordinary moving album. Her best and most beautiful work to date. Julie has also been made ambassador for Hebridean Celtic Festival according to her myspace blog:

The fabulous folks at the reknowned Hebridean Celtic Festival have been kind enough to make me an ambassador for the festival and one of the first three inductees to their newly formed Hall of Fame.

I am most chuffed and honoured.  See the official info below!  (then go and buy tickets – it’s a fab festival!!)  love Julie x

Sounds like she is not only winning our hearts, she is winning the whole of UK and the world. Bless you Julie! Check her blog and music at  www.myspace.com/juliefowlis and www.juliefowlis.com her tour schedules:

Cuirmean-ciùil

Tour Dates

12th Jun

St Albans
St Albans Arena Civic Centre St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3LD

13th Jun

Southwell
Southwell Folk Festival Nottinghamshire

15th Jun

Cardiff
St Davids Hall, The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1AH

17th Jun

London
Union Chapel, Compton Avenue, Canonbury, London N1 2XD

20th Jun

Salisbury
Salisbury City Hall Malthouse Lane Salisbury Wiltshire SP2 7TU

26th Jun

Sedburgh
Near Sedburgh, Cumbria
View further details

Add Julie on facebook, twitter and bebo.

Breton band TornaoD is in the middle of an exciting tour this month. This band from Kaligan France have been leaving audiences breathless with their astounding, dynamic energy such that, initially bemused, then won over, people are never indifferent. Their site describes the music: In an authentic meeting of tradition and modernity, TornaoD draw inspiration from a mixture of sources, from Alan Stivell to Metallica, Led Zeppelin to Denez Prigent, 70s rock side by side with 80s metal, New Age, the East, and more…From June to August, you can watch them live in the following venues:

http://events.myspace.com/Event/4844372/Festival-Celtic

If you don’t have an idea who Pierrick Lemou is, then you’ve missed out on life’s great musical pleasures. His fiddle plying is like no other because after all, he walks in two cultures: Breton style meets Irish influences. There is a softer and sweeter style in his playing. His arrangement is also eclectic in a sense that he derives from all sources, including the great jazz bassist Jaco Pastorious. I am personally getting a hang of him and he bleeds magi in every song. Check him out at   www.myspace.com/pierricklemou and  http://www.pierricklemou.com/Following the release of the much-awaited album Emerald, Alan Stivell is fully booked for the month of July and August. He also conducted an online chat with his fans (in Breton I guess) and
yes he will be on one of the biggest Celtic Festival this year ,

FESTIVAL INTERCELTIQUE LORIENT-ANORIANT, Breizh

Upcomming shows: http://events.myspace.com/Event/2301147/Alan-STIVELL

The amazing voice behind Danu Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh continues to soar the heights of musical success as her band promotes their new album “Seanchas” was released in April 2010. Listening to her full voice, it would be hard not to be loved. She has the mastery in the sean nos style of singing as well as great talents on the flute and tin-whistle. She is good friends with Scot Julie Fowlis  who collaborated with her on collaborated on the album “Dual”http://muireann.ie/biog.html . Expect to hear more from  Muireann .Please read   www.myspace.com/muireannmusic and muireann.ie . Beautiful photos courtesy of Bríd Ní Luasaigh

Follow her on facebook, and watch her on  youtube.

There is an amazing Celtic harpist in our midst that mixes music of all genres making the sound totally her own. Lily Neill has created such a stir in the music scene after the release of her debut album “Without Words “ in 2004. “Lily Neill speaks to us without words in this gentle and gracious recording. Once again the magic of the plucked string surrounds us and brings us to a place of special resonance and peace. There is something universal in this sound: no less than three of the tracks, for example, bring the Japanese Koto and Irish Harp together as if they were long lost cousins. A shared universal sonic gene comes through her fingers as if the music inside her is truly ancestral”.  Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, November 2006. www.myspace.com/lilyneill and www.LilyNeill.com

If you haven’t got the copy of John Spillane’s latest album (The Best of John Spillane, So Far, So Good, Like), then don’t miss out on this musical gem of an album.

John is a native of Cork, the county he lovingly describes as ‘the centre of the universe’, and it has been a huge influence on this singer/songwriter. Vocally, Spillane is quite unique with an almost sean nos like element and has been described as having a voice ‘full of honesty, commitment and sensitivity’.

…some of the most skillfully crafted, vividly realized songs anyone has written in Ireland over the past dozen years.’ Earle Hitchner, premier writer/reviewer for Irish Echo and The Wall Street Journal. www.johnspillane.com and   www.myspace.com/johnspillane .

With the release of the new record Love is the Way, we are greeted by a new Eddi Reader. This one is more breezy, country sounding and free spirited which is a departure from years of seeing her in those glasses and wild hair. I first became familiar with Eddi upon watching the Jools Holland show. Her voice is simply awesome and her personality is vibrant. As she says about the album: I have a passionate love of instinctive, beautiful songs. Also a slightly insane attachment to romantic chord structures. Words that speak of some universal humanist truth. That can be ‘thrown away’ with no regrets. This can be summed up in most of the songs on this record. Tour dates for this month and July:

Beverley Folk Festival
Flemingate, beverley
Friday 18th June 2010
West End Festival
Glasgow, Scotland
Tuesday 22nd June 2010
West End Festival
Glasgow, Scotland
Wednesday 23rd June 2010
Home Festival
Dartington, Devon
Saturday 26th June 2010
Draiocht Arts Centre
Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland
Saturday 10th July 2010
Glens Centre
County Leitrim, Ireland
Sunday 11th July 2010
Dunlewey Lakeside Centre
County Donegal, Ireland
Monday 12th July 2010
Bronte Music Club
Rathfriland, Ireland
Wednesday 14th July 2010
Celtic Fusion Festival
Castlewellan, County Down
Thursday 15th July 2010
An Droichead Centre
Belfast
Friday 16th July 2010

More on http://www.eddireader.co.uk/ and

www.myspace.com/eddireader

Clockwise from top: Lily Neill’s debut Without Words CD, The Best of John Spillane, Eddi Reader(Myspace) and Pierrick Lemou in motion.

June 11 Celtic Music News

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Good day Celtic fellas. I have loads of news again. These days I’m in the mood to just write news without the usual commentary or features. They can wait. What is important is to update you with what’s new and what’s hot in Celtic music. It is my responsibility to inform you because I know this is what you want to hear. Let’s get the ball rolling:

Canadian quintet The Paperboys has a new album out this July. Callithump will fulfill the promise to deliver great music! We are expecting a blend of folk rock, irresistible fiddle playing, zapping instrumentals and the young Tom Waits kind of vocals. If you enjoy The Great Big Sea then you will love The Paperboys   www.myspace.com/thepaperboys www.paperboys.com…………………  The Brennan Sisters (No this is not Clannad or Enya known as the Brennan family) from Connemara has been sweeping audience across the Atlantic with their beautiful renditions of traditional materials. According to a review “The girls four part natural harmonies add diversity to every show that they perform and their vocal ability continues to surprise audiences everywhere’ “The girls have developed their very own unique style of performance, incorporating beautiful and intricate harmonies with a very distinctive but unmistakable Irish resonance” . The girls performed the well known song “Hand me down my bible” on Sharon Shannons new dvd/cd live from Dolans! Earlier this year the girls performed on The voice Within cd/dvd. Filmed at the INEC, Killarney in front of a live audience, it is the most expensive production ever filmed in Ireland for broadcast on American television   www.myspace.com/thebrennansisters ………………………The former band of Dougie MacLean the  Tannahill Weavers are compose of Roy Gullane – Lead Vocals, Guitar Phil Smillie – Vocals, Flute, Bodhran Leslie Wilson – Vocals, Bouzouki John Martin – Fiddles, Vocals Colin Melville – Bagpipes, Vocals. They have been creating distinctive and amazing music in the heart of Scotland. More updates from  www.myspace.com/tannahillweavers and www.tannahillweavers.com …………………..Who is Sean Og Graham? Well, he makes up one of the five people of the amazing Irish act Beoga. Sean is from

Portglenone, Northern Ireland and he plays the Accordion and Guitar. Check out www.myspace.com/seanoggraham and www.beogamusic.com ……………………..Former amateur boxer turned singer/songwriter Damien Dempsey, and who has brought us the moving ‘Colony” has his first acting debut in an Irish film called “Between the Canals: North Inner City”, directed by Mark O’Connor. The film has been accepted into the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival . There is also a charity single made with Shane MacGowan and friends. Since is debut in 1995, Dempsey has been hailed as he Bb Marley of Ireland with fervent response of audiences and devotion to his music. According to Billboard Magazine: “To Hell or Barbados is folk and roots rock with substance, with the sound of Ireland mixed in for good measure. A most intriguing cocktail.” – Billboard. Check out his upcoming shows

Upcoming Shows ( view all )
Jul 2 2010 3:30P
Paddocks Wood, Kent Kent, UNITED KINGDOM Find Tickets
Jul 3 2010 8:00P
Reebok Festival Bolton, UK
Jul 30 2010 8:00P
Belfast Festival Belfast, UK
Jul 31 2010 8:00P
Helium Festival Longford, Longford, IRELAND
Sep 18 2010 2:30P
Navan Live Navan, Navan
…………………..Naked with Friends is Maura O’Connell’s Grammy nominated album. Expect exquisite vocal materials that has been arranged to highlight her beautiful contralto. In this album, she invited singers Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Kate Rusby, Paul Brady, Mary Black, Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Darrell Scott, Aoife O’Donovan (Crooked Still), Sarah Dugas (The Duhks), Mairéad Ní Mhaorigh, Moya Brennan, Liam Bradley, Declan O’Rourke, and O’Connell’s sister, Áine Derrane. Blurbs from the official website: engineer and co-producer Gary Paczosa with riveting clarity and focus, Naked With Friends is a disarmingly intimate experience. In the absence of instrumentation, the usual trappings and signposts that often define a song’s style and mood dissolve. It is O’Connell’s burnished alto — a full yet vulnerable and aching sound — that is charged with conveying everything the song has to say. “My intention,” she explains, “was just to sing the song clearly. I just wanted to be there to serve the song, rather than to show off a particular vocal style.” Originally from Ireland, Maura now makes her home in Nashville Tennessee http://www.mauraoconnell.com and  www.myspace.com/mauraoconnell
…………………………Since the release of ‘The Well-Tempered Bow’ in May 2002, The Kane Sisters have been making waves all over Ireland and Europe. Originally from Dawros on the outskirts of Letterfrack, a village in Connemara along the West coast of Ireland, the got their musical talents from both sides of the family. Most of their musical contributions can be heard in recordings of Maighread and Tríona ní Dhomnaill (Idir Dhá Solas) , Steve Earl’s Transcendental Blues and The Girls won’t leave the Boys Alone by Cherish the Ladies  www.myspace.com/thekanesisters and www.thekanesisters.com ………… Galwayman Declan O’Rourke hits the German towns this July for the  presentation of his new album to be released soon. Declan capitalizes on his velvet-tinged baritone and killer falsetto to deliver his interesting songs. In the Big Bad Beautiful World (2007), according to his official site : It consists of 12 songs, recorded and performed live at Grouse Lodge studios in West Meath with Declan and his band. Driven, as expected, by Declan’s acoustic guitar, along with the piano this time, and decorated with some beautiful Brian Byrne and Declan O’Rourke string arrangements performed by the RTE National Concert Orchestra, this record is musically very rich and has much depth of field for the discerning listener as well as the casual. ‘Big Bad Beautiful World’ was released in Ireland alone in September ’07 and hit the ground running with a top 5 position in the charts. It has been growing in popularity since with the help of two singles, the catchy title track ‘Big Bad Beautiful World’ and the touching ‘Whatever Else Happens,’ both of which continue to receive regular airplay on Irish radio. The record is well on the way to achieving platinum status, a feat that its predecessor ‘Kyabram’ took a year and a half to reach.  www.myspace.com/declanorourke and http://www.declanorourke.com/ ……………………….An appointment with Mr Yeats is a new Waterboys show in which the poetry of WB Yeats is transformed into a song. It already garnered rave reviews since its debut this March. The Grand Canal Theater in Dublin will the venue for November 7 show. Click here for the tickets. For the complete Waterboys discography, please refer to this link http://www.mikescottwaterboys.com/releasesnew.php ……………… According to Wall Street Journal : “…the most exciting new traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century”. Although the band Beoga is rooted in Irish traditional music, flavors of New Orleans Cajun music and other world influences can be heard in their sessions. Inventive and always crowd pleaser, Beoga is one of the bands not to be missed this year. Beoga are: Liam Bradley Seán Óg Graham Damian McKee Eamon Murray and Niamh Dunne .

Clockwise from the top: Tannahill Weavers , Sean Og Graham, Damien Dempsey and Beoga

News: Moya Brennan, Jenne Lennon, Luka Bloom, Brian Kennedy and Solas

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You can now get a copy of the fantastic PBS show hosted by Moya Brennan.  The Music of Ireland (Welcome Home) is now available exclusively at Barnes and Nobles. You can see snippets of this video of you co to http://www.moyabrennan.com/ ….Jenne Lennon is in studio working on he new album. Her moving rendition of “Bonny Portmore” is for sale at I-Tunes, Amazon.com, Rhapsody , and all other online stores!  Download the single that’s making all of the buzz in Scotland and the U.K.! The single is featured on the “Going Back Home V.11” Compilation Album through Quickstar/Sony Productions according to her website: Jenne Lennon is hard at work on a new performance schedule for the spring and her debut solo album! Keep checking the sites for more updates on all of Jenne’s endeavors! http://www.jennelennon.com/music.html…Luka Bloom is one of the important international artists to head the 20th Caribana Festival. Experience diversity and  a kind of music that pushes the limits of what’s mainstream and what’ ‘alternative’ http://www.caribana-festival.ch/en/2010/artists/…. Albums, news and interviews of Irish Balladeer Brian Kennedy can now be seen when you go to http://www.briankennedy.co.uk/ also watch out for new up-coming autobiography!…For the month of June, Solas has the following tour dates:

Venue City Date Time
Worcester Hibernian Cultural Center Worcester, MA 06/11/10 8:00pm
Worcester Hibernian Cultural Center Worcester, MA 06/12/10 6:00pm
Music and Wine Festival – Fort Hunter Park Harrisburg, PA 06/13/10 7:30pm
Madison Square Park New York, NY 06/23/10 7:00pm
Tupelo Music Hall Londonderry, NH 06/25/10 8:00pm
Celtic Fling Manheim, PA 06/26/10 TBD

For the entire tour dates please visit the official site’s tour schedule: http://www.solasmusic.com/?page_id=9

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Lyrics in focus:

The House Carpenter

What do you think the song is about? Don’t you think it presents a disturbing and tragic meaning?

Note: Mick McAuley has a different rendition of this especially in the 7th stanza which goes

“Are you weeping for your house and your home

is that where you longed to be,

Though I am not weeping for my house carpenter

I am weeping for my babies three”

Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried she
I’ve just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it’s all for the love of thee

I could have married a King’s daughter there
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King’s daughter there
It’s all for the love of thee

Well, if you could have married a King’s daughter there
I’m sure you’re the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I’m sure he’s a fine young man

Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me
I’ll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy

So up she picked her babies three
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying “take good care of your daddy while I’m gone
And keep him good company.”

Well, they were sailin’ about two weeks
I’m sure it was not three
When the younger of the girls, she came on deck
Sayin’ she wants company

“Well, are you weepin’ for your house and home?
Or are you weepin’ for your babies three?”
“Well, I’m not weepin’ for my house carpenter
I’m weepin’ for my babies three.”

Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I’ll never know

Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite

Oh twice around went the gallant ship
I’m sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea