CEOL AGUS CRAIC Bring on the Summer!
By ERIN MULLAN
Ceol binn a bhaint as an saol! Another soggy June on the west coast leaves residents wondering if summer will ever appear. Never fear- the summer festival season is just around the corner and the sunshine and fine music will blast away the dampness and memories of the soggy times.
Concert listings:
• The highlight of the month comes on June 21 when Vancouver Celtic band Blackthorn throw a CD launch party at St. James Hall to celebrate their latest disc
• Celtic content at the local summer festivals follows, with a full festival roundup coming next month
• The Harrison Festival of the Arts (July 5-13, www.harrisonfestival.com) has The Paperboys on July 10 and Afro-Celtic band Baka Beyond July 11
• The Vancouver Folk Music Festival (July 18-20, www.thefestival.bc.ca) has local legends Spirit of the West, Scots singer Maeve Mackinnon, Anglo-Scots trio Lau, Québec's Les Chauffeurs B Pieds and the Pascale Picard Band plus Punjabi-Celtic act Delhi 2 Dublin. Early bird tickets available to June 21
• New Zealand trio Pacific Curls will also be at Jericho Beach and they play a Rogue show as well on July 16
• Mission Folk Festival (July 25-27, www.missionfolkmusicfestival.ca)has new Irish-American group Fingal and The West Coast Fiddlers on the bill with more additions to come. Early bird ticket price ends June 30
• Crooked Still, featuring Aoife O'Donovan on vocals, has a new line-up including Brittany Haas (sister of cellist Natalie Haas) on fiddle for their show at St. James on July 31
• Late summer possibilities include fab young Irish band Beoga around August 15 and Irish master piper Paddy Keenan August 23.
Local motion:
• The B.C. Highland Games and Scottish Festival will be held June 28 at Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam. For information about the schedule, volunteering etc. go to: www.bchighlandgames.com
• Ceilidh dancing at Ceperley Park in Stanley Park runs every Monday night at 7:30 PM, weather permitting, until August 11
for information about Scottish country dance groups and classes around the Lower Mainland call (604) 536-9481 or visit www.rscdsvancouver.org
• For information on the Irish Set Dancing and Social Group call (604) 984-8261 or (604) 731-9513
• The Jericho Folk Club has Tuesday night sessions and concerts at the Jericho Sailing Centre, with singer-songwriter Rodney DeCroo on June 17 and Celtic band Ballyhooley on June 24. Phone: (604) 222-4113 for more information
• The Wolf and Hound has a traditional session on Wednesday and Friday nights
• The Irish Heather has an Irish traditional session on Thursday nights
• Bring your instruments and songs to the Friday night session at the Celtic Traditions store, starting at 8 PM.
Recording news:
• The latest release from local Celtic faves Blackthorn is entitled Sweet Forget-Me-Not
• Scots singer Emily Smith has a new release called Too Long Away on Hegri Music
• Hot young Scots band Breabach flaunt their double bagpipe sound on their debut album The Big Spree soon to be released on Compass Records
• Also out soon on Compass is another disc from a Scottish act: Oban fiddler Aidan O'Rourke. A much-sought after session musician, Sirius is his first solo CD.
Questions, comments or complaints? Write me c/o The Celtic Connection, #452 - 4111 Hastings Street, Vancouver V5C 6T7, or e-mail: maura@telus.net. [Erin Mullan is one of the hosts of 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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