Friday, November 06, 2009, 8:00 pm MST at L2 Arts & Culture Center, Denver CO ALL AGES SHOWSubscribers get tickets now and save money at:SOLAS-BEARFOOT http://. ”Simply one of the best Celtic bands around.” ” PEOPLE MAGAZINE”Solas is one of my favorite groups. Lovely music from lovely people. They’re the best.” – EMMA LOU HARRIS”It”s not often that Irish music sounds like this much fun.” – HOT PRESS, IrelandSome of the best acoustic music in the world will be heard in Denver, Friday, November 6th when SOLAS performs with special guest, Bearfoot, at the L2 Arts & Culture Center at 8 p.m. in Denver. The event is an “all ages” show and with sponsors that include Harp and the Celtic Connection.SOLAS, (“light” in Irish) officially began in 1996 and soon skyrocketed up as one of the brightest stars in the Celtic music galaxy. Their arrival was trumpeted early and often by Earle Hitchner, notable music critic for the Irish Echo and Wall Street Journal, as the “most exciting bands anywhere in the world.” Soon critics from Denver to Dublin were smitten as well and brought fuel to the fire praised Solas with words as:”mind-blowing;” “virtuosity;” “giants;” “unbridled vitality;” and “worlds finest.” A Denver Post review described the bands first appearance in Denver in 1996 as  “a smashing concert”. Over the past decade the Solas have been honored with a room full of awards from “Best Album” to “Best Concert” and have earned the respect of their fellow musicians, media, and fans for their unique contribution to Celtic Music and beyond.Although Solas can play undiluted traditional Irish music as well as anyone alive or departed, they are always varying the mix of fire tested tradition and contemporary sensibility with an ease and naturalness that is as astonishing as their overwhelming musicianship. As a result, they transcend musical genres into the realm of pure musical expression that only a relative handful of musicians attain. Having played all of the major Celtic and folk festivals around the world, the internationally acclaimed super-group has not only captured the hearts and ears of Irish music fans, but fans all around the globe with their blend of Celtic traditional, folk and country melodies, bluesy sometimes jazz-inspired improvisations and global rhythms. This year the band was even called back to Russia for an encore performance at The Moscow Performing Arts Center. The Solas sound today is anchored by founders Seamus Egan, who plays flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, whistle, guitar and bodhran, and fiddler Winifred Horan. They are two of the most respected”and imitated”musicians anywhere in acoustic music. Mick McAuley from Kilkenny plays accordion and concertina; Eamon McElholm from Tyrone plays guitar and keyboards. Working her way towards two years with the band, County Kilkenny native Mairead Phelan is the newest member to add her own world class talents to Solas. Not only has she come into her own as a vocalist, she is also an accomplished musician, playing flute and tin whistle and has won the All Ireland Championships on both – She also studied piano at the prestigious Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.Friends and labelmates (Compass Records) BEARFOOT will open the Denver show. The Alaskan based bluegrass band, has been nominated for the Emerging Artist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and was named one of the Top Five Must-See Bands of Merlefest by Kim Ruehl (news editor for NoDepression.com and folk music editor for About.com), and Best Band at Telluride.Friday, November 6 at 8 p.m. L2 Arts & Culture Center, Colfax and Columbine, Denver, CO 80206Adv: $23/25, D/S $25/27. ALL AGES SHOWBox Office: www.swallowhillmusic.org, 303.777.1003 x2, 71 East Yale Avenue, Denver, 8021. Info at [email protected] or 303-777-0502