Colorado United Irish Societies, the folks behind the annual Colorado Irish Festival, and The Celtic Connection newspaper are throwing an “All-Ages” “Thank You” party for their volunteers and supporters on Saturday, April 12 from noon to 6pm at the exciting multi-use entertainment hot spot, The Falcon. Colorado United Irish Societies, the folks behind the annual Colorado Irish Festival, and The Celtic Connection newspaper are throwing an “All-Ages” “Thank You” party for their volunteers and supporters on Saturday, April 12 from noon to 6pm at the exciting multi-use entertainment hot spot, The Falcon. Designed by the owners of Gothic Theatre, The Falcon was just voted Westword”s “Best New Venue”. Offering a casual “Rock-N-Bowl” ambiance, it has eight regulation size bowling lanes equipped with electronic scoring, billiards, pinball, a live music room with dance floor and state of the art sound system. Numerous food and drink options are served from a forty-foot fully-stocked “Space Bar” in an open kitchen environment and include a healthy gourmet cuisine menu with seared tuna, Angus beef burgers, gourmet pizza, veggie entrees, and specials during the day.Free bowling will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis from noon to 2pm (bring your bowling shows or rent for a couple of bucks- bowling balls use is free). Live music starts at 2pm with the “Highland Rock & Roll” sounds of Angus Mohr followed by the “Kings of jig punk” from New York City, The Prodigals. Put your name in the purple tub when you come through the door to be eligible for free prize drawings all day. Admission is free to last years Colorado Irish Festivals volunteers, and for folks who will sign-up to help at this years festival July 11, 12, and 13. Colorado Irish Fest folks will have forms on hand to sign-up interested volunteers. Also, Celtic Connection subscribers, volunteers and advertisers are welcome. Kids are welcome too if under control of parents. Please RSVP to [email protected] by April 10 if you are planning to attend the fun day at The Falcon. If you have questions about the event please call 303-777-0502 ” if you have questions about The Falcon please call them direct at 303-781-0414. The Falcon is located at 3295 S. Broadway in Englewood, (303) 781-0414.

a review
by Cindy ReichI was smitten before ever seeing the play upon entering the Denver Victorian Playhouse. A lovely house in a residential neighborhood, built in 1911 with a small theater built in the basement. The Bungalow Theater was active for decades and then later was used as a church space and even a meeting room for Girl Scouts. Reborn as the Gaslight Theater in 1956, it gained national attention for many of its plays until 1984. For another number of years, the theater continues as the Denver Victorian Playhouse. Fast forward to 2000, when it was closed down and then 2005 when it was purchased by Wade and Lorraine Wood.It has a charming athomosphere upstairs where refreshments are on hand and one can retire to the original owner”s study, with floor to ceiling glass fronted bookcases filled with scripts of plays. At intermission, homemade cookies, coffee and soft drinks are available and a small bowl awaits donations. The furniture and contents of the downstairs are all period furnishings and takes one back to a nobler, more genteel time. I absolutely had to be torn away to go downstairs to the theater. The seats are the same red, padded ones you sat in as a kid in the movies, with folding chairs set directly in front of the stage. It is cozy and intimate, yet the room seems to expand and you feel you are in a regular theater the moment the actors hit the stage.Stones in His Pockets is the story of what happens in a small, rural town in County Kerry, when an American film crew arrives to make a film. Jake Quinn has just returned from a stint in America, and meets up with Charlie Conlon, as both have acquired jobs as extras on the film. Charlie has fallen on hard times, but has high aspirations and Jake is trying to adjust to life back in Ireland.It is a fast paced and very demanding role for actors Seth Maisel and Austin Terrell, who between them play a total of 15 characters. With simply a change of hat, or the appearance of a pipe, characters change back and forth rapidly, but quite seamlessly. A credit to both actors. Caroline Giovanni, the star of the film, is played to hilarious perfection by Maisel, and the old-timer, Mickey, is scarily perfected by Terrell as he ages instantly before your eyes, before switching back, perhaps, to Aisling, the prissy, condescending third assistant director. This character, more than any other provoked belly laughs from the audience. Although there is much to laugh about in this comedy, it is also poignant in its themes of aspirations versus reality, the glitter of Hollywood and the despair of living in rural Ireland. “Stones In His Pockets” written by Marie Jones, won the Laurence Olivier Award for best Comedy in 2001, and it is easy to see why. Directed in its Denver appearance by Wade P. Wood, it is wry, engaging, fast-paced and laugh out loud funny. A great example of intimate, local theater. Something that all of us should support in a big way. Having been to many productions in New York, Chicago, Dublin and beyond, I cherished the opportunity to see this production in this venue.My only issue is with the accents, but I have found that Americans doing Irish accents invariably end up sounding like something between Daniel Day-Lewis” Belfast accent in “In The Name Of The Father” and the leprechaun from Lucky Charms. But I”ve learned to get over it, and to be fair; a Kerry accent is probably one of the hardest accents to nail in Irish accent-land. So all is forgiven. And actually Seth Maisel does a respectable Scots accent”but if you want to find out where that fits in, you”ll have to see the play!!!”Stones in His Pockets” is playing through April 5 at the Denver Victorian Playhouse for more information, check out the website at: www.denvervic.com

Celtic Thunder, a brand-new show created and produced by Sharon Browne, the original producer of Celtic Woman, will make its debut in the U.S. with a Public Television special airing on local stations nationwide beginning this month. It will air March 14th at 7 pm on Channel 12. Celtic Thunder, a brand-new show created and produced by Sharon Browne, the original producer of Celtic Woman, will make its debut in the U.S. with a Public Television special airing on local stations nationwide beginning this month. Filmed in the Helix in Dublin last August, the special features five male vocalists, performing an eclectic mix of songs ranging from the traditional “Mountains of Mourne” and “Come By the Hills” to international hits such as “Brothers in Arms” and “Desperado,” as well as original compositions by Celtic Thunder”s musical director and composer Phil Coulter. The ensemble numbers reflect the power of the soloists, who range in age from 14 to 40 and share a common Celtic heritage.Viewers who support the public television stations airing CELTIC THUNDER during the stations” fundraising campaigns will have the first opportunity to get tickets for a 50-city U.S. tour scheduled for Fall 2008. (Please visit www.celticthunder.com for a list of confirmed tour dates.) Viewers will also have a chance to Pledge for a bonus-feature-laden special edition of the Celtic Thunder CD/DVD that will be released in the U.S by Universal”s Decca label on March 4th, 2008.”Catch Celtic Thunder when they appear on NBC”s coverage of the 2008 New York City Saint Patrick”s Day Parade on Monday, March 17th at 11 am.

by Cindy ReichPhil Coulter is no slouch. He wrote songs for Elvis, wrote the mega-hit “Saturday Night” for the Bay City Rollers and produced three albums for “Planxty” (for the traditional music lovers in the audience). It”s impossible to pin him down and put him in a box. Pop songs that he”s written have gone to number one many times and sold tens of millions of albums. Some of his most powerful songs are ballads such as “The Town I Loved So Well”. “Scorn Not His Simplicity”. “The Old Man”. “Steal Away”. Just to name a few. His Tranquility series were groundbreaking and defied categorization again. Phil took great traditional songs of Scotland and Ireland (and a few of his own); set them in orchestral settings and the results were phenomenal. Speaking from his home in Ireland, Phil Coulter took some time out to chat with Cindy Reich of the “Celtic Connection”:Phil, I have to tell you that I got an advance copy of Celtic Thunder and am totally captivated by “Steal Away”. It is the best track of the lot. Somehow it never crossed my radar when the Furey”s did it, but this version is spectacular!”Thank you! That”s a song that has been around for a long time and I have to tell you I have a soft spot for that wee song. I know its not a big song, an important song ” its not “The Town I Loved So Well”, but what flatters me is that people sing “Steal Away” in folk clubs here in Ireland and believe the song has been around for a hundred years.” I agreed that it does have that timeless quality that could have been a song from a hundred years ago. Phil went on, “They”re the hard ones to write”the ones that are deceptively simple are the harder ones to write. I”m glad you”ve discovered it!” I enthused about the harmonies and the quality of tenor Paul Byrom”s voice, as Phil replied, “Celtic Thunder was a big, big involvement for me last year as the kind of musical ringmaster and musical creator–finding slots for existing songs or writing the new material or slotting in the other songs be they Irish or the big pop anthems like “Knights in White Satin” or “Desperados”. It has been a labor of love, but it has still been a labor. It has been a big, big investment of time and energy, so I hope I got it right.” Phil, you”ve gone all the way from pop and rock and traditional to stage shows”Eurovison, the whole lot. You are not a one trick pony. You”ve had many, many major hits. How do you maintain such a high level? ”The simple answer to that is I regard it as my job. And because you get a few hits doesn”t mean you can take your foot off the pedal. It doesn”t mean you”re entitled to any more. It doesn”t mean you”ve cracked it. It doesn”t mean you”ve discovered the formula. It doesn”t mean you”re some kind of alchemist that can make hits out of nothing. What it means is that by applying your work ethic to your talent”you put the ingredients together in a way that it worked and you just hope that along the road that you”ve learned from those experiences and you”ve got in your toolbox the tools to do it again. There are no guarantees. This is my job. It is as simple as that and it”s a job I take very seriously.” “It”s a great job”, he continued, “and there are a lot of people who would crawl over broken glass to have it. I work hard at it and I think I do it reasonably well. It”s a lot of spade work. It”s a lot of digging away at the seam beneath the ground until you hit the gold.”Yes, I replied, but you”re a craftsman, like a master craftsman of any sort of art.”I”m glad you say that”, said Coulter, “Because I keep preaching this to the youngsters that come into the game. I was a visiting professor in the music department at Boston College for a number of years and whether it was a student there or someone coming into my orchestra, I would tell the kids a number of things. I would tell them that because you”re talented, don”t believe that the world owes you a living, because nothing is further from the truth. Your talent entitles you to nothing. Your talent is something you inherited. It”s a gift from God. You inherited it from the genes of your parents. But don”t think that because you are born talented that it”s going to be easy. You start congratulating yourself when you work at your talent and turn it into something, you know? Learning the craft.””Songwriting”that”s another one of my hobby horses when I get on my soapbox and talk about songwriting”, he continued. “It is a craft. There”s no such thing as a born songwriter. There”s no such thing as a born silversmith. There may be somebody who has a great eye and a great hand who can work with the raw materials, but you have to learn the craft and how you put the skill and ingenuity together to be able to turn out something worthwhile. And that”s what songwriting”s about and that”s what crafting a record or a stage show is about.”I agreed and said that you must continually adapt, because your audience changes all the time. ”Nothing is forever, you”ve got to keep changing. Even people”s expectations of a stage show”twenty years ago, they would”ve been content to see three or four guys and a half decent PA and a few shining lights. Now, for the big acts there have to be pyrotechnics and state of the art lighting. At that kind of level, people expect it.”Yes, I agreed, but now you also have to compete for people”s attention in a world where everything is a sound byte and people need to be entertained to a phenomenal level in three or four minutes or they just walk away. ”Then”, Phil continued, ” you have to ask yourself, how much of the bells and whistles are covering up for the fact that the actual content”that the substance is missing?”But then we can go back to the success of the Tranquility series, I countered”this is a great segue–because here is something that you”ve been doing for a long time”taking songs with great lyrics and taking the lyrics away to concentrate on the melody.”In the midst of all the changing fashions and fads”, Phil said, “whether it may be rap, or whether it may be R&B or teeny bop or whatever happens to be fashionable, the one thing that endures is quality. The one thing that endures is a good tune, and if you look at the history of popular music you”ll see that. In the midst of all the madness, the diamonds will always come through. So the choosing of a song in my repertoire is a critical part of the whole exercise and that”s where being a songwriter helps me. The songs are the real stars of the whole show, whether it be on the record or on the stage, I reckon. It”s a question of leaving the space and letting those melodies breathe. The strings and the other instruments provide the carpet that the melodies can dance on. Its as simple as that.” I love words, I countered, and most ballads I latched on to were because of the words, but having said that, there are some songs, that the melody is so captivating, I never even hear the words. ”That”s the great irony”, said Coulter. “The whole Tranquility series is taking those great songs and stripping away the lyrics which in many cases were every bit as good as the melody. And that doesn”t mean that I am not a lover of words as yourself. As a songwriter, I would take as much pleasure and I would spend as much time crafting a lyric as I would a melody. A song like “The Town I Loved So Well””that melody came within a week, I would say. But the lyric took me a year, because I just knew, given the circumstances, and given the volatility of the atmosphere in the north of Ireland, that this song was addressing, that I had to be very careful in my choice of words and images.” ” Had I not thought this one through, just a few ill chosen words here or there would have just tilted the song and I”d have made it into a rebel song and that was the last thing that I wanted to achieve, and the last thing this country needed was another rebel song. The crafting of the lyric and the honing down of the words and the choosing of the words is something, which again, is part of the craft that gives me great satisfaction and delight.” But that is one of the great ironies of yourself, I countered. Here you are, a master craftsman of lyrics”one of the most powerful songs, ever””The Town I Loved So Well”. Songs like “Scorn Not His Simplicity”, “The Old Man””these are really strong songs, lyrically. So you take these same songs that have such power because of the way they were crafted with words, and then remove the words. ”Maybe that is something that appeals to my quirky sense of humor. It kind of wrong-foots people”, Phil continued. “I like confusing people. I refuse to be pigeon-holed. I”m not comfortable being put in any box and that”s why the whole idea of new challenges and the whole idea of re-inventing oneself is important to the whole creative process. That”s really why I took on the Celtic Thunder project. I can do this. It falls within my remit”I can call on a lot of the skills I”ve learned. It”s a big project, its going to take a lot of time, but you know what? ” I can do this.” Phil Coulter has just released “Timeless Tranquility” a twenty-year celebration of the Tranquility series on the Shanachie label and a DVD, filmed on location in Ireland, “Tranquility Classics, A Journey Through Phil Coulter”s Ireland”. You can also check out Phil Coulter”s website, www.philcouter.com or www.shanachie.com

by Pat McCulloughSince 2000, Rocky Mountain Revels have highlighted different cultures and time periods with their annual production of “The Christmas Revels, In Celebration of the Winter Solstice” ” This year the honor belongs to the Irish as the story takes place on the docks of Cobh (pronounced Cove) in County Cork, on the southwestern shore of Ireland where tens of thousands of Irish men, women, and children boarded ships to make the perilous 4 to 8 week journey to the New World in the 19th century. Rocky Mountain Revels are a Colorado non-profit organization who license “The Christmas Revels” name from Revels Inc. Revels Inc. was founded in 1971 in Cambridge, Mass. by award-winning author and musician John Langstaff to promote the understanding and appreciation of traditional folk music, dance and rituals from around the world. Although a separate entity that needs its own funding, Rocky Mountain Revels Artistic Director Karen Romeo explained the committed relationship with the Cambridge originators. “Artistically we are completely dedicated to doing as high a quality production as we can -and that absolutely means staying connected with Cambridge.”Earlier this year Karen went to the mother association in Cambridge to look over the estimated 25 different scripts for the 2007 production in Boulder. “We knew that we wanted to do an Irish Revels last Spring and we started looking at the various scripts and there really wasn”t one that suited our company and our area – so by early summer I realized that if we wanted a good Irish Revels that suited are company than I needed to actually write it – so then I got permission from Cambridge.”Karen spent the entire summer in the library researching Irish immigration and culture around 1890 and wrote the original script for this year’s Christmas Revels. “I had a great time researching and doing the script,” she said as she recalled time spent on-line and at the University of Colorado Library and Boulder Public Library. Pleased with the results of her efforts she added, “I think it (script) works and holds together as a show and theater event, and I think it is also very true to the time and very accurate about it.”How concerned for accuracy was Karen? She researched shipping lines for names of ships used during the time period. Deciding on the S.S. Ethiopia, she found the ships manifest with actual names and occupations and allowed the cast members to choose these identities ” even though much of the details don”t come out in the production. Karen explained, “Even though it doesn”t come out in the show, the cast members are very aware of the history of it all – It won”t be a direct read to the audience, but I think the audience will have a sense that there is a lot of history in this and a lot of authenticity.”The two-hour show has a complete set and period costumes circa 1890 Ireland with live Irish music, drama, and dance. “We are very excited about bringing in the Irish Dancer from Boston,” referring to 2006 North American Step-dancing Champion Alexandra Siega. Alexandra is well recognized in dance circles around the country and no different in Colorado. “When our really good young high school stepdancers from this area found out that Alexandra was going to be participating we got some terrific response and we have some of the best young stepdancers in Colorado who will be dancing with her (including Blaine Donovan, Natasha Trellinger, Robbie and Richie Ross, and Elizabeth Marie Barton) – So we”re really excited about featuring the whole thing because we”ve got her and these hot-shot Colorado kids ” I think it will be pretty darn spectacular!”Live Irish music will be provided by Jeff Bain (Uillean pipe/ penny whistle/recorder), assistant music director who transcribed some of the pieces; teenage siblings Jonathan (fiddle) & Hanna Seaman (harp); and also Karen Romeo herself who is also a fiddler. Some of the music will come from a Brass Quintet, a Revels tradition. “We”ve always used the Flagstaff Brass Quintet (Denver/Boulder) ” that”s our resident Revels Quintet.” Karen continued enthusiastically “We have fabulous singers which I”m so proud!” which includes 3 soloists, 24 piece adult choir, and a 16 piece children”s choir singing authentic children”s songs from the 1890s all in costume.”True to tradition and spirit of the Revels aspire to the best possible use of amateur and professional talent in their productions. “I think ours has a tremendous amount of charm ” I think it has a nice combination of amateur and professional … with locals from up and down the Front Range.”According to Karen it is not unusual for cast member to walk in and can carry a tune but have never been on stage. “We get some interesting cast member I tell you – Its amazing who comes out of the woodwork.” She told the Story of Nobel Prize Winner Eric Cornell who teaches Physics at CU. He grew up in Boston and saw revels every year as a child. About two years ago he brought his daughter Eliza to audition. “She had a pretty little soprano voice so we put her in the choir,” then Karen asked “is dad going to audition too?” I had no idea that he was a noble laureate.” He told Karen that he hadn”t thought about it, but that he might, “and stood up and sang in a very pretty tenor voice a Christmas carol – Well, we have a noble prize winner in our cast this year, not having sung on a stage before ” he”s having the time of his life!Since audience participation is a Revels trademark, you don”t have to audition to participate. Song leader teaches audience a couple of songs and folks are invited to dance. “We”ve had half the audience get up and dance through the lobby of the Boulder Theater!”Boulder Theater, Boulder on 14th off the Pearl Street Mall; December 16th at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm and December 22nd at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Doors open 30 minutes before show time. General Admission Balcony : $17 General Admission Children 12 and under: $15; Main Floor Reserved: $24 Main Floor Reserved Children 12 and under: $22; All Gold Circle: $35 Ticket prices (including all surcharges and taxes): Available at Boulder Theater box office:” 303 786-7030 or www.bouldertheater.com; Group Sales (groups of 20 or more): Contact Artistic Director Karen Romeo at 303 440-9056. All group rates $14 per person.

Interview with Beth Patterson by Pat McCulloughBeth Patterson has a stage presence that has been described by viewers as “a cross between a cobra and a puppy.” No doubt the puppy is for her lovely smile and voice ” and the Cobra? Maybe for her fleet finger action on the fret board ” but more likely to describe her deadly quick sense of humor. Not deadly in the sense that she is trying to hurt anyone ” just deadly sweet irreverence. The Louisiana native is loaded with one liners and quick wit ” on and off the stage. Whether it comes from fact or fiction is irrelevant as long it is absolved by a laugh. Take for example her current ad/flyer for a November 25th concert at Lannie”s Clocktower Cabaret in Denver which reads, “Her music is great, but her cooking sucks!”-Martha Stewart.During a recent phone interview she laughed off what she described as “The bogus quote”” but then the cobra struck. “She totally snubbed my cake, even though it felt like Janet Reno”s boobs she still could have been nice about it ” she snubbed my cake, and said me my cooking sucks, and at Lannie”s Martha and I are going to mud wrestle ” and I”m going to completely kick Martha Stewart”s ass ” Let”s get her out of the kitchen and see how she can do with a microphone and bouzouki!”Since Martha Stewart won”t be there (please read Martha Stewart fans and attorneys) Beth came up with plan B. “Lannie (Lannie Garrett ” performer/owner) walks on stage dressed like Martha Stewart and I say “Martha you dissed my cake and said my cooking sucked” ” and then we both get into a rousing rendition of “Anything You Can Do I Can Do better”.Return of the puppy. Having fun with the cabaret connotation Beth joked, “At Lannie”s Cabaret, I”ll be stripping myself of preconceived notions and genres.” So will there be more puppy or Cobra at Lannie”s? “There has to be a balance of Cobra and puppy ” at times both can be a little more intense”. So is it a part of a performance plan? ”It”s not a conscious thing ” people know what they are going to get into when they come to see me. You see the bogus quote ” and people expect something far from domestic.”Beth is back in the studio in the process of recording her 4th CD called “On Better Paths”, which is an anagram of her name. “I”ve got some things like “Hell or High Water”, my post-Katrina song that people have heard that will be on the CD ” but it will be up a couple of notches with intensity. The CD will be cryptic, multi-layered and multi-faceted ” more musically striking. There is going to be more cross pollination ” fusions of Celtic and African more strongly or a lot less subtly than “Take Some Fire” (her 2nd CD).She added with a chuckle, “Less shy musically and lyrically.” Ruff-ruff, Hiss-Hiss Beth Patterson Colorado Gigs:Sunday, Nov 25, 7pm show 6pm doors, Lannie”s Clocktower Cabaret, 16th St. Mall @ Arapahoe in Downtown Denver. 21+ show $12 online at www.lannies.com and $15 at door. 303-293-0075.Thursday, Nov 29, 7-9pm, All Ages show Avogadros, 605 S. Mason, Ft. Collins, CO, 970- 493-5555. Note: Beth Patterson”s 4th CD “On Better Paths” is schedule for release in the Spring of 2008 info at www.littlebluemen.com

The brilliant, innovative harping of M”ire N” Chathasaigh, Irish Traditional Musician of the Year 2001, and the astonishing virtuosity and versatility of English guitar wizard Chris Newman, has been heard all over the world: now they come to Cameron Church September 23rd for the first time with their addictive and stylish cocktail of powerhouse Irish dance-music, gorgeous airs, evocative old songs and striking new compositions – with shots of hot jazz and bluegrass thrown in! Their new CD FireWire has garnered extraordinary critical acclaim: “M”ire N” Chathasaigh is in a class of her own” The Guardian “An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite thrilling… Virtuoso playing… bewitching string fantasies and a wonderfully clear and expressive voice” The Times “Dazzling virtuosity… The speed and complexity is to be marveled at… exquisitely delivered… delightful” The Daily Telegraph Their “blazing guitar and dancing harp”, coupled with Chris”s “subversively witty introductions”, guarantee a unique and captivating evening.Sunday September 23rd 7:00 pm, Cameron Church 1600 South Pearl, Denver. Tickets at the door: $15 (children 12 and under $10). Sponsored by Kolacny Music, Denver. Call 303-722-6081 for info.

SINEAD O”CONNOR will perform at the Paramount Theatre on Friday September 21 introducing her latest release “Theology”. “Theology is an attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war and to provoke thought,” says Sinead O’Connor about her new studio album, the artist’s first since her 2005 reggae collection, Throw Down Your Arms. “The events of September 11, 2001 contributed to the writing of the songs very much so, as did events subsequently as they have panned out all over the world.” The whole world became a very dangerous place on that day.” I simply wanted to make a beautiful thing, out of something beautiful, which inspires me.” Theology, the record, apart from being a place of peace and meditation, is a very personal emotional response.” Influenced by a wide variety of musical and literary sources which have helped shape her aesthetic consciousness since childhood, O’Connor composed the majority of the songs on Theology, the first album to be comprised mainly of her own material since her fifth full-length album, Faith and Courage, was released in 2000.Both icon and iconoclast, Sinead O’Connor has been making music, rejecting stereotypes and defying expectations for more than a quarter century.” At the age of 14, she wrote and recorded the debut single for the Dublin-based Irish band In Tua Nua, then left the band because she was too young to tour. In 1990, her sophomore album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, peaked at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 while her Prince-penned single, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” reached #1 on the Hot 100 and earned her a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.” Twenty years after she first began transforming the pop cultural landscape with the release of her debut solo album, The Lion and The Cobra, Sinead O’Connor continues to delight and surprise, challenge and inspire with the sound of her voice and the power of her music on Theology. Showtime is 7:30 PM. Doors open 6:30 PM. This is an all ages show. Tickets are $52.50, $42.50 and $32.50 RES plus applicable service charges at www.TicketHorse.com, the Dick”s Sporting Goods Park box office and at all metro Denver Dick”s Sporting Goods stores. Ticket Center hours may vary. Contact retailer to confirm hours of operation. To charge tickets by phone, call 1.866.461.6556 or log on @ www.livenation.com. Tickets available the day of show at the Paramount Theatre box office from 4 PM ” showtime. Ticket purchase includes parking for the Plaza Parking garage located on the corner of 18th & California (1 1/2 blocks north of the Paramount Theatre). Patrons must present concert ticket stub upon exit of parking garage.

A slice of musical heaven in my life has been the experience of Willie Clancy Summer School held in County Clare on the West coast of Ireland. Each year around the first week of July thousands of people stream into Miltown Malbay, (once home to uilleann piper Willie Clancy) and surrounding towns to enjoy classes, concerts, and ceilis celebrating traditional music and dance. People road bikes or hitched rides from Miltown, Spanish Point and Quilty to share a tune, song, or dance. There was an organic high to the whole experience ” simple but powerful. Stop, I know what you”re thinking ” but I was drinking a lot more pints of water then porter. Were those uplifting endorphins I read about kicking in from the aerobic pace of the ceilis ” I don”t know ” surely the simple beauty of the area had something to do with the feeling. Back in the school and disco days it was about dancing with the pretty girl ” this was different ” it was more like connecting to the magic of the music and dance and just being content with the moment.  When I returned to Colorado (with sore feet and baggy pants from dancing 6 hours a day!) I wondered if a “Willie Week” type of event could be successful in the Rockies? Thanks to Barbara Yule and friends, the ingredients for such an event are in the mix for September 27 through September 30 when they present the Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival hosted by Walsenburg, La Veta/Cuchara and Gardner in Huerfano County in the scenic mountains of Southern Colorado.Barbara and husband Jack moved to Huerfano County from Scotland over 6 years ago and have been homesteading on their 30 acres outside of Gardner. They lived in a trailer, then cabin, as they steadily built their home (and it”s almost finished). Throughout the construction they have had many music sessions at their place with Jack starting things up on his button accordion. But as Jack continued to build their home during the day, Barbara began to build a festival.Now, in only its 3rd year, and with limited funding, it would not be fair to compare it to Willie Week which has been going since 1973 ” However, they have made some great strides bringing in some top international talent and developing community support for the fest. They even involve the Huerfano County youth with special K through 12 in-school programs that run the whole week prior the Fest ” Brilliant!Below are some highlights that Barbara sent us in a press release. There are detailed event and class descriptions, performer bios, and other helpful information at www.celticmusicfest.com This year”s festival includes five individual concerts featuring Irish and Scottish international artists. Thursday”s opening in Gardner is ceilidh style and includes sets from all the artists performing over the weekend ($12). Friday night at the Fox Theater in Walsenburg, is hosted by famed Irish fiddler Seamus Connolly with premier uilleann piper Jerry O”Sullivan, Irish harper Lynn Saoirse, cellist Abby Newton and others. Saturday night at the Fox is an all-Scottish concert with Scottish popular singers Margaret Bennett, Alison Bell and Ed Miller and an ensemble of musicians and storytellers ($20 and $16 for children and students). Bring your cool sunglasses for a little genre cross-pollination Saturday afternoon when world renowned jazz harpist Park Stickney and special guests (jazz musicians) fuse Celtic with jazz for an up-tempo performance. The concert”s finale presents the dynamite duo of Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Irish harper with guitarist Chris Newman. Afternoon concerts are $16 and $13 for children and students. Check out the discount weekend concert ticket to save money. There are also two free Ceilidhs ” a Dance Ceilidh in La Veta Park Saturday afternoon and a final Ceilidh at La Veta Inn Sunday evening. On offer for children are Saturday morning activities, $5 per child, free for parents, and a special Sunday concert at $5 per ticket.The festival not only boasts excellent and unique concerts performed by top international artists, but a full program of courses, workshops and demonstration talks presented by these same artists. Here is a chance for musicians to sharpen their own skills in classes and workshop settings. Instruments include harp, Highland pipes, uilleann pipes, Irish fiddle, Celtic guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bodhran, as well as singing workshops in both Irish and Scottish songs and even ceilidh dancing for everyone. A full harp retreat course of 15+ hours with Irish harpers Maire Ni Chathasaigh and Lynn Saoirse and other workshop leaders costs $235 for pre-festival registration. Each intermediate/advanced piping course consists of 7 hours with Jerry O”Sullivan and added sessions with other artists ($110). Irish fiddle with Seamus Connolly, Celtic guitar with Chris Newman, both intermediate /advanced, and elementary harp with Scottish teacher Heather Yule are each four hours long and cost $60. There are shorter one to two hour workshops costing between $10 and $15 an hour. Free beginning classes in harp, bodhran and whistle. For a full schedule of events, fees and lodging suggestions see www.celticmusicfest.com or telephone the festival office at 719 742-5410. So there you are ” if you have an interest in the traditional music and dance from across the foam, plan your trip to Southern Colorado now. It is very easy to get to ” just east of I-25 ” come on, you can do it! (and maybe you”ll feel your own organic endorphin propelled Rocky Mountain high! Or just have a pint of 333 whatever!) by Pat McCullough e

an interview with Cindy Reich (August 07 Celtic Connection)Sometimes the good guys do win in the end. From a debut recording made in the bedroom of band member Shane Power to a song that was included in every demo iPhone, Guggenheim Grotto have won fans all across the land.  Their debut album, “Waltzing Alone”, released in Ireland in 2005 is an addictive blend of memorable melodies, outstanding songwriting and vocal harmonies, which is utterly captivating. It became the number one folk album on iTunes downloads and the first cut, “Philosophia” was included on every demo iPhone. The Guggenheim Grotto are multi-instrumentalists/vocalists Shane Power, Kevin May and Mick Lynch. So how does one get from a debut album recorded in a bedroom in north Dublin to the darlings of Apple, Inc.? I asked Shane Power. “Apple/iTunes have been amazing to us”, he replied, “and its great to know that they”re interested for all the right reasons. Apparently you can”t buy your way on to a feature like Single of the Week or iTunes, nor can you buy any sort of favors or advertising that will put you to the top of the pile for consideration.” “The iTunes crew sit down together and decide what they like or wish to promote, and luckily for us they chose The Guggenheim Grotto.” “Being featured on the iPhone was a great buzz for us as we”re all into technology and we”ve always used Mac”s when making the Album, and indeed are currently using Apple machines to record the new album!””The only problem with the iPhone”, laughs Power, “is “I want one now!!! But they”re not available here in Ireland “til next October or November.” “Maybe by that stage they could squeeze a mobile studio into the iPhone so we could take it on the road with us…now that would be nice!”While the GG might be deep into technology, their CD, “Waltzing Alone” is a work of art, in both sound and packaging. It is a small book with a slot in it for the CD to fit in. There is a lot of information packed into it and it is as tactile as the CD is listenable. Band member Kevin May explains, “One of my favorite albums is Leonard Cohen”s “Greatest Hits”. “Normally I don”t like greatest hits albums, but this one has all his early hits like “Suzanne” and “Famous Blue Raincoat” and on this album he had little paragraphs on each song like where he was when he wrote it, or any little anecdotes that may be attached to it. And I loved that about the album”where you can really get in behind the writer or get a sense of the time in which it was written.” ”It adds to the experience as a whole, you know?” Kevin continues. “I love holding something in my hands when I”m listening to an album for the first time”scanning thru the pictures. So I guess it was very much an homage to all those earlier albums that we”d loved that would”ve had extensive sleeve notes.”Although The Guggenheim Grotto have gained wide acclaim with “Waltzing Alone”, their live show is even more impressive. The lads are delighted with the prospect of winning over a whole new audience during their performance at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons in August. They played to several sold out venues on their last tour while still relatively new to U.S. audiences. With all of the success and buzz surrounding The Guggenheim Grotto”s “Waltzing Alone”, is there pressure on the band now for the next recording? Shane replied, ”The new record is going brilliantly…we”re recording about three days a week at the moment and hope to have it all ready by Christmas, which probably means a release date of early to mid next year.” “We can”t wait to get it finished”although “Waltzing Alone” was only released in the U.S. last September, it”s nearly three years old for us now.”Are you guys going back into the bedroom to record? The atmosphere of “Waltzing Alone” is so nice””Yes”, agrees Shane. “We”re back in the bedroom for this recording too”it worked for us last time. If it ain”t broke”.” “We bought ourselves some great new equipment”, Power continues, “so this time it”s become easier to capture some great sounding performances in our home studio. I can”t say for sure yet what the finished results will be, but its going to be another genre-mixing, song loving, band-playing album with maybe a dash of electronica on the side. We look forward to unleashing the results on the world!!”You can catch The Guggenheim Grotto live and unleashed on Sunday, August 19 at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival at the Planet Bluegrass ranch in Lyons, Colorado.Check out The Guggenheim Grotto at their website: www.guggenheimgrotto.comGuggenheim Grotto joins Judy Collins, Ray LaMontagne, Chris Isaak, Chris Isaak, Richie Havens, and many others at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, August 17-19 at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons, CO. Tickets ($40 Friday, $45 Saturday, $45 Sunday, $105 3-day pass) and camping ($45-60) are available now at www.bluegrass.com.(from The Celtic Connection August 07 issue)

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities will welcome Cherish the Ladies and Southern Exposure to the outdoor amphitheater on Saturday, August 11 at 7:30 p.m. Cherish the Ladies combine impeccable musicality with an exciting theatrical flair. Absolutely unique in their magnificent blend of beautiful female vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step-dancing, these renowned Irish songstresses have shared a stage with the best in the world including Emmy Lou Harris, James Taylor and the Clancy Brothers. An Arvada Center summer concert favorite, Southern Exposure opens the concert with its traditional and contemporary bluegrass sound.  Cherish the Ladies combine impeccable musicality with an exciting theatrical flair. Absolutely unique in their magnificent blend of beautiful female vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step-dancing, these renowned Irish songstresses have shared a stage with the best in the world including Emmy Lou Harris, James Taylor and the Clancy Brothers. An Arvada Center summer concert favorite, Southern Exposure opens the concert with its traditional and contemporary bluegrass sound. Tickets are $32 for reserved covered seats and $18 for general admission on the lawn. For tickets, call the Arvada Center box office at (720) 898-7200 or visit arvadacenter.org. All summer concerts are held rain or shine.

The 44th Annual Colorado Scottish Festival, Aug. 11-12, will take place at Highland Heritage Park in Highlands Ranch. Festival visitors will be able to sample many aspects of Scottish culture. More than 100 pipers and drummers will play en masse at noon each day, with individual and band competitions throughout the weekend.”Vendor booths will spotlight Scottish, Irish and other British goods. Dogs of the British Isles will be on display, and over 50 clans will educate folks about their heritage.”The unique sports of Scotland, including the famous tossing of the telephone pole-size cabers, will entertain sports fans while others will cheer on championship rugby games. Racers in kilts will be running the “Kilted Mile” around the Festival perimeter. On Sunday, a parade and display of classic British cars is always a hit.”Other activities include genealogy, children”s games, Highland dancers, Irish step dancers, Scottish country dancing, Welsh and Bretagne dancing, haggis and whisky tasting -and a bonnie knees contest for kilted men will add to the fun!Celtic songs and music feature fiddle, Gaelic, Irish flute, Welsh pipes, harp, accordion, and dulcimer music, Sat. & Sun. try your hand at Irish bodhran drumming workshops for beginners, and int./adv. players. Sunday workshops include Celtic guitar, hammered dulcimer, and Irish fiddle by one of Ireland”s masters, Seamus Connolly. Other performers over the weekend include Oceans Apart, Chuck Wilcox, Empty Pockets, Ceol Ceili, Juice o” the Barley, Rudy Ramsey, Star Edwards, Molly Magpies, Holly & Jake, Loretta Thompson, Holly Williams, Jon Sousa, Skean Dubh, Canned Haggis, Ron Tomocik, Nick Kelly, and John Mullen.”Saturday evening will feature a Concert and Ceilidh (music and dance party) with bagpipes, fiddlers, folk singers, and social dancing for all. The Concert begins at 7 pm with bagpipes and brass. The ceilidh (pronounced KAY-LEE) follows at 8 pm. Concert and ceilidh will be held at the ballroom of the Sheraton Denver Tech Center, 7007 S. Clinton St., Englewood. Concert tickets are $15 ($8 for children), at the door. Advance discount tickets are available on the Festival website and on Saturday of the Festival at the St. Andrew Society information tent.Scottish Festival tickets are $12 per day for adults, $8 for seniors (60 plus) and children 7-12 years old.”Kids 6 and under are free.” No pets allowed, per a county ordinance.Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Highland Heritage Park in Highlands Ranch, 9651 So. Quebec St.(Take C-470 to Quebec, then south two miles to Lincoln Blvd). Free shuttle buses will ferry visitors from free parking lots to the Festival front gate. Watch for the signs. For additional information visit www.scottishgames.org, or call 303-238-6524.Contributed by Jan Mitchell and Loretta Thompson