WHEN: Saturday, February 4th – 6:30 PM
WHERE: Alberta Street Public House
WHERE: 1036 NE Alberta Street – Portland, OR
ADMISSION: $5 at the door

We are proud to announce that Beltaine will be performing at the Alberta Street Public House on Saturday, February 4th at 6:30 PM.

Beltaine showcases the best of Acoustic Celtic Fusion in their music. Kris, Brian, Jamie, and John bring years of experience in ethnic, folk, rock and jazz music to their interpretations of traditional and tunes. Their new compositions and a new collection of traditional music brings together the best of old and new. So sit back, enjoy, and Slainte!

“I loved this album. It’s so easy to listen to, and the choice of songs so compelling, that I could hardly think otherwise. Lovers of the Celtic tune, take notice. This is a project you should acquire, and once having done so, spend time with. Lots of time. Delightful.” John C. McClure

Beltaine performs throughout the Northwest at many events including; The Highland Stillhouse, Irishtown, Portland Highland Games, The Bite of Oregon, Portland Rose Festival, Newport Celtic Music Festival, Yachats Celtic Music Festival, Tryon Creek State Park Summer Concert Series, Scappoose Concerts in the Park, Pittock Mansion Holiday Music Program, and many other local venues.

For More information please visit www.beltainemusic.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beltaine/248366435593

Alberta Street Public House – Come in any night for a wide selection of drinks and house specialties from the kitchen on the bar side. And, come out and enjoy live music most nights of the week. For more information please visit http://www.albertastreetpub.com/

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There’s some news about our favorite Stout Irish Rockers. First off, there is a new Blaggard. Bryce Clarke has joined the band. Bryce is Brandi’s husband. Now there are even more Blaggards to love.

Today is the day Blaggards retake Vegas. They were there last year and have returned. If you are in Vegas, or can get there, Blaggards will be in town Jan 17- 23 at Ri Ra @ Mandalay Bay 3930 Las Vegas Blvd South. You don’t want to miss this band. Stout Irish Rock and Vegas, Baby ~ what’s not to like? A nice winter getaway might be just the thing to start the year off right.

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Gareth Brannigan will be appearing on Idír Línn on Dublin South Radio 93.9 FM this Saturday, Jan 14, 2012, at 1 PM GMT (8AM EST for US fans) It will be streamed here – http://dublinsouthfm.ie/shows/14/Idr-Lnn Gareth has promised to share some of his new songs on the show. Enjoy!

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Michael will be singing six songs in the new Sean Penn movie This Must Be The Place The songs are by David Byrne (Talking Heads) and Will Oldham. It was Micheal’s extraordinary voice that landed him the job of the Irish singer whose songs guide Sean through the story.

Micheal will be releasing a new cd called The Orchard in the Spring. Here is the title song and some more of Micheal’s music including a bit from the movie. I’ve been a fan of Michael Brunnock for a few years now. If you haven’t heard him before just listen and you’ll find that you’re a fan also. Enjoy!

The Orchard by MichaelBrunnock

You can find him on Facebook here

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Stories From The Steeples Set for Release on February 14 followed by New Albums by Cathy Jordan, Maia Sharp and “Dreams of the San Joaquin” Anthology

Independent Blix Street Records will inaugurate 2012 with the U.S. release of STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, Mary Black’s first new studio recording in six years. Arriving in stores in time for Valentine’s Day on February 14, 2012, the album from the Irish singing legend will be followed by three more releases from the Seattle-based label during the first months of the year.

STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES marks the reunion of Mary Black, recognized as Ireland’s premier female vocalist, with Blix Street, whose Gifthorse label established Black in America in 1990. Widely known as a leader in Celtic music, Blix Street is also home to artists such as Grace Griffith, Dougie MacLean, Maia Sharp and Eva Cassidy.

Mary Black has been at the forefront of the Irish music scene for over 25 years. Her voice is rich; her delivery vivid and nuanced. Her gift for storytelling and ear for emerging songwriters have earned her star billing on the international stage, devoted fans, awards and honors too numerous to recount.

STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, named for the Dublin studio where it was recorded, comes straight from the heart. Eleven songs of life, love, loss, struggle and hope are the perfect rocky terrain for Black. With writers rooted in Ireland, Australia, the UK and America, the diverse and adventurous material offers more than a few delicious surprises, among them the bonus track “Fifi the Flea,” written by the Hollies’ Graham Nash, Tony Hicks and Allan Clarke.

Black shares vocals on three duets on the new CD: “Lighthouse Light” with Janis Ian, a catchy tune written by Boston-based artist Ry Cavanaugh; “Walking With My Love,” a spirited romp with the incomparable Irish musician Finbar Furey; and “Mountains To The Sea” with Irish chart-topper Imelda May, which is slated to be the album’s first single. It’s enough to say that when Dublin-born May took first place on Ireland’s album charts with her 2009 debut Love Tattoo, she became the first female Irish artist to secure that spot since fellow Dubliner Black did it nearly 20 years before. This tuneful salute to open spaces was written by Australia’s roots artists Shane Howard and Neil Murray, familiar territory for the triple-platinum May whose influences include rockabilly and blues. Black also includes Murray’s “One True Place,” a song that could easily have been sung by The Carter Family.

Leading off the musical adventure is “Marguerite and the Gambler,” the story-song about a doomed love affair involving a beautiful woman, a dashing rogue and an unhappy father written by Irish contemporary singer-songwriter Ricky Lynch. “The Night Was Dark and Deep,” from acclaimed Australian musician Paul Kelly, showcases Black’s mesmerizing ability to deliver the soul of a song ever fresh with understatement.

The album features three songs from Danny O’Reilly, the lead singer of the Irish pop/rock group The Coronas whose new album just debuted at #1 on the Irish pop chart: “Faith in Fate,” a memorable union of Black’s fluid delivery fitted to Andrew Holdsworth’s well-tempered string arrangement and Ritchie Buckley’s sax; “Wizard of Oz” with a sparse arrangement echoing its emotional landscape; and the energizing, upbeat “The Night Is On Our Side.” Given the affinity of sense and sensibility between singer and writer in these three songs, it is not surprising to learn that Danny is Mary’s son, one of the next generation of the Black family musical tradition. Mary’s two other children, Roisín and Conor, also appear on “The Night Is On Our Side.”

Rounding out the set are the Julie Matthews-Chris While composition “Steady Breathing,” and the Eric Bogle-John Munro anti-war offering “All The Fine Young Men.” Those familiar with these selections will appreciate Black’s sensitive interpretations on these two outstanding tracks.

Mary Black is an artist with extraordinary gifts, foresight and generosity, in tune with today and always moving gracefully into tomorrow. In her long and successful career as a solo artist, she has recorded dozens of albums and toured extensively while never hesitating to share a spotlight or a credit. STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES is no exception. The album comes with a booklet that features her notes on the songs and credits a long list of musicians and producers with putting this project so seamlessly together. In addition to Black, co-producers on various tracks include Billy Robinson, Bill Shanley and Pat Crowley. Shanley’s guitar work and Crowley’s keyboards (and sometimes accordion) are featured throughout the album, along with Nick Scott on double bass and Matt McGranahan on fiddle. Many other musicians and backup singers contributed as well, among them Finbar Furey on banjo.

Long awaited, STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES is the latest chapter in Mary Black’s story. Or, as Ireland’s Hot Press put it in a recent issue: “Mary Black instinctively makes a song her own, and her voice here is more expressively fragile than before. The musicianship is impeccable, especially Bill Shanley’s guitar and Pat Crowley’s keyboards, making Stories From The Steeples a very worthy addition to an already impressive catalogue.”

“Mary Black is the artist who launched our business, and all these years later, it’s a great pleasure to welcome her home,” states Blix Street President Bill Straw. “We are pleased to have her first new studio album in quite some time lead off our release schedule for 2012.”

Following STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, Blix Street will release another album from Ireland in the form of ALL THE WAY HOME, a solo project from Ireland’s Cathy Jordan, best-known as lead singer of the band Dervish. In addition, renowned Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Maia Sharp, whose work has been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain and the Dixie Chicks, among many others, is finishing her second Blix Street release. Maia is also part of the California-themed musical anthology DREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN, featuring her parents Randy Sharp and Sharon Bays along with family friend Jack Wesley Routh.

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This means a lot to Indie musicians and their fans. It means record companies can shut down any youtube video of a cover song. They can shut down any site that links to any such video – like this one. We cover mostly Indie performers and Indie label people here but this law will mean go after indies who cover songs they hold the rights to even a video of a live performance where a song is covered.

It goes even beyond what is available on the web, it also hits email – your email and mine could be censored and look like this:

Time is short. Act Now to save the internet as we now enjoy it.

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Each year the ‘small but massive’ festival open a submissions period to give all acts an opportunity to put themselves forward for consideration as a panel listen to every one ahead of choosing the festival line-up.

Following the incredibly large amount of submissions received in 2011, a majority of which were via post, the festival team have decided to go down the green route this year and accept all submissions electronically.

WHAT TO DO:

To submit for Glasgowbury 2012, all you have to do is email submissions@glasgowbury.com with a link to your website, social networking site, third party site with a link to your music etc – wherever your music and a bit of information about you/your act is included.

Please also use ‘Glasgowbury 2012′ as the email subject.

Feel free to include some up to date information, some nice words or horse tips in your email too.

The panel will listen to all submissions over the coming weeks and months before the submissions period officially closes at the end of January.

See www.glasgowbury.com for more information.

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LED is the brainchild of Siobhan Day and Orla Lynch. They have been presenting monthly shows at McHugh’s for some time now and each one gets better and better.

The line up this time is: Una McCann Band, Chris Keys, Nathan Ball, Donal Scullion, & Polar Beyond. If you want to be on the cutting edge of the massive talent on the Belfast Music Scene you can’t miss this one!

Here are a couple of videos of some of the great acoustic performers on the bill.

Chris Keyes

Nathan Ball

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More recently he wrote the music for the film Killing Bono which stars Ben Barnes Robert Sheehan and Martin McCann as Bono. If you haven’t seen it, as a music lover you will want to check it out.

Congratulations to Ciaran and to INXS for nabbing such a talented performer.

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Not only a timely and relevant piece of music, Pat O’Donnell Shell to Sea is well written and skillfully performed with Mickey’s usual passion and pointed honesty. More polished than the first raw cut sung by Mickey outside Castlerea Prison where Pat O’Donnell was imprisoned for protesting, the song tells the story of a Co. Mayo fisherman’s struggle to protect the land and sea where he and generations of his family have made their living and called home. The release coincides with the Shell to Sea Day of Action on September 23, 2011.

I’ve had the good fortune to hear this one and without hesitation can say it’s a winner for sure! If this song is an example of Mickey’s future direction both lyrically and musically, the best is yet to come.

Pat O’Donnell Shell to Sea is now available for download at cdbaby. Click here to go download the song.

http://www.mickeycoleman.com/

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