Show Review/Gig Review

Sons of Sylvia brought their unique style to Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Prior Lake, MN on Sept 3, 2011, opening for Carrie Underwood. There was a nip of fall in the air which made for a perfect night for some great music under the stars. In case you’re new to Sons of Sylvia, they...

The Larkin & Moran Brothers were in top form last Friday night for their appearance at the inaugural Will County Celtic Fest at Bicentennial Park in Joliet. Good music and great craic being the order of the evening, The Larkin & Moran Brothers delivered on both. The entire evenings entertainment presented to an enthusiastic...

Seldom does an event so special come along that when it happens; the night sky lights up like a shower of stars against the darkness. From The Heart 3 at the Millennium Forum in Derry was one of those rare moments. A celebration of life fashioned out of heartache, this was certainly not a...

Keith Harkin kicked off his short US Pub Tour with a fun gig at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub in Los Angeles, CA on March 3rd. He set the tone of the evening with Don McLean’s Castles In The Air, ushering us into an hour of rich guitar-driven folk rock. Keith peppered a set of...

Irish Books Arts & Music – iBAM! Mickey Coleman traveled for the first time to Chicago to participate in the Irish American Heritage Center’s 2nd Annual iBAM! Celebration. He also appeared in a Chicago pub the night before and while reviewing a second appearance a day later may seem repetitive, these two performances were...

The Sixpenny Bit, on Chicago’s north side is one of those cozy corner bars scattered throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods.  Cozy warm and most definitely Irish pub friendly, it is family owned and operated since 1989. Serving up perfectly pulled Guinness pints and other luscious libations, the place is filled with welcoming smiles and friendly conversations. And, speaking from...

This past Saturday evening I was part of the audience at the Fifth Province Pub for an hour of raucous, enthusiastic, high energy, really really loud Celt Rock performed by one of the premier Celt Rock bands around the Midwest, The Kreellers.  Fresh off the launch of their successful new album, Saints and Sinners, they...

Celtic Thunder did two shows at the Roanoke Civic Center’s Performing Arts Theater on Sunday, October 17th. I went to that matinee so that’s the one I’ll be reviewing. This was the fifth time I have seen Celtic Thunder live. There were a few things that I found to be kind of tired and...

The awesome and seemingly indefatigable Gaelic Storm fired their way through Portland, Oregon on October 10th and brought with them their trademark high-energy brand of Celtic music and hijinks. The nearly sold-out Aladdin Theater was abuzz and I feared at times the plaster would chip off the walls as The Storm flew through their...

Fanrealm just received a most gracious thank you note addressed to all From The Heart 2 charity concert artists and supporters in Ireland and the States. We are thrilled to post this for all those performing, attending last night both in Derry and vicariously, and those who’ve donated at the Foyle Search and Rescue...

  This year Chicago changed both the time of year (from fall to spring) and the location of its CelticFest. Millennium Park, the crown jewel of Chicago’s downtown area, now hosts this annual gathering. Performing on Saturday night at the Pritzker Pavillion, a new state of the art stage, sound system and audience facility,...

The Kirk Avenue Music Hall in Roanoke, VA is a wonderful intimate venue. It obviously started off life as a downtown storefront that lost business to malls and a more suburban lifestyle. But it has been reborn as a small theater that hosts live entertainment and helps breath life into the downtown area which...

While visiting Kells, a wonderful Irish Pub in Portland, Oregon, I was privileged enough to get to see Grafton Street perform.  What a treat! Between the magic of the fiddle, the pounding of the Bodhran, the distinct tones of the harmonica and the guitar, and the wonderful vocal harmonies, Grafton Street had the audience...

I had been trying to get to a Gaelic Storm show for months but every time they came to my area some sort of conflict arose. Luckily for me this band tours a lot. The next time they came close happened to coincide with the weekend of my 25th wedding anniversary so I insisted...

By CelticFawn You could feel the excitement mounting in the theater as we all heard the weather report! Celtic Thunder was on its way! The lovely Palace Theater, complete with ornate trim and a cozy balcony area, was the perfect place to enjoy the show. As you walked in and espied the shipwreck and...