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 are Adam, Ashley, and Austin Clark, a trio of brothers who hail from Rocky Mount, VA. They draw from their bluegrass roots, playing mandolin, dobro and fiddle, but take their sound into a blend of rock/country/pop/bluegrass. All three brothers are multi-instrumentalists and pull acoustic, electric, and lap steel slide guitar from their bag of tricks as well.

According to them, they had to “knock the rust off” after spending months in the studio once the tour wrapped up last December. However, their performance was far from stale. They seemed very relaxed on stage and their master-class musicianship was at its finest.

Sons of Sylvia’s debut album Revelation was released in 2010 and a new album is in the works for 2012. They are some of the most humble and genuine performers you will ever meet, and truly appreciate the journey they are on. But make no mistake, these boys rock…keep an eye out for them!

The show opened to Austin’s hard driving intro to War Within on the lap steel….which transitioned quickly into the Led Zeppelin cover, Rock and Roll. Ash had a good time with his Elvis/Jaggar moves to get the crowd warmed up. They also brought original tunes Revelation, Love Left to Lose, and the high energy crowd pleaser, 50 Ways. If lightening fast bluegrass is your thing, The Jam number played “they way they do it back home on the porch” is a must! New to their set were Nobody But Me (which has ‘Hit’ written all over it), Holy War, and a medley covering Bryan Adams’ Straight From The Heart/ Rod Stewart’s You’re In My Heart. We were lucky enough to find a video of the medley performance. Adam’s mandolin work is hauntingly beautiful, as is Ash’s soulful vocal. Austin’s harmonies set off the vibe perfectly. Gotta love technical difficulties…but that gave Ash some time to amuse the crowd with his story of falling and “eating” the stage during a fiddle solo back when he was a member of Carrie’s touring band.

Here is a video of the show taken by a fan – lmkb61 Click on the name to watch similar videos

You can learn more about Sons of Sylvia at their website: www.sonsofsylvia.com and you can hear more of their music on MySpace here

You can purchase their recent cd Revolution at Amazon or at ITunes

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 and appreciative audience; the setting, a cool clear summer evening.  More than two hours and over thirty songs, originals and covers plus three encores without a break, they rocked! Only Mike Larkins funny stories provided the few needed minutes to catch their breath. 

Singing cuts from their new album Eistigi, including the Dan Larkin, Jr. original, Drake Street Rainbow sung by Dan, Sr., traditional tunes and a couple Saw Doctors hits; The N17 and The Red and Green of Mayo moved the show along quickly. And, the more relaxed the show became, the more the audience was involved in the banter. Pure entertainment! 

Larkin & Moran perform all around the Chicago area and always provide an incredible fun evenings entertainment. They are without a doubt, Chicago style Celt Rock at its absolute best! If you’re looking for a great night of Celt Rock in the Chicago area, get to one of their shows. Good times. 

The Larkin & Moran Brothers new cd, Eistigi, is available to purchase at: http://www.rampantlion.com/ . Or, better yet, get to one of their performances and pick one up. Win, win…

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 Currently appearing on the hit TV show, The Glee Project, Damian has matured into a charming, talented gentleman over the last four years. Fanrealm wishes him much success with Glee and his bright future. 

 “There’s something in me that comes out and pushes me to do this, my own personal journey dedicated to those we have loved and lost to suicide.” ~ Bebe Johnston

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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 his own original songs with a mixture of pieces from his Celtic Thunder repertoire and covers of some of his favorite folk rock artists & friends. There is a set list from the evening a little further down.

It’s important to note that those in the US, who are fans of Keith Harkin, discovered him through the Celtic Thunder show. However, if anyone was expecting more of the same from Keith, they were pleasantly surprised by an intimate show in an intimate setting. This kind of space is what Keith is used to performing in back in Ireland and you can tell from the beginning that he is in his element. Give this guy a guitar, a microphone, and bit of your time and you’ll be very glad you did. His laid back style echos the sounds of his musical influences: Glen Campbell, Don McLean, Paul Brady, etc. When given the opportunity to share his talent on his own, with nothing to hide behind, he really comes through. Keith shines on each song, obviously loving what he does and enjoying getting to interact with the crowd from the stage. If he is doing a gig in your area, you don’t want to miss it!

Molly Malone’s Set List

Castles In The Air (Don McLean)
From Clare To Here (Ralph McTell)
Going Home (Keith Harkin)
Homes Of Donegal (Sean McBride)
The Lads And I (Keith Harkin)
Chasing Dreams (Keith Harkin)
The Daisy Fields (Keith Harkin)
Mariclare (Peter Sarstedt)
Miss San Diego (Keith Harkin)
Oh Cruel Sea (Jonny Nutt)
The Mountains of Mourne (Percy French)
How I Wish (Keith Harkin)
Arthur McBride (Traditional)
The Banjo Song (Keith Harkin)
Lauren & I (Keith Harkin)
What’s Her Name (Keith Harkin)
Everybody’s Talking (Harry Nilsson/Glen Campbell)

Keith announced that an album should be coming out by the end of the month. Keep an eye on www.keithharkin.com or his Twitter account (@keithharkin) for release updates.

Gigs in the US this month: UPDATE – New Gigs added for Charlotte & Philly

March 5th – Draft Picks Pizza Pub
1501 West Whittier Boulevard
La Habra, CA 90631
(562) 690-8890

March 6th – Rosie McCaffrey’s
906 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, Arizona, 85014
(602) 241-1916

March 9th – Poor David’s Pub
1313 South Lamar Street
Dallas, TX 75215-1001
(214) 565-1295

March 10th – Dan Electro’s
1031 E. 24th St.
Houston, TX 77009
PH 713.862.8707

March 11th – AETN station
350 S. Donaghey
Conway, AR 72034 (Little Rock area)
(This gig is open to the public. Call 1-800-662-2386 during the day to get tickets.)

March 14th – Bopper’s Bar & Boogie (Free Parking) Just added
5237 Albemarle Road
Charlotte, NC 28212-2603
704.537.3323

March 15th – Hard Rock Cafe Philadelphia Just added
Keith will be on at 9 PM for 20 minutes supporting Tsunami Rising, who go on at 8:30
1113-31 Market Street
(Corner of 12th & Market Street)
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-238-1000

March 19th – Culhane’s Irish Pub
967 Atlantic Boulevard
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
(904) 249-9595

Contact the venue for tickets and showtimes.

[Editor's Note: Keith is one of those up and coming Irish performers we like to bring to your attention here at Fanrealm. He is a great songwriter and performer. For our readers who are not PBS or Celtic Thunder fans, we urge you to go see him. There is a lot of original music on this set list and some old favorites too. If you are in CA get yourself to La Habra tonight. If you are in Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Little Rock or Jacksonville check the dates he's in your city and stop by and see him. Tell him Fanrealm sent you ]

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 absolutely nothing like each other. Having only Nancy Spain and Mickey Coleman in common; their settings, their song lists and their audience were as different as night and day. Mickey’s concert for iBAM! was all about his songs, his lyrics, his music and pleasing his audience. And please them he did!!!

Mickey’s seated concert has an intimate feeling, a bit like being in the family room with a friend strumming a guitar and explaining the lyrics he’s about to sing. While he once again opened the show with Nancy Spain, the majority of the playlist this evening were Mickey’s own self penned songs, many from his albums but several new ones that will be included in his next album, as yet without a release date. He’s certainly raised the bar to the next level with these new songs, the melodies and lyrics blending perfectly, giving deep meaning and emotion to his narrative. The new album will surely be a great success.

It seems Mickey always has a story to weave about the inspiration for writing his songs. Culdaff is no exception, and before singing this touchingly sad song, he explained about thinking of all those folks leaving long ago never to return, regretting their decision and aching for home.

Mickey also previewed a new and as yet unnamed song about emigration and forever leaving home, family and friends to reunite only “in heavens room.” The melody and poignant lyrics blend together perfectly, bringing the story to life. He explained his inspiration for this one was his own family leaving Tyrone for America around 1900 and knowing they were leaving forever.   

He next spoke of sitting with a blind man 70 years old who explained how he loved to sleep and dream because in those dreams he could still see the colors of his wife’s eyes and her smile. The man’s story inspired Mickey to write Blind Man’s Dream. A video of this performance follows below, its lyrics telling the blind mans story perfectly.

At the conclusion of the concert, Mickey sang one of my very favorites from Carefully Crafted, Soldier Soldier, to honor a young soldier he met earlier in the evening. He was in uniform and in a wheelchair, wounded and just back from Afghanistan. A touching and wonderful conclusion to Mickey’s most outstanding concert.  

I can say without hesitation that Mickey Coleman delivers an exceptional evenings entertainment in concert and although he’s heading home soon, he will be back. When he returns, don’t miss him in concert. It is a very special evening.

You can purchase Mickey’s cds at cdbaby.

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The Sixpenny hosts great local Irish entertainment most weekends. Having an outstanding Tyrone singer/songwriter direct from home performing is less common and most certainly was a very special couple hours for those gathered round the bar and tables last Friday night. Having flown in earlier that day and fresh from an appearance the night before at Plough and Stars in Philadelphia, Mickey Coleman took to the stage at 10:00pm and for the next two hours dazzled his audience with both self penned songs and covers; some fun, some sweet, some sad and some with a few bawdy raucous lyrics thrown in to take the shows second hour up a notch or two. 

Mickey’s opening song of the evening, a cover of Christy Moore’s Nancy Spain, is the first song I ever heard Mickey perform live. Then and now, Mickey’s version is equal at the very least to Christy’s. (OK, I don’t claim to be unbiased.)  Mickey followed up with his own song, Culdaff, one of those sad, pull at your heartstrings songs and, in my opinion, one of his very best to date. Mickey’s Holylands Belfast and Christy’s Viva La Quinta Brigada were another two upbeat and memorable hand clapping, sing along offerings.  Oh, and Mickey, I’ve gained a new fondness and respect for the Old Ardboe Lament. After hearing its poignant lyrics live, it’s definitely gone to the “favored” playlist on my iPod. 

Recently, Mickey has been performing Beeswing, a huge hit written by Richard Thompson, another brilliant singer/songwriter and the master of British Folk Rock. Beeswing was on the song list Friday night and Mickey rendered his exceptional version for the crowd.  

I think of all the songs Mickey performed last Friday, the most remarkable number for me was his version of Lisdoonvarna, a signature tune of Christy Moore’s. I’ve been told that other performers seldom, if ever, cover this one because it is so identified with Christy no one can do it justice.  Mickey’s version in no way attempted to emulate the song as Christy does it, he added a different spin and delivery to the lyrics and in doing so, created a totally unique and great version. Way to go, Mickey, yours rocked! 

I’ve seen Mickey Coleman perform in a bar setting before but not like this. His Sixpenny show was outstanding and I am thrilled to have had the chance to be a part of it. If Mickey appears in a pub in your area, don’t let anything keep you from being there. This man is a skilled performer who genuinely cares about pleasing his audience. He does that effortlessly…..  

And, if you find yourself on the North side of Chicago some time, stop by The Sixpenny Bit for a pint and a serving of genuine Irish hospitality.

You can purchase both of Mickey’s cds at cdbaby.

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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 returned for the second year in a row to the Irish American Heritage Center’s annual iBAM!! Celebration here in Chicago. Once again, they delivered an exceptional version of their characteristically frenzied show.      

The Kreellers performed a mixture of songs including the title song of their new album, Saints and Sinners, and another rocking first-rate original from the album, Burnt Toast. They also covered the Saw Doctors classic, The Red and Green of Mayo. Adding their own high energy Celt Rock beat, they delivered a way better than “good” version of this one and the audience loved it.  Another great cover, Flogging Molly’s What’s Left of the Flag rocked the house as well, and a spirited feisty high power version of Steve Earle’s Galway Girl was a real crowd pleaser.   

For any fan of Celt Rock, The Kreellers are one band definitely not to be overlooked especially if you have the opportunity to be a part of their audience. They’ve been around a while and these guys really know how to put on a show. They are most definitely worth experiencing in person. I loved this show!

 The Kreellers are:

Derek Wade – lead vocals, harmonica, backing vocals

Paul Bruno – guitar/accordion/bodhran/backing vocals

Bob Gilbert – drums/percussion/backing vocals

Carl Chute – lead guitar/mandolin/backing vocals

Steve Vilnius – bass guitar/backing vocals

Enjoy this sample of their work ~

You can buy both The Kreellers’ cds at cdbaby.

Website: http://www.kreellers.com/home.cfm

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The house was fairly full at the matinee, other than the nosebleed section at the very top of the balcony. The show started with a bang (or clap of thunder) with their traditional opening number of Heartland. I liked it better this time without the hokier elements of billowing smoke and chanting monks they’ve used in the past. The first act is Celtic/Irish music and is called Heritage. A cd of this music is to be released at a future date. This is definitely the stronger of the two acts and I think it would be a huge mistake to remove it, as they plan to do later in the tour when they add the songs from their Christmas cd. One constant complaint about Celtic Thunder is that there isn’t enough Celtic content in the show. Replacing the weaker second act after Thanksgiving would make more sense to me.

There were some really outstanding features of the first act; features that could possibly lure back fans, like myself, who have lost interest in the show. Come By the Hills, sung, in Irish, by Damian McGinty was excellent. I have long wanted them to do a song in Irish and this was a great choice. Keith Harkin followed with a beautiful rendition of The Dutchman. Keith’s guitar playing is what sparked my original interest in Celtic Thunder and it is still one of my favorite parts of the show. Love his new look, by the way. As a fan of his own music, I am hoping the new look is a signal that he’s getting ready to put out a cd of his original material.

Ryan Kelly sang Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair, which is one of my all time favorites. Neil Bryne has been with the show from the beginning, but is now getting more solo work. He did the beautiful ballad, Noreen, in this act also. I especially enjoyed George and Ryan’s duet Gold and Silver Days
It was very well done and really added a lot of life to the show. The show included several group songs, that ranged from Take Me Home from their last tour to sea shanties that they had a lot of fun with. The first act was very reminiscent of the original Celtic Thunder show and the audience absolutely loved it.

To me, the absolute best part of the entire show was the great celt rock rendition of Whiskey in the Jar by Keith Harkin and Neil Byrne from the first act. If there was more of this type of music in this show it I think it would have a much wider appeal. On a non musical note I have to say that the wardrobe in this act was by far the best I have seen in a Celtic Thunder show. On the downside, the sets were ridiculously oversized. This meant that, on a small stage, the singers were restricted to a few feet of the stage on which to perform.

After the intermission they performed the second act, which is called It’s Entertainment. If you have the dvd of this show you will note that there are several changes to it. There are no dancers and several of the songs have been removed. Some things that work well when you tape a show just aren’t practical to tour.

While I didn’t care that much for It’s Entertainment, there were a few really outstanding parts that should be noted. George Donaldson did a fabulous rendition of Neil Diamond’s Hello Again. George is really coming into his own on this tour. His other song in this act, Life With You, was also a great vehicle for him. In my eyes, he owned this act although Damian McGinty did a bang up job on Home and Ryan Kelly’s Everything I Do was a huge crowd pleaser. The group song that I liked the best, U2′s Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For was also in this act.

It’s Entertainment seemed to be geared toward their fans more than to the general audience. There were a lot of songs that the fans really ate up. There was a small contingent of Thunderheads, as their most ardent fans call themselves, in the audience but there were far more people who came in from the general public or as supporters of PBS. I think many of them left as fans.

To explain the ridiculous image attached to this review I have to put on my Siggy Freud hat and try to figure out the Celtic Thunder policy of not allowing photos to be taken during their show. If you ask any other band we cover they will tell you that gig photos are the greatest boon to viral marketing a band can have and they are absolutely free. But Celtic Thunder is not a band, it’s a show. I still think they are shooting themselves in the foot on this one, but that is their right. It’s not the policy I, personally, find objectionable but the Draconian pre-show announcement threatening everything short of fire and brimstone should anyone dare take a photo. I know, I know.

For starters, it doesn’t work. There are photos and recordings available of many, many shows since this policy was enacted back in 2009. For another – well to be blunt Celtic Thunder is not famous and photos of them would have no value to a professional dealer who sold celebrity photos. Most of the people in the audience at all but one of the shows I’ve attended where there to support PBS or the local music scene. They were not even remotely interested in taking a photo during the show. The only people who would want to take a photo were the small % of the audience who were actually Celtic Thunder fans. Sadly, the actual reason that I and so many others who were big fans in 2008 but no longer are, is the way fans are treated by official Celtic Thunder policies like this one. Not that photos aren’t allowed, but the rude and disrespectful way the announcement is worded. Every time I hear it I decide that the money I brought to spend at the merchandise table at the shows will stay in my pocket. I am a huge music fan – I buy cds and tour shirts at shows but I am sure not going to support anyone who talks to me this way. It’s also the reason this review carries no endorsement.

If I might be so bold as to suggest that this recording be replaced by a more courteous one – perhaps recorded by the charming Mr Kelly, who has fine set of acting and communication skills, along with some actual real world experience with customer relations. The fans might even be willing to grant his request and thus actually accomplish the goal of having no photos. With a kinder, gentler approach to this situation in place, I could rewrite the end of this post, replace this stupid image with the publicity shot I have been using in other posts and actually recommend the show to my readers, who are fans of Celtic Music and who do support Irish Artists.

To take this imaginary conversation with the powers that be at Celtic Thunder one step further, why not seriously think about your fans and how you might show appreciation to them for their support (which can waver). Why not use that moment at the end of the show when the house lights come up, the cast is standing on the stage looking a bit like school boys at their first dance and turn it into a photo op? Let those fans who have been counting down the days to this show, who have done nothing but eat, sleep and dream Celtic Thunder since they discovered you, who might have traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles to come to the show, who are probably surrounded by several bags of items they purchased at the merchandise table, take that memory shot of what they feel is the night of their life. It won’t disrupt the actual show in any way and it might bring some much needed good will back to the show. It wouldn’t take much time and exiting to an array of camera flashes lighting up the room is a really a lot more in line with the excitement of the show than the flat ending now in place. There are a lot of dates left on the tour that have tickets still available. A second “night of their life” photo could tempt a lot of fans into taking in another show. Just sayin’………

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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 two hour show.

In support of their blockbuster newest CD entitled “Cabbage”, Patrick and his posse kicked off with “Raised On Black and Tans” and the show never let up after that. I won’t expound too much further other than to say this year’s tour is the best I’ve seen so far. Their energy, humor and musicianship are top-notch and as you will see from the video the audiences eat it up. If you’re one of the few who have not had the pleasure to see Gaelic Storm live, they are a must-see Band. At the time of this post they’re still in full tour mode, working their way down to California and points east, all the way through the New Year and ending up in Tampa and Wisconsin in March 2011. Keep an eye out for dates in your area and go see them, you will not regret it!

For more of Steve’s great photos of the show check out his flickr album here Here are some great videos that Steve shot of the show.

As you can tell by the vids, Gaelic Storm puts on a great show. Here are some places you can catch them for the rest of the month. If you have a chance to see them, do it!

14 Sacramento, CA Harlow’s
15 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
16 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
17 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
18 Malibu, CA Pepperdine University
20 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
21 Phoenix, AZ Mesa Arts Piper Theatre
23 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
26 Pella, IA Pella Opera House
27 Omaha, NE Slowdown
28 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theatre
29 St. Louis, MO Old Rock House
30 Elgin, IL Elgin Community College

“I wish to thank everyone for a fantastic show last night! Very rarely does so much talent share one stage for such a great cause. The ever-popular Damian McGinty brought his best with some great songs, and we had many talents such as Niamh McGlinchy, Stephen Barr and Michael Doherty.

A last thank you must go out to our many American friends and supporters, particularly DianeS, whom I met long before the Facebook program began. Thank you all, there was as many people at the show in spirit as there were in the seats. Hopefully somewhere along the line, we can all meet in person, but From The Heart 2 has brought many people together. We did not foresee support from so far, but greatly appreciate it!”

—Cathal Lynch
—From The Heart 2

Cathal, the videos were wonderful. Those of us over here sure appreciate your middle of the night tenacity. Thank you back. DianeS

Here are some videos from the concert.

Mickey Coleman singing Miss You More than Words Can Say. He wrote this song for the first concert.

Damian McGinty singing Ronan Keating’s Hold On

Micheal Doherty doing Boy George’s Karma Chameleon

To read more about this concert click here. You can find more videos from the concert at Cathal’s YouTube Page

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