Persuaded to sing songs she has written herself combined with that clear flawless voice made for a powerful and winning combination.  Mary’s prize, the honor of opening for Sunday night’s concert which included artists such as Lori Watson and brother Ennis, Carly Blain, Andrew Waite, Duncan Lyle and a number of other outstanding performers. She also won a studio recording session down in Peeble. 

On winning Mary was quoted as saying; “I didn’t expect to win but am very chuffed that I did.”

Way to go, Mary! The recognition is well deserved. We’re “very chuffed” as well.

You can listen to Mary’s radio show every Sunday on Celtic Music Radio 1530am and online between 1:00pm and 3:00pm GMT. 

To stream live:  http://www.celticmusicradio.net/

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The wait is finally over. The complete line-up for Glasgowbury 2011 has now been finalized and announced.

Cashier No. 9 will headline the main stage.

Also confirmed are…

The Answer, Mojo Fury, LaFaro, Phil Kieran, Foy Vance, More Than Conquerors, Rainy Boy Sleep, Furlo, Axis Of, Boxcutter, The Wonder Villains, The Rupture Dogs, Silhouette, Rams’ Pocket Radio, Swanee River, Deep Fried Funk DJs, Girls Names, We Are Knuckle Dragger, Event Horses, Darkest Era,Dolbro Dan, Rachel Austin, Jason Clarke, Allie Bradley, John D’Arcy, Paddy Nash, Aaron Shanley, Phoenix Fire, The 1930s, Pat Dam Smyth, Elspeth, Paul Shevlin, Katie & The Carnival, Team Fresh, Pocket Billiards, Fred, Le Galaxie, A Plastic Rose, The Bonnevilles, Preacher’s Son, Kowalski, Sweet Jane, Seven Summits, Intermission, Gascan Ruckus, Kasper Rosa, Dead Til Friday, Colly Strings, The Plea…& special guests

New for this year is the Comedy Stage. This state will be headlined by Joe Rooney (Father Damo from Father Ted). Also appearing on the G(iggle) Stage are: John Colleary (Savage Eye), Colin Geddis (I Am Fighter), Micky Bartlett, Adam Laughlin, Ruaidhri Ward, Shane Todd and Sean Hegarty.

Should be a great festival so keep July 23 open. If you haven’t already gotten your tickets you can get them online here. They have sold out the past two years so don’t wait till the last minute to get yours.

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The first Glasgowbury festival was held in the year 2000. A group of local musicians were organized by Paddy Glasgow to come together for a concert to raise awareness and funds for the Ulster Cancer Foundation charity. The name of the festival was a play on the famous British festival, Glastonbury. It was such a success that it has become an annual event growing every year. But this is much more than just an annual festival. The Glasgowbury Music Group is run for and by musicians and holds events all year long from workshops to seminars to musical events. Over time the monthly G Sessions were added offering an outlet for the talent of both up and coming and established acts from the area. Also added was the The Rural Key Music Project teaching young songwriters and musicians how to take their work to the next level.

Paddy Nash tells Fanrealm, “Glasgowbury is unique in that it’s the only festival in northern Ireland that caters for both local music and fans of the local music scene. It’s like a big summer celebration full of great music, great people and great banter. It’s the best festival in Ireland where fans are friends and there’s no room for superstars.” Paddy is pictured above with his band, the Happy Enchiladas, at the 2009 festival.

More info about this festival and the work of the music group can be found on their website at http://www.glasgowbury.com There are also musical samples from some of the acts who will be appearing this year. Glasgowbury may have started at small but it has been massive from the beginning.

The festival is now held at Eagle’s Rock Valley, Draperstown NI. In 2009 the festival completely sold out. Tickets are still available for this year’s festival but they are going fast. Get yours here

2010 Line up

FIGHTING WITH WIRE
General Fiasco * LaFaro * Fight Like Apes * Adebisi Shank * Cashier No 9 * Duke Special * In Case Of Fire * Lowly Knights * Joe Echo * Rams’ Pocket Radio * Strait Laces * Axis Of * A Plastic Rose * mojoFURY * Not Squares * Building Pictures * Yes Cadets * Key Of Atlas * The Jane Bradfords * Paul Shevlin * The Riptide Movement * The Last Tycoons * Keith Harkin * Aaron Shanley * Pocket Billiards * Wonder Villains * Deep Fried Funk DJS * Furlo * More Than Conquerors * Colenso Parade * Swanee River * Henrietta Game * Chipzel * Gascan Ruckus * The Q * Captain Kennedy * Jackson Cage *John Edgar Voe * The Vals * Triggerman * Fingersmith * Silhouette * Panama Kings * Paul Casey * Stand Up Guy * Team Fresh * Little Hooks * Paddy Nash & The Happy Enchiladas * Futurechaser * Rupture Dogs * Junior Johnson * Here Comes The Landed Gentry * John, Shelly & The Creatures

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Despite the frigid weather here in Chicago last weekend, Millennium Park and the Pritzker Pavilion were set afire and energized  by The ROGUES, a combination CeltRock, folk, classical band performing a mishmash of high energy, soulful wail, classic and rousing traditional music, switching between each without missing a beat. They took to the stage enthused. Kilted, booted and marching to the pounding of drums and wail of bagpipes, their unique sound filling the venue and surrounding audience with anticipation of the performance to come.  They did not disappoint.

 They drummed, they piped, they fiddled, they strummed and for a few fun numbers even hauled out the old accordion. You know you’re in for a good time when the bands lead singer wears a kilt and totes an accordion. And, I don’t mean one of those wee squeeze boxes. This was a full fledged, mother of pearl, straps across the back, 50’s instrument. Gotta make you smile!! For the entire time they were on stage there was a sense of excitement and humor in everything they did and said. There were times I could swear I saw Nelson Stewart channeling Elvis; lip quiver, hip swivel and all. Nelson mugged and grinned for a lovely smiling woman at the corner of the stage taking pictures who he later introduced as his wife. Said she was an American and he stole her away and took her back to Canada as payback for NAFTA. Somehow it all works.

Experiencing this group live is something not to be missed if they tour in your area. The individuals make this band what it is both with their exceptional musical abilities and their charming anything for a laugh persona.  For me personally the highlight of the evening occurred when the entire band took to the aisles, marching up and down between the audience playing Scotland The Brave to cheers and applause loud enough to compete with the bagpipes and drums. I loved this moment! I loved this show!

Look for The ROGUES version of the traditional tune Bonny Portmore, on their album Roguetrip, to be featured in the movie “The Irishman” being released Summer, 2010. The film, starring Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer and Vinnie Jones is the true story of Danny Greene, an Irishman who fought the Italian mafia in the 1970’s.

The ROGUES have been making music together since 1994, performing at festivals, theaters, highland games, clubs and pubs throughout America and Canada.  They are:

Nelson Stewart:  Lead vocals, piano, electric/acoustic guitars, accordion, mandolin, bass guitar, bodhran, tenor drums, doumbek, djembe.

Randy Wothke:  Bodhran, Scottish snare drum, doumbek, djembe and other percussion, keyboards, vocals.

Lyric Todkill: Vocals, highland bagpipes, whistles, electric/acoustic guitars, piano, bass guitar.

Corey Walden: Electric/acoustic fiddles, vocals.

Jimmy Mitchell: Highland bagpipes, Scottish smallpipes.

Doug MacRae: Highland bagpipes.

Michael Kenney: Highland bagpipes.

Tyson Kipfer: Bass guitar.

Visit their website: http://www.therogues.com

 Listen to samples of their music at: http://www.myspace.com/houstonrogues

The Rogues’ CDs

The Rogues’ DVD

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I was there for the music. We were a bit late arriving and local folksinger Robin Rich was already on stage performing and I do mean performing. You can tell a master at work when he not only sings for you but draws you into each and every song. As the first act up he had a small, restless and not yet fully caffeinated group mingling around but his strong voice and skilled story telling was piped all over the festival and even those not under the pavilion had no choice but to stop and listen. We did wander about at this time also because it was warmer outside when the sun began to peek through the clouds.

The next act up was the Virginia Highlands Pipes & Drums who marched into the pavilion in formation. They did several numbers and the head of the organization explained the difference in various types of pipe and drum bands and they demonstrated the various types of drums and gave a history of them.

The other act on the bill was Enter the Haggis. It’s just a strange coincidence that they, we and the beer truck all arrived at the same time. You can actually see them setting up behind the pipers and drummers in the photo above. They also had the class to stop what they were doing and applaud after every number the Highland band did.

We dropped off our canned goods at their merchandise table as they were setting it up. Canned goods can get heavy but I didn’t really mind toting them. At every show, Enter the Haggis asks fans to bring canned goods to their merchandise table. The food is turned over to a local shelter or food pantry to help feed the hungry as part of the Enter the Haggis Community Initiative. What a great way to direct exuberant fan activity in a way that helps people!

At noon it was their turn and they took the stage as most of the festival goers filed into the pavilion to hear them. It didn’t take long for them to get people on their feet. Several took to the dance floor to move to the music. Enter the Haggis puts on a lively show with a good deal of variety. Many of the members played several different instruments.

The band members are left to right Craig Downie, Trevor Lewington, Brian Buchanan and Mark Abraham. James Campbell is the drummer but like any really great drummer, he is never still so getting a blur free photo of him is no mean task. All the band members were outstanding but the joy of hearing someone play the bass who knows it is a musical instrument not a weapon of mass destruction really made my day. Kudos to Mark! Their set ended way too soon for me but as they had two more to play that day I guess I can’t really complain.

We did stay for Robin Rich’s second set. This time he was joined onstage by his wife, also named Robin. This did make me wonder how confusing mail at their house must be but obviously all the bills are for him and all the checks are for her They did many of my favorite tunes adding their own style to each one. They were a joy to listen to. You can hear samples for yourself at their myspace page http://myspace.com/robinrichandfriends Be sure and friend them and let them know you read about them at Fanrealm. If you like good old fashion folk music in the tradition of the Clancy Brothers and the Dubliners, you will love Robin Rich (both of them).

Sadly, we had to leave as the Virginia Highlands Pipes and Drums were marching back to the pavilion for their second set. We did notice several members of Enter the Haggis playing soccer with some kids on the lawn in front of the center as we left. The fact that the lawn was right outside the lovely smelling Whiskey Seminar room was surely just another of those strange coincidences.

It was a great festival and anyone in central Virginia should surely make plans to attend the next one. The festival website is: http://www.sedaliacelticfestival.com If you are interesting in folk arts check out the Sedalia Center at http://www.sedaliacenter.org

Robin Rich’s cds are available through cd baby and through

I will post an update of the Enter the Haggis tour later in the week. They tour extensively so they will surely be in your area eventually. You will want to get yourself to one of their shows. Don’t forget the canned goods!

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Enter the Haggis has added Abingdon, Va to their tour. They will appear on Friday July 30 at 7:30 PM at 120 N. Court Street. This show is part of the Virginia Highlands festival. This is a great festival which runs from July 24 – August 8. For more info check out their website: http://www.vahighlandsfestival.org

The Saw Doctors have added Tuesday May 11 They will be appearing at Pollak Theater on the campus of Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, New Jersey. Tickets are $25 to the general public $5 for students.

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International Artists
The Barra MacNeils – Ireland
The David Munnelly Band – Ireland and England
Ed Miller of Scotland with Scooter Muse and Jil Chambless of the US
Gadella – Prince Edward Island
Grand Derangement – Nova Scotia
Great Big Sea – Newfoundland
Irish Descendants – Canada
Samantha Robichaud – New Brunswick
Sliabh Notes – Ireland
The Town Pants – Vancouver, Canada
Vishten – Prince Edward Island

Also Featured US artists from Texas and across the US

Abby Green
Behan
Beyond The Pale
Blaggards
Boru’s Ghost
Clandestine
Cor Gaeilge Texais
Coyne & Reeves
Crossroads
Don Gabbert
Ed Miller (A Scot now living in Texas) with Scooter Muse and Jil Chambless
5 Second Rule
Irish Rogues
Jiggernaut
Jim Flanagan
Legacy
Needfire
North Texas Caledonia Pipes & Drums
Poor Man’s Fortune
Sarah Dinan
Seamus Stout
Shift
Teribus
Threadneedle Street
Trinity River Whalers
Tullamore

Be sure to visit the North Texas Irish Festival website for
times and location of these show: www.NTIF.com

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Our readers from the Belfast area should definitely take this event in. The next supergroup a la the Beatles might be right on your doorstep. Two of Fanrealm’s favorites are taking part in the festival. Mickey Coleman will be there on the 24th and Oracle will be playing on the 27th along with another band Oracle’s lead guitarist Chris Logan plays in called Exit. I have listened to them on my space too and they are excellent.

Thanks so much to David from Oracle for the heads up on this event. Oracle will be playing at 8PM sharp on the 27th. You don’t want to miss them (remember that whole Beatles warning above.. ).They are definitely a band to watch. This is a link to get tickets for the Black Box where Oracle will be appearing on Sat night Black Box tickets Black Box is at 18 Hill Street. Doors open at 8PM and Oracle is first up so don’t be late. Tickets are £5 plus P + P.

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