MOHAWK VALLEY IRISH CULTURAL Volume 15, Issue 9 Sep 2018 EVENTS NEWSLETTER High Kings Return to Central New York Central New Yorkers fell in love with the High Kings when they headlined the Great American Irish Festival and the Syracuse Irish Festival, and the band obviously feels the same way about our area. Making a local-ish stop as part of their Decade World Tour, the band best known for their impeccable harmonies, infectious humor, outstanding musicianship and unique interpretations of Irish classics will be performing at the Egg in Albany on September 27th. The band -- Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, George Murphy and Darren Holden -- has released four highly- acclaimed studio albums, two live albums, and two live DVDs. Their first three studio albums appeared at number three or higher on the Billboard world music chart, the first two went platinum in Ireland, and all of their albums charted in Ireland. The November 2017 release of “Decade - Best of The High Kings” was received with rave reviews and record sales figures with the band again topping the Irish Album Charts and returning to the Billboard World Music Charts once again. Tickets for the 7:30 PM show are $34, and are available on line. Old Songs Brings in Ímar On Saturday, Sept 22, Old Songs will be bringing in the hottest new Celtic folk/trad band, Ímar, for a very special 7:30 PM concert. Glasgow’s hottest new folk property has created more than a bit of a stir in little over a year since their formation. Their debut video, unleashed to the world during Celtic Connections 2016, has been viewed in excess of 300,000 times, and they’re already hauling in prizes and accolades from around the music world, including the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Musician Of The Year, 2016 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award, BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, nine All-Ireland and eight All- Britain titles. With a line-up featuring members of Mànran, RURA, Talisk and Barrule, the group’s formation embodies a personal reconnection with its members’ formative years, having originally met as teenagers through Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. The quintet -- Adam Brown (bodhrán), Adam Rhodes (bouzouki), Mohsen Amini (concertina), Ryan Murphy (uilleann pipes) and Tomás Callister (fiddle) -- share a strong background in Irish music – although only Murphy actually hails from Ireland; Rhodes and Callister are from the Isle of Man, while Amini is a Glasgow native, and Brown originally from Suffolk – and it is these foundations which underpin many of Ímar’s distinctive qualities, in both instrumentation and material. Ímar’s unmistakable synergy, however, centers on the overlapping cultural heritage between Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. All three places once shared the same Gaelic language, and a similar, clearly potent, kinship endures between their musical traditions. Tickets for the show are $25 ($5 for children), and are available by calling (518) 765-2815 or by contacting [email protected]. Old Songs is located at 37 South Main Street in Voorheesville, NY. Mohawk Valley Irish Cultural Events - 1 Syracuse Irish Festival – The Best Irish Music, Food and Fun! On September 7-8, the Syracuse Irish Festival once again takes to the streets. In total, performances will take place on two separate stages in Clinton Square by such Celtic and Irish bands as the fast-rising Irish quintet, Cúig, Connla (“The hottest new group out of Northern Ireland” - Chicago Irish American News), Moxie Strings, Kilmaine Saints, Pride of Moyvane, the Blarney Rebel Band, Flying Column, Causeway Giants and others…oh, right: also making their for-real-last local appearance in the area will be Central New York’s favorite sons, the Elders. The festival, which runs from 5 to 11 on Friday and 11 AM to 11 PM on Saturday, is free. For more info, check their web site. Celtic Thunder Rolls into Central New York Celtic Thunder, the world-renowned music and visual theatrical production, is bringing their brand new show “Celtic Thunder X” to the Palace Theater (19 Clinton Ave., Albany NY), as part of a 75-city tour of the US and Canada. The multi-platinum Irish group disembarked from its third Celtic Thunder Cruise in November and completed a US Symphony Tour in December, all the while making preparations for the all new CELTIC THUNDER X. The release celebrates the group’s 10th Anniversary, and the Celtic Thunder X tour. Celtic Thunder has become one of public television’s largest draws. Their shows have aired over 22,500 times across 50 states on PBS. The group is among the top five audience-generating acts on the network. Backed by the amazing Celtic Thunder Band, the singers (Damian McGinty, Ryan Kelly, Michael O’Dwyer, Emmet Cahill & Neil Byrne) deliver new ensemble numbers including “Sons of Light,” “Toora, Loora, Lay.” “The Wild Rover” and others, followed in the second act by nostalgic fun songs like “Celebration,” “I’m a Believer,” “Seasons in the Sun” and “Rise Again.” No Celtic Thunder show would be complete without an encore of their rousing anthem “Ireland’s Call,” the only song in CELTIC THUNDER X that isn’t a new song but which never fails to bring the audience to its feet. Tickets for the 8 PM show range from $39.50 to $69.50, and they can be purchased on line, by calling (800) 745-3000, or in person at the Palace Theatre Box Office, located at 19 Clinton Ave (on the Clinton Avenue Side of the theatre). Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games Lord of the Dance premiered at the magnificent Coliseum in London two decades ago, and in 2014 Michael Flatley transformed the show, making it even more thrilling than the original. Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games, with music composed by Gerard Fahy, premiered at the iconic London Palladium in September 2014 to mark the milestone 20th anniversary since Michael Flatley became an international sensation. The show continues to thrill audiences around the globe with its intoxicating mix of dance and music that fuses the traditional with the contemporary in a classic tale that showcases the exceptional talent of the cast. The show features cutting edge technology including a giant Radiant flat screen that spans the width of the stage, special effects lighting, dancing robots and world champion acrobats. That’s the good news. And here’s the better news: You get two chances to see the show! Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games will stop in Syracuse at the Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater on Saturday, September 29th for a special 8 PM show. Tickets for that performance range from $37 to $77, and are available on line. The following day finds them at the Palace Theater (19 Clinton Ave., Albany) for an 8 PM performance. Tickets run from $34.50-$49.50, and can be purchased here. Mohawk Valley Irish Cultural Events - 2 Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival The 22nd annual Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival will take place on Sept 15th at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. Gates open at 11 AM. Performers include the Screaming Orphans, Hair of the Dog, Shilelagh Law, Get Up Jack, Emish, The Tossers, The McKrells, Hellcat Maggie, House of Hamill and many more. Tickets for the festival are $20 at the gate ($16 in advance). Kids 12 and under are free. For more information, visit their web site. Syracuse Contemporary Irish Film Festival Teams Up With Art Show You’ve already come to know and expect great Irish-themed cinema as part of the Syracuse Contemporary Irish Film Festival… but this year, you can also check out a collection of artwork depicting Irish Myths and Legends. The Festival itself is going to be one for the books: on Thursday, they’ll be showing Terry McMahon’s multiply- awarded 2014 movie, “Patrick’s Day;” Friday’s movie will be “Sanctuary” (winner of Dublin International Film Festival 2017 for Best Ensemble Cast); on Saturday at 2 PM, they’ll be presenting “My Name is Emily;” a story of life, love, loss, and letting go. The 7 PM offering on Saturday will be “It’s Not Yet Dark,” the inspiring documentary of Irish filmmaker Simon Fitzmaurice’s refusal to let the limitations of Lou Gehrig’s disease stanch his creativity. Wrapping up the festival at 2 PM on Sunday will be the animated feature “Song Of The Sea (Amhrán na Mara);” a FREE family event. All films will be shown at Wildflowers in Armory Square (225 West Jefferson St., Syracuse). Tickets for each film are $10 in advance online or $12.50 the day of. Doors open one hour before the film begins. And this year, the Film Festival is joining forces with The Gallery at Wildflowers, where they’ll be presenting “The Art of Irish Mythology & Tall Tales;” artwork dedicated to the rich mythology and folklore of Ireland. A reception on Thursday and Friday will be held 5-6 PM before the films start. Come early for the festival on Thursday and Friday to see beautiful and fanciful depictions of myths, legends, heroes, ghosts, vampires, banshees and more! From the Irish Kitchen (recipes suitable for clipping) This month’s recipe – “Potato Torte with Bacon, Cabbage and Cheddar” By Margaret Johnson - Potatoes and cabbage are the heart of colcannon, the traditional Irish potato dish. This torte, which adds bacon as well, can stand alone as a one-dish meal or be served alongside corned beef. INGREDIENTS: 1/2 head Savoy cabbage, shredded 4 baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick 3 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter 8 ounces Kerrygold Cheddar Cheese 1/2 pound Irish traditional bacon, diced Salt and freshly ground black pepper METHOD: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.