{"id":23433,"date":"2017-03-11T09:43:20","date_gmt":"2017-03-11T14:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=23433"},"modified":"2017-03-11T09:43:27","modified_gmt":"2017-03-11T14:43:27","slug":"on-stage-extra-get-your-irish-music-fix-for-st-patricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=23433","title":{"rendered":"On Stage (Extra): Get your Irish music fix for St. Patrick’s"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Staff Writer, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Caladh Nua<\/p><\/div>\n

With St. Patrick\u2019s Day rapidly approaching, a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday that honors Ireland\u2019s patron saint is to attend a concert of authentic Irish music.<\/span><\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t get much more authentic than Caladh Nua, a band from southern Ireland that will be performing on March 11 at West Chester University\u2019s Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall (700 South High Street, West Chester, http:\/\/www.wcupa.edu\/oca\/wcuLive<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Caladh Nua features Brian Mooney (Banjo and Bouzouki, Whistles), Lisa Butler (Lead Vocals and Fiddle), Paddy Tutty (Fiddle, Viola, Bodhran), Derek Morrissey (Button Accordion) and Caoimh\u00edn \u00d3 Fearghail (Guitar, Flute, Vocals).<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Gaelic language, \u201ccaladh\u201d means \u201charbor\u201d or \u201csafe place\u201d while \u201cnua\u201d translates to \u201cnew.\u201d Ironically, the songs performed by Caladh Nua are anything but new.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think that after years of touring our music would change \u2013 but it hasn\u2019t,\u201d said Derek Morrissey, during a phone interview Thursday morning from a tour stop in North Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a renaissance of old traditional Irish music and also new age Irish music with shows like \u2018Riverdance.\u2019 We\u2019re more into the older style songs. We\u2019re really rooted in that music.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just play the stuff that was written 400, 500, 600 years ago. That music was carried on by oral tradition. It\u2019s interesting because the music would change as the travelling musicians moved around. With Irish folk songs, there is always a good story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The musicians in Caladh Nua hail from the southern counties of Ireland \u2013 especially Waterford and Kilkenny.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe met when we were young and friendships formed from there,\u201d said Morrissey. \u201cWe all played around in informal impromptu sessions. After a while, we decided to do it professionally.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur first gig was in October 2009 at the Copenhagen Irish Festival and then we did our first tour in 2010. We started with a tour of Austria. After that, we were touring all over Europe. We\u2019ve even performed as far away as India. We played a festival in Mumbai, India.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur first album was \u2018Happy Days,\u2019 which we released in 2009. Then, we put out \u2018Next Stop\u2019 in 2011 and \u2018Honest to Goodness\u2019 in 2014. We just launched our fourth album right before last Christmas. It\u2019s called \u2018Free and Easy.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The band became immensely popular throughout Europe as well as at home on the Emerald Isle. Ireland\u2019s President, Mary McAleese, invited the band to play at \u00c1ras an Uachtar\u00e1in for the Annual Presidential St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in March 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, Caladh Nua is focusing on St. Patrick\u2019s Day celebrations in North America, including the show on March 11 which is being presented by WCU Live!<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Caladh Nua \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/lvgFzNb-eBs<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at West Chester University will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for orchestra and $17 balcony for adults and $15\/$13 for seniors and students.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Cypher 16<\/p><\/div>\n

A concert on March 11 with an entirely different vibe and a distinct difference in sonic intensity will take place at Reverb (1402 North Ninth Street, Reading, 610-743-3069, www.reverbconcerts.com<\/span><\/a>) when Cypher16 shares the bill with Amaranthe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cypher16 is a young, innovative rock band from London, England that combines metal music and a touch of\u00a0industrial music to create a truly massive sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s line-up includes Jack Doolan (Vocals\/Guitars\/Synths), Stuart Deards (Guitars), Carl Dawkins (Bass), and Chris Woollams (Drums\/Percussion).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is our first full US\/Canada tour,\u201d said Doolan, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in New York City.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe came over about four years ago for small tour. We played a festival in West Palm Beach, Florida and then did a few shows in Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Formed in 2007, the quartet began by playing London\u2019s rock club circuit and then made its debut, self-released EP \u201cThe Man of The Black Abyss\u201d late in 2008.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all came together in London,\u201d said Doolan. \u201cI went to school with the guitarist. We met the other two guys at musical college — The Institute of Contemporary Music Performances.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of common tastes in music. Metal, obviously, is number one. After that, we\u2019ve actually got a pretty eclectic group of influences. I like classical and rock \u2013 and metal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, there is a lot of metal that I\u2019m not into. I like bands like Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Gojira and Meshuggah. I like bands that play music that can be simple. Having a sense of melody is super important.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can be a heavy rock band or a metal band. It\u2019s all about the song and the melody.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople should be able to leave a show humming a melody they heard played that night. Having songs with good melodies is really important. The most successful bands in the world have the best songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doolan knows the importance of staying focused on the song and on melodies when he writes the band\u2019s material.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re writing and you\u2019re in a technical mode, you can get caught in a riff,\u201d said Doolan. \u201cThen, you have to realize that that is not the direction to take if you want to write a good song.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI never sit down and force myself to write. My whole writing process is generally pretty organic. It\u2019s a point in my life when I\u2019m not trying to write a song.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cypher16\u2019s sophomore release was \u201cThe Metaphysical Apocalypse\u201d EP in 2011 followed by the \u201cDetermine\u201d EP in 2013. The quartet\u2019s latest effort is the recently-released album \u201cThe Great Surveyor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018The Great Surveyor\u2019 in 2015,\u201d said Doolan. \u201cWhere we are at the moment \u2013 we can go out with a band like Amaranthe because some of our stuff is quite heavy. We can play heavy tracks or go with more pop-rock songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody loves the heavy music. Everyone is affected by heavy music. As long as we\u2019re heavy, it doesn\u2019t really matter what we do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Cypher16 — https:\/\/youtu.be\/Q8CYYGB0md4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The all-ages show at Reverb, which also features Failure Anthem, Citizen Zero and Smash Into Pieces along with headliner Amaranthe, will start at 6 p.m. Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>It\u2019s only been a few days since Within The Ruins<\/span><\/a> released its new album \u201cHalfway Human\u201d on eOne Music\/Good Fight Music and the band is already on tour to support the album.<\/span><\/p>\n

On March 12, Within The Ruins will play at the Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, www.utphilly.com<\/span><\/a>) as part of \u201cThe New Reign Tour,\u201d which also features Born Of Osiris, Volumes, Oceans Ate Alaska, and Fire From The Gods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Within the Ruins is an American death metal band from Westfield, Massachusetts. The group, which includes Tim Goergen, vocals; Joe Cocchi, guitar; Paolo Galang, bass; and Kevin McGuill, drums, has released five albums and three EPs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been on the road for three weeks now,\u201d said Cocchi, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon from a tour stop in Greensboro, North Carolina. \u201cWe\u2019ll be out on this tour until the middle of May.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started putting songs together for \u2018Halfway Human\u2019 a while ago. We had been writing for two years and then started recording last April.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album in my studio in western Massachusetts and finished it in July. We did it all ourselves. I handled the production and engineering.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Within The Ruins released its debut album \u201cCreature\u201d in 2009 and followed with \u201cInvade\u201d (2010), \u201cElite\u201d (2013) and \u201cPhenomena\u201d (2014). \u201cHalfway Human,\u201d the band\u2019s first album not featuring a one-word title, was just released on March 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having developed a skillful self-reliance in the studio, the band has forged a progressive metal sound that expertly mines the most fertile grounds of their genre while shaking off the genre\u2019s self-imposed limitations.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe drummer and I started the band over 10 years ago,\u201d said Cocchi. \u201cThe writing back then was done by the two of us together. Over the years, it changed. We started to write together less and less.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I just set aside 20-30 hours a week and write. That\u2019s how we\u2019ve been doing it for years. I write all of it on guitar but some songs do start on the drums. Generally, I just sit at my computer with my guitar and write.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded 11 songs for the album and one extra song. I had five more songs that were potential for the album but didn\u2019t quite get the attention they needed. I also had another six songs that sounded too much like the songs from \u2018Phenomena.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the big things was to keep it a little more real-sounding and not over-produced. We didn\u2019t want to have everything perfect. Our goal is always to write better and make everything more comprehendible. There are a lot more spaces in the new songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was less focus on technicality and more focus on writing songs with verses \u2013 more focus on writing good songs. I think this was our most well-executed album. We all worked really hard on it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Within The Ruins — https:\/\/youtu.be\/Dab7Or6_I48<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Union Transfer, which also features Born Of Osiris as the headline act, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 and $20.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Oak Ridge Boys<\/p><\/div>\n

Imagine someone suggesting forming a country band that doesn\u2019t write its own music. It\u2019s a little bit of a tough sell but then Nashville is filled with writers whose whole occupation is composing songs for other artists.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, imagine that this band also plays no musical instruments. All the music by the group is supplied by backing musicians.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to picture a band that doesn\u2019t write its own songs or play its own instruments surviving for very long \u2013 unless the group is The Oak Ridge Boys.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Oak Ridge Boys — lead singer Duane Allen, bass singer Richard Sterban, tenor vocalist Joe Bonsall and baritone singer William Lee Golden — comprise one of country music\u2019s truly legendary acts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The veteran singing group will be in the area for two pairs of shows this weekend.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Oak Ridge Boys will perform on March 11 at The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-0 648-4102, www.AMTshows.com<\/span><\/a>) and March 12 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.\u00a0 The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. Since then, the quartet has sold over 41 million units worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band has won five GRAMMY\u00ae Awards and 11 GMA DOVE Awards as well as the Mainstream Artist of the Year Award at the ICM Awards. The four singers have earned prestigious membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame (2015 Inductees) and Grand Ole Opry.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2007, they received the \u201cCliffie Stone Pioneer of the Year Award\u201d from the ACMs. They have charted singles and albums on a regular basis, including two double-platinum albums and more than 30 Top 10 hits — including No. 1 chart-toppers \u201cElvira,\u201d \u201cBobbie Sue,\u201d \u201cThank God For Kids,\u201d \u201cAmerican Made,\u201d and \u201cY\u2019All Come Back Saloon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The group\u2019s most recent album is \u201cRock of Ages, Hymns and Gospel Favorites,\u201d which was released in 205 by the Gaither Music Group.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re scheduled to go into the studio in July to make a new album,\u201d said Sterban, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Nashville.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, we\u2019re heading out on another tour. We start tomorrow at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida. Then, we head north for the shows in Sellersville and Lancaster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This tour will continue until the end of May.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying shows in your area is like coming home,\u201d said Sterban. \u201cJoe (Bonsall) is from Philadelphia originally and I\u2019m from the Camden area. I went to Collingswood High and then went to college at Trenton State University. I even had property in Atlantic City for a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as the new album goes, there\u2019s no title yet. Actually, there aren\u2019t any songs either. The only thing that is set is the recording deal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have written very few of our songs over the years. Most of our hit songs have bene written by writers from Nashville. We try to take advantage of the songwriting talents here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of our hits were written by Ron Chancey (a highly-respected Nashville record producer who is also one of the label heads at MCA Nashville). He had a knack for writing good songs but he\u2019s retired now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve started looking for writers for our new album. We just sent out an e-mail to Nashville writers and said \u2013 we\u2019re making a new album and we\u2019re looking for some good country songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to be working with David Cobb, one of the hot new producers in town. He recently moved from L.A. to Nashville. He\u2019s really more rock than country. We did one project with him and he took us down roads we had never been down before.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As usual, The Oak Ridge Boys will be touring with their core back-up band of Nashville musicians.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a six-piece band behind us \u2013 guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass, drums and a guitarist hop kays pedal steel and fiddle,\u201d said Sterban.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe pride ourselves on not doing the same show two nights in a row. We have enough hits and great album cuts to make it easy to have a different set list every night.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe still have fun performing for our fans and we\u2019re going to keep doing it as long as the good lord allows.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Oak Ridge Boys — https:\/\/youtu.be\/WrdleRuXafA<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The shows at the American Music Theatre on March 11 will start at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $43. The shows at the Sellersville Theater on March 12 will start at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $50, $69.50.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Pennsylvania Ballet<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re in the mood for a show this weekend and aren\u2019t enticed by Celtic, country or heavy metal music, you might want to check out a performance by the Pennsylvania Ballet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now through March 19, the Pennsylvania Ballet is presenting \u201cLe Corsaire\u201d at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Ballet fans will be in for a treat when Pennsylvania Ballet\u2019s<\/span><\/a> Artistic Director Angel Corella takes them away on a journey of love, betrayal, and adventure in his adaptation of \u201cLe Corsaire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis ballet is dear to my heart,\u201d said Corella, during a phone interview Tuesday morning. \u201cIt\u2019s a great ballet for the whole family. It\u2019s\u00a0not well-known but it\u2019s one of the most iconic \u2013 especially for male dancers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are moments of love, moments of betrayal, sword fights, ships, princesses, great energy and great dancing. There are three acts but it\u2019s compact. It\u2019s not that long.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the most fun ballets to watch. People get the story through the dancers \u2013 the way they portray their roles. There are nine principal dancers onstage at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a of dancing as well as elaborate sets and costumes, a lot of scenery changes. You feel like you\u2019re in Istanbul many years ago. There is a lot happening on stage. Fans definitely get their money\u2019s worth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Corella, who in his 17-year career with American Ballet Theatre established himself as one of the greatest male dancers of his time, has many reasons to hold this ballet close to his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first performed it, I was only 21 or 22,\u201d said Corella, a veteran ballet dancer\/choreographer from Spain who has danced for Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Sophia of Spain, and United States Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama. \u201cWith this ballet, I won a Grand Prix gold medal at a competition in Paris.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Corella, \u201c\u2018Le Corsaire\u2019 is an extraordinary ballet that allows the male dancers to be showcased in ways that the Philadelphia audience has never seen before. It is a famous ballet that the majority of our company has never performed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot only is it exciting for them to learn new choreography and roles, but it will also show the strength, endurance, and skills of all of our male dancers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Corella\u2019s \u201cLe Corsaire\u201d is a rollicking production that features intricate choreography and elaborate costumes, bringing to life Marius Petipa\u2019s original version from 1899. The ballet portrays the story of Conrad, a pirate, who in search of treasure, becomes enamored by a serf girl, Medora at a bazaar.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Seyd, a rich Pasha, takes Medora, Conrad is forced to devise a plan and succeeds in rescuing her. However, to Conrad\u2019s dismay, Seyd once again takes Medora with intentions to marry her.<\/span><\/p>\n

After reuniting, Conrad and Medora\u2019s love is tested a third time as storms attack Conrad\u2019s ship during their escape. Conrad and Medora survive and true love endures.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was one of my favorite ballets to perform,\u201d said Corella. \u201cTo be able to share this experience with our talented dancers is a pleasure. I am excited to see this ballet come to life at The Academy of Music knowing that our audience will enjoy it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Pennsylvania Ballet \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/poLntOwywVo<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The shows at the Academy of Music will be presented on March 11 at 2 and 8 p.m., March 12 at 2 p.m., March 17 at 7:30 p.m., March 18 at 2 at 2 and 8 p.m. and March 19 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $35-$135.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Enter the Haggis<\/p><\/div>\n

If it\u2019s time for St. Patrick\u2019s Day celebrations around the area, then it\u2019s also time for a local concert by Enter the Haggis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Enter The Haggis will return to Philly for a concert at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, philly.worldcafelive.com<\/span><\/a>) on March 12.<\/span><\/p>\n

Enter the Haggis has been one of North America\u2019s premier Celtic Folk Rock bands for more than two decades\u00a0\u2014 establishing a reputation for memorable performances, inspired songwriting, musical proficiency and high quality recordings.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Toronto-based band has released eight acclaimed studio albums and a number of well-received EPs — including the recently-released \u201cBroken Arms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s original songs such as \u201cOne Last Drink,\u201d \u201cDown With The Ship\u201d and \u201cGasoline\u201d have become folk rock anthems and have been used in such films\u00a0as \u201cGoon,\u201d \u201c10mph\u201d and \u201cAddicted to Plastic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The band was formed in 1995 in Toronto by Craig Downie, the only remaining original member in the lineup. The band currently consists of Downie (highland bagpipes<\/span><\/a>, vocals), Brian Buchanan (vocals, fiddle, guitar), Trevor Lewington (vocals, guitar), Mark Abraham (bass), and Bruce McCarthy (drums).<\/span><\/p>\n

Enter the Haggis\u2019 current tour is in support of the band\u2019s new EP. This time last year, the band played the same venue when it was touring in support of its 20th Anniversary retrospective double album \u201cCheers and Echoes,\u201d which features the band\u2019s best-loved songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their eighth and latest studio album \u201cPenny Black\u201d was released in 2014 under the Jubilee Riots name.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur music over the last 15 years went through a lot of evolution,\u201d said Buchanan, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from Toronto. \u201cWith \u2018Penny Black,\u2019 we did an Enter the Haggis album but it didn\u2019t have any of the Celtic Enter the Haggis elements.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a bit of frustration after 15 years of Enter the Haggis. So, we changed the name so it wasn\u2019t saddled with the Enter the Haggis legacy. Enter the Haggis was a name people recognize. It was a name that was appropriate for what we had been playing but it wasn\u2019t appropriate for what we were doing. So, Jubilee Riots was an experiment with a non-descript name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jubilee Riots didn\u2019t last long.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA while after we did the \u2018Penny Black\u2019 album, we started working on new music and the Celtic influence was back,\u201d said Buchanan. \u201cWe didn\u2019t regret what we did but we did go back to being Enter the Haggis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While the rest of the band is based in Canada, Buchanan lives in Chestnut Hill with his girlfriend Rose Baldino, fiddle player for the Philadelphia -based Celtic band Burning Bridget Cleary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLiving with a fiddle player, I rediscovered my love for the instrument,\u201d said Buchanan. \u201cThere is a lot more fiddle in the songs I\u2019ve been writing lately. We went to Dublin for a few weeks and I really got back into Celtic music. Rosie also introduced me to the music of a lot of good new Celtic rock bands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just released the EP \u2018Broken Arms.\u2019 We recorded it last year and released it one song at a time along with a music video for each song. We put out 10 studio albums so we wanted to do something different \u2013 give our fans the music song-by-song. It\u2019s like a listening party once a month.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had Jonathan Wyman as the producer \u2013 the same producer we used with Jubilee riots. We recorded it in our drummer\u2019s basement. Then, it was mixed in Portland, Maine and mastered in Sydney, Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith the new EP, we went with more of our Celtic roots. So, we became Enter The Haggis again. We\u2019re now in the process of writing another album and it\u2019s definitely Enter The Haggis. The Celtic influence has taken the forefront. We\u2019re focusing on the music that our fans love.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Enter the Haggis — https:\/\/youtu.be\/YgHQZGHzEIs<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live, which has Justin Trawick as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17 SRO and $27 seated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Andy Suzuki and The Method<\/p><\/div>\n

Another band with international vibes in its DNA will also be playing a show on March 12 at the World Caf\u00e9 Live. Andy Suzuki and The Method will be headlining the show at the venue\u2019s Upstairs Stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Jewish and Japanese,\u201d said Suzuki, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from his home in New York City. \u201cMy dad was born and raised in Japan. I can speak Japanese \u2013 and a little Hebrew.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Olatunji-Babumba, who also lives in New York, comes from a Nigerian family and is of Yoruba lineage. His grandfather was world-famous Nigerian drummer Babtunde Olatunji, who passed away in 2003 at the age of 75.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t really speak Yoruba but I can understand a little,\u201d said Olatunji-Babumba. \u201cI did a lot of travelling with Babtunde \u2013 especially in the summers when I was off from school. That was my summer camp. He is the one who taught me how to drum.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But, there is nothing international about the music of Andy Suzuki and the Moment \u2013 no Japanese Taiko drumming, no Hebrew phrasing, no Nigerian juju rhythms.<\/span><\/p>\n

The music made by Suzuki and Olatunji-Babumba is All American. It has its roots in American R&B and soul and its delivery in contemporary styling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAndy and I met through a mutual friend when we were at Brown University,\u201d said Olatunji-Babumba. \u201cIt was very organic. I was a percussionist \u2013\u00a0 but it was more of a hobby. It was just something I did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two musicians formed their own band and released their first EP, \u201c300 Pianos,\u201d in 2009. They followed with their second EP \u201cThe Ghost Stories\u201d in 2012. Two years later, the band released its debut full-length \u201cBorn Out Of Mischief\u201d and then put out their second LP \u201cThe Glass Hour\u201d a month ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy was there a four-year gap between albums is a question our manager asked us a lot,\u201d said Suzuki. \u201cWe loved \u2018Born Out Of Mischief\u2019 and we were able to tour successfully off the album for a while. It still felt fresh and it was still gaining new fans.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we recorded the new album, it was a two-year process. We spent a long time writing melodies and lyrics. We had stripped-down demos and then built them up with our producer Juny Mag at his studio in L.A.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe did the lead vocals in a studio in Brooklyn. We also revisited some of the demos from L.A. in the Brooklyn studio to put a shine on it. Everything took much longer than expected.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It may have been a long wait for the album to see the light of day \u2013 but it was worth the wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018The Glass Hour\u2019 is our most ambitious album to date,\u201d said Suzuki. \u201cWe knew it was going to be a beast \u2013 a very serious endeavour. So, we wanted to take our time. It\u2019s definitely better than our previous recordings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI grew up with R&B \u2013 singers like Dru Hill and Usher. It\u2019s always been a part of my voice. \u2018Born Out Of Mischief\u2019 was the folky-pop thing. After that, we said let\u2019s go with more R&B\/pop. I\u2019m never staying away from R&B.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe never set out to make a certain kind of music. We have varied tastes so it\u2019s pretty eclectic. We like to call it future pop with an R&B edge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Andy Suzuki and the Method \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/aQcMLU5dBxo<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ladysmith Black Mambazo<\/p><\/div>\n

There will be a genuine international flavour at the World Caf\u00e9 Live on March 15 when the venue hosts the legendary South African a capella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Very few music acts from Africa have become popular around the world rather than just in their home countries. One of the exceptions is Ladysmith Black Mambazo \u2013 South Africa\u2019s high-stepping, globe-trotting vocal group that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. The group\u2019s name comes from the singers\u2019 hometown (Ladysmith), the ox (Black) and the ax (Mambazo) because of the way LBM cut down its opposition in singing competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Shabalala started the group in 1960 and I\u2019ve been with them ever since 1969,\u201d said LBM singer Albert Mazibuko, during a phone interview Wednesday morning from his hotel room in Secaucus, New Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe grew up in the same family. His grandfather was married to my grandfather\u2019s sister. We were all born in Ladysmith, which is 200 miles from Johannesburg and 200 miles from Durban.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn his family, there were eight and in my family six. We all lived in one place and the music was always there. My grandparents were ifingoma \u2013 fortune tellers. My grandmother would sing every night to the spirits that possessed her \u2013 traditional singing with drums and dance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shabalala and Mazibuko still are the foundation of the group as well as the musical directors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph is 76 now so he has been staying home,\u201d said Mazibuko, who still lives in Ladysmith. \u201cIn two years, it will be the group\u2019s 50<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> anniversary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 69 and I\u2019m still dancing. I\u2019m surprised that my body is still the same as it was when I was in my 40s. Our body is something that is amazing. With what I do, if I stretch and prepare properly, I have no problems singing and dancing like I always have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ladysmith Mambazo took a real look at its past with one its most recent albums \u201cSongs from a Zulu Farm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph and I had been talking about all the time we were visiting places when we were growing up. We realized it would be nice if we could record the songs we sang as children. So, that\u2019s what we did on \u2018Songs from a Zulu Farm\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt came out really well. We sang the songs, expanded them and added more music. Then, when we went into the recording studio, other songs came up. The only song that was new to my ears was \u2018Old McDonald\u2019. Some of Joseph\u2019s grandsons and relatives knew the traditional songs so we invited them to join us in the studio.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so enjoyable doing all those old songs. Selecting which songs to sing and record was a collective effort. Everyone contributed. And, we talked a lot about the songs and what order to put them in for the album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew all the songs from when I was young. My favorite is \u2018Leliyafu\u201d which is about clouds in the sky. It means \u2018Clouds, Move Away!\u2019. When I was a child, it would be cold so we\u2019d sing to the clouds — telling them to go away so the sun would be out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While an accurate total of albums released by Ladysmith Black Mambazo is almost impossible to determine, it\u2019s safe to say that the band\u2019s latest album \u201cWalking in the Footsteps of Our Fathers\u201d is somewhere between the 60<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> and the 70<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s patriarch Joseph Shabalala may have left the touring band but his influence is still strong. And, the mantle is being carried by his four sons \u2013 Joseph Shabalala, Thamsanqa Shabalala, Sibongiseni Shabalala and Thulani Shabalala.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the new album last year,\u201d said Mazibuko. \u201cIt was a very exciting project because it was the first time that the Shabalala boys went to the studio without their father\u2019s guidance. Everything was up to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur aim is that, if possible, Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be around for a long time \u2013 even though we are threatened by the modern way of music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The lively singing group has achieved a status as South Africa\u2019s cultural emissaries at home and around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was nine, I formed my own group \u2013 Isicathamiya, which is a Zulu word meaning tiptoe dancing,\u201d said Mazibuko. \u201cYou lift the leg up and then stomp it hard when you bring it down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The music style known as Isicathamiya was born in the mines of South Africa. Black workers were taken by rail to work far away from their homes and their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poorly housed and poorly paid, they would entertain themselves after a six-day week by singing songs into the wee hours every Sunday morning. When miners returned to the homelands, the tradition returned with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mazibuko said, \u201cWe feel that if Ladysmith Black Mambazo can continue singing isicathamiya, younger people will realize that if you do your own thing and work hard, you can be a success.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Ladysmith Black Mambazo \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/FclwRECHoWc<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $37.50 for the floor and $45 for the mezzanine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Colin Hay<\/p><\/div>\n

The international vibe will continue on March 15 when the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/span><\/a>) presents a show with a headliner who was born in Scotland, grew up in Australia and now lives in America.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colin Hay, a talented singer\/songwriter\/guitarist, was born in North Ayrshire, Scotland and emigrated to Australia with his family when he was 14. Then, Hay moved to America and settled in Los Angeles 22 years later.<\/span><\/p>\n

Casual music fans might not recognize Hay by name but they most likely are familiar with his music.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost any music fan over 30 and most fans of classic rock under 30 know that a \u201cland down under\u201d is \u201cwhere women glow and men plunder.\u201d They know because Colin Hay told them so. Hay was the lead singer of the Australian band Men at Work.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the early 1980s, the band had major worldwide hits with a trio of songs — \u201cWho Can It Be Now?,\u201d \u201cOverkill,\u201d and \u201cDown Under.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been on the road since January,\u201d said Hay, during a phone interview Tuesday morning from a tour stop in Nashville, Tennessee. \u201cI tour a lot. I\u2019ve been staying very busy. I\u2019ve been very busy for a while now \u2013 the last 25 years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When Hay played the World Caf\u00e9 Live last summer, he said, \u201cI\u2019ve been writing tunes with a friend of mine — Michael Georgiades. We seemed to hit a vein of things. We wrote about nine songs. I\u2019ve been in the studio or on the road playing gigs non-stop. We will be making an album — probably in March.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s pretty much what transpired and the result was a new album titled \u201cFierce Mercy.\u201d The album was just released on March 3 on Compass Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFierce Mercy,\u201d the singer\u2019s 13th solo release,<\/b>\u00a0is an epic, cinematic step forward for Hay, who is known for being a dynamic frontman and beloved for his intimate, confessional live shows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recorded in both Los Angeles and Nashville and mixed by Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White) and Gordon Hammond (Buddy Miller, Don Williams),\u00a0\u201cFierce Mercy\u201d\u00a0explores themes of love and loss, aging and mortality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded the album last year starting in April,\u201d said Hay. \u201cMost of it was dome at my home studio. The strings and some odd overdubs were done in Nashville. It was Annice combination of cities — Nashville and L.A.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe studio is in the basement of my home in Topanga canyon. Not a lot of the homes in this part of the world have basements. It\u2019s a good size room. The ceiling is a little low but, as far as a home studio, it\u2019s pretty deluxe. I use ProTools and have nice microphones.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been writing with Michael for the last three albums. Most of the songs on \u2018Fierce Mercy\u2019 were co-writes. We get together, sit in the same room and write. We have a wonderful time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith this record, I had a lot of ideas that I put on my iPhone. I listen to them and thn sit down and start to work on something. Other times, Michael will call and say \u2013 I\u2019ve got something \u2013 and then he\u2019d come over.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019d have most of the music and just one line of lyrics. He\u2019d keep playing the music and I\u2019d come up with the lyrics. In the end, we\u2019d pick the best of what each other had. All the songs are pretty new.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hay knows that survival in the music business these days involves taking the music to the people — and that means a lot of touring.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are three things you do as a musician — write songs, record them and play them live,\u201d said Hay. \u201cI still do two Men At Work songs in all my shows — \u2018Overkill\u2019 and \u2018Down Under.\u2019 Obviously, they\u2019ll be a little different from how they did originally.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of Hay\u2019s new songs deal with the precarious state of the world today and the biggest threats to the planet\u2019s well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost like the things you fretted about in the 70s when you first became aware of climate change, authoritarianism, nuclear build-up and the threat of nuclear war,\u201d said Hay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou hope that the people in charge will realize it and do something about it. Climate change is real. Nuclear build-up is not good. The free market system is a better system with socialism built in so that people can get hospital treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut, somewhere inside you, you have the nagging feeling that this isn\u2019t going to happen. This album is a way to musically express those feelings. I think it\u2019s safe to say that the record is a combination of things.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is hopefulness there but you can\u2019t expect anything to change without action. Honestly, I think we\u2019re in for some rough times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Colin Hay — https:\/\/youtu.be\/R36YgaOALSc<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Keswick Theater, which is an evening of entirely Colin Hay, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $2.50 and $39.50.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times With St. Patrick\u2019s Day rapidly approaching, a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday that honors Ireland\u2019s patron saint is to attend a concert of authentic Irish music. It doesn\u2019t get much more authentic than Caladh Nua, a band from southern Ireland that will be performing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[8638,8637,8639,8641,6518,8642,8643,7072,8640],"class_list":["post-23433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-andy-suzuki-and-the-method-colin-hay","tag-caladh-nua","tag-cypher16","tag-enter-the-haggis","tag-featured","tag-ladysmith-black-mambazo","tag-oak-ridge-boys","tag-pennsylvania-ballet","tag-within-the-ruins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23434,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23433\/revisions\/23434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}