Upcoming Celtic Concerts

	Since I know many of you are interested in such things,
	here are a few highlights from this month's Celtic Calendar:

	Wed July 23 = Niamh Parsons and Loose Connections, a very good
	traditional group.  They just signed with Green Linnet and have
	a new CD out.  Tractor Tavern, 8:30, $10 advance.  This is 
	a Seattle Folkmusic Society event.

	Thurs July 24 = Paperboys and Katell Keineg (an eclectic
	powerhouse singer from Brittany) do a double show at Club
	Nights at the Pier (#62/63).  7pm, $10.  (Sometimes cheaper
	tickets are available the day of the show at the half-price
	tickets place at the Pike Street Market.)  Seating is general
	admission.  

	Fri July 25 = The Paperboys play at the Tractor Tavern, 9:30
	(which will probably be an opening group, but be there by 
	8:30 if you want in the door), $7.  This is an outstanding
	group from Vancouver BC who do Celtic Rock.  Check them out!

	Fri July 25 = Clumsy Lovers at Owl 'N Thistle.  They also
	play Sat at the same pub.  They're kind of bizarre group,
	but fun:  Celtic rock meets punk, sort of.

	Sat & Sun, July 26-27 = Scottish Highland Games at the King
	County Fairgrounds, 8am-6pm, $8 one day.  Lots of bagpipes,
	merchants, cultural exhibits, animals, music, food, etc.
	Call (253) 522-2541 for more info.

	Sat, Aug 9 = The Wicked Celts play at the Olde Town Alehouse
	in Ballard, 8pm.  (It's about 3 doors north of the Tractor,
	and is a no-smoking pub.)  If you haven't heard them recently,
	they've made a lot of nice changes with their new members, and
	their concerts are fun.  James even teaches Scottish ceili 
	dances at some shows.

	Sat, Aug 23 = The Rashers perform on the schooner Wawona on
	the south end of Lake Union.  A fairly traditional Irish band,
	the restoration of the Wawona is a great cause, and it's a 
	pretty location for music.

	Fri, Aug 29 = The Paperboys play the Bumbrella stage at 
	Bumbershoot at 6:15pm.  And if they're lucky, they're new CD
	will be out by then.  (If you're getting the impression I
	really like this group, you're right. :)

	----

	One other performer I was impressed with is playing Wed, Aug 6th
	at the Tractor Tavern.  Here's the write-up I did for last 
	summer's concert:

DICK GAUGHAN = This was one of the shows I went to at the Tractor based on a review I read in the paper; it turned out to be a very interesting concert. A Scottish folksinger with a fairly loyal following here in Seattle considering the 200 plus people who crammed into the Tractor Tavern on a hot July evening; he did a variety of pieces of his own and by other Celtic and American folksingers,  some in English, some in Scots-Gaelic, and most somewhere in between. The first song had the chorus of "It's not what you were born with, but what you do with what you got." He then passed through a variety of rememberances of wars past, comments on the political situation in Great Britain, lessons on the Gaelic culture and language, dance tunes, and prayers for peace and equality yet to come. The final song had as a main theme the idea that "If you're waiting for a great leader to come and take all of us to the Promised Land, then I hope your arse is on a very comfortable cushion. The work is up to each of us." A good singer and storyteller with a fun sense of humor, he was capable of captivating the audience on many of his songs; and his guitar playing ranged from very soft and lyrical, to a hard almost Spanish sound, to something that made you think of bagpipes. I've heard better musicians, but the concert was a lot of fun, and gave me a nice kick out of the "let's put contraceptives in the water" mood I'd been in lately. I wouldn't recommend him if you don't have at least some sympathetic understanding of Socialist politics, but if you do, he does a good show.  

        Anyway, that's it for now.

				Quarong
				<quarong at eskimo.com>