Saint Patrick's Day

replyIt's coming up faster than you might think, and you'll need to be getting tickets for the big show at the SHOWBOX, so I'm telling you about it now. TOM LANDA & THE PAPERBOYS are going to be back for their annual gig at this venue, and opening for them is going to be GREAT BIG SEA.

THE PAPERBOYS advertise themselves as "Celtic Bluegrass Stompin' Pop", although their 3rd album also has some strong Latin influences. We'll find out this coming Sunday if it wins the band their second Juno (Canadian Grammy) award for "Best Roots / Traditional Album." I've been a fan of theirs for 6 years now, and they are well worth seeing.

GREAT BIG SEA is also a "Celtic rock" style band, but their lyrics and melodies are influenced by the culture of Newfoundland and other portions of Eastern Canada. Their albums are a lot of fun, and they'll get a crowd going at their shows. I've never seen anyone do "Meri-mac" faster than they can.

Saint Patrick's Day is on a Saturday this year, and the show should run from about 9:15-1am. This show WILL SELL OUT SOON. The Showbox is located in Downtown Seattle on the corner of 1st Avenue and Pike Street. They take cash only weekdays between 11am-5pm, or you can get tickets via www.fastixx.com or 800-992-8499. Cost is listed as $17.50. This is a 21 and over venue, and people will be drinking and smoking, so bring your sense of humor at the Human race.

For those of you who want to do even more that day, there are plenty of options: I think the parade will be at noon. (It may take place on Friday, I haven't checked yet.) There will be dancers, music, crafts, movies, and workshops at the Seattle Center from 10-5 on Sat & Sunday. A lot of bars will also be doing music. At TRACTOR TAVERN in Ballard, CASEY NEILL TRIO is playing at 5pm, and CLONTARF at 7pm.

HEATHER ALEXANDER is also playing a lot around this time:

March 2 = Shakabrah Java in Tacoma 253-572-4369. 8-10pm $5

March 16 = Her new band UFFINGTON HORSE is debuing at the Sunset Hill Community Center 8-10pm. $10 advance, $12 door. 3003 NW 66th Street in Seattle (Ballard). 206-784-2927. Advance tickets at Galway Traders, Travellers, and Sweet Spirit Candles.

March 17 = UFFINGTON HORSE is playing at the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn 2-5:30pm. 800-804-4944.

My favorite Irish flute player, HANZ ARAKI, will also be playing 2 Sunday shows with his current 2 groups in April at the Tractor Tavern. 5213 Ballard Avenue NW. Seattle. 206-789-3599. April 8 = SETANTA -- Traditional Irish songs and tunes. (Hanz on flute, Dale Russ on fiddle, Finn McGinty on guitar.) April 22 = CASEY NEILL TRIO's CD Release Party -- American folk with strong Bluegrass, Celtic, and Environmental overtones. (Hanz on flute, Casey Neill on guitar, Zak Borden on mandolin. All 3 do vocals and Casey writes some very good lyrics.)

You can get more information about all of these groups by asking me, or visiting their websites:
The Paperboys = www.paperboys.com
Great Big Sea = www.greatbigsea.com
Casey Neill Trio = www.speakeasy.org/jilks/casey/ Hanz Araki = www.hanzaraki.com
Heather Alexander = www.heatherlands.com/

More information later,

                         Quarong

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Karen Rall, Folk Music Programming Coordinator for Westercon 54 in Portland and Norwescon 24 in Seattle. If you'd like more information about Celtic music activities
in the Greater Seattle area, or about Filking at Cons & SCA Events, please reply to
<quarong at aa.net>. General Convention info is available at
<www.sfnorthwest.org>,

and SCA information at <www.sca.org>. Received on 03/01/01