Irishfest-La Crosse

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Áthas
http://www.athasmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/athas

Áthas lights the dance floor on fire with a combination of traditional and newly composed Irish dance tunes. Fierce fiddle, driving bodhrán, and funky guitar riffs come together to lift listeners' feet, drinks, and spirits.

Although approaching the tradition from various musical backgrounds, the band found each other and their voice as an ensemble while playing in Irish sessions around Milwaukee throughout 2005. Spending their time between tunes laughing and joking inspired them to make music together and their name, which is the Irish word for joy and happiness.

The band's blend of exciting music and fun-loving attitudes quickly earned the admiration of Milwaukee's Irish set and ceili dance communities, as well as audiences throughout their hometown stomping grounds. áthas has become a favorite act at Irish music's premier event, Milwaukee Irish Fest, gathering praise for the excitement of their stage shows and the energy they display playing in the dance tent.

Áthas is a band firmly rooted in the traditions of Irish music, constantly seeking inspiration from the past masters and passing on their knowledge by teaching throughout Milwaukee. The band remains receptive to new influences, and continues to impress audiences with their new compositions as well as their passion, energy and love for making music.

Barry Byrne

A self taught Harper in the traditional Irish style. Barry has played live on Wisconsin Public Radio's "Higher Ground with Jonathan Overby" and regularly plays at Hackberry's Bistro in La Crosse, Barry record his first CD "If I only had a Harp!" playing piano prior to his picking up the harp. He is working on his second CD, tentatively titled " Hey, I'm Over Here Playing the Harp, Can You Keep It Down a Bit, Please?".

The Celtic Tenors
http://www.celtictenors.com

The Celtic Tenors have established themselves as the most successful Classical Crossover artists ever to have come out of Ireland, and continue to re-invent the whole "Tenor" idiom.

Signed on the spot to an international record deal in London in 2000, their first album went on to achieve double platinum status in their homeland, Number 1 in Ireland and Germany, Number 2 in the UK, and won them the "Echo Award" for "Best Classical Crossover Act" in Germany.

A full-length TV Special "Ein Grosser Irischer Abend" was broadcast to millions on German television, and then released as a coast-to-coast TV Special on PBS in the USA "Celebrate with the Celtic Tenors". There swiftly followed a second album "So Strong" recorded at Abbey Road Studios , produced by the legendary Mike Moran, of Queen and Freddie Mercury fame. Their third album "The Irish Album" was recorded at home with those legends of Irish folk "The Dubliners."

The Celtic Tenors have all had classical training, sung leading roles with top opera companies, performed in oratorio and concerts worldwide, and continue to show great flexibility in melding their voices to suit the appropriate Classical, folk, Irish and pop genres. Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson combine their unique voices, character and wit to provide a show overflowing with vitality and variety from start to finish.

Their latest album, produced by David Munro and Calum Malcolm (Blue Nile), features such guests as Samantha Mumba, Brian Kennedy and the 80s super-group Air Supply, and has already reached Number 4 in the Canadian Charts, and the Top Ten in the US Billboard Charts. This album was released on the Dara label in Ireland under the title "We are not islands", and on the Telarc label worldwide as "Remember Me".

Another exciting guest on this album is one of the brightest new talents to emerge on the Classical Crossover scene, the versatile soprano Deirdre Shannon. Deirdre has appeared in concert with many distinguished artists, including The Celtic Tenors.

The Celtic Tenors were invited to sing for former US President Bill Clinton during a visit to Dublin Castle, and later in a private audience for Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, and his wife Nanne - at the request of U2's front-man Bono. With a total album sales worldwide, including compilations, of over one million, and a full international touring schedule, The Celtic Tenors continue to move from strength to strength.

Catch the Celtic Tenors, along with their young and incredibly talented Musical Director Colm Henry, and their exciting young soprano guest Donna Malone, somewhere on tour. Enjoy the eclectic mix of classical, folk, Irish and pop.

Turner Collins and na Brioc (The Badgers)

Turner Collins born in 1960 in Nacogdoches, Texas, and raised in a folk-music family. He began his journey into the Celtic roots of the Ozarks music and culture while in his teens. At that time he discovered a group of like-minded people of various generations enjoying Celtic and Ozarks folk music traditions.

Turner began his performing career with the Chameleon Puppet Theater in the early-1980s and progressed to the festivals and fine arts series he enjoys today. Turner performs on whistle, bombarde, bodhran, button accordion, and harp.

The Elders
http://www.eldersmusic.com

Since forming in 1998, The Elders have set the American music scene on its ear, thanks to a skillful mix of amped-up roots rock, augmented with powerful vocals, blazing instrumentals and top-notch song writing

The line up consists of a group of wicked-fine Kansas City musicians with a passion for Celtic music, and a charismatic Irishman with a love of all things American. This combination makes for cross-pollination that is high octane and progressive, yet rooted in tradition.

These six gentlemen collectively create original music that transcends & endures - music that is unaffected by fads, trends and the giant maw of mind-numbing commercialism. The songs are mystical, comical, political and cultural while covering a wide variety of topics such as poverty, civil war, family bonds, spirituality, love and friendship. They speak of generations of immigrants, and address their heritage through songs and stories of history, characters, places and events - some distant, some recent, some real and some imagined.

The Elders continuously attract capacity crowds throughout the US and abroad. Their fan base is ever-expanding, consisting of people of all ages, from all walks of life, many who follow the band from gig to gig, sometimes driving for hundreds of miles to see their energetic performances. One needs only to visit the Fan Mail page to see the extraordinary effect their music has on people

The Elders are fronted by Ian Byrne from County Wicklow, and backed by guitarist Steve Phillips (The Rainmakers), bassist Norm Dahlor (Tommy Shaw Band), violinist Brent Hoad, drummer Tommy Sutherland, and keyboardist Joe Miquelon (Asleep at the Wheel.) All are well-known veteran musicians having played in numerous recording and touring bands before forming The Elders.

The Fuchsia Band
http://www.thefuchsiaband.com

The Fuchsia Band have established themselves as one of the top Irish Traditional bands on the circuit, with their lively folk-trad spirit and charm never-failing. Melding powerful ballads and sprightly tunes into a delightful performance, The Fuchsia Band show will enliven the Irish zest within you instantaneously. The band has played far and near, from the American shores to the Finnish fjords, bringing the sold-out venues to a storming frenzy through music, songs, stories and dance. In 2007, The Fuchsia Band's 2nd album Grá Dá Raibh was voted "Album of the Year" by the No Celtic Boundaries radio program, and lead singer Máirtín de Cógáin was also awarded "Songwriter of the Year". With 9 All-Ireland accolades between them, they are a fierce force for any audience. These four lads have traveled far and wide, bombarding people with ceol binn (sweet music) every step along the way! The Fuchsia Band will be sure to put you all under their spell and whisk you away to a time before television, to a time before radio, when people entertained themselves…to a place called Fuchsia Land!

Meet The Fuchsia Band:
Brian "Flash" McGillicuddy (Banjo, Mandolin & Vocals)
Mick "Hands" Heffernan (Flute, Guitar, Vocals & Piano)
Eoin "The Box" Verling (Accordion, Guitar & Vocals)
Máirtín "Legs" de Cógáin (Vocals, Bodhrán, Storytelling & Shoes)

Gaelic Storm
http://www.gaelicstorm.com

Since its inception nearly ten years ago, Gaelic Storm continue to broaden the musical horizons of the Celtic music genre by creating compelling originals and fresh arrangements steeped in Irish traditional melody and acoustic instrumentation combined with their unique blend of world rhythms. Released on July 25, 2006, the band's latest album Bring Yer Wellies (Lost Again Records) debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Chart, #16 on the Internet Sales Chart and #31 on the Independent Album Chart. The 14 new tracks capture the contagious energy of Gaelic Storm's renowned live performances. Channeling the rowdy communal feel of an Irish pub on raucous sing-alongs, driving pipe sets and spirited fiddle tunes, the band's sixth studio album was recorded in a one-month fury in April 2006 at The Zone recording studio in Austin Texas.

The new album comes on the heels of the band's first concert DVD, Live In Chicago, released in January this year. The Hi-Def DVD was taped on September 14, 2005 before a packed audience at the House of Blues Chicago. The 2-hour video showcases the trademark energetic performance and enthusiastic audience interaction that make the band a front-runner in the Celtic music genre today.

Touring aggressively and playing over 125 dates a year, Gaelic Storm routinely breaks attendance and merchandise sales records, pushing their popularity beyond the World music genre and into the mainstream music consciousness. Gaelic Storm performed on The Rock Boat 2004 along with mainstream rock bands such as Cowboy Mouth, Tonic, Sister Hazel and Gavin Degraw and set the Rock Boat CD sales record. The band was invited back to The Rock Boat in 2006 alongside acts such as Better Than Ezra and Marc Broussard. Gaelic Storm broke the attendance record previously held by Alan Jackson at the Albuquerque, NM Bio-Park and they continue to headline some of the largest Celtic and Folk festivals in the world including Festival Interceltique in Lorient, Brittany, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, and Dublin Irish Festival. Remarkably, the band has headlined the largest U.S. Irish Festival, Milwaukee Irish Fest, for 4 straight years, and has become an exception to the festival's usual policy of not inviting artists to perform in consecutive years.

Gaelic Storm released their fifth album "How Are We Getting Home?" in August 2004 (Lost Again Records) which debuted at #3 on the Billboard World Music Charts and #10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and re-entered the September 2005 World Albums Chart at #3. Their previous four albums (Higher Octave Records/Virgin-EMI) have all charted high on the Billboard World Music Chart, including reaching the #2 position on three different occasions. Since their selftitled first album (#5 on Billboard's World Music Chart) and their appearance in the film Titanic, Gaelic Storm continues to thunder onto stages around the world.

On St. Patrick's Day, 1996, co-founders Patrick Murphy of Cork City, Ireland (vocals, piano, accordion, spoons, harmonica) and New Yorker Steve Wehmeyer (bodhran, vocals, didgeridoo) officially joined forces with Steve Twigger of Coventry, England (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki), at O'Brien's pub in Santa Monica, California. Their first performance was such a hit that the crowd refused to let them off the stage for the next act. In 1997, Gaelic Storm was catapulted out of their formative pub haunts by an appearance in the blockbuster film Titanic. Cast as the "party band" in the steerage scene, they landed the part while still drinking pints and playing weekly at O'Brien's. After the film's release, the band was met by huge crowds on their first tour. However, they still pride themselves on remaining as accessible as ever and sharing "a pint" with fans whenever possible.

Gaelic Storm also includes: Ryan Lacey on drums and world percussion (graduated twice from the Los Angeles Music Academy, once for hands and once for sticks), Pete Purvis of Merrickville, Ontario on uillean pipes, tin whistle, daeger pipes and highland pipes (a Grade 1 piper who toured with award winning pipe bands including the Braemar Pipe Band and played at 2000 Sydney Olympics) and the newest member of the band Jessie Burns on fiddle (originally from Suffolk, England, now living in Colorado).

Leah Heram

Leah has been performing with her hammered dulcimer since the summer of 2003 when she played for the Boscobel Civil War Reenactment Ladies Tea. She has since performed at other reenactments, several private Christmas social gatherings, accompanied the Viterbo Woman's Choral, and was pleased to perform at Irish Fest La Crosse last year. Leah is from the La Crosse area and is currently a full time student at Viterbo University majoring in music pedagogy.

The Irish Minstrels
http://www.theirishminstrels.com

The Irish Minstrels are well established and very experienced musical entertainers. This talented group enjoys performing the music that is most dear to their hearts... The foot stomping , hand-clapping sing-a-longs, sea shanties, rollicking fiddle tunes, original compositions, and the beautiful and romantic ballads of Irish genre.

Throughout the years, they have performed at hundreds of functions, big and small. Fairgrounds, festivals, weddings, business parties, and concerts are all familiar to this group. The Irish Minstrels also sing and perform Christmas concerts and parties.

The Irish Minstrels have performed at the Minnesota Irish Fair, The Milwaukee Irish Fest, Rochester's annual Rochesterfest and the Down-by-the-Riverside summer concerts. Memorable performances have included 20 years of appearances at the annual "Irish Medieval Feaste" in LeRoy, MN and "A Night in Olde Ireland" ; a production put on by the Rochester Repertory Theater; St. Patrick's Day concerts at the beautifully restored Paramount Theatre in Austin, MN and the Big Island Rendezvous in Albert Lea, MN; and the Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Emmetsburg, IA. Watch for the Irish Minstrels television performance on Baby Blue Arts.

"The Fool's Hornpipe", written by Melissa Schmidt, was The 2005 First Place Winner in the international Walton's Music Irish Songwriting Competition
An EXCITING highlight for the Irish Minstrels in October 2007 was their dream-come-true recording session at the renown Walton's Music Studio in Dublin, Ireland! www.waltonsmusic.com This wonderful second musical trip to Ireland and 2 day recording session was the First Prize offered for winning the Walton's songwriting contest in 2005.

The Irish Minstrel's new "Ireland" CD includes their own unique and beautiful arrangements of ancient Irish, Scottish, and Welch tunes as well as Irish Minstrel's own lively new original instrumentals. It will be completed very soon. The Irish Minstrels have toured Ireland twice, singing and performing in many towns all along the western and southern coasts.

The Irish Minstrels are always putting smiles on people's faces in local coffee houses, pubs and clubs. They liven up and capture the attention of every audience and would make an excellent choice for your Irish Music entertainment needs. If you are ever in doubt check them out in person. You will not be disappointed!

Chelsea Sky Link

Chelsea Sky Link from Evanston, Illinois. She has played the harp since she was 5, and plays both classical pedal harp and Irish lever harp. Chelsea was a guest performer with The Chieftains in 2002.and has been featured in the International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftmen's Folk Harp Journal.

Chelsea has won numerous awards in classical harp sine age 10, including First Place in the 2007 Celtic Harp Competiton at Irish Fest La Crosse.

Sunny Link
http://www.stonecottagemusic.com

The Mickey Finns
http://www.themickeyfinns.com

The Mickey Finns were born out of the ashes of two well known NYC Irish bands: The Prodigals and Raglan Road. Ray Kelly (guitar/vocals) & Brian Tracey (percussion/vocals) were longtime members of The Prodigals. With The Prodigals, they produced 3 well received CD's and toured most of the US, Europe, and Canada. However, all good things must come to an end (amicably, of course!). Ray left The Prodigals after 6 years to open his own pub in Fairfield, CT. Brian left the band after 7 years to go back to school.

After a year of not playing live, Ray and Brian started The Mickey Finns as a way to get back on the scene, work on new songs and get free beer. Since it's inception, The Mickey Finns have had help from some great friends and musicians, including Monty Monaghan, Sean McCabe, Dave Barkow, and Padraig Allen. It wasn't until Matt Mancuso (fiddle, vocals, octave mandolin) joined the band that the Mickey Finns sound really came together. Matt came to the Finns after honing his skills with the band Raglan Road and touring as the lead fiddler in Lord of the Dance.

The Mickey Finns have become the Saturday night "house band" at Paddy Reilly's, an honor previously held by The McCabes and Black '47. You can also see them as they start touring around the country in as many pubs and festivals that will have them!

Kim Robertson
http://www.kimrobertson.net

A renowned International performer and instructor who has stretched the boundaries of the harp for a new generation of performers and audiences. As a pioneer in the American folk harp movement, she combines an improvisational spirit with a passionate sense of tradition, bringing a contemporary touch to a centuries' old instrument.

Born in Wisconsin, she is classically trained on piano and orchestral harp. In the mid-70's, Kim's discovery of the Celtic harp grew into a profound love for the instrument, setting her upon the path of exploration for which she is now widely known. She regularly tours the USA, Canada and Europe, and is recognized as one of the most popular lever harpists performing today. Her work encompasses over 20 album projects, 11 volumes of published harp arrangements, three instructional videos and an international itinerary workshops and retreats.

Kim will also be judging this year's Celtic Harp Competition.

Shari Lowe Sarazin

A native of Wisconsin Shari Sarazin was greatly influenced as a child by mother and her grandmother, Erma Barrett a published poet, songwriter and musician. Shari studied vocal music performance and education at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. In the mid 1980's she taught choral music at the prestigious St. Agnes Academy in Alliance, Nebraska.

In October 1993, Shari set the words of a poem penned by her grandmother Erma Barrett. In a song titled "Oh Wisconsin, Land of My Dreams". On August 30, 2001 Governor Scott McCallum signed in to law this tune as the State of Wisconsin's Official Ballad.

Shari added Celtic Harp to her talents in 2001 and is head of Whippoorwill Entertainment Services in New Lisbon, Wisconsin

The Screaming Orphans
http://www.screamingorphans.com

The Screaming Orphans from County Donegal, Ireland, have carved a considerable reputation as a captivating live band both at home and abroad. Following the lead of their American born mother (who sang professionally), the sisters were schooled on the international live circuit and performed across Europe from an early age.

They fast came to international attention when Sinead O'Connor took them on as her back up singers, and invited them to open for her on the Gospel Oak World Tour in 1997. In addition to these live shows, the four sisters gained invaluable TV experience with Sinead appearing on the David Letterman Show and the UK's Top of The Pops. As a result, the band secured a publishing deal and short term label deal with WEA (Warner Music UK), and contributed vocals to world music star Baaba Maal's album "Nomad Soul," Peter Gabriel's track with the Afro Celt Sound System as well as contributing to the Joni Mitchell track "Magdalene Laundries" for the Chieftains "Tears of Stone" album.

A chance meeting with Mike Hedgers (U2, Travis, Manic Street Preachers) blossomed into a close personal and professional relationship that saw the acclaimed producer work first on their early demos and then reunite with them to record the album for WEA in Normandy, France.

The Orphans draw on a diverse set of influences ranging from traditional Irish music, to REM and the Cranberries, with a strong focus on melody driven songs with both pop and rock strains.

"We have always admired the diversity of the American music scene, and that was instrumental in our decision to relocate to the states," says Grainne Diver (vocals/guitar). "Being here has inspired us to explore new and exciting song writing and performance concepts. It has been a great experience for us."

Over the past 18 months, the band, now based in New York, have been performing along the east coast and in some of the bigger Irish festivals in the US, building a substantial following, especially in Florida, and attracting interest from all areas of the music business.

Scythian
http://www.scythianmusic.com

Fresh off performing at a St. Patrick's Day Presidential luncheon for President Bush and Ireland's Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Scythian (sith-ee-yin) played kicked-up Celtic and world music with hints of gypsy and klezmer, all infused with a touch of punk-rock sensibility. Voted 2006 DC Fan Favorite by the Washington Area Music Association and two more nominations in 2007 for Best Contemporary Folk Group and Best Contemporary Folk Recording, 2007 proved to be a pivotal year in the band's career. Highlights include sharing the stage with Guster and opening for Flogging Molly at ShamrockFest (DC). With the July 2007 release of their third album, Immigrant Road Show, Scythian has accumulated several nominations for their efforts, including a best song nod for Immigrant Stomp from CelticRadio.net, a spot in PaddyRock.com's Top 20 Albums of 2007 list, as well as the aforementioned nominations by the Washington Area Music Association.

Scythian first broke onto the festival scene in 2006, performing in a handful of Celtic Festivals in the Northeast. It did not take long for the word to get out about their incredible live performances, and thanks largely to grassroots promotion and word-of-mouth, their popularity has exploded. In 2007 - just their second festival season - Scythian tripled their festival appearances over the previous year. They booked 25 festivals in 2007, and are on pace to top that number in 2008 along with a formidable schedule of venues, concert series, and in-studio performances. In 2008, Scythian will share the stage with internationally touring acts such as Joan Jett, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Gaelic Storm, and Flogging Molly. This year marks the band's first international appearance as they travel to Sydney, Australia to perform three shows at World Youth Day 2008 for an estimated audience of 225,000 youth from around the world.

With catchy, quirky original songs such as "Technoccordion" and "Highway 81," and new twists on traditional favorites, Scythian has created their own unique sound, which defies genre classification (although "speed folk" has been used on more than one occasion). Virtuosic talents and unfailing energy are the tools these lads use to create an electrifying connection to their audience that keeps fans on their feet and screaming for more.

Andrea Stern
http://www.andreastern.com

Minneapolis based harpist Andrea Stern's love for the harp was first inspired by Harpo Marx, and then nurtured at Cleveland Institute of Music and New England Conservatory in Boston.

She has played both Celtic and Concert harp in a wide range of venues and locations from cruise ships to concert hall to coffee houses, from Venezuela to Hong Kong to Fargo.

After a 2002 collaboration with multi-wind player and "Celtic Wizard" Laura MacKenzie, Andrea has devoted herself to traditional Irish and Scottish music as a soloist, and with MacKenzie in their duo Willow Brae.

Andrea and Laura released their first CD last year, entitled "Willow Brae Collected" along with four previous solo recordings.

A sought-after teacher of all abitlties and ages, she also is harp instructor at St. Thomas University, Augsburg College and MacPhail Center for Music in the Twin Cities.