... on a hillside at Celtfest
It would have been eight hours but for the rain that kept Cuppa and me at home for an extra hour, but Sunday marked our third annual trip to Celtfest in Almonte. This free (but of course one makes a donation) event is truly remarkable. The music goes from noon until whenever, about eight o'clock this year, and it seems to get better every year.
Performers get about a half hour or so to do their thing although the bigger acts toward the end take a little more time. There is a ton of fiddling but lots of singing too. The talent in this area is remarkable, not just for the traditional sound that represents the core of this festival but for blues, folk, rock and what have you. I said to Cuppa on Sunday during the concert that if you were to shoot a fine fiddler another one would simply pop up and keep the music going.
New to me this year were two groups within range of the local area: Rivertheives and Hadrian's Wall (music samples on their websites). They were both wonderful additions, which I certainly hope to see again. I include a clip of Hadrian's Wall below. They were the final act and worth waiting for. The sound quality in the clip is not the best, but you do what you can with a little point and shoot camera.
At about 80 seconds in, you will hear the band go into a kind of fiddling/Celtic interlude. Celtic-style groups often do this when they are singing a song that does not have a particularly Celtic sound to it. The fiddler was very good, and the red-haired guy next to him on the guitar was even better if possible. He also played the tin whistle, the flute, and the harmonica. They did one piece which featured the whistle and the fiddle which was stunning. They'd speed up a little on each round, and just when I thought they couldn't possibly go any faster they did.
Sad to say, Celtfest is over for another year; needless to say, I'm looking forward to next year already.
I hope to post a clip of the Riverthieves tomorrow, and I think Cuppa will post one with fiddling and step dancing.
Glad you both had a wonderful time!hughugs
ReplyDeleteI' m glad the two of you had a great time at the festival!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a rollickin' good time!
ReplyDeleteOne of my brothers plays drums for a celtic rock band called Empty Flask---many a time, I've stomped, jigged and reeled my way through "Whiskey in the Jar", or something similar. The band had bagpipes too and it was hard not to dance when they played.
ReplyDeleteWe always seem to be somewhere else when Celtfest rolls out, but we do get to Maxville some years.
Oh those Celtic roots. My mom MADE me take Highland dancing when I was a kid. I would have preferred to have stayed on my belly watching the Smurfs on tv. Now I wish I would have gotten into my heritage a little more. The music always holds it!
ReplyDeleteThat would have been cool to take in. I'll have to watch for it next summer.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned Celtfest in a previous post. Thank you so much for "taking" us with you! Someday . . .
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