SOUTH CARTHAGE – New England Celtic Arts will host the award winning Irish band Runa throughout Maine. At The Empire in Portland on Tuesday, Nov. 13; at Skye Theatre in So. Carthage on Wednesday, Nov. 14; and at UCCPA in Unity on Thursday, Nov. 15. Curtain at Skye is 7 pm and at The Empire & UCCPA is 7:30 pm.
Runa draws on the diverse musical backgrounds of its band members and offers a contemporary and refreshing approach to traditional and more recently composed Celtic material. Through their repertoire of both highly energetic and graceful, acoustic melodies, along with their fusion of music from Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and the United States, this vocal and instrumental ensemble gives its arrangements of traditional songs and tunes a fresh sound.
Members of Runa have played with Solas, Riverdance, Slide, Clannad, Fiddlers’ Bid, Moya Brennan, Eileen Ivers, Hazel O’Conner, Full Frontal Folk, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Barcó, and the Guy Mendilow Band.
Runa consists of vocalist, Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist, Fionán de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion, and Tomoko Omura of Japan on the fiddle and Galway native Dave Curley with multi-instrumentals, vocals and dance.
The band won several awards at the 2010 Montgomery Buck Music Awards, including Best Entertaining Band, Best Folk Artist, Best Female Vocalist, and Best Album – “Jealousy.” Jim Allford of PA Music Scene writes, “The band is going to be reckoned with and I really feel they are Grammy bound within time.”
RUNA recently released their second album, Stretched On Your Grave, in March. Hailed by Irish Philadelphia as “an inspired album from a group that has found its voice, and its place, in the world of Irish music”, journalist Lori Lander Murphy describes it as, “a joyful gem that deserves its own place in the annals of Celtic music.”
The Empire is located at 575 Congress Street in Portland, Skye Theater is located 3 miles West of East Dixfield village at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Rd and US RT. 2 in South Carthage. UCCPA is at 42 Depot Street in Unity. Ticket price is $15 at the door. For reservations at The Empire 207-897-8988 or for Skye Theatre call (207) 562-4445; or UCCPA at (207) 948-7469. Reservations are strongly suggested at all three venues.
The phone is ringing on this band.. only 150 seats left… Don’t miss out… This band has it all. great vocals, instrumentals, and world class Irish step dancing.. Taylor made for Skye. Please email your reservations, I am in Canada at a convention through Sunday… neceltic@gmail.com Thanks.. Phill