Albannach and the Screaming Orphans Headline the Celtober Festival in Asheville – October 20, 2016

Produced by the "The New World Celts”, an organization dedicated to “Promoting Celtic History and Celtic Culture in the New Worlds” in association with Celtic Heritage Productions, the Celtober Festival will be held in Asheville, North Carolina on Thursday October, 20.

Headlining the Festival are two bands who themselves serve as Ambassadors of Celtic Culture.

Albannach: “Tribal percussion” fits Albannach, as described in Transceltic's recent feature Albannach: Scottish-Celtic Culture Warriors. The energy of the drums juxtaposed against the expert piping of band member Donnie Mac Neil is transfixing. This accomplished band delivers a stunning performance which often leaves the audience transfixed.  The drums dominate but the focus is on the Piper as if the drums are the ancient Pictish warriors and the Pipes the call to war. It as if drum beat is the force of the resistance which saved Scotland from Roman occupation and preserved Celtic culture north of Hadrian’s Wall. Albannach’s performance never disappoints and their legions of fans are proof.

Comprised of Scottish band members Colin Walker, Jamesie Johnston, Donnie MacNeil and Jacqui Holland with the lone Outlander of the band, Philadelphian DigeriDrew Reid.  The band’s fans will mourn the loss of Aya Thorne who put out this message on the Group’s Facebook Page which is linked below: “I have two beautiful wee girls at home who need their Daddy, and because of them I have made the difficult decision to leave Albannach at the end of the fall tour.” 

Albannach's Leader Jamesie Johnston views the band as Ambassadors of Celtic Culture and sees the growing popularity of Celtic Festivals in North America as important to keeping Celtic culture alive. “ When people watch us perform they are experiencing Celtic culture and I see that as the takeaway from our performance, that the audience is experiencing Celtic culture when they attend our performance.”

The Screaming Orphans: The four Diver sisters who hail from Ireland’s County Donegal, have been performing together since the early 1990’s. The Diver sisters have built an international reputation that sees them touring throughout North America and Europe. In 2016 they appered at Celtic festivals in the United States and on a 17 city tour in Germany billed as the “Irish Heartbeat Tour”. In May of this year the band performed at “Ireland 100: Celebrating a Century of Irish Arts and Culture”, a major festival highlighting Irish culture at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

The Diver sisters call Bundoran in Ireland’s County Donegal home.  Bundoran (Bun Dobhráin in Gaelic translating into “the foot of the little water”) is on Irelands NorthWest coast near one of the few remaining Gaeltacht areas in Ireland and having spent their early years living here has contributed to the band’s musical style. The Screaming Orphans have been described as having a unique sound rooted in the Celtic tradition combined with the musical influences to which the ladies from Donegal have been exposed during their career.  Since their early days they have performed with Sinead O’Connor, Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel and the legendary Celtic band “The Chieftains” among others.

In interviews the band have cited the musical traditions of their home town and point to Gaeltacht born performing artists as early influences. One of these artists are the band “Clannad”.  Clannad are from the Irish speaking community of Gweedore not far from where the Divers grew up. A family band also, Clannad are said to have put Irish music and the Irish language on the map in the 1980s. A noted member of the Clannad clan, the international superstar Enya, struck out on her own successful career. 

Celtober Festival

• When: October 20, 2016
• Where: The Grey Eagle, Asheville
• Website: www.celticheritageproductions.com

https://www.facebook.com/AlbannachMusic/

http://transceltic.com/irish/screaming-orphans-these-donegal-girls-are-c...