Indoor Celtic Festival in Cambridge Friday and Saturday

If not yet on your radar, place the 10th annual BCMFest, which will be produced at three venues in Harvard Square this Friday and Saturday, dead center.

Like notloB Parlour Concerts*, BCMFest is an all-volunteer effort (in fact they are still seeking volunteers - contact them though their website and get free admission).

There will be a very strong notloB alumni presence, including.....
Katie McNally and Eric McDonald
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Molly Pinto Madigan
Laura Cortese
Matt Heaton
Flynn Cohen and The Deadstring Ensemble
Sean Smith
Cliff McGann
Hanneke Cassel

About BCMFest BCMFest (Boston’s Celtic Music Fest) showcases Greater Boston’s best musicians, singers, and dancers from Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, and other Celtic traditions. BCMFest hosts an annual weekend-long festival in January that features more than 100 performers. All of the profits from BCMFest are used to fund the next festival. Throughout the year, BCMFest organizes the Celtic Music Cruise, Boston Urban Ceilidh, and monthly Celtic Music Monday Sessions at Club Passim, which spotlight local Celtic musicians and singers. Laura Cortese, Shannon Heaton, Leanne McNally, Rachel Reeds, and Sean Smith head the BCMFest committee. Please contact themwith any questions about the festival. The mission of BCMFest is To produce locally-based Irish, Scottish, and Cape Breton music and dance in an upbeat and friendly environment. To bolster appreciation for traditional Celtic music and dance among youth and the Greater Boston community. To support a living, changing tradition by encouraging cross-genre collaborations and innovations among dancers and musicians of all generations. To produce a variety of collaborative projects and performances for the Greater Boston community.

Follow BCMFest on facebook and get BCMFest       news year-round on the BCMFest blog.

The 10th annual BCMFest will be held January 11-12, 2013.

Advance tickets available now! Click here for full lineup, schedule and ticket links.

History:

BCMFest was born after Laura Cortese (Scottish fiddle) and Shannon Heaton (Irish flute) realized that recently they had seen many great, traditional Celtic music acts playing it the area; they thought it would be exciting if more of the Boston-area trad players worked with local folk music venues like Club Passim, the Burren, Johnny D’s, and the Canadian American Club. Soon after their talk, Laura and Shannon began planning a weekend-long showcase of local traditional talent—a Boston Celtic Music Fest to celebrate the rich, diverse pool of traditional music and dance in the Boston area.

The festival has become a hub for generating ideas, energy, and community support for local, traditional Celtic music and dance performers. In 2011, BCMFest became an official program of Passim. Today, in addition to the annual festival in January, audiences and artists can enjoy monthly concerts at Club Passim that feature a broad selection of Boston-based Celtic music and dance acts.

As BCMFest enters its tenth year, the festival is stronger than ever, and its vision is more refined. By presenting touring professionals, tradition-bearers, and young performers, the festival offers a variety of music not found anywhere else. The list of performers and fans involved in the festival continues to grow, a sign that BCMFest is a vital addition to the Boston music community.

*Upcoming notloB and related concerts:

01/18/13	Loring-Greenough House	Katie McNally & Eric McDonald
02/18/13	Watertown private residence	Brittany Haas, Lily Henley and Kellen Zakula
02/23/13	Loring-Greenough House	Fellswater
03/05/13	Johnny D's	Richard Wood & Gordon Belsher
03/09/13	Loring-Greenough House	Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Catherine Bowness w/ George Clements

p.s. I will be managing the BCMFest's sanctuary stage, stop by to say 'hello.'

BCMFest Announces 10th Anniversary Line-up

Boston's grassroots celebration of local Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and other Celtic music will mark its 10th year when BCMFest (Boston's Celtic Music Fest) takes place January 11 and 12, 2013.

The festival will showcase several dozen musicians, singers and dancers, all with ties to the Boston music scene, during the two-day event, which is held in the heart of Harvard Square. BCMFest gets underway on January 11 with its traditional kick-off concert in Club Passim and the Boston Urban Ceilidh -- BCMFest'

s Celtic dance party -- at The Atrium, 50 Church St. Saturday's "Dayfest" will feature children's and family entertainment at Passim in the morning, followed by an afternoon of concerts and other events on four different stages in Passim and the nearby First Parish Church, Cambridge, at 3 Church St.

Capping the commemoration of BCMFest’s first decade will be a Saturday night finale concert in First Church, with Cape Breton music from Emerald Rae (fiddle), Matt Phelps (pipes) and Janine Randall (piano), a performance by Highland Dance Boston, as well as a tribute to Boston Irish music legend Larry Reynolds (performers include George Keith & Sean Gannon, John, Lisa & Josie Coyne, Cara Frankowicz, Patrick Hutchinson and Regina Delaney). Appearances by special guest performers will further enliven the evening.

Performers for 2013 include: The Deadstring Ensemble, George Keith & Sean Gannon, Hanneke Cassel & Mike Block, The Coyne Family, Katie McNally & Eric McDonald, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Joey Abarta, Amanda Cavanaugh, Nic Gariess & Anna Lindblad, Core 4, Liz Hanley, Mairin Ui Cheide, Skylark, Belclare, Corvus, Kira & Cliff McGann, Armand Aromin & Dan Accardi, Diane Taraz, Michael O'Leary, Ivonne Hernandez & Adrianna Ciccone, Bob Bradshaw, Laura Cortese, Emerald Rae, Carraroe, Matt Heaton & The Electric Heaters, The Whiskey Boys & Shinbone Alley, Molly Pinto Madigan, The Boston Scottish Fiddle Club, The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society of Boston, The Bell Family, and Kyte MacKillop & Friends.

A look at some of the highlights of BCMFest 2013:
-Friday night's kick-off concert at Club Passim, "New Tunes from Boston: Boston's Celtic Composers," spotlights some of the area's young, innovative musical talent.
-The Boston Urban Ceilidh, the Friday evening dance party that is always one of BCMFest's most popular events, will feature live music by Core 4; Kimberley Fraser, Emerald Rae & Rachel Reeds; and Laura Cortese & The Boston Urban Ceilidh Band. No experience necessary -- all dances will be taught.
- BCMFest's Saturday "Dayfest" begins in the morning at Club Passim with songs, storytelling and other entertainment geared toward children and families.
- "Dayfest" also includes participatory dance and jam sessions in The Attic of First Church.
- Among the special events for BCMFest 2013 will be "The Stars of Munster," a tribute to legendary Irish musicians Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford; "Surf Sligo," a mash-up of traditional Irish music and 1960s "surf rock"; and "Move the Rolling Sky," which recalls the influential folk-rock bands Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention and Pentangle.

All information about BCMFest 2013, including ticket prices, festival schedule and performer updates, will be available at passim.org/bcmfest.

The Last Waltz of In the Tradition

After nearly three years producing and hosting "In the Tradition" on community radio WCUW, Worcester, Massachusetts  I will be moving on. It has been a pleasure presenting, both live in studio and by telephone, many artists who I have become personal friends. Tonight I'll be playing their music for the last time. Until I land somewhere else, that is. 

Read full details and view three years' worth of program history on the program's blog at ... 

In the Tradition 12/11 - The Last Waltz

I expect a few calls from past guests "In the Tradition" has been proud to support. Confirmed so far... Si Kahn, Darol Anger, Gerry Katz (Boston Bluegrass Union), Sean Smith (BCMFest), Maggie MacKay (Chasing Blue) ..... more are being added, and no doubt there will be surprises.

Tune in:
WCUW - 91.3fm / streaming at wcuw.org / live365 app

Tuesday, 12/11/12, 7-9pm eastern.

So long, it's been good to know ya!

p.s. I will be maintaining the In the Tradition facebook page, keep in touch!

In the Tradition 12/13 ~ BCMFest

I have been creating Facebook events for my Tuesday evening radio program, expanding starting today to the notloB Music blog to share more widely. My turn at doing the program is broadcast every other Tuesday, 7-9pm eastern. WCUW is a community radio station located in Worcester, Massachusetts, broadcasting at 91.3fm and streaming at www.wcuw.org.

Photo courtesy of the Boston Scottish Fiddle Club

During the first hour, Sean Smith, a BCMFest director, will be calling about 7:15 to talk about the indoor Celtic festival held each January in Cambridge. Music by many of its performing artists will be played before and after the interview. 

Sean Smith, a BCMFest director, will be calling about 7:15 to talk about the indoor Celtic festival held each January in Cambridge. Stuart Peak of the band NØÍR will call about 7:30; Eric Eid-Reiner (The Reiner Brothers) about 7:45; Bob Jennings (FOVS) about 8:00.

Partial list of artists whose music will be featured:
Flynn Cohen
Sean Smith
FOVS
NØÍR
The Whiskey Boys
Bob Bradshwaw
The Stoneybatter Band
Jane Gilmartin
Ken Perlman & Jim Pendergrast
Adrienne Howard & Emily Peterson
The Reiner Brothers
Fellswater
Triple Spiral
Kyle Carey
The real-time playlist can be viewed at http://www.spinitron.com/radio/playlist.php?station=wcuw

BCMFest
http://bcmfest.com/
"Boston's Celtic Music Fest (BCMFest) will celebrate its ninth anniversary on January 6 and 7, 2012, and continues looking forward to a bright future of exciting possibilities and opportunities. Besides sponsoring a festival that features more than 100 performers of great variety, BCMFest organizes a monthly collaboration with Club Passim, "Celtic Music Mondays," spotlighting Boston area Celtic musicians and singers; BCMFest also holds special events such as a Celtic Music Cruise and the Boston Urban Ceilidh. Above all, BCMFest continues to uphold its mission: making music our first priority."

BCMFest Mission:
To produce locally-based Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton music and dance in an upbeat and all-ages friendly environment.
To bolster appreciation for traditional Celtic music and dance among youth and the greater Boston community.
To support a living, changing tradition by encouraging cross-genre collaboration and innovation among dancers and musicians of all generations.
To produce a variety of collaborative projects and performances for, in and of the greater Boston community.

BCMFest 2011 Artists:
Andy and Eric Reiner
Triple Spiral
Hanneke Cassel
Fellswater
Kyle Carey
Bob Bradshaw
Adrienne Howard and Emily Peterson
Katie McNally and Eric McDonald
NØÍR
Lynn Noel, Lynn Feingold, Anabel Graetz and Deborah Goss
Corvus
Ken Perlman and Jim Prendergast
Hannah Sanders and Liz Simmons
Amanda Cavanaugh and Nic Gareiss
Neil Pearlman's Scottish Infusion
Dylan Courville and Wells Burrell with Bob Jennings
Chasing Redbird
The Whiskey Boys
Flynn Cohen and The Deadstring Ensemble
The Stoneybatter Band
Royal Scottish Country Dance Society of Boston
Kyte MacKillop

BCMFEST ARTISTS:Send your CD to WCUW for inclusion in this program and future play on the several other WCUW folk and Celtic programs. Mail to WCUW, (music genre), 910 Main Street, Worcester MA 01610.

================
Playlists from the Tuesday edition of "In the Tradition" can be viewed during the show athttp://www.spinitron.com/radio/playlist.php?station=wcuw and are submitted soon after the show's end to the Folk DJ list -http://lists.psu.edu/archives/folkdj-l.html

Read descriptions of other WCUW program specials at http://www.wcuw.org/modules/news/

Listen to WCUW at 91.3fm or streaming at wcuw.org or live365 app for your mobile device.

BCMFest 2010 to Explore "Core Traditions"

BCMFest 2010 to Explore "Core Traditions"
Seventh annual festival set for January 8 and 9

Hot Celtic music is the perfect answer for the cold of winter, and that’s where the Boston Celtic Music Fest (BCMFest) comes in.

The seventh annual BCMFest takes place January 8 and 9, 2010, featuring some of Boston's best performers in the Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and other Celtic or Celtic-influenced music traditions.

BCMFest #7 kicks off January 8 with an evening concert at Club Passim in Harvard Square as well as its wildly popular, hipster-friendly Celtic dance party, the Boston Urban Ceilidh, at Springstep in Medford. The festival continues on January 9 with performances at four stages, located in Club Passim and at nearby First Church of Cambridge. First Church will be the setting that night at 8 p.m. for the BCMFest Finale Concert, which will include performances by the Makem and Spain Brothers, Kimberley Fraser, and Barbara McOwen with Anne Hooper.

What’s a word to describe BCMFest? Think “grassroots.” The festival board and most of its staff are volunteers. The festival line-up is selected almost exclusively via application, and all performers — whether full-time touring professionals, evenings-and weekends musicians or newcomers to the scene — receive the same expense reimbursement stipend. BCMFest also is a place where generations gather: Teen-age fiddlers sharing a tune with octogenarian accordion players, or grad students hoofing it with middle-aged parents on the dance floor.

At a time when the financial crisis has forced a number of local or regional music events and organizations to scale back or suspend operations this year, BCMFest –buoyed by its largest-ever total of performer applications and a growing audience – is poised for another successful January.

Performers confirmed for the 2010 festival include Flynn Cohen & John McGann, The Gobshites, Triptych, Tri, Colm O’Brien, Kate Chadbourne, Calum Pasqua & Susie Petrov, Michael O’Leary, Gordon Aucoin & Lloyd Carr, Catherine Joyce & Tess Ruderman, David O’Docherty, Cedar Stanistreet & Max Newman, Bento Boxty and the trio of Laurel Martin, Kieran Jordan and David Surette, as well as a family-oriented production, “The Fiddler’s Wish,” and a special one-of-its-kind ensemble that will recreate the classic Dudley Street Boston Irish Dance Hall Era from the 1930s to 1950s.

BCMFest 2010 has a "back to basics" theme, say festival organizers, exploring the core traditions in which BCMFest was forged.

"Last year, BCMFest put the spotlight on what might be called the 'fringe' of Celtic music," explains BCMFest co-founder and board member Laura Cortese. "The festival featured a number of acts that were connected to, but a little removed from, the Celtic traditions: old-timey and Appalachian, or New England contra dance music, for example. We even had a performance by Session Americana, who play a blend of country rock, blues and roots music, but for BCMFest put together a set that had an Irish theme.

"For BCMFest 2010, we felt it was important to reaffirm the importance of core traditions, and highlight people who keep those traditions alive and well in the Boston area. So, many of the acts who submitted applications this year and who were selected for BCMFest reflect this emphasis."

Shannon Heaton, who co-founded BCMFest with Cortese and also sits on the Festival board, adds: "During its first six years, BCMFest has reached out to the area's diverse Celtic music community, through the festival as well as events during the year, such as the monthly Celtic Music Monday series at Club Passim and our annual music cruise in Gloucester. And every year we've seen more and more musicians, singers and dancers come up with some great ideas and collaborations that really speak to the BCMFest mission.

"What's especially encouraging about this year," Heaton says, "is that when we issued the call for performers to apply we made a point of stating the 'core traditions' theme, and it clearly generated a response. There were applications from first-time performers, as well as from people who have appeared before, who came up with an act or collaboration geared to the theme."

BCMFest 2010 ticket and schedule information is available at http://www.bcmfest.com/

----------

What: Boston Celtic Music Festival (BCMFest)
When: Friday, January 8 & Saturday, January 9, 2010
Where: Three venues -Springstep in Medford & Club Passim and the First Parish, Harvard Square, Cambridge
Tickets: http://www.bcmfest.com/tickets.html
More information: http://www.bcmfest.com/

BCMFest on Facebook
Group
Event





The Deadly Sins performing at the Boston Celtic Music Fest 2007. The Deadly Sins are: Shannon Heaton (flute, vocals), Laura Cortese (upright bass, fiddle, vocals), Hanneke Cassel (fiddle, piano), Lissa Schneckenburger (fiddle, vocals), Tina Lech (fiddle), Kieran Jordan (dance, percussion), Natalie Haas (cello), and Emma Beaton (cello).

BCMFest 2010: Core Traditions

"A delightful feeling of abundance can overtake a fan when this festival reaches its hilt...[BCMFest] makes clear what a rich hub of talent Boston has lately fiddled-up."

-Daniel Gewertz, Boston Herald

"With its pan-Celtic music, community focus, low-key approach, multi-generational lineup and universal sense of fun, the BCMFest is a sterling example of how to make a tradition live and grow."
~Dirty Linen

BCMFest 2010: Core Traditions
January 8 and 9, 2010

Hot Celtic music is the perfect answer for the cold of winter, and that’s where the Boston Celtic Music Fest (BCMFest) comes in.

The seventh annual BCMFest takes place January 8 and 9, 2010, featuring some of Boston's best performers in the Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and other Celtic or Celticinfluenced music traditions.

BCMFest #7 kicks off January 8 with an evening concert at Club Passim in Harvard Square as well as its wildly popular, hipster-friendly Celtic dance party, the Boston Urban Ceilidh, at Springstep in Medford. The festival continues on January 9 with performances at four stages, located in Club Passim and at nearby First Church of Cambridge. First Church will be the setting that night at 8 p.m. for the BCMFest Finale Concert, which will include performances by the Makem and Spain Brothers, Kimberley Fraser with Janine Randall, and Barbara McOwen with Anne Hooper.

What’s a word to describe BCMFest? Think “grassroots.” The festival board and most of its staff are volunteers. The festival line-up is selected almost exclusively via application, and all performers — whether full-time touring professionals, evenings-and weekends musicians or newcomers to the scene — receive the same expense reimbursement stipend. BCMFest also is a place where generations gather: Teen-age fiddlers sharing a tune with octogenarian accordion players, or grad students hoofing it with middle-aged parents on the dance floor.

At a time when the financial crisis has forced a number of local or regional music events and organizations to scale back or suspend operations this year, BCMFest – buoyed by its largest-ever total of performer applications and a growing audience – is poised for another successful January.

Performers confirmed for the 2010 festival include Flynn Cohen & John McGann, The Gobshites, Triptych, Tri, Colm O’Brien, Kate Chadbourne, Calum Pasqua & Susie Petrov, The Red Etin, Michael O’Leary, Gordon Aucoin & Lloyd Carr, Cedar Stanistreet & Max Newman, Bento Boxty and the trio of Laurel Martin, Kieran Jordan and David Surette, as well as a family-oriented production, “The Fiddler’s Wish,” and a special one of-its-kind ensemble that will recreate the classic Dudley Street Boston Irish Dance Hall Era from the 1930s to 1950s. [A list of the performers who are thus confirmed to appear at the festival is at the end of this announcement; news and updates will be available at
bcmfest.com.]

BCMFest 2010 has a "back to basics" theme, say festival organizers, exploring the core traditions in which BCMFest was forged.

"Last year, BCMFest put the spotlight on what might be called the 'fringe' of Celtic music," explains BCMFest co-founder and board member Laura Cortese. "The festival featured a number of acts that were connected to, but a little removed from, the Celtic traditions: old-timey and Appalachian, or New England contra dance music, for example. We even had a performance by Session Americana, who play a blend of country rock, blues and roots music, but for BCMFest put together a set that had an Irish theme. "For BCMFest 2010, we felt it was important to reaffirm the importance of core traditions, and highlight people who keep those traditions alive and well in the Boston area. So, many of the acts who submitted applications this year and who were selected for BCMFest reflect this emphasis."

Shannon Heaton, who co-founded BCMFest with Cortese and also sits on the festival board, adds: "During its first six years, BCMFest has reached out to the area's diverse Celtic music community, through the festival as well as events during the year, such as the monthly Celtic Music Monday series at Club Passim and our annual music cruise in Gloucester. And every year we've seen more and more musicians, singers and dancers come up with some great ideas and collaborations that really speak to the BCMFest mission.

"What's especially encouraging about this year," Heaton says, "is that when we issued the call for performers to apply we made a point of stating the 'core traditions' theme, and it clearly generated a response. There were applications from first-time performers, as well as from people who have appeared before, who came up with an act or collaboration geared to the theme."

Ticket and schedule information for BCMFest 2010 will be announced shortly, and also will be available at bcmfest.com.

BCMFest 2010 PERFORMERS
Confirmed as of 9/27; check back for updates
Makem & Spain Brothers
Kimberley Fraser and Janine Randall
The Gobshites
Tri
Laurel Martin, Kieran Jordan and David Surette
Triptych
Flynn Cohen and John McGann
Colm O'Brien
Cedar Stanistreet and Max Newman
Gordon Aucoin and Lloyd Carr
The Red Etin
Trio 7
Boston Scottish Fiddle Club
Bento Boxty
David O'Docherty
Susie Petrov and Calum Pasqua
Wells Burrell
Feargal O'Bearra
Jane Gilmartin
Kyte MacKillop & Friends
A Salute to Dudley Street, with Brendan Bulger, Susan Lindsay and Friends
"Singalong: All Chorus Songs" with Nancy Mulrey, Michael O'Leary, Kate Chadbourne
and Sean Smith
"The Fiddler's Wish"

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