The Cottars

[Joe]

Additional dates for The Cottars...

[black]Friday, October 7, 2005...Sutter Creek, CA...Sutter Creek Theatre...8:00 pm...Tickets: 209-267-1070
click here for tickets. [/black]

[HWI]

Thanks Joe. I have now added all the dates to the diary.

Cheers,
Keith.

[Joe]

admin said:

Thanks Joe. I have now added all the dates to the diary.

Cheers,
Keith.

Hi Keith,

Just one thing (well, two) Keith, the April 7, 2006 entry in the diary should be:

[black]April 7...St. Catherine's, ON...Brock University's Sean O'Sullivan Theatre...
Tickets...905-688-5550 extension 3257[/black]

Also the Sutter Creek appearance is October 7, 2005 and the link should be here.

[black]Oct 7...Sutter Creek, CA...Sutter Creek Theatre...8:00 pm...Tickets: 209-267-1070
...link... www.highsierratickets.com/calendar/vendorprofile.shtml?index=1123036610&date=2005-10-07&vendorid=sct[/black]

I've sent my lucky ferret out again

[HWI]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for that. Corrections done.

Keith.

[Joe]

Here's a photo of The Cottars accepting the award for Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year. This was from the 2005 East Coast Music Awards awards show in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Photo by Tom Ayers; article from the publication The Cape Bretoner

[Joe]

Hi Keith,

A few updates and changes...some info courtesy of The Cottars' booking agency - Real Good Music

a new date...
Oct 5...Berkeley, CA...Freight and Salvage Coffee Shop...8:00 pm...link...

revised date...
Nov 3...Newburyport, MA...Concert series...Firehouse Theatre for the Arts

a new date (for 2006)...
April 16, 2006...Brantford, ON...Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts...8:00 PM...link ...(scroll to near end)

Cheers,
Joe

[Joe]

Review of The Cottars' July 27th performance in Lake George, NY

"Young Group Thrills Local Crowd In The Park On The Lake"

By MIKE CURTIN
Special to The Post-Star
Published on 7/30/2005
Arts & Life, THE POST-STAR

LAKE GEORGE, NY — For many area teens, the streets of Lake George are a magnet, the place to kindle summer romances which may not survive the first ring of the autumn school bell.

But Wednesday, while their peers were meeting and greeting on Canada Street, two sets of teenaged siblings, better known as The Cottars, were engaged in what they do best: enchanting an audience many decades their seniors.

The group's show at Shepard Park was the latest offering in the Lake George Arts Project's always impressive summer concert series. Impossibly young by any standard, the quartet from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, entertained a crowd of about 500 with two sizzling sets of Celtic-infused singing, playing and dancing, on original compositions and traditional pieces that reflected their province's rich musical heritage.

Each was given time to shine in a solo setting. Ciarán MacGillivray showcased his infectious "Right Field", an ode to those less-talented Little Leaguers who somehow manage to survive that often brutal rite of passage. His sister Fiona took a more traditional approach with the haunting "Lament for Lost Books", performed on penny whistle.

Jimmy MacKenzie contributed his rich guitar rendition of the Celtic instrumental "Si Bheg, Si Mhor." Previously performed by the Chieftains, his interpretation owed more to guitar virtuoso Pierre Bensusan, with a leisurely paced, reflective arrangement that highlighted the complexity
of the deceptively simple piece.

His sister Roseanne shined the brightest of all on "Tullochgorum", a tour-de-force performance on what's considered one of the most daunting of Celtic fiddle tunes. Introducing the theme with brash, almost abrasive, strokes and closely set trills, she engaged in complex variations that quickened in intensity to a resounding finish, and a standing ovation from the crowd.

More fiddling — this time to the vibrant beat of the "bodhrán," the Irish hand-held drum — set the stage for some Canadian-style step-dancing, done without the rigid hand movements common to the Irish variant.

The Lake George crowd was the latest in a long line of newfound fans that include the Chieftains, "Irish Tenor" John McDermott, and Senator Edward Kennedy. The long lines waiting to buy their recording, both during intermission and at concert's end, was a testament to the talents of this remarkable young ensemble.

MIKE CURTIN

[Joe]

Here's a bunch of .PDF documents that may be of interest to fellow fans of The Cottars. Here's a link to their press kit page, where you can download a pic of their stage layout, view their requirements for their dressing room, and see what venues must be contracted for regarding lighting and sound configurations.

[Joe]

Hi Keith,

Some changes to The Cottars diary...

1. Could you add something for November 4...Buffalo, NY...

"The Barra MacNeils with special guest The Cottars"

The Cottars are not headlining the performance.
Plus here's a new link for the event... www.buffalostate.edu/pac/season/macneilscottars.asp


2. The date for the Branston ON, concert is now April 15, 2006 (not the 16th)


3. Some new concert dates

Nov 26...Sherwook Park, AB...Festival Place...7:30 PM...link... www.festivalplace.ab.ca/up_coming_events01/presentersseries.htm (scroll to middle of page)

Dec 4...Maple Ridge, BC...the ACT Arts Centre...8 PM
link... www.artscentretheatre.org/events.asp

April 26, 2006...Baton Rouge, LA...Manship Theatre...mainstage...link... tickets.manshiptheatre.org/performancedetailpopup.asp?evt=209

Plus I have some exciting Cottars news that I shall post elsewhere!

Take care,
Joe

[Joe]

From some of my sources, it looks as though The Cottars will be touring with The Chieftains in a 25 city tour of the US during the first quarter of 2006.

[HWI]

Many thanks, Joe.

The diary entries have been updated.

Keith.

[Joe]

Listening to some of The Cottars' music which feature the bodhrán (pronounced bough-rawn)has made me quite interested in purchasing this Celtic musical instrument. I already have a tin whistle that I bought in an Irish shop a while ago. That tin whistle has on it a label of a famous Dublin brewery

There are some very reasonable bodhráns on eBay. Ooh, I might have a look-see at prices for uilleann pipes whist I'm there!

[Richard]

Hello Joe!

It sounds as though you want to be an Irish-American one-man band!
Now I'm waiting to hear your first CD, but I bet you can't sing like the girls in the Cottars!!!

Exit, stage left! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Richard

[Joe]

Hi Richard,

Yeah, I should see if any parades are in the area! We did have a bagpipe band in the town parade last month. Wish I had bodhrán then!

Oh, mind you don't fall over my instruments exiting the stage!

Greetings from Pennsylvania
Joe :2fun:

[Joe]

Hi Keith,
The Cottars' official site and sister site has a lot of new performances listed.

Latest news: The group is currently touring in California, having completed several concerts at the KVMR Celtic Festival in southen California.

concert diary for remainder of 2005 as at 3rd October
updates in red

Oct 5...Berkeley, CA... Freight and Salvage Coffee Shop...8:00 pm
...link... www.thefreight.org/2005/october/info_05.html

Oct 7...Sutter Creek, CA...Sutter Creek Theatre...8:00 pm...Tickets: 209-267-1070...link...
www.highsierratickets.com/calendar/vendorprofile.shtml?index=1123036610&date=2005-10-07&vendorid=sct

Oct 8...Napa, CA...Napa Valley Opera House...8:00 pm...Tickets: 707-226-7372
...link... www.napavalleyoperahouse.org/

Oct 9...San Francisco, CA...Consulate event(private)

Oct 13...Sydney, NS...Celtic Colours Festival- Holy Redeemer Church at Whitney Pier..7:30 PM
...link... www.celtic-colours.com/core.php

Oct 14...Inverness, NS...Celtic Colours Festival-Academy...7:30 PM

Oct 15...Sydney, NS...Celtic Colours Festival- Marine Terminal- closing ceilidh...9:00 pm - 1:00 am

Oct 27...Sault Ste. Marie, ON...Kiwanis Community Theatre Centre...8:00 pm...call 705-945-7299

Oct 29...Woodstock, VT...Town Hall Theatre...7:30 pm...Tickets: 802-457-3981
...link... www.pentanglearts.org/

Nov 3...Newburyport, MA...Concert series...Firehouse Theatre for the Arts...call 978-462-7336

Nov 4...Buffalo, NY...Buffalo State Performing Arts Center...8 PM
...The Barra MacNeils featuring The Cottars. Tickets: 716-878-3599
...link... www.buffalostate.edu/pac/season/macneilscottars.asp

[red[Early November...school show (date/location to be confirmed)[/color]

Nov 12...Timmins, ON...Charles Fournier Auditorium...8:00 pm

Nov 24...Banff, AB...Banff Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets go on sale Sept. 16...link... www.banffcentre.ca/events/calendar/event_detail.aspx?sn=2535

Nov 25...Calgary, AB...Dalhousie Community Centre...8:00 pm...call 403-286-5651

Nov 26...Sherwook Park, AB...Festival Place...7:30 PM...call:780-451-8000
link... www.festivalplace.ab.ca/up_coming_events01/presentersseries.htm

Nov 29...Cranbrook, BC...Key City Theatre... 8 PM...Call: 250-426-7006

Dec 2...Vancouver, BC...The Rogue Folk Club...8:00 pm...call: 604-736-3022

Dec 4...Maple Ridge, BC...the ACT Arts Centre...8 PM
link... www.artscentretheatre.org/events.asp