2008 Woodie Awards
Classic Irish music coming today to Warriner Hall
Beoga to perform at 8 p.m. for 'Our Front Porch' series
By: Brad Canze
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: News
A traditional Irish folk group will bring its unique blend of classic Irish music and modern sensibilities to Warriner Hall's Plachta Auditorium.
Beoga, the quintet named after the Irish word for "lively," will perform at 8 p.m. today as part of CMU's Our Front Porch concert series.
Director of Public Radio John Sheffler said he was able to bring the group because of his relationships with several Irish bands.
"I have been doing this particular show for almost 30 years now, so I've built up some great relationships with some bands from Ireland," Sheffler said. "I was recently talking with two bands from Ireland, and both had asked me if I had heard of Beoga. They had said that this band was making a huge impact on the music scene in Ireland right now. They're quite an outrageous little band."
Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for adults and will be sold at the door.
Beoga formed in 2004 in northern Ireland's County Antrim. The band consists of accordion players Seán Óg Graham and Damian McKee, pianist Liam Bradley, singer Niamh Dunnh and drummer Eamon Murray.
For four consecutive years, Murray has been named All-Ireland champion for the traditional Irish bodhrán drum.
"He was judged better than any other drummer in Ireland for four years in a row, in a very formalized competition," Sheffler said. "That is quite a feat, four years running."
Beoga has released two critically-acclaimed albums, 2004's "A Lovely Madness," and 2007's "Mischief." The band's music often incorporates jazz and blues rhythms and motifs into its traditional Irish songs.
"They're young, and they're bringing something different to the music, and that's pretty exciting from a promoter's standpoint that they're not doing the same old stuff," Sheffler said.
Our Front Porch is a concert series hosted by WCMU 89.5 FM, CMU's public radio station. The concerts are recorded and broadcast on the station.
Sheffler, who has hosted the program since its first airing in October 1979, hosts the performances and the broadcast.
"We do a series of traditional music throughout the year," said Director of University Events Bob Ebner. "We've been doing this for 25 years."
Beoga also will perform for Our Front Porch on Saturday at the Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center in Harbor Springs. Tickets will be $20 for adults and $5 for students.
"We've tried to keep the price affordable to the students so they're not out an arm and a leg if they want to try something different," Sheffler said. "Five bucks - that's not bad. That's the price of a couple of green beers, probably."
news@cm-life.com
Beoga, the quintet named after the Irish word for "lively," will perform at 8 p.m. today as part of CMU's Our Front Porch concert series.
Director of Public Radio John Sheffler said he was able to bring the group because of his relationships with several Irish bands.
"I have been doing this particular show for almost 30 years now, so I've built up some great relationships with some bands from Ireland," Sheffler said. "I was recently talking with two bands from Ireland, and both had asked me if I had heard of Beoga. They had said that this band was making a huge impact on the music scene in Ireland right now. They're quite an outrageous little band."
Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for adults and will be sold at the door.
Beoga formed in 2004 in northern Ireland's County Antrim. The band consists of accordion players Seán Óg Graham and Damian McKee, pianist Liam Bradley, singer Niamh Dunnh and drummer Eamon Murray.
For four consecutive years, Murray has been named All-Ireland champion for the traditional Irish bodhrán drum.
"He was judged better than any other drummer in Ireland for four years in a row, in a very formalized competition," Sheffler said. "That is quite a feat, four years running."
Beoga has released two critically-acclaimed albums, 2004's "A Lovely Madness," and 2007's "Mischief." The band's music often incorporates jazz and blues rhythms and motifs into its traditional Irish songs.
"They're young, and they're bringing something different to the music, and that's pretty exciting from a promoter's standpoint that they're not doing the same old stuff," Sheffler said.
Our Front Porch is a concert series hosted by WCMU 89.5 FM, CMU's public radio station. The concerts are recorded and broadcast on the station.
Sheffler, who has hosted the program since its first airing in October 1979, hosts the performances and the broadcast.
"We do a series of traditional music throughout the year," said Director of University Events Bob Ebner. "We've been doing this for 25 years."
Beoga also will perform for Our Front Porch on Saturday at the Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center in Harbor Springs. Tickets will be $20 for adults and $5 for students.
"We've tried to keep the price affordable to the students so they're not out an arm and a leg if they want to try something different," Sheffler said. "Five bucks - that's not bad. That's the price of a couple of green beers, probably."
news@cm-life.com
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