Liz Carroll and John Doyle
You’re in for a real treat on Saturday. Fiddler Liz Carroll (winner of the Senior All-Ireland championship at age 18), accompanied by ex-Solas guitarist John Doyle, will be appearing in concert at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community, 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue in Philadelphia. Carroll is known for her fiery, emotional performances so it could be quite an aerobic workout for you: Be prepared to be leaping to your feet more than once. The event is sponsored by Crossroads Concerts, a local organization dedicated to bringing diverse musical experiences to the region.
If you’re in the Lehigh Valley over the weekend, drop into Bethlehem, which gets its sparkle on during the holiday season (it’s not called “The Christmas City” for nothing). Local sean nos singer Terry Kane and her partner John Beatty will be performing at Christkindlmarkt at the corner of Spring and Main Streets. Christkindlmarkt is German for “place to buy really cool Christmas gifts” (not really), but this craft fair really is a great place to start your holiday shopping. And you get to hear one of the loveliest voices in the region to boot. We could listen to Terry sing forever.
Looking ahead: The Dark Horse Pub at 421 S 2nd St in Philadelphia is presenting Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” dinner and reading on December 4. For about $50 per person, you get a five-course meal and an entertaining evening with Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Mr. Scrooge. No, it’s not really Irish, but it’s from the same neighborhood and it sounds like craic to us.
If you’re in the First State, that same evening you can enjoy a concert by the Celtic quintet Grada, featuring Alan Doherty, lead soloist on “The Lord of the Rings” soundtrack. The group promises some special surprises for their Christmas show, including seasonally themed numbers and humorous audience interactions (something we find a little frightening, but to each his own). Some important insider info: This event is sponsored by Green Willow, which brings lots of great musical acts to the area. If you mention “Green Willow” when ordering tickets, you get a discount. And if you wear a festive hat (something else we find frightening) you may also win a prize.
Check out our special Irish Christmas calendar so you won’t miss any Celtic holiday events (and there are many!). And if you’re shopping, please patronize our sponsor, Celtic Clothing. The company is run by local Irish guy, Charlie Lord, of Chadds Ford, and he’s offering a discount to faithful readers of Irish Philadelphia. When you buy from Charlie, you support a local Irish business. And since Charlie gives us a cut, you support our wonderful calendar that keeps you Irish all year long. In fact, check it out for more details on this week’s events.
