Sunday November 16th, 2008: Finvarra's Wren

$20/18

This powerful five piece, Detroit, Michigan based Irish band plays invigorating Irish, Scottish and Celtic-American folk music. Traditional and contemporary songs are punctuated with wonderfully inventive arrangements of jigs, reels and hornpipes, hotly fueled by Alison on fiddle and whistles, Terence on the uilleann pipes and whistles and Asher on buttoned accordion and concertina. Jim and Cheryl's unique vocal blend bring an irresistible approach to the songs placed against rich musical arrangements that include Appalachian dulcimer, bodhran and guitar as well as the more traditional fiddle, whistles, box and pipes. Terence and Alison also add lush and surprising vocal harmonies to accapella pieces. Occasionally, the band is joined by 3-time All-Ireland champion, S?obhan McKinney on Celtic harp. All the members are active and teach at the Detroit IMA (Irish Music Association), the local branch of Comhaltas in Detroit. Alison and Asher have both won prestigious Irish traditional music competitions at the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil (Irish Music Competitions) in St. Louis. Alison competed against over two dozen of the top fiddlers in the US and Canada, taking first place and qualified to compete at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Music Championships) in Ireland. Similarly, Asher has won both accordion and concertina competitions several years running (2004 - 2007).

website : www.finvarraswren.com