12, 2000
}/larch 2, 2000
The Banner
Features
>ut
Lunasa starts off Celtic Series with Irish music
for Black
just blame th
would
Though many
there is SCUM
said she does
d about all the
Blue Moon
ipinsky lobby
ponsored
Jnderdog Pro
Office
gram, and th
Events Com
PHOTO BY ANTHONY GRECO
Liinasa, an Irish band, performed at the Diana Wortham Theatre on
Feb. 26. The performance was the first of the theater’s Mainstage
Celtic Series.
By Kay Alton
staff Writer
If you are expecting all Irish
music to be a celebration like
“Riverdance” or “Lord of the
Dance,” Lunasa will be a disap
pointment.
The traditional Irish music of
the new band Lunasa, (named
after Liigh, the Irish god oflight)
was the opening performance of
The Mainstage Celtic Series at
the Diana Wortham Theatre on
Feb. 26.
Although the band members
are extremely talented, the nu
merous reels and jigs sounded
just alike. Kevin Crawford, the
flautist and tambourine-drum-
mer, was the spokesman for the
Each new musical piece was
introduced with delightfully
genuine and wholesome Irish
humor. Crawford used each in
troduction to make light of their
musical aptitude.
His joking was one of the few
light moments of Lunasa’s per
formance. The tunes were spir
ited but not engaging. This au
dience was one of the more sub
dued of any concert I have at
tended.
During Lunasa’s vigorous ex
ecution of several tunes,
Crawford encouraged the audi
ence to join in if they were so
inclined. None were inclined.
Crawford gave some indica
tion of pleasure by removing his
shoes and shuffling a bit on stage
during the performance. His was
the only demonstration of
Lunasa inspiring someone to “be
moved” by the traditional songs.
His performances were ex
tremely vigorous, using several
.different styles of flutes and
whisdes. The flute solos were
also wistfully beautiful, much
like some Native American mu-
Some of the pieces were intro
duced as Spanish and French.
With Donogh Hennessy on the
guitar, Crawford playing the
whistle or flute, Sean Smyth
playing the fiddle, Trevor
Hutchinson on bass, and Cillian
Vallely on the pipes, it still
sounded like traditional Irish
music.
I enjoyed the novel instruments
such as the very slender bass and
the Irish bagpipes. There is no
question that Lunasa’s band ex
hibited genuine and enduring
talent. However, the five musi
cians never held the audience’s
interest with titles like “Jimmy
Ward,” “Lizzie Kelly” and “The
)t well-suited to the
Review
Taproom,
repertoire
crowd.
Before this concert, the fiddle,
flute and pipes were familiar
sounds in ancient and modern
popular Scottish and Irish mu
sic. “Jim McGill” was a heavy-
duty duel between the guitar
and fiddle, and was joined by
the bass in a highlight of the
concert.
Lunasa is Ireland’s “fastest ris
ing” traditional band, and is in
demand throughout the world.
Lunasa has performed in the
United States and Canada, as
well as the United Kingdom and
Europe.
Lunasa band members have
been playing with other Irish
super groups for many years.
Hutchinson played with “The
Waterboys,” Hennessy with
“The Sharon Shannon Band”
and Crawford with “Moving
Cloud,” before combining to
form Lunasa.
The band signed an interna
tional record contract with
Green Linnet Records and re
leased their studio album,
“Otherworld,” in October 1999.
Compact disc sales appeared
moderately brisk during inter
mission.
Some of the audience exhib
ited green, pink and rainbow
hair coloring, perhaps following
some ofthe ancient Celtic trends.
A good diversity of ages and
genders listened to the concert
with little emotion, except at the
end.
Lunasa received a standing ova
tion with at least one person
demanding, “Encore, encore!”
When the music ended, the
audience leapt to their feet and
began whistling and hooting,
along with spirited hand clap
ping, in an energetic display of
approval.
They had either just awakened,
or were much more into the con
cert than some of us.
Attendance was a sellout. We
in the audience were uncom
fortably close in the overheated
auditorium. Perhaps the stuffy
theater and very warm tempera
ture attributed to the subdued
concert experience.
One audience member com
mented that he now knew why
the Irish have such a reputation
for drinking hard whiskey—im
plying that the monotony of the
music and the constant impact
of the shrill sounds on its hearers
would be best enjoyed while the
senses were dulled.
The Celtic music concert series
is sponsored by The Swannanoa
Gathering at Warren Wilson
College. Two concerts will be
presented at Pack Place in the
spring.
On March 25, the Altan band
will perform and on June 2, Der
vish. Tickets are available at the
Diana Wortham ticket office.
m
academic notices
LSAT Prep Program, cost $300 (includes study materials), register by 3/3
(x6558); meets every Wed. for 8 weeks, 6-9 pm, UNCA Campus • 3/15-5/3
GRE Prep Program, cost $300 (includes study materials), register by 3/3
(x6558); meets every lues, for 8 v/eeks, 6-9 pm, UNCA Campus • 3/14-5/2 I
Spring Break • 3/6-10 I
Women's & Men's Basketball Big South Conference Tournament, Asheville
Civic Center • 3/2-3/4
Women's & Men's Tennis vs Elon, 2 pm • 3/11
Men's Baseball vs. Indiana/Purdue, 2 pm • 3/16
Men's Baseball vs. East Tennessee State, 2 pm • 3/22
leadership opportunities
RA applications. Housing Office, questions? call Melanie x6700 • due 3/14
Student Activities Interns for Summer/Fall/Spring coil x6674 for more info
career opporfunities/jobs
Career Center Webpage - v/vw.unca.edu/career; job listings available or visit
WHC; job openings, in Career Resources Library I
To be notified of part-time job openings via e-mail, e-mail kdkeller@unca.edu |
WNC Consortium Job Fair, Registration/Resume Deadline, WHC • 3/2 ,
College Television Network • $250 a semester • coll Becky 1-800-586-4636 ,
lectures/workshops
"How much do you know about the Internet?" - a lecture about the Internet,
viruses, chat, MP3s, hacking and more, HCL, 9 pm • 3/2
"Deconstructing the Stereotypes of Rural Appalachian Religion through the
Examination of Four Modern Appalachian Novels," MLA defense by Sarah
McVoy, LF, 10 am • 3/2
"The Second Bombing of Pearl Harbor: the Story of Operation K," MLA
defense by Steve Horn, LF, 1 pm • 3/2
Great {Decisions 2000: "Middle East Realignments: New Decisions for the
Next Millennium?" Dr. Thomas Sanders, OCC, 7:30 pm • 3/6
Great Decisions 2000: "The Euro's Challenge to the Dollar: King Kong vs.
Godzilla?" OCC, 7:30 pm • 3/13
I. march 2
thru I concerts/live entertainment
^ march 23
"The Slow Way Bock," a reading by Judy Goldman, LF, 7 pm • 3/2
UNCA Concert Band and UNCA Brass Ensemble, Lipjnsky, 7:30 pm • 3/23
Singer/Songwriter Meghan Cory, (spon. by UP), HCL, 9 pm • 3/15
Afro-Cuban All Stars, Lipinsky, 8 pm • 3/21
UNCA
FYI is a service
of the Student
Activities and
Student Affairs
offices.
Friday at 2 pm, for the following
week's publication. Send basic
information to J. Fuller, HC 27or
e-mail Jefuller^bulldog.unco.edu.
Faculty Senate Meeting, RL, 3:15 • 3/2
America Reads - Read Across America Day - Volunteer to visit one of the
schools, call x6536 • 3/2
Seth Goodman Exhibition, University Gallery, OH • thru 3/14
Dorothy Hortsock Exhibition, 2nd Floor Gallery, OH • thru 3/7
Asheville YWCA photos, newspaper clippings, documents from 1907 to
present, RL • thru 3/21
Alicia Chatham Exhibition, University Gallery, OH • 3/17-4/4
Alii Randleman Exhibition, 2nd Floor Gallery, OH • 3/10-3/21
"Image to Image: Woman to Woman - Inspired Textile Work," Blowers
Gallery, RL
health & fitness center
Soccer & Softball Officials Clinics, HFC 205, 8 pm • 3/14
outdoor programs - HC (x6001)
sky Diving, $75 (includes transportation & jump fee) • 3/25
Equipment Rental - backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, mountain bikes, HC I)
tickets - discounts - he 27 - 10 am to 4 pm
Afro-Cuban All Stars, $5/students • 3/21
Asheville Art Museum, $3
Biltmore House, $22
Chimney Rock, $6
Smoke Hockey tickets, $4 • 3/10, 3/11, 3/22
United Artists Theatres Movie tickets, $4
Student Rush $5 Ticket - to Diana Wortham Theatre Mainstage events, coll
257-4530 for availability
v/omen's history month
Opening Celebration: "Murder Not Then the Fruit of My Womb:
Shakespeare's Joan, Foxe's Guernsey Martyr and Women Pleading Preg
nancy in Early Modern English History and Culture," Dr Carole Levin, LF,
3:30 pm, reception will follow *3/2
Western Carolina Women's Coalition Conference 2000, $35, questions? Call
Pamela Nickless x6122 • 3/3-3/A
Blowers Gallery opening reception, "Image to Image: Woman to Woman -
Inspired Textile Work," Blowers Gallery, RL, 6-9 pm • 3/6
"Asheville's Remarkable Women" by Gwen Ashburn, 12:15 pm, LF • 3/13
"It's a Mod, Mod, Mad, Academy" by Alice Weldon, 12:15 pm, LF • 3/14
"Imaginary Landscapes" by Virginia Derryberry *3/15
"Deadbeat Dads, Deadbeat State..." by Sarah Judson, 12:15 pm, PDR •
3/16
Brochures of the entire month's events in Korpen Hall 126