Event

Solas

Solas, 'Irish America's most influential band' (NPR's The Thistle and Shamrock), in a manner befitting their name (Irish for 'light') burst on the Irish music scene 20 years ago and instantly became a beacon, an incandescent ensemble that found contemporary relevance in timeless traditions and has since won numerous awards for their performances and recordings. Anchored by founding members Seamus Egaon (flute, banjo, mandolin, whistles, guitar and bodhran)and Winifred Horan (fiddle, vocals), Solas is rounded out by Mick McAuley (accordions, concertina, vocals), Eamon McElholm (guitar, keyboards) and lead singer Niamh Varian Barry. Solas will be presenting their recent landmark album, 'Shamrock City,' which relates in images, stories, music and song the unforgettable journey of Egan's great-great uncle Michael Conway from Ireland to his mysterious death in the boisterous copper mining boomtown of Butte, Montana in the early 1900's. The rowdy landscape surveyed by 'Shamrock City' resonates deeply in today's uneasy climate where immigrants aspiring for a better life often face hostility and exploitation; Solas offers a welcome reminder that the struggle for dignity continues, with a tear, a laugh and a voice raised in song. For more info, sights and sounds, visit www.solasmusic.com.