St. Patrick's Day might be in March, but Battlefords residents will be able to continue celebrating into May with two concerts of Celtic music scheduled in the next month.
Battlefords residents who enjoy Celtic music will have not one, but two opportunities to experience Celtic music live.
The first concert, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 21, is with the Celtic Rathscallions. The Celtic Rathscallions are an Ontario-based duo made up Wendy Moore and Arthur McGregor. They perform over 100 shows per year nationally and internationally, and recently returned from their fourth performance tour in Ireland. They are gong back to Ireland in October 2012 for the Baboro International Arts Festival in Galway City. Tickets are $25 dollars and can be purchased by contacting Kelly Waters at Kelly.Waters@lskysd.ca. For more information on the Celtic Rathscallions, visit www.celticrathskallions.ca.
The next concert, hosted by the Battlefords Jazz Society, will take place May 5 at 9 p.m. in Sloan Auditorium. The event is described as being "like a St. Patrick's Day party in May," though the jury's still out on whether there will be green beer served. Performing will be Back of the Bus, who describe themselves as "a high energy party band." The band has played at all of Saskatchewan's major Celtic venues and events, and each of its five members is a Saskatchewanian.
Paul Runalis, who provides vocals, five string bass, guitars and mandolin for the band, lived and taught in Cut Knife before moving to Saskatoon. The band also has a Battlefords connection in Jim Walls, a local social worker, who "finds Back of the Bus great personal therapy." For more information about the band, visit www.backofthebus.ca.
Tickets are $15 for Jazz Society members and $20 for non-members. They are available at NuFloors, Bee-J's Office Plus, or by phone at 446-3210.
