Events

St Patrick's Day Post Parade Concert

12th March 2006

Venue: St Martins, the Bull Ring

PROGRAMME

13.30: Comhaltas – Reel Note, with a special performance with Cardinal Wiseman School’s Steel Drum Band

13.50: Scanlon School of Irish Dancing

14.15: Birmingham Irish Pipes & Drums

14.35: Silver Bough

15.00: Fola

15.20: Mooncoin

15.40: JugoPunch

16.05: Bob Brolly’s band

The concert will be presented by BBC Radio WM’s Bob Brolly. During the afternoon, presentations will be made onstage to the winners of Best Float, Best Banner and Best Band.

Please note: These details are correct at the time of publication; however, they are subject to change.

MUSICIAN & DANCER BIOGRAPHIES

This year a number of talented musicians and dancers will be taking to the stage across the weekend at Reel Around the Fountain and St Martins in the Bullring.

South Birmingham Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Eireann
South Birmingham CCE will be performing at St Martins in the Bullring on Sunday 12th March. For the last 30 years, South Birmingham CCE has been spreading the tradition of Irish music, song and dance across the city and beyond. As part of the festival, South Birmingham CCE will be hosting a series of workshops for the Cardinal Wiseman Steel Band exploring musical traditions.

Scanlon School of Irish Dancing
Birmingham based, award winning Scanlon School of Irish Dancing have won gold and silver awards at The Irish Dancing World Championships, the Championships of Great Britain, The National Championships of England and also in the USA. The dancers will be performing on Sunday, 12th March at St Martins in the Bullring.

Clive Batkin & Joel McDermott
This talented duo’s passionate performance of acoustic folk and roots music should not be missed. Combining their own compositions with unique arrangements of traditional tunes, guitar and mandolin never sounded so good. Joel and Clive will be performing throughout Saturday afternoon at Selfridges and the Bullring, as well as at the Festival’s Launch Party.

Fola
Birmingham based duo who combine powerful original songs with traditional Irish tunes. Well known on the Midlands circuit, Fola are no strangers to the St Patrick’s Festival having performed at successive Festival events over the last two or three years. Fola will play at Reel Around the Fountain and at St Martins in the Bullring.

Mooncoin Assembly
These three talented multi-instrumentalists (flutes, whistles, guitar & fiddle) take apart traditional Irish music, throw in a little Eastern European and Chinese influences and then play it all together…fast! Mooncoin will be performing at St Martins in the Bullring on Sunday 12th March and at Selfridges and Reel Around the Fountain on Saturday 11th March.

Tom Martin
Tom Martin’s music encompasses many and varied styles, as one reviewer put it: “From Celtic Soul to Folk/Blues to acoustic Rock n Roll”. Tom’s experienced and skilful finger style and slide guitar playing have thrilled audiences across Europe & the UK. Tom is performing at Reel Around the Fountain and at the Festival Launch Party.

The Silver Bough
The Silver Bough Band is named after stories of the ancient Celts who carried a silver bough cut from a mystical apple tree, bedecked with 9 golden apples which beat against each other to make enchanting magical music. The Silver Bough Band specialise in Celtic influenced song, dance and storytelling. They play ceilidhs, concerts and festivals around the country and their lively blend of guitar, fiddle, accordion, mandolin and bodhrán is guaranteed to get you up and dancing. . As part of the festival, The Silver Bough will be hosting a series of workshops St Patrick’s Primary School (Birmingham) exploring storytelling traditions from the West Coast of Ireland.

Jugopunch
For the uninitiated, Staffordshire based indie folk outfit Jugopunch are a five piece collective of renegade musicians who formed in 1998 in a bid to bring about either social reform or decay, via the ancient medium of traditional song. With support slots with the likes of Davey Arthur and the Fureys, The Levellers, the Peatbog Faeries and The Family Mahone under their belts, this experienced group cannot fail to entertain you at St Martins in the Bullring.

Dempsey’s Lot
This traditional Irish music band, led by Tommy Dempsey, entertains audiences across the UK and worldwide. Their wide repertoire of Irish folk songs, reels and jigs are guaranteed to get toes tapping. Dempsey’s Lot will be performing on stage at Reel Around The Fountain on Saturday afternoon.

Bob Brolly
Many of you will already be familiar with Bob Brolly, as listeners of his weekly radio show on BBC Radio WM. Over the years, Bob has performed on stage with many of the top Irish artists including Daniel O’Donnell, Joe Dolan, Dominic Kirwan, The Fureys, Foster and Allen and Brendan Shine. Bob will be performing onstage at St Martins in the Bullring.