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We’re excited to celebrate 35 years with our friends at the Aulds Cove Irving Big Stop this Saturday, Aug 17! We’ll be performing at 1:45 pm and would love to see some familiar faces in the crowd. There will be lots of good old-fashioned fun to enjoy – hope to see you there!
In a career filled with special moments, some of the biggest involves their annual hometown concerts to be held this year on Monday, August 12, at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Sydney Mines…. the band prepares for the Sydney Mines show, rehearsing special tunes from their extensive catalogue. There are some tunes that only get played here but the extra work getting them ready is worth it. “It’s always been great to play our hometown – for us, it’s a labour of love.”
CHARLOTTETOWN – Long-time Cape Breton favourites The Barra MacNeils proved they’re Atlantic Canadian favourites as well when they received the prestigious Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year Award at this year’s East Coast Music Awards Show on Thursday night in Charlottetown.
The remaining 2019 East Coast Music Awards, including the Industry Awards, will be handed out on Sunday, May 5 as part of the East Coast Music and Industry Awards celebration taking place in the Confederation Ballroom at Delta Hotels by Marriott Prince Edward at 7:30 pm. The evening features performances by Paper Lions, Rose Cousins, Old Man Luedecke, and Postdata.
We are so very honoured to be nominated in this ECMA category along with many other outstanding artists. Voting has begun and you can vote ONCE A DAY until March 20, 2019. We would love your support!
The Barra MacNeils are bringing plenty of seasonal cheer to Charlottetown with a concert set for Thursday, Dec 20, at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
“It goes from a kitchen party to midnight mass in the span of one show,” said MacNeil. “The variety is what keeps people interested and involved, and we love how involved the audience reacts while we’re on stage. People clapping along, stomping feet and singing, that is what it is truly all about and especially if folks are coming in out of the cold during the holidays.”
The Barra MacNeils have been known to ignite the Christmas spirit. At least that’s what they’ve been told, anyway.
Kyle MacNeil said he’s often told audience members say they weren’t in the holiday spirit until they saw An East Coast Christmas.
The Barra MacNeils will be in Peterborough Wednesday to help fans get into the holiday groove.
The Barra MacNeils, dubbed “Canada’s Celtic ambassadors,” for almost two decades have toured the country at this time of year, sharing an East Coast Christmas. The band is at Oshawa’s Regent Theatre on Dec. 15 and a second show has been added…
MacNeil says people have made going to the concert a Christmas tradition, noting where parents once brought their young children, the latter have grown up and are now treating their parents. It’s a tradition for the band as well.
“There is something special about travelling across Canada at this time of year and seeing faces old and new,” he says.
…“People, during the dark times of the year, do need celebration with light and we try to augment that with some music and stories to match the season,” MacNeil said.
The five-sibling outfit — Stewart (vocals, accordion, tin whistle, flute, bouzouki, guitar, stepdancing), Kyle (vocals, guitar, violin, mandolin), Lucy (vocals, bodhran, Celtic harp, fiddle, step-dancing), Sheumas (keyboards, piano, bodhran, fiddle, bouzouki, vocals) and Boyd (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, banjo, percussion, step-dancing) are joined by Jamie Gatti (bass) — is essentially expected to tour annually at Christmas, and this year’s production features no shortage of favourites, such as a O Holy Night, Ave Maria, Christmas in Killarney and Auld Lang Syne, coupled with comedy, seasonal stories and dance…
Making quality music, MacNeil said, remains a principal quest.
“It’s something that’s taken us through good times and bad,” he added. “And, I think, for a lot of our fans, that music is that same thing. It’s not always music for the good times. It’s getting you through the tough times in life. Emotional support is something we all need from time to time.”
Cape Breton kitchen party meets midnight mass’ takes the stage December 6 at Sault Community Theatre Centre.
The Barra MacNeils – comprised of siblings Lucy, Boyd, Stewart, Kyle and Sheumas – are taking their east coast influenced renditions of holiday songs on the road across Canada.
Stewart MacNeil says the idea to record holiday music and go out on tour with it originated with an appearance on a televised Christmas special hosted by Rita MacNeil back in the mid-1990s.
“People enjoyed our arrangements on some of the traditional songs, and they were looking for recordings,” MacNeil told SooToday. “In 1999 we made our first Christmas album, and it got rave reviews and a lot of great attention.”
Fast forward to 2018, and the Barra MacNeils are now in their 19th year of bringing Christmas favourites to Canadians and have recorded three Christmas albums within that time.
Tickets for this Thursday’s An East Coast Christmas with the Barra MacNeils performance can be purchased at the Sault Community Theatre Centre box office in the Station Mall.