Lonesome Ace Stringband’s Old-Timey Music at Rialto Theatre

Modern old-time sounds for those who love bluegrass and folk, that’s how the Lonesome Ace Stringband describes their music. The Great North Woods Committee for the Arts is hosting the band at a concert on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Rialto Theatre, starting at 7 p.m.

The Lonesome Ace Stringband is an old-time band with Bluegrass chops that play some righteous folk and country music. There’s a depth of groove and sense of space not often heard in bluegrass today, a level of instrumental interplay and vocal blend uncommon in old-time, and an on-stage rapport that transcends all of this.

Three Canadians lost in the weird and wonderful traditional Country music of the American South, the band members Chris Coole (on banjo), John Showman (on fiddle) and Max Heineman (on bass) are each journeyman musicians and veterans of some of Canada’s top roots music acts (New Country Rehab, The David Francey Band, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, Fiver).

The band has toured internationally, been engaged at some of the largest festivals in North America and Europe (including Merlefest, Rockygrass, Wintergrass, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, Gooikorts, John Hartford Memorial), and recorded four albums. On the first two albums, “Old Time” (2014), and “Gone For Evermore” (2016) the band leaned heavily on the traditional old-time cannon to express what it needed to say musically. In 2018, with the release of “When the Sun Comes Up,” the band showcased its songwriting and studio savvy, offering up a more progressive interpretation of old-time music, and taking its sound to new places. All three albums have been embraced by both fans and critics alike.

The fourth album, “Modern Old-Time Sounds for the Bluegrass and Folksong Jamboree,” showcases the band’s musical range, interpretive skills, and instrumental/vocal “chops blended with maturity.”

Tickets for the Lancaster show are $18 per person will be available at the Rialto Theatre, online at www.gnwca.org, or at Fiddleheads on Main St. in Colebrook. For more information on this and other GNWCA events, call 246-8998, visit www.gnwca.org or find the GNWCA on Facebook.

A Cape Breton Christmas at The Rialto Theatre

One of the most popular groups from Nova Scotia’s musical corner of Cape Breton will be bringing a spirited and enthusiastic celebration of the holiday season to the Rialto Theatre in downtown Lancaster on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.

“Here’s a show that will get you in the swing of Christmastime with all the bells and whistles of the Canadian Maritimes during the holidays,” said Charlie Jordan of the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts, presenter of the show. “We are very fortunate to have Coig to bring its show to the North Country as part of its busy holiday tour.”

Coig features its all-star line up of Rachel Davis on fiddle, viola and vocals, Chrissy Crowley on fiddle, Jason Roach on piano, and Darren McMullen on guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo, bouzouki, whistles, flute, and vocals. All four members of the band are recognized as major stars of the Celtic music world. Fiddler Crowley has touches of world and contemporary music. Pianist Roach has a jazz degree, McMullen has worked everywhere from Irish to rock groups, and fiddler Davis is the most Cape Breton traditional, but with folk and roots infused flavors as well.

Ask anyone who has seen them, from New England stages to huge European festivals to their own beloved small halls of Cape Breton, and you’ll always hear about Coig’s energy. Trad fans love them and the crowds are growing all the time. “We really feed a lot on the energy we get from the crowd, everybody is hootin’ and hollerin’ and clappin’ and stompin’ and goin’ on,” says band member Darren McMullen. “We want our shows to be more where we’re all just having a party together.”

For the holiday show Coig has added many beautiful Christmas standards to their playlist, giving each the special Cape Breton touch.

In addition to Christmas favorites, they’ll be performing material from their new release, “Rove,” which has recently been recognized with a 2018 East Coast Music Award, 2017 Canadian Folk Music Award, and Music Nova Scotia Award nomination.

Tickets are $15. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Rialto Theatre, 80 Main St., Lancaster and Fiddleheads, 110 Main St., Colebrook, or online at www.gnwca.org. For more information on this and other GNWCA show, call (603) 237-9302 or (603) 246-8998.

Mile Twelve Bluegrass Band at The Rialto

Mile Twelve is a fresh, hard driving young band beautifully walking the line between original and traditional bluegrass. Banjo luminary Tony Trischka says, “Mile Twelve is carrying the bluegrass tradition forward with creativity and integrity.” Since its formation in the fall of 2014, Mile Twelve has quickly been on the rise. They released their debut six-track self-titled EP, and performed extensively throughout the U.S., Ireland and Canada, including several major festivals: Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, FreshGrass Festival, Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival and Joe Val Bluegrass Festival. A track from their debut EP was featured on Sirius XM Bluegrass Junction’s “Hand Picked with Del McCoury,” while another track was featured on Spotify’s “Fresh Bluegrass” 2015 playlist. That same year, they were selected as formal showcase artists at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance.

Band members include Evan Murphy on guitar, David Benedict on mandolin, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, Nate Sabat on bass and BB Bowness on banjo. Their energy and youthful flair is sure to make for a great night in music on the Rialto stage.

Tickets ($15) area available at gnwca.org (click on “upcoming events”), at the Rialto Theater, or at Fiddleheads on 110 Main St., in Colebrook. For more information on this and other upcoming GNWCA concerts, visit www.gnwca.org or call (603) 237-9302 or (603) 246-8998.

Celtic Music with Còig at Rilato Theatre

Nova Scotia’s powerhouse Còig has cemented its status as one of today’s most exciting new North American Celtic groups. With a combined total of over 30 group and solo awards and nominations, the four members of the band are already recognized as major stars of the Celtic world.

Còig’s like no other, thanks to the unique mix of four different talents. They all have traditional roots, but each brings something more. Fiddler Chrissy Crowley has touches of world and contemporary music. Pianist Jason Roach has a jazz degree, Darren McMullen (guitar, banjo, mandolin, etc.) has worked everywhere from Irish to rock groups, and fiddler Rachel Davis is the most Cape Breton trad, but with folk and roots infused flavors as well.
Ask anyone who has seen them, from New England theater stages to huge European festivals to their own beloved small halls of Cape Breton, and you’ll always hear about Còig’s energy. Trad fans love them of course, and the crowds are growing all the time. “We really feed a lot on the energy we get from the crowd, everybody is hootin’ and hollerin’ and clappin’ and stompin’ and goin’ on,” says multi-instrumentalist Darren McMullen. “We want our shows to be more where we’re all just having a party together.”

Còig’s music is a unique combination of influences that could only come from these four players. It’s traditional for sure, but it’s performed in a lot of non-traditional ways. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door and at GNWCA at www.gnwca.org. More info: www.gnwca.org or (603) 237-9302 or (603) 246-8998.

Harp Twins — Concert at the Rialto Theatre

Identical twins Camille and Kennerly Kitt are multi-talented professional duet harpists and actresses. Known as the “Harp Twins,” Camille and Kennerly have a passion and flair for arranging and performing contemporary music for Harp Duet and perform internationally as a dynamic acoustic and electric rock/pop/contemporary Harp Duo.

The Harp Twins have achieved extraordinary success by taking Electric Harps and acoustic Concert Grand Harps to unprecedented levels and smashing boundaries between different genres of music. The duo has amassed over 625,000 fans across their social media sites and over 33 million views on their YouTube music videos, easily making Camille and Kennerly the most followed and recognizable harpists in the world. Mixing their virtuoso harp skills with their stunningly complex arrangements of rock, metal, and soundtrack hits, the Harp Twins deliver exciting performances audiences cannot forget!

Please call (603) 237-9302 or (603) 246-8998 for additional information.

Tickets: $15 all seats. Tickets may be purchased in advance here.

The Outside Track — Concert at the Rialto Theatre

The Outside Track is one of the top Celtic acts in the world. Winner of “Best Group” in both the Live Ireland awards and the Tradition In Review awards. Live Ireland called them, “Among the top bands in the world–stunning on every cut.”

The Great North Woods Committee for the Arts will be hosting this award-winning international band at the Rialto Theatre in Lancaster. This will be the third appearance for this popular group in northern New Hampshire under the sponsorship of the GNWCA.

The Outside Track’s marriage of Celtic music, song and footwork has been rapturously received around the world. Hailing from Scotland, Ireland, and Cape Breton, its five members are united by a love of traditional music and a commitment to creating new music on this as a foundation. They blend fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar, flute, whistle, step-dance and vocals with breathtaking vitality.

Please call (603) 237-9302 or (603) 246-8998 for additional information.

Tickets: $15 all seats. Tickets may be purchased in advance here.

Irish Band Goitse at The Rialton

The red-hot Irish band Goitse will be appearing at the Rialto Theatre on Lancaster’s Main Street for an evening of traditional Irish music.
Named after an informal Gaelic Irish greeting meaning “come here,” Goitse (pronounced “Go-wit-cha”) is one of the most in-demand young groups to come out of the Emerald Isle today. The popular and multi-award-winning quintet Goitse was forged in the vastly creative crucible of Limerick’s Irish World Academy and was recently named Live Ireland’s “Traditional Group of the Year.”
Goitse has released four critically acclaimed recordings and maintains a year round touring schedule that includes performances throughout Ireland and the UK, Germany, France and the United States. The group’s distinctive sound lies in the quality of their own compositions interspersed with traditional tunes from the countryside of Ireland and abroad, which make each performance unique. Laying the foundations for the music are World and All-Ireland Bodhrán champion Colm Phelan and Conal O’Kane, who is fast making a name for himself as one of the finest guitarists of his generation. The gripping rhythm section sets a powerful drive for the music, while the sweet, charismatic voice of Áine McGeeney draws audiences into a song the way few performers can. Together, the quintet Goitse makes what Irish Music Magazine calls “Music that’s brimming with energy and creative zeal.”
Tickets for Goitse are $15 and can be purchased in advance at the Rialto box office on Main Street in Lancaster and at Fiddleheads on Main Street in Colebrook. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.gnwca.org or at the door.