Celtic Woman Announces New Album, Live DVD, Tour

Courtesy: Manhattan Records/Blue Note Records

Music phenomenon Celtic Woman returns this Winter in a big way.  The four-piece will release a new album and DVD titled Emerald: Musical Gems Tuesday February 25^th.  The new album and DVD will be released via Manhattan Records.  The dual release is a greatest hits package from the quartet includes hits such as ‘Mo Ghile Mear’, ‘Dulaman’, ‘She Moves Through The Fair’, ‘Caladonia’ and its own take on the timeless classic ‘Danny Boy’ among many more.  Fans can also look forward to the group’s new takes on ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘You Raise Me Up’ on the new dual release.  The combo release can be pre-ordered now online via Amazon and Target at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HF95OMI?tag=smarturl-20 and http://www.target.com/p/celtic-woman-emerald-musical-gems-only-at-target/-/A-15141298 respectively.  The track listing for both the CD and DVD are available below.

ALBUM TRACKLISTING:

1.     Mo Ghile Mear

2.     Dúlaman

3.     Caladonia

4.     Amazing Grace

5.     The New Ground

6.     She Moved Through The Fair

7.     Bridge Over Troubled Water

8.     Níl Sé’n Lá

9.     Danny Boy

10.   The Voice

11.   The Parting Glass

12.   You Raise Me Up

DVD TRACKLISTING:

1.     AWAKENING

2.     DULAMAN

3.     NOCTURNE

4.     TEIR ABHAILE RIU

5.     COAST OF GALICIA

6.     DANNY BOY

7.     MO GHILE MEAR

8.     AMAZING GRACE

9.     SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR

10.   NIL SE’N LA

11.   SHENANDOAH-DANCER

12.   THE VOICE

13.   YOU RAISE ME UP

14.   PARTING GLASS

15.   CELTIC WOMAN PLAYOFF

BONUS

1.     CALEDONIA

2.     BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED

3.     AVE MARIA

 

Emerald: Musical Gems is not all that fans of Celtic Woman have to anticipate this year.  The group will follow up its upcoming dual release with a new PBS special, too.  The trailer for that special can be viewed online via YouTube now at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIzXDygc1Qk.

Celtic Woman’s upcoming live DVD, EMERALD: Musical Gems – Live in Concert was recorded in 2013 in South Bend, IL, the home of the University of Notre Dame.  The production was recorded under the direction of Emmy® Award-winning music producer David Downes.  Downes previously served as music director for the famed Irish dance phenomenon Riverdance.

Downes discussed the new release in a recent interview.  He explained what the opportunity meant for him and what it will mean for Celtic Woman’s fans.  “Creating the new show allowed me the opportunity to revisit and re-imagine some of our most popular Irish songs, as well as writing some exciting new material for the show” said Downes.  “With all-new performances of these great songs—Emerald has created a whole new experience for both our longstanding fans, and for those who have just discovered our music. This is a Celtic Woman experience that will soothe the soul and have you dancing in the aisles!”

In coordination with the new releases and PBS special, Celtic Woman also has announced details for a seventy-five date North American tour that will run from February 14^th – June 3^rd.  The tour includes a trio of dates in North Carolina.  The first of those dates sees Celtic Woman perform at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday, March 6^th.  From there, Celtic Woman will move on to perform at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, North Carolina on Friday, March 7^th and the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) on Saturday, March 8^th.

The complete tour schedule is listed below.

CELTIC WOMAN   —   2014 THE EMERALD TOUR

14-Feb	Nashville, TN	Tennessee Performing Arts Center
15-Feb	Nashville, TN	Tennessee Performing Arts Center
16-Feb	Huntsville, AL	Von Braun Center
18-Feb	Montgomery, AL	Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
20-Feb	Macon, GA	Macon City Auditorium
21-Feb	Pensacola, FL	Saenger Theatre
22-Feb	Clearwater, FL	Ruth Eckerd Hall
23-Feb	Melbourne, FL	Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts
25-Feb	Lakeland, FL	Lakeland Center
27-Feb	Daytona, FL	Peabody Auditorium
28-Feb	Jacksonville, FL	Times-Union Center For The Performing Arts
1-Mar	Gainesville, FL	Curtis M. Phillips Center
2-Mar	Columbia, SC	Township Auditorium
4-Mar	N. Charleston, SC	North Charleston Performing Arts Center
6-Mar	Charlotte, NC	Ovens Auditorium
7-Mar	Asheville, NC	Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
8-Mar	Durham, NC	Durham Performing Arts Center
9-Mar	Roanoke, VA	Roanoke Civic Center
11-Mar	Richmond, KY	EKU Center For The Arts
13-Mar	Elizabeth, IN	The Showroom At Horseshoe Southern Indiana
14-Mar	St. Louis MO	Fox Theatre
15-Mar	Green Bay, WI	Weidner Center for the Performing Arts
17-Mar	St. Paul, MN	Xcel Energy Center
19-Mar	Saskatoon, SK	TCU Place – Sid Buckwold Theatre
21-Mar	Edmonton, ON	Edmonton Expo Centre
22-Mar	Calgary, AB	Jack Singer Concert Hall
23-Mar	Abbotsford, BC	Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre
25-Mar	Everett, WA	Comcast Arena at Everett
26-Mar	Eugene, OR	Hult Center for the Performing Arts
28-Mar	Sacramento, CA	Sacramento Memorial Auditorium
29-Mar	Oakland, CA	Paramount Theatre
30-Mar	Ontario, CA	Citizens Business Bank Arena
31-Mar	San Diego, CA	San Diego Symphony Hall
1-Apr	Costa Mesa, CA	Segerstrom Center for the Arts
7-Apr	Tucson, AZ	Tucson Music Hall
8-Apr	Tempe, AZ	ASU Gammage Auditorium
9-Apr	Albuquerque, NM	Popejoy Hall
10-Apr	El Paso, TX	Plaza Theatre
13-Apr	Houston, TX	Hobby Center
14-Apr	Corpus Christi, TX	American Bank Center – Selena Auditorium
15-Apr	San Antonio, TX	Majestic Theatre
17-Apr	Tulsa, OK	Mabee Center
19-Apr	Denver, CO	The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
22-Apr	Greeley CO	Union Colony Civic Center – Monfort Concert Hall
23-Apr	Cheyenne, WY	Cheyenne Civic Center Performing Arts Theatre
24-Apr	Colorado Springs, CO	Pikes Peak Center
26-Apr	Lawrence, KS	Lied Center of Kansas
27-Apr	Sioux City, IA	Orpheum Theatre
29-Apr	Duluth, MN	Symphony Hall
1-May	Rockford, IL	Coronado Performing Arts Center
2-May	Peoria, IL	Peoria Civic Center
3-May	Milwaukee, WI	Riverside Theater
6-May	Evansville, IN	The Centre
8-May	Detroit, MI	Fox Theatre
9-May	Ann Arbor, MI	Michigan Theater
10-May	Saginaw, MI	The Dow Event Center – The Heritage Theater
11-May	Columbus, OH	Palace Theatre
13-May	Cincinnati, OH	Aronoff Center for the Arts
14-May	Akron, OH	Akron Civic Theatre
17-May	Pittsburgh, PA	The Benedum Center for the Performing Arts
18-May	Dayton, OH	Schuster Performing Arts Center
20-May	Williamsport, PA	Community Arts Center
21-May	New York, NY	Radio City Music Hall
22-May	Washington, DC	Warner Theatre
27-May	Baltimore, MD	The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center
29-May	Burlington, VT	Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
30-May	Bangor, ME	Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
3-Jun	Albany, NY	Palace Theatre
5-Jun	Red Bank, NJ	Count Basie Theater
6-Jun	Red Bank, NJ	Count Basie Theater
7-Jun	Lancaster, PA	American Music Theater

 

More information on Celtic Woman’s upcoming CD/DVD, PBS special, tour and more is available online at http://celticwoman.com, http://www.facebook.comcelticwoman and http://twitter.com/Celtic_Woman.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Pixies Announce New EP, Prep For Next Leg Of Tour

Courtesy: Herfitz PR

Another new Pixies release is on the way.  The band has announced that its new EP, EP-2 is available now for fans via the band’s official website, http://pixiesmusic.com.  The new EP-contains four new songs – ‘Blue-Eyed Hexe’, ‘Magdalena’, ‘Greens and Blues’, and ‘Snakes.’  It also includes a music video for ‘Blue-Eyed Hexe.’

The band recorded the songs last October at Rockfield Studios in Wales, UK.  All four of the songs on the new EP were written by the band members.  EP-2 also includes special artwork by Vaughan Oliverat v23.  It is available as an MP3, lossless DDL, limited edition ten-inch vinyl, and as part of special bundles.  The video for ‘Blue-Eyed Hexe’ can be viewed via YouTube now at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEBpvpomwG4.  The band recently discussed the songs included in its new EP.  Their thoughts on each song are shared below.

Pixies talk about the four new songs on “EP-2”

“Blue-Eyed Hexe”

About this track, Pixies’ Black Francis explained, “It’s a tale from the northwestern part of the UK, and it’s a witch-woman kind of a song. That’s what a ‘hexe’ is, and ours is a blue-eyed hexe.” Guitarist Joey Santiago added, “Gil wanted a swagger, he wanted the guitar solo to sound like you’re going to have sex with this blue-eyed hexe.”

 

“Magdalena”

“This song is so atmospheric,” remembered Santiago. “We had these weird Moog pedals that sounded like water. It was a very mood-based, atmospheric sound, not based on any lyrics or anything.” Added drummer David Lovering, “One of my favorites, maybe tied with ‘Indie Cindy.’ It’s cool the way it flows, and it’s a very simplistic song, very pretty, cool and moving.”

 

“Greens and Blues”

Said Black Francis, “As with all my songs, I would prefer people add their own interpretation to it. But, in this case, let’s just say that we had done ‘Gigantic’ as the closer for many years at our reunion shows and it worked really well. But I could see that we were going to grow weary of that and I felt like we basically needed a better ‘Gigantic.’ It was my attempt to come up with another song that would – musically, emotionally and psychologically – sit in the same place that ‘Gigantic’ has sat. Not that I could ever replace that song: you write songs and they come out the way they come out. So perhaps it can be said that this song fills the emotional niche that ‘Gigantic’ occupied, another show-closer. I think the lyric alludes to that, the fact that it’s the end of the night, the end of something. And a separation if you will, between the band and the audience. So I guess it’s kind of a goodbye song, or really more of a ‘good night’ song.

 

“Snakes”

“I’m not a jammer,” said Santiago, “but Black Francis and I started jamming it out. I had this little idea and I did that sliding guitar just to emulate a snake.” Black Francis adds, “This one was totally written in the studio session. It proved to be a little bit difficult to play and a little bit difficult to record, sonically, but we stuck with it and I like the result.”

 

The new EP comes as the band continues its tour in support of EP-1.  The next leg of the band’s tour begins January 15^th in Toronto.  Pixies fans in North Carolina will get the chance to see the band live on this leg of its tour when it makes a stop in Durham on January 31^st at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC).  The most up-to-date list of the band’s tour dates is available below.  More dates will be announced at later dates.

JANUARY

15 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON CANADA (Fidlar)

16 Metropolis, Montreal, QC CANADA (Fidlar)

18 Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA (Fidlar)

19 Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (Fidlar)

21 New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ (Fidlar)

22 Shubert Theatre, New Haven, CT (Fidlar)

24 Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA (Fidlar)

25 Carnegie Music Hall, Pittsburgh, PA (Fidlar)

26 Strathmore, Washington, DC (Fidlar)

29 National Theatre, Richmond, VA (Fidlar)

31 Durham PAC, Durham, NC (Cults)

FEBRUARY

1 Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville, NC (Cults)

2 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN (Cults)

4 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA (Cults)

6 Peabody Opera House, St. Louis, MO (Cults)

7 LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH (Cults)

8 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI (Cults)

9 Rivera Theatre, Chicago, IL (Cults)

11 Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO (Cults)

13 Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO (Best Coast)

14 Belly Up, Aspen, CO (Best Coast)

15 The Great Salt Air, Salt Lake City, UT (Best Coast)

17 Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC CANADA (Best Coast)

18 Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA (Best Coast)

19 Schnitzer Auditorium, Portland, OR (Best Coast)

21 Fox Theatre, Oakland, CA (Best Coast)

22 San Jose Civic, San Jose, CA

23 The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV (Best Coast)

24 Comercia Theatre, Phoenix, AZ (Best Coast)

25 Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM (Best Coast)

27 Bayou Music Center, Houston, TX (Best Coast)

28 South Side Ballroom, Dallas, TX (Best Coast)

MARCH

1 Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX (Best Coast)

APRIL

1 Rock’n’Fall, Montevideo, Uruguay

1/3 Lollapalooza Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina

3/5 Festival Estereo Picnic, Bogota Colombia

5/6 Lollapalooza Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil

MAY

29/30 Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain

JUNE

6/7 Primavera Sound, Porto, Portugal

8 Field Day, Victoria Park, London, UK

15 Northside, Arhus, Denmark

20 Best Kept Secret, Hilvarenbeek, Holland

20/22 Hurricane, Schessel, Germany

20/22 Southside, Neuhausen, Germany

25 Inmusic, Zagreb, Croatia

29 Marley Park, Dublin, Ireland (with Arcade Fire)

30 Live at the Marquee, Cork, Ireland

JULY

5 Rock Werchter, Werchter, Belgium

6 Beauregard, Herouville-St. Clair, France

 

More information on the band’s tour, its new EP, and more is available online at http://pixiesmusic.com, http://www.facebook.com/pixiesofficial, http://twitter.com/pixies, and http://www.myspace.com/pixies. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

 

Pixies Announce New Tour Dates, Music Video

Photo Credit: Michael Halsband

The road rolls on for veteran rock group, The Pixies.  The Boston based quartet has announced that it has added a new North American leg to its current worldwide tour.  The thirty-three date tour will kick off on January 15^th in Toronto, Ontario Canada.  From there, the band will hit a number of dates in the Northeast before heading south to finish off the month of January.  It will close out January with a performance at the famed Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) in Durham, North Carolina on January 31^st.  It will kick off the month of February by heading west to the mountains of North Carolina and a performance in Asheville, NC on February 1^st.  That performance will be at Asheville’s Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.  Cults will provide support for both performances.

The remainder of February will see the Pixies perform at dates in the Midwest, West Coast, and Southwest.  It all wraps up on March 1^st with a performance at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX.  Tickets for this and other shows are available online at http://www.pixiesmusic.com.

Along with the upcoming U.S. tour, Pixies fans have a new video from the band to check out, too.  The band has debuted the video for ‘Andro Queen’, the opening track from the band’s new EP, EP-1.  The video was created and directed by filmmaker Ondi Timoner through her Interloper Films production company.  Timoner’s resume is quite extensive.  She has won the Grand Jury prize for documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival twice and has work permanently displayed at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.  She was also the creative force behind VH-1’s series, Sound Effects.  These aren’t her only credentials.  She also crafted the opening film for President Clinton’s 2011 birthday/fundraiser at the Hollywood Bowl.  That even featured celebrities such as: Steven Spielberg, Barbara Streisand, Jay-Z, and President Clinton himself.  She even has her hands in the online world.  She is the founder and director of the web-channel, “A Total Disruption.”  This channel features the works of other ingenious individuals and business people that use technology to transform lives, the economy, and the path of mankind.

More information on the band’s upcoming U.S. tour and its new EP, EP-1, is available online at http://www.pixiesmusic.com, http://www.facebook.com/pixiesofficial, http://www.myspace.com/pixies, and http://twitter.com/pixies.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.