Legends ‘o the Lough: The Boys are Back in Town...

Nov. 24, 2004

It seems like summer just got here, at least weather wise, and now it is time for those Christmas carols like Rudolph, Frosty and Jingle Bells. Not ready yet? Join the club! How about a musical celebration of midwinter songs from the traditions of the Celtic lands of Europe?
That’s exactly what ticket holders to The Boys of the Lough (pronounced lock) concert will enjoy. The band that hails from Scotland/Ireland and will perform “A Celtic Christmas” at Interlochen’s Corson Auditorium on Tuesday, November 30.
“These are what we call neighborhood songs,” said Dave Richardson, the band’s administrator, mandolin player and composer. “These are songs that you have never heard of and won’t find in the mainstream.”
Richardson said all the songs are steeped in both the Christian and pagan traditions of Celtic Europe.
“The word pagan is often misinterpreted. Pagans were those who lived in the countryside and the hills who worshiped,” said Richardson. “Pagan traditions and rituals are rooted in Christianity and even everyday life. For example, the days of the week are named after pagan gods.”

PASS THE DREAR...
“A Celtic Christmas” celebrates the winter season of snow, rain, cold, darkness, merrymaking and the start of the New Year. Songs such as “The Merry Christmas Fire” celebrates the time spent with close friends during the season. Another tune, “To That Night In Bethlehem,” was given to the group’s founding member, Cathal McConnell, by the great Irish singer-dancer, Paddy Ban O’Brin, and is sung in the traditional Gaelic language.
“These songs all have personal meaning to each member of the band,” said Richardson. “This Christmas show is something we started in 1993 and we only do it in December. We retired it for about five years and just brought it back a couple of years ago.”
The Boys of the Lough will arrive from Scotland on Nov. 26 and will appear on “A Prairie Home Companion” with Garrison Keillor on Nov. 28. They will kick off their tour a few days later at Interlochen. The group performed at Interlochen a few years back; this will be the first time they have presented their Christmas program.
No strangers to touring, this will mark the band’s 60th tour in their nearly 40-year career.

HIGH TOUR COSTS
“We used to tour seven months out of the year but that has changed and we tour a lot less now,” said Richardson. “There are several factors for this. One is it has become very expensive. Just to get our work visas costs over $4,000, plus touring in general has become more expensive. We all have other projects and interests outside the band. Plus, touring keeps us out of the studio.”
It has been nearly three years since the group’s last release, their 19th, “Lonesome Blues and Dancing Shoes.” So, any plans for a 20th release?
“We are about a half track from completing our next album and hope to release it early next year,” said Richardson. “As with previous releases we will remain in the tradition of
the music.”
Remaining “in the tradition” is important to the group. They have built their reputation on it.
“Every one of us has had the music passed down to us from generations past,” said Richardson. “We believe that the music should be preserved and kept in tradition. I know there have been movements to “pop” the music. From our perspective it doesn’t work. We perform the music as it was created, not what it might become. We prefer that the songs don’t become commercialized.”

SEX IN THE CITY
It isn’t that Richardson is opposed to commercial success. His recording of the “Calliope House” jug has appeared on several albums and was one of the featured songs for the smash-hit “Lord of the Dance.” His version appears regularly on the HBO series “Sex in the City.”
The group was founded in 1967 as a result of jamming sessions at festivals in Scotland and Ireland. It was loose knit and pretty informal until 1973 when they released their first album and started touring the U.S. Through constant touring and possessing technical brilliance and mastery of the 10 plus instruments they bring to the stage, The Boys of the Lough have established an international following.
The New York Times has labeled them as, “One of the finest bands in Celtic traditional music,” and the Boston Globe has called them simply, “Legends.” In a recent Time Magazine issue, The Boys were referred to as, “the most rhythmically bracing of the traditional
music bands.”
A major strength of the band is the inherent musical diversity of its members. Each member grew up in his own distinct tradition in Ireland, Scotland, Shetland and Northumberland where people relied on their own resources for music. Founding member Cathal McConnell grew up in Northern Ireland where his musical roots in flute and whistle can be traced back four generations.
“All of us learned right from the tradition,” said Richardson. “We didn’t go to camp or music school. We were taught by our families and others who come right from
the tradition.”
In addition to “A Celtic Christmas,” the group tours performing music from the tradition and they also have a “maritime repertoire.”
“With the Great Lakes heritage of the area, we would love to come back to perform our maritime selections,” said Richardson.
Tickets for “A Celtic Christmas” with Boys of the Lough are $20 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $8 for students and are available online at http://tickets.interlochen.org. To purchase tickets over the phone, call the Interlochen Box office at 800-681-5920 or 231-276-7800.
To preview the band, check them out on a Prairie Home Companion on WIPR-FM.