Park City Preforming Arts Foundation Presents - Leahy
PARK CITY, UT – Four lads. Four lasses. One clan blessed with flying fiddles and quick-stepping feet. The Juno award-winning music sensation Leahy returns to The Eccles Center for an evening of Celtic tunes and more than a wee bit of dancing on Saturday, April 5.
The brothers and sisters of Canadian-born Leahy first entered the international spotlight as the subjects of the 1985 Academy Award-winning documentary, “Leahy: Music Most of All.” Three Juno (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy) awards, three records and several tours later, the siblings are still singing, dancing and performing a whirlwind of world music with a hearty dose of Canadian influence and a grand emphasis on the family’s Irish roots; their ancestors left the Emerald Isle for Ontario in 1825. Their blend of music and showmanship landed Leahy a spot as the opener for Shania Twain’s inaugural world tour as well as the coveted Canadian 2005 Socan Award for Folk/Jazz instrumentalist.
With the unstoppable bow of fiddle prodigy and eldest brother Donnell (who happens to be wed to fellow musician Natalie MacMaster) anchoring the troupe, Leahy is as the Los Angeles Times puts it “an act whose music is invigorating.” All eight Leahys learned to play the fiddle from their dad and their mother taught them step-dancing, singing and the piano. As they’ve generated their own style of Celtic-flavored, folk-pop music, an array of instruments has crept into the mix. The sound, however, has remained pure.
“[Leahy’s] ferocious and extremely energetic works gain momentum through plenty of acoustic instruments,” writes the Chicago Sun-Times. And Time Out New York raves “Their live performance makes ‘Riverdance’ look like Lawrence Welk re-runs.” “These are tremendously talented musicians. There’s no doubt about that,” says PCPAF executive director Teri Orr. “But what made Leahy’s 2004 appearance in Park City so thoroughly spectacular – and what will again have audiences leaping out of their seats to applaud and dance – is the fun they all seem to share on stage together. That quick wit, incredible energy and phenomenal spirit is truly contagious.” Leahy kicks up its heels and jigs, reels and rocks at 7:30 p.m. Show Details:
Leahy performs at The George S. and Dolores Doré at Eccles Center for the Performing Arts (1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City) on Saturday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $65 for adults; discounts are available for children, students and seniors.
Tickets and information are available at The Eccles Center box office, 435-655-3114 or www.ParkCityTickets.com.
