Old-time treats coming in May

Thanks to the FOAOTMAD news blog, which this week gives a little more information on the prospective tour in these islands by Elizabeth LaPrelle and Anna Roberts-Gevalt, first announced back in October. Their online tour schedule gives dates (though not venues) in England and Scotland for 8-20 May 2015; they will then come to Ireland and play on 22 May (a fortnight after the Fiddle Fair) at Baltimore, Co. Cork, and then at other shows (TBA) in Ireland from 23 to 26 May. We quote again from the original FOAOTMAD press release:

If anyone can offer a gig please contact Peta Webb [e-mail].*

Elizabeth LaPrelle and Anna Roberts-Gevalt are two young women from rural Virginia, steeped in traditional Appalachian culture. Elizabeth is a superb singer with a rich powerful mountain voice, she excels at ballads as well as lighter songs. Hear 'Pretty Saro'.

Since 2010 she has been working creatively with singer/ instrumentalist Anna. They engage themselves and their audience with traditional art in all the forms it can take: songs, storytelling, fiddle, banjo, guitar, ballads, puppets, poetry, and moving scrolls called 'crankies'.

The photo above shows them behind one of the 'crankies'. Plenty of their work can be found on YouTube, and we advise checking their website and Facebook as well.

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One of the shows they will be playing in Britain is on the same bill as the Foghorn Stringband from Portland, OR. As we mentioned in January, the Foghorns will be playing just four dates in Ireland, and the last of these - on Sat. 16 May at the Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone - is already sold out.

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The current FOAOTMAD news blog also gives full programme details for the annual old-time festival in Gainsborough, England, at the end of next week.