Page 39 - SPIRE SEP_DEC 2023 7th Issue Digital

FALL 2023

DIVAS WITH A TWIST CHERISH THE LADIES- A CELTIC
FRI, DEC 08 @ 8PM CHRISTMAS
$32
FRI, DEC 15 @ 8PM
For a decade Divas with a Twist have been selling out shows $49
in the Boston area. This band features 5 powerhouse female
vocalists backed by high energy, Grammy nominated One of the most engaging and successful ensembles in the
musicians. With a unique blend of vocals combined with new history of Celtic music, Cherish The Ladies have shared timeless
arrangements to pop favorites, classic rock, Motown and Irish traditions with audiences worldwide for over thirty years. FALL 20223
originals, the Divas do not disappoint!! In their Celtic Christmas program, the Ladies put their signature
mark on classic carols such as “O Come All Ye Faithful” and
“Silent Night,” in arrangements that highlight the group’s unique
Celtic instrumentation, beautiful harmonies, and spectacular
A Very Soulful Christmas with step dancing. Hailed by The New York Times as “passionate,
tender and rambunctious,” Cherish The Ladies have released
Morgan James three critically acclaimed holiday albums, On Christmas Night, A
SAT, DEC 09 @ 8PM Star In The East, and 2015’s Christmas In Ireland.
$38

Morgan is currently on tour supporting her fifth studio album, LUNASA
“Nobody’s Fool”. She independently released her studio albums SAT, DEC 16 @ 8PM
of original soul music, entitled Memphis Magnetic, and A Very $40
Magnetic Christmas recorded to analog tape in Memphis, Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish
Tennessee. Other albums include "Reckless Abandon", which god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lúnasa is indeed a gathering of some
prompted the Huffington Post to call MJ the "Brightest Breakout
Artist of the Year". In addition to her original music, Morgan co- of the top musical talents in Ireland. Its members have helped
produced and starred in an all-female concept recording of “Jesus form the backbone of some of the greatest Irish groups of the
Christ Superstar”. Morgan has taken on full album covers of the decade.
Beatles’ iconic ‘White Album’, Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”, Jeff Bassist Trevor Hutchinson was a key member of The Waterboys,
Buckley’s “Grace”, and many more. Morgan recorded two full- and later he, with guitarist Donogh Hennessy, would form the
length albums with Epic Records: “Hunter”and “Morgan James dynamic rhythm section of The Sharon Shannon Band; Ed Boyd
Live, a celebration of Nina Simone“. All of her music can be found (Flook, Michael McGoldrick Band) has recently replaced
on all streaming platforms, and hard copies on her website or at Hennessy; Fiddler Sean Smyth is an All-Ireland champion who has
shows.
played with Donal Lunny’s Coolfin; Kevin Crawford, considered to be among the finest flutists in Ireland played
with the acclaimed traditional group Moving Cloud; and, piper Cillian Vallely of the famous Vallely artistic clan
has performed with Riverdance and recently recorded with Bruce Springsteen. Folk Roots magazine has rightly
TD BANK LOBBY SERIES:SAY termed them an “Irish music dream team.”
DARLING CHARLES DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL:
THU, DEC 14 @ 7:30PM A SOLO PERFORMANCE BY NEIL MCGARRY
$15 SUN, DEC 17 @ 3PM
In 2016,old friends Celia Woodsmith and Chris Hersch found $20-$25
themselves taking a temporary step back from their Actor Neil McGarry returns home to Plymouth and Spire Center For
international touring projects. The Arts with his awarding winning, solo performance of Charles
Grammy-Nominated singer and songwriter Celia Woodsmith Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Sunday, December 17th, 2023 at 3:00
– of the acclaimed bluegrass band Della Mae – and critically pm.
lauded guitarist Chris Hersch formerly of the alt. country Directed by Ross MacDonald, McGarry’s performance was named
rock band Girls Guns & Glory, had each independently “Best Of Boston” by critic Jules Becker and won "Best Solo
decided to relax their rigorous schedules, both ending up Performance” from the Independent Reviewers of New England in
back home in New England with time on their hands. 2014.
These two road warriors and workaholics didn’t last long Armed only with Dickens’ words and a bare stage, McGarry delivers
before delving into a new and exciting project: Say Darling. the perennial holiday classic in a tour de force that has left audiences
Blending distinctive original songs with classic tunes that pay riveted from Boston to Prague. Joyous, witty, and gloriously
homage to a shared musical heritage, Say Darling evokes the uplifting, A Christmas Carol is a fully staged, full-throated leap into
funky drive of Little Feat, the moving vocals of Bonnie Raitt Dickens’ most famous story, delivered with a simplicity that disarms
and the instrumental prowess of the Tedeschi-Trucks Band. and touches the heart. PHOTO CREDIT: DENISE MACCAFERRI
3 6 | T H E S P I R E C E N T E R M A G A Z I N E T H E S P I R E C E N T E R M A G A Z I N E | 3 7