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This is the archive of the combined Barking Spider and Andy Broad Portsmouth Blues Site mailing lists.
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ALTAN - South Parade Pier in Southsea on Monday May 15th 2006 A rare chance to see the legendary ALTAN in Southsea! No Irish traditional band in the last dozen years has had a wider impact on audiences and music lovers throughout the world than Altan - with their exquisitely produced award-winning recordings and dynamic live performances, Altan have headlined the BBC'S famous Cambridge Folk Festival and moved audiences from Donegal to Tokyo to Seattle. The 2006 Altan tour marks Altan's 20th anniversary - and also marks Altan's return to South Parade Pier in Southsea, where they played the very first Barking Spider gig in 2000! Founded in the early eighties by Belfast flute-player Frankie Kennedy and Gweedore singer and fiddler, Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh, they delivered a combination of old Donegal fiddle music and unusual Northern Irish flute tunes with a force and fullness that made it hard to believe there were only two people playing. In 1984 Frankie and Mairead turned professional, making trips to the United States to play concerts in New York, Minnesota, Madison, Portland and Seattle with Derry guitarist, Daithi Sproule. Daithi had played a big part in an earlier wave of development in the music, being one of the very first people to adapt the guitar to old Gaelic songs, and in 1986, Daithi joined Frankie Kennedy & Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh duo when they grew into Altan, equalling the other great Irish bands The Bothy Band, Planxy and De Danann. In succeeding years, the band's albums all won accolades and awards and appeared in the Billboard charts - their collaborators on these albums were of the highest calibre including Donal Lunny, Brian Masterson and Steve Cooney. and the great Donegal fiddler, Ciaran Tourish, who later joined the band full time. Altan's other members are the fine bouzouki-player Ciaran Curran, who has invented his own style on the instrument, whose playing lies at the heart of the Altan sound, together with guitarist Mark Kelly. The final element was added to the sound in the early nineties - accordion-player Dermot Byrne, another Donegal man weaned on the music of an older generation of Donegal fiddlers. Dermot's status as a complete virtuoso had been secure for many years before he joined the band. In 1991 Altan was dealt a devastating blow, when band leader and manager, Frankie Kennedy was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away in 1994. Altan's international status and success found a very practical recognition when they were signed in 1996 to Virgin Records, the first Irish band of their kind to be signed by a major label. The band gained gold and platinum albums in Ireland, and toured large venues thoughout the world, with tours in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Europe as well as regular successful U.S. tours. ALTAN appear at South Parade Pier in Southsea on Monday May 15th 2006. Doors open 8 p.m. Tickets (£12)available from Wedgewood Rooms Box Office (023) 9286 3911 or on the door.