BRISTOL
At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 26, at the historic Harrington Meetinghouse, 278 Harrington Road, Pemaquid, the folk duo Castlebay will present a special concert of songs from the history of Bristol.
Since 1984 Castlebay has created a body of work which celebrates Maine’s maritime heritage and environment blending history, legend and experience into their personable performance style. Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee support their fine, expressive vocals with Celtic harp, guitar, fiddle, and woodwinds, as well as playing evocative instrumental selections, treating the audience to a musical journey through time and across the Atlantic. They often will present concerts highlighting a specific theme with songs and stories from their wealth of history and lore, and have created several multi-media productions based on their research.
The duo has been recently exploring the traditional music connections between the Celtic lands, the Canadian Maritimes and Maine. These regions share in the richness of this heritage as revealed by the many variations of songs tunes and stories carried by families moving through the area by land and sea. In addition to songs passed down in their own families, Lane and Gosbee research archives and collections and interpret this music through the lens of their own cultural legacy. In particular, Julia’s ancestors were among the Scots Irish who came to Pemaquid in the early 18th century. Local history is full of stories some of which are reflected in vernacular songs made by the descendants of the original settlers. Castlebay will present these musical stories of ramblers and rogues, woven with history and humor.
Frequently touring down the east coast and to Ireland, Scotland and England Castlebay performs at arts centers, museums, festivals and schools. They have produced numerous recordings featuring both songs of the Maine coast as well as songs, stories and poems in the Scottish and Irish tradition. Their most recent CDs include songs from and about Maine history titled John Earthy’s Tavern and Bound Away, a nautical collection selected from archives. For more information, please visit www.castlebay.net
Admission to the Harrington concert is by donation. Please call (207) 529-5438 or send an email to castlebay@castlebay.net for more information.
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