London Lasses 25th Anniversary

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IMDL
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Tell us something.: I would like to let people know about the upcoming Irish music event Return to London Town. Return to London Town 2020 - London´s 22nd Annual Festival of Traditional Irish Music, Song and Dance - Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th October 2020 - Virtually Streamed and Socially Distanced Festival

London Lasses 25th Anniversary

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On Friday 2nd December traditional Irish band The London Lasses will be launching their 25th anniversary celebrations and their new album LL25 at Conway House, London.

This internationally renowned band deliver a wealth of traditional material from all over Ireland, including songs in Irish and English, plus the full gamut of Irish dance tunes, from the venerably ancient to the newly composed. This year marks their 25th anniversary and the band are proud to release their 6th album LL25 in celebration.

Over the last 25 years The London Lasses have brought their music to some of the world’s most prestigious festivals and concert halls, including Cambridge Folk Festival, the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Glastonbury, Dublin City Hall, Philadelphia Irish Festival, Mayor of London’s St Patrick’s Festival (Trafalgar Square) and the Royal Albert Hall, where they performed the first ever BBC Proms céilí as part of the 2008 season and supported The Chieftains on their 50th Anniversary tour in 2012. They have been included on the 3CD compilation Beginners Guide to Ireland (2005) and the Ultimate Guide to Irish Folk (2014). TV and radio appearances include TG4’s Hup and Geantraí, BBC One´s EastEnders, BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and more.

It all began in 1997, when fiddle players Karen Ryan and Elaine Conwell, together with banjo player Pauline Conneely, took a trip to the US where they played a number of concerts from New York to San Francisco, by way of Chicago and other stops. Intended as a one-off musical holiday and with accompaniment provided by guests in each city, the trio had such a great experience and were so warmly received that they decided to continue performing together under the title The London Lasses on their return to London, inviting flute player Sharon Whelton to join them. In 1999, the band, now with Bernie Conneely on banjo, recorded their eponymously titled debut CD with Liverpool pianist Pete Quinn, along with vocalist Sue Cullen and whistle player Grace Kelly.

Over the following two decades the band performed extensively and recorded a further four albums. Line-ups changed over time and included band members Dee Havlin (flute, whistle), Maureen Linane Hankins (accordion), Kathleen O´Sullivan (vocal), Elma McElligott (flute, whistle, sax), Bróna McVittie (vocal), Brogan McAuliffe (concertina) and Chris O´Malley (piano). The band has also enjoyed working with other guests down the years, some of whom feature on this and other Lasses CDs.

The Lasses are delighted to include a number of past and present band members on this celebratory recording, and to feature members of the next generation of traditional Irish musicians in London:
Karen Ryan (fiddle, banjo, whistles, mandola), Elaine Conwell (fiddle), Elma McElligott (flute, saxophone, whistle), Brogan McAuliffe (concertina), Bróna McVittie (vocal, harp), Pete Quinn (keys), Dee Havlin (flute), Maureen Linane Hankins (accordion), Bernie Conneely (banjo), Chris O´Malley (keys), Teresa Connolly (fiddle), Annie Quinn (uilleann pipes, banjo), Katie Quinn (accordion, fiddle), Rachel Isherwood (fiddle), James and Orla Earnshaw (fiddles).

One of the best bands on the scene today’ Irish Music Magazine

The London Lasses and Pete Quinn’s emergence is vitally important, acknowledging a forgotten voice in Irish music and rebirthing in magnificently’ fRoots

The London Lasses will be launching their anniversary album at a number of events across the UK throughout 2023, starting in London this December:

2nd December 2022 - 25th Anniversary Launch - Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL

Doors open 7.30pm - Tickets: £15 (includes album) / £6 U18s

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-lond ... 3453731317

www.londonlasses.net

www.irishmusicinlondon.org
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