Strand Center for the Arts Presents Acclaimed music & dance group MCLEAN AVENUE BAND & EMERALD FIRE

Strand Center for the Arts
Presents
Acclaimed music & dance group
MCLEAN AVENUE BAND & EMERALD FIRE
From Galway to Graceland – A musical journey straight from Ireland
Thursday, March 10, 2016 @ 7:30 PM
Strand Theater – Strand Center for the Arts
400 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood Township, NJ 08701


Lakewood Township, NJ - On Thursday, March 10, 2016, at 7:30 PM, The Strand Center for the Arts will present the acclaimed Irish music and dance show: From Galway to Graceland: featuring McLean Avenue Band & Emerald Fire.

In this heralded production, Padraig Allen’s McLean Avenue Band and Joanna Barry Connolly’s Irish dance group, Emerald Fire, perform a dazzling array of Irish music, song and dance. This multitalented, charismatic crew, direct from Ireland, has "all ages" audiences dancing in the aisles and singing their hearts out! The interactive show includes magic footwork, raucous fiddle, traditional Irish favorite songs, Celtic fairy tales and critically acclaimed rock and bluegrass originals. The band’s expansive repertoire bridges the 3,000 miles between Ireland and the USA with a unique blend of song and story. From a toe-tapping medley of traditional Irish jigs and the interactive anthem, Rattlin' Bog, to a memorable cover of Johnny Cash’s 1961 tune, “Forty Shades of Green,” the production takes the audience on a musical adventure that leaves them yearning for more. Other highlights include the exhilarating footwork of dancer/fiddle player, phenomenon Jake James and the band’s excellent rendition of “The Devil Went Down To Yonkers” – an adaptation of a famous Charlie Daniels Band song – featuring stellar fiddle work. The band also performs original material, including “Pedestal,” a captivating duet featuring Allen and folk singer/dancer Alice Ryan. The Irish Echoraves, "The group has mastered the art of blending the old and new, embracing the traditional while adding their own signature sound – a sound that screams fun."

“Being from the Emerald Isle myself, a big part of my life revolves around family and friends,” says Allen. “This is a show that you can enjoy with your entire family, whether you’ve got some Irish ancestry or not.”

About Padraig Allen
McLean Avenue Band is lead by singer/songwriter Padraig Allen. He was born and raised in an urban village named Mount Temple, outside the town of Athlone, in County Westmeath, Ireland, where the Shannon waters flow. Padraig comes from a long line of successful Irish Traditional/Country musicians and singers. His uncle Tony Allen from the famous “Foster & Allen” was mainly responsible for kick starting his career; engaging Padraig to tour with the band. In 1993, one of Padraig’s first performances was on a show called “Big Top” on the Irish TV network “RTE”. In 1999, he landed on American shores with the popular Irish Band “The Whole Shabang” as lead singer and bass player. Currently Allen has been touring the US and internationally with McLean Avenue. Their album, Easy & Free received critical praise and radio airplay, and a Christmas song: Christmas on McLean was played on many radio stations. WFUV regularly reports the band as being one of their favorite bands on the scene. Allen notes, “My love for America & my own country, Ireland, leaves me singing “God Bless America & God Save Ireland”.

About Joanna Barry Connolly
Emerald Fire is lead by director/choreographer Joanna Barry Connolly. Dublin born Joanna began her Performing Arts training at the age of three. The daughter of a rock singer and a professional dancer, she studied a full range of dance styles, including Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Tap. However, it was Traditional Irish Dance that became her passion at a young age, both as a performer and choreographer. Her long running career as a professional dancer has led her on tour from Ireland to Europe, Japan and the US; from The O2 Theatre in Dublin to Carnegie Hall, NYC and TV appearances on RTE (Ireland) NBC "Today Show", Fox NY and PBS. From it's debut in Austria in 2001, at Landeck Concert Hall and the Vienna Music Festival, to shows at Mohegan Sun and NYC’s Battery Park, "Emerald Fire" has been treating audiences to their unique ability to introduce jazz, ballet, tap and even hip hop into their dynamic, multi faceted, diverse and hugely entertaining Irish Dance performances. Padraig and Joanna’s collaborations began with The Whole Shebang. The groups were commissioned to perform together and audiences responded superbly. Given their backgrounds and their mutual desire to bring other ethnic influences to their shows, Padraig and Joanna felt they were a perfect production partnership. McLean Avenue Band and Emerald Fire compliment each other in every aspect and proudly represent their Irish heritage with shows that have been selling out theatres throughout the East Coast. “A thoroughly entertaining variety show."- The Irish Voice

Tickets for From Galway to Graceland are $29 Orch/Loge, $24 Mezz/Tier (Plus $5 fee per ticket), and may be purchased at (732) 367-7789 or http://www.strand.org/events/event-listing/ . Video at www.strand.org and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smFyOAXUMzE.

About the Strand Center for the Arts
The historic STRAND THEATER is operated by the non-profit 501(c)3 Strand Ventures, Inc. and is Ocean County's premier entertainment venue. THE STRAND opened its doors in 1922 and its landmarked interior shines as brightly today as it did then. Located in historic downtown Lakewood, New Jersey, THE STRAND is easily accessible, has free parking and offers a wide variety of live entertainment including concerts, dance, musicals, & theater, comic performances, and arts education to all of New Jersey and the surrounding region. www.strand.org