Celtic heritage strikes chord

Edmonton Journal
Friday, January 30, 2004

By Roger Levesque
Freelance

Electronica and club music influences have been working their way into all
sorts of traditions and the Celtic angle isn't immune to such contemporary
sonic fusions. One of the latest Canadian acts to take their turn is the
Cape Breton-based quintet Slainte Mhath (that's slancha-va, Scot-Gaelic for
"good health to you").

If ticket sales are any reflection, some fans must remember them from last
summer's folk fest because the group's show tonight at The Arden is selling
very well. (The show starts at 7:30; tickets are $22.50 from the Arden box
office at 459-1542 or Ticketmaster at 451-8000.)

Check out Slainte Mhath's most recent CD Va and you'll hear their
convincing, largely instrumental attack on Celtic rhythms, featuring
percussion, fiddles, keyboards, bagpipes and flute. Much of the group's
live set remains based in the tradition but you'll also find some
intriguing electronic sampling, and a drummer who delves into a wider
palette of danceable grooves that can get pretty funky.

Central to the five-year-old band are brothers Boyd and Ryan MacNeil, part
of the next generation of the Barra MacNeil family. But since the average
age in the group is around 24, they have some distinctly fresh musical
influences. It's done well for them so far, getting the band tours to
Britain and Europe, into the United States, Mexico, Japan and Taiwan.

Boyd MacNeil reports that the group will be trying out their bag of brand
new material on this trip and their could be other changes in the future as
the group is considering adding more of a vocal aspect to their sound.
Either way, they're lively evidence that younger bands still have a taste
for Celtic.

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