By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff
The musical trio Everdream — formerly Affiniti — will fly in from Ireland to bring A Celtic Christmas to the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave., in Sandpoint) on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. The whimsical concert blends traditional Irish music with Christmas classics, movie scores and pop songs, all reimagined with a Celtic twist.
“We’ve got some music by the well-known Irish band The Cranberries as well as a Katy Perry song that we have made sound like it should be in a Disney movie,” said soprano Emer Barry.
Barry will perform alongside violinist Mary McCague and harpist Teresa O’Donnell, who have extensive musical backgrounds. The trio is a favorite among Pacific Northwest and Inland Northwest concertgoers, and they’ve all also traveled around the world performing with — and sometimes arranging for and directing — esteemed stars and orchestras.
Courtesy photo.
“We try to create as many moods as possible — from uplifting jigs and reels to beautiful ballads, magical Christmas feels and even some audience participation,” said Barry. “We hope people feel uplifted after our shows. It’s a journey of emotion, really.”
With experience in so many facets of the music industry, Barry said meeting and performing for new audiences is still the group’s favorite part of that journey.
“There’s always a different kind of energy from each audience, so every show is like opening a surprise Christmas stocking for us. It’s the joy and fun and atmosphere of a live setting that we love the most,” she said.
A Celtic Christmas is a family-friendly show that captures the unique spirit of the holidays and the ethereal, ancient feeling of Celtic music. Kids are especially encouraged to get up and dance to the trio’s fast-paced songs.
“I think the joy and magic of Christmas echo the Celtic sound so well. It’s hard to think of Enya, for example, and not feel there’s something magical and angelic,” said Barry.
Even if you haven’t streamed a Celtic Spotify playlist recently, attendees will recognize the music’s traditional sounds from popular movies like Lord of the Rings, which use “Celtic-inspired melodies to evoke themes of magic and enchantment,” according to Barry.
“With platforms like YouTube and Instagram, there’s definitely been an increase in artists being influenced by these sounds and incorporating them in their own music or covers. It’s really lovely to see,” Barry added.
See why the genre continues to grow in popularity around the world and catch Everdream before they depart for the rest of the group’s U.S. tour. Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for kids 12 and under, and available at the box office or panida.org.
Visit everdreamireland.com for more information and stream their album A Celtic Christmas on Spotify.
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