I just got the summer concert schedule for one of my favorite artists, Celtic pop/rock band Ceili Rain, and I want to give you a head’s up, because if you get a chance to see them you won’t be disappointed.
The band explains their name like this: “Ceili” (say kay-lee) is a Gaelic word meaning a party with musicians and dancers and singers and general merriment, and “Coeli” is a Latin word for heaven. Rain is the stuff that falls from the sky. Hence, Ceili Rain is “a downpour of heavenly partiness.”
And that’s exactly what they are. Frontman Bob Halligan Jr. is like a musical Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder version, not the Johnny Depp version) – magical and enchanting and mesmerizing. You can’t help but join the party.
Even better, the band is active in social justice issues, working with Mercy Corps. and The One Campaign.
LIttle bit of trivia: Bob Halligan Jr. is a songwriter who penned two of Judas Priest’s biggest hits, “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll” and “Take These Chains.” He’s had over 140 songs recorded by well-known rock artists, including Cher, Michael Bolton,KISS, Kathy Mattea, Bob Carlisle, Rebecca St. James, Jump 5, Maire Brennan and countless others. He’s published over 870 songs and his songs have sold more than 30 million units.
Check out the band’s website and see if they’re playing near you.