Less than three weeks to Pipeversity: pipes, dance and more for the TF Royal
Rehearsals are well under way for Pipeversity, Clew Bay Pipe Band's night of massed pipes, rock, song and Irish dance at the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar, on Friday, November 20.
The pipes and drums are the backbone of the show. Around them, the band has built a full production, with singers, contemporary music and Irish dance sharing the stage, and performers from several generations working side by side.
Mundy returns as special guest. The Offaly singer-songwriter, known for July, Mexico, and To You I Bestow, and for the number one recording of Galway Girl with Sharon Shannon, has a long history with Pipeversity. He performed with the band in Westport in 2013 and again in 2016, and the TF Royal gives that partnership its biggest stage yet.
Anú are a young vocal group born from a songwriting collaboration with the Clew Bay Pipe Band. They bring fresh energy and a real love of making music together and will perform in all the songs throughout the show.
The Cresham Irish Dancers continue to bring the exhilarating pace, vibrant colour and infectious energy of Irish dance to Pipeversity, having performed with the show since its debut at Westport Town Hall Theatre in 2016.
This year the show also reaches across borders. Young members of Clew Bay Pipe Band have been working with Polish counterparts, sharing music, ideas and influences. That exchange brings Szymon Karlowicz of The Voice Kids of Poland, who has performed in musicals on Warsaw stages, to Castlebar. It also reflects the band's own make-up: Polish musicians who have made their home in Mayo have long been part of it, among them Bart de Boer, musical director and producer of Pipeversity, who came to Westport via Warsaw.
Participation is at the heart of the night. Children and young people perform alongside experienced musicians, and for many of them the TF Royal will be the biggest stage they have played.
"Every week of rehearsal the show gets bigger and louder, and the young players are rising to it," said Peter Carney, Pipe Sergeant and one of the band's founders. "We have Mundy back with us, Anú and the Cresham dancers, and young musicians from Ireland and Poland making music together. We can't wait to perform at the TF Royal and ticket sales are going well. So don't miss out, get your tickets booked today and bring the family, come early and enjoy the night."
Seating is unreserved, so earlier arrivals get the pick of the seats. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 .pm. The TF Royal's Green Room Bar and Restaurant is open for dining before the show.
Tickets from €33.65 plus booking fees are on sale from the TF Royal Theatre here, and Ticketmaster.