About this Event
This otherworldly live performance blends Irish American folk songs with dynamic storytelling. Melanie Beth Curran performs original and traditional repertoire collected and inspired by field recordings, her ancestors, and living Irish American sources. Her performances use banjo, voice, and guitar to bring listeners on a journey through the evolution of the Irish American sound. From Loricas to Tin Pan Alley hits, and Sea Shanties to modern ballads, these songs dig deep into the musical past to give listeners peace at present. Melodies span the centuries and brim over with sensory images, fiery soulfulness, and a restless, adventurous spirit. The performance will contain readings from Melanie Beth Curran's zine series on Irish America, and her signature ancestral healing relaxation technique, the Guided "You are a Potato" Meditation.
--
About the Artist
Melanie Beth Curran is a songwriter and songsaver who creates zines about Irish America. She is an equal part scholar, storyteller, and traditional artist. As an Irish American folk musician, she practices cultural reclamation. As a creative writer, she is devoted to the goddess of poetry, healing, and the forge, Brigid of Ireland.
Curran was raised on Bainbridge Island and currently lives in New York City. Her family ties are in County Donegal, Ireland. Curran’s performances blend music with storytelling to paint a picture of the Irish American Immigrant experience. She helps people connect with their past and feel more at home in the present.
She believes in intertwined solidarity between Irish America and the Land Band, Black Lives Matter, and Decolonization social movements. Curran is an advocate for all oral traditions, endangered languages, and regional cultures. She was awarded the City Artist Corps Grant in New York City, and a Fulbright Fellowship to France for her work with folk music and dance practitioners in Bretagne. Curran draws inspiration from field recordings and Irish American archival materials. She is at work on a third full-length album and a book about the Irish American stereotype, “Bridget.”
Looking to see every event in this festival? BIMA Members save with the Series Pass! - $110 for entry to all the events!
LINKS:
WEBSITE: https://melaniebethcurran.com/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/melaniecurran
BANDCAMP: https://melaniecurran.bandcamp.com/
INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/the_melaissance/
ZINE SHOP: https://melaniebethcurran.bigcartel.com/
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Frank Buxton Auditorium | Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, 550 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island, United States
USD 25.27 to USD 27.33
