Mairtin O'Connor Band March 4, 2010

Since 2001, Mairtin O’Connor, Cathal Hayden and Seamie O’Dowd have been building a formidable musical relationship under the guise of the Mairtin O’Connor Band. On Thursday March 4 the Mairtin O’Connor Band is bringing a touch of Irish magic to Riverside Theatres as part of Riverside’s Music Series.

The Mairtin O’Connor Band have successfully toured Ireland, Britain, Europe and Australia, where they played as part of the Masters of Tradition concert at the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall in January 2010. Individually, Mairtin O’Connor, Cathal Hayden and Seamie O’Dowd have built solid reputations as master musicians with astounding skill, diversity and virtuosity. Together they produce a vibrant and musically charged experience that redefines one’s concept of brilliance.

Mairtin O’Connor was one of the main musical forces behind the now legendary Riverdance phenomenon. His infectious and irresistible style and compositional talent, has formed the basis of a remarkable career that has seen him as a revered solo accordionist and as a member of De Dannan, Midnight Well and Skylark. His solo albums and collaborations with artists such as the Chieftains, Elvis Costello, The Waterboys, Mark Knopfler, display his astounding skill, dexterity and versatility to the full.

Cathal Hayden’s playing is characterised by the lightness of touch and delicate little harmonies. Hayden is one of Ireland’s top fiddlers and his solo banjo performances are show stopping. He has gained worldwide recognition as one of the founding members of Irish Traditional band Four Men and A Dog and his solo recordings have become standard bearers for the recording of Irish traditional music. Hayden has been a guest of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington. He has also contributed scores for the film Hear My Song and the Marie Jones drama The Blind Fiddler. Northern Irish broadcaster Tony McAuley concludes that Hayden’s solo CD Handed Down “is one of the finest collections of traditional fiddle music I’ve ever heard”.
Seamie O’Dowd began playing the fiddle at the age of eight and by the age of eighteen was a multi-instrumentalist, having mastered the guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, bodhran and fiddle and gaining a reputation as a singer. He has toured the world with Irish Traditional band Dervish and has collaborated with renowned musicians, Matt Molloy, Liam O’Flynn, Steve Wickham and Thom Moore. His musical abilities have become increasingly familiar at international level. He has played many genres of acoustic and electric music. Headful of Echoes, his first solo album has received critical acclaim in Ireland, UK, Europe and USA.

Mairtin O’Connor Band
VENUE: Riverside Theatres, Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta
DATE & TIME: Thursday 4 March at 7:30pm BOOKINGS: Riverside Box Office 02 8839 3399 or website

Official Website: http://riversideparramatta.com.au