The Shadow
CELTIC MARTINS — The Celtic Martins, a family of eight talented musicians from southeastern Pennsylvania, will perform at the Clifton Forge Masonic Amphitheatre Sunday. Their performance of traditional Celtic music as well as Irish step dancing begins at 4 p.m.
CELTIC MARTINS — The Celtic Martins, a family of eight talented musicians from southeastern Pennsylvania, will perform at the Clifton Forge Masonic Amphitheatre Sunday. Their performance of traditional Celtic music as well as Irish step dancing begins at 4 p.m.
•
•
CLIFTON FORGE — The family that “plays” together, “stays” together.
The Celtic Martins, a family of eight talented musicians will be performing on the award-winning Masonic Amphitheatre stage on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 4:00 p.m.
The Celtic Martins, a family band from southeastern Pennsylvania, is an exciting, energetic group that features traditional Celtic music as well as Irish step dancing.
A performance by the Celtic Martins will feature the musical ability of the six Martin children, ranging in age from 22 to seven, accompanied by their parents on guitar and bass, and drummer, Elijah Roeder.
Although the fiddle is the dominant instrument in a performance by the family, shows also include several other instruments such as the Irish whistles, mandolin, bagpipes, and percussion. Their shows also feature some Irish step dancing by the Martin sisters, which is always a crowd favorite.
Previously known as the Martin Family Band, the family has been performing music since 2004 and has quickly become a musical sensation, performing throughout the region at various fairs, festivals, and other venues such as Bethlehem Musikfest, McLain Celtic Festival, Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival, Smoky Mountain Highland Games, Kutztown Folk Festival, Southern Maryland Celtic Festival, and at theaters such as the Miller Center in Reading, Pa., and the Kirkland Arts Center in Clinton, N.Y.
All six children are homeschooled, which gives the Martins plenty of time to practice together. In 2004, they did their first show at a local retirement home.
Later that year, they were accepted by the Acoustic Roadshow, which opened the door to more public performances.
Today the Martin Family Band plays up to 70 shows a year, all across the east coast. While touring last summer, they visited the Smoky Mountains and Niagara Falls.
“We know which tunes work really well with the audience,” father Martin Nelson says. “Of course once you do them 100 times, the kids start saying, ‘Do we have to play this again?’ But it’s in our set. We can’t reinvent our show. It takes time to learn new songs.”
The Celtic Martins are: Nelson Martin, guitar; Elaine Martin, bass guitar; Emily (Martin) Roeder, fiddle, bagpipes, Irish dance; Melissa Martin, fiddle, mandolin, Irish whistles, Irish dance; Brian Martin, guitar, percussion; Christy Martin, fiddle, bagpipes, Irish dance; Zach Martin, fiddle; Alex Martin, fiddle; Elijah Roeder, drums.
Tickets for the Celtic Martins are $7 adult; $5 seniors or military, $3 students, $20 family, children six and under free.
Tickets are available at Heirlooms, Club Car, the Tea Room, The Vintage and the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism office.
Tickets are also available at the entrance gate which will open at 3 p.m. the day of the performance. Concessions will be available.
For more information please visit www.historic-masonictheatre.com or visit the Historic Masonic’s Facebook page.
