Award-Winning Celtic Musicians to Take the Stage

Award-Winning Celtic Musicians to Take the Stage in Wellington Before Usa/Canada CD Release Tour

Friday, August 23rd – The Third Eye

30 Arthur St., Wellington

Showtime 8.00pm | Tickets $15 Club Members / $20 General

Tickets: www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/gillian-boucher-bob-mcneill-in-concert/wellington and door sales (limited)

Wellington, NZ – Featuring new material from their highly anticipated forthcoming album, fiddler Gillian Boucher (Canada) and singer/guitarist Bob McNeill (Scotland) will be delighting audiences in both Kapiti and Wellington this month before heading to Canada and the USA to perform at some of the largest Celtic festivals in the world. Giving audiences a ‘taste’ of what’s to come is their way of showing appreciation to both communities, where Gillian and Bob, respectively, call home.

Two acclaimed musicians combined with subtle grace and sharp wit – Gillian Boucher & Bob McNeill are a touch of magic and a musical force to be reckoned with. Based in New Zealand, both Gillian, an exceptional fiddler & dancer from Eastern Canada’s Scottish-infused Cape Breton Island, and Bob, an inspiring guitarist, singer & songwriter from Scotland, share a deeply seeded passion for their musical heritage and culture. Since making the Kapiti Coast home in 2016, they have blown audiences away as headlining performers at the Wellington Folk Festival, Auckland Folk Festival, Dunedin Folk Festival and the National Celtic Festival in Australia.

With a collection of accolades for their independent work both in Canada and New Zealand, their debut duo album, ‘Race for the Sun’, is due for release this October with an official CD release tour of NZ set for early 2020. Showcasing their individual approach to Celtic music, blending contemporary and traditional songs with percussive guitar and slicing fiddle, it takes listeners on a journey from the rocky shores of Scotland, through the rolling hills of Nova Scotia to the crashing waves of New Zealand beaches.

Gillian Boucher, one of East Coast Canada’s most well-known fiddlers, was born and raised on the picturesque Island of Cape Bretron, a region steeped in Scottish tradition, and has been touring the world since the age of 15 delighting audiences with her innovative and expressive take on traditional music. Originally from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and from a family steeped in musical tradition, Gillian has toured Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Turkey, USA, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, New Zealand and Australia.

“In the hands of Gillian Boucher, the violin becomes a vehicle of transportation for the mind… Her lyrical approach and sensitivity transcends genres and cultures, transporting listeners to far off exotic places accessible only in imagination.” – GLENN MEISNER, CBC RADIO CANADA

Bob McNeill, originally from Scotland, moved to New Zealand in 1999 and quickly established himself as one of New Zealand’s best known Folk artists for his solo work and with Celtic duo Ben the Hoose. His songs have been covered by artists in New Zealand, Scotland, Australia and the USA. McNeill’s musical and songwriting style is a hybrid of the Celtic music of his native Scotland and the American New Folk and Americana styles. The Dominion Post compared him to Jackson Brown, James Taylor, Luka Bloom and Dougie Ma¬cLean; New Zealand Musician compared his songwriting to Bruce Springsteen and Mark Knopfler.

“Endearing, and at times haunting songs… yearning and enchanting… a thoroughly captivating album. Bob McNeill is a gifted singer songwriter.”- NEW ZEALAND MUSICIAN MAGAZINE

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