Screaming Orphans
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 17
Where: Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Drive, Fairfield
Tickets: $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. Seating is reserved, and tickets can be purchased online at www.fairfield-city.org/events, by calling (513) 867-5348 or by visiting the arts center.
When the four Diver sisters were deciding on a name for their band, they wanted something that stood out from traditional Irish bands — the dime-a-dozen Téadas, Beogas and Gradas.
They settled on the Screaming Orphans.
“It doesn’t really fit in, and we don’t really fit in the Irish music scene,” said guitarist Gráinne Diver. “We think it gives us a bit of an edge.”
The Screaming Orphans will be bringing their Irish music with a twist to the Fairfield Community Arts Center for a St. Patrick’s Day concert Saturday, March 17, as part of the One Stage series.
“We try to bring world music and dance to Fairfield,” said Heidi Schiller, the art center’s manager. “So four sisters from Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day was too good to pass up.”
The music is a mix between traditional Irish music, modern pop and a little rock, Diver said, with influences ranging from the Beatles and the Indigo Girls to Simon & Garfunkel.
“We say it’s when honey and gravel collide, because we can be really sweet, but we can be really raw,” Diver said.
The four sisters grew up playing traditional music in Bundoran, Ireland, and decided to form their own band as teenagers. They came to the United States as the opening act for Sinead O’Connor, and since then, the sisters have been touring across the country.
“We started writing our own music, and the Irish stuff was put on the back burner,” Diver said. “But since we came to America, we’ve really been incorporating our Irish music into our music.”
The St. Patrick’s Day show promises a modern take on a traditional sound, Schiller said.
“It’s a different take than most people think of in an Irish band on St. Patrick’s Day,” she said. “I think if you’re looking for something truly unique that still has the Irish flavor, this will be a great concert for you.”
For Diver, the show takes the sisters back to their roots, which is something everyone can identify with.
“It’s strange when you’re away from home, you get much more fond of your heritage,” Diver said. “It’s where you’ve grown up. It’s part of what you are, your Irish music.”
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