NOTE: I wrote this press release for the Reid Center, an exquisite former church building turned locally run concert venue. If you live in the area, do yourself a favor and check out the show. Ticket info is linked below.
(RICHMOND, IND.) The Reid Center will present an evening of live music by Blackthorn’s Bards and Prairie Creek Sirens at 7:00 pm on Saturday, March 16. Tickets are $15 for the event.
Richmond’s own Celtic folk-rock band, Blackthorn’s Bards has provided area festivals with melodic, high-energy, Celtic folk-inspired entertainment since 2012. The band features a lineup of top local musicians: Toby Isaacs on acoustic guitar, Craig Wynne on mandolin, Aaron Nell on tin whistle and accordion, Kierstan Barbre on violin, and Jay Barbre and Jack Humphrey on percussion.
Listeners can expect a vigorous, entertaining “blend of traditional Irish tunes and folk rock songs that remind us of the unbroken lineage of Celtic music,” said Aaron Nell. “Toby Isaacs, our lead singer, has a deep knowledge of this tradition. Toby, along with Craig Wynne, also compose original tunes and we will be featuring a number of them in our set. There are also some surprises, such as an Iron Maiden tune we adapted our stylings to,” Nell added.
Hailing from Muncie, Indiana, Prairie Creek Sirens is a trio that blends three-part vocal harmonies with Maevyn Stone’s harp and accordion, Meredith Laine’s guitar, and India Potter’s banjo and melodica. The band describes their sound as “a bubbling cauldron of Celtic Folk, Appalachian Americana, and mystical covers of modern favorites.” Formed in March of 2023, their social media accounts include acoustic renditions of pop songs showcasing the Sirens’ lighthearted, creative approach alongside skillful musical performance. The band’s Facebook page promises audiences will hear “lush female harmonies swim amongst the silver strings of folk mystique.”
During the evening festivities, anyone who feels the rhythm is free to “get up and dance in the ample space between the stage and the first row of seats,” Nell added.
Beginning at 6:30pm, Cordial Cork will be on-site to serve signature cocktails and Irish brews, including Guinness, Harp, and Killian’s Irish Red.
Tickets are $15 online or at the door. Tickets are also available at Old National Road Welcome Center, the Richmond Senior Recreation Center, and tickets.reidcenter.org.
This event would not be possible without support from Earlham College & Earlham School of Religion. This event is made possible in part by the Community Foundation of Randolph County and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Reid Center was created to preserve the historic 1906 Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, hosts ongoing concerts and events to fulfill its mission of becoming a cultural venue of choice. The historic facility, with its Louis Comfort Tiffany windows and interior designs, a 1905 Hook and Hastings pipe organ, and a 1902 Starr Piano Company 9-foot concert grand piano, serves as a source of community pride. The Reid Center’s mission also includes a commitment to diversity, equity, access and inclusion, and operates as a 501c3 organization. For up to date information on the Reid Center and events, follow us on Facebook and visit us at www.ReidCenter.org.
Travis Poling 