Ashley Macisaac ignites a Halloween hoedown at the Rose Theatre
Story: Lenny Stoute
It could get scary Friday night (Oct.28). That’s when da killah in da kilt Ashley Macisaac hits the stage at Brampton’s Rose Theatre.
If that weren’t scary enough, he’s at it next night (Oct.29) at Oakville’s Centre for the Performing Arts. So you’ve been warned, something Celtic your way comes.
The tour’s been on the road since summer, pushing latest album Crossover, the first genre-bender from Macisaac in a decade. The tunes on it finds the bowman from Cape Breton swinging ‘n’stinging like it’s still Hi How Are You Today?
Not surprising as it was intended as a follow-up to that 1995 multi-platinum seller.
Its 12 songs are a mix of original compositions and radical re-workings of traditional numbers, arranged for fiddle and full-on rock band.
Earlier this year Ashley talked about the album with Cashbox Canada
“ Hi How are you Today was about my musical experiences from 10 to 18, when I first started entertaining professionally. Crossover is my musical brainwaves from 18 to 36.
“ At 18 I was a star and lived like a star, with all the recklessness that implies. I lived in hotels. Now I have a house, a normal life, money and I still get to make the albums I want to make.
“ I’m still taking risks but they’re different risks. Whatever genre I crossover to, the result, the song, has to have the Celtic strain in there and it has to be dominant. That puts me closer to the great Scottish crossover acts like (Celtic rockers) Runrig.
“ Whether they be punk, or rock or folk influenced or arranged, the tunes that do best in terms of sales, which tells me they’re the ones people like, are those ones.”
One of Crossover’s best examples is the meld of traditional Celtic and balls out rock of “Poka Rokin”. Which Ashley endorses thusly: “This was my dad’s favourite step dance tune which I kicked up one powerful notch. He (dad) used to say if you want to play fiddle properly you must get mad at it”.
With screaming guitars and Ashley afire on the fiddle, it’s the essential MacIsaac experience and sure to be a set highlight. Just don’t go ‘boo’ to Ashley.
