usually I don't do my promo post for Come by the Hills until later in the week, but I'm too excited to wait this time!
I love it when things come together in such a way that a show sort of arrives fully formed almost before I've even begun planning it. This is what happened just recently.
First, some of you will remember my experiments in live broadcasting a few months back. I found that I enjoyed doing the show this way rather than pre-recording it, but I was feeling guilty about the times that I could not be live due to--you know--having a life. However, I have been feeling the itch to do things in real time once again, and we've just recently had an update to our software which has made me play around with it again and remember the joys of what it was like pushing all the buttons and getting the show to do exactly what I wanted as it was happening. it can be quite thrilling, even when things go badly.
Next, a new album by my absolute favourite folk musician, Loreena McKennitt, dropped at the beginning of November, and though I managed to wait a week before getting it, I did finally break down and do the iTunes thing. The album is taken from a live concert--at the Royal Albert Hall no less--and I knew I wanted to play it on the show. The fact that it's live dovetails nicely with my own desires to go live, and so, a show idea was born!
But wait! There's more! Due to the annoyances of my email spam folder, I missed a very important fan update from Loreena which came out last Wednesday. it stated that she was going to be putting the music business on hold to focus on various other concerns that she has been involved with for some time. She did not say definitely that she was retiring from making albums and touring, but she is certainly leaving it behind for an indefinite period of time. I'm very glad that she did this with her usual class, not calling her last tour a farewell tour or anything, just finishing it and moving on. However, it does mean that for me and for many others, this is virtually the end of an era.
As I've stated before, Loreena McKennitt's music was my way into the Folk and Celtic world. It was in November that I heard her music for the first time when I was sixteen, and I have not looked back since. So, though we usually do a Loreena special in the neighbourhood of her birthday in February, I've decided to relaunch the live version of Come by the Hills this coming Sunday by featuring her latest live album and sharing my memories of what it has been like to journey through life with her--musically speaking at least--by my side. Not only did she help me to appreciate the music of many cultures, but she blazed a trail that I have followed in terms of my own musical efforts as well.
So, join me on Sunday at 8:00 PM Eastern for the relaunch of Come by the Hills as a live show where we'll celebrate and reflect upon the artist who started it all for me, Loreena McKennitt! Also, don't forget the replay of the encore presentation from Remembrance Day 2018! You can catch it this coming Friday at 4:00 AM Eastern, 9:00 AM in the UK and Ireland!