If you want to take a trip back through Celtic time, Cassie and Maggie are the duo for you. These two very talented MacDonald sisters hail from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada and made their New York City debut at Silvana on 116th Street in Harlem this past Friday, November 18th. Some of the greatest moments in music history have been found in venues in New York City. This award winning Celtic sister duo and this evening were no exception to that rule.
The sound that emanates from these two. . .is a true testament to their talent.
Clearly honed in their craft, Cassie and Maggie rocked Silvana with some intense non-stop, 1000-strokes-a-minute violin work (some might call it a fiddle) and some serious Celtic foot work. Were I to move my feet at the pace Cassie MacDonald did, I’d probably fall on my face. Maggie MacDonald goes to town on keyboard and is consistently fierce on guitar. The sound that emanates from these two is so enormous it could take up any room, and is a true testament to their talent.
One truly feels like they are going into battle with some great Celtic army as Cassie and Maggie lead you though their music. Though this lovely talented duo stands alone with what they do on stage, one can see a little of the The Coors’ sound mixed with a little of the The Dropkick Murphys’ excitement and a touch of Dixie Chicks personality. These ladies give you that and more. Watching Cassie and Maggie, you get this warm feeling that you are being told great stories by close family nestled by a cozy fire. When I say it’s like traveling back in time, it is exactly that. The intensity of the lyrics is so high you feel like it’s all unfolding right in front of you. One truly falls headfirst into the stories these two are telling.
Their current album “The Willow Collection” is based on the Celtic story of the Willow Tree. Though “The Willow Tree” has a never-ending bevy of themes, such as “unrequited love, bereavement, and death,” also held within is the symbolism of “hope, resilience, and rebirth,” as the liner notes read – themes that everybody can relate to. One almost feels as if they are being taught a great lesson in life, love, family, friends, and the Celtic way as the girls weave their stories through song and dance. So many things stand out with “The Willow Collection” – the artwork, in particular, is truly exceptional. The drawings really make you want to jump into the stories that are held within this great Celtic album slash history lesson – stories of love, family, lose, strength, and Celtic pride.
Our selections for the evening included a “Traditional Medley” with step dancing/Gaelic singing, “Hurricane Jane” (a instrumental medley), “Buain A’Choirce” (a traditional Gaelic song), a “Trad Caoe Breton Medley”, “Let No Man Steal Your Thyme” (a traditional English folk song), “Och Ha Ro Ille” (a sing-along Gaelic song with step dancing), and a “Hangman and Gasoline Alley Medley.”
One can see these two are true talents as they tore the house down at Silvana this lovely mid-November eve. The audience would have easily taken on another a few sets. Cassie and Maggie MacDonald are coming up on the tail-end of their Western European and North American tour, and after a short break they will be going right back on tour. Please, before you do anything, check out Cassie and Maggie.
Running Time: 60 Minutes.
Cassie and Maggie performed on Thursday, November 18, 2016 at 8 pm at Silvana in New York City. For more information on their new album “The Willow Collection” and upcoming events, click here. For more information on upcoming events at Silvana, click here.