Newfoundland’s popular all-sister group Ashelin in concert this week

New England Celtic Arts will present Ashelin, Newfoundland’s highly acclaimed Celtic-Pop band. Performances begin with a sunset Celtic music cruise on the Harbor Princess in Boothbay Harbor, Me on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 6 to 9 pm. A concert series will start at the North New Portland Community Church on Sunday, Aug. 14; at Lakeside Theater in Rangeley, Maine on Tuesday, Aug. 16; at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center in South Carthage on Wednesday, Aug. 17 and at Unity College Center for the Performing Arts in Unity on Thursday, Aug. 18. Curtain is at 7 p.m. at NNPCC, Lakeside and Skye; 7:30 p.m. in Unity. There is a pre-show jam session 45 minutes prior to curtain at Skye and Unity. Audience members are encouraged to bring their instruments and jam with the artists for a few minutes.

Ashelin is a band of five sisters – Cassy, Joesie, Kaliyan, Shaelin, and Thea Plamer– from Newfoundland Canada. The sisters began singing and dancing to Newfoundland and Irish music as far back as they can remember while learning to play a stunning variety of instruments. Although they never expected this childhood passion for all things musical to be anything but family focused, they were soon embarking on a musical journey that is winning them attention and fans around the world.

Known for their sparkling vocals and intricate harmonies, Ashelin’s brand of folk roots and pop shines through their original songwriting and novel interpretations of traditional tunes. Since their first public performance in 1997, they have entertained thousands at such high profile events as the World Podium Influential Leaders series with guest speaker Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and a visit to Qatar for an audience with Queen Sheikah Mozah. Ashelin have showcased for Contact East, the JUNOs, and the ECMAs, and received numerous standing ovations at folk festivals across the Maritimes including the Stan Rogers Folk Festival.

Ashelin was chosen to showcase Newfoundland culture through the eyes of an artist in a recent documentary film of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The film, by Compass Films of Germany, centers around the expedition of world famous explorer Arved Fuchs’ North Atlantic Tour 2010, on the path of the Vikings. It will be broadcast in Germany and France to an audience of over 12 million people.

The band’s original song “Song for Mariana” was a winner from over 600 contenders for David Suzuki’s “Playlist for the Planet,” a soon-to-be-released CD which brings them together with some of Canada’s finest songwriters and performers. Other winners for this prestigious release include Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Cockburn, Broken Social Scene, k-os, Randy Bachman (with Sarah McLachlan and Nikki Yanofsky), Joel Plaskett, Great Big Sea, Johnny Reid, and RUSH. Ashelin’s 2010 release “The Road Not Taken” was produced by Grammy Award winning producer/engineer George Massenburg and ECMA award winning producer/engineer Al Strickland, and features performances by the crème de la crème of East Coast talent including bassist Jamie Gatti, multi-instrumentalist J.P. Cormier, and blues man John Campbell John among others.

The Harbor Princess Cruise is at Pier 6 or 22 Commercial Street Boothbay Harbor.** The North New Portland Community Church is at 14 Handcock Pond Rd. No. New Portland. Lakeside Theater is on Main Street in Rangeley. Skye Theater is located 3 miles West of East Dixfield village at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Rd and US RT. 2 in South Carthage. UCCPA is at 42 Depot Street in Unity. Ticket price is $15.00 at the door*. For reservations at the theater you wish to attend call: Lakeside Theater at 864-5000; Skye Theatre at (207) 562-4445 ; Unity Center for the Performing Arts at (207) 948-7469; *Lakeside Theater is $15.00 in advance and $20.00 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased for Lakeside at the theater. **The Harbor Princess sunset cruise reservation number is 207-633-3500. Ticket price is $20. *Call 562-4445 for ticket pricing at North New Portland Community Church. More information is available at: www.necelticarts.com.