Irish star Sean Keane will play in Bradford this month as part of a hat-trick of gigs by big names in Celtic music.

And although it is the first time the Galway-based vocalist has been to Yorkshire on a solo tour, he feels he will be on familiar ground because of the enthusiasm of British audiences.

"I used to live in London in the early Eighties and I used to tour around quite a bit so I have been up there," said Sean, who is promoting a new album called No Stranger.

"It's great to tour in England. It's so close just to pop over. It's just like home and the crowds are great.

"It's a mixture of Irish people living over there and British people who come along. I come from a traditional folk background and there's a real folk music base in England as well. In fact I used to play a lot in the folk clubs."

Sean will be at the Victoria Hall in Saltaire on October 26, the first of three major concerts being promoted at the venue this autumn by Mandy Farrar.

The Battlefield Band, currently promoting their new album Rain, Hail Or Shine, will also be there on November 16 while Aly Bain and Tom Gilfellon are booked for November 26.

For Sean's concert he will play flute and whistle as well as singing, and will be joined by a three-piece backing band.

Much of the material will be taken from No Stranger, which features contemporary songs by the likes of Bob Dylan and Sting as well as traditional songs such as May Morning Dew.

Described by Q magazine as possibly the finest male traditional singer of his generation, he is from one of the most renowned Irish musical families.

Sean revealed that he has recently been working with his famous sister Dolores Keane.

"We've just recorded a track for a compilation album that's due for release in the United States in October or November," he said,

"It's called Winter's Tale and it was great to do, but I don't know yet whether it's going to be released over here."

Sean has been involved in music all his life, collecting 13 All-Ireland medals for singing by the time he was in his teens, but it was only in 1994 that he committed himself professionally to the music business.

Once he has completed his latest tour of the UK, Sean will be looking forward to what has become an annual trek to that most unlikely of Irish music hotbeds - Austria.

"It started going there about four years ago and it's great," he said.

"It's a beautiful country, and going there at that time of the year it is like a picture postcard. The Austrians have a great respect and understanding for music generally and they just apply what they know to what they hear. Music has a big influence on their lives."

Tickets to see Sean, the Battlefield Band or Aly Bain are £10 and £9, and £5 for children. A discounted ticket priced £25 is available for all three concerts. To book, ring (01274) 530102.

Simon Ashberry

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