CAIRNS CELTIC CRAIC @ THE CASINO

Venue: The Reef Hotel Casino

Artist: DAMIEN LEITH / CLAYMORE / THE CANE FIRES / SHEHADE / CITY OF CAIRNS IRISH & HIGHLAND DANCERS

2:30pm Friday 17th March 2023

CAIRNS CELTIC CRAIC AT THE CASINO
THE REEF HOTEL CASINO GETS ITS CRAIC ON
WITH A MASSIVE CELTIC WEEKEND, MARCH 17,18,19 2023.

Starting from St Patrick’s Day with an enviable line-up featuring multi-talented Irish/Aussie singer song writer, Damien Leith, plus Melbourne Celtic rockers Claymore, special guests City of Cairns Irish & Highland Dancers, Indie Irish duo, The Cane Fires & local Irish hero Mick O’mara with his acoustic 4-piece Shehade is to be sure a ‘Craicing’ weekend!

The Reef Hotel Casino are getting their craic on not only celebrating St Patrick’s Day but featuring other Celtic genres over the weekend.

Returning by popular demand, Damien Leith, a multi-talented artist that has made his mark in Australia as a singer/ songwriter selling over 700,000 albums. He is also a producer, author, playwright and tv/radio host personality. Damien first captured the attention and affection of Australians, when he contested the 2006 edition of Australian Idol – a series he went on to win. Since then, his career has skyrocketed, but he has remained charming, grounded and modest – securing him a place as a popular and well-loved Australian personality. Damien will present traditional tunes, contemporary Celtic, his originals…maybe even a little Roy Orbison.

Melbourne Celtic rockers Claymore will take to the stage for 3 nights for a rockin’ loud evening of entertainment. Internationally considered one of the world’s premier Celtic rock bands, an evening in the company of Claymore always demands audiences to be on their feet from the onset. Forget everything you’ve ever thought you knew about Celtic rock bands, because Claymore, defies all expectations. This enigmatic band of multi-instrumentalists not only manages to combine traditional elements of Celtic music, but they take that passion and soul and rock it right into the 21st century. Few bands can pull off the sensitive task of re-educating the traditional realm into the modern day, but that’s something of a specialty for Claymore. Not only that, but they manage to write beautiful original Celtic compositions, and even lend their style to some power rock classics, all with an Irish and Scottish twist.

Adding to the weekend's line up is, new to the scene, Trad duo The Cane Fires featuring Tully Connors & Rob Howe with their cool modern twist of the Celtic genre. Everything sounds Celtic when you add a Tenor Banjo. Cool classics and originals.

The perennial Shehade acoustic 4 piece, delivering more traditional tunes and cool classics in the Casino and BAR36, throughout the weekend. Featuring Mick O’mara and Peter Ella, Shehade are to be sure to get the toes tappin and the hands clappin.

The highlight for the weekend will be special guests, the City of Cairns Irish & Highland Dancers, presenting their high impact energized dance shows, both Irish & Highland. Dancers from the "City of Cairns" Highland and Irish Dancers have joined the internationally acclaimed OzScot Australia Highland Dancing Team and have performed at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo - Scotland , The Oman Tattoo - Oman, the Virginia International Tattoo - USA , the Basel International Tattoo - Switzerland, the 2010 Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Sydney, Rotterdam International Tattoo in Rotterdam, Holland, Nova Scotia Tattoo in Canada and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Melbourne Australia in February 2015.

Cairns Celtic Craic & Paddy’s celebrations schedule across 3 massive nights on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th March with live music commencing from 2:30pm in the Casino and into the evening in BAR36.
A true Celtic Sunday sesh from 4pm at BAR36 in The Reef Hotel Casino. *** Live at the Casino shows in BAR36 are non-ticketed shows.
For the full schedule, please visit www.reefcasino.com.au