The Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall proudly presents one of traditional Celtic music's brightest stars SOLAS on Friday, March 14 at 8:00pm. This concert at the Performing Arts Center is part of the 2002-2003 Great Performers Series, presented by M&T Bank.

Ticket prices range from $25-$15. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. or by calling 716-878-3005. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm.

It's rare when an Irish band formed in America can stack up against the best that Ireland itself has to offer. Critics agree that Solas is just such a band. They have "startling instrumental and vocal firepower," said the Los Angeles Times. The Boston Herald went a step further, insisting they're "the best Irish traditional band in the world."

Solas has made a major impact in both America and abroad as an Irish music supergroup whose albums and live shows are among the finest and most exciting musical experiences in the world. Multi-instrumentalist wizard Seamus Egan leads the group; he was born in the Philadelphia area but grew up both there and in Ireland. He is the only American ever to win All-Ireland championships on four different instruments (flute, banjo, tin whistle, and mandolin). He has also since composed some notable film soundtracks, including The Brothers McMullen, which yielded the Sarah McLachlan hit "I Will Remember You."

The remaining members of Solas represent musical talent unrivaled in either America or Ireland today. Native New Yorker Winifred Horan (fiddle, backing vocals) is a graduate of the New England Conservatory as well as former core member of Cherish The Ladies and The Sharon Shannon Band. Mick McAuley (accordions, whistle, vocals) is a virtuoso instrumentalist who joined the band in 1997 after touring and recording with Niamh Parsons and Ron Kavana. Lead vocalist Deirdre Scanlan, a native of Nenagh, County Tipperary, and all-Ireland champion, made her mark in Ireland with her solo album Speak Softly, which received widespread praise. Donal Clancy, the highly talented son of Liam Clancy of The Clancy Brothers, came to Solas after a two-year stint in the Eileen Ivers Band.

Solas, already acclaimed by many as the most exciting Irish traditional group in the world, has broken new ground with their fifth album, The Edge Of Silence, released on Shanachie Records in 2002. They interpret a wide range of material in surprising ways; songs by contemporary artists are given a Celtic tinge, making explicit their connections with the deep, ultimately Celtic roots of American music. Solas weaves together a fascinating body of material including songs by Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Nick Drake and Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods. Also part of the mix are traditionally-rooted original compositions. The Edge Of Silence is produced by Grammy-winning producer Neil Dorfsman, known for his work with Sting, Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits, Bruce Hornsby and Paul McCartney.

Solas, the world's most exciting and respected traditional band, has in seven short years built a worldwide following via constant touring and wide critical acclaim.

"Simply one of the best Celtic bands around." - PEOPLE MAGAZINE

The 2002-2003 Great Performers Series is sponsored by M&T Bank, The Buffalo News and WBFO.