Now I’m jazzed! 
I couldn’t sleep so I decided to check out concerts in the region and got 10th row center stage seats at the CTL concert this March at The Barns at Wolf Trap Park Farm in Virginia. I’ve never been to a professional concert where the total seating was under 400 people. Wow!! This is gonna be like a private viewing! 
I hope they do an after show meet and greet. 
Hi
We went to see Tim O’Brian last year while he was over here in the UK
121 of us in a small theatre. FANTASTIC 
and he came to the bar at the interval 
Small venues are the best IMO
Enjoy your concert
Hi,
Just saw this post and I agree that small venues are the very best way to experience Irish music. After all, it all began in the kitchen or the parlor, didn’t it?
Just a note to say that we in the heartland are also blessed in that Joanie and the Ladies will be in St. Louis in March at the Sheldon Auditorium. If you have never been in the Sheldon, you have not experienced one of the best halls in the country. It is small and intimate and every seat seems like it is front row and the acoustics are wonderful too. It is old and solid and my favorite place to hear a concert. The St. Louis Tionol, which is in April also has it’s concerts there. That too, is a great time. I am planning to be there to see the Ladies for sure, so if you are in driving distance, do not miss it!!
All the best
Mike
I will try to make the KC show on March 8.
Joanie, if I get tickets, I’ll be sure to give you some “advance warning”. 
I’ve never been to a professional concert where the total seating was under 400 people.
That’s funny. I haven’t been to show in a really large venue (over 1,000) in a decades. We’re lucky to have some of the finest small venues in our area.
The Ark in Ann Arbor seats about 400 and is a jewel. For over 35 years now, they have put on shows that are intimate and yet what a great sound system.
I just saw Tim O’Brien over at the Kent Stage in Kent, OH is another great little venue. Further to the southeast is Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville, OH. We’ve seen Tim there as well as Liz Carroll and John Doyle, Balfa Toujours and The Karan Casey Band.
BTW,
he came to the bar at the interval
Yeah, that’s Tim alright. (He has a new recording coming out in March or April…ish…)
But perhaps the COOLEST venue in our area is the old Victoria Opera House in Dayton, OH. They have a great three show Celtic series every year. Last year we saw Lúnasa there and came home with a Cheiftain/Lúnasa low D for Anita.)
Karan Casey tore the place up with her new band. It was GREAT.
This year, they had Solás in November, with Natalie McMaster this month and Dervish(!) after that. More info>>>
Melanie Seaman and Fate Christian put on WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC shows in tiny (but very cool) little venues around Masnfield,OH. Got to see Jim Malcolm there. This year, they are bringing in Old Blind Dogs and also Grada. They’re like house concerts… but better.
But maybe the COOLEST venue on Earth is the Old Town School in Chicago. Love that place.
I hope to see CTL when they perform in Irvine, CA in March.
Awesome fotos, Anita’s Dad! 
Anita (I assume that’s her) looks like she’s actually a member of the band in that first shot, and I love the second shot (as if there’s any pic containing KC that I don’t like). 
Lovely ladies, both of 'em.
Brassblower,
Thank you so much for the kind words.
Anita calls Karan as her “fairy godmother.”
Anita has been going to concerts with me since she was in first grade. What’s scary is how comfortable she has always been around world class performers. She understands them and they always take a shine to her.
Anita looks like she’s actually a member of the band
Isn’t that the truth?
You can see more at http://home.woh.rr.com/brittfamily/concerts.html
I would love to see Natalie McMaster. I saw an older show bill that featured CTL and Natalie McMaster together at the same time! All I could ask myself was whether or not I had enough energy to survive a show like that!