Spectacle Live has announced two upcoming performances at The JPT Film & Event Center in Newport, featuring acclaimed singer-songwriter Lori McKenna and Irish traditional music band Lunasa.
Tickets for both shows go on sale Friday, July 18 at 10 am.
Lori McKenna Takes the Stage September 11
Grammy-winning songwriter and performer Lori McKenna will perform on Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 pm. The Boston-based artist has established herself as one of Nashville’s most sought-after songwriters while maintaining a successful solo career.
McKenna’s latest album, “1988,” follows a string of critically acclaimed releases including “The Bird & The Rifle” (2016), “The Tree” (2018), and “The Balladeer” (2020). The Associated Press has praised McKenna as “one of the best songwriters working in any genre,” while The Tennessean called her “one of the sharpest pens in modern country and folk songwriting.”
Her songwriting achievements include a 2023 Grammy nomination for Best Country Song for co-writing “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” performed by Taylor Swift. McKenna made history in 2017 as the first woman to win both the Academy of Country Music’s Songwriter of the Year award and the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award in consecutive years.
She has won three Grammy Awards for Best Country Song: “Girl Crush” performed by Little Big Town (2016), “Humble and Kind” performed by Tim McGraw (2017), and “Crowded Table” performed by the Highwomen (2021). McKenna also co-wrote “Always Remember Us This Way” from the Oscar-winning film “A Star Is Born” (2018).
Lunasa Brings Irish Music to Newport in December
Irish traditional music band Lunasa will perform on Thursday, December 4 at 7:30 pm. The group has been praised for reshaping the boundaries of traditional music with their complex arrangements and unique sound.
The Irish Echo has described Lunasa as “the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet,” while MOJO magazine named them “the new gods of Irish music,” noting that “nobody since the Bothies has wielded such a thrilling rhythmic underlay.” Billboard praised the band as “contagious” for listeners.
Lunasa’s current lineup features Trevor Hutchinson, former bassist with The Waterboys; uilleann piper Cillian Vallely, who toured with Riverdance and recorded with Bruce Springsteen; Kevin Crawford, considered one of Ireland’s greatest flute players; award-winning fiddler Colin Farrell; and guitarist Ed Boyd, known for his work with Flook, Kate Rusby, and Cara Dillon.
Ticket Information
Tickets for both shows are available beginning Friday, July 18, at
JanePickens.com
or by calling 1-800-657-8774.
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