The Emerald Isle Series at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts begins this year with the catchy pop-rock group, Black 47, on Friday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. Known worldwide for their outstanding quality, the six-member band maintains its determination to be original, though mixed with a black sense of humor that inspires not only its music, but also its political and social ideals.

Over the course of ten years, four albums, two EPs and more than 1,500 gigs, Black 47 has raised hell, raised consciousness and raised the roof - in bars, clubs and concert halls around America, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Their new CD, "Trouble in the Land," their first studio recording in three years, is possibly their finest. It is a smart, streetwise mix of rock, reggae, ska and funk sounds played with a conviction sharpened by all the real and metaphorical miles the band has traveled.

Black 47 got its start in 1989, rockin' the Irish pubs of the Bronx and Manhattan. Informed by an intense but humorous lust for life, the tales the group tells are about living in America, playing in a band, political passion, lingering racism and romantic bawdiness. They're about commonplace joy and extraordinary sorrow; about being delirious and desperate; about making history and having a laugh.

Black 47's songs have a deep and serious undercurrent. Their lyrics have attracted interest from high school and college educators who have incorporated the songs into their Irish cultural and political studies. The group is as committed to social change and political awareness as it is to giving fans a no-holds-barred show.

Throughout their 10-year career, Black 47's artists have had their share of trials. They've been dogged by controversy due to the political content of some of their lyrics; they've endured personal tragedy with the loss of a few close friends; and they've crawled out of a serious post-show van crash. Yet they continue to inspire new audiences and have lived to tell an amazing saga which they update with hard-won wisdom and self-deprecating humor in "Trouble in the Land."

Tickets to the concert are $20 with discounts available for seniors, students and groups. For more information or reservations, call (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396.

Posted On: 09-01-2001 09:09 AM

Volume: 34 Number: 60