Aodh Og O’Tuama and Christy Martin, better known as Four Shillings Short, performed live on Sunday, September 7, at a house concert Laramie. Their repertoire ranges from Celtic to folk and even world music.
A mix of foreign and diverse instruments were involved the evening concert, creating a full and hardy sound. Instrumentation varied from Renaissance woodwinds, mandolins to banjos, spoons, and even a North Indian Sitar, among others. These instruments helped bring showcase different styles of music and highlight the vast cultures each song was part of. O’Tuama and Martin explained the history of the instruments, as well.
“There is the whole educational part of showing unusual instruments from other cultures,” said O’Tuama. “Showing music that is not generally well known. Sharing unusual music and instruments to audiences and getting feedback or people singing along is very important and helps open people up.”
Four Shillings Short has been touring and preforming around the United States and Ireland since 1997. By sharing their music, they hope to educate the public about musical history and culture.
“Music is an expression of spirit. It’s a universal language that helps bring people together and to share culture and information that doesn’t have the same boundaries as language or some other forms of art,” said Martin. “It has a very universal appeal. It’s a way of imparting history and culture all at once.”
Having musicians from all around the U.S. and the world playing in Laramie not only helps spread culture and history locally, but helps strengthen the Laramie community in the process, said Brett Glass, who hosted the band.
“A lot of musicians pass through Laramie, and my goal is to get some of them to stop and come play their music for the community,” Glass explained.
When it comes down to it, Four Shillings Short delivered on their goal: to share culture and history with the crowd as well as putting on a great show.
