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Concert Reviews:
-Mithril and Mobile Symphony - March 14, 2009
-Mithril's performance at Laidlaw 'sublime'
-Symphony presents tuneful evening with Celtic group Mithril

CD Reviews:
-The Return Home
-Winter's Day 1
-Winter's Day 2

Mithril's performance at Laidlaw 'sublime'
The Vanguard
Issue date: 7/9/07 Section: Fine Arts
Stephanie A. Hudson
Staff Writer

On June 19, the Celtic group Mithril performend at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. Before the show began, I knew to expect a great performance -- audience members were being seated directly on the stage as the concert hall filled to capacity.

With musical selection ranging "from the sublime to the exotic," as described by Mithril member Dr. Andra Bohnet, Mithril's performance paired beautifully with the individual performances of its members. Taken separately, each group member brought his or her own kind of energy to the performance.

While on stage, Bohnet appeared as ready to begin dancing as to keep playing flutes or the Celtic harp. She also shared some wonderful history and information about the origins of many of the songs performed and those found on the group's new album "The Return Home."

Tom Morley displayed a humorous demeanor in splendid contradiction to his soulful violin and bouzouki performances. His shining performance occurred during "The Poet of Tolstoy Park," a song he wrote based on a novel of the same name by local author Sonny Brewer.

Guitarist Ben Harper may play Celtic music, but he exuded the animated tendencies of a rock and roll music performer. His exuberance made the final song of the show a treat - the fast-paced "Crabs in the Skillet/The Dusty Windowsill/The Return Home" had the audience clapping along.

As the youngest member of Mithril, David Hughes was something of a "show stealer." He attributed a vast amount of humor to the show, beginning with rolling his instruments on stage via a cart labeled "Mithril Van" to a hilarious amount of staged indignation over his lack of percussion performance in the group's rendition of "The Cliffs of Moher/Norwegian Wood" (note: Norwegian Wood is originally a Beatles' tune).

Humor and individuality aside, Mithril performed admirably. Each member showed a great range in talent and instrumentation during the performance. Also, no one plays fewer than three instruments on their new album.

Some of the most memorable moments involved the immense amount of camaraderie and humor shared between the performers and the audience.

When asked how the band managed such an entertaining relationship with each other and the audience, Tom Morley stated, "When you're stuck on the road, you learn to get along and have fun. Also, all of us have a lot of respect for one another."

Early in the concert, percussionist and keyboard performer, David Hughes spoke of "The Little Lady," a slow ballad written and performed for his young daughter. "I had never seen such an elegant little girl," he said with a smile for his wife and daughter seated in the audience.

Later, Dr. Bohnet described "Da Slockit Light/The Jig of Slurs" as a combination of a traditional funeral song and a fast-paced jig, an odd yet entertaining flow of music.

Mithril's Tuesday and Wednesday evening concerts both resulted in an overflowing concert hall. The Mobile-based and -born Celtic group drew crowds of 325 people both nights, the maximum number allowed in the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. Keith Bohnet, events coordinator for the department of music, stated that approximately 10 people were turned away on Tuesday and nearly 60 on Wednesday night. The performance included every song from the newly released album.

"USA has always been one of our most popular venues," said Andra Bohnet after the performance.

Mithril has released four albums from Flying Frog Music, including Banish Misfortune, Winter's Day, Live in Concert and The Return Home. Samples of each album can be found on the group's web page, http://www..mithril.us.

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