Connla, a young band whose members hail from Armagh and Derry in Northern Ireland, combines traditional Irish music with rock and jazz influences. While its instrumentation is a pretty standard set up for an Irish band, the compositions and arrangements reflect its wide-ranging musical influences. The group came to Lake Effect's Studio C to perform ahead of appearances at Irish Fest this weekend.
Ciara McCafferty, the band's lead vocalist, reflected on how she came to appreciate traditional music, a sentiment echoed by the other band members: "When I started singing folk music and Irish music, I felt like it belonged to me and it's where I've settled now. It's where my heart lies," she says.
Connla will be at Irish Fest all weekend.
