Black 47’s Larry Kirwan celebrates St. Patrick’s Day at BB Kings

Larry Kirwan, the front man of the much loved band Black 47 for 25 years, will return to BB King’s on St. Patrick’s Day with a specially formed band for the 2016 event.

The Irish star will front a new band formed specially for the evening comprising of Coty Cockrell (piano), Claudia Chopek (violin), Rene Hart (double bass), and Thomas Hamlin (drums). They will perform and reinterpret Kirwan’s Black 47 uproarious classics, songs from his critically acclaimed musical “Hard Times”, and as befits a Kirwan show, lots of improvisation, social agitation, and hilarity.

Along with the festivities the event will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the 1916 Uprising in Dublin with such songs as “James Connolly” and “The Big Fellah” and celebrate the opening of the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day Parade to an Irish LGBT group, Lavender and Green Alliance.

Kirwan is host of “Celtic Crush” on SiriusXM and writes a bi-weekly column for The Irish Echo. A renowned playwright, novelist and political activist, surprise guests from all these worlds will make appearances at BB Kings on March 17. He will be joined onstage by co-founder of Black 47, Chris Byrne, whose band, The Lost Tribe of Donegal, will also perform a set of their Urban/Traditional Irish songs.

Kirwan’s son, Rory K, an emerging hip-hop artist, will also hit the stage with Kirwan, after performing a set of his high-energy, youthful anthems. He will be releasing his second CD, “Young Professionals,” at the show.

Long time yellow cab driver, activist and standup comedian, John McDonagh will perform a short excerpt from his sold-out show, “Cabtivist.” Host of “Radio Free Eireann” and “Talk Back” on WBAI-FM, McDonagh will MC the festivities.

Lia Fáil Pipes and Drums, our brothers and sisters from Mercer County, New Jersey, will begin the evening with their customary march through the audience. Get there early – the kilts and pipes a swirling!

This is an all-ages show designed to keep the party going after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

For more information visit www.black47.com or follow them on Facebook here.