When we first arrived in Lake Charles we knew that we were playing as part of the Celtic Festival, but we had no idea how much more it was. The Celtic Festival itself was a relocation victim of Hurricane Katrina, moving up to Lake Charles from New Orleans for the first time this year.

And for the people of Lake Charles it was the celebration of their comeback from Hurricane Rita, which had torn off the roof of their main theater complex, among other things. Now in the restored theater we realized that our being there and the music itself was a celebration of their resilience and dedication to their community.

The mayor, Randy Roach, whom many credited with the reconstruction, gave us honorary Lake Charles citizenships and a golden Key to the City, which he said opened not only the city, but the hearts of the people. The sincerity and meaning behind it humbled us all. I have rarely felt so honored.

But while we weren’t on stage we had a chance to hear some great music and visit the beautiful craft booths. You could find everything you needed to outfit the well heeled Celt, from full formal attire to knives and sabers, not to mention the hand-crafted jewelry and scroll-work.

And there were so many good musicians. There were two in particular that really impressed me. Beth Patterson, who sings beautifully and has a driving, pulsing sound on her bouzouki (which looks like a tenor mandolin) just blew me away.

A riveting performer and wonderful personality, she’s the best in modern-Celtic that I’ve heard in ages. Check her out on her website at www.littlebluemen.com and you won’t be disappointed. I highly recommend her.