CARTHAGE – New England Celtic Arts will host the highly acclaimed Scottish band Malinky Tuesday, July 1, at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center and Wednesday, July 2, at the Lakeside Theater in Rangeley. Both concerts will begin at 7 p.m.

This is the third in a series of seven concerts shared this season by the two theaters. A pre-show jam will start at 6:30 at Skye Theatre. Bring your musical instruments and join in. Reservations are suggested at both venues.

Malinky combines an array of vocal talent with a highly distinctive instrumental palette. The band emerged at Glasgow’s prestigious Celtic Connections festival in 1999, as winners of a Danny Kyle Open Stage award. At a time when most new Scottish bands were focusing on instrumental sounds, their song-centered repertoire immediately pulled them out from the crowd.

Original songwriting by founding members Karine Polwart, who is now pursuing a solo career, and Steve Byrne also made the band stand out.

Six years later at Celtic Connections 2005 – after two albums, “Last Leaves” (2000) and “3 Ravens” (2002) Malinky opened a new chapter in its career. That night marked the farewell appearance of both Polwart and accordionist Leo McCann, together with debuts by singer and cellist Fiona Hunterand multi-instrumentalist Ewan MacPherson.

Following the success its third album on Greentrax Recordings, “The Unseen Hours” (2005), Malinky started this year with a busy international touring schedule in the United States, Canada and Germany.

The lineup now comprises Hunter on vocals and cello; Byrne on vocals, bouzouki, cittern and guitar; Jon Bews on fiddle; Mark Dunlop on whistles, bodhrán, vocals and uilleann pipes; and David Wood on guitar and bouzouki.

Concert tickets are $10 at the door. Skye Theater is at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Road and U.S. Route 2. Lakeside Theater is on Main Street in Rangeley. Call New England Celtic Arts at 562-4445 for reservations.

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