In an acoustic spectacle rivaled only by the show folk supergroup Brother Sun put on earlier in the year, main act James Keelaghan and opening act Christine DeLeon wowed the Fair Lawn Community Center audience this weekend.

Before the Hurdy Gurdy Folk Music Club's latest concert, DeLeon—a former Fair Lawn resident—looked like she felt right at home, greeting fans in the lobby and sitting at the edge of the stage to chat with attendees and sign autographs.

Hurdy Gurdy Club president Ron Olesko discussed how DeLeon had been a guest on his WFDU radio show, and called her a “marvelous singer and songwriter.” Then, Saturday night's show was all set to begin.

Pure melody wore a smile and played acoustic guitar for almost 20 minutes in the form of DeLeon, who had a presence that was bigger than the stage.  

Halfway through her first song, “Dunes of Brigantine,” the crowd was singing along. As she performed, her fingers danced across the strings, giving the acoustic guitar a harp-like feel. She was constantly smiling and engaging the audience.

Thanks to her other songs, “I Will Not Be Silent,” “Jewelry Box,” and “This Town,” attendees discussed her voice after the concert. One fan said she had a “Celtic feel” without going in a Celtic direction.

For future reference, it is hoped DeLeon will be a main performer during next season’s Hurdy Gurdy schedule so fans can hear her magical song “New Days” from her “January Hiding” album, but for the 20 minutes she was on, she owned the stage.

Speaking of amazing songs, Keelaghan, the main act, fit the bill with “McConnville,” off of his latest album “House of Cards.” The song tells the true story of a pub in Northern Ireland that sold the finest whiskey in the country. It was a whiskey the pub brewed on site. Keelaghan, before the song, explained that in the history of the pub, McConnville, a bottle of whiskey was never sold. No matter how much money was offered, it was refused.

Yet Keelaghan’s song explained the one time this rule was broken.

Between Keelaghan’s base voice and his master guitar work, this song came to life and brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience. While this video is not from the Hurdy Gurdy performance, hear the song on YouTube here. 

Keelaghan’s talent along with backup bassist and vocalist, Hugh McMillan, brought the perfect blend of pitch and texture to the crowd.

His songs were a mix of stories, humor and clever lyrics. For example, his song “House of Cards” (the title track to his newest album) voiced the frustration of people who lost their money in the recent financial crisis. He accused banks and politicians of feeding the robbed a “house of cards and a pack of lies.”

The crowd applauded after each song and reciprocated Keelaghan’s affection for the crowd.

With just two concerts left in the Hurdy Gurdy series, it is recommended that fans purchase tickets in advance. Visit the club's website here.