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This weekend, while visiting family in Oakville, we were treated to the Barra MacNeils’ xmas show at the Oakville Centre.  It was great to hear live music from down-East, Cape Briton to be exact, and to experience the obvious connection the band has with their roots in Scotland.  These six members of the MacNeil family are master musicians capable of playing multiple instruments equally well.  The show was very polished and totally enjoyable.  My one comment, neither negative nor positive, was that the show’s format and the group’s delivery  (although most of the members are rather young) were old fashioned.  A completely different take than what you would get with similar east coast groups such as the Great Big Sea and the Rankins when they were around – no shouting, jumping, and madness here.  Overall it was more of a stand-and-deliver format - something like  the Don Messer TV show broadcasted out of NS in the 1960s.  Having said that, if you like great music by world class musicians, the Barra MacNeils are worth seeing.