Five Firsts: Shannon Heaton of Matt & Shannon Heaton

NAME: Shannon Heaton
BAND AFFILIATION: Matt & Shannon Heaton, updated and traditional Irish music duo from Boston
INSTRUMENT: Irish (wood) Flute, Whistles, Accordion, and Voice

1. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT WAS … “Cargo” by Men at Work and the Clash’s “Combat Rock” (same shopping trip … co-bought with my sister)

2. THE FIRST CONCERT THAT I EVER SAW WAS … I went to loads of folk/traditional music concerts when I was little. But the first big show I attended WITH MY OWN MONEY was the Police’s Synchronicity Tour.

3. THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I EVER OWNED OR PLAYED WAS … The piano – and my mom was my teacher.

4. THE FIRST SONG THAT I EVER PERFORMED IN PUBLIC WAS … When I was seven years old, I produced and emceed a variety show in my village (I was living in Nsukka, Nigeria at the time) with a bunch of my friends from the neighborhood. My musical part of the show was playing the main “Ode to Joy” theme from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony on the recorder.

5. THE FIRST BAND I WAS EVER IN WAS … The house band for the “WLIV Radio Hour,” an imaginary show which my sister and friend Brittney created. I was the front man of the house band, holding down the keys, winds and vocals. My sister provided four-year-old-style violin texture, when she wasn’t napping.

Matt and Shannon Heaton return to the stage at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs at 8pm on Friday (April 13). Tix are $15 in advance; $17 at the door.