Festival 2011
HEADLINING BANDS FOR THE FESTIVAL
Friday, July 29, 2011
Érin Og!
Known in the past as Boston’s Irish rebel band Boston's Érin Og has broadened thier scope of Irish music to a more eclectic repetoire of contemporary and traditional music. (They say the wars over, but we still have hope!) Erin Og's rollicking performance and crowd participation makes everyone in the room a part of the band. Drawing from years of experience playing Irish music, Érin Og have united together to form a veritable tour-de-force of Irish folk music in the Boston area. Mixing mandolin, fiddle, tin whistle, and driving acoustic guitar rhythms, along with powerful vocal harmonies, Érin Og is a band you don't want to miss.
Highland Rovers
Drawing from the diverse New York Metro music scene, the Highland Rovers Band fuses popular rock percussive rhythms, bagpipes, and vocal harmonies to create an intricate and fresh sound. HRB's multi-layered, upbeat, and danceable music showcases their universal, appeal to both mainstream modern rock lovers and culturally diverse audiences searching for a distinct celtic flavor.
Over the years, the band paid its dues playing Irish pubs throughout the New York Metropolitan area and along the eastern seaboard.
Today, the HRB’s resume includes performances across the United States at venues ranging from well-known Irish pubs to larger arenas such as Shea Stadium. The band has performed with top Irish artists including the Saw Doctors, the Young Dubliners, and The Prodigals. HRB has also performed numerous shows with their longtime friends and mentors, the Marshall Tucker Band.
The band has produced five albums to date. The current CD, “Live... From County Fairfield”, was released in March of 2007.
Seven Nations is not your father’s Celtic band. With a passionate, tender, and rollicking style that winningly veers from roots and folk to dance and fusion-rock, Seven Nations has earned a growing reputation as an adventurous band with a charismatic stage presence.
“Seven Nations — the name refers to the seven original Celtic nations of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Galecia, Isle of Man, and Brittany — officially began in 1993 in New York City with a standard line-up of drums, guitars, and bass,” notes lead singer and guitarist Kirk McLeod. “We soon introduced bagpipes into the show, and over time the number of songs utilizing bagpipes grew until it became obvious that they were integral to our emerging sound,” says McLeod. “Most of the band members grew up playing Celtic music, and we’ve been performing original compositions since we began. Our instrumentation, and bagpipes and fiddle mostly, give us a distinctive sound and that’s what makes us different.”
Catch them both Friday and Saturday night!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Colm O'Brien
Colm O'Brien was born, bred & buttered in Dublin. As a child he was surrounded by music. His father, grandfather, grand uncles and great granddad were all members of the famed Fintan Lalor Pipe Band. His grandmother, May Keogh "Mayday" O'Brien was a legendary fiddler in Irish music circles and played at the All-Ireland dancing championships for 50 consecutive years and at most of the world dancing championships in that period. Colm cut his teeth playing with numerous Dublin bands and at sessions from Dublin to Achill and everywhere in between.
He first moved to the US in 1999 as a member of "Fatal Flower". After the group disbanded he played with the ballad group "Uncle Arthur" and then with "Hiring Fair". Colm was recruited by the famed celtic rockers "The Prodigals" and spent a year and a half as their front-man touring the states, playing at some of the country's largest festivals and recording the group's fourth album produced by Howie Beno of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame.
Celtic Cross
Celtic Cross is pop/folk with a strong Celtic traditional influence from the heart of New York City. Growing up with immigrant parents, the band was immersed in Irish music, dance, and tradition. But like all kids, also heavily influenced by music on the radio, playing Irish tunes with a pop flare.
The seven-piece band is lead by lead vocalist Kathleen Fee, a talented singer-songwriter. The lively band features a solid bass-drums-guitar rhythm section, and a talented Irish accordion, fiddle, banjo/mandolin traditional section. Like many successful acts, the heart of Celtic Cross is family; singer Kathleen’s brothers John and Kenny are also in the band.
The Rising
"The Rising combines the most progressive modes of Irish Music to create a new and inspiring form of Irish Trad-Rock. The Rising have not only the traditional musicians who have helped to form the scene, but the new blood that drives the music to it's unique potential. The heart of Ireland lives in the music of the Rising in a new and thrilling way."
The members of The Rising found each other the old fashioned way - out on the road. The Rising plays upwards of two hundred shows every year nationally, internationally, and in the New England area. The band's chemistry and new take on Irish traditionals is both rousing and refreshing. The band is most at home on stage, and their performances are as fun for the band as they are for their audiences.
Shilelagh Law
New York and Irish music have a long and storied history together, a collision of two cultures that results in bedlam, beauty, and a lot in between.
SHILELAGH LAW embodies all that is New York Irish Music: old songs, new songs, jigs, reels, dancing, weeping, lots of laughter, plenty of drinks, and the inevitable visit to the local diner at 5 a.m. By interpreting traditional Irish Music through a filter of urban grittiness, SHILELAGH LAW helps to define the Irish-American experience that is such a big part of New York town.
Seven Nations
Back again for a second performance.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Andy Cooney
Direct from his 2nd SOLD OUT appearance at Carnegie Hall on December 8, 2009, Andy Cooney has taken the Irish-American music scene by storm. Andy Cooney was christened by The New York Times as "Irish America's Favorite Son". With his outstanding voice and dynamic stage presence makes him a favorite with audiences as he renders songs ranging from all-time favorites like "Galway Bay" and "Danny Boy" to his hit records "The Irish Wedding Song", "Boston Rose" and "Daughter of Mine". Andy's talent and versatility provide the ability to deliver a song directly to the hearts of his listeners.
Greater Hartford Irish Music Festival by the Irish American Home Society
132 Commerce Street Glastonbury, CT 860.633.9691
