Fanrealm.com

Seven Nations just added some March tour dates:

This is a MUST SEE band.

Just got this from the Barley Juice mailing list. If you are not yet a fan of this great Cetlic Rock group be sure to check them out. Click on the venue name below for more info

Listen closely during this Thursday’s episode of The Office, and you will hear our “Weekend Irish” playing in the bar scene. We’re sorry in advance for any damage that might occur to your telly room.

check our calendar at www.barleyjuice.com for all of our upcoming shows.

 “Hope to see some of ye in the very near future folks. Slan..”

The Druids are a four-piece Irish REBEL band made up of three Kildare men and a Wexford man… Paddy Mangan from Johnstown Bridge on banjo, mandolin and vocals; Gary Lawlor from Clane on acoustic guitar and lead vocals; newest recruit Darren Egan also from Clane on bass, a great musician, he will also be singing when he gets settled in; and the one and only Mick O’Brien originally from Wexford but now living in Newbridge on five string banjo, bodhran, tin whistle and vocals. The group has recently taken onboard a manager, Adrian Moran from County Westmeath, who aims to take them “to the highest point of their careers.”

The Druids played their first gig on 9th May 2009 and since then have toured Ireland and Scotland where they play again in April. They are supporting the Celtic band Charlie and the Bhoys in the famous Barrowlands Glasgow to a sellout crowd of 2000 Celtic fans and returning  to the Brazen Head in Glasgow where they perform on regular occasions. On St.Patricks Day The Druids are playing in Belgium and have ten dates in Santa Ponsa in Spain for the annual Celtic Convention in May. Over 30,000 Celtic supporters will be there. They have had enquiries for American and Australian tours for late 2010 and early 2011. Currently they are working on their second album which should be available in early March, 2010. Writers as well as singers and musicians, The Druids have already written four of their own Rebel songs.

The Druids can be seen and heard at:

BEBO:   www.bebo.com/druids32

MySpace:  www.myspace.com/thedruidsirishrebelband.com

Youtube:  www.youtube.com/thedruidsband

Two of our favorite groups have just announced additional tour dates.

Enter the Haggis has added Abingdon, Va to their tour. They will appear on Friday July 30 at 7:30 PM at 120 N. Court Street. This show is part of the Virginia Highlands festival. This is a great festival which runs from July 24 – August 8. For more info check out their website: http://www.vahighlandsfestival.org

The Saw Doctors have added Tuesday May 11 They will be appearing at Pollak Theater on the campus of Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, New Jersey. Tickets are $25 to the general public $5 for students.

Two more dates have been announced by the Saw Doctors so we will plug them into the tour schedule as we now know it.

May 7 The Magic Bag in Detroit Ticket info call 248 544 3030 or http://www.themagicbag.com
May 8 Celtic Fest Chicago in Millennium Park of Chicago as part of the Chicago Celtic Festival.
http://www.celticfestchicago.us
May 9 Cleveland House of Blues
May 13 The Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA) in Philadelphia call 215 9202 1011 or http://www.livenation.com or http://www.ticketmaster.com
May 14 Irving Plaza in New York City
May 15 House of Blues Club in Boston http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/418767 or http://www.ticketmaster.com
May 16 The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH

We will update as more cities are announced.

The Wicked Tinkers have updated their 2010 tour schedule. Here’s where they will be this year. As always, there could be dates added or changed so be sure to check their website also http://www.wickedtinkers.com/schedule.html

Feb 27 – 28
46th ANNUAL ARIZONA SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
Phoenix, AZ

March 13 – 14
24th Annual SONORA CELTIC FAIRE
Sorona, CA

March 20
ANCHORAGE CELTIC SPRING FESTIVAL
Anchorage Alaska

March 27
TUCSON EVENING CONCERT
Tucson AZ

April 10
BAKERSFIELD HIGHLAND GAMES

April 16 – 18
LAS VEGAS HIGHLAND GAMES
Las Vegas, NV

April 22
YOLO ARTS MUSIC TOUR
Palms Playhouse, 13 Main Street, Winters, CA from 7:00-8:30pm

April 24 & 25
SACRAMENTO VALLEY SCOTTISH GAMES
Woodland, CA

May 29 & 30
UNITED SCOTTISH SOCIETY HIGHLAND GATHERING AND FESTIVAL
Costa Mesa Fairgrounds- Southern California

June 12 & 13
UTAH SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES

June 26 & 27
SAN DIEGO SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES

July 17 &18
ARIZONA HIGHLANDS CELTIC FESTIVAL
Flagstaff, AZ

July 22
YOLO ARTS MUSIC TOUR
River Walk Park Amphitheater, 651 2nd Street, West Sacramento, from 7pm to 8:30pm

July 24
FORD FAMILY SERIES
Ford Amphitheater, Hollywood CA, at 10am to 11am

July 31- Aug 1
63rd PACIFIC NORTHWEST SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw, Washington –

Aug 7 & 8   Tentative
THE ISLE OF WIGHT DIDGHEADRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL
IN THE UK

Sept 12
KELSO HIGHLANDER FESTIVAL
Kelso, Washington

Sept 17-19 Tentative
OKLAHOMA HIGHLAND GAMES
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Oct 9 & 10
THE SEASIDE HIGHLAND GAMES
Seaside Park on the Ventura County Fairgrounds,Ventura CA

Gaelic Storm is back on the road. Be sure to catch Darcy and the band if they come to your area. They do a great show and will be introducing some of the songs from the new CD at these shows. Click on the venue name for more details.

03 – 04 Alexandria, VA Birchmere Music Hall
05 Pomona, NJ Stockton Performing Arts Center
06 Manasquan, NJ Algonguin Arts Theatre
07 Wilmington, DE The Grand Opera House
10 Greensburg, PA The Palace Theatre
11 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
12 Chicago, IL House of Blues
13 Chicago, IL Meyer Theatre
16 Eau Claire, WI State Theatre
17 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre St Pat’s Day with Gaelic Storm. What could be better?
19 Iowa City, IA Englert Theatre
20 Council Bluffs, IA The Arts Center
21 Akron, IA Akron Opera House
23 Grand Rapids, MN Myles Reif Performing Arts Center
24 Mankato, MN Alltel Center
25 Detroit Lakes, MN Historic Holmes Theatre
27 St. Paul, MN The O’Shaugnessy Auditorium

With the worlds’ eyes on Canada due to some sort of sporting event, I thought it would be a good time to focus on some really great Canadian bands. Some you will know but others may be new to you. They are all well worth a listen. I actually found so many that I will need to do a second post on this topic to prevent people from becoming so overwhelmed by choices that his/her head spins. Never a good look.

Enter the Haggis – This group has been billed as the hardest working band in the business. They certainly tour extensively and will undoubtedly come to a venue near you sometime this year. They have a huge fan following but there is always room for one more Haggishead. When you go and see them during this tour be sure to bring a donation of dry goods with you (non perishable food, clothing etc) to support the ETH COMMUNITY INITIATIVE. Donations will be collected at their merchandise table and given to the local food banks and shelters in all the places they play to help out the needy . This regard for others is just one reason this is one of the most popular bands going. For more info check out their website http://www.enterthehaggis.com and their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/enterthehaggis Their cds are available through Amazon and Itunes and the smarter music shops.

POGEY is a folk rock band from the hamlet of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Their blend of traditional and contemporary sounds have been bringing both Canadian and US audiences to their feet for over 5 years. Watch for them in the Halifax area or on the festival circuit. You can hear samples of their style at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/pogeymusic They have a new cd coming out in April. Their current cd is available through their website http://www.pogey.ca/music.htm

Great Big Sea is an other Folk Rock band that arrived on the scene in 1993 and have been thrilling audiences ever since. They hail from Newfoundland but tour in the US also. For their current tour check the tour page at their website http://www.greatbigsea.com/tour/ They have 2 myspace pages but the one with the most info is this one http://www.myspace.com/greatbigsea Be sure to check this band out.

Glengarry Bhoys are a Folk Rock band from Glengarry, Ontario Canada. They are a great Celtic rock band that will really get your blood pumping. This band tours a good deal wand will be appearing at many festivals this year. You can check their schedule at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/theglengarrybhoys Or go to their website for more info www.glengarrybhoys.com Their cd is available at cdbaby

Claymore is a Celtic rock band from Calgary, AB. They create a unique sound with influences from traditional Celtic Music, Classical and even a wee touch of the cowboy all blended together in an exciting, fast paced sound with the occasional ballad thrown in for balance. They gig extensively in the Alberta area. For more info check out their webpage http://www.claymoreband.com/ or their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/claymoreclaymore

The Town Pants is a Folk Rock band from Vancouver, B C. They generally in the Pacific Northwest but are fan favorites at several big festivals as well. You can check their schedule at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/thetownpants Their latest cd Shore Leave is available at cdbaby. For more info check their website http://www.THETOWNPANTS.com

Last month The Tossers were profiled here along with four other Chicago area Celtic bands not to be missed.  These guys are a huge favorite of Chicagoans, consistently selling out and pleasing the fans with their traditional folk and Celtic punk rock fury presentations. During the month of March, they’ll be performing around the Midwest and along the East coast with stops in the states between. If they come to your area, take the time to catch one of their shows. They do not disappoint.   

For a preview of their music, visit The Tossers Myspace page:  http://www.myspace.com/thetossers

March, 2010

Feb 27 – 8:30pm – Otto’s – Decalb, Illlinois

Mar 4 – 9:00pm – Mac’s Bar – Lansing, Michigan

Mar 5 – 9:00pm – Grog Shop – Cleveland, Ohio

Mar 6 – 8:00pm – Club Café – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Mar 7 – 8:00pm – The Khyber – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mar 8 – 8:00pm – Maxwell’s – Hoboken, New Jersey

Mar 9 – 8:00pm – Valentine’s – Albany, New York

Mar 10 – 8:00pm – Harper’s Ferry – Alston, Massachusetts

Mar 11 – 8:00pm – Jerky’s Live Music Hall – Providence, Rhode Island

Mar 12 – 8:00pm – Mercury Lounge – New York, New York

Mar 13 – 8:00pm – RFK Stadium – Washington, DC

Mar 16 – 8:00pm – High Dive – Champaign, Illinois

Mar 17 – 8:00pm – Metro – Chicago, Illinois

Mar 18 – 8:00pm – Turner Hall Ballroom – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mar 20 – 8:00pm – Chubby Rain – Poplar Grove, Illinois

Since St Patrick’s Day is a month from today, it seems like a good date to update tour schedules for March. This is what Enter the Haggis’ March looks like. The are a great band. If they are in your area be sure to catch them.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Gilligan’s Getaway
7160 State Route 9, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 518-566-8050
Set: 8:00 PM Tickets: $15 Adv / $ 18 Door

Thursday, March 4, 2010
Parting Glass
40-42 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 583-1916
Set: 8:00 PM Tickets: $15

Friday, March 5, 2010
The Electric Company
700 Varick Street, Utica, NY 13502 315-792-9271
Set: 8:00 PM 21+ Tickets: $10

Saturday, March 6, 2010
Pearl Street
10 Pearl St, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 586-2632
Set: 8:00 PM Tickets: $17.50 adv / $20 door

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Turning Point
468 Piermont Ave, Piermont, NY 10968 (845) 359-1089
Set: 7:00 PM Tickets: $20

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Castaways
413 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 272-1370
Set: 8:00 PM Tickets: $10 Adv / $ 12 Door

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Main Pub
306 Main St, Manchester, CT 06040 (860) 647-1551
Set: 9:00 PM Tickets: $12

Thursday, March 11, 2010
Bridgewater Irish Pub
50 Abeel Street, Kingston, NY 12401 845-264-2700
Set: 9:00 PM All Ages Tickets: $15 adv/$20 door

Friday, March 12, 2010
Waterville Opera House
93 Main St, Waterville, ME 04901 (207) 873-5381
Set: 8:00 PM All Ages Tickets: $20

Saturday, March 13, 2010
Shamrock Festival – RFK Stadium Grounds
2400 East Capitol Street, Washington, DC 20003
Set: 8:00 PM

Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Playwright
144 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510 203-752-0450
Set: 3:30 PM

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Showcase Live!
1 Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA 02035
Set: 6:00 PM Tickets: $20 Adv / $25 Door / $45 VIP

Friday, March 19, 2010
Henderson Fine Arts Center
4601 College Blvd, Farmington, NM 505-566-3462
Set: 8:00 PM All Ages

Saturday, March 20, 2010
Shuler Theater
131 N 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740
Set: 7:30 PM All Ages Tickets: $12 adv/$16 door

Monday, March 22, 2010
Tucumcari High School
1100 South 7th Street, Tucumcari, NM 88401
Set: 7:00 PM All Ages Tickets: $0

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Clovis Community College
417 Schepps Blvd, Clovis, NM 88101 505-769-4950
Set: 8:00 PM All Ages

Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Ocotillo Performing Arts Center
310 W Main St, Artesia, NM 88210 575-746-4212
Set: 7:30 PM All Ages Tickets: $15

Friday, March 26, 2010
Macey Center
801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801 (505) 835-5342
Set: 7:30 PM All Ages Tickets: $16

Saturday, March 27, 2010
South Broadway Cultural Center
1025 Brdway Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102 (505) 848-1320
Set: 8:00 PM All Ages Tickets: $6

Celtic women have always been strong. Goddesses, warrior queens and sainted ladies loom large in Celtic traditions. Ireland has had women as presidents and in many Irish homes strong women rule the roost and keep the family on a steady keel. Woman are also well represented in the world of Celtic music. Many Celtic bands have female members and, of course, there are many solo performers. We will spotlight solo artists and bands made up of all women for you to check out.

Enya is one of the undisputed queens of Celtic Music. She began her career in Donegal, Ireland singing in her family band but she soon found that too restrictive musically and struck out on her own. She has since put out a string of best selling cds, the latest being a best of cd. Her music is widely distributed and available in record shops and on line at Amazon and other online music sellers. You can hear samples at her myspace page http://www.myspace.com/enyaofficially For more info check out her website http://www.enya.com

Laura Powers is singer/songwriter from Nashville. I have spotlighted Laura before, but since she is one of my favorites she always comes to my mind first when I think of women in the Celtic Music world. Laura’s beautiful music was featured in the film The DeVinci Code. I particularly love the Goddess Trilogy which is a set of 3 cds that pays homage to pre-Christian Ireland and the legendary figures and places from the old stories. You can hear samples of Laura’s music at her myspace page http://www.myspace.com/laurapowers5 Her cds are available at Amazon.com

Cara Dillon is an award winning singer from County Derry, Northern Ireland. Her beautiful voice and strong sense of the direction she wanted to take with her music has taken her to the top of the Irish music scene in a relatively short time. You can sample her music on her myspace page http://www.myspace.com/caradillon It can be purchased through her website http://www.caradillon.co.uk or at Amazon.com

Cherish the Ladies is a group from Ireland. They sing classic Celtic Folk music and accompany themselves on various instruments. They have won many awards including Top North American Celtic act by NPR Radio’s “Thistle and Shamrock”. They tour worldwide including extensively in the US. They are currently touring the US so check their website to see if they are coming to your area http://www.cherishtheladies.com/ They have put out 11 cds which are available through their website or at Amazon. You can hear samples at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/cherishtheladies They also have a facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherish-the-Ladies/9225509013?ref=ts

Screaming Orphans are four sisters from County Donegal in Ireland. Their music is in the pop/rock vein which they describe as a collision of honey and gravel. They are fast becoming crowd favorites at Celtic fests across the US. Look for them in your area. You can get tour info at their website http://www.thescreamingorphans.com In the meantime you can hear samples of their music on their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/screamingorphans They are also on facebook http://www.facebook.com/screamingorphans Their cds are available at cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/ScreamingOrphans Downloads are available through Itunes

Two up and coming young singer/songwriters are Siobhan Day and Oonaugh Clarke. They are both from Northern Ireland. Neither is, as yet, signed but their music can be heard at their respective myspace pages http://www.myspace.com/siobhanday and http://www.myspace.com/clarkeoonagh

I know everyone is eagerly awaiting the US tour schedule for the Saw Doctors. They are announcing dates as they get confirmed so we will list what we know so far.

May 8 Celtic Fest Chicago in Millennium Park
May 9 Cleveland House of Blues
May 14 Irving Plaza in New York City
May 15 House of Blues Club in Boston
May 16 The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH

This is only a partial tour list. We will update as we get more info.

My great grandparents, like hundreds of thousands of other Irish immigrants, stepped off the boat from Ireland into New York City. They, like so many others, made NYC home. Celtic music is deeply woven into the fabric of the city and spreads its influence throughout the Empire State. Here is a small sample of some of the great bands who are continuing the Celtic tradition and making great music

FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums This wonderful band became very familiar to all Americans in the aftermath of September 11 since they played at the funerals of the 343 brave members of the FDNY who lost their lives in the act of rescuing people from the burning towers. What people may not realize is that this band is made up of members of the FDNY and it was their brothers they were honoring at all those sad funerals. The Emerald Society was founded in 1956 as a way for members of the FDNY who were Irish or of Irish descent to honor their heritage. The marching band came into being in 1962 and have been in integral part of the Celtic music scene in New York City ever sense. They will be taking part in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Wednesday, March 17th More info came be found at their website http://www.fdnyemerald.com or their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FDNY-Emerald-Society-Pipes-and-Drums/100314420598 They have 2 cds on cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nycfdespad3

The Prodigals Another great NYC band is the Prodogals. They are one of the premier celtrock bands on the scene today. Two of their songs were used in the 2008 film Pride and Glory. For the latest on this band check out their website http://www.prodigals.com/ You can hear samples of their music at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/prodigals Their cds can be purchased at cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheProdigals They can be found at facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Prodigals/25630609722

cliudan is a band from Syracuse, New York who play Acoustic/Progressive Celtic roots music. They appear largely in upstate New York but will appear at the fabulous Mid Winter Celtic Festival in King of Prussia PA Feb 13-14 and at the Connecticut Irish Festival in North Haven, CT June 25-26 this year. Be sure and catch them at one of their gigs. You can find their gig schedule and hear samples of their music at their my space page www.myspace.com/cliudan They do the most hauntingly beautiful version of Christy Moore’s Ride On that I have ever heard.

The Causeway Giants is another band from Syracuse, NY. Their music is more in the Celtrock/Punk vein. Their arse kicking style of pub crawling music is Celtrock at its best. Look for them in the Syracuse area. They mention a cd in their blog but it an older entry and I can’t seem to find any more info about it. I sure would like more though because their music is great. You can hear samples at their myspace page www.myspace.com/causewaygiants

EMISH is a Celtrock band from Orange County, NY Emish was voted Best Band in the Hudson Valley for two consecutive years. They put their own spin on traditional Celtic pieces as well as some great original songs. They have two cds This Light and One More Round. The title songs of these cds are currently up at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/emishband Their cds are available at cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Emish More info on this high energy band can be found at their website http://www.emishmusic.com/ and their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emish/60185804760

Finn’s Fury is a Celtrock/punk band from Merrick, NY. They proudly proclaim that what they play “ain’t your grandma’s Irish Music” and it sure ain’t. This is a high energy band that takes command of traditional music and bends it to its will with heavy percussion and rock influences combined with pipes, tin whistles and the bodhran. Their cd What About Ya is available at cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/FinnsFury Samples can also be heard at their website http://www.finnsfury.com/ and at their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/finnsfurybass

Penny Whiskey is a Celtic Bluegrass/Folk band from Attica, NY who gig extensively in the Buffalo area. They do traditional Celtic songs, drinking songs and even a cover of the Chipmunk Song with a style that is uniquely their own. They have produced 6 cds, all of which can be purchased through their website http://www.pennywhiskey.com/ Samples can be heard on their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/pennywhiskey You can also find them on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-Whiskey/128765832273

You may have seen the term Indie scattered throughout the site but you may not really understand what it means. Indies are Independent artists who put out their music themselves without going through a major record company. I am a big proponent of Indies. The more middle men there are between the artist and the audience, the more people get a say on the material and, of course, a cut of the profits. The final result is often pap that some committee has decided will appeal to the most listeners. These days radio stations, record labels, distributors and even the largest retail outlets are owned by huge corporations – often the same corporations. The bottom line is generally more important than the quality or variety of the music. This makes it almost impossible for a new artist or act to get a foot in the door unless they are practically a carbon copy of one of the corporate generated mega-stars. Even acts that do get signed can find out that they no longer own their music, have any say in where or when the tour and often they see very little profit even from a cd that sells fairly well. New acts will not be well promoted by record labels, distributors or tour companies. If there is any publicity at all the act often has to provide it themselves.

The alternative for musical acts is to put the music out themselves. This means that they have to come up with front money for studio time, pay any extra studio musicians that they may need, pay a producer, pay for the actual manufacturing of the cd, pay to store it and figure out how to distribute it. The internet and small run or even publish on demand cd companies have made it a little easier. Most acts also sell cds at their gigs, at festivals and specialty or local music and book shops. The more successful Indies write their own songs or do traditionals that are in public domain, this saves them the expense of paying for the rights to record someone else’s songs which is fine by me because heaven knows there are way, way too many covers around anyway.

The Indies are pretty much the last bastions of original music that actually has something to say which has not been “approved” by someone higher up the corporate chain. There are indies in every genre of music out there fighting the good fight. They deserve our full support and encouragement to keep the voice of the artist from being stifled by corporate interests. I will list a few that are from the genres we cover – Celtic, Irish and Folk. I will spotlight Indies in future posts also. Here are few we haven’t mentioned before.

Uisce Beatha is Irish for Water of Life but it is not referring to H2O It is pronounced ish keh ba ha and was anglicized into the word Whiskey. It is also the name of a great band from Glen Allen, VA. They can be found gigging in pubs in the greater Richmond area particularly at Rare Olde Times http://www.rareoldetimes.com/ and at festivals. For more info check out their website http://www.uiscebeatha.com and their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/uiscebeatharichmond Their cd is currently out of stock at cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/uiscebeatha but is available at Itunes?

Switchback is a duo from Chicago made up of Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack. They bill themselves as having American roots and Celtic soul. It as a great combination. You can hear samples of their music at their myspace a page http://www.myspace.com/switchbacksince1993 or their own website http://www.waygoodmusic.com/ Tour info is also available in both places. Their latest album Ghosts of the River Folk is available at cdbaby along with their other cds and dvds. http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Switchback

J Minus is a great band out of Seattle, Washington. They have both acoustic and rock versions of the band. I came across their acoustic page at myspace http://www.myspace.com/jminusband there is a link on the page to their rock page. They are a band made up of people with diverse interests herded into a slight cohesion by their founder Dylan Fant. Their music is great. You can hear it at the myspace page and their website http://www.jminus.com/ They are one of the best bands I have come across in awhile and you really do need to go and give them a listen. This isn’t Celtic music but it is excellent and I’m sure you will like it. They gig in the Pacific Northwest and both their cds are available on cdbaby. http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JMinus

Kevin Milner is a folk singer from Dayton, Ohio. His songs remind me of Dylan back in his hayday only with a bit more sense of humor and a better singing voice. You can hear a sample at his myspace page http://www.myspace.com/kevinmilner He gigs in the Dayton area so be sure to keep a look out for him there and he asked me to have my friends friend him so please do. The life of a folk singer can be a lonely one

Badly Drawn Boy is a folk/rock singer from Manchester, England. If you read his bio on my space you will find that he also has great sense of humor. You can hear samples of his music at his myspace page http://www.myspace.com/badlydrawnboy There are links on the page through which you can purchase his cd Is There Nothing We Could Do. It is also available through ITunes

Mick Duffy is a Rock/Pop indie from Dublin, Ireland. He goes by Mick at myspace http://www.myspace.com/mickduffy Mick’s first album Awakening is available at cdbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mickduffy. A second is either in the works or recently released but is not yet on cdbaby. The highest compliment that I can pay anyone is this: “He reminds me of the Beatles”. I don’t say that lightly but it is certainly true in this case.

Heads up to all our Aussie readers. The Saw Doctors are heading your way next month. This is a band that is absolutely not to be missed. Be sure to catch one of their shows.  This post has been updated to reflect the addition of the ADELAIDE date.

Thursday March 4
PERTH, FLY BY NIGHT
1 Holdsworth Street
Freemantle WA 6959
Box Office: 9430 5976
http://www.flybynight.org

Saturday March 6
Sunday March 7
PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL
NEAR GEELONG, VICTORIA
http://www.portfairyfolkfestival.com

Tuesday March 9
TASMANIA, REPUBLIC BAR
299 Elizabeth St
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Box Office: 6234 6954
http://www.republicbar.com

Thursday March 11
MELBOURNE, CORNER HOTEL
57 Swan Street
Richmond 3121
Box Office: 9427 9198
http://www.cornerhotel.com

Friday March 12
FERNTREE, GULLY HOTEL
1132 Burwood Hwy,
Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156
Box Office: 9758 6544
http://www.ferntreegullyhotel.com.au

Sunday March 14,
CANBERRA, SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB
Top of The Cross Auditorium
92-96 Corinna Street
Woden, ACT 2606
Info: 6283 7200
Box Office: 6283 7289
http://www.cscc.com.au

Tuesday March 16
SYDNEY, MEAN FIDDLER
Cnr Commerical and Windsor Road
Rouse Hill, Sydney 2155
Box Office: 9629 4811
http://www.meanfiddler.com.au

Wednesday March 17
SYDNEY, METRO THEATRE
624 George Street
Sydney 2000
Box Office: 9550 3666
Ticketek: 132 849
http://www.ticketek.com.au

Thursday March 18
ADELAIDE, THE GOV
59 Port Road
Hindmarsh SA 5007
Box Office: 8340 0744
http://www.thegov.com.au/

Friday March 19
BRISBANE, THE HI-FI
125 Boundary Street
West End, QLD 4104
Box Office: 1 300 843 4434
http://www.thehifi.com.au

More info on the Saw Doctors tour schedule can be found at their website: http://www.sawdoctors.com I keep looking for news of the US tour but the best info I have yet is May-June 2010. Will post an update as soon as I get the info.