Harriet Island - August 10-12
Free Admission!
2009 Headliners
Dropkick Murphys
They sold out 5 shows leading up to St. Patrick's Day at the House of Blues in Boston. Don't miss your chance to see them in Saint Paul…
Dropkick Murphys formed in 1996 in Boston, MA. The band was originally just a bunch of friends looking to play music for fun. We started playing in the basement of a friend's barbershop and our goal was to blend the musical influences we had grown up with (Punk Rock, Irish Folk, Rock, and Hardcore) into one loud, raucous, chaotic, and often out of tune mix that we could call our own. More…
Young Dubliners
Seamlessly blending their rock and Celtic influences into a high energy, anthemic and lyrically poignant mix, the band whose lineup since 2002 includes co-founder Keith Roberts (vocals, guitar), fellow Dubliner Brendan Holmes (bass, vocals), American-born members Bob Boulding (guitar, vocals), Chas Waltz (violin, keyboards, harp, mandolin, vocals) and Dave Ingraham (drums, percussion)--jumps energetically from ballad to barn burner, documenting as they go the vibrant yet chaotic world they find themselves in. From edgy political tunes to the travails of life in an internationally touring band, Saints and Sinners chronicles and tackles it all with joy, wit, enthusiasm and a profound belief that things can get better. They're joined once again by Uillean pipe and pennywhistle master Eric Rigler, famed for his film work on the Titanic and Braveheart soundtracks, who has appeared on the bands last three albums and is a regular touring member. More…
Solas
Since its birth in 1996, Solas has been loudly proclaimed as the most popular, influential, and exciting Celtic band to ever emerge from the United States. Even before the release of its first Shanachie CD, the Boston Herald trumpeted the quartet as “the first truly great Irish band to arise from America,” and the Irish Echo ranked Solas among the “most exciting bands anywhere in the world.” Since then, the praise has only grown louder. The Philadelphia Inquirer said they make “mind-blowing Irish folk music, maybe the world’s best.” The New York Times praised their “unbridled vitality“, the Washington Post dubbed them one of the “world’s finest Celtic-folk ensembles” and the Austin American-Statesman called them “the standard by which contemporary Celtic groups are judged.” More…
Salsa Celtica
Salsa Celtica’s remarkable success story began in 1995 in the bars and clubs of Scotland’s Edinburgh and Glasgow. They were an immediate hit with the locals and the newly arrived Hispanic community. After recording their debut album 'Monstruos y Demonios' (Monsters and Demons), Salsa Celtica took their music around the village halls of Scotland, from Skye to Mull, Iona to Barra, Lewis to Orkney, and everywhere in between. After this they saved up their pennies and headed off to Cuba to hang out with salsa groups, including Son14 and Sonora La Calle, and to generally soak up Afro-Cuban sounds in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Swapping whisky for rum they were asked to join in at musical / religious "bembe" gatherings and were invited to worship the Afro Cuban "orichas". After acquiring new tastes and skills they returned to Scotland to sign to Scottish label Greentrax and to release two albums ‘The Great Scottish Latin Adventure’ and ‘El Agua De La Vida’.
Following on from a sensational breakthrough in 2003 when ‘El Agua De La Vida’ reached number 5 on the World Music Chart of Europe, reached number 24 in the end of year round-up 2003 World Music Chart for Europe and was also their first album released in the US on Compass Records, 2004 saw the band take their unique fusion of Latin and Celtic sounds on tour in England for the first time. The nineteen date tour highlight was a sold out headline performance at the UK’s premier World Music venue, Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank as part of the La Linea Festival, which saw the entire audience on their feet throughout the show and led to much dancing in the aisles.
Makem and Spain Brothers
Every generation has a few acts that define where musical genre is going, performers so confident in their chosen field that they are able to completely embrace the genre and yet introduce something new to it. In Irish folk music today, that act is the Makem and Spain Brothers.
The Makem Brothers, Shane, Conor and Rory, were born in Drogheda, County Louth, about an hour north of Dublin. They continue the lineage of one of Irish music's dynasties, begun by their grandmother Sarah Makem, who was sought after by song collectors for her store of traditional Irish songs. Their father is Tommy Makem, the modern day Bard of Armagh. Now considered an icon, he helped to bring Irish music out of the corner and into the international spotlight where it has remained ever since.
The Spain Brothers too, learned Irish songs at their father's knee. Mickey's rich, baritone voice and Liam's mastery of stringed instruments quickly found a home when the Makems met the Spains and the brothers realized the power of their combined talents. More…