Gaelic Storm

at: Mayo Civic Center - Presentation Hall

2/8/2007 7:30 PM

A Celtic band of 'Titanic' proportions; Gaelic Storm coming to Rochester!


ROCHESTER, MN - MLT Group and Charter Communications present the Celtic ensemble Gaelic Storm on Thursday, February 8, 2007 at 7:30PM in the Mayo Civic Center - Presentation Hall.



Since its inception nearly ten years ago, Gaelic Storm continue to broaden the musical horizons of the Celtic music genre by creating compelling originals and fresh arrangements steeped in Irish traditional melody and acoustic instrumentation combined with their unique blend of world rhythms. Released on July 25, 2006, the band?s latest album Bring Yer Wellies (Lost Again Records) debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Chart, #16 on the Internet Sales Chart and #31 on the Independent Album Chart. The 14 new tracks capture the contagious energy of Gaelic Storm?s renowned live performances. Channeling the rowdy communal feel of an Irish pub on raucous sing-alongs, driving pipe sets and spirited fiddle tunes, the band?s sixth studio album was recorded in a one-month fury in April 2006 at The Zone recording studio in Austin Texas.



Touring aggressively and playing over 125 dates a year, Gaelic Storm routinely breaks attendance and merchandise sales records, pushing their popularity beyond the World music genre and into the mainstream music consciousness. Gaelic Storm performed on The Rock Boat 2004 along with mainstream rock bands such as Cowboy Mouth, Tonic, Sister Hazel and Gavin Degraw and set the Rock Boat CD sales record. The band was invited back to The Rock Boat in 2006 alongside acts such as Better Than Ezra and Marc Broussard. Gaelic Storm broke the attendance record previously held by Alan Jackson at the Albuquerque, NM Bio-Park and they continue to headline some of the largest Celtic and Folk festivals in the world including Festival Interceltique in Lorient, Brittany, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, and Dublin Irish Festival. Remarkably, the band has headlined the largest U.S. Irish Festival, Milwaukee Irish Fest, for 4 straight years, and has become an exception to the festival?s usual policy of not inviting artists to perform in consecutive years.



On St. Patrick?s Day, 1996, co-founders Patrick Murphy of Cork City, Ireland (vocals, piano, accordion, spoons, harmonica) and New Yorker Steve Wehmeyer (bodhran, vocals, didgeridoo) officially joined forces with Steve Twigger of Coventry, England (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki), at O?Brien?s pub in Santa Monica, California. Their first performance was such a hit that the crowd refused to let them off the stage for the next act. In 1997, Gaelic Storm was catapulted out of their formative pub haunts by an appearance in the blockbuster film Titanic. Cast as the ?party band? in the steerage scene, they landed the part while still drinking pints and playing weekly at O?Brien?s. After the film?s release, the band was met by huge crowds on their first tour. However, they still pride themselves on remaining as accessible as ever and sharing ?a pint? with fans whenever possible.



A mini-documentary about Gaelic Storm airs regularly on Cinemax, and the band has appeared numerous times on national and international TV. Perhaps the best indication of Gaelic Storm?s newfound international success came when Michael Flatley (of Lord of the Dance fame) met Gaelic Storm vocalist and songwriter Patrick Murphy in Murphy?s hometown, Cork City, Ireland. ?I told him he did a superb job of advancing Irish culture throughout the world, like the Chieftains have for years,? Murphy says, ?and he said, ?In fairness to you, you?ve probably introduced Irish music to five minutes of fame with that little film clip.??



Gaelic Storm also includes: Ryan Lacey on drums and world percussion (graduated twice from the Los Angeles Music Academy, once for hands and once for sticks), Ellery Klein on fiddle (who holds a MA degree in Traditional Irish Music from the University of Limerick) and Pete Purvis of Merrickville, Ontario on uillean pipes, tin whistle, daeger pipes and highland pipes (a Grade 1 piper who toured with award winning pipe bands including the Braemar Pipe Band and played at 2000 Sydney Olympics).



Single tickets are $20 & $14, with a variety of discounts available, and can be purchased at Riverside Concerts in City Hall, the Mayo Civic Center and all Ticketmaster outlets including Macy's, charge by phone through Riverside Concerts (members only) at (507) 285-8076 or (800) 657-3980, or through Ticketmaster at (507) 252-1010, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Partial season ticket packages are also available at Riverside Concerts in City Hall only. Riverside Concerts Box Office hours are Monday ? Friday, 9am ? 4pm. Tune in to Government Channel 19 for a sneak preview airing daily at 7am, 12 noon, 6pm and 11pm. For more information, call (507) 285-8076 or (800) 657-3980 or visit us online at www.riversideconcerts.com.