When one describes music as Progressive, the term can be used very broadly and very widely. Often the results are something quite interesting. Today I am using Toronto residents Enter The Haggis as an example who mix Celtic folk styles and instruments with Rock music. The end result is a whole lot of fun and the other day when the NY Caledonian Club hosted an event that would tie up at the Knitting Factory the fun continued. The Society was celebrating "Tartan Week" , a big festival and appreciation of their Scottish culture and to make it a night worth remembering the organizer brought the band down from their native Canada.
Read on for Ken Pierce's full rundown of the show!
As I walked the very crowded Knitting Factory, I figured I was surrounded by club members but that was quickly dispelled when I talked to some of the people in attendance. It seemed that folks from Boston, Philadelphia, and the like had all come to the show based on the band's personal forum pages. That is a fact worthy of
mentioning, since it shows the level of diehard fans these people have following them. There was even a wide age group present. Parents had brought children who also seemed to love the band. Nice to be able to see a family rocking together rather than separate.
It was definitely fun to see this group as every player is very talented and makes watching them play their instrument all the more fun. Brian Buchanan plays a mean fiddle and sings, and Craig Downie handles all the pipes and flutes. He is also a very funny stage presence cracking jokes as the night goes on. Trevor Lewington handles the main lead vocals and guitar for the group and at times he had some Bono-esque moments. Mark Abraham keeps it cool and solid on the bass while James Campbell attacks the drums with the skills of his favorite Progressive players (yep, he's a Prog dude).
The group did two great sets and among the song highlights I liked best for reference were "Gasoline", "Donald Where's your Troosers", "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "Lanigan's Ball". At one point in the show, a young man came up from the audience and proposed marriage to his girlfriend, which was an interesting and pleasant touch to the festivities. I recommend this group to those who enjoy the Celtic styles or just want to have a good time and forget about the world's worries. Oh by the way, the young lady said yes to her boyfriend. What a cool thing to have done while your favorite band was playing. Thanks to Christy MacPhedran and the NY Caledonian Club for inviting me to the show.
Official Website: www.EnterTheHaggis.com
Ken Pierce
|
Print
Send to a Friend
