St. Patrick’s Day came and went.
Yet the parties party on.
For instance, take the latest installment of the Virginia Ballroom Concert Series. Scheduled for March 19 at the Senior Center in Abingdon, Va., Celtic rock trio
Rathkeltair features a grinding guitar and raging bagpipes sound.
Harder than the Chieftains yet tamer than Flogging Molly, the Jacksonville Beach, Fla.-based band relishes versatility.
“We can scale it back and be acoustic, and we can go very loud,” said Neil Anderson of Rathkeltair by phone from Columbia, S.C. “We’re more about articulation.”
Formed in 2003, Rathkeltair (pronounced rath-KELT-ur and named for a locale in Northern Ireland) features American bagpiper Anderson, English guitarist Trevor Tanner and Irish drummer Nick Watson.
A piper since age 6, Anderson said the pipes can encompass more styles than most people may imagine. Consequently, they can prove unusually difficult to master.
“I’m 46 now,” Anderson said. “The bagpipes are like the Rubik’s Cube. No matter how long you play them, there’s always more to learn.”
Three albums and little radio airplay into their career, Rathkeltair early on were forced to learn alternative ways to promote themselves. They are but one of many bands beyond the realm of mainstream radio, yet one that manages to exist as a full-time entity.
“Our following is very grassroots, sort of the type of thing that the Grateful Dead had in their heyday,” Anderson said. “We have a very loyal fan base. There’s a lot of word of mouth. Plus, we take full advantage of Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.”
Combine that with the gradual escalation in popularity of traditional Celtic and no-so-traditional Celtic rock.
“We’re working musicians,” Anderson said, “and we’re grateful to be able to make a living playing music.”
Rathkeltair thrives in part thanks to its mingling of approaches to Celtic music. Anderson, who was a founding member of the world-renowned Celtic rock band Seven Nations, said that Rathkeltair manages to encompass traditional Celtic with the rock side of the genre.
“We’ll play rigs and reels and jigs, a lot of instrumental music,” he said. “We all grew up in the tradition. Nick and I grew up playing in traditional pipe bands. So we do some traditional songs with our thumbprint on them.”
However, the bulk of Rathkeltair’s material comes of its own creation. In that regard, they stand apart from most Celtic rock bands.
“We have a large reservoir of original music,” Anderson said. “We have our own sound, and it’s who we are. We are not a cover band, and frankly, most Celtic rock bands are. We don’t want to be a jukebox.”
A perusal of Rathkeltair’s third and most recent album, the live and sizzling “Organic,” confirms Anderson’s assessment. It also highlights another facet of the band in particular and Celtic rock in general. Bagpipes can be loud and out front as a lead instrument, even alongside a guitar.
So rock on St. Patrick.
“I like to use the bagpipes as you would a guitar,” Anderson said. “I like to think of the bagpipes as 18th century rock and roll.”
IF YOU GO
What: Virginia Ballroom Concert Series
Who: Rathkeltair
When: March 19, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Abingdon Senior Center, 300 Senior Drive, Abingdon, Va.
Admission: $8-$10, children ages 10 and under admitted free
Info: (276) 628-5859
Web, audio, and video: www.rathkeltair.com
TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement