Another crowd favorite, Gaelic Storm, is returning to the Lowell Summer Music Series on June 20th! I’ve seen them a few times and they never fail to put on a lively show full of excellent music.

“Gaelic Storm is a one of a kind phenomenon in the Irish music world, a blue-collar working band that cuts a trail of blazing live performances all across the globe. Mixing country, bluegrass, and rock sensibilities with Celtic tradition, Gaelic Storm’s legendary live shows offer something to everyone in the audience, creating an experience that fully justifies the band’s name.

“It’s hard to imagine a band just coming into their own after 20 years of success, but that’s exactly what makes a true anomaly. This multi-national Celtic juggernaut grows stronger with each live performance, and as you can imagine, after two decades and over 2000 shows, it is a true force to be reckoned with. With their latest release, Go Climb a Tree, their music has never sounded more representative of their abilities as musicians and as live performers.

Gaelic Storm (Official Photo)

“The band attributes their continued success to their fanatic audience, and it’s a well-diversified crowd for sure. The country-music folks adore the storytelling, the bluegrass-heads love the instrumentals, Celtic fans love their devotion to tradition, and the rockers simply relish the passion they bring to playing their instruments. Each band member, in their own way, expresses a deep gratitude for their fans, but it’s best summed up in the words of Patrick Murphy: “The fans are the ones that have given us this life. We’re here for them.”

“On Go Climb a Tree, Gaelic Storm co-founders Steve Twigger and Patrick Murphy are again at the helm of song-writing duties, along with longtime friend and co-writer Steve Wehmever. The album has everything—party drinking songs  (“The Beer Song”), patriotic anthems (“Green, White and Orange”), beautiful folk songs (“Monday Morning Girl”), spritely instrumentals “”The Night of Tomfoolery”), perfectly poppy songs (“Shine On”), and even a raucous pirate song (“Shanghai Kelly”). When speaking of the overall concept of the album, Patrick Murphy gives some insight: “With all the craziness and division in the world, we wanted to make an album about ‘contemplative escapism.’ Go Climb a Tree certainly isn’t about dropping out of the conversation, it’s just about taking a short hiatus to recharge the batteries before you take on the world again.”

“Gaelic Storm takes a true blue-collar, hard-nose approach to touring, consistently traveling the US and internationally over 200 days a year, forging a unique path in the Celtic music world. “You have to see us live. We are the true working-mans’ band,” says Ryan Lacey, who joined the lineup in 2003. “We still, and most likely always will, tour most of the year, and that’s how we constantly hone our craft.”

“The dedication to live shows date all the way back to the mid-1990s, when Gaelic Storm kicked off its career as a pub band in Santa Monica, California. Due to their discovery at the pub, by the end of the decade, the musicians had appeared in the blockbuster film Titanic (where they performed “Irish Party in Third Class”). This laid the groundwork for a career that would eventually find them topping the Billboard World Chart six times, making appearances at mainstream music festivals, and regularly headlining the largest Irish Festivals across the country, all the while gaining a reputation as a genre-bending Irish rock band, whose songs mix Celtic traditions with something uniquely creative.

“Looking to the future, Gaelic Storm is excited about what lies ahead. They’ve added a new fiddle player, Katie Grennen, and she has affectionately become the “purple squirrel” of the band, meaning she is the perfect new addition. Pete Purvis who joined the band in 2005 said, “With the addition of Katie, the band has never sounded better, we’re gelling on a whole new level, and the idea of sharing these new songs with our fans is exciting!””

Tickets for the Gaelic Storm show are priced at $34 in advance. There are also premium seats – beach chairs are provided by the Series – set in two rows directly in front of the stage for $134. Tickets for this show go on sale Friday, February 21st at 10 a.m. through Lowell Summer Music Series, by calling 1-800-657-8774, or by visiting the Lowell Memorial Auditorium box office, open Monday-Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.. Children under 12 are always free courtesy of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union – parents, this is a great way to introduce your kids to live music in a safe, family-friendly environment. Don’t forget their ear protection!

For those of you who are unaware of the Series, or if you are aware of it but have never attended a show there, it is an outdoor (weather permitting) concert series held on National Park Service grounds in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Series is not-for-profit, which helps keep the ticket prices reasonable. The Series is co-presented by the Lowell Festival Foundation and Lowell National Historical Park.

Surrounding Boarding House Park are old mill buildings, part of the Lowell National Historical Park, which you can tour if you arrive early enough. They provide an unusual setting for an evening of great music and ambiance.

The Series generally runs from mid-June to early September.

This Series is dear to my heart. I have been a season pass holder since 2007 and it is one of the highlights of the year (and of summer in particular) for me. Many lasting friendships have been made there. I expect this will be another excellent year!

I will post additional announcements for the Series as they are made.

So far, the  lineup is:

June 20 (Saturday) – Gaelic Storm

July 11 (Saturday) – Joss Stone

July 18 (Saturday) – Leonid & Friends

August 22 (Saturday) – Tower of Power

September 4 (Friday) – Richard Thompson

September 5 (Saturday) – Rhiannon Giddens