By Stephanie Youssef
The Scottish Fest music scene is a world all its own, and it offers a varied range of Scottish and Irish bands, genres which frequently overlap due to mixed heritage and that classic bagpipe sound. Here in Orange County, these bands are given the chance to shine and give everyone a taste of their unique tunes during the two-day festival celebrating Scottish culture and heritage (even if there's a little Irish mixed in there too).
The Scottish Fest music scene is a world all its own, and it offers a varied range of Scottish and Irish bands, genres which frequently overlap due to mixed heritage and that classic bagpipe sound. Here in Orange County, these bands are given the chance to shine and give everyone a taste of their unique tunes during the two-day festival celebrating Scottish culture and heritage (even if there's a little Irish mixed in there too).
THE PLOUGHBOYS
The crowd roars as the first strains of a merry melody start to play, building as more instruments—including an electric mandolin and an accordion—add to the tune. The musicians start to bob their heads, their kilts swaying, and before long a full-blown jig is blasting over the speakers, and the audience members are up and dancing, young and old alike. Many are in costume, one particularly enthused audience member dressed head to toe in the traditional royal garb of Mary, Queen of Scotland. Her name is Mary Culver, and at a sprightly 78 years old, she is The Ploughboys’ number one fan.
Interested in an interview with this lively woman, her avid enthusiasm sparks a remarkable conversation that has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with, “those fantastic performers up there,” The Ploughboys. Regardless of the questions pointed her way, it results in, “enough about me, look at Peter and Mark go!” or, “I’m not quite as interesting as that pair up there, they’re brothers you know!” Two introductions to Peter and Mark later, it's clear why the men are so loved. The brothers are contrasting personalities, respectively, one calm and soft-spoken (clearly the older brother), and the other with a mischievous light in his eye and a penchant for conversation, both exuding a positive, sparkling energy with every word.
Their lively Celtic, Irish and Scottish songs get your blood pumping, regardless of your tastes, and their energetic, animated stage presence will give even the sulkiest Scottish Fester a reason to dance. Playing together for decades, the band has performed at Scottish and Irish festivals all over California, and they are guaranteed to find friends and fans wherever they go, all drawn to their dynamic, engaging sets. As Mary delightedly puts it, “They make life fun. If you have a bad week, go to them and it’ll fill you up for the next week.” In fact, if you too are searching for a smile, find these spirited sonnets as the house band at The Tam O’ Shanter, one of the oldest Scottish pubs in the area!
Interested in an interview with this lively woman, her avid enthusiasm sparks a remarkable conversation that has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with, “those fantastic performers up there,” The Ploughboys. Regardless of the questions pointed her way, it results in, “enough about me, look at Peter and Mark go!” or, “I’m not quite as interesting as that pair up there, they’re brothers you know!” Two introductions to Peter and Mark later, it's clear why the men are so loved. The brothers are contrasting personalities, respectively, one calm and soft-spoken (clearly the older brother), and the other with a mischievous light in his eye and a penchant for conversation, both exuding a positive, sparkling energy with every word.
Their lively Celtic, Irish and Scottish songs get your blood pumping, regardless of your tastes, and their energetic, animated stage presence will give even the sulkiest Scottish Fester a reason to dance. Playing together for decades, the band has performed at Scottish and Irish festivals all over California, and they are guaranteed to find friends and fans wherever they go, all drawn to their dynamic, engaging sets. As Mary delightedly puts it, “They make life fun. If you have a bad week, go to them and it’ll fill you up for the next week.” In fact, if you too are searching for a smile, find these spirited sonnets as the house band at The Tam O’ Shanter, one of the oldest Scottish pubs in the area!
HIGHLAND WAY
Playing right after The Ploughboys is a band by the name of Highland Way, an equally lively, spirited bunch with the same flair for a good dancing jig. Claiming they're "uncompromising professionals" on their band website, these musicians bring a studio-grade sound to the stage. Their band leader, an energetic man by the name of Brian Caldwell, "well known for his wonderful ability to charm any crowd," immediately begins to run around the small stage, weaving around his band members and interacting with each one in dizzying succession to the beat of their fast-paced song. "It's a privilege to play with these kids," he raves, "I'm just lucky," and despite only picking up a guitar at 29, him and his band are putting on quite the show.
It’s a light tune, but even before the song picks up, the tired audience members are up and at it again, their feet flying around and their arms up in the air. Personally weary from the excitement of the previous band, I took a seat, only to find myself picked up and dancing again with complete strangers who twirled me around and really absorbed the energy of Highland Way, spinning me as if we've been friends for years. Caldwell runs off the stage to interact with the audience, taking his guitar and dancing around in front of the stage, jumping up and down to pump them up, and kicking and cheering with them throughout the set. Despite being one of the later sets at the end of the two-day festival, their energy is through the roof and is reflected in their responsive audience. "It's contagious, hopefully," he laughs, "I can't emphasize how special this band is."
With five albums available for sale, Highland Way and all of its versatile members-most of which play multiple instruments and speak multiple languages-are on their way up as the Irish and Scottish community embraces their enthusiastic, seasoned sound. Visit their website for more information about booking and music information, guaranteed they're a band who love what they do.
It’s a light tune, but even before the song picks up, the tired audience members are up and at it again, their feet flying around and their arms up in the air. Personally weary from the excitement of the previous band, I took a seat, only to find myself picked up and dancing again with complete strangers who twirled me around and really absorbed the energy of Highland Way, spinning me as if we've been friends for years. Caldwell runs off the stage to interact with the audience, taking his guitar and dancing around in front of the stage, jumping up and down to pump them up, and kicking and cheering with them throughout the set. Despite being one of the later sets at the end of the two-day festival, their energy is through the roof and is reflected in their responsive audience. "It's contagious, hopefully," he laughs, "I can't emphasize how special this band is."
With five albums available for sale, Highland Way and all of its versatile members-most of which play multiple instruments and speak multiple languages-are on their way up as the Irish and Scottish community embraces their enthusiastic, seasoned sound. Visit their website for more information about booking and music information, guaranteed they're a band who love what they do.
THE 1916 BAND
A bagpipe sounds, and raucous cheering is heard from a different stage. This open-air stage is shaded by trees, and a band of five rises above the audience as the bag-pipe gets louder, and the electric guitar strikes a chord. A genre all its own, the 1916 band plays a different tune than The Ploughboys or Highland Way. A mixture of rock n’ roll with classic bagpipe melodies, they have modernized the Scottish and Irish music scenes (think Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys), i.e. with their song “A 21st Century Irish Man.”
They’re a group of burly, rockin’ dudes and one petite, rockin’ girl and her bagpipes, "hoping to make this larger than life" says band leader Walter Baldwin. They take their sound seriously, and as Baldwin says, "We're having fun, but we're musicians who don't take this lightly." One song named “Flowers of Scotland” is a modern take on a traditional Scottish tune, where piper extraordinaire Chelsea Joy plays for a breath-taking seven minutes, during which two talented dancers performed an in-sync Scottish jig for added entertainment at Scottish Fest. They’re a personable bunch, laughing and joking in-between sets, and that's what Baldwin looked for when looking for members, stating, "I wanted a family, and we barbeque and go swimming, and we can be a band without killing each other." They laughingly take audience feedback about their sound with boisterous responses, and dance around the stage with passionate playing, exuding the kind of excitement and energy only that kind of rock band can.
They already have two studio albums available for sale, and the band is carving their own bagpipin' rock band niche as they keep moving forward. Their third album, "By the Time You Hear Us Coming" will be out by the end of July, so visit their website for more information and keep an eye out for these up-and-comers.
They’re a group of burly, rockin’ dudes and one petite, rockin’ girl and her bagpipes, "hoping to make this larger than life" says band leader Walter Baldwin. They take their sound seriously, and as Baldwin says, "We're having fun, but we're musicians who don't take this lightly." One song named “Flowers of Scotland” is a modern take on a traditional Scottish tune, where piper extraordinaire Chelsea Joy plays for a breath-taking seven minutes, during which two talented dancers performed an in-sync Scottish jig for added entertainment at Scottish Fest. They’re a personable bunch, laughing and joking in-between sets, and that's what Baldwin looked for when looking for members, stating, "I wanted a family, and we barbeque and go swimming, and we can be a band without killing each other." They laughingly take audience feedback about their sound with boisterous responses, and dance around the stage with passionate playing, exuding the kind of excitement and energy only that kind of rock band can.
They already have two studio albums available for sale, and the band is carving their own bagpipin' rock band niche as they keep moving forward. Their third album, "By the Time You Hear Us Coming" will be out by the end of July, so visit their website for more information and keep an eye out for these up-and-comers.