Fusion band Sligo Rags blend Celtic music with bluegrass and world music, among other things, and the results are wonderful. If the Skies Be Ablaze is their most recent album, and they’ll be pulling from that and more when they perform at Boulevard Music this weekend. Guitarist Dave Burns told the News all about that and more…
When did you start playing and performing?
We’ve been performing since late 2002; Michael Kelly and I met by happenstance through mutual acquaintances. We discovered quickly that we work very well together. We soon enlisted the help of a rhythm section (which has had rotating personnel throughout our existence, although the current configuration of Jonathan Baer on percussion and Nathan York on bass has been in place for several years) and worked out a strong repertoire while playing for empty tables at Molly Bloom’s in San Clemente once a week. Soon we were comfortable venturing out to more exciting venues.
Describe your sound/style?
We are first and foremost a Celtic/Irish band, but we come from bluegrass, country, jazz, and world music. So while the songs (including our many originals) are primarily Celtic in nature, we do our best to incorporate these other influences into our sound.
What are your career highlights so far?
We’ve played all over the country at festivals and concert venues (locally the Ford Amphitheatre, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, regularly at The Coffee Gallery Backstage, and many others.) In 2011, Stan Freese, the legendary talent booker for Disneyland, heard us at an Irish Festival and hired us immediately to play on the Paradise Garden Bandstand at California Adventure, where we played several days a week for about seven years. We were twice named best folk band in Orange County, and Folkworks named us one of the top ten in Los Angeles.
What recorded music is available — particularly the most recent?
All of our recorded music is available at https://sligorags.bandcamp.com/music. If the Skies be Ablaze is the most recent album.
Have you performed at Boulevard Music before? Any memories?
This will be our sixth or seventh time playing at Boulevard. Every outing with our friend Gary Mandell is a memorable one.
What can the audience expect from the set this time?
We will tap into our normal repertoire of familiar and not-so-familiar Celtic tunes with our own unique arrangements and powerful harmonies, a good handful of original tunes, perhaps a Flogging Molly and/or Pogues cover or two, and we may even round it out with some Springsteen. It will be upbeat and high energy, but will tap into the entire emotional and rhythmic spectrum. Bob Stane once called it a “fusion that just crackles.”
What else do you have coming up?
Find all touring info here: https://sligorags.com/show-schedule
Sligo Rags perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 11 at Boulevard Music. Go to boulevardmusic.com for more information about the show.
Elsewhere this week
The Culver Hotel will be hosting the likes of Sylvia & the Rhythm Boys, and Scotty Bramer. Go to culverhotel.com for more info.
There’s a full program of music at the Cinema Bar this week, as usual. The Hot Club of Los Angeles plays every Monday, and Wednesdays are singer/songwriter and open mic night. Other artists performing this week include Ben Vaughn Ensemble, Bruce Ray White, Tremoloco Band, and Sad Girl. Go to thecinemabar.com for more info.
