Isn’t it something how your brain can play tricks on you? I was listening to Shite ‘n Onions and thought I heard “Any punks in old PA?”. Naturally I became very excited since there don’t seem to be many celtic punk bands (or celtic, or punk) in Pennsylvania. A few, but not many.

We’ve changed the featured review on the homepage, and (finally) put up Ceann’s Rave, Rant, Lose Pants review on Ceann’s page.

After making you all wait for far too long, we’ve got an update.  The review for Icewagon Flu’s new CD The Great American Something is up- and they’ve got their own page! 

 This is something we’ve been working on- giving each band their own page on our site which will host each of their reviews together, along with a bio and links to their page, etc.  We’re still trying to clean up the look of the site, so don’t worry about the messy linkage everywhere.  As far as we know- all the links work- they just might not be where they’re supposed to be, or might be where they’re not.

If you do find any broken links, please let me know.

If your sister works as a customer service rep for a popular web host- then this post is for you, buddy! 

I needed some help on BandVox’s website account and called the customer service line.  While we chatted, I mentioned what BandVox does- review Celtic Punk music.  My wonderful (and I do mean wonderful) CSR mentioned that her brother liked celtic and punk music, but wasn’t aware of celtic punk as a genre.  As much as I wanted to give her a list of links and bands to check out, I didn’t want her to get into trouble for personal stuff at work.  So here’s hoping that you see this post.  Or BandVox.com.  Or the Squidoo lense that I’m building.

 A good way to explore the genre is to check out internet radio stations that are currently free such as Shite ‘n Onions and Radio Rebel Gael.  Good bands to start with are Flogging Molly, Black 47, Larkin Brigade, and Icewagon Flu even has a virtual podcast with some of the songs from their new album The Great American Something.  Since these bands are rather different from each other, it should give you a fairly good idea of what’s out there, though is by no means comprehensive.

 For more information you can check BandVox, Shite ‘n Onions (website), and PaddyRock.  Of course, a google search on Celtic Punk should throw out some pretty good links as well.

I’ve had a chance to listen to all 4 CDs that I bought at the Celtic Fling last Saturday, and I can’t decide which of them I love the most. 

Enter The Haggis- Soapbox Heroes has some of the best songs for getting into, dancing, singing with, and just totally letting loose.  Honestly, I think One Last Drink is one of my absolute favorite songs. 

Icewagon Flu- The Great American Something is… well, great.  There are only two things that disappoint me 1.) no lyric sheet, and 2.) they’re so good live that I’ve been ruined for CDs.  Seriously, this is an awesome CD and it’ll be the next that I review on the site.  I highly recommend it, and it’s absolutely worth the $15 and any shipping you may have to pay.  But everytime I hear a song that was in their set at the Fling I just keep picturing the goofy performance I saw there.

Icewagon Flu- Off the Wagon I wanted for a loooong time.  However, I’m a total geek about spending my money.  I hate parting with cash, and so I’ve simply had it wishlisted for a long time.  However, I budgeted and bought it while at Fling.  Little did I know that the song I praise so highly in my Celtic Fling 2007 review was actually on this CD!  Wonderful!  So if you want to hear “Nudity“, get thee Off the Wagon.  This is just an amazing band all around, and while I encourage you to get their newest CD, don’t neglect their older ones. 

Ceann- Rave, Rant, Lose Pants was released the same week as Icewagon Flu’s The Great American Something and is as rediculously funny as Almost Irish.  Top of my charts are Blame the Viking, Pretty on the Inside, and Boom!.  No, seriously, you have to hear Boom!.

I’ll be reviewing Rave, Rant, Lose Pants after The Great American Something.  It was hard to decide between the two for the next review, but since I left Almost Irish up for freaking two months and only bumped it off the main page last week… well, maybe I should let someone else shine?

Of course, full reviews of all of these CDs will be going up on BandVox.com eventually, but the two new ones are the next in line.  I also have the Skels- Any Port In A Storm is on my list.  With all of these new goodies, that’ll have to wait.

Short post- There is now a proper review of the Celtic Fling up on BandVox.com’s new Show Reviews page!  If the link doesn’t work, just go to BandVox.com and click on the Show Reviews link at the top.  More tidbits to follow here on the blog.

First things first: I updated the site late Friday night (ok, technically it was 2am Saturday). The review for Flatfoot 56’s new album Jungle of the Midwest Sea is now on the main page with Ceann’s Almost Irish being moved to the past reviews page.  Yeah, I know, it’s about time.  The links are mostly missing, and I’ll be adding them in shortly as well as checking for spelling errors since it was posted quickly so that I could get some sleep before Celtic Fling.

Speaking of which, I picked up 4 CD’s yesterday at Fling.  Icewagon Flu’s Off the Wagon and The Great American Something (which I listened to on the way home from Fling- so far, very good), Ceann’s new CD Rave, Rant, Lose Pants, and Enter the Haggis’ Soapbox Heroes.  Reviews will be forthcoming. 

 I also got some pics of said bands as well as a few of Hunting Mcleod since I was running late and am bad at faces.  I thought they were Icewagon Flu performing a song I hadn’t heard yet since celtic bands wearing kilts at celtic festivals is not exactly unheard of.  Sort of made an arse of myself when trying to buy their CDs and talking to Martin Bristow (guitarist of Icewagon Flu) without realizing that he was in the band that I thought I was seeing.  Nice guy though.

 I plan to get a proper review of the fest up later- on the site if I can find a good spot for it.  And try to get some pics uploaded.  All of the bands were in the shade and I couldn’t get close enough to be sure of a good shot. 

 I also ended up with sun poisoning about the same time that Enter the Haggis was up for their last set, so I stayed through a few of my favorite songs and left- sorry guys.  You rocked, I just couldn’t roll.

This weekend (June 23 & 24) is the Celtic Fling  at Mt Hope Estate and Winery in Manheim, PA (home of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire).  I haven’t been there for several years, but now, thanks to them having an unbelievable line up including: Icewagon Flu, Ceann, and Enter the Haggis, I plan to be there on Saturday.   I’d offer to meet anyone who wants to come out, but since I hate getting up early I can’t promise where I’ll be or when.  My plans consist of seeing each of the above bands at least once (they’re playing 3 sets each), and hopefully a few others.  

 By the way- Icewagon Flu and Ceann will both have new CD’s available as of this coming Saturday.  I assume they will be available for purchase at the shows, but I don’t know for certain. 

 There are many other bands performing including Tartan Terrors (excellent), Empty Hats (also excellent, and nigh unto famous ’round here), and Coyote Run (which I’ve never heard of before, but the MP3 on the site sounds very good).

Also performing: Blackthorne, Celtic Spring, The Elders, Glengarry Boys, Hunting Mcleod, Knott Fibb’n, Screaming Orphans, Scythian, and some traditional music that’s only listed on the actual schedule.  There is an MP3 of one song for each of these bands (except Ceann for some reason) on the website.  I’ve listened to them all, and they’d all be worth attending a show for.  If you plan to go, check out the site and the MP3’s- there’s so much to see and hear at the Fling that you’ll need to be able to set up your schedule ahead of time.

Doesn’t it just drive you crazy when you find a new band or singer that you love and you can’t buy a cd?  Clare Portman, a member of JD and the Longfellows and Big Girls Blouse, has some wonderful solo songs on her MySpace page.   I recommend starting with The Other One; her voice is both sweet and soulful, and she has an optimism and streak of independence that comes through even while singing about an unfaithful partner.  There’s also a video of the song All Yours Now.  Go check it out!

Updates on the site will be coming soon.  Flatfoot 56’s Jungle of the Midwest Sea will be the next review posted as I received an advance copy through TitleTrakk and wanted to give it some space between that review going up and the one for BandVox.   

 Yesterday I ordered three more cd’s from CD Baby, and am expecting them soon.  Updates should be a little more regular now since I have a few albums to choose from. 

 Ordered:

• BROBDINGNAGIAN BARDS: brobdingnagian fairy tales  - I’m relatively sure that this is music that gets played at Renaissance Faires, but since most are based on celtic folk lore or actual songs, it fits within the boundaries of what I review.
• THE SKELS: any port in a storm  - obviously fits within the boundaries.  True, it’s a bit old, but I don’t review based on what’s new.  I try to give an accurate picture of any album that I review, as long as it’s still available for purchase.
• BELLES OF BEDLAM: who’s your sire  -  This is absolutely Rennie music.  Very funny, but doesn’t really fit the requirements.  If you feel strongly one way or another about this being reviewed on BandVox, please leave a comment or email me.  If the consensus is that you don’t want it reviewed, or that nobody cares one way or the other, then it’ll only go up in the emergency situation that I haven’t gotten any new albums to review.  If you really want to hear about it, I’ll post it. 

So this is what’s coming up.  Any thoughts?