Entertainment

7 Nations

Friday, June 14th, 3:15pm and 8:30pm

Saturday, June 15th, 1:00pm and 8:00pm

Celtic Rock

The story of SEVEN NATIONS is that of a truly original and determined band that began in New York City, with members now hailing from California, to Toronto, to Florida. They have for years booked their own tours,and have had their own PBS and CNN specials. Throw away any preconceived notions you may have about Celtic music…this is a band that has invented its own sound and attracted a prodigious national and international following.

Seven Nations is not your father’s Celtic band. With a passionate, tender, and rollicking style that winningly veers from roots and folk to dance and fusion-rock, Seven Nations has earned a growing reputation as an adventurous band with a charismatic stage presence.

“Seven Nations — the name refers to the seven original Celtic nations of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Galecia, Isle of Man, and Brittany — officially began in 1993 in New York City with a standard line-up of drums, guitars, and bass,” notes lead singer and guitarist Kirk McLeod. “We soon introduced bagpipes into the show, and over time the number of songs utilizing bagpipes grew until it became obvious that they were integral to our emerging sound,” says McLeod. “Most of the band members grew up playing Celtic music, and we’ve been performing original compositions since we began. Our instrumentation, and bagpipes and fiddle mostly, give us a distinctive sound and that’s what makes us different.”

Seven Nations has been touring full-time since 1994 with successful stops in Europe, Canada, Puerto Rico, and  every state in the US including Alaska and Hawaii. The band has recorded a number of albums with over a half million units in sales. The band’s latest album, Tales from the Eighth Nations, has been praised for “having the appeal of the original albums, yet a mature songwriting style. The lyrics are relatable, surprising, and the pipe/fiddle hooks stir a desire to listen to the album over and over.”
Its versatile and dynamic style has stamped Seven Nations as a highly book-able band, with an ever increasing and loyal fan base. The group has performed at a variety of venues, from nightclubs and theaters to festivals and street fairs. They’ve done it all. Recently, garnering the attention of the Orchestra world by including dates with several American orchestras, most notably the multi-Grammy-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony, and the South Carolina Philharmonic. They also became the first Celtic rock band to bring this exhilarating collaboration to the stage at an outdoor Irish festival, when they performed an entire show with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra at the Dublin Irish Festival.

In addition, Seven Nations has played the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a New Year’s Eve performance at Scotland’s Royal Mile for some 40,000 people, and at the New York City Marathon. Seven Nations has been the subject of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign and appeared in over 20 major publications including Rolling Stone, Billboard, Playboy, Maxim, GQ, Stuff, and FHM.

2024 is an exciting year for Seven Nations. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the band’s first album release, Rain and Thunder, and the beginning of their nonstop mission to bring their unique brand of music to the masses through a multitude of live shows and constant touring. Now with 16 albums under their belt, the 30th anniversary of the band will mark the release of their 17th album Tales From The Eighth Nation Volume 2. This very special album  will highlight the return of many of the prominent faces who have recorded and toured with the band over the last three decades. It will surely be a riveting and vitalizing year to join them for the ride!

Reilly 

Friday, June 14th, 7:00pm 

Saturday, June 15th, 5:30pm 

Celtic Rock 

Voted Celtic band of the year by Wisconsin Area Music Industry for 2019 and 2015, Reilly have garnered a reputation for being an interactive, get-off-your-chair act.  The band’s travel circuit around the Midwest continues to grow along with their reputation for being a highly respected and professional level group.  National radio and podcast programs have featured Reilly and Celtic Radio Music Network rates them as five out of five stars.  Their ability to adapt Celtic music to an American rock audience, and include unexpected rock favorites into their set, makes them the perfect eclectic choice in today’s watered down and predictable Celtic scene.

Reilly’s latest release, Durty Pool, is their strongest effort to date and showcases their vibrant tongue-in-cheek humor along with musical chops and four-part vocal harmonies.  Original, anecdotal tunes, and their lyrics, serve as a sort of confessional.  See “Irrigation Station” and “Man of Extraordinary Persuasion” for these episodes.  Scottish traditionals such as “Mary Mac” and “Donald MacGillavray” are given a new coat of rollicking musical paint.  Though lyrically wistful at times, the band wastes no time to make a live show truly pop with energy.

Reilly’s partnership with national label Oglio Entertainment features a holiday record:  A Kick Ass Celtic Christmas.  This collection of irreverent originals, classic favorites, and traditional tunes features the Reilly penned “Dear Santa (I Can Explain)” which was selected for both the Daybreak Entertainment and Fine Gold Productions compilations and is in rotation for seasonal nationally syndicated morning show air play.  USA Today rated the recording as one of the most stellar and original holiday releases they have ever reviewed.

Being a strong part of the Celtic musical community throughout the Midwest, Reilly have appeared regularly at Milwaukee’s Irish Fest, The Irish Cultural and Heritage Center in Milwaukee, Manhattan, IL Irish Fest, Will County, IL Celtic Fest, Bastille Days in Milwaukee, City of Indianapolis events, Harley-Davidson festivals, River Rhythms in Milwaukee, countless St. Patrick’s parades and activities, Bradley Center events, and at far too many Irish pubs and non-Irish locales around the Midwest to mention.  They’ve shared the stage with Scottish-based bands such as Enter the Haggis, Barra MacNeils, and Seven Nations.  Reilly have also appeared with Irish bands such as Gaelic Storm, Flogging Molly, Screaming Orphans, The Bridies, Luka Bloom and more.

Reilly celebrates Celtic musical heritage and their own American upbringings in both the live setting and on record.  They provide a lively musical feast for those who enjoy a bit of nostalgia, a dose of modernism, and a full pint of fun and good will. 

Jamie McGeechan

Saturday, June 15th, 11:30am & 1:45pm

Award winning singer-songwriter

Born in Falkirk and raised in Ayrshire, Jamie has released three albums to date, High Hopes in 2015, Midnight Kingdom in 2020 (which was nominated for Scottish Album of The Year) and Roots in 2016 (which saw Jamie record the songs of Robert Burns live inside Burns Cottage in Alloway, Scotland making history as the first person to do this). Jamie has performed at festivals across the world including Celtic Connections and The Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, Camperdown Burns Festival in Australia, New York Tartan Week, New Hampshire Highland Games, ScotFest in Oklahoma, Ohio Scottish Games and the South East Florida Scottish Festival. Jamie has performed on TV shows including BBC Alba’s RAPAL show, STV’s The Hour and has had his music played on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Scotland and Celtic Music Radio. At times performing under his own name and other times performing under the name of ‘Little Fire’ Jamie has experimented with sounds and genres through his career so far but his distinctive vocals remain a constant throughout.

Shadowfields

Friday, June 14th, 4:00pm

Saturday, June 15th, 10:45am 

From Scotland’s Cairngorms to the U.S. Great Smoky Mountains, you’re immersed in Shadowfields’ rock-flint drums, torchlight fiddle, and soulful dual lead vocals. This 18-year collaboration between songwriters Tom McKeown and Heather Humphrey delivers Appalachian acoustic bliss. Tom, a descendant of Mary Queen of Scots through the Logan clan, leads with vocals and instruments while Heather charms with vocals, piano, and flute. Their 5-piece band crafts musical hooks, deft arrangements, and lonesome Islay ballads. With 7 studio albums and U.S. and international tours, Shadowfields captivates audiences worldwide. Catch their original music on 200 indie radio stations and follow their journey at www.shadowfields.com or listen to all discography on Spotify.

Unbound

Friday, June 14th, 2:30pm and 5:00pm

Saturday, June 15th, 10:00am and 4:30pm

Scottish Music

Utilizing three instruments for a diverse sound portfolio; Meredith Hopkins and Richard MacDonald form the Chicago based duo, Unbound.

As a Pittsburgh native, Meredith is a national champion Scottish fiddler and has spent time both in the USA Scottish music scene, and also Scotland – where she gained her masters in Scottish Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Music. Meredith is also a F.I.R.E sanctioned fiddle judge and focuses on promoting Scottish fiddling to a variety of audiences.

Raised in Oban, Scotland, Richard MacDonald has over 25 years of accordion playing experience across multiple bands and youth competitions, releasing an album as part of the children’s group “Lismore Lighthouse Band”. Since moving to the USA in 2014, Richard has gained prominence in the Chicagoland Scottish music scene for his creativity and energy across both the accordion and the guitar.

Together, Meredith and Richard combine traditional Scottish favourites with foot-stomping creations to create a unique, lively, energetic twist on the style.

Frogwater

Friday, June 14th, 1:45pm and 6:00pm

Saturday, June 15th, 12:15pm and 2:45pm 

Celtic Folk

Frogwater is the acoustic musical pairing of John “Jack” & Susan Nicholson. Renowned for their virtuosity and exuberant live performances, they like to think of themselves as musical ambassadors. Their repertoire spans from Celtic to Delta blues, from classical to pop with a healthy dose of unique original material filling out the mix. For the past several years Frogwater has performed regularly at the Milwaukee Irish Fest, Bastille Days & other area festivals. They have received honors as best band in the Bluegrass & Country categories in the WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) awards. In recent years they have also been featured in Lancaster WI “Music on the Square” The Gay Mills Folk Festival, The Bayfield Folk Fest, The Wheatland Traditional Arts and even a performance in England!