Why I like "The Killdares"

I've taken a lot of good-natured ribbing from some of my Facebook friends about how I go on and on about my favorite band, The Killdares, so I've decided to take a second and share the reasons that I love this band so much, so that I can silence all my nay-sayers! :p  Given the length of the following, they probably won't read it anyway, but I had fun writing it!

1. Their style is unique, and particularly appealing to me: I have always loved Irish/Celtic music, but I also love rock and roll.  With this band, I can enjoy those two tastes merged together in a way that no other musicians are currently able to accomplish.  In fact, I often feel like a kindred spirit with the band's founder, Tim Smith, because I've read/heard him say several times that he is a child of the 80's and that the founding inspiration of The Killdares was his desire to meld the rock and roll he grew up with in that era with his love of Celtic music.   I've had people tell me that their music "is NOT Celtic", and my response to that is... 'you're correct'.  Their music is hard-edged rock and roll, with Celtic themes interwoven into the music.  It's a combination that the Killdares specialize in, and one that is singularly tasty to my ears!


2. They are very good musicians, and getting better all the time: I have read some reviews of The Killdares from their early period, and some of them remarked on the fact that the band had some room to grow as musicians-- that the rock and roll was a bit simplistic.  That has certainly changed in the last 7 years of the band's history, however... and can probably be marked from the time when Roberta Rast joined the band, and again when Matt Willis brought his pipes to play.  The Killdares are who they are because of the voice of the fiddle and the wail of the Highland bagpipes, and these two musicians infused the band with a steroid shot of musical capability, talent, and creativeness.  Roberta is an elite fiddle mistress, having claimed the 2005 National Grandmaster title, which places her in pretty exclusive company.  Matt brings a lifetime of love with the bagpipes, along with a great understanding of how to meld this finicky instrument, which is achromatic and pretty much limited to one key, into the band's music in an aesthetically appealing way.  There is a marked and distinct difference in the quality of the last two albums that the band has cut, which are the only two that feature most of its current members.  The recent addition of Troy Gallaher as bass guitarist has also been a rousing success-- Tim remarked in a recent post of the "Dare Diary" that he has been able to flex his creative muscles more as a drummer during the music, due to Troy's skill in driving the beat with his guitar.  Together, these three musicans provide an sublime complement to the excellent lead guitar of Brek Lancaster and the driving drums/vocals of Tim.


3. Their music is infectious, especially live: to introduce oneself to The Killdares via CD only is to do oneself a disservice!  These guys are the ultimate showmen, and that translates to a raucous time when they bid "Farewell to Decorum" and take the stage.  There are many great musicians in the world who play wonderful, elite music...but do not have great stage presence.  I have never been to a Killdares gig that did not fail to engage the audience--rather, they reach out and grab the audience by the throat and haul them into the experience.  I have seen octogenarians and toddlers alike being swept up by the force of a Killdares' performance-- dancing, clapping, toe-tapping, and--yes-- pumping a fist in the air to sing "Hey, Ho, let's go" during the band's signature song, a cover of "Blitzkrieg Bop" by The Ramones.  Matt "The Mad Piper" Willis stalks the stage like some crazed Macbeth musician while Roberta fiddles and charms every single male within the same ZIP code;  Brek thrills with his utter and highly visible joy of playing the guitar, often pairing up with Troy in some good old-fashioned rock-and-roll log banging.   And Tim?  Tim provides the quirky chic of a lead vocalist who's also a drummer, complete with the Celtic soccer kit or Star Wars t-shirts and Animal, the Muppet drummer, perched on the support of one of his new Pearl drums.  (He has eschewed the wearing of kilts due to the seated nature of his instrument..and we thank him!)   Together, they pour their heart out on the stage in honor of their fans and in service to the music.. and the fans know it- they know it in their ears, their feet, their hands, their voices, and their hearts.  I often find myself to be exhausted at the end of one of their concerts, and a quick glance around at the crowd proves instantly that I am not alone in that feeling.


4. They are incredibly family-friendly: There are not many rock-and-roll band shows (other than those of  Christian music bands) that I could allow my young boys to attend, and feel comfortable about the experience.  The Killdares pride themselves on being a band that appeals to all ages, and I have never (let me repeat that.. never) heard them utter an indecent word during one of their concerts.    The Killdares are living proof that modern, popular music does not have to be vulgar or indecent in order to be fantastic.  I wish more musicians would take note of this!


5. They are community-friendly: Tim Smith grew up in Dallas, and his love for his native city and state shows in everything the band does.  Many of their concerts are free to the public, often put on by a city or community as part of a festival or arts weekend or some such.  I do understand that many local bands do these kind of gigs, because that is what is available to them, but it does not take much to notice that The Killdares not only do them for subsistence, but they also relish them.  And nothing shows that more than their annual run at the State Fair of Texas.   5 shows a day for 24 days.... a grueling stretch of musical endurance once dubbed the "Dropped in the Grease Tour" by Roberta Rast.  I personally think the band has risen to the point where they would not need to do the State Fair--the gigs are coming throughout the year now, requests coming from all over the country.  But, in 2009, they returned again, and entries in the Dare Diary show that Tim and his companions are loving the experience once again.  I will be shocked if they ever voluntarily don't do the SF run, and the fact that they do is one of their most endearing qualities.  Back through time immemorial, musicians would come to "fairs" or "gatherings", and perform for the crowds, for the enjoyment of the common folk taking a break from the hard work of life.  The Killdares are carrying forward that tradition in grand style, every year, right across from the Tornado Twisters and the Dog shows!


6. They are part of the "sea change" spreading through the music industry: A couple of years ago, I read a news magazine article about how more and more musicians were eschewing the traditional (modern) path to music "success", but rather plying their art in a far more traditional (ancient) way, taking music back from the industries and returning it to folk roots.  Some of the characteristics of musicians doing this are:  not striving to sign with a major label, but using readily available modern technology to cut and distribute music on their own;  playing numerous gigs in smaller venues allowing them to build relationships with their fans; and using modern technology to enhance those relationships.  The Killdares do all of these things.  In one YouTube documentary that was made about the group, Tim mentions that it's been a real pleasure for the band to be able to do things their own way, and still be successful at it.  To him, that was 'living the dream'.  Speaking as one of their fans, I can attest to how these things make them accessible and human, and not like some remote star on the stage that rakes in the money and cares not a whit for the people in the audience.  I hope that they continue to "do their own thing", remain creatively free, and continue to love playing for the regular people, tweeting with them and sharing their thoughts on the website.

It's no secret to anyone that knows me that I love this band.  Getting to know and like the Killdares' music, as well as The Killdares themselves,  has been a unique experience for me..  I am not by nature a person prone to being a "groupie" of anything, but my wife loves to tease me with a twinkle in her eye as she calls me exactly that!   I just smile and point to the fact that she sings "Hey Ho, let's go!" in the car with the windows down just as loudly as I do, and the boys in the back as well.  Being a Killdares fan is contagious.. and fun.

Categories: Celtic, Killdares, Music