Seven Nations and Mother Grove will be rockin' the historic St. Cloud Hotel in downtown Cañon City Saturday night. This is your opportunity to experience the nationally known sounds of these two bands.
There'll be Irish and Scotch Whiskey and Stouts and enough bagpipin' and gritty guitar rock to blow your kilt up.
SEVEN NATIONS, a truly original and determined band based in Orlando, Florida that has sold in excess of 140,000 copies of its releases, has for years booked its own tours, has its own PBS and CNN specials, and uses bagpipes the way Jimmy Page uses his guitar!
Throw away any preconceived notions you may have about kilts and Celtic music; this is a band that has invented its own sound and attracted a prodigious national and international following. Through its touring schedule, energetic and innovative self promotion, and dynamic live performances, SEVEN NATIONS has become one of the fastest growing live acts nationwide.
Nations has logged in more than 300,000 touring miles trying to make its less familiar music universal for old and new fans alike. To the five member band, that means being on tour 85 percent of the year, melding piano, guitar and vocal elements of American pop and rock with Highland bagpipes and fiddle. The result is a high-energy performance that has fans popping out of their seats, and has sparked interest industry-wide.
Equally at home in front of 40,000 cheering fans at an international festival, or 300 headbangers in a small Midwest club, SEVEN NATIONS has created a truly hybrid sound and transcendent live show. The depth and complexity of Nations' music is astounding; each listen reveals a deeper layer of intricacy that has been embraced by an ever-growing audience.
"We are lucky," says McLeod, lead singer/songwriter and founding member of the band, "because we come from two unique cultures. We love American pop and rock and roll, but we also love our Celtic roots music. We want to touch everybody with our art," he continues, "and so far, we have been very, very fortunate."
Joining McLeod (lead vocals, highland bagpipes, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars) in his musical vision are Crisco (drums), Scott Long (bagpipes), Dan Stacey (fiddle/Canadian step-dancing), and Struby (bass and support vocals).
Mother Grove blends original rock music with traditional and not-so traditional Celtic instruments to create a sound that is unique, fresh yet timeless. Mother Grove is influenced by such Celtic Rock style bands as Seven Nations, Bad Haggis and The Pogues to name a few, as well as classic, alternative and progressive rock artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper and others. Mother Grove truly shines live. With unstoppable grooves and multi-layered rhythms, the music dares you stand still. The band has a professionalism indicative of their many collective years as musicians. They interact with the crowd to such an extent, by the end of the evening you feel as if you are a part of the band. Lyrically, Mother Grove draws from many sources; historical, traditional, spiritual and personal. The words are then entwined with memorable melodies and beautiful harmonies. The band stops short of calling themselves a "Celtic Rock" band, for they are much, much more.
