It’s March the month that all Celts look forward to and the brand new Odds ‘n’Sods where we collect all the various new music, new videos, live / gig news and new news coming out of the Celtic-Punk scene. It’s all here from bands big and small and even those just starting out!
Where better to start with March 1st tomorrow than The Pogues performing ‘Boys from The County Hell’ live on the cult British TV show The Tube back in 1985.
THE BURNER BAND bridge the gap between Country, Rockabilly and Punk to create their own sound. Lead singer Lewis has featured several times on these pages with his solo efforts and he has an album due out soon we are looking forward to.
Gothic-Celtic-Punk from Scots band A MURDER OF CROWS. Really enjoyed this catchy as hell number recorded live in Inverness at the end of last year.
CAPTAIN TOM AND THE HOOLIGANS from Buffalo recorded live on stage at their recent show in Cleveland supporting The Dreadnoughts on tour.
FLATCAP are a Celtic-Punk band from Kassel, Germany with an auld favourite that I’ve always thought was a great song to Celtic-Punk up!
Aussie / Ulster / Italian / Boston bhoys THE RUMJACKS are offering up quite a deal for those willing to take up a pateron to support their new album.
THE DEAD SOUTH – Chains & Stakes
THE WATERBOYS – 1985 (Box-Set)
DEAN McPHEE – Astral Gold
TYLER RAMSEY – New Lost Ages
CIARAN RYAN BAND – Occupational Hazards
Remember we can’t review it if we don’t hear it!
Just a quick mention for Bandcamp Friday (midnight to midnight Pacific time) when Bandcamp take no fees from other peoples hard work. So if you are going to buy something then wait till then and keep the money out of vultures hands. Midnight to midnight Pacific time. Track when they are via isitbandcampfriday.com
We missed the release of Chicago-Irish band THE DONNYBROOKS debut (I think?) album recorded live last year. From Irish Trad to modern Celtic, they play with unparalleled passion filled with fiddle and craic as drinks are raised to Irish influenced music as well as Nova Scotia, Scotland and Lake Michigan.
THE FIRFUK SEIK ‘Scottish Lad with expectations of change’ has a new song out he wrote a song about what he remember of the 80’s. Available as a ‘name your price’ download.
Philadelphia band THE GOALIE’S ANXIETY AT THE PENALTY KICK have a new album out of bleak, slowcore. Music for Autumn they call it so get The Iliad And The Odyssey And The Goalie’s Anxiety At The Penalty Kick on pre-order now before the weather gets warmer!
KRAKIN’ KELLYS have a new album out in April. One to set your watch for! Last Days Of Freedom is officially launched on 26th April in Namur, Belguim.
Great interview with the wonderful CAIT O’RIORDAN from The Vinyl District.
We’ve been doing this now for well over a decade and in that time we have covered 100’s of bands and musicians but still plenty of bands have passed us by. We can’t see everything after all so this column is to remind us of bands that never made these pages at the time but deserve another mention. These hopefully come with a free download like today so you can help yourself to some free music. This month we have Bath / Bristol Irish influenced Folk outfit band THE PUBLICANS and their 3 track EP of original songs from 2019 titled simply Demos And Offcuts. Available for ‘name your price’ download and if you like that then you can also get their 6 track mini album Us Against The World from Bandcamp as well.
We start with TIM HOLEHOUSE album launch at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston on Friday 1st March. Dubliners THE SCRATCH at the Garage in Highbury on Mar 4. Cork Indie band THE FRANK AND WALTERS return for a gig at The Lexington in Kings Cross while Scots and Irish Folk-Metallers ALESTORM started their tour in London and are coming back again to play the Forum in Kentish Town and THE PEATBOG FAERIES play Nells all on March 9th. The same day is the THE BIBLECODE SUNDAYS at the Scala in Kings Cross. A special show sees the Ireland v England rugby match on the big screen followed by the boys playing live afterwards. St. Patrick’s weekend dates are starting to be released but remember only the 17th is actually St. Patrick’s Day not the 15th, 16th or 18th. Feel free to point this out wherever you see this mistake made! The festivities start with THE FUREYS at Nells on Thursday 14th and then on Friday the 15th sees NATHAN CARTER at Fairfield Halls. Saturday the 16th sees SKIMMINGTON RIDE supported by RIFF RAFF at The Dublin Castle in Camden. PADDY GOES TO HOLLYHEAD at The Cavern in Raynes Park, SW20. DAMIEN DEMPSEY always makes it to London and he’s at the Electric Ballroom, Camden. Early Punk band PROTEX from Belfast have reformed and play Oslo in Hackney E8. Luton second-generation Irish Folk rockers MISSING THE FERRY at The Crown in Hackney central. THE FIREPIT COLLECTIVE at The Fox & Firkin, Lewisham. St. Patrick’s Day itself (the 17th!!!!) plenty on all over LOndon but these are the highlights with NECK and THE LAGAN at Camden Underworld, MAD DOG McCREA leads a stella line up including the NOBLE JACKS at the Garage in Highbury. THE DUBLIN LEGENDS at Nell’s (W14 8TG). THE POGUE TRADERS at the Half Moon in Putney. This is also the day of the St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival. Expect Damo to make a appearance but to be frank the rest of it is total dog sh*t and it is a shadow of itself from just a few years ago with the new organisers determined to ram all sorts of crap down our throats while the majority just want to hear some Irish music and get merry. I use to never miss it butb these days wild horses… THE MARY WALLOPERS meteoric rise continues with a sold out show at the Roundhouse on March 22. Old (or is that auld?). STIFF LITTLE FINGERS play Camden Roundhouse on Saturday 23rd March. Folk-rockers JETHRO TULL are into their 70’s (the original members anyway!) and play London Palladium on 22nd April next year! DAOIRI FARRELL is at the ICC in Hammersmith for 2 nights April 26-27. THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG enter 2024 celebrating forty (yikes!) years together and play the Kentish Town Forum on 27th April which is also the same night as Midlands Celtic-Rockers ROVING CROWS making a rare trip to London to the Tooting Tram & Social. That’s going to be one hell of a night I’m sure! LUKA BLOOM is at Nels on May 3rd. Saturday 11th May sees NEW MODEL ARMY at the Roundhouse in Camden supported by Neds Atomic Dustbin. LANKUM at the Hackney Empire on Saturday 18 May. A good friend of the site DYLAN WALSHE arrives in London from Nashville to play Leytonstone Social Club on May 29 with OTIS GIBBS. MERRY HELL have a matinee show at The Half Moon in Putney on Sunday 2nd June at 2pm. Scots atmospheric Black Metal band SAOR at Camden Underworld on Saturday 27 July then THE DREADNOUGHTS are over for the Summer and play Camden Underworld as well on July 31, Outcider festival on August 1 and Rebellion in Blackpool on August 4. Both DROPKICK MURPHYS and FLOGGING MOLLY just announced dates back on the auld sod for July/August so expect UK dates to start coming out any day. Austrian Folk-Metal band VISIONS OF ATLANTIS at Camden Underworld on Friday 4th October.
We saw the OLD TIME SAILORS on their last tour and they were incredible. A 17-piece band playing Irish Folk and sea-shanties that is half way theatre and half way the best musical show you’ll see all year. Check their Fan-Page on Facebook for gigs near you but they land ashore at the Jamboree in Kings Cross on Wednesday 17 April and the Holroyd in Guildford on 27 April.
The demise of the London Irish professional rugby club in the Summer has finally sunk in and as sad as that was life continues without them and lucky for us all LONDON IRISH AMATEUR RFC are still alive and kicking arses. All their league games this month are at their home of Hazelwood in Sunbury (TW16 6QU) on the outskirts of South-West London. They play Witney on Saturday 3rd, Reading on Saturday 16th for their massive St. Patrick’s party and Saturday 23rd against Wimbourne. Come and join the fun its free to get in and as you could expect the Guinness is fantastic!
LONDON GAA‘s season has started and this month they have a couple of games starting with Waterford in the National Football League Div 4 on 16th March at McGovern Park, West End Road, Ruislip HA4 6QX and then London play Tyrone in the National Hurling league Div 2B on March 10th.
Everything we raise from our merch goes straight back into the Celtic-Punk scene so if you like what we do and want to support us have a look at our online store. We have had a bit of a restock. The Harp’n’Bones tee is back in all sizes and on black or white shirts. We have the Polo shirts back in and the ‘Skully Cap’ ringer shirts in black or green. With winter knocking on the door we have the last few remaining woolly hats and that we need to get rid of. Click the link below for the full range of all our tatt. Shirts, badges, stickers, flags, CD’s and fridge magnets – all the discerning Celtic-Punk fan could ever need! Help keep Punk Celtic! https://the30492shop.fwscart.com/
Facebook is dying and I can’t wait to see it happen. In it’s place I look forward to the return of flyers and fanzines! If you are one of those who has left keep in touch with us via the London Celtic Punks app on Telegram. Don’t miss a single post and even receive the odd exclusive and special offer! https://t.me/londoncelticpunks/
Even though we hate it Facebook does supply the (very) occasional ray of sunshine so a shout out to some good friends of ours over on Facebook. The Dropkick Murphys – Fan Page and the Celtic Punk, Folk And Rock Fans are two of the best music forums on FB let alone Celtic-Punk. Ran By Fans For Fans just like you and me. Like and join in the fun!
Be sure to have a look an listen to MacSlon’s Irish Pub Radio for all the best in Celtic-Punk, Irish Folk and Rock. They also have just about the biggest selection of shirts and hoodies and all sorts of other gear for sale over at the https://www.macslons.com shop.
We always like to end with something a bit different about the time of year so here’s a song from Scots Folky-Indie band FRIGHTENED RABBIT. ‘Late March, Death March’ is taken from their fourth studio album, Pedestrian Verse, in 2013 and refers to March being often associated with death and mourning, as it is the end of winter and the beginning of spring, a time of transition and change.
LONDON CELTIC PUNKS WEB-ZINE 
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