And that doesn't even cover the Irish music, which includes a Harp Tentfeaturing harpists from around the world playing the musical instrument thatsymbolizes Ireland.Celtic music even has its own rhythm section featuring the bodhran frame drum.And there are fiddles, of courselots of fiddles.
But what actually makes an Irish band, well, Irish?
“It doesn't have anything to do with instrumentation,” says MichaelTierney of Milwaukee'swell-known Irish rock band Reilly. “It really has to do with the lyricalcontent and what's considered musical tradition.” (Reilly will be playingThursday and Friday at Irish Fest.)
When it comes to “musical tradition,” anything goes, as Reilly mashes itup instrumentally and otherwise. Tierney, who's been with the group since 2003,sings and plays guitar in addition to the whistle and bouzoukia Greekinstrument like a mandolin but with a long neck.
“It's something I got into watching other Irish musicians play. There'sso much cross-culturalization these days,” Tierney says, referring to globalgroups like Afro Celt Sound System, which mashes up West African and Celticmusic against trip hop and techno beats.
Reilly, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, is named afterits founder, the late Brian Reilly. In addition to Tierney, the current lineupincludes Joe Neumann on bass and vocals; Brian Bruendl on drums and vocals;Bruce Troeller, who's been coaxed out of “semi-retirement,” on accordion,banjo, mandolin and vocals; and fiddler Kimmy Unger.
The Reilly musicians, who range in age from 35 to 40, all play in otherbands, including a trio version of Reilly (listed as “Reilly Trio” at IrishFest) featuring Tierney, Troeller and Unger. Tierney also plays in theMetallica tribute band Beatallica.
What distinguishes Reilly from its musical brethren is band membersputting their own spin on the Celtic traditions. “A lot of things we like to doare not ours,” Tierney says. “We try and work some of our flavor, Reilly'sinterpretation, into the music.”
Case in point: The band will play Talking Heads' “Burning Down theHouse” since it has a “basis in world music,” Tierney says. That goes for theregular requests as well, be they Metallica's “Whiskey in the Jar,” “Dirty OldTown” by the Pogues or “Rocky Road to Dublin,” the 19th-century traveling tunecovered by everyone from The Chieftains to the Dropkick Murphys.
The globalization of Irish Fest extends well beyond the music. JaneAnderson knowsnow the Fest's executive director, she's been with the eventfrom the start, beginning 30 years ago as an unpaid volunteer. Anderson, whohas served as executive director since 1994, has watched the event grow fromits early days as a music festival to a major cultural and entertainment eventfor people of all ages.
“We want it to be a family event,” she says. “We want the festival toappeal to the larger community.”
The community itself plays a large role. Irish Fest has approximately4,000 volunteers over its four-day run to make it work, including 150 peoplewho plan year-round, Andersonsays. Irish Fest now features 16 stages, ranging from thetraditional/contemporary Irish sounds of Reilly to performances representingother cultures.
As Tierney puts it, “A lot of the Irish stuff, like America, is amelting pot these days.”
Irish Fest runs Aug. 19-22at Henry Maier Festival Park. For moreinformation, visit www.irishfest.com.
