Cast as the band providing entertainment for the common-class passengers in the film Titanic, Gaelic Storm made its public bow well before a formal recording. The exposure served the band well and established its credentials — a good thing, since Gaelic Storm hails from Santa Monica and not the old country as claimed. Still, this act's Celtic know-how and knack for meshing fiddles, bohran, mandolin, and accordion provides a spirited sound and a rousing take on a traditional Irish motif. Like other expatriates — Black 47, Flogging Molly, and the Dropkick Murphys immediately come to mind — the band allows a certain amount of insurgence to punctuate the proceedings.
It's especially gratifying, then, that Gaelic Storm hasn't capsized commercial prospects by tapping into that old-school sound. Both 2008's What's the Rumpus? and the group's latest collection, Cabbage, debuted at number one on Billboard's World Music charts. All of which goes to prove that, if you're looking for a spirited soiree, Gaelic Storm's the band that can float your boat.
