Culann's Hounds - punk-Irish hoe-down comes to LA February 21, 2007

Culann's Hounds, a band renowned for a particularly rollicking form of Traditional Irish music, will play Molly Malone's (575 S. Fairfax) at 8PM on Wednesday, February 21st. The punk-enthused Hounds' credits include opening for some of Celtic music's finest (Solas, Liam Clancy, and Lunasa among others), having Blues Traveler's John Popper play on their latest CD, "Year of the Dog," and headlining The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco. 100% of the proceeds from their latest track "The Blackthorn Tavern" are being donated to the LA-based National Veterans Foundation (see press release below). Celtic band Ollin opens the show.

Admission is $8.00.

CULANN'S HOUNDS

San Franciscos top Irish band, Culanns Hounds, packed the best venue for acoustic music in the Bay Area last week for the release of their new album, Year of the Dog. The Great American Music Hall was near capacity for the three band show that culminated with a blazing two hour set from The Hounds. Steve Gardner, obviously happy to be releasing his labor of love, ripped through the fiddle tunes and sang Dirty Old Town with an earnest passion that lived up to both the Shane McGowan and Ewan MacColls versions. Renée de la Prades flaming pink hair belied the tasty Irish licks she sent forth from her trusty Cairdin accordion while the rhythm section drove the beat that kept 450 people dancing all night.

The new album is a journey through a rich soundscape of acoustic music. The core of the sound is traditional, but Culanns Hounds approach creates a thick tapestry that evokes the experience of their high-energy live shows. The project includes several collaborations that were inspired by Blues Traveler harmonica virtuoso, John Popper, and Culanns Hounds fiddle giant, Steve Gardner, sharing the stage at Red Rocks. At that point Culanns Hounds was just embarking on their second studio recording project and they created space in their sound for the metal reeds of the harmonica, a well embraced instrument in Irish music. Poppers contribution will open the eyes of genre devotees and the more pop inclined masses to the beauty of the Irish melody and the power of Culanns Hounds sound.

The collaborations expanded to include more reeds from East Clare button accordion master Andrew MacNamara. MacNamara brings a direct infusion of Irish tradition, with a staggering metric sense and an evocative timbre. The last of the superstar collaborators is one of the foremost singers in Irish music, Susan McKeown. McKeown, a native Irish speaker and proponent of both collaboration and cultural cross pollinization, was pleased to sing lush harmony vocals for the project.

The album includes Gardner on fiddle, mandolin, and vocals; Mike Kelleher, guitar, vocals, mandolin; Scott L. Marshall, bodhrán; and newest member of Culanns Hounds, Renée de la Prade, on button accordion and backing vocals. A huge presence throughout the album is Culanns Hounds alumnus, Conall ORaghallaigh, one of the West Coasts best uilleann pipers. Adding his formidable bass talents, New Monsoons Ben Bernstein played all the bass tracks for Year of the Dog.

For Release on October 23, 2006
THE ROYALTIES GROUP UNITES MUSIC WITH GOOD CAUSES ON LINE

SAN FRANCISCO BAND CULANN'S HOUNDS SIGNS ON
AND DONATES RARE TRACK TO THE NATIONAL VETERANS FOUNDATION

Los Angeles, Calif. - Musicians and music fans have a long history of supporting charities and worthy causes through call-to-action songs, concerts and festivals. With the launch of The Royalties Group on Myspace.com (http://groups.myspace.com/theroyaltiesgroup), musicians and fans who believe that music can make a difference can join a circle that encompasses the whole world via technology and the Net and where the call and the answer to action are a part of daily community life.


The Royalties Group is the creation of L.A. - based singer/songwriter Elizabeth Pendleton. "Music can be part of the solution," she explains. "The Royalties Group exclusively hosts artists who give a portion of their royalties to support a philanthropic cause. The musicians select the recipient, and one of their songs is included on the site's Stream of Light playlist. Fans are able to listen to that song, hear an interview with the artist and chat with like-minded members - for free. If they like the music and want to purchase it, links direct them to sites such as iTunes, Mperia and Amazon, and a percentage of the cost is dedicated to the artists' chosen cause."
That The Royalties Group is in the vanguard of a magical linkage of music, social consciousness and technology is evident in the comments of Steve Gardner, whose band Culann's Hounds joined the site as "Featured Artist" with its previously unreleased track "The Blackthorn Tavern." One of the U.S. Celtic scene's rising stars, Culann's Hounds, renowned for its effervescent performances, has earned glowing reviews from critics and inspired a devoted following. One hundred per cent of all sales of "The Blackthorn Tavern" will be donated to the National Veterans Foundation (http://www.nvf.org), one of the nation's leading resources for Veterans and their families, now celebrating its 20th Anniversary.


"Beyond politics, Michael (Kelleher -guitar, vocals, tin whistles) and I both believe strongly that American citizens who fight in the name of their country deserve the thanks and support of the people they defend," says Gardner. "Both our fathers served in the US Army. We think the services the NVF provides are incredibly important and we feel honored to be able to give something, most especially our heartfelt thanks, to American war veterans."


"The NVF is proud not only of its 2 decades of service to veterans and families in need, but of the willingness of so many musical artists, beginning with the Doobie Brothers Band in 1987, to join with us in serving for those who bear the true cost of freedom," said NVF President and Founder Shad Meshad. "Through their extraordinary efforts Culann's Hounds and the Royalties Group will raise much needed awareness and resources to support a proven support resource--our toll free national crisis hotline--at a time when it is needed most. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"


The enormous potential of the linkage of music, social consciousness and technology becomes even more evident with a few figures. "Jupiter Research estimates that by 2009 download revenues will reach $806 million," says Pendleton. "If musicians gave just one dime every time one of their songs is downloaded, that figure means that more than $80 million dollars could be raised annually for worthy causes, locally and globally." On behalf of her Celtic music project, Awakening Queen Maebh, Pendleton has been donating a dime from each download of her music to NICIE, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (www.nicie.org) since 2004.


"I truly hope that we're setting precedent and ultimately changing the download model here," she says. "At The Royalties Group there are artists who recognize the value in adding a benevolent dimension to the download experience and fans, 2,200 and counting, who like the idea of their music taste and download dollars making a positive difference."
MUSIC
http://www.myspace.com/sfhounds
PRESS
http://www.awakeningqueenmaebh.com/Press.html

Official Website: http://www.myspace.com/sfhounds