Category: Instrumental of the year

28
Jan

The Barleyshakes

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Nominated for

Album of the Year for Irishtown – Finalist
Instrumental of the Year for Jessica’s – Finalist
Song of the Year for Farewell to the Gold
Song of the Year for Rosie Reilly

 

Biography

Brewed in Ireland and distilled in Australia, the Barleyshakes are a Celtic band with world music influences who combine
intense energy, beautiful harmony and driving dance rhythms in their live performances. Adored throughout Australia and beyond for their “bent” Irish sound, they are winners of the Queensland Music Award for World Music.

Ever since their inception in the 90’s in Dublin, the Barleyshakes have been turning heads. Their mission, to inject new life into Irish music while honouring the tradition past, was to become a life-long adventure for each member. Their live shows have taken them around the globe and they continue to take audiences on a joy filled ride wherever they perform.

The band use fiddles, flutes, tine whistle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocals, bass, bodhran, and drums to create their truly wonderful Celtic sound. They have shared the stage with Lunasa, Metallica, Kila, Joe Cocker, Sharon Shannon, Altan, and Grada, to name a few.

After well over a decade together this ensemble know each other intensely and they communicate freely to create something fresh every time they perform. They recently release their 8th album entitled “Irishtown” and it was instantly made album of the month by ABC national radio.

Website
www.barleyshakes.com

30
Jan

Mad Kelpie Playdate

Articleed by
Nominated for

Instrumental of the Year – Cherokee Shuffle – Winner
Album of the Year
Group of the Year
New Talent of the Year – Finalist

 

Biography

Instrumental Celtic traditional five piece Mad Kelpie Playdate formed in 2017 through a mutual love of high energy bagpipe music and even higher energy crazy dogs. Based in Queanbeyan and the surrounding region, the band combines smallpipes, uilleann pipes, flute, guitar and percussion to provide a lively modern take on traditional Celtic music, with influences from bluegrass and pipe bands. 2018 saw the release of their debut self-titled album, along with performances including at the Quirindi Tattoo, the Yass Irish & Celtic Music Festival, the Canberra Highland Gathering Ceilidh and Folk by the Sea.

Facebook
@MadKelpiePlaydate

10
Feb

String Loaded

Articleed by

String Loaded Celtic Fiddle Band

Nominated for

Celtic Artist of the Year – Winner
Group of the Year – Winner
Album of the Year – Continuous Line – Finalist
Instrumental of the Year – Cooley’s Reel
Instrumental of the Year – Highland Cathedral
Instrumental of the Year – Carolan’s Draught
Instrumental of the Year – Cock of the North/100 Pipers/Bonny Dundee – Winner
Instrumental of the Year – O’Keefe’s Slide/Congress Reel
Song of the Year – Parting Glass
Song of the Year – Leather Wing Bat
Song of the Year – Wild Mountain Thyme – Finalist
Song of the Year – All For Me Grog
Producer of the Year – Ray Blissett – Continuous Line

 

Biography

2018 Australian Celtic Instrumentalist of the Year

String Loaded are a multi-award winning Irish & Celtic Fiddle Band from Newcastle, Australia.

“The beauty, skill and infectious energy of the girls’ fiddle playing and singing will leave you spell bound and fill your heart with joy.”

The band features the feisty fiddle playing sisters, Gabi and Liv, supported by Ray, on guitar and Jen on bodhran and telling the stories behind the tunes. The bands energy and passion for their music is evident in their award winning albums and particularly in their exciting live shows. String Loaded have performed at Festivals and shows around the world including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, Fiddle Festival on the Orkney Islands & the infamous Woodford Festival.

Over the past 10 years this high energy family band has established themselves as an authentic, professional, high class Irish & Celtic Concert Band. They are best known for their upbeat and passionate Irish, Scottish, Bluegrass fiddle music and singing. Think … Toss the Feathers, Riverdance Music, Whisky in the Jar, Devil Went Down to Georgia, Scotland the Brave, Danny Boy … This band will deliver a concert that has universal appeal for all ages and bring a smile of joy to everyone.

“Thank you String Loaded. Your Irish music was world class! We are looking forward to seeing you again next year.” Alaistair Murphy

Every festival, corporate presentation, concert, wedding needs an Irish Jig and a Scottish Reel! String Loaded perform a mix of traditional and contemporary tunes and songs, with a very exciting sound.

No Irish theme party is complete without the excitement and passion of ‘live’ fiddle music!!

Website:
stringloaded.com.au
Facebook:
@stringloadedcelticfiddleband

21
Jan

Peter Miller

Articleed by
Nominated for

Male Artist of the Year – WinnerProducer of the Year – Simplicity – Finalist
Instrumental of the Year – Road to Ardfield – Finalist
Instrumental of the Year – A Quick Stop in Charlestown
 

Biography

Queensland based finger-style guitarist Peter Miller is known in Australia and Ireland for his delicate touch and for his beautiful melodic sensibility. Peter has toured Ireland and Europe on numerous occasions where he has shared the stage with Legendary song writer John Spillane, piper Eoin Duignan, Stephen Housden ( Little River Band) and many more. His 2014 Album received rave reviews and featured guest musicians including:
Flautist Sarah Calderwood from Australian Celtic band Sunas and fiddle Maestro Steve Wickham of The Waterboys. Peter has released 6 full length Albums, 4 singles including a cover of the famous melod.

His sound is best described as Celtic/Folk. The guitar is high in melodic content and cinematic in sound. Peter’s guitar tracks have appeared on compilation CDs worldwide. Featured in music magazines and also has appeared in UK show ‘Skins’, Shania Twain’s TV series (OWN Network) and Film and TV across the globe.

Peter’s guitar skills have been requested for the ‘Nearly All Irish’ Show, featuring Mick McHugh (Dublin) and Jack O’Leary (Cork) and also featured on Hawaiian slack key guitar radio shows, The ABC’s Daily Planet and ‘Album of the week’ on Irish Radio. Peter has also been regularly invited to play accompaniment guitar for Irish Legend John Spillane on numerous occasions.

2019 saw Peter releasing 2 albums, Simplicity and Pages.

“Peter Miller has just about the finest touch I’ve ever heard on an acoustic guitar. Beautiful, rich and textured original compositions that absorb directly into the listeners bones. ” Richard Gilewitz. USA

“Aussie Peter Miller is in absolute control of the steel, wood and the vibrations emanating from his guitar” © James Filkins 2014 Minor7th.com

“…distinctive fingerstylist, unique compositions” Michael Fix, Australia

“Peter Miller’s acoustic guitar explorations resonate with heartfelt melodies and fluid technique” Jim ‘Kimo’ West – Award winning slack key guitarist

“soulful,understated and deep” Kavisha Mazzella ( ARIA winner) Australia

“beautiful guitar style” Gerry O’Beirne, Ireland

“poetic escapades which come straight from the heart…” Henk te Veldhuis, Bridge Guitar Reviews © 2007 Netherlands

“Peter Miller weaves a magic spell, do not listen too closely, cos you might get drawn in, and you might get taken away, and you might forget who you are” John Spillane Ireland

“the rare talent to enable the guitar to voice its soul” Guitarist André Germain, Canada

“Peter’s music succeeds both as a soothing background soundtrack and as a deep-listening sonic journey and experience in acoustic sound. Highly recommended” Bradfield Dumpleton © 2007 Tasmania

“Peter Miller’s music paints pictures in the air of the wonders of our planet, the joy of life and the emotions most of us find hard to describe.” Charlie McGettiga, Ireland

Website
www.peter-miller.com

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