The Wild Colonial Bhoys began as a side-project
idea for two young veterans of the Minneapolis rock scene. Adam Coolong
and Geno Carlson hail from different backgrounds thousands of miles
apart (Adam is originally from Pennsylvania and Geno calls Saskatchewan
home) but found common ground with a shared Irish heritage and a
desire to reinvigorate the local Irish music community.
They played their first show in November, 2003. Since
then, The Wild Colonial Bhoys have garnered quick
attention and much respect in the Twin Cities Irish music scene. They
recorded their first EP Graffiti on the Wall in
May of 2004 and released it to an enthusiastic public. They sold over
1000 copies in just six months, all thanks to the strength and energy
of their live shows.
“ Graffiti on the Wall was
by design a small sampling of our perspective on Irish music,” says
Adam. “It features rebel ballads, contemporary Irish and Irish
American radio hits and a few things in between. We wanted to showcase
different types of Irish music and play them all with our
unique style.”
And “unique” is certainly the way to describe
it. To have an American and a Canadian playing Irish songs without
the use of traditional Irish instrumentation provides the listener
with a fresh take on songs they may have heard a thousand times. “Adam
grew up hearing Irish music, I didn’t,” Geno explains. “I
think that the combination of those backgrounds helps us sound original
and new. We have a simple live set-up. Two acoustic guitars and vocal
harmonies. We don’t use tin whistles or button boxes or anything
you’d expect to find in an Irish band. But you’d be surprised
at the full sound we get from that simple approach. It helps us to
sound very contemporary and still maintain ties to the original sound
of the music.”
That contemporary take has allowed them to chart their
own course. They’ve had a busy year playing in every Irish pub
throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, as well as several major
festivals. These two young talents have injected passion and a fiery
spirit into every show. 2005 promises to be even busier. Shows are
planned in Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha and even a few in Ireland, all
in addition to the Minneapolis and St. Paul pub circuit. They have
added new flavor to the local Irish music scene--with their energetic
guitar playing and infectious vocal harmonies, theirs is definitely
a show to see!
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