Posted by Jane Koska, 7/17/01 at 11:34:33 AM.
The morning of June 23 didn’t look promising for the debut of a new Celtic music festival, the Wilmington Whirligig, in a pleasant riverfront park in Wilmington, Delaware. But the rain clouds that threatened to wash out the party mostly detoured around it, and with a couple of brief showers dampening the day, the festival went on in steamy sunshine. Hadrian’s Wall, the band that kicked off the morning and woke up the crowd with a second set in the late afternoon, was kind enough to take some time for a brief chat on the promenade overlooking the river.
Hailing from Glengarry County, Ontario, Hadrian’s Wall is Neil Emberg (vocals, acoustic guitar), Richard Irwin (vocals, drums, bodhran), Terry O’Farrell (bass, vocals), and Jay Weiler (fiddle, vocals). The current lineup has been together for about two years, when fiddler Weiler joined Emberg, O’Farrell, and Irwin, friends since their teens who have formed the core of the band for some ten years.
"Hadrian's Posed"
[Hadrian's Wall: (L-R) Richard Irwin, Jay Weiler, Terry O'Farrell, and Neil Emberg]
It becomes clear when talking to these guys that Glengarry County’s very strong Irish and Scottish musical tradition is at the heart of the band’s sound. They grew up surrounded by traditional “party music” and Celtic bands playing at weddings and other events, O’Farrell said. Emberg said that he has researched Celtic music for years, because “That’s what I like . . . that’s why I’m in it.” He praised bands like the Barra MacNeils and the Clancy Brothers for keeping true to their roots, writing enduring arrangements, and being “the nicest people in the world.” In fact, Hadrian’s Wall enthusiastically supports all Celtic music. “It’s not an old man singing ‘Danny Boy,’” Emberg quipped. All four members praise the diversity and evolution of the genre, specifically mentioning bands like Seven Nations, Kilt, and Clandestine.
Overlaid on their love for traditional Celtic music are some diverse influences. For instance, 1960s jazz drummer Elvin Jones and jazz great Charlie Parker have influenced Irwin, who is himself a drummer in jazz bands. Fiddler Weiler said that De Dannan, Frankie Gavin, and County Clare fiddler Martin Hayes are among his musical influences. As for O’Farrell, he pretty much agreed with any suggestion made by the other band members – the Brigadoons, Quiet Riot, Bryan Adams, the Doors, 98 Degrees, Led Zeppelin – only drawing the line at an “’80s Rock Classics” compilation CD. Emberg, who has a deadpan delivery, said that Irwin was first and Weiler second among his musical influences; asked where O’Farrell fit in, Emberg claimed the bass player was his fashion designer.
When they were asked to characterize their own sound, though, the band members’ initial response was “We’re not sure.” They rejected the “Celtic rock” label (they don’t use electric guitar), and finally settled on “Glengarry music.” All four agreed that listeners often labeled their shows and CDs “fun”; they appreciate that description, but say they hope audiences also recognize their musical abilities and see their efforts as “polished.” That wish led to laughter all around when Irwin expressed the hope that Hadrian’s Wall might be described not just as “polished,” but as “slick.”
And what specifically sets Hadrian’s Wall apart from other Celtic bands? Emberg said that it was the fact that they’re six-foot-three (true for three of them) and “smarter than average” (clearly true for all four). Then all four concluded that it’s the fact that they’re “all on the same page.” Indeed, that camaraderie is evident in their banter both on stage and off, as when Emberg identified “Barenaked Ladies, the band” as one of his musical influences, only to have O’Farrell chime in with a grin that he was influenced by “Barenaked Ladies . . . not the band.”
Emberg said that the quartet’s latest release, Elbow Grease and Whiskey (2000), is the band’s most mature sound yet. A diverse disc, it includes “Fridge Full of Empties,” three traditional fiddle tunes, and “The Bluenose,” the Stan Rogers ballad about Canada’s beloved tall ship. Also on the CD is “Aftermath,” a wistful Kirk MacGeachy song about the day after St. Patrick’s Day, and the “The Underwear Song,” Emberg’s rollicking, humorous view of life on the road. (Emberg and Irwin are the group’s songwriters, with all four lending a hand at arranging.)
"Hadrian's On Stage"
[Hadrian's Wall at the Wilmington Whirligig, June 23, 2001]
One strength of Hadrian’s Wall is that all four have vocal talent. Emberg and Irwin share lead vocal duties, but Weiler and O’Farrell also take a mic in strong, four-part a cappella renditions of several traditional songs. These are definite crowd-pleasers, although Weiler pointed out that they see the most favorable response to their original material, including “Crazy Dog” and “The Jolly Piper,” two clever, fast-paced songs off their third CD Glengarry (1997). (The group has a total of four CDs; the others are Courtin’ in the Kitchen (1998) and Hadrian’s Wall (1996).)
Hadrian’s Wall’s next project will be entirely original material. They plan to get to work on it in the very near future. The new disc will include both vocal and instrumental tracks, and will be the focus of more intense promotion as the quartet works toward “taking the next step” in their evolution. They promise that while they may go in some different directions in the future (perhaps a little more folk), no matter what they do, their music will still be “fun stuff.”
Information on Hadrian’s Wall’s CDs, tour dates, and other news can be found on their soon-to-be-expanded and updated website, www.hadrianswall.net. Also take a look at their Celtic Grove Artist Index Page.
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