Blending an irresistibly unique mixture of folk rock, pop, gypsy jazz and bluegrass – from self-penned songs of adventure, drinking, love and life, to traditional songs of gypsies, fairies, legless pirates and black flies – Mad Dog Mcrea never fail to entice their ever-expanding audience with their infectious energy and songs.
With their dance-demanding recipe of folk, pop, rock, jazz and bluegrass Mad Dog Mcrea raise hands, lift feet and start parties wherever they play, whisking up whistles, fiddles and mandolins to spectacular effect, these musical magicians are as synonymous not only with a damn good party but also quality musicianship and even the odd surprise and they will be bringing all of this to Leaf on Bold Street on Thursday 22nd October as part of a U.K. tour which starts on Thursday 15th October in Taunton.
In constant demand and having played just about every festival and two-bit dive in the country and beyond, Mad Dog Mcrea’s latest album, the Sean Lakeman-produced Almost Home, was released to wide acclaim in March 2015.
Without question the band’s most accomplished set to date, Almost Home nigh on hurtles through a wellspring of diverse themes including World War One tunnelers on You Can’t Find Me, amorous delusions on Cher, early 20th Century Irish American gangsters on Mad Dog Coll, while reflecting more introspectively on the Seth Lakeman-penned The Sound and the hauntingly honest Whiskey Man.
Acclaimed, not only for their music, but also their off stage antics, one particularly memorable story, now entrenched in Donegal, Ireland’s local folklore saw the Mad Dogs under the influence of the local moonshine, returning from a festival in the dead of night on their newly refurbished and very plush tour bus. Confused and lost they decided to park said bus off-road on a nearby beach. Parking close to the water’s edge they continued to party inside the bus until the small hours, blissfully unaware of the rapidly rising Atlantic tide around them which quickly engulf the inside of the bus, as it simultaneously succumbed to the sand beneath it. Realising their predicament just in time everyone rapidly vacated the vehicle and swam to safety. Drenched and dazzled the band could only look on as the bus disappeared under the Atlantic waves and the new van, their equipment and instruments sunk to the depths of Davy Jones’ locker. All was lost except a vague memory of the incident, the hats on their heads and the music…
Whilst the Atlantic Ocean doesn’t stretch in land as far as Leaf, it will certainly add great thought that Mad Dog Mcrea are coming to Liverpool this October.