Bastard Bearded Irishmen
The Pittsburgh-based Bastard Bearded Irishmen are cutting their own path with an original, ferocious blend of rock, punk, acoustic and traditional, as well as contemporary Celtic sounds. Mentioned in ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine (online) as a “Band to watch from Pittsburgh” (Sept ’13), back-to-back wins for “Best Rock Band in Pittsburgh” three years in a row (’12,’13,’14) by the readers of the ‘Pittsburgh City Paper’, and “Best Bar Band” (2014) by ‘Pittsburgh Magazine’ the band continues to make a name for itself around the region.
Bastard Bearded Irishmen, or BBI, began playing in October 2008, originally meant to be a short-lived side-project in tribute for a friend. The initial fun and fan reaction kept them going and they have now expanded their resume to include a sponsorship with Jameson Irish Whiskey, an opening slot for the Dropkick Murphy’s “Shamrock N Roll” tour in Pittsburgh (2011), an opening slot for national act, Gogol Bordello (2013), as well as slots on regional festivals such as “MusikFest” (Bethlehem, PA), “Shamrock Fest” (Washington, DC), “Roar on the Shore” (Erie, PA), “MountainFest” (Morgantown, WV), “Flood City Music Festival”(Johnstown, PA), and “OC Bike Fest” (Ocean City, MD).
The latest album, “Rise of the Bastard,” (May 2014) is available now at the bands website, iTunes and other online outlets. Scott Mervis of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes: “This is a big step up from the first Bastard’s album…This one has more originals, rocks harder and is a bit more global.” Called “a highly addictive, lucid, newfangled album” by Sound Scene Express, the album features 12 originals and 3 traditional songs including “Tell Me Ma,” “Three Drunken Maidens,” and “All For Me Grog.” Scott Tady of the Beaver County Times says the album is “an authentic, accomplished and adrenaline-filled sound that will capture the fancy of Celtic-rock heroes the Dropkick Murphys, The Pogues, and Flogging Molly” and it’s “more artistically ambitious than its predecessor, {and} offers a few intriguing surprises, too, beginning with the lead-off track ‘Mama’ which has the gypsy rock fervor of Gogol Bordello.”
Although they are the consummate musical professionals (Danny has a Master’s degree in classical guitar, Paul is classically trained on the violin), these guys also know how to have a blast on stage and will be one of the most energetic live shows you will see.
