Entertainment

The Elders

Call it home field advantage. These hometown boys generate enough energy on Irish Fest’s stages to lower our light bill. Know for their “‘Arse Kickin’ music from the heartland,” the Elders have established themselves throughout the U.S. and Ireland for their electrifying live performance and their crowd participation. Their music is great Celtic rock ‘n’ roll with touches of bluegrass and country. The lyrics tell us stories of Irish history, tales of exile of oppression and lessons in friendship.

Pogey

Pogey’s fiery live show combines electric guitar, fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar, bass, drums and four-part vocal harmonies to produce their trademark Nova Scotia Sound. This fun quintet will bring you quickly to your feet with their unique blend of traditional Irish and rocking contemporary music.

Kila

Commonly described as an Irish band playing a fusion of Irish and World Music, however this band is much more. They are one of the most inventive, innovative and original bands to ever come out of Ireland. They are a band Bono calls “extraordinary” and Sinead O’Connor describes as “brilliant.” Kansas City’s Quixotic will join Kila for a very unique Aerial and dance performance on Saturday night at the Miller Lite Stage at 9 p.m.

Quixotic

Kansas City-based Quixotic is an ensemble of artists redefining the boundaries of dance, film, aerial arts, music and fashion. It is both an artistic experiment and experience like few others. Several members of Quixotic will join the Irish band Kila on Saturday night for an Aerial and dance performance at the Miller Lite Stage at 9 p.m.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Winners of the Prime Time BBC One show ‘When Will I Be Famous’ with a blistering set rock bagpipes that astounded the viewers and critics. The Chillis put a modern spin on incredible piping and astounding drumming with an emphasis on putting on a show guaranteed to amaze any audience.  The Red Hot Chilli Pipers really are a genuinely unique experience.

Screaming Orphans

The Screaming Orphans are four funny, high-spirited, musically-obsessed sisters with the good fortune to have been raised in the magic of Bundoran in County Donegal Ireland. You’re going to love their show, as you’ll laugh, listen and sing along with their spirited and very fun rock.

McPeake

For generations of folk music enthusiasts, the name of the McPeake family of Belfast has stood for one of the most distinctive sounds in Irish music. Francis McPeake IV, the fourth generation of this world-famous musical dynasty and one of the few authentic uilleann pipers in the world today, has put together a revived band, ‘McPeake’, which is unique in the world of music with its fusion of original Celtic compositions and contemporary rhythms and styles.

Cara

Cara was a huge hit at Kansas City Irish Fest last year, and we’re pleased to welcome this German band back to KC. However, you might not expect Germany to be a powerhouse of Celtic music. But, Cara can hold their heads up very high to any band from Ireland, or any other Celtic nation. You’ll get entranced by their female leads and finally hypnotized as the band magically weaves together flute, guitar, piano, fiddle, pipes and bodhrán.

Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul

From her star musical turn in Riverdance and her thirty-plus medals in the All-Ireland Championships to her session work and appearances with such diverse artists and ensembles as Paula Cole, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and Paddy Maloney, fiddler Eileen Ivers has established herself as the pre-eminent exponent of the Irish fiddle in the world today, and is affectionately referred to as the Jimmy Hendricks of the fiddle.

Danny Burns and the Defectors

New Orleans based Irish Guitar Man-Singer/songwriter Danny Burns has been on the road as a full-time musician since leaving home in Donegal at the age of 17.  Pulling from as many different styles and influences as there are musical tastes in the Defectors, Danny’s voice and his band have drawn the comparisons and influences from the likes B.B Kings, Ray Charles, Blue eyed soul man Van Morrison, and folk rocker Richard Thompson, Albert King, Freddie King and Bob Marley.

Evans and Doherty

Kevin Evans and Brian Doherty, Irish by way of Canada or perhaps Canadian by way of Ireland, bring the rich musical traditions of both places to the stage with them. This is intimate, living room, house party music and Kevin and Brian make you part of it as if you were on stage with them. You’ll be laughing your arse off one minute, fist-pumping fired up the next and wiping a tear away later.

$3 Band

The Three Dollar Band is comprised of three musicians with varied musical backgrounds striving to produce new music inspired by our traditional roots. They perform a wide repertoire of original material mixed in with traditional Irish music, American folk songs, Appalachian music, and sea music!

Teada

Téada is firmly established as one of Irish music’s leading exponents on the international world music stage, and continues to be driven by a fascination with the timeless, expressive force of traditional tunes inherited from previous generations of musicians. They were awarded best ‘Best Young Irish Traditional Act’ at the inaugural ‘Ireland’s Music Awards’.

Eddie Delahunt & Friends

Not long after wandering musician Eddie Delahunt mustered out of the Irish Merchant Marine, he caught the big immigration wave to America. Delahunt, celebrating his 21th year in America this year, knew nary a soul when he arrived with rucksack in hand and guitar over his shoulder. But the natives were starving for new and younger sounds from the country of their grandparents. Delahunt’s workingman concoction of traditional Irish ballads, energized guitar riffs, and original lyrics and tunes has made him an adopted native son in Kansas City and something of a household name.

Guggenheim Grotto

This folk-pop band from Dublin blends electronically-programmed beats and classical instruments, such as the viola, the glockenspiel, the Wurlitzer and the Hammond organ, with the more conventional guitar, bass and piano for a haunting and melodic sound that with honest, observational lyrics.

Rattle and Hum

Kansas City based Rattle and Hum are quite simply the premiere U2 Tribute. Placing a priority on accurately delivering the sound of U2 of Ireland’s greatest export, Rattle and Hum are the U2 tribute most dedicated to making you feel as if you are experiencing the real U2 in concert. It’s hard to beat Rattle and Hum’s passion and musicianship when it comes to performing U2’s vast catalog of songs…well, except for U2 themselves.

Captain Mackey’s Goatskin and Stringband

Led by Corkmen Máirtín de Cógáin and Jimmy Crowley, Captain Mackey’s Goatskin and Stringband’s aim is not just to entertain, but introduce audiences to the different aspects of traditional music. Many of the band’s songs are based in the ballad tradition, focusing on the story of the song and the spirit of adventure.

2 Duos

Blend two Scottish and two German musicians and you end up with 2 duos. This is a fortuitous teaming of two established pairings of young musicians (from the bands Secret Orders and Cara) discovering and celebrating common ground between their respective traditions.

Girsa

Girsa is eight young women from the Irish heart of Rockland County, New York that look like angels, play traditional Irish music like demons, and sing like larks. These girls are the daughters and female students of some of the musicians in Cherish the Ladies.

Andreas Transo

Andreas Transo is a story-teller, writer, and musician from the Driftless Area.  He was a 2008 semi-finalist in The Prairie Home Companion’s “People in Their 20s Talent Show.”  Andreas performs contemporary Irish, English, Scottish, and American folk music.  He often travels as A Handful of Earth, sharing stories, songs, and dances.

Bob Reeder

Kansas City based Irish folk singer, Bob Reeder, entertains audiences with humor, toasts, limericks, audience sing-alongs and discussions of current affairs. Armed with a banjo, a 12-string guitar and whatever else he decides to bring along, the Irish-American regularly gives listeners a reason to bust a jig.

Kelly

Kansas City-based Kelly is loaded with years of experience and talent. They blend past experience and understanding of the music and bring it full circle with new ideas and twists on old. The variety of instruments from fiddle, guitar, mandolin and flute to accordion, mandolin, tin whistle and viola da gamba, combined with haunting and melodic vocals, creates the true spirit of Irish music.

O’Riada Academy of Irish Dance

It wouldn’t be an Irish festival without Irish dancers. And we’re lucky enough to have one of the best dance schools in all the land based right here. O’Riada’s award-winning Irish dancers have a longstanding tradition of performing at Kansas City Irish Fest, and are always a highlight of the festival.

Qristina & Quinn Bachand

This young brother and sister duo from Canada, are quickly carving out a name for themselves. Nineteen year old Qristina Bachand is an expressive fiddler, with a unique personal style that is both edgy and smooth. Fourteen-year old, Quinn Bachand, is a gifted guitar player and sought after guitar accompanist who has been described as “one of the best Celtic guitar accompanists in the world”. Nominated in 2009 for a Canadian Folk Music Award, Qristina & Quinn Bachand create music that is challenging yet energetic, refreshing and fun.

Driscoll School of Irish Dance

Driscoll School of Irish Dance is Kansas City’s newest dance group. The school is founded by Bridgid Driscoll, who has Irish danced throughout most of her life and has competed across the US and Canada with her two younger sisters. You’ll find them busy on the Children’s Stage hosting a kids céilí and performing on the Boulevard Stage with the $3 Band on Saturday.

Breandán De Gallai

We’re pleased to have Irish Dance Superstar, Breandán De Gallaí, participating in this year’s festival. Breandán, the former Principal Dancer with Riverdance, is now the Dance Director on the show. Breandán has led performances to over 600 million people worldwide and has appeared on national TV in the US, all over Europe, China, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. As a soloist, Breandán led the Riverdance Troupe to open the 2003 Special Olympic World Games with a live audience of over 80,000 and countless millions on TV. And if that wasn’t enough, he has four World Irish Dancing Championship medals.

Breandán will be giving Irish Dance Classes from beginners to advanced levels in the Century A Ballroom at Westin Crown Center on Saturday, Sept. 4th and Sunday Sept. 5th. All ages and experience levels are welcome to join the fun. He will also present a workshop on the history of Irish Dance and Riverdance on the Heritage Stage on Saturday, Sept. 4th.

Children’s Stage:  Martin City Melodrama

Martin City Jr presents its newest original children’s musical about recently discovered stories of magic and adventure featuring heroines that have energy, wit, and sense.

Children’s Stage: Rockin Rob

You will be enchanted with this fun show of sing-a-longs, dance-a-longs, and a good old fashioned jammin party. We will be introduced to some classic Irish tunes as well as some familiar tunes with new lyrics. We will be celebrating our Halloween theme, so wear your costume!

Children’s Stage: Mad Science

Mad Science Special Events are science-themed shows designed to amaze and entertain young audiences of any size. Children can conjure foggy dry ice storms, float on a Mad Science hovercraft, watch a foam factory at work, create super bouncy balls, make magic mud, alter sound waves, and so much more!

Children’s Stage: Keith Leff

Have a spooky good time watching Kansas City’s premier magical entertainer, Keith Leff, of Magicreations! This award-winning professional magician will amaze audiences with his unbelievable slight of hand magic. The magic will happen right under your noses, and even in your very own hands! Also, Keith will frighten you with his death defying fire eating. This show will use plenty of audience participation and is appropriate for all ages.

Children’s Stage: Toe Jam Puppet Band Halloween Spooktacular

Trick or treat with Toe Jam’s all original Halloween songs & puppet show. You may ask, “What Can I Be For Halloween?” Well, Toe Jam will dress up the kids in their kooky Halloween gear and teach them some spooky dances like ‘Do The Frankie!’, as in Frankenstein! The show is full of Toe Jammy Monsters and silly string too. Boo to you!