Needfire
Garland, Texas, United States
Music
Press
“With the new album (Chasing Orion) Needfire has proven that they belong to the top acts of Celtic rock.”
- FolkWorld, issue #39, July 2009 (Germany)
“The room was filled with Celtic rock and an energy level I have not seen in many years. And it was not only the adults that enjoyed the show but children of all ages.”
- Brian Stevens, Frisco Enterprise (Frisco, TX) July 8, 2009
“They are tremendous instrumentally,” said Robert Harrison, president of the Games. “They have great vocals. They are contemporary, but still use a lot of traditional Celtic melodies. I think they are probably one of the top three Celtic bands in North America right now.”
- Glasgow Daily Times (Glasgow, KY)
“From my vantage point, I saw some crazed and dedicated fans for Needfire, who might have emerged as the stars of the weekend festival. They drew huge, wildly enthusiastic crowds, sold more CDs than anyone (not even a close second was Town Pants) and were mobbed in our Autograph Alley area for as long as 25 minutes after the end of their set.”
- Ceili- May/June 2008- a publication of the Southwest Celtic Music Association (written by Chuck Bloom, Performer Products Coordinator for the North Texas Irish Festival)
“For Sharon Benson of Salina Arts and Humanities, choosing Needfire to close the festival was a no-brainer. ‘I wanted a good, strong finish for the festival, and they were so popular last year and knew how to work the crowd,’ she said. ”
- Salina Journal (Smoky Hill River Festival, Salina, KS)
“One of today’s most popular Celtic rock bands.”
- WBKO TV, ABC Channel 13 (Bowling Green, Kentucky)
"Needfire is one of the best in the nation."
- Corpus Christi Caller-Times
"Needfire is probably the most accessible Celtic rock band since Big Country. Less New Wave than those long-missed Scottish lads, Needfire nevertheless inject a power-pop sensibility to authentic Irish-Scottish sounds. Songs such as "When I Get There" and "Fight Where I Stand" are furious toe-tappers that owe as much to the Beatles as to Celtic music."
- Ink 19
“Celtic rockers Needfire, making their second appearance at the Games, ran through an explosive set at Barren River Lake State Resort Park.”
- Glasgow Daily Times, Brad Dickerson (from the article "Band Adds Fire to Glasgow Highland Games Concert" - May 30, 2008)
"...nothing short of fantastic at our festival this year... BOOK THIS BAND.”
- Celtic Society of West Tennessee
"Needfire perfects the art of the rock ’n’ roll bagpipe..."
- Salina Journal
“With the opening note of ‘Gravel Walks’ you realize what happens when a traditional reel meets an electric guitar- the resulting music is scorching”
- Ceili, a publication of the Southwest Celtic Music Association
"Needfire is just at ease in the rock songs as in the ballads. With its own twists, it melds modern Rock with traditional Celtic. Their music ignites a great musical interest...Needfire is fresh and explosive!"
- Highlands Magazine, France (translated from French)
“Now this is Celtic rock! ‘In a Town Near Edinburgh’ is simply beautiful. A celtic rock gem.”
- RedjMusic
“Needfire is fast becoming a band you're going to hear about internationally."
- Doyle Jeter, Director of the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival
“For those who think Flogging Molly characterizes Celtic Rock, think again. Needfire grooves just as hard, but doesn't partake in the smashing drums and screaming punk lyrics"
-UTA Shorthorn
“Huge guitar riffs, powerful technical drumming ala Neil Peart and Beatles style vocal harmonies. So, what makes this Celtic? Well, layered on top of the progressive foundations we have highland bagpipes, fiddles and mandolins. Certainly a unique and original sound. Progressive-Celtic-Fusion anyone?”
- Shite'n'Onions
“The catchiest tunes on here (Cat In A Cannon) are uplifting, invigorating numbers that are accessible to an audience far beyond its Celtic roots."
- Shotgun Reviews
"...one of the major draws for this year's Scottish festival."
- Appleseeds, Lyon College ( Batesville, Arkansas)
“A band out of Texas that kicks some serious ass!"
- Celtic Music News
- None
Discography
Chasing Orion (2009)
Live in Batesville (2007)
Cat In a Cannon (2006)
Needfire- EP (2005)
Photos
Bio
Since its formation in early 2005 Texas-based Needfire have become one of today’s most distinctive and original bands. Their music has been described as Celtic-rock- a blend of traditional Celtic music and modern rock, reeling Celtic fiddles, bagpipes, tribal didgeridoo, and a rock rhythm section.
Needfire has gained a reputation of delivering highly entertaining live shows. Often performing at outdoor festivals the group is very interactive- often mingling with the crowd while performing- and are high-energy crowd pleasers. After just a few short years Needfire quickly progressed from regional to a nationally-headlining artist at some of the largest Celtic and arts festivals in North America. They headlined one of the largest Irish Festivals in the U.S., the North Texas Irish Festival, in Dallas in 2008 and “… drew huge, wildly enthusiastic crowds, sold more CDs than anyone and were mobbed in our Autograph Alley area for as long as 25 minutes after the end of their set”(Ceili, Dallas, TX). Other highlights include headlining the Portland Irish Festival (largest Irish festival on the west coast) in Oregon, and the Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina, Kansas. “For Sharon Benson of Salina Arts and Humanities, choosing Needfire to close the festival was a no-brainer. ‘I wanted a good, strong finish for the festival, and they were so popular last year and knew how to work the crowd,’ she said” (Salina Journal, Salina, KS). During their summer 2010 Tour they also toured through Canada for the first time. The group’s live performance style also translates well at other venues- theaters, colleges, and Irish pubs. “The room was filled with Celtic rock and an energy level I have not seen in many years. And it was not only the adults that enjoyed the show but children of all ages” (Frisco Enterprise, Frisco, TX).
Magen Miller (fiddle, piano, vocals) started playing the violin when she was seven and has studied classical piano. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Composition at the Meadows School of the Arts in May of 2010, has recently been commissioned to write for the Georgia State Wind Symphony, and also plays violin with Jamal Mohamed and the Meadows World Music Ensemble at Southern Methodist University. Kevin Hanlon (guitars, vocals) has had quite the career. First getting his start in the Midwestern progressive hard rock scene playing with groups that opened for the MC5, Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent. Bitten by the composing bug, Hanlon next focused on classical music and earned his Master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music. An active composer, his music has been played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Saint Louis Symphony, The Louisville Orchestra and many others. Among his numerous commissions is a chamber opera based on an Irish-American community, called “Spreading The News”. Hanlon has also spent time in Ireland sitting in on many traditional sessions in Counties Clare and Kerry. Benjamin Croucher (drums, percussion) graduated from SMU in 2010 in music performance. His drumming styles range from jazz to rock to ethnic. Ben’s an accomplished hand percussionist on the doumbek, djembe, and other percussion from around the world.
Needfire’s 2011 Tour has brought some exciting changes to the band’s line-up. The group’s founder, Ed Walewski (bass, mandolins, dulcimer) and the rest of Needfire look forward to delivering more of the same high-spirited, powerhouse live shows that they are praised for by fans of all ages and critics worldwide.
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FEATURED PERFORMANCES
North Texas Irish Festival Dallas, TX
Portland Irish Festival Portland, OR
Smoky Hill River Festival Salina, KS
Glasgow Highland Games Lucas, KY
Ohio Scottish Games Wellington, OH
Richmond Highland Games
and Celtic Festival Richmond, VA
Triad Highland Games Greensboro, NC
Return to the Green Festival Greenville, SC
Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival Monroe, LA
Celticfest Jackson, TN
Texas Crossroads Festival Dallas, TX
Celtic Heritage Festival Bedford, TX
CeltFesTexas Odessa, TX
Midland Scottish-Irish Faire Midland, TX
Clear Lake Celtic Music Festival Houston, TX
Swamp Celts Festival &
Highland Games Gonzales, LA
League of Celtic Nations Celtic Festival Amarillo, TX
International Winter on the
Waterway Festival The Woodlands, TX
Oklahoma Scottish Festival Tulsa, OK
Allen Summer Concert Series
Links
