The Wildcat O'Halloran Band

Massachusetts-based Wildcat O'halloran specializes in Blues with personality on Party Up In Heaven, his first release since 2011's Drinkin With The Harp Girls. Whereas many songwriters would choose the more cryptic, double entendre route, O'Halloran says exactly what's on his mind. What sets him apart from countless 12-bar rehashesbis his attention to the lyrical content of his music; he's more a song-oriented artist with a slant toward the playfully snide.
The Bo Diddley beat of Rollercoaster kicks off the album in a jocular spirit, with O'Halloran complaining “One day we're makin' wedding plans, and the next day she's callingme a dirty old man” The revved-up party drive of Lil Ed immediately comes to mind here. The title track asks : “If they party up in heaven, where in hell they gonna find a band?” amid a lively round of rock and roll chaos, with the facetious good-natured lechery of St. Peter told from a third person perspective.
Gypsy Deadend Track takes to the back porch with an acoustic blues ramble, O'Halloran musing how folks like James Brown might be begging his baby “Please, Please, Please” while Howlin' Wolf might suggest she needs a “backdoor man”. The track's borderline spoken-word storytelling is a hoot yet retains an earnest sense of Delta Blues decorum. Everything I Do is a light funk shuffle that features guest vocals by “guest angel” Rae Griffiths, in a sort of “he said/ she said' dialogue; Griffiths hilariously prods “You're 50 years old, and can't even hang up a towel” before O'Halloran's slippery yet soulful slide kicks in.
On these good-time blues, played with a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue, Wildcat O'Halloran takes the genre into dangerously disrespectful territory, simultaneously knocking it down a peg and raising it back up to new creative heights - Living Blues Magazine

LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE, AUG. 2012


It sure seems like the folks in the Wildcat O'Halloran Band are having a great time on Cougar Bait Blues, the latest release from Massachusetts-based guitarist William “Wildcat” O'Halloran. That's a good thing, because the first inclination when perusing the disc is to dismiss the collection as merely a goof. E hokey lyrics and song titles are sometimes groan-inducing. O'Halloran's vocals can be flat, though they often benefit from an outstanding group of backup singers called the Harp Singers. Wildcat's stage persona that infuses the songs with back and forth dialogues with the backup singers, doesn't necessarily translate from stage to disc.
However, at its core, this band and this album are about good times and Cougar Bait Blues ends up being irrestible because the grooves are so damn infectious and the guitar playing so strong. You might cringe when you sing along to Daisy Dukes, but you'll find yourself doing it nonetheless.
And once you latch on to the shtick and the humor, you find numerous highlights that creep up on you and engage your hips and your funny bone, if not your heart. The band harnesses a funky shuffle on If You Won't Do What I Want that benefits greatly from the Harp Singers and blistering guitar work from Wildcat. The harp-fueled opening number Too Big To Cry, So I Might As Well Laugh is, like most tracks, imbued with humor and a propulsive rhythm. Bottled Bravery And Canned Courage effectively apes a Professor Longhair riff that is boosted terrifically by the horn section and a stellar trumpet and sax solos.
Hold On I'm Comin', the highlight of the collection, features more harp-fuled thrust and is also aided by co-vocals. To boot, it features Wildcat's most explosive guitar solo. Redneck Woman (an original, not to be confused with the Gretchen Wilson country hit) is a bluesy romp. And for a complete change of pace, a gratifyingly played acoustic rendition of Come In My Kitchen provides a respite from all the guffawing and gyrating. In short, Cougar Bait Blues is a fun record that can make you dance and make you laugh, if you let it. -Tom Speed - Living Blues Magazine, Aug 2012

Judging by the disc's cover photography--grinning band members with drinks in hand--you know the music inside's bound to be a great time.This is one album you can judge by its cover because the Massachusetts-based Wildcat O'Halloran Band is primed for a party. Led by Wildcat himself on guitar and vocals, the band offers jocular lyrics and refined instrumental anarchy. This is party music for Blues lovers, and the band does not relent for a second throughout the ten infectious tracks on Drinkin' With The Harp Girls.
The album features mostly well-arranged original material written by Wildcat O'Halloran, and the band is loose, with tracks like Love On The Telephone, on which Wildcat engages in tongue-in-cheek telephone conversations with would-be flings over the playful funk. If God Can Make That,( No Wonder He's In Charge) continues the lyrical whimsy with lines like "when God made you, He must've bragged for days". The Harp Girls add to the fun when Caitlin "Harp Sister #1" Squires contributes a smart-mouthed lead vocal on a cover of Hound Dog, the track given an almost pseudo Latin rhythm treatment, while Wildcat chimes in "You've got a hound dog, but what you need is a real Wildcat".
Elsewhere, The Slumberland stomp is a standout, featuring a tandem guitar/harmonica lead riff and thundering bass pocket. The instrumental track showcases Wildcat stinging solo guitar passages and the burning harp of Johnny "Magic" Marino. Drama finds the band digging a deep blues well, evoking the best of a hole-in-the-wall Chicago club, while Wildcat's zany life observations run wild in the anti-fabrication anthem Put Some Energy Behind the Truth.
Wildcat O'Halloran emerges as one of the most entertaining songwriters in contemporary blues, with a merciless wit and wordplay to keep the listener on their toes. The word "dull" not in their vocabulary, this band has a good time stamped on their foreheads--Mark Uricheck

- Living Blues Magazine, Oct. 2011

Judging by the disc's cover photography--grinning band members with drinks in hand--you know the music inside's bound to be a great time.This is one album you can judge by its cover because the Massachusetts-based Wildcat O'Halloran Band is primed for a party. Led by Wildcat himself on guitar and vocals, the band offers jocular lyrics and refined instrumental anarchy. This is party music for Blues lovers, and the band does not relent for a second throughout the ten infectious tracks on Drinkin' With The Harp Girls.
The album features mostly well-arranged original material written by Wildcat O'Halloran, and the band is loose, with tracks like Love On The Telephone, on which Wildcat engages in tongue-in-cheek telephone conversations with would-be flings over the playful funk. If God Can Make That,( No Wonder He's In Charge) continues the lyrical whimsy with lines like "when God made you, He must've bragged for days". The Harp Girls add to the fun when Caitlin "Harp Sister #1" Squires contributes a smart-mouthed lead vocal on a cover of Hound Dog, the track given an almost pseudo Latin rhythm treatment, while Wildcat chimes in "You've got a hound dog, but what you need is a real Wildcat".
Elsewhere, The Slumberland stomp is a standout, featuring a tandem guitar/harmonica lead riff and thundering bass pocket. The instrumental track showcases Wildcat stinging solo guitar passages and the burning harp of Johnny "Magic" Marino. Drama finds the band digging a deep blues well, evoking the best of a hole-in-the-wall Chicago club, while Wildcat's zany life observations run wild in the anti-fabrication anthem Put Some Energy Behind the Truth.
Wildcat O'Halloran emerges as one of the most entertaining songwriters in contemporary blues, with a merciless wit and wordplay to keep the listener on their toes. The word "dull" not in their vocabulary, this band has a good time stamped on their foreheads--Mark Uricheck

- Living Blues Magazine, Oct. 2011

Wildcat O'Halloran Band
Drinkin’ With the Harp Girls
self-published
By Lady K
August 2011
The title alone is enough to make the average, curious blues lover want to listen to this CD and find out what’s what. AND – good news: the music is as much fun as the title. Wildcat O’Halloran is out of New England – the Boston area, to be precise, and has been “keeping the blues flame burning in the UMASS 5 College area” for twenty-plus years. Wildcat (vocals and guitar) collaborated with many folks (all with nicknames), to get this music done: Nate “Lightning Boy” Dana (guitar), Matt “Loverboy” McManamon (bass), Gilbert May (drums), Joe “Jopey” Fitzpatrick (drums on tracks 2 and 8), Johnny “Magic” Marino (harp on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8), and Matt “The Fixer” Ingellis (harp on tracks 1 and 4). Oh, and there actually ARE Harp Girls, contributing vocals: Caitlin “Harp Sister #1” Squires, Sara “Sister Wildkitten” O’Halloran, Emma Lynn “Sister One-take Wonder,” and evidently one Harp Boy (Mark Snow on track 10 vocals).

There are 10 tracks on Drinkin’ with the Harp Girls (did Lady K mention that she loves the disc title?): 8 are Wildcat originals, with 2 covers: “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” by William Bell; “Hound Dog,” by Leiber and Stoller. Yep, THAT “Hound Dog”; this time it’s mostly a duet featuring Wildcat and Harp Sister #1; but HS#1 has the lead-in, and seriously? The tune makes much more sense when sung by a woman (sorry, Elvis).

“Crunch Time” is quick-tempo rockin’ blues number, and is an eye-opener – we get to hear some of what those father-son chats are really all about! Papa tells son, when it comes to crunch time: “Never walk away from a party or a fight” and to “Hit on that girl – don’t hang out on the wall.”

“If God Can Make That (No Wonder He’s in Charge)” is a very bluesy rock number, with some terrific guitar going on. Boy singing to girl: “When God created you, he must have bragged for days!!!!” And “Love on the Telephone” – that’s right; phone sex for pay. Poor boy: only time he can chat with his lady is while she’s at work on the Fantasy Line. He figures he’s “gotta get a raise or win the lottery before she finds out how much more money she could make on the Internet!!” Too funny. “Slumberland Stomp” is an up-tempo instrumental – not going to send anyone to slumberland (there’s too much great guitar and harp going on – no sleeping allowed).

Seriously, Drinkin’ with the Harp Girls – great title, good rockin’ blues, crazy-fun lyrics.
- Lady K at Boston Blues society

Perhaps there is a book in Wildcat O’Halloran’s future.

The local bluesman has had quite a career opening for blues-rock legends on the regional circuit and has a few stories to tell - and some he can’t.

“I could tell you about playing in Bo Diddley’s band at Pearl Street, during which he blew up Al Fuller’s amp and got the audience to send us all shots of Grand Marnier,” recalls O’Halloran. “Or the first time I opened for John Lee Hooker. The airlines had broken his guitar, so he borrowed mine (then a B.B. King-like 355 Gibson) and when I got it back, five of the six strings were no longer in the bridge inserts. I remember thinking 'He strikes the guitar firm!'”

There is also the famous rock star that came to town and was seen asking everyone for drugs. Everyone except O’Halloran.

“Maybe I didn’t look cool enough,” he said.

For now, the book will have to wait, as Wildcat O’Halloran is out supporting his most recent musical release “Drinkin’ with the Harp Girls.” To help promote the disc, Wildcat and his electric blues band will open for Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on July 18.

“This disc was officially released the end of March and will be going out on a national mailing in July,” said O’Halloran who has enlisted Todd Glazer Promotions to work the disc. “It's already being played on almost every New England Blues show and on internet stations from here to Paris.”

For the recording, Wildcat has added some guest players to his stalwart band.

“Along with Nate Dana on guitar, Gil May on drums and Matt McManamon, who do most of the work, we have guest harp from Johnny Marino and Matt Ingellis, guest drums by Joe Fitzpatrick, and the Mighty Harp Girl Singers, mainly Caitlin Squires and my daughter Sarah O'Halloran, but also featuring Emmalyn Hicks who sasses me in Brooklyn-ese on ‘Love On The Telephone’.”

Along with the stellar performances, O’Halloran credits the work of Danny Bernini from Spirithouse Studios.

“It turned out to be a gorgeous high-end recording,” he said. “Danny Bernini did a killer job.”

The band’s disc is available at CDBaby with a link from www.wildcatohalloran.com

Tickets for the July 18 show at the Iron Horse Music Hall with Jimbo Mathus are available through iheg.com or by calling (413) 586-8686.
- Springfield Republican July 7,2011

Perhaps there is a book in Wildcat O’Halloran’s future.

The local bluesman has had quite a career opening for blues-rock legends on the regional circuit and has a few stories to tell - and some he can’t.

“I could tell you about playing in Bo Diddley’s band at Pearl Street, during which he blew up Al Fuller’s amp and got the audience to send us all shots of Grand Marnier,” recalls O’Halloran. “Or the first time I opened for John Lee Hooker. The airlines had broken his guitar, so he borrowed mine (then a B.B. King-like 355 Gibson) and when I got it back, five of the six strings were no longer in the bridge inserts. I remember thinking 'He strikes the guitar firm!'”

There is also the famous rock star that came to town and was seen asking everyone for drugs. Everyone except O’Halloran.

“Maybe I didn’t look cool enough,” he said.

For now, the book will have to wait, as Wildcat O’Halloran is out supporting his most recent musical release “Drinkin’ with the Harp Girls.” To help promote the disc, Wildcat and his electric blues band will open for Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on July 18.

“This disc was officially released the end of March and will be going out on a national mailing in July,” said O’Halloran who has enlisted Todd Glazer Promotions to work the disc. “It's already being played on almost every New England Blues show and on internet stations from here to Paris.”

For the recording, Wildcat has added some guest players to his stalwart band.

“Along with Nate Dana on guitar, Gil May on drums and Matt McManamon, who do most of the work, we have guest harp from Johnny Marino and Matt Ingellis, guest drums by Joe Fitzpatrick, and the Mighty Harp Girl Singers, mainly Caitlin Squires and my daughter Sarah O'Halloran, but also featuring Emmalyn Hicks who sasses me in Brooklyn-ese on ‘Love On The Telephone’.”

Along with the stellar performances, O’Halloran credits the work of Danny Bernini from Spirithouse Studios.

“It turned out to be a gorgeous high-end recording,” he said. “Danny Bernini did a killer job.”

The band’s disc is available at CDBaby with a link from www.wildcatohalloran.com

Tickets for the July 18 show at the Iron Horse Music Hall with Jimbo Mathus are available through iheg.com or by calling (413) 586-8686.
- Springfield Republican July 7,2011

Bill & Co.
Thought you’d like to see this as we go to print..............


THE WILDCAT O’HALLORAN BAND
Drinkin’ With The Harp Girls
Independent
The CD cover pictures a group of people that look very much like a cross between TV’s Royle Family and an Irish family group, with Wildcat himself being a dead ringer for Ricky Tomlinson. All of which left me unprepared for the raw and exciting music, full of good loving, bad lovin’, good time/bad time Blues and groove. Solid bumping bass lines underscore some great guitar playing, with Wilcat and ‘Lightnin’ Boy’ Dana pushing each other to greater heights and with some gritty but clear vocals, this adds up to a great release. Wildcat O’Halloran hail from the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts, USA, and would appear to be one of the local, hard working Blues club and bar circuit band. Whatever they are, the results are good times as they are a surprisingly tight unit, never losing that good time feel throughout. With eight original songs there are only two covers on the album, Lieber & Stoller’s ‘Hound Dog’, with Caitlin ‘Harp Sister #1’ Squires giving some down home solid vocals and William Bell’s ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water (Til’ Your Well Runs Dry), originally released by Stax Records in 1961, but here offered as a love song to Wildcat’s wife Amy. Of his own songs, ‘Crunch Time’, the opener is a solid up tempo rocker, ‘If God Can Make That (No Wonder He’s In Charge) is a humorous shuffle and ‘Love On The Telephone’ a commentary on the growth of telephone sex lines. My favourite is the eight minute slow Blues called ‘Drama’, great lyrics and guitar playing. Check them out on “You Tube”, they’re a good fun band.
Merv Osborne
Regards
Alan K
Ads. Tel: 00-44-(0)1656-745628. Mon-Fri 9am-4pm.
www.bluesmatters.com
The Blues without the blinkers! ROCKROOTSJAZZSOULWORLD-BLUES
Advertising - Blues Matters Magazine
PO BOX 18, BRIDGEND, CF33 6YW. UK. - Blues Matters Magazine (UK) July/Aug 2011

Bill & Co.
Thought you’d like to see this as we go to print..............


THE WILDCAT O’HALLORAN BAND
Drinkin’ With The Harp Girls
Independent
The CD cover pictures a group of people that look very much like a cross between TV’s Royle Family and an Irish family group, with Wildcat himself being a dead ringer for Ricky Tomlinson. All of which left me unprepared for the raw and exciting music, full of good loving, bad lovin’, good time/bad time Blues and groove. Solid bumping bass lines underscore some great guitar playing, with Wilcat and ‘Lightnin’ Boy’ Dana pushing each other to greater heights and with some gritty but clear vocals, this adds up to a great release. Wildcat O’Halloran hail from the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts, USA, and would appear to be one of the local, hard working Blues club and bar circuit band. Whatever they are, the results are good times as they are a surprisingly tight unit, never losing that good time feel throughout. With eight original songs there are only two covers on the album, Lieber & Stoller’s ‘Hound Dog’, with Caitlin ‘Harp Sister #1’ Squires giving some down home solid vocals and William Bell’s ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water (Til’ Your Well Runs Dry), originally released by Stax Records in 1961, but here offered as a love song to Wildcat’s wife Amy. Of his own songs, ‘Crunch Time’, the opener is a solid up tempo rocker, ‘If God Can Make That (No Wonder He’s In Charge) is a humorous shuffle and ‘Love On The Telephone’ a commentary on the growth of telephone sex lines. My favourite is the eight minute slow Blues called ‘Drama’, great lyrics and guitar playing. Check them out on “You Tube”, they’re a good fun band.
Merv Osborne
Regards
Alan K
Ads. Tel: 00-44-(0)1656-745628. Mon-Fri 9am-4pm.
www.bluesmatters.com
The Blues without the blinkers! ROCKROOTSJAZZSOULWORLD-BLUES
Advertising - Blues Matters Magazine
PO BOX 18, BRIDGEND, CF33 6YW. UK. - Blues Matters Magazine (UK) July/Aug 2011

Perhaps there is a book in Wildcat O’Halloran’s future.

The local bluesman has had quite a career opening for blues-rock legends on the regional circuit and has a few stories to tell - and some he can’t.

“I could tell you about playing in Bo Diddley’s band at Pearl Street, during which he blew up Al Fuller’s amp and got the audience to send us all shots of Grand Marnier,” recalls O’Halloran. “Or the first time I opened for John Lee Hooker. The airlines had broken his guitar, so he borrowed mine (then a B.B. King-like 355 Gibson) and when I got it back, five of the six strings were no longer in the bridge inserts. I remember thinking 'He strikes the guitar firm!'”

There is also the famous rock star that came to town and was seen asking everyone for drugs. Everyone except O’Halloran.

“Maybe I didn’t look cool enough,” he said.

For now, the book will have to wait, as Wildcat O’Halloran is out supporting his most recent musical release “Drinkin’ with the Harp Girls.” To help promote the disc, Wildcat and his electric blues band will open for Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on July 18.

“This disc was officially released the end of March and will be going out on a national mailing in July,” said O’Halloran who has enlisted Todd Glazer Promotions to work the disc. “It's already being played on almost every New England Blues show and on internet stations from here to Paris.”

For the recording, Wildcat has added some guest players to his stalwart band.

“Along with Nate Dana on guitar, Gil May on drums and Matt McManamon, who do most of the work, we have guest harp from Johnny Marino and Matt Ingellis, guest drums by Joe Fitzpatrick, and the Mighty Harp Girl Singers, mainly Caitlin Squires and my daughter Sarah O'Halloran, but also featuring Emmalyn Hicks who sasses me in Brooklyn-ese on ‘Love On The Telephone’.”

Along with the stellar performances, O’Halloran credits the work of Danny Bernini from Spirithouse Studios.

“It turned out to be a gorgeous high-end recording,” he said. “Danny Bernini did a killer job.”

The band’s disc is available at CDBaby with a link from www.wildcatohalloran.com

Tickets for the July 18 show at the Iron Horse Music Hall with Jimbo Mathus are available through iheg.com or by calling (413) 586-8686.
- Springfield Republican

Perhaps there is a book in Wildcat O’Halloran’s future.

The local bluesman has had quite a career opening for blues-rock legends on the regional circuit and has a few stories to tell - and some he can’t.

“I could tell you about playing in Bo Diddley’s band at Pearl Street, during which he blew up Al Fuller’s amp and got the audience to send us all shots of Grand Marnier,” recalls O’Halloran. “Or the first time I opened for John Lee Hooker. The airlines had broken his guitar, so he borrowed mine (then a B.B. King-like 355 Gibson) and when I got it back, five of the six strings were no longer in the bridge inserts. I remember thinking 'He strikes the guitar firm!'”

There is also the famous rock star that came to town and was seen asking everyone for drugs. Everyone except O’Halloran.

“Maybe I didn’t look cool enough,” he said.

For now, the book will have to wait, as Wildcat O’Halloran is out supporting his most recent musical release “Drinkin’ with the Harp Girls.” To help promote the disc, Wildcat and his electric blues band will open for Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on July 18.

“This disc was officially released the end of March and will be going out on a national mailing in July,” said O’Halloran who has enlisted Todd Glazer Promotions to work the disc. “It's already being played on almost every New England Blues show and on internet stations from here to Paris.”

For the recording, Wildcat has added some guest players to his stalwart band.

“Along with Nate Dana on guitar, Gil May on drums and Matt McManamon, who do most of the work, we have guest harp from Johnny Marino and Matt Ingellis, guest drums by Joe Fitzpatrick, and the Mighty Harp Girl Singers, mainly Caitlin Squires and my daughter Sarah O'Halloran, but also featuring Emmalyn Hicks who sasses me in Brooklyn-ese on ‘Love On The Telephone’.”

Along with the stellar performances, O’Halloran credits the work of Danny Bernini from Spirithouse Studios.

“It turned out to be a gorgeous high-end recording,” he said. “Danny Bernini did a killer job.”

The band’s disc is available at CDBaby with a link from www.wildcatohalloran.com

Tickets for the July 18 show at the Iron Horse Music Hall with Jimbo Mathus are available through iheg.com or by calling (413) 586-8686.
- Springfield Republican

Wildcat O'Halloran is back in business, and while he is operating under the same name that first captured Valley hearts and souls some 25 years ago, his eponymous band has reinvented itself with a mixture of old and new blood...
...The themes on the band's latest release are as venerable as some of its members: good lovin', bad lovin' and just general blues. The bumping bass line, red-hot guitar licks and gritty vocals make for a slate of dependably groovy tracks... - Valley Advocate Dec. 10, 2009

Wildcat O'Halloran is back in business, and while he is operating under the same name that first captured Valley hearts and souls some 25 years ago, his eponymous band has reinvented itself with a mixture of old and new blood...
...The themes on the band's latest release are as venerable as some of its members: good lovin', bad lovin' and just general blues. The bumping bass line, red-hot guitar licks and gritty vocals make for a slate of dependably groovy tracks... - Valley Advocate Dec. 10, 2009

Wildcat O'Halloran fronts a four piece band of "veteran players" on a good-timing albumthat manages to be progressive without being disrespectfu, and traditional without being moldy. Highlights are a cover of V-8 Ford, and an innovative arrangement of That's Alright - Living Blues Magazine

Wildcat O'Halloran fronts a four piece band of "veteran players" on a good-timing albumthat manages to be progressive without being disrespectfu, and traditional without being moldy. Highlights are a cover of V-8 Ford, and an innovative arrangement of That's Alright - Living Blues Magazine

You're as good a lyricist as I've heard in the blues genre, and I'm a blues fan. - John Braheny

You're as good a lyricist as I've heard in the blues genre, and I'm a blues fan. - John Braheny

My introduction to the Wildcat O'Halloran Band came 12 years ago, when I was a judge at the Seagram's Superstar contest. Two things struck me right away.
One was that the other bands all appeared in some kind of costume. Some were really suited u, wearing matching flashy jackets. The Wildcat band were pretty much in street clothes.
The other thing I noticed was what all the other judges noticed too: Without trying hard and without looking too self-conscious, the Wildcat O'Halloran Band was tight, professional and at the same time richly expressive and artistic.All the other bands were playing some kind of pop-rock,while the w.O'H.B. was (still is) mainly a blues group. The judges awarded it second place. - Hampshire Gazette

Appearing tonight will be the Wildcat O'Halloran band, led by Bill O'Halloran. The band has been playing all over New England for over ten years. They have beenselected as finalists in the Massachusetts edition of both the Stroh's and Seagrams Superstar Talent Searches, co-spnsored by radio station WHMP. Their first release, "Crazy Way of Cookin", spent 5 weeks at No. 1 in the Valley Advocate local music poll. They have had similar success with subsequent releases.
The band has also been collaborating with Steve Miller/ James Cotton sideman Ken Johnson, and have performed as backup band for music legends Bo Diddley and James Cotton. The Wildcat O'Halloran Band has also shared the stage with many well-known acts such as Greg Allman, John Lee Hooker, J. Geils, and John Mayall. The band's sound is raw, sometimes funny, sometimes sultry blues. The music is high energy, intense and soulful. - Greenfield Recorder

My introduction to the Wildcat O'Halloran Band came 12 years ago, when I was a judge at the Seagram's Superstar contest. Two things struck me right away.
One was that the other bands all appeared in some kind of costume. Some were really suited u, wearing matching flashy jackets. The Wildcat band were pretty much in street clothes.
The other thing I noticed was what all the other judges noticed too: Without trying hard and without looking too self-conscious, the Wildcat O'Halloran Band was tight, professional and at the same time richly expressive and artistic.All the other bands were playing some kind of pop-rock,while the w.O'H.B. was (still is) mainly a blues group. The judges awarded it second place. - Hampshire Gazette

...the seething What Part of Broken Up could be its answer song.B. B. King’s Sweet Little Angel gets a lengthy, leisurely workout, punctuated by crackling fretwork. The title track is a funny, funky roadhouse jam;
**Ottomatic Slim blows some scalding harp licks here on Take or Leave and on Muddy Waters’ Cross Eyed Cat.
The band brings out the blues in the Jimi Hendrix rocker Can U See Me and the Animals’ version of Misunderstood... 97% amusingly calls out blues musicians who don’t “give it all [they] got”: “You’re why 97% of Americans think the blues suck,” O’Halloran sings, then at the end he hopes that same percentage “don’t think this here song sucks.” He takes a solo turn on Nobody’s Perfect, and his gentle picking and vocals close the album on a quietly optimistic note.
With plenty of good-time grooves to spare, the Wildcat O’Halloran Band’s Midnight Service Call is worth ringing up."
--Review by Melanie Young, Living Blues Magazine - Living Blues Magazine