User:Kilmainesaints/Kilmaine Saints

Kilmaine Saints is an 8 piece celtic rock band based out of Harrisburg, PA.

History
Formed in early 2009, the band was born out of a desire to hear a harder brand of celtic rock/punk in the area. Mike McNaughton and Jon Heller met playing with a pipe band based out of Harrisburg, The Lochiel Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, and discussed the possibilities of a celtic rock band. Prior to St Patrick's Day, they held a couple of practices with guitarist Craig Bixler and added Lochiel's bass drummer, Frank Aponte to the mix.

The project took a hiatus during March 2009 as Lochiel was busy playing St. Patrick's events, but actually picked up steam as they discussed possibilities with other members of Lochiel. In April 2009, Steve Murphy (also from Lochiel), Brendan Power and Liz Mallin joined the project and the Kilmaine Saints were born.

Following a successful opening gig in early June, the band found that many people in the area were as excited to hear music in that genre are they were to play it and their schedule picked up rapidly. Because of the busy schedule, Bixler ultimately bowed out of the band and Barry Mills was brought on to fill the vacated guitar role. Around the same time, Bill Brown (pipe major from Lochiel) was brought on board to round off instrumentation and to help that band with their live sound.

Their first CD, "The Good, The Plaid, and The Ugly" is due out in the summer of 2010.

Music
Kilmaine Saints play a mix of originals, traditional Irish and Scottish tunes, and covers of celtic rock/punk artists like The Pogues, Flogging Molly, and Dropkick Murphys. The originals are very different stylistically ranging from straight up rock to punk to more traditional.

Members

 * Mike McNaughton - Drums, Vocals
 * Jon Heller - Bass, Bagpipes, Vocals
 * Frank Aponte - Cuatro, Banjo, Bodhrán, Bass, Harmonica, Vocals
 * Brendan Power - Lead Vocals, Bodhrán
 * Liz Mallin - Fiddle, Drums, Vocals
 * Steve Murphy - Accordion, Tin Whistle, Bagpipes, Vocals
 * Barry Mills - Electric Guitar, Vocals
 * Bill Brown - Irish Bouzouki, Tin Whistle, Bagpipes, Vocals

Discography

 * 2010: The Good, The Plaid, and The Ugly