Rackhouse Pilfer by Colin Gillen
Rackhouse Pilfer the Irish Americana / bluegrass sextet recently completed work on their third album due for release later this year. While we wait for the album to drop the band are taking to the road for an extensive run of UK shows that includes the Country 2 Country festival at the O2 in London. More about the band and those tour dates follows:
Stomping Irish Americana-bluegrass sextet Rackhouse Pilfer announce extensive UK tour from March 11-April 2, opening with a show at this year’s Country to Country Festival at London’s 02 Arena. Performing songs from their acclaimed 2014 album Love and Havoc, they’ll also be previewing material from their eagerly anticipated third album, due for release in the summer.
The rise of Rackhouse Pilfer has been unstoppable. Awarded ‘Live Band of the Year' by Hot Press soon after releasing their second album Love and Havoc, they’ve become festival favourites across Europe, receiving rave reviews for their energetic live shows, harmony-vocals & original songs. In 2015 they were hand-picked by legendary producer Ethan Johns, to work with Tom Jones on his Long Lost Suitcase album.
With much of 2016 spent preparing, writing and pre-production Rackhouse Pilfer are currently putting the finishing touches to their third album, recorded earlier this year with producer Gareth Jones (Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Josh T. Pearson).
Formed in 2012 by the fireside of McGarrigles bar in Sligo, they released their debut album in 2013, before heading to Nashville in 2014 to record second album Love and Havoc with esteemed producer Brad Jones (Steve Earle, John Prine, Josh Rouse, Hayes Carll).
The legendary Harold Bradley features on two tracks on Love and Havoc. Now 91 years old, he is regarded by many as the most recorded guitar player in history and has played on many hit records with Elvis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Jerry Lee Lewis among numerous others. Most famous for inventing a style called 'Tic Tac' bass guitar, he joined Rackhouse Pilfer to play on ‘Angela’ and ‘Me and a Polar Bear’.
During their stay they were also invited to play at the legendary Station Inn, Nashville’s most famous traditional Bluegrass venue, followed by an invitation on stage as guests at the Grand Ole Opry by late country music legend George Hamilton IV.
The band’s line-up is Leon Mooney – acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals, Willie Kelly – acoustic guitar, drums and vocals, Fiachra Cunningham – fiddle, dobro, and vocals, Mark McGovern – tenor/5 string banjo and vocals, Leslie Jones – mandolin and vocals and Hugh Feely – double bass and vocals.
Rackhouse Pilfer · March-April 2017 UK Tour
MARCH
Sat 11 London Country to Country, The O2 Arena, Town Square stage
Sun 12 Birmingham Ceol Castle, St. Patrick’s Day Parade (afternoon & late shows)
Tue 14 Bangor Blue Sky Café
Wed 15 Settle Victoria Hall
Thu 16 Bury The Met, The Box
Fri 17 Liverpool Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Music Room
Sat 18 Paisley The Bungalow
Sun 19 Edinburgh House Concert
Mon 20 Newcastle upon Tyne The Cluny 2
Tue 21 New Galloway Catstrand
Wed 22 Kirkby Fleetham, N. Yorks. House Concert
Fri 24 St Ishmaels, Pembrokeshire St Ishmaels Sports & Social Club
Sat 25 Fareham Ashcroft Arts Centre
Sun 26 Shoreham-by-Sea Ropetackle Arts Centre
Tue 28 Milton Keynes The Stables, Stage 2
Wed 29 Maidenhead Norden Farm Centre for the Arts
Thu 30 London Nell’s Jazz & Blues
Fri 31 Bath Chapel Arts Centre
APRIL
Sat 1 Witheridge, nr. Tiverton Witheridge Parish Hall
Sun 2 Constantine, nr. Falmouth Tolmen Centre
