Blame Not the Band plays in the 2022 Celtic Night Out at Riverfront Grille -- July 16.
Saturday, July 16, 6 p.m.
Riverfront Grille, 4619 34th Street, Rock Island IL
Scottish bagpipe marches and rollicking Irish pub tunes will fill Rock Island’s Riverfront Grille on July 16 as part of the second-annual Celtic Night Out, a celebration of heritage sponsored by the Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities, and boasting performances by the Black Hawk Pipes and the musicians of east/central Iowa's Blame Not the Bard.
With doors for this year's Celtic Night Out opening at 6 p.m., fans of traditional bagpipes will enjoy two short sets by the Black Hawk Pipes and Drums, which began in 2000 with initial sponsorship from the Scottish-American Society. The independent, non-competition band is always a welcome attraction at Scottish Society events and can also be seen at parades, concerts, and other special events, and their repertoire boasts traditional Scottish bagpipe marches as well as reels, jigs, hornpipes, strathspeys, and slow airs.
Meanwhile, armed with Irish song, stories, and fiddling, the rollicking Celtic musicians of Blame Not the Bard will deliver high-energy Irish pub songs and stories designed to get feet moving and hands clapping in one of their first appearance in the Illinois Quad Cities. Blame Not the Bard was formed in 2015 in east/central Iowa, and the ensemble features Andrew Philbrick (banjo, bass, lead vocals), Nikki Philbrick (fiddle, mandolin, and vocals), and Corey Baker (guitar, foot percussion, and vocals.) Described as "Iowa Raised, Ireland Rooted," Blame Not the Bard has journeyed throughout Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and South Dakota to bring the stories of Ireland to hundreds of audiences large and small, and their live performances have led to praise from The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, an "Artist Direct" profile on KDEC FM100.5, an artist feature in the 2017 Iowa Irish Festival Program Guide, and a 2022 Iowa PBS feature on the program Greetings from Iowa.
Formed nearly 50 years ago, the Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities is a membership-based group for anyone with an interest in Scotland, Scottish heritage, culture, or history. Scottish heritage is not required to join, and annual activities include hosting the Robert Burns dinner; celebrating Scottish holidays such as Tartan Day, Beltane, and Samhain; and hosting trips, golf outings, and other celebrations of Scottish culture, with the group also sponsoring a trip to Scotland and Ireland this September.
The 2022 Celtic Night Out takes place at the Riverfront Grille on July 16, with the $30 admission including generous appetizers, haggis, and the night's entertainment. The event is open to the public with cash, check, or credit accepted at the door, and seating is available both on the enclosed patio and along the scenic Rock River. For more information on the evening's festivities, visit SASQC.com.
