Blame Not the Bard perform in the 2024 Celtic Night Out at Riverfront Grille -- July 20.
Saturday, July 20, 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 20 as part of the fourth-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 & Drums 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 a 6:15 p.m. set by the Black Hawk Pipes & Drums. The ensemble originated in 2000 under the initial sponsorship of the Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities, and the group is a non-competition band that's often seen performing in parades, ceremonies, performances, and for parties such as Celtic Night Out. Their music consists of many of the traditional 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 marches along with their own mixture of reels, jigs, hornpipes, strathspeys, and slow airs, and the Black Hawk Pipes & Drums also provide lessons at no charge.
Meanwhile, armed with song, stories, and fiddling, the rollicking Celtic musicians of Blame Not the Bard will deliver a high-energy performance designed to get feet moving and hands clapping. They have shared festival line-ups with the likes of Gaelic Storm, Scythian, Talisk, Aoife Scott, The Dublin City Ramblers, The Elders, The Red Hot Chili Pipers, Jig Jam, and the High Kings. Blame Not the Bard began in 2015 as a side project among friends, and the musicians were delighted to see that their love for fiery instrumentals, unearthing captivating stories, and getting the whole crowd involved was catching on, leading them to some of the most iconic stages in Iowa.
Over the years, Blame Not the Bard has played hundreds of shows across the Midwest, lighting up stages in nine states with venues ranging from intimate listening rooms to major festivals including the Kansas City Irish Fest and mainstage appearances at the Iowa Irish Fest. In August of 2023, BNTB released their sophomore album Now and Again, which features their current lineup of Andrew Philbrick, Corey Baker, Nicole Philbrick, along with their newest member Dan Vaughn. Band members effortlessly transition between fiddle, banjo, bass guitar, flute, mandolin, percussion and vocals, and more information on the group is available at BlameNotTheBard.com.
Formed roughly 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.
Doors to the Riverfront Grille's 2024 Celtic Night Out event on July 20 open at 6 p.m., with the Black Hawk Pipes & Drums kicking off the event at 6:15 pm, followed by dinner and Blame Not the Bard from 7:15 pm to 9 pm. Admission at the door is $35 for adults, and includes both bands, hors d'oeuvres, and pizza buffet and haggis in the restaurant’s air-conditioned private party room. Children are welcome, at a reduced admission of $10 at the door for ages 12 and under, while a cash bar is located in a separate room. Kilts and Celtic attire are not required, but most welcome.
For more information on the evening's festivities, e-mail sasqcinfo@gmail.com and visit SASQC.com.
