Whiskey In The Jar Dubliners Torrent

Roger Drawdy It's not unusual to see a pub full of folks singing along to Irish music. Well-worn songs are cheered by throngs of stout-swilling audiences every weekend. The twist at a Roger Drawdy and the Firestarters show is that most of the words the crowd diligently recites were penned by Drawdy himself. His vivid storytelling and the band's rousing interpretations have made their songs as dear to the hearts of his fans as 'Whiskey in the Jar' or 'Drunken Sailor' are to the average weekend hooligan. A native Irishman (from the County Cork), Drawdy comes from a family of entertainers, a fact that his vibrant personality substantiates. His father and grandfather are well-known storytellers and musicians in his homeland, and he certainly would have followed them but, like a century-and-a-half of forebears, he came to the U.S.

Seeking economic opportunity. Drawdy was eventually able to concentrate on songwriting and performing, starting as a solo artist in the late '90s, then assembling a backing band in 2000 to perform his mixture of Irish and American Folk music. This duality is reflected in the lineup. Kathy Woods' fiddle and mandolin playing varies from subtle and haunting to a torrent of notes, and John McBride's thumping bodhran provides another familiar Irish music touchstone. To balance these conventional elements, Drawdy's guitar playing is strongly informed by Folk Rock, and Aaron Zlatkin (also of Wojo) fills out the band's sound with melodic bass and vocal harmonies.

This fusion truly straddles the two styles, giving both a kick in the arse and producing an enjoyable crossover that has made the Firestarters festival and pub favorites around the Midwest. Drawdy's lyrics range from vigorous rebel songs to stirring ballads, many of which deal with the history of the Irish people. But most can be extrapolated, as is his intent.

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He captures modern themes of displacement, often framed by the plight of his countrymen and their infatuation with their home. 'You hear that in Irish music from all over the world. Many Irish were displaced by force, so there's always that longing for home,' Drawdy says.

'In Ireland, home is the soil that you live on, where your grandfather's grandfather was born. But I don't necessarily think of it as just being Ireland: I want other people to look around themselves and realize they have to take care of our environment.

The longing to preserve it and be a part of it should extend to everyone.' To find someone affected by the message in the music, you need look no further than the Firestarters' lineup. Says McBride, 'I've become a Hibernian since joining the band and really started to learn more about my heritage. It's been life-changing for me, being a part of this group and looking at the story of the McBride name. If you go to Ireland, you'll find that the land is beautiful, but the people are magnificent.'

A Firestarters live show looks absolutely exhausting to perform. 'I'd say exhilarating!' Laughs Drawdy. 'Being able to write my own stuff and have these guys interpret it with such passion is amazing. When you play it six nights in a row, it could get old. But seeing the audience responding to something you've written is inspiring; it gives us all energy.' 'When we play festivals, we stick with the original material, and there's plenty,' says Woods, referring to the four Firestarters albums (plus several more of Drawdy solo efforts).

Their latest, Open Seas, Empty Skies, is a striking snapshot of their evolving sound and is getting radio airplay and attention on Internet stations worldwide. Still, playing bar gigs, they can't avoid requests for classics, although they try to mix it up as best they can. 'I like to say that 'Danny Boy' is the 'Stairway to Freebird,' ' jokes Drawdy. 'I once played it for a $75 cash tip on St. Patrick's Day.