Your Guide to Booking St. Patrick’s Day Bands in Sacramento (more musicians follow below)

The live Irish and Celtic music scene in Sacramento is exploding, so you’ve got some great choices for your 2012 St. Patrick’s Day event.  Check out these listings

Folk Rock/Punk
This category features bands that get audiences out on the dance floor. They cover groups like Flogging Molly, The Pogues, and The Tossers in high energy crowd-pleasing performances.

The Pikeys
This new six piece band is crazy fun! Their Irish repertoire is sprinkled with surprises from the likes of the Tom Waits and The Decemberists along with some rowdy originals. When lead singer Ben Mentze breaks out the megaphone, watch out! Instruments: mandolin, guitar, bass, drums, saxophones, tin whistle, flute.https://www.facebook.com/thepikeysrock

Whiskey and Stitches
High musicianship and stage appeal makes this band a good choice for audiences who want hard-driving Irish folks songs with an edge. Instruments: mandolin, tin whistle, guitar, bass, and drums.Nominated for “Best Punk Band” Sammy Award.http://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyandstitches

Stout Rebellion
This band puts on a highly interactive show featuring Irish pub songs and familiar drinking songs. They create a festive atmosphere with beads, clappers, song lyrics, and prizes. Instruments: mandolin, accordion, guitar, bass, bagpipes, bodhran, harmonica, and drums. Nominated for “Best Cover Band” Sammy Award.www.StoutRebellion.com

Traditional
This category features bands that play lively jigs and reels and beautiful ballads on traditional Celtic instruments. Ideal for traditional Irish dances, quieter settings, and events that call for a rich musical backdrop.

Glens of Smow
Contact Catherine Mandella at sambandhaworldmusic@gmail.com

Griffin
Sacramento’s most established Celtic band!
Contact Day Griffin at griffinceltic@yahoo.com

Keeva
This band puts their own distinctive stamp on traditional Irish tunes and songs. All fivemembers are multi-instrumentalists blending fiddle, accordion, tin whistle, harp, cello, guitar, mandolin, banjo, drums and vocals into their arrangements. They can deliver hard driving reels, lilting jigs and songs both sweet and joyous, all performed with superb musicianship. Contact Dan Chan at danchan@comcast.net
http://www.youtube.com/user/KeevaCeltic

Cahersiveen - The Band
Featuring a repertoire ranging from simple old Irish songs and American folk classics to hard-driving, edgy, Scottish and Breton jigs and reels.
http://www.cahersiveenmusic.com/

Arbroath  - Traditional Scottish ensemble and some Irish if needed