Black 47 performed last week as part of the “Go Read” VCU program. This Celtic band has influenced Irish bands The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly with their style mixing Celtic music, jazz, rock-n-roll, rap and hip hop. The band played with a number of unusual as well as traditional instruments including the trombone, saxophone, violin, bagpipes, flutes, and the penny whistle.
“We’re used to guys in kilts following us around,” Lead singer Larry Kirwan said.
The band formed in New York City 16 years ago and has come out with 10 CD’s. Some of their songs have been inspired from fan e-mails, like those in Iraq, and have strong messages about liberty. Some of the lyrics were “there’s a fire of freedom… it’s a revolution. You can break down my door, even strip search me, but you’ll never burn out the fire of freedom”
“We’ve been together for so long we’re lining up the coffins,” saxophone player Geoff Blithe said smiling. “I’ve been part of this band for so long, since the beginning, I can’t even work out how to leave.”
The band played for an hour and a half with many different songs and beats, but the whole time the band remained enthusiastic encouraging the audience to clap along with the fast songs. In almost every song the bagpipes were pumping along with all of the other instruments.
“I should have played the saxophone,” bagpipe player Joseph Mulvanerty said laughing. “I would have met more girls that way. Yeah, I have been with the band for five years and it’s been great.”
“We played a lot of clubs in New York and all around the country. We’ve been all the way to Argentina and back playing, and we will hit Europe sometime soon. We go to Ireland every year to play and I’m looking forward to it.”
The band has been together for some time and tours around the country but for much of the time they play in New York. Currently they are playing at Connolly’s in Times Square every Saturday night.
“Black 47 was a good band,” student Katie Hart said. “The drummer was amazing to watch, the bagpipes were awesome, and the base was pumping. You could hear the lead singer in each song, and the music had a good beat. It was definitely a fun concert.”