Austin Celtic Festival

**Tobus** · 4th November 11, 02:39 PM

I plan to be there tomorrow, Saturday the 5th. Anyone else going?

If you see me and I don't recognize you, say hello! This is me (and my wife's hair) below, from last year's festival. I'll be around most of the day, hopefully.

**bdkilted** · 5th November 11, 01:10 PM

Sorry, didn't make it this year. Too much going on with the kids.

**Tobus** · 7th November 11, 07:47 AM

I was there for about 4 hours on Saturday, but to be honest, it was pretty boring. So we went home. Didn't even bother taking any pictures, and didn't see any fellow X-Markers.

The music was good and the festival was a bit crowded. But some of the vendors from last year were missing.

As usual (for Austin), I saw mostly Utilikilts and other modern kilts being worn with boots and t-shirts. But I did see more tartan kilts this year, although most were worn poorly.

In general, I'm debating with myself on whether it's even worth going to this festival any more. If I lived closer, I'd probably still go just for a chance to kilt up. But since it's such a far drive for me (2 hours and 15 minutes each way), I'm not sure the festival is exciting enough to make me want to do it again. I do realize that it's not a purely Scottish festival, and it caters more toward the modern "Celtic" fashion.

**bdkilted** · 7th November 11, 07:52 AM

Yeah, that was my take when I was there a couple of years ago.
A lot of good music, but not much else. They used to let the clans set up tents, which I think helped the venue. They decided they weren't making enough money off the clans, so no more clans.

**Zardoz** · 7th November 11, 08:10 AM

I always want to go to the Austin Celtic Festival, but it seems like something comes up every year to mess up my plans... It was looking good this year, but when I looked over the list of entertainers, I just didn't see anything this year I felt was worth the time and money to make the trip over to Austin.

**Tobus** · 8th November 11, 12:05 PM

What entertainers (or style of music) would make you more likely to attend, Zardoz?

I find myself thinking the same thing. I'm not real familiar with most of the bands they bring in, and would be hesitant to make a long journey to the festival to just hear music from people I have never heard of before. That said, though, the music is actually pretty good quality. Raising Jane is one of the bands that plays there every year, and I enjoy them. But they, like many of the musical guests, tend to play more contemporary Irish music with perhaps a few traditional songs thrown into the mix (albeit with a modern take on them).

I know what would make me more enthusiastic about it is an emphasis on traditional Scottish music, some strong bagpipe players, etc. But I do realize that most of the folks who are attracted to a "Celtic festival" are mainly there for the Irish stuff, not necessarily Scottish. I am 99% certain that a band like Tartanic could really whip the crowd into a frenzy, but they are a bit on the fantasy/romantic side, and not traditional at all. So they might be the wrong choice for that particular venue.

**Zardoz** · 8th November 11, 01:52 PM

Well, I'm not opposed to some fantasy/romantic, non traditional celtic sounds. bands like Tartanic, the Rogues, Needfire, Bedlam Bards, the Blaggards, or Dead Rabbits would be a nice change from the traditional 'death and potatoes' Irish ballad bands. After hearing another weepy rendition of Athen Rye, it would be cool to hear the Blaggards' version where they mash it up with Folsom Prison Blues!

http://www.myspace.com/blaggards/mus...songs-26419316

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