St. Patrick’s Day is only once a year, but every year it seems like more and more of the month of March is dominated by Celtic influenced music to celebrate. If you’re in the mood for this kind of entertainment, there’s no shortage of it in central PA—see our Honorable Mentions for a list of shows you can see in this genre, marked with an asterisk (note: this is not exhaustive of all the Celtic music happening in the area). For those of you who aren’t into Celtic music, there’s a ton of other shows happening this March, too. And, if your venue or friends have a show coming up that should be on our radar, drop me a line at [email protected].
INDIE ROCK
3/8, Houndmouth, XL Live
Midwestern rockers Houndmouth might hail from Indiana, but the band’s best-known hit is actually titled “Sedona,” and much of their music conveys a bit of a windblown desert vibe (or maybe that’s just an overall troubadour persona). The band’s 2021 LP, “Good for You,” draws a comparison to the debut album, and for all the right reasons. It’s got great storytelling and easy-to-love melodies, and Houndmouth puts on a fantastic, energetic show. The band’s played in Harrisburg at least once before in the last five years, and their last show here was a fun evening of beautiful music.
COUNTRY COLLAB
3/15, Nashville Style Artists in the Round, The Abbey Bar
This stacked bill features a variety of award-winning country musicians, including Adam Yarger, Cody Tyler, Gillian Smith and Jake Mach, who will play their own sets on The Abbey Bar’s stage (but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some cameos from other artists on the lineup during each other’s performances). I’ve seen Berks County mainstay Cody Tyler play a few times from my days living in Reading and have always been impressed, and local songstress and CV grad Gillian Smith even made it to “The Voice” on Season 24. If twang’s your thang, add this gig to your calendar.
UNDERCOVER
3/29, Pink Talking Fish, XL Live
When I first saw the name of this artist on XL Live’s calendar, I thought, “There’s no possible way this is what I think it is.”And yet, it is! Indeed, a musical fever dream of sorts, Pink Talking Fish is a cover band incorporating the music of—you guessed it—Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish into unique live musical experiences. An unlikely fusion, I think audience members can expect to hear a bit more from Pink Floyd’s catalogue this time around, as the band’s incredible “Wish You Were Here” album turns 50 this year. If you decide to go, you might just catch me there.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
3/5, Solas 30th Anniversary Tour, West Shore Theatre*
3/7-8, The Badlees, Englewood Hershey
3/14, Jackyl, H*MAC
3/14, Seasons, West Shore Theatre*
3/15, Killmaine Saints, XL Live*
3/21, Bitsy McCann, Broad Street Market
3/21, Burn the Jukebox, West Shore Theatre
3/25, Gaelic Storm, XL Live*
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