Celtic band House of Hamill to close out Maple Street Concerts season on April 20
On Saturday, April 20, Maple Street Concerts is welcoming the House of Hamill for the trio’s debut performance at the Lombard chapel. Lilli Kuzma, radio host of WDCB’s “Folk Festival,” will be the guest emcee.
This is the final concert of the 2023-24 season.
The next season will begin on Sept. 15, continuing the celebration of 40 years of live music at the Chapel.
House of Hamill owes its existence — almost entirely — to a series of canceled flights. Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan first found themselves onstage together at the 2014 Folk Alliance International conference. Baldino’s band, Burning Bridget Cleary, was scheduled to perform, but inclement weather prevented two of her bandmates from flying. Desperate to salvage the showcase, Rose approached Buchanan, who she knew fronted the Canadian Celtic rock band, Enter the Haggis. She thrust a guitar into Buchanan’s hands and foisted him onstage, and the two just clicked.
Four years (and hundreds of shows) later, the duo was booked to play a closing slot at a Colorado festival, so they hired a bass player and drummer to fill out their sound. By the oddest of coincidences, their hired bandmates’ flights were canceled the day of the show. An urgent cry for help on Facebook introduced Buchanan and Baldino to local musician, Caroline Browning, who joined them on bass for the weekend. Once again, the chemistry was undeniable, and House of Hamill became a trio.
Today, this Pennsylvania-based trio is a fixture on festival stages across the U.S., and has shared their music and stories on the country’s premier folk stages. Their version of “Pound a Week Rise” rose to No. 1 on the U.S. Folk DJ charts, and the video for their all-violin cover of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” amassed over 16 million views on Facebook, where it was shared over 400,000 times.
Their last release, “Folk Hero,” captures perfectly the frenetic energy and eclecticism of their always engaging live show. Their new album set for release this month, “Wildfire,” is a new collection of murder ballads, twisted folk tales, and high-energy instrumentals. It is the fourth House of Hamill album to be fully fan-funded. Learn more at www.houseofhamill.com.
“House of Hamill is a fantastic live band,” said Melissa Dagenhart, Maple Street Concerts’ presenter, “they are clever, witty, and have melting three-part harmonies.”
The concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the Maple Street Chapel, 200 S. Main St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 (plus a $1.25 processing fee). Tickets may also be purchased at the door with cash or check only, pending availability. All sales are final.
For information, visit www.maplestreetconcerts.org.