Rising Irish trad band Réalta is a big deal at home and throughout Europe, where they have played sold-out concerts and festivals since forming in 2011.
So it seemed about time that the band, featuring noted Irish uilleann pipes and whistle player Connor Lamb, make that trip over the pond.
“We’ve played all over Europe. We’ve played in India, we’ve played in South Korea. We’ve played in Russia, so certainly it’s about time to make it over to the States here,” Connor said.
But they are starting out slowly with a six-week trek of the West Coast that kicked off in California in late February; they stop in Tucson on Friday, March 15.
This summer, they will return for the East Coast leg, and next February/March, they will start all over again.
“We’ve been wanting to come here for a long time, so we’re really glad and excited that it’s finally happened,” Lamb said during a phone call Monday from Washington state, where the band played to a full house Sunday night and conducted workshops on Monday.
Lamb said the band was finally able to put together a U.S. tour after signing two years ago with its Tucson-based American agent, Pat Garrett, whose Real Good Music roster of Irish, Celtic and Scottish trad bands includes Old Blind Dogs, Tannahill Weavers and Téada.
During our conversation, Lamb, speaking in a soft sing-song Irish brogue, talked about driving along the West Coast, the reaction from American audiences and his wish that the sun will be shining bright and warm when the band arrives in Arizona. Here are excerpts from that interview.
We packed shorts and it’s snowing: “We started off in California and discovered just how big California is. I had no idea. Then we went on to Oregon and then Washington. It was my first time on this side of the country, and I’m looking out at the mountains and there’s snow.
“I’m hoping when we get to Arizona that there will be a bit of warmth,” he added.
“It’s just interesting because as we’re traveling and meeting different people, we’re seeing different parts of the country. That’s always interesting getting to do that.”
About the band: In addition to Lamb, the band, all versed in multiple instruments, features fellow uilleann player and flutist Aaron O’Hagan; guitarist/pianist and vocalist Deirdre Galway; Dermot Mulholland on double bass, bouzouki and banjo, and chiming in on vocals; and Dermot Moynagh on bodhrán and percussion.
“Yeah, it’s probably not too common to have a band featuring two sets of uilleann pipes,” Lamb said, referring to Ireland’s version of the bagpipes.
Réalta has released two albums — “Open the Door For Three,” recorded in 2012 when the band was a trio and the 2016 follow-up, “Clear Skies.”
Just what does it mean to be a trad Irish band? It starts with those old tunes, from jigs to ballads, carried down from generation to generation, and the traditional instruments including the ubiquitous Irish whistle and pipes.
But it’s more than just the repertoire, Lamb quickly notes: It’s the preservation of the music and keeping it relevant for contemporary audiences.
“You need to be respectful of the music and sort of treat it with respect,” he said.
“But we’re not afraid to bring in our more contemporary influences, in terms of harmony and chord structure. Everything that we do is steeped in very old music, but at the same time we bring all of our influences. We hope that it’s a nice balance and we hope that the audiences there will appreciate that and enjoy it.”
Seeing them live: “You should expect something lively, something fun. We hope that we will get the audience on their feet and get their toes tapping and everybody clapping. We also intend to bring a lot of variety to our show, so we will have lively jigs and reels and we’ll also have some slower (songs) on the uilleann pipes.
“We really try to bring a lot of variety to our shows and I think that helps as well. Perhaps for people who aren’t familiar with Irish traditional music, that helps to make it accessible.”
