Certain times of the yearly calendar find themselves strongly associated with certain musical acts. For example, French pop chanteuse April March recalls the perkiness of spring and The Decemberists bring, well, December to mind.
In March, in Houston, it's Rabbit season.
Like our furry little bunny friends, The Dead Rabbits are now awakened from hibernation and will soon be venue-hopping this emerald-green month. The Press caught up with the Celt-punk band's front man, Seamuis Strain, to see how the group plans to celebrate the month where everyone's Irish.
"Right then, where to begin? Earlier this year I was approached by the new owner of Dan Electro's, Jason Sandman, about playing a show. It was then I proposed that he should do away with his SXSW show, which was scheduled for the 14th, and bring back the Heights Celtic Festival."
The festival, absent in recent years, had been a Heights staple following Houston's St. Patrick's Day Parade. This year's event is slated from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday at Dan Electro's. Tickets are available online, but Strain says there's a perfect chance to grab 'em for free at the 56th annual parade, which begins at noon in downtown Houston.
"Anyone wishing to get their hands on free tickets can get them from our team of bunnies that will be in and around the review stand at the St. Patrick's Day Parade earlier that afternoon of the fest," he notes. "The review stand is located at Texas Avenue and Austin Street downtown."
Once there, Strain says Irish heritage fans can settle in for hours of entertainment. Cass-Barrington Academy of Irish Dance will be on hand performing traditional step dance, while bands include the family-friendly family band The Traveling Murphys and Austin's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and Black Irish Texas. The Rabbits close the fest's official events.
"All ages are welcome at the fest and we encourage folks to bring acoustic instruments if they like. We'll most likely have a sit down after the show and play some more tunes," says Strain. "It's going to be a re-birthing of the fest, as it were, but we're looking forward to watching it grow."
That day's events are actually the centerpiece of a triad of events the band has scheduled to celebrate all things Irish. They'll kick off a busy week with a show tomorrow at Union Tavern in Clear Lake, billed as a "Pre-Paddy's Day Party." The Grizzly Band and Quiet Morning & The Calamity will join in for a night that's sure to keep the venue's bartenders moving mass quantities of Guinness and Jameson.
Strain says his band has been working on its new album, and this month is the perfect opportunity to unleash some of the new Rabbits madness on the unsuspecting. Consider yourselves warned, listeners.
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